I Was Told, “I Can’t Leave the Territory Management to You, Brother-in-law!!”, So I Restarted My Adventurer Life in My Mother’s Homeland – Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Tohlight’s Investigation
  Three days had passed since Tohlight headed towards Faniaal territory. Initially, he investigated the surrounding villages and found no particular problems. However, as he approached the town where the Faniaal House was located, the situation changed drastically.
 
  “Wh-what is this……?”
 
  Tohlight’s eyes saw a black haze covering the entire town. Yet, the residents seemed unconcerned and went about their lives as usual. Their expressions weren’t particularly gloomy or depressed, just ordinary. Tohlight, of course, didn’t possess eyes that could see magic power. He had no idea why he could suddenly see such a thing.
 
  “Could this be the haze that Millenia-sama spoke of? I believe she said it was clinging to Sandrea-sama……”
 
  Pulling himself together, he headed to a shop he favored during his time serving the Faniaal House. As he peeked into the store, the shopkeeper noticed Tohlight and approached with a smile.
 
  “Tohlight-san. It’s been a while. I heard you left the lord’s service. How have you been?”
 
  “Yes, Thomas. Actually, I went with Eld-sama. I’m originally from Linus territory.”
 
  The shopkeeper, called Thomas, nodded as if recalling something.
 
  “Now that you mention it, you did say that. How was your hometown after all this time? And how is former lord Eld-sama doing?”
 
  “One way or another, it’s good to be back home. It was perfect for a fresh start. Eld-sama is doing well, not letting himself get down.”
 
  Hearing about Eld, Thomas sighed.
 
  “Is that so? I’m glad he’s doing well.”
 
  “What’s the matter?”
 
  “Ah…… no……”
 
  Thomas averted his gaze.
 
  “Right now, I’m just an old man with no connection to the Faniaal House. I can at least listen to your complaints.”
 
  Hearing that, Thomas opened his mouth as if giving up.
 
  “It seems the new lord, Sandrea-sama, is doing a good job. However, I hear she’s been having trouble with her husband lately, and her work has been stagnating. Besides, her younger siblings haven’t been seen around, and there are rumors that Sandrea-sama might have driven them out. You see, Sandrea-sama wasn’t originally part of the Faniaal family.”
 
  Tohlight was surprised, but kept his expression neutral, realizing that such rumors were circulating because Millenia and Jaylot had gone to Eld. He guessed there might also be rumors that Sandrea had taken over the Faniaal House. Well, since that was pretty much the truth, Tohlight didn’t feel like correcting them.
 
  “If Eld-sama were still here, this wouldn’t have happened, but it’s a royal decree, so it can’t be helped, right?”
 
  “Oh, is that story circulating?”
 
  “Yes, yes. I heard the Rinjapaa Trading Company saying that a royal decree was issued to replace Eld-sama due to his lack of ability as a lord.”
 
  The Rinjapaa Trading Company was run by Landred. Whether Landred had heard it directly or was just speculating, he likely spread the rumor to ensure Eld couldn’t do anything even if he returned.
 
  “We should have cut ties with them sooner……”
 
  Tohlight recalled advising Eld’s father about this. Landred, with his suspicious appearance, had seemed untrustworthy from the start. Tohlight’s intuition told him not to do business with him. However, he had just joined the Faniaal House at the time, and his advice wasn’t heeded. That’s why he had told Eld not to engage in any dealings with Landred and to make him back down, but Eld was driven out before he could do so. It felt like everything was playing out according to Landred’s plans.
 
  Tohlight decided it couldn’t be helped that he had shaken his head too much.
 
  “Wh-what’s wrong?”
 
  “Nothing. Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”
 
  Tohlight bowed and left the shop. He then visited a few other familiar stores, but heard mostly the same story. However, he did pick up a rumor about Sandrea’s husband, Rufus.
 
  The rumor was that Rufus had burdened Sandrea with a large debt and fled to the central capital. The truth of this was uncertain, but apparently, Rufus, who had been seen around town almost every day, hadn’t been seen for the past three days.
 
  “Now, what should I do? I could go to the mansion, but I’m an outsider now.”
 
  As he was strolling through the town, someone suddenly called out to him.
 
  “Tohlight-sama?”
 
  Wondering who would address him with”-sama,”he turned around.
 
  “Ah, it really is Tohlight-sama. It’s been a while.”
 
  “Ah, yes…… Justipearl. It’s been a while.”
 
  Standing there was one of the butlers who served the Faniaal House, the man he had entrusted with his successor. Tohlight hadn’t recognized him immediately because he was considerably thinner than he remembered.
 
  “What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going back to your hometown.”
 
  “Yes. I heard things have been tough here recently, so I came to check on the situation. You’ve…… changed, haven’t you?”
 
  Seeing Justipearl’s gaunt figure, Tohlight felt a pang of sadness.
 
  “Haha. So, it’s reached Tohlight-sama’s ears as well. Yes, the Faniaal House may be at its end……”
 
  Tears welled up in Justipearl’s eyes as he spoke.
 
  “……I understand it’s not my place as an outsider to ask, but could you tell me in detail what happened?”
 
  Tohlight gently patted Justipearl’s back and led him into a nearby coffee shop. After hearing the current situation, which was worse than he had expected, he found himself racking his brain for a solution.