Chapter 66: [Demon King Mansion]
Within the picturesque garden, Shien and Lasha just stared at one another like that. One was like as if he was going to attack at any moment, while the other acted completely calm and normal. The atmosphere there became increasingly suffocating.
Shien attempted to discern the truth of Lasha's statement just now through her expressions.
At the very least, Shien wasn't naive enough to simply take a stranger completely at their word like that.
However, Lasha's expressions were just way too calm. Not only did it not expose any sort of change in emotions, it didn't shift even under the pressure that Shien was emitting.
Even though she didn't show any signs of strength, and the feeling that she gave off was completely that of an ordinary maid. Compared to Leisha who gave off an unbelievable feeling, she was absolutely normal. Even Leisha probably wouldn't have been able to stay this calm with Shien giving off such power, and yet, for a maid without a hint of power to have been able to done so was just way too abnormal.
Could she really be Leisha's twin sister?
If so, then why would that whimsical young lady's twin sister lower herself to be her maid?
(I don't get it)
Shien just continuously observed Lasha, and only until he was sure that he couldn't see through her thoughts did he finally give up.
Then, after thinking it over a bit, Shien slowly retracted his magic power.
「Skill gained – [Intimidation] – Would you like to learn?」
In such circumstances, Shien actually ended up gaining a new skill.
Shien gave it a glance and discovered that this was an active skill that allowed a person to release their own magic power or aura to create mental or even physical pressure to everyone within a certain range. Since Shien took similar actions, that was why he directly gained that skill, right?
Shien so thought and then just learned it as for the time being.
"Don't let me find out that you're lying to me."
With that statement at Lasha, Shien started moving once again.
Only, this time, Shien wasn't moving towards the mansion, but rather out of the garden in an effort to leave.
"May I ask where you are going?"
Lasha watched Shien as he did so and coolly asked that.
Shien just ignored her though, and stepped straight out of the garden.
Until…
"I just knew it. You'd definitely take an unexpected course of action again."
Following such a resigned voice, the space around Shien once again warped and the scenery around him faded away.
Shien just saw his surroundings blur before he was already within a richly decorated guest hall.
"Milady."
Lasha who was warped over along with Shien bowed to the mistress of the place with a greeting.
"You've worked hard, Lasha."
A girl that had the exact same features and figure as Lasha except wearing a dress was sitting at the table before them. She gave Lasha a smile before turning to Shien.
"Really now, you're already here, so why are you leaving in such a hurry?"
Leisha rolled her eyes at Shien.
Shien didn't feel a thing at that though.
"Milady is delicate and moody after all. She'll only see those she wants to, and those she doesn't, she'll toss out like garbage without any hesitation. That's obviously much more than a mere newbie adventurer like me could handle, so it's better if I recognized my place and just left immediately, don't you think so?"
The barbs in Shien's words were quite obvious there.
"I just had your little girlfriends go back, but you actually just up and leave like that. Even though you were the one to knock in the first place, so who's the moody one here?" Leisha gave a smirk, "If not for you, they wouldn't have been able to even unlock the boundary, never mind coming in. In the end, wasn't the fact that they were able to see my Flowersong Mansion already a gain for them?"
"Is that so?" Shien continued talking with barbs in his words, "Should we be honored then?"
"Of course." Lasha spoke as if it was only natural and showed a deeply meaningful smile at Shien, "Do you know what this Flowersong Mansion used to be called in the past?"
Shien wrinkled his brow.
Seening that, Leisha's mouth widened in a grin and made a statement.
"Before, this used to be called the Demon King Mansion."
That sentence made Shien's expression change slightly.
Demon King Mansion?
Did that mean…
"Indeed, this was a mansion once used by the Demon King. After I stole it, I renamed it to the Flowersong Mansion, you know?"
Leisha just stated something amazing with a smile.
"You stole the Demon King's residence?"
Even Shien was rendered mute at that statement.
"I just grabbed it since it was conveniently there along the way." Leisha was quite lighthearted, but she didn't go into detail. Instead, she just pointed to the seat facing her and spoke, "Sit. Since you've finally arrived here, how about at least letting me serve you some tea?"
Shien didn't move though. Instead, he just wildly scanned around without moving his head.
At the sight of this, Leisha showed an alarmed expression.
"Don't do anything crazy. Please, I'm begging you here. It's really bad for my mind and heart." Leisha was nearly reduced to grinding her teeth, "Do you not want to know why the Old Demon Faction is looking for me? You and those girls came here with a purpose in mind right? It shouldn't be a bad thing to have a chat with me, right?"
Those three questions in rapid succession showed just how many headaches Shien's previous unexpected actions had caused Leisha.
Shien immediately rolled his eyes at that, and then, he reluctantly moved forward and sat down on the other side of Leisha.
The moment Shien sat down though, Lasha who had been waiting silently on standby appeared without a trace with a plate and a tea set from who knows where.
"Please have some tea."
With the customary words of a maid in an overly calm and cool voice, Lasha so spoke as she placed a tea cup steaming with a delicious aroma in front of Shien.
This time, Shien didn't do anything out of the norm.
With the [Abnormal Status Resistance] skill protecting him, Shien wasn't afraid of the tea being poisoned either.
Therefore, Shien brought up the tea cup and took a sip of the delicious smelling tea.
In that instant, an unbelievably delicious taste spread out in his mouth.
"So good…"
Shien couldn't hold back his surprise and so stated without thinking about it.
"Right?" Leisha immediately acted as if it was her that was being praised and happily spoke, "Lasha's tea is the best in all three worlds, you know?"
Leisha seemed quite proud of that fact.
"I am undeserving of such praise, milady."
Lasha just replied normally without minding it.
"I was merely stating the truth, that's all."
Leisha however showed an unusual amount of stubbornness over this matter though.
It's not like Shien couldn't understand why Leisha was so proud though.
This tea was indeed both delicious and fragrent. Compared to the tea that Shien had over at Nien's place, it could basically be said to be equal in quality.
If they could bring out tea on the same level that a goddess would serve her guest, it'd be pretty understandable if they were to want to show off a bit.
Unfortunately though, Shien wasn't really here just for tea.
"I won't mince words anymore." Shien didn't act with any politeness and just directly asked Leisha, "The person that the Old Demon Faction is looking for is you, right?"
To that question, Leisha just smiled. Her silence was more than telling.
That was basically already confirmed.
That's because the portrait that Jillian was carrying was Leisha's portrait.
That was why Shien, who had a battle with Leisha, was called out as having remnants of her magical power.
That way why Jillian managed to find Shien following that magical power and ended up trying to interrogate him.
The reason why Diere had that clue was quite normal too.
Back when they were at the foot of the Mangir mountain range, Leisha gave Shien her address.
The invitation with the address might have been buried by Shien, but then it got picked up by Diere who was watching the whole thing from the side.
That was how the group came to reach this location.