CH 234

Proof

After completing two platinum requests in the Barbadd mountains, we returned back to Edestor.

We were all pretty exhausted but, we did need to go out again to meet Mielle tonight.

I let Ralf and Esta head back ahead to the inn to drop Snow, while I went to guild to report the completion of requests, and then we regrouped back again at the commercial street.

“I’m done with the reports. Was Snow fine?”

“Yeah! It must have been tired as well as it went to sleep right after I cleaned it up with a towel.”

“Then it’s fine……….that said, you two could have stayed home and rested as well, no need to come with me. I’ve already introduced you two to her, don’t need all three of us for talking do we?”

“For me, I simply haven’t come to trust her enough yet. I’d prefer to stay with to make sure she doesn’t try something so please allow me to accompany you, as a precaution if anything.”

“I’m just coming along cuz it seems like it’ll be fun! Better than staying alone doing nothing in my room after all!”

“Well, I won’t stop you either I guess if you really want to come with me……….alright then, let’s head to the back alley.”

While having a light chat, we headed towards the back alley where Mielle was waiting for us.

It’s the perfect place to have a secret meeting but even after coming here multiple times, I still felt a bit overwhelmed by the suspicious atmosphere of this area.

The moment I stepped into the back alley, I activated all my detection skills and began walking with maximum vigilance.

I could sense people inside the alley, not one but three.

Was it Mielle? Or just some hoodlums hanging out in the back alleys?

……….No these presences were too strong to be hoodlums.

One possessed immense mana, which was probably Mielle.

The other two didn’t have much in terms mana but instead possessed incredibly life presence.

Which means Mielle and——-the princess and her knight.

If she was bringing them with her, she should have told us in advance, is what I wanted to complain but I swallowed my words and walked straight towards the three.

The first thing to catch my eye was Mielle, who was standing there looking extremely uncomfortable.

Noticing me walk towards her, she suddenly broke into a relieved smile.

………….I guess she wasn’t lying when she said that she absolutely hated the princess her posse.

“Sorry for the wait. We just came back from our requests so were running a little late.”

“We just came here as well so don’t worry about it. That aside, as you demanded I’ve brought the princess to meet you. Now by all means you guys can talk as much as you want to your heart’s content by yourselves.”

Saying that Mielle lightly patted my shoulders and then quickly ran away from the place.

Should’ve at least introduced them properly before running but, I suppose I should be thankful for at least giving me this opportunity so I can’t ask too much more of her.

I walked towards the place where Mielle was sitting, and spoke to the princess who was clearly not in a foul mood.

“Apologies for making you come all the way here. I’m sure you’ve heard from Mielle already but I am the one called Chris.”

I introduced myself but the princess seemed uninterested in answering. She simply looked at me from top to bottom and then made a gesture with her chin as if giving an order to her knight.

“…………Are you really Klaus’ older brother? Until you can prove that as fact, she has no intention of talking to you, or so she says.”

“Proof? What exactly would make you believe me?”

“You should think of that yourself. We will give you a minute to think. If you can’t come up with something, then we won’t come to meet you again.”

The heavily armoured knight said that in an intimidating manner, and then began counting down with his fingers.

Both their attitude and tone pissed me off but, I’m the one who requested this meeting in the first place.

Besides, I’m hardly in any position to be pointing out other people’s bad manners, so I suppressed my retorts and for now, began thinking of what could work as proof.

……….Klaus’ date of birth, place of upbringing, name of parents.

That’s pretty much all the personal details I know when it comes to Klaus now that I think about it.

And that too only because I myself share those details with him. Rest, I had no idea.

For family, we never really talked much, and I was made to accompany father in his training from morning till night every single day.

And Klaus was never anywhere near so I barely even knew him.

———that’s why I still don’t understand why he hated me so much, to the point he’d try to kill me.

“Would Klaus’ birthdate, hometown, name of parents be enough?”

“You could learn that from literally any info broker. Far from solid proof. If you really are family, surely you have some info that only a family member would know right?”

The knight instantly rejected my answer, and behind him the princess looked at me like she was looking at trash.

She was unnecessarily beautiful as well, which only made me even more angry.

I think I already understand why Mielle absolutely hates these two.

———ah, but now’s not the time to be thinking up insults towards them.

If I can’t find solid proof in the couple seconds that remain, I’ll fail in gaining the co-operation of the princess.

I was already thinking that it’s okay even if I don’t get them on my side but, I knew that whoever was able to get the cooperation of the princess would definitely have the upper hand in the future.

I should at least try everything I can.

Since I knew barely anything about Klaus, I instead figured that it might be faster to think of something related to the Sparling family instead.

I registered my adventurer card as just [Chris] so that’s useless.

I mean I could prove it if they had my blood checked and what not but, that was impossible in the current situation.

When I left the house, I didn’t bring much with me and the things I stole I had mostly sold………Hm? Wait a second.

I quickly rummaged through my bag, and brought out a pocketwatch from inside.

I had originally stolen it to sell it because it was something valuable to my father.

But since it wasn’t as expensive as I had hoped, I never sold it to [Shichifukuya] and kept it on me still.

Now I don’t know if this would work as proof but, this was pretty much my last option left.

I grabbed my father’s pocketwatch and handed it to the knight who was standing in between me and the princess.

“This belonged to my- our father, a possession he deeply treasured. I don’t know if that counts enough or not but go ahead, and check it. There’s a chance Klaus probably possessed a similar looking pocketwatch as well.”

“……….Understood. Let me talk to Charlotte-sama for a minute.”

The knight finally gave a decent reaction and walked back to the princess with pocketwatch in hand.

After that, they continued talking about said watch for a while, and soon the knight walked back towards me perhaps with their decision made.

“I do not know how you got hold of this pocket watch but it indeed belongs to the Sparling household. With Mielle’s info on you included, we will for now believe that you are in fact Klaus’ older brother.”

This condescending attitude was truly limitless but, at least it worked as proof.

I know I was the one who handed it to them but even I had no idea how exactly did they confirm that it was a belonging of a Sparling household member.

It doesn’t even have a family crest, and from my point of view, it was a broken clock whose hour hand didn’t even work.

I wondered if Klaus did indeed have a similar pocketwatch, or maybe it had some kind of hidden gimmick to it?

………..no point in thinking about it though, and if it worked as proof, I don’t care much beyond that.

(T/N: PSA we’re almost caught up with JP Raws with the advance chapters if you’re interested)