Mob No. 66: “Yes, that Edward Rockmage is my grandfather! Unlike him though, I’m not very capable.”
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[Side: Fialka Tiursad]
I’m currently attending a social party hosted by Marquis Sybils Norbundle, not as a mercenary, but as the daughter of Viscount Tiursad.
The reason for this is that my father, Ovalt Tiursad, who is both a viscount and the president of the spaceship manufacturing company Tiursad Corporation, received an invitation.
Due to his business management, my father maintains a position called a “fence-sitter”, belonging to neither the pro-emperor nor anti-emperor factions.
Marquis Sybils Norbundle, who shares this fence-sitting stance and was formerly a university professor and my father’s mentor, added a note saying “Come show your face once in a while.” This prompted my father to decide to attend.
The invitation specified to come as a family, so we decided to attend as a group of four: my father Ovalt, my mother Alicia, myself Fialka, and my maid Sherry.
With Sherry there, she can help protect my parents along with me, which is very reassuring.
By the way, we had Sherry wear a long-sleeved dress that conceals her body, rather than her usual maid uniform.
My mother and I got so excited about deciding this coordination that we spent about four hours treating Sherry like a dress-up doll, until we received complaints from Sherry and a lecture from my father.
But since I went through the same thing as a child, I think we’re even now.
We entered the colony owned by Marquis Norbundle, which serves as the party venue, the day before the party – what’s called the assembly day. The party itself was scheduled to start the following evening.
When we arrived, we met Marquis Norbundle. He was a kind-looking gentleman with rich romance gray hair, thin glasses, and a full, long white beard.
The Marchioness also seemed refined, and the couple appeared to be very affectionate with each other.
The time until the start of the party passed peacefully without any particular incidents.
And now, we are in the grand hall of a small colony in stationary orbit above the planet Ratakasa, which is part of Marquis Norbundle’s domain. The hall is set up for a standing buffet-style party.
From the venue’s windows, we can see the beautiful planet Ratakasa floating, white with several green streaks.
Many of the party attendees are the Marquis’s former students, and many of my father’s college friends are also participating. My father seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself.
The party also includes various figures from different fields, showcasing the breadth of Marquis Norbundle’s connections.
Of course, it seems that people from both pro-emperor and anti-emperor factions are also attending.
I even spotted members of the Mercenary Guild – Ytts Branch among the security personnel.
Of course, they weren’t the good-looking “Feather Helm” duo, or that man in the white machine and his girlfriend – I believe their names were Lingard and Seira?
I was a little distance away from my parents, enjoying the food with Sherry as my companion.
“Ah, this is delicious,” I said.
“Let’s ask for the recipe,” Sherry replied.
As we were having such a conversation,
“Oh? I don’t recognize this young lady. Who might you be?”
A middle-aged man of average build and height, with slicked-back hair, a Kaiser mustache, and a monocle, approached us with his entourage.
Judging by his attitude, he seemed to be a higher-ranking nobleman, so I greeted him politely and according to etiquette:
“I am Fialka, daughter of Viscount Ovalt Tiursad. This is my guard, Sherry.”
“Oh… the young lady from Tiursad Corporation.
I assume you know who I am, but I am Count Baedaz-Chirargis-Geizam.”
The Count and his entourage grinned, looking at Sherry and me in a leering manner.
“Tell your father this: it would be in his best interest to align himself with me.”
Having said just that, he left with his entourage.
While he talks about “best interests,” it’s clear he just wants to use my father as a cash cow.
The way he looked at me was disgusting too. Worst of all.
As the party was nearing its end, with some people returning to their rooms, others heading to the bar inside the colony for more drinks, and some going to the spa facilities, suddenly an emergency alert sounded.
A battle had begun outside the colony.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Naturally, the mercenaries responded, and the Marquis’s soldiers also deployed.
The nobles around us, probably due to the alcohol, showed no sense of crisis:
“What an impressive spectacle!”
“Shall we bet on how many units each machine will take down?”
“That’s what I’m talking about!”
I wanted to sortie too, but of course, I couldn’t do anything
since I didn’t come with my battlecraft “Egarim” loaded on the mothership “Urikumo” that I use for mercenary work.
Sherry and I rushed to where my parents were.
Fortunately, they were both safe, so we prepared to evacuate immediately if necessary.
However, contrary to our worries, the battle ended in an overwhelming victory for the mercenaries.
Assuming there wouldn’t be another attack, we slept peacefully that night.
But the next morning, a terrible incident occurred.
One of the guests, Count Baedaz-Chirargis-Geizam, was found dead, having been stabbed multiple times in the chest.
Of course, the police were called, and no one was allowed to leave the colony.
Furthermore, we weren’t permitted to leave our rooms, and detectives conducted individual interviews.
As the interviews progressed, it finally became my turn near the end.
The interviews took place in one of the conference rooms within the colony.
After having my fingerprints taken, the detective in charge spoke to me without introducing himself.
“Well then. You are Lady Fialka, the daughter of Viscount Tiursad, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re also a mercenary of the Bishop rank…”
“Yes.”
The detective interviewing me had sleepy-looking eyes for some reason, and his way of speaking seemed lackadaisical.
However,
“Being a mercenary means you’re an expert at harming others. Even as a woman, killing would be easy for you. Moreover, you probably know other mercenaries outside the colony, so escape would be simple if you wanted.”
He suddenly became sharp, trying to crush my circumstantial evidence.
“So you’re saying I’m the culprit?”
“Did you know the victim beforehand?”
“I met him for the first time yesterday.”
“But considering you’re a mercenary, it’s possible someone hired you.”
The detective stroked his chin, staring at me.
His tone even seemed to belittle mercenaries.
“Mercenaries are not assassins.”
When I objected to that,
“My apologies. Actually, neither you, your parents, nor your android appeared on the surveillance cameras leading to the victim’s room. Above all, your fingerprints weren’t on the knife at the scene, which was undoubtedly used in the crime. Moreover, it seems the victim had made many enemies, so there are plenty of other suspicious individuals besides you. Well, that concludes the interview. You’re free to go.”
I was caught off guard by the sudden declaration of innocence.
This detective, how irritating.
After being released from the interview, a police officer told me,
“I’m sorry, but please head to the grand hall that was the party venue.”
So I went to the party venue, where I found Marquis Sybils-Norbundle, the colony owner and party host, along with other nobles, the marquis’s household staff who worked at the party, and temporary hires gathered. My father, mother, and Sherry were there too.
Wondering what was going on, I headed towards my family when suddenly a young man in the center of the venue raised his voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen. The culprit of this murder case has been identified!”
He was a fairly good-looking man in a tuxedo.
“Pardon my late introduction. I am Mike Rockmech, the heir to a humble baron’s family and a modest reporter.”
As I stood there dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events,
“Rockmech… I believe there was an Edward Rockmech, a university professor and baron who helped the police solve various cases during the reign of the emperor three generations ago. By the way, he’s the one who instructed the police to gather us here.”
Sherry quietly explained to me.
The older people seemed to recognize the name Rockmech, showing reactions like “Ah, that one!” and “Could it be him!?”
“Yes, that Edward Rockmech is my grandfather! Unlike him, I’m not very accomplished.”
The young Baron Rockmech responded to the older people’s words with an exaggerated gesture.
“So, Rockmech. Is it true that you’ve identified the culprit?”
A plump detective-like person at the scene asked Baron Rockmech.
“Yes, without a doubt. The culprit of this murder case is everyone who had a strong grudge against Count Baedaz-Chirargis-Geizam and was tormented by him. In other words, everyone except me is the culprit!”
“What?! Is that true?”
“Absolutely. Marquis Sybils-Norbundle held this party to make this happen!”
Baron Rockmech pointed at Marquis Norbundle, the host.
Everyone except the plump detective and the police officers looked dumbfounded, wearing expressions that said, “What is this person talking about?”
Just then,
“Inspector. We’ve arrested the culprit, a temporary waiter.”
The detective who had interviewed me earlier entered the venue with a police officer restraining a young man dressed as a waiter.
“What?! What’s the meaning of this?!”
“I should have reported it. There was a waiter who fled without being interviewed. After capturing and investigating him, we found his fingerprints on the murder weapon and in the victim’s room. We also discovered his waiter uniform stained with blood spatter.”
The detective from before reported the facts matter-of-factly to the inspector and Baron Rockmech.
“That’s why! Everyone in this venue acted to make it easier for him to move!”
Baron Rockmech insisted that his deduction was correct, but from then on, no one paid any attention to his words.
By the way, the “Ah, that one!” and “Could it be him!?” reactions earlier apparently meant [Despite being the grandson of that brilliant Edward Rockmech, he’s famous for being incompetent].
TLNOTE :
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well that was resolved very effectively and this rockmech dude is such a bad detective he just throwing shit and hoping it sticks
Thanks for the chapter