Chapter 126: Case Closed?

To cut to the chase, I couldn’t bring electricity outside.

Well, to be accurate, I can use it within a radius of about two meters from the store. About the length of one extension cord?

But even if I connect extension cords to make it longer, once it gets further away than that, the electricity suddenly cuts off.

Even with added extension cords, as long as it’s within a two-meter radius, it works, so this must just be the store’s specification. The liquor store’s vending machine runs on electricity, after all.

Therefore, if we want to play instruments that require power, we have to perform right on the store’s back.

How surreal… It’s going to look like a band touring the provinces…

When Estelle heard that I had switched to the guitar (a mini electric guitar, to be exact), she casually declared that she would change instruments too.

At first, she wanted the same mini electric guitar as me, but after Pamela-sensei said, “I think it would be more fun to have a sense of unity playing different instruments during a session,” she chose a mini bass guitar.

As Sensei said, playing different instruments together gives an indescribable sense of fun when our sounds match.

…Or rather, this is Estelle’s first time playing the bass, so why can she play it so easily…? Is this protagonist plot armor…?

After the lesson, as if keeping a promise, Pamela-sensei pestered me to bring out the musical instrument store “Oldies,” but I made sure to emphasize the spending limit. She’s an adult, and it’s money she earned herself, so she’s free to buy whatever she wants, but it would be problematic for me if she bought things to the point of cutting into her living expenses like food.

I did exempt the money she had been entrusted with by her fellow musicians to buy electric guitars, electric basses, and drum sets, though.

It seems Pamela-sensei and her musician friends are fully intent on forming a band. “Oldies” had battery-rechargeable amps too, so I think they can use them even without me summoning the store. Well, since they can only recharge them at my store, they still can’t do anything without me, but anyway.

At the Ducal House, all the instruments bought at the store are placed in the music room, and the servants are free to use them if they ask. Many of our servants are the third or fourth sons, or third or fourth daughters of nobles, so a lot of them can play instruments. It was apparently Father’s consideration, thinking it could be a change of pace, but it seems quite a few people are enjoying it. Even Ritsu, who had never touched music before, is apparently learning from the senior maids.

After finishing our lessons and studies, Estelle and Bianca went home in the kitchen car driven by Yulia-sensei.

Usually, Father, Mother, and I would have dinner together, but today there’s another social party, so I’m home alone.

I could have tagged along, but I knew I’d have too much time on my hands. So, I politely declined.

It’s a little lonely, but I finished eating dinner alone and returned to my room.

Now then.

“So? Ritsu, did you find out anything?”

“Yes, Lady Sakuraile. It seems certain that Pamela-sensei is being harassed. Starting with letters full of malicious intent, swapping sheet music, spreading unsavory rumors, and the disappearance of her belongings in the dressing room—the harassment seems to cover a wide range.”

They’re even doing things like that. And yet, Sensei didn’t show any signs of it at all…

Is she trying not to make us worry, or does she just have nerves of steel…?

Regardless, I can’t just leave it be. It might be none of my business, but if this escalates and Pamela-sensei ends up losing her life, I would never forgive myself.

“Did you find out who the culprit is?”

“It’s Madame Viola Bowron, a fellow court musician.”

Ritsu answered my question bluntly. Oh, they’ve already tracked down the culprit. As expected of the Nanane Clan, they work fast.

“What’s the proof?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have physical evidence yet. However, while staking out Pamela-sensei’s dressing room, one of our clan members saw Madame Bowron sneak in and tear up her sheet music.”

No physical evidence, huh… If I had a camera or something, I would have given it to them.

“Madame Bowron is in the same generation as Pamela-sensei, and they apparently competed for the concertmistress position in the past. Recently, she’s been leaking negative remarks to her fellow musicians about Pamela-sensei’s electric guitar, calling it ‘noisy and vulgar,’ ‘an instrument that plays noise,’ and ‘music unsuited for a court musician.'”

So she’s anti-rock. I don’t really mind that in itself, but I don’t like her harassing Pamela-sensei from the shadows.

The “person who comes to mind” Pamela-sensei mentioned was probably this Madame Bowron, right? Pamela-sensei probably thought she was “capable of doing such a thing.”

I’d like to gather evidence and condemn her for now, but how should I go about it?

“It is possible to catch her in the act. If we stake out Pamela-sensei’s dressing room, she might show her tail in some way.”

“Well, that’s fine too, but…”

If we catch Madame Bowron destroying or stealing Pamela-sensei’s personal belongings in the dressing room, she won’t be able to make any excuses.

However, the question is whether it’s okay for us to do that on our own.

Court musicians are musicians who serve the castle. Basically, their workplace is the Imperial Castle. And the security of the castle falls under the jurisdiction of the Knight Order.

If we consult the Knight Order, the matter will become a big deal. Should we talk to the victim, Pamela-sensei, for now?

We are outsiders regarding this matter, after all… If we’re told it’s none of our business, that’s the end of it.

However, since there’s a possibility it involves Pamela-sensei’s life, we can’t ignore it.

I guess we really should talk to Pamela-sensei and have her decide what to do. Sensei shouldn’t think it’s fine to leave things as they are either.

It would be great if this crushes Jeremy-sensei’s route.

…Though emotionally, I still feel a bit reluctant about it…

◇ ◇ ◇

“I also thought Madame Bowron was suspicious, actually…”

The next day, when I told her the story I heard from Ritsu, Pamela-sensei let that slip with a sigh.

Since I couldn’t mention the Nanane Clan, I explained that a certain maid working at the castle saw Madame Bowron enter Pamela-sensei’s dressing room.

“If we have the Knight Order catch her sneaking in again, I don’t think she’ll be able to make any excuses…”

“Going that far for me… Thank you very much. However, if we do that, it will become a major incident, and Madame Bowron will probably have to resign as a court musician…”

Well, that’s probably true. Considering the severity of the crime, it’s not that serious, but she’s still unfit as someone serving in the Imperial Court.

“Her violin playing is fierce and passionate, almost as if she’s throwing her own emotions into it… She produces a very good tone… It’s a shame that I won’t be able to hear that sound anymore.”

Eh, that part? That’s what you’re worried about?

Even though she’s the one who harassed you, it’s a shame you won’t be able to hear her perform… Musicians really have strange sensibilities…

“I think if she played the electric guitar, she would have shown a very intense performance.”

Umm… Hard rock or heavy metal just started playing in my head. I’m not good with that genre, so I don’t really get it…

Anyway, partly due to my suggestion, Pamela-sensei decided to consult the Knight Order.

In this case, since it’s a problem within the castle, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Second Knight Order, which serves as the royal palace guards.

That’s where Gloria’s father, who once fought Bianca, used to be the commander. I heard that because of that magic sword incident, Gloria’s father had his title reduced to Baron and was reassigned to the Fourth Knight Order guarding the frontier.

I don’t know who the new commander is, but apparently they acted immediately upon receiving Pamela-sensei’s consultation, and Madame Bowron was apprehended that very day. Without learning her lesson, she was caught trying to sneak in again.

The charge is dressing room burglary, but I think other crimes will come to light from now on.

The crime itself isn’t that heavy, but she probably won’t be able to work as a court musician anymore.

Since she has skill as a musician, I think she could make a living as a music tutor for lower-ranking nobles or wealthy merchants.

What I was worried about was whether she might seek revenge on Pamela-sensei out of unjustified resentment for being fired as a court musician, but it seems there’s no need to worry about that for now.

Apparently, she was banished from the Royal Capital and forbidden to ever enter again. Because it was a theft at the castle. Like they would keep someone like that in the Royal Capital.

It’s that thing, “Edobarai” (banishment from Edo).

Though I heard that actual Edobarai was a lenient punishment where you were forbidden to live there but could still enter, so I guess it’s different from that.

As a punishment, this is apparently on the lighter side too. Well, it’s not like she got years of imprisonment or penal servitude. She just can’t enter the Royal Capital; she can still live in a nearby town.

It’s much better than having ‘Dog’ tattooed on your forehead.

With this, the harassment towards Pamela-sensei has been resolved for now… but I wonder if this really crushed Jeremy-sensei’s route…?

Because it was resolved so easily, it somehow doesn’t sit right with me.

If the harassment had continued like that, would it have escalated to the point of killing Pamela-sensei during this winter? I feel like that’s not it…

Could it be that this incident isn’t the direct cause of Pamela-sensei’s death…? If so, the danger hasn’t left Pamela-sensei yet.

I’ll ask Kohaku-san to have the stray cats in the Royal Capital subtly keep an eye on Pamela-sensei, so they can inform me immediately if anything happens.

It would be great if nothing happened… No, something is going to happen. Absolutely. Not knowing what it is makes me feel so uneasy.

I wonder if there’s a setting material collection that details Jeremy-sensei’s past or things like that.

If I become able to summon a bookstore, maybe there’s a chance?

Summoning a bookstore from the time when the setting material collection for “1” was released with perfect timing… It probably won’t go that smoothly.

The game magazine left at the convenience store was also from a few years before “1” was released.

Being in a state where I don’t know what’s going to happen is quite a mental strain…