Chapter 28 – Doppelganger (4)

Dusk fell and a quiet night came.
The salon was brightly lit, and gas lights were turned on throughout the streets, and the flower petals on the trees mixed with the lights, creating a colorful picture on the brick road.

Liv was sitting at the counter and looking at the students walking along the street.
Members of aristocratic families boarding carriages, boasting of their extravagant attire, as if they were even more beautiful than those on this street.
After the lecture, everyone was busy going out on the street to watch a play at the theater or having a nice dinner at the restaurant they had reserved.

On the contrary, the number of customers coming to the store became less frequent.
Knowing that the day’s business was over, Liv got up and took a quick look around the store.
Now it’s time to clean up and close up shop.

I shake off the greaseproof paper that was holding the bread on the stand, replace it with a new one, and refill the toilet paper.
Neatly organize notebooks and magic scrolls that haven’t been wrapped yet, and make an inventory of any items that are missing.
Today, a lot of potions that calm the mind were sold unusually.
The administrative manager who came in in a hurry in the afternoon asked for all the food in the store, so I gave him everything, including what was in the basement.

‘The boss will like it.’

In the case of potions, they are quite high-end products, so there will be a lot of margin.
After finishing recording the inventory, Liv returned to the counter and looked at the clock.
It’s already 11 o’clock.
Louis didn’t come back until quite late.

Is the lecture ending later than expected?
Or are you trying to go out to the street to buy groceries and then come back?

I have to close the door soon——

“Oh right.”

Liv remembered that she still had work to do. I have to clean up the mess in the warehouse while taking out potions in the afternoon.
She put a [Closed] Sign on her door, found her key in her key case, and opened the door to her basement.
Clap-. With a heavy sound, her locks were released.
In the basement, which was closed off with a thick wooden door, various miscellaneous items accumulated in dust were displayed.

Louise told Liv that she would carry the heavy stuff in the warehouse, so she didn’t need to come into the basement unless it was absolutely necessary.
But she often went into the basement to take inventory.

“As expected, there was one box left.”

There were potions left in a chest piled up inside the warehouse that were thought to have been sold out.
After checking her label and revising her inventory, Liv bent down to place it on a prominent shelf.

“Uh?”

At that time, Liv saw a curved passage leading into the basement.
I carefully approached the place illuminated by blue lights and saw that an old wooden door that had been made a long time ago was half open.

Gulp.

Liv swallowed her saliva and moved forward cautiously.
Lewis was very reluctant to let anyone into the basement.

She rarely talks about herself, so we don’t know what kind of person he is or what he has done.
Even if he doesn’t come back until late, I can’t even guess where he went.

So what do I know about the boss?——

A bit of guilt, a bit of curiosity, and a small coincidence pushed my slender back.

‘Yeah, I guess it’s no big deal.’

From Liv’s perspective, Louis was a relatively frivolous man on the outside.
Should I call it cheerful or informal?
He was almost always a baron-baron-speaker, a man who enjoyed showing his own embarrassment, although sometimes surprising knowledge sprang from his mouth.

So there probably isn’t anything special in there.
It is certain that it contains old cleaning tools, dusty antiques, or even dirty books.

Liv stepped forward to alleviate her own doubts, not her doubts about Lewis.

And when she finally opened the door, she collapsed on the spot.

***

Cellar.
The old magic lamp is blinking, there are cobwebs on the ceiling, there is dust on the shelves, and the floor is covered in linoleum.
Inventory is strewn about, the walls are stained yellow, the handles are covered in red rust, and there is a dead black rat at their feet.

But the inside was too clean.

A stone monument erected under a vermilion-white lamp reminiscent of warm sunlight.
Dozens of wreaths and flower bouquets surrounded the front, not fading at all.
Clean surroundings and air that are cleaned every day without a single speck of dust flying around.

The unearthly and holy scene that unfolded before her eyes was a side that had never been revealed in Louise’s usual appearance.

“Ah…”

Liv was at a loss and she stepped in front of the tombstone.
What caused huge ripples in her mind was not simply the strangeness of the tombstone’s presence in the basement.

[Numquam Obliviscatur Votum]

The name of the deceased, the date of death, the date of birth, the cause of death, and even the will——

Only one line of text engraved on a tombstone with nothing written on it.

The moment she remembered the meaning of those three words that had cut out her heart with a sharp sword, tears welled up in Liv’s eyes.

[Don’t forget your oath.]

What is the story behind her being buried here without even leaving a name?
And why on earth did Louise take care of this place so carefully?

He recalled his happy face, saying that sales had increased since he was selected.
I never imagined that he had such a painful past.

Slam!

At that time, I heard someone upstairs picking the lock on the front door and coming in.
Only one owner has the key. Liv rushed out of the small room where her tombstone was placed in a hurry.

— Baron Liv~? Have you already left work?

The boss has arrived. What do we do?

First, Liv hurriedly exited the passage and moved the wooden chest that was blocking her path back to her place.
And at the moment when Louise stuck her head out through the open basement door, she placed her notebook in her hand, pretending to take stock of her inventory.

“Oh, you’re here.”
“I discovered that I had written down my inventory incorrectly. “The owner also came in for a moment to wait and check on the goods.”
“Is it so? “You could have gone first.”
“It’s okay. Did you finish today’s lecture well?”
“Uh, um… Yes. I think I did everything I had to do. I’m a little late because I had to clean up after myself.”

Liv came out of the basement with Louis.

“Shouldn’t you go back to the dormitory soon? “It’s curfew in a little while.”

An invitation as if to say that it is uncomfortable to be here now.
But Liv knew.
What he said was consideration for the employees who couldn’t get off work because they were waiting for him until late at night.

I don’t know much about him, so why didn’t I know anything about him until now?

Liv, who lost her memory thanks to the Litweis test, once again gained the courage to reach out to Lewis’s past little by little.

“Iknow, right. “I have to go now.”
“Yes. Listen carefully…”
“It’s late tonight, can you take me to the dormitory?”

However, the hand did not contain the cold hostility that gripped the staff like before.

A time when the lights in the salon go out and the sounds of insects fill the path.
It’s late at night, so please take me with you. I didn’t know that I would be saying things that only the daughters of a wealthy noble family would use.

“Is it so? “Of course.”

Louis said he would take Liv with him without much hesitation.
Literally raw favor with no fancy carriages or great escorts.

Nevertheless, a small smile appeared on Liv’s lips.

***

Well, it’s taking a long time. Even though this damn academy had a large site, it was too large.
I didn’t know this because I don’t often go around the academy, but I felt it clearly as I walked along the path to the dormitory like this.
It’s not for nothing that there are carriages on campus.

“…”
“…”

I expected it, but Baron Reeve was very quiet, so there was silence on the way.
If she were Adela, her incessant chatter would not only distract me, but by the time she arrived at her dormitory, all the students would have known she was there.

Perhaps Liv might regret this situation.
Usually, asking for a ride home after finishing your part-time job means asking for a ride.
They probably didn’t expect me to walk out in slippers.
Hmm, the car… No, should I hire a carriage?

“President.”
“Yes?”

While I was chatting about useless thoughts, I heard a voice next to me.
When she turned her head to see if she was going to say that she was quitting her part-time job because she couldn’t get off work on time, Liv glanced in this direction with a grave expression and asked.

“You said you lived through the Great War, right?”
“What… Yes.”
“Then I guess there were some comrades you fought with?”
“Yes. There is. “Now they are all scattered.”
“What kind of people were you?”

I thought about Liv’s question for a moment.
If she finds out about my identity, will she resent me for remembering Paris Greenwood’s death?
In that case, there was no reason to reveal the whole story about Hublett and Terra.

“They were just ordinary guys like everyone else. “On this fictional day, he talked about what he was going to do when the war ended, like a dream.”
“Really? “What was the story about?”
“Hmm…”

I went back in time for a moment.

Hublett said he would remain on the front line to prevent the remnants of the demons from crossing over to the kingdom.
Terra said that he would complete the ultimate unique magic that would penetrate the truth of the world.
Nova said she had to go feed the salamander she was raising at home, and Eris…

“I said I wanted to go on a trip. “I said I would freely explore the entire continent.”
“Then what about the boss?”
“Me?”

Well, isn’t it obvious?

“They said I would become a god.”
“Yes? “God?”
“The owner of the building. So, it’s like this here now.”
“What is it? Phew… !”

Liv laughed a little at my words. It felt like it was the first time she had seen her smile.

“Is that really all there is?”
“Hmm… Ah! “There’s one more.”
“What is it?”

I thought for a moment and looked up at the sky.
In the night sky, free of air pollution, the Milky Way was flowing so large that a ship could float on it.

“I said I would let you do whatever you want.”
“The way you want… Yo. This?”
“Yes.”

I remembered Eris’s wish to Liv and made her nod.

“I said I would definitely help you go on your trip.”