Otaku Translation: I! Anomaly Cleansing Agent! C134

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Chapter 134: The Search

"As expected of the former twin pillars of the kingdom, they still know how to make an offer."

After glancing over the "price list" handed to her, the middle-aged woman in a brown robe chuckled and turned to the elderly man with the rose emblem embroidered on his chest.

"Lord Sam, if you don’t mind me asking—how much did House Lion pay you to deliver this letter?"

"Well…" Count Sam hesitated, clearly uncomfortable.

"Ho ho, never mind then. Just curious," she said dismissively, waving a hand. She smiled at the visibly troubled old man. "Squeezing money out of House Lion is your skill, after all. Our doctrine at The Scale of Gold doesn’t oppose such tactics—in fact, we rather encourage them."

Her tone shifted slightly as she leaned forward. "However, without my assistance, you wouldn’t have been able to secure this sum. So, as the critical link in this chain, I’d like a share of your earnings. Do we have a deal?"

"Agreed, of course agreed," muttered Count Sam under his breath, inwardly cursing her greed but knowing full well he held no leverage. With a forced smile, he nodded repeatedly and handed her yet another revised price list.

When the corners of the woman’s eyes finally crinkled into a satisfied grin, the elder let out a quiet sigh of relief, trying not to wince too visibly at the loss of funds. Straightening up, he bowed slightly, his voice deferential.

"Your Excellency, members of House Lion are waiting in the outer hall. If it’s convenient for you now…"

"Convenient? Of course!" The forty-something woman in the brown robe laughed heartily, mimicking his formal tone. "A simple task like finding someone that brings such generous rewards? How could I refuse? Lead the way—I’ll meet with House Lion’s guests."

"Yes, please follow me."

Leading the robed woman through the estate’s long corridors, they arrived at a discreetly located reception room. As several figures hastily rose to greet them, the elder from Rose Family stepped forward to introduce both parties.

"Your Excellency, these individuals represent what remains of House Lion: their surviving elder, the newly appointed head of the family, and the late Duke of Lionheart’s most trusted personal steward."

He gestured toward the woman beside him. "And this is one of the bishops from The Scale of Gold, specifically aligned with the Prosperity Branch. You may address her as—"

"No need for names; just call me ‘Brown.’"

Interrupting smoothly, the woman in the brown robe stepped briskly ahead, shaking hands with each person before flashing a warm smile.

"I understand from Lord Sam that you’ve reached out to us because House Lion’s designated successor has gone missing, and you wish for me to locate him. Is that correct?"

"Precisely!" The youngest among the three—a golden-haired man who served as the new head of House—nodded eagerly, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Your Excellency... Brown. To be honest, we’re at our wit’s end. The investiture ceremony is less than two days away, invitations have already been sent, and yet the duke-elect vanished from the hospital early this morning. Let me assure you—if you can bring him back within two days, we’re prepared to increase your reward by fifty percent."

"..."

Are you insane? Who spills their entire hand so soon?

Upon hearing the man’s words, the other two representatives of House Lion exchanged alarmed glances, their expressions a mix of shock and anger. The man seemed to realize his mistake almost instantly, clapping a hand over his mouth while frantically shaking his head.

"I-I didn’t mean to say that! Please forgive me!"

"Heh, worry not," the woman interjected smoothly, her smile unwavering. "It wasn’t the young master’s intention to reveal so much. I simply dislike deception and employed a minor trick to encourage honesty. Now, shall we proceed?"

She paused briefly, observing the growing unease in the trio before continuing nonchalantly. "As for increasing the reward by fifty percent—there’s no need. Your original offering was more than sufficient. While we at The Scale of Gold love wealth, we aren’t greedy beyond measure. We’ll take only what’s rightfully ours."

Seeing the visible relief wash over the group, the woman’s lips curled upward ever so slightly. Then, tilting her head, she added, "That said… while I’m confident we can find your missing duke, our methods are somewhat unconventional. Are you prepared to accept them?"

Unconventional?

Exchanging wary glances, the three members of House Lion eventually deferred to the eldest elder, who cautiously asked, "Bishop Brown, might you elaborate on what you mean by ‘unconventional’?"

"It involves joining The Scale of Gold. Not yourselves, of course, but rather the missing duke once we locate him."

Her lips stretched into a sly grin, resembling a contented cat eyeing a particularly plump mouse.

"I serve the Sacred Spirit of the Cat, whose power extends to anyone who has ever touched or interacted with money—even tangentially. Finding the whereabouts of your runaway duke will be child’s play. If the spirit so desires, it could even summon him directly to your presence, regardless of whether he’s fled beyond the capital city. This ensures he’ll attend the investiture ceremony without delay."

"But there’s a catch," she continued, her tone light yet deliberate. "Once located, the duke will come under the influence of the Cat Spirit. He’ll bear the mark of The Scale of Gold, making it impossible for him to align with any other sect thereafter. Are you willing to accept this condition?"

Forced allegiance to The Scale of Gold? No chance of affiliating with another sect?

The three representatives of House Lion exchanged uneasy glances once again. After a moment of silent deliberation, they seemed to reach a consensus. A puppet duke was better than none. As long as he showed up for the investiture ceremony in two days to stabilize House Lion’s precarious situation, affiliations mattered little. Even physical impairments would be tolerable if it meant preserving their remaining assets—or leveraging the title for personal gain.

But what if The Scale of Gold had ulterior motives? Rushing the investiture was meant to salvage whatever scraps remained of House Lion’s legacy. Allowing the new duke to join The Scale of Gold risked introducing another player into the fray—one who might exploit the title for their own ends.

...

"Bishop," the late duke’s steward began carefully, bowing slightly. "If you could first confirm his location, we’d greatly appreciate it. Should the new duke still be nearby, perhaps hiding, we can retrieve him ourselves. If he’s left the capital, then we’ll humbly request your intervention."

"Very well. In that case, I’ll need something he’s used recently."

Unperturbed by their cautious calculations, the woman accepted two medicated bandages from the steward. Lowering her head, she sniffed them delicately, her lips moving soundlessly as she murmured an incantation.

Suddenly, a lazy feline yowl echoed through the room. The woman’s pupils contracted sharply, then split horizontally like a cat’s, her eyes swelling grotesquely until they resembled those of a predator.

"I see him," she murmured, blinking uncomfortably as her enlarged orbs traced the faint trail emanating from the bandages. Smiling despite her altered appearance, she spoke confidently.

"The trail is strong—he hasn’t gone far. Let me examine his surroundings… Ah, yes. He’s carrying something and scaling a wall. He leaps into a sea of red roses… Nearby stands a six-story building painted magenta…"

Wait. That building looks familiar…

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