Book 2: Chapter 26

Ah, who are you?”

“A commoner like you doesn’t even recognize my greatness? Well, perhaps you are a bit a dullard? I am the noble Tiana Rhysemen.”

“Daughter? What is the hold up? Is the help going to bring in the bags or not?” Another haughty voice spoke from behind her.

“This help is uncouth, father, perhaps we shouldn’t have depended on your brother to leave behind help. We really should fire them and buy slaves with a proper pedigree.”

I was staring at her, confused, trying to remember what was familiar about her name other than the trademarked reference when I realized that Rhysemen was the name of the former owner of this mansion. Kida gave me an apologetic look as she left squeezing out the side while Tiana impatiently tapped her foot.

Meanwhile, I scrounged up the memory taken from that busted ghost. I recalled something about him writing a letter to his relatives. So, this was the daughter that he was trying to lure as his next victim, and the brother he planned to possess. She was unaware, but her mother was also a victim of this uncle.

There was a sudden tap on my shoulder and I look over in surprise. Cindy is standing there, I lean over, and she whispers in my ear.

“Let them stay, please.”

“Eh?”

Her face was still emotionless, but she still looked up at me with a look that seemed to beg. Now that I thought about it, her mother’s spirit may be a part of Cindy as well. I give a sigh. Kicking them to the curb now was a little… well, I still wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.

“Actually,” I finally answer her as her look grew darker and darker. “I’m the owner. I bought this place fair and square after it sat vacant for months.”

“That’s impossible!” the man barked coming up next to his daughter, “We inherited this mansion from my deceased brother. Your city sold this mansion in error. You shall vacate the premises immediately.”

I eyed the pair of them. The father did not have elf ears at all. He wore typically fine noble attire. He had a beard and mustache which was only starting to grey, and while I’m not a good judge, for his age he might be considered handsome. His daughter, if she lowered her nose for a second, looked like a typical beautiful Ojou-sama. She had long blond hair, bright blue eyes, a very fancy dress, and pure white skin. Her boobs were Cs, an average for the real world but below average when comparing my harem. However, they didn’t look too modest because she was very skinny. She didn’t have a nice curvy body like most of the girls I knew. Instead, delicate would be the word, like she might break.

“So, your mother was the elf then?”

She immediately covered her ears and gave me an angry glare while her father harrumphed and stuck out his chest. “What of it? I loved my wife until the day she left us. Many despised interspecies relationships. That’s why we moved out to the borderlands. If you take issue with elves, sir, then…”

“Not at all!” I shake my hands, “In fact, there is a pair of catgirls living here now!”

I defended myself while feeling slightly better about them. A half-elf noble and her loyal father, they may be snobbish, but they didn’t seem to be completely awful people. They likely been through a lot.

“Well, your catgirls will just have to leave with the rest of you. We’ll put all of you up in a hotel for one week so that you can find a new place. You can use that time to get the city to refund you your mansion costs.”

“Huh? But I already live here though? So, shouldn’t you go to the city and see if your supposed will has any merit?”

I suspected he didn’t. The necromancers plan was to keep the place vacant until his brother showed up and then once he had his body reclaim the home afterward.

“You…” the pair of them were sputtering angrily, “We’re nobles. How dare a commoner like you think your mild inconvenience takes precedence over ours!”

“Well, it’s not like nobles don’t live here?”

“You couldn’t possibly be a noble.” The scorn on Tiana’s voice raises my hackles a little bit.

“Me? No. But I cater to a lot of known people.”

“Hello!” Ariel showed up just in time to rescue me. “I am Princess Ariel!”

As she spoke, she gave an incredibly graceful courtesy that showed an elegance I’d never seen on the sex-crazed bitch before.

Tiana’s eyes seemed to brighten a bit, but her fathers narrowed cautiously as he spoke. “You say nobles stay here?”

“Yes, in fact, we’re about to have dinner, so why don’t you come in and we’ll work out some agreement. In the meantime, you can make use of our maid staff.”

“We should take a bath together!” Ariel announced holding Tiana’s arm.

Tiana smiles as well and looks up at her father. “Oh, yes, father, please. We’ve been traveling for a week straight and I feel filthy.”

He was still cautious, but he started to nod slowly and Ariel grabbed Tiana’s hand, pulling her into the house. It seemed like while Tiana lifted her nose at me, she was far more pleasant when it came to a princess.

“Ah, Ariel.” I grab her arm and whisper into her ear before she leaves the room. “Um… you already had a bath. Perhaps your mother should escort her?”

Ariel’s eyes furrowed. “I can take her, baths are fun!”

“Yeah… that’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Hero, I’m capable of restraint.”

“…”