Something’s Not Right About This Transmigration

The boy slowly examined Frey from head to toe.

Had he recognized Frey?

When Frey swallowed nervously, the boy smiled and began descending the stairs.

“If I remember correctly, someone at the Norbert estate had suffered from Rosifer for a long time.”

“…….”

“Did you come all the way to this remote place in search of medicine because of that?”

When the boy tilted his head and asked, Frey’s lips moved.

Frey had prepared an answer in case he was asked this sort of question.

Strangely, however, he felt he should not answer carelessly.

“The Count…….”

“……?”

“That appears to be the emblem of House Rubellia. Were you conducting the research for the house rather than supplying the medicine to them?”

Frey did his best to hide the tremor in his voice as he asked.

The boy looked back at the banner, then nodded with a short exclamation.

“Ah, I did not expect anyone to recognize it. That is correct. My father is the one sponsoring my research.”

……What?

Frey’s eyebrow twitched faintly. The boy met his eyes and spoke.

“You said you came from the Norbert estate. Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Frey Rubellia.”

Frey caught his breath as he watched the impostor greet him politely. He looked away to hide his astonishment, but he couldn’t hide his expression.

Even if he had transmigrated into ‘Frey’s’ body, the body itself could not be false.

If it were, the Count would never have tried to marry him to Samuel.

In other words, the Count had set up an impostor to take money from people.

“By the way, something is rather strange.”

Before Frey could answer, the impostor walked right up to him and looked him directly in the eyes.

“The former Duke of Norbert should have been completely cured of Rosifer several days ago.”

“……!”

“And he was cured by ‘Frey Rubellia’.”

The former Duke had recovered only a few days earlier, not nearly enough time for the rumor to travel this far from the capital. Yet the impostor knew the fact precisely, as though he had heard it directly from someone.

“Why is someone who should be in the capital here?”

This fucking lunatic……!

The moment the impostor finished speaking, Frey whirled around and ran for the door. The creditors seemed to have anticipated his movement and pounced at once, crushing him beneath their bodies.

“Ghk!”

“Ah……. The Count said the Young Lord is physically weak, so do not handle him too roughly. It would be troublesome if our precious research material were damaged.”

“Ugh, nnngh…….”

“I never expected to meet the real Young Lord Rubellia like this. I was worried because the medicine was not yet complete. How fortunate. Beginning tomorrow, would you please heal a few people afflicted with Rosifer?”

His tone was polite, but it was plainly an order. Frey glared up at the impostor.

The impostor pressed his foot down on the back of Frey’s hand, which was braced against the floor.

“Of course, that was not a request. It was an order.”

“Aaaagh!”

Crack, crunch.

The joints of Frey’s fingers twisted beneath the boot, and burning pain shot through the back of his hand.

Even as Frey screamed in agony, the impostor calmly stroked his chin and murmured.

“I didn’t realize it would hurt you this much……. You truly do seem weak.”

“Nngh, ah, it hurts, it hurts…….”

“You came here alone without telling anyone, didn’t you, Young Lord? That means no one will know even if you die here.”

“Th-this…… Your f-foot……!”

“What exactly is your ability, anyway? It doesn’t seem like magic……. Ah, perhaps it is the divine power said to have vanished……. Something like that. Well, I suppose research will tell us.”

The impostor smiled grotesquely and removed a syringe from inside his clothes.

The instant the needle pierced Frey’s thin arm and cold liquid flowed into him, his consciousness receded into the distance.