CH.286 Wilma’s Freedom
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good morning. I am here to deliver the order for Lord Peks.” Wilma told the guards at the gate to the Lord’s manor. With her was me, as well as Ria dressed in her maid outfit. You know, the one Sawyer’s made based on the painting I have of Laura in one. I had her dress up in it for appearances, and I was also in my noble’s clothing.
<span style="font-weight:400">You might wonder why, but there is a very simple reason for it. Insurance. I don’t know if this noble is behind the harassment Wilma has been under, but if he is, this is a reasonable way of getting him off her case. I wrote him a letter yesterday evening, saying that Wilma and I would being to deliver the staff today, so at least I did give him warning.
<span style="font-weight:400">We were also in my carriage, using it as a golem carriage. At first, I was going to have Ria drive us, but she wasn’tfortable driving yet, so I summoned Cybeic Magician to drive instead.
Spoiler
[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">Most of my spellcasters, who are actually human sized and not giant or tiny, can drive my carriage, as they learned how to do so in the factory. I think there was some talks about me needing drivers, so a lot of them learned to do so, just to increase their chance of being summoned.
<span style="font-weight:400">I was also asked a few questions by the guards, but we quickly got past when I showed my noble’s ID, and exined that I was going to employ Wilma after this delivery.
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<span style="font-weight:400">After we pulled up to the front door of the manor, the three of us got out, Ria first, then Wilma and I wasst. I then unsummoned my spellcaster and took the carriage into Storage. No reason to bother the manor’s staff with it, as it is a bit unusual.
<span style="font-weight:400">We were guided inside the manor, and into a parlor room. Wilma and I sat down on two separate seats, while Ria stayed standing just behind me, slightly to the left.
<span style="font-weight:400">Soon enough, who I think is the Lord came into the room, so I stood up. He seemed to be in his early thirties, dark brown, almost ck hair and green eyes. His build was quite thin, but he was tall as anything, probably just over 2 meters in height. He then walked to the couch opposite to where the two of us were, and took a seat. After he was seated, the two of us sat back down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wee, miss Wilhelmina. You as well, Sir Wood. Though I don’t see a reason for you toe.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you, my Lord. I havee to bring our order as informed.” Wilma said very formally.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I do apologize, Lord Peks. I normally wouldn’t invade your home like this, but considering the situation, I felt like I had no choice.” I quickly exined, even if that exined nothing.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. You did write that you had a reason. But I would have preferred some details.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Again, I apologize. But because of its nature, it isn’t something that I could write into a letter.” Well I could, but then I wouldn’t see his reaction. Unless I sent some sort of spy monster to… well, spy on him. “But please, do take care of the miss first. My business can wait until she is done.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I shall.” Baron Peks agreed. “So, miss Wilhelmina. The staff. Bring it out.” He ordered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. Item box.” She opened her item box and brought out the staff.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ria.” I gave a quick one word order to my ‘maid’. Actually, she is my maid, so the quotation marks arepletely unnecessary.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ria walked next to Wilma, received the staff from her, then walked over to the Baron, and presented it to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">The baron took a good long look at it, but he did seem happy with it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. This is a staff of the highest quality. It is even more impressive than I assumed.” The Baronplemented the … weapon? Or should a staff be a tool? I guess it is a weapon.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Th-thank you.” Wilma got just a bit flustered by thepliment. “It is made from cotta treant wood I acquired thanks to Lord Wood. It has…” She then went on a long-ish technical exnation of the staff, as well as all of its properties.
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<table style="border-copse:copse;width:100%">
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<td style="width:100%"><span style="font-weight:400">Mission: Help the cksmith</td>
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<td style="width:100%"><span style="font-weight:400">Mission Complete</td>
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<td style="width:100%"><span style="font-weight:400">Reward: Promo Trades ‘’, ‘’, ‘’ and ‘’ unlocked.</td>
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<span style="font-weight:400">“The contract has been signed and you have turned the workshop over to me. With this, your debt has been cleared.” Baron Peks said. “May I ask what your ns are from here on out?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have received an offer from Lord Wood, so I n on working for him.” Wilma answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">The Baron looked at me, so I continued.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is as she said.” I confirmed. “Yesterday, I saw her work ethic and I was quite pleased with it, so I offered her a job. I hope you won’t mind me stealing a skilled artisan from yournds.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“That is not something I would get mad about. It is simply business in the end.” Baron Peks responded. “And I do understand that for her to stay here might be quite … difficult.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. So you must know at least some of it as well.” I muttered, just loud enough where I assumed he heard me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Would you borate on your knowledge then? You just got into town, but you seem to know something.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... well, I do. That is why I came here today. Well, more precisely, this is.” I said, as I ced a ck ball on the table. A dual stage smoke bomb, like the one Agunan pulled out of the coal pit of the forge in Wilma’s workshop. Through this one is an unused one I made with HomeBase.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Would you happen to know what this is?” I asked the Baron, after I set the orb on the table.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I’m not familiar with it. Please, do share.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is called a dual stage smoke bomb. My dragonpanion pulled it out of the coal pit in miss Wilhelmina’s forge yesterday.” As I said that, Wilma’s eyes widened a bit. But as the Baron didn’t seem to fully understand, I kept going. “It is an assassination tool. At first, it releases a sleeping gas, but after a bit, it begins to bellow out carbon monoxide at great volume. I believe someone either set it up in the coal pit, or threw it in through the smokestack yesterday, in an attempt to end miss Wilhelmina’s life.”
<span style="font-weight:400">As my exnation kept on, Wilma looked even more perplexed. I never told her about this, as I didn’t think it would be good to tell her about this at that time.
<span style="font-weight:400">I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell the Baron about this, but as Wilma is now officially under no debt to him, and he doesn’t seem to be the bad guy, I think telling him is fine.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... is … Is this true?” Baron Peks asked me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I swear that it is.” Well, everything but that being the one that Agunan pulled out. That one was a bit too far gone for Storage to fix it, so I made a new one. … And well the entire thing about Wilma actually dying and getting resurrected.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I see. This is aplicated situation we find ourselves in.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I do not believe so. Even if someone in this town wants to take miss Wilhelmina’s life, she won’t be in town for much longer. And I can assure you, my party and I are capable of keeping her safe from almost anything, including some would-be assassins.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just thinking of yourself, I see. Your safety might be guaranteed, but I will still run into trouble myself. I can’t just have assassins around my town.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... Yes. I understand now. I apologize.” I was about half sincere. About half, I wanted to call him out for just having shitty security. “Then please, do take this as a token of my gratitude for taking good care of miss Wilhelmina, as well as your willingness to let her go.” I said as I took an object out of my Storage.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was a gift I prepared for the Lord yesterday, after I sent him the letter informing him I’de visit. It would be rude to juste and not bring anything, after all.
<span style="font-weight:400">I gave it to Ria and let her take it over to Baron Peks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... and this is?” He asked, as he looked at the ring I gave him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“A ring of poison detection. It detects poisons and will shine if it finds any. Also, for one time, it can nullify any lethal or highly harmful poison you have been subjected to. Though it will break after that.” I exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">The ring was something I had spotted while going through the Chaos God Dungeon catalog, and it wasn’t too expensive to make, so I decided to give it to the Lord. I thought it would be fitting, as we did just talk about someone trying to use poison gas to kill Wilma.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? Where would you acquire something like that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I have my sources.” I answered, switching my position so that my founder’s terminal was a bit more obvious.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. I suppose someone like you just might.” Baron Peks said, and after a moment, he kept going. “I do thank you for this, as well as bringing the problem to my attention. I shall promise you this. I will look into this issue and punish the ones responsible.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course. If you feel that it is necessary.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">We chatted for a bit longer, until a butler came and whispered something to the Baron’s ear. I couldn’t overhear much of it, but I think there was some talk about a fire.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sir Wood, miss Wilhelmina. I believe it is best for us to call it a day here. There has been an incident, and I must see to it at once.” The Baron told us. “And I’d like you two toe with me, as they do have something to do with you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“o-of course.” Wilma quickly agreed, possibly feeling pressured.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I suppose I can spare a bit of time.” I said, being quite indifferent.
<span style="font-weight:400">We were led outside, where we entered a carriage with the Baron, and then we took off towards the city. Because of my map, thank you Laura for keeping it up, I knew we were heading towards a certain workshop.
<span style="font-weight:400">When we got there, what waited for us was Wilhelmina’s workshop fully engulfed in mes.
<span style="font-weight:400">The owner, wait, she no longer owns it. Anyway. Wilma quickly got out of the carriage and looked at the burning workshop.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you know what happened?” I asked the Baron.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I sent an aid to check out the workshop. While they were there, the building was set on fire, most likely from the outside.” Baron Peks exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I see. So because they didn’t get Wilhelmina with yesterday''s attack, they just set the entire workshop on fire. Must be getting desperate.” I theorized, even though I have no clue what they will gain by killing Wilma. What are they trying to gain? They won’t get her skills if she is dead and they can’t get her workshop if they burn it down.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“My… my Lord. What does this mean… for our deal?” Wilma asked the Baron.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nothing.” He simply answered. “We have signed the paperwork. This was my building already, not yours. I have no right to try to punish you for anything that happened after we signed off on our deal.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I … Thank you, my Lord.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I am no longer your lord.” Baron Peks said. “Didn’t you say you have promised your services to Sir Wood? Then you shouldn’t call me ‘my Lord’ in his presence.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not that close minded.” I simply stated. “Still, why burn it down? I just don’t understand it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They may have hoped we didn’t sign off on our papers yet. If we hadn’t, miss Wilhelmina wouldn’t have been able to turn over the workshop with the staff, and she would have be a ve.” Baron Peks said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then why not burn it down at night? Wouldn’t that have been more sure?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Perhaps they weren’t informed of the miss''s survival, until she came to see me today.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I suppose that could be it.” I agreed with his theory.
<span style="font-weight:400">But if that really is the truth, these are some sloppy ass assassins. Who would try to kill someone, and not even make sure they are dead?
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wilma, was there anything worthwhile still inside the shop?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... just some tools. A few monster cores. The workbenches, as well as the forge.” She listed off the things left inside. “Other than the forge, everything inside was worth no more than 10 gold coins. The forge was made of special stones I brought from home, so it is a bit more valuable, but it can likely still be salvaged. The stones it was made from won’t crack from this kind of heat.”
<span style="font-weight:400">So she had a special forge, huh. I guess that could be another reason why someone was attacking her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You two should not worry about it for much longer. This is now my problem to solve.” Baron Peks reminded us.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. Thank you.” I thanked him for him actually acting like a good lord.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I do hope that in return, you will be sending some more items from your dungeon my way.” The Baron requested.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I’ll speak with my Dungeon Master about it, and see what we can do.” I promised.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Also, if possible, I’d like the design of your maid’s dress. I believe it is one that Earl Sawyer showed off at his party just a bit ago, isn’t it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, it is.” I confirmed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You wouldn’t happen to have the designs for it written down?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You know, I just might.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Of course I would ask for them, and considering that the painting that the designs were drawn from was mine, the tailor that drew the designs did give me a copy of the designs. And as I’ve said multiple times, I respect how this guy operates, so why not share the design with him, if he really wants it. I can either let one of his people copy the design onto some paper, or just make a copy with Dungeon Founder. It won’t cost much at all anyway. A lot less than the ring I gave him anyway.
Besides. Real Victorian style maid outfits are the best there is, so why not share them around?
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<span style="font-weight:400">In thete afternoon, we regrouped with Mariina’s group. Well, in this case it was everyone but the three of us, but still.
<span style="font-weight:400">Their tests at the adventurer’s guild had gone fine, even though no one actually passed the test here, so Mariina was… quite disappointed. Well, not every town has skilled mages.
<span style="font-weight:400">We would be leaving tomorrow morning, so that was going to be good. It will be good to say goodbye to this town. This ce is too prone to idents.
<span style="font-weight:400">Well, I’m not sure if calling attacks ‘idents’ is even correct.