Reborn as a Useless Noble with my SSS-Class Innate Talent

Kyle arrived at the exchange spot just behind the kitchen, his movements restricted by the long skirt that kept brushing against his heels.

He felt ridiculous, but at least his face was covered, and with the kitchen staff beside him, the disguise was holding up.

Two men were already waiting by the crates, standing by a small wagon loaded with sacks of herbs. As soon as they noticed Kyle approaching with the servants, their eyes narrowed.

"Who's that? We weren't told someone new would be present."

The taller one asked, voice sharp.

The second man folded his arms.

"This isn't part of the agreement. Outsiders aren't allowed here. If this is how the Margrave handles things now, we may stop selling altogether."

The staff visibly tensed.

One of the kitchen workers, the same woman who had helped dress Kyle earlier, stepped forward with a forced smile.

"Please forgive the surprise. This is Lady Ricca's niece. She's visiting for a few days and was very eager to meet the famous herb merchants herself. She's especially interested in the spices you provide."

She said politely, gesturing to Kyle.

The merchants exchanged skeptical glances before looking toward Kyle.

"And what does the young lady want to say?"

The second one asked with clear suspicion.

Kyle stepped forward slowly, putting on the face of a disinterested noble girl.

He let out a quiet sigh, then spoke with a soft, slightly bored tone.

"I was told your herbs were exquisite… but I must say, they smell off."

"Off?"

The shorter seller repeated, frowning.

"They smell… stale. Almost rotten."

Kyle tilted his head, letting just the right amount of disdain show on his face.

"Are you sure you're not selling expired herbs?"

Both men froze.

There was a subtle shift in their mana, a flicker of panic poorly hidden behind trained expressions.

Kyle felt it immediately—just like before.

The same type of foreign mana that clung to the herbs in the mansion's kitchen now stirred faintly around the sacks they'd brought.

These two were definitely involved.

The taller merchant regained his composure first.

"Ah, we must apologize if the scent was unpleasant. But I assure you, our quality is second to none."

The other nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes. Perhaps… perhaps the young miss would like to see for herself? If you're curious about our methods, we'd be happy to take you to our warehouse."

Behind him, the kitchen staff looked alarmed. One of them leaned closer to Kyle, whispering,

"Young miss, perhaps it's not wise to go alone…"

Kyle gave a faint smile without looking back.

"Thank you, but I'll be fine."

He turned to the merchants.

"I'll take you up on your offer. Lead the way."

One of the workers spoke hesitantly.

"Should we inform the Margrave—?"

"No need. This won't take long."

Kyle replied smoothly. His charm as a female were working because he used mana to make it more believable.

Now, he could have used mana to change into a female, but that did not sit well with Kyle. For now, crossdressing would do since he was not interested in losing his manhood.

The two merchants exchanged looks again, then gestured for Kyle to follow.

He walked behind them, his steps graceful and measured despite the annoying skirt.

From the rooftops, Queen watched silently. It tilted its head once, then took flight, gliding above them—keeping watch.

The servants behind murmured among themselves as they faded from Kyle's view.

"That was the guest Margarave Ricca brought with her, right? Isn't he too bold?"

"I hope he knows what he's doing…"

______

The seller glanced sideways at Kyle, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"You seem new around here, miss. Might I ask where you're from and what brings you to the Margrave's lands?"

Kyle didn't even blink.

Instead, he let out a dramatic huff, turned his face away with exaggerated disdain, and stomped one foot with enough grace to still pass for a spoiled noble lady.

"You dare question me? You've got some nerve. Do you interrogate every guest of Margrave Ricca? How improper."

He snapped, raising his chin.

The seller winced at the outburst.

"Ah—my apologies, my lady. I meant no disrespect. Just… curious, is all."

Kyle tossed his hair back with a flick of his hand, channeling every ounce of noble arrogance he could muster.

"You don't need to know where I'm from. Just know that I am not someone you should offend."

"Yes, of course,"

The seller murmured, eyes slightly narrowed now, his smile tightening. Kyle could tell—he'd gotten under the man's skin.

Good. That meant the mask was starting to slip.

The seller led him into a deeper section of the forest.

It was dense and humid, vines twisting around trees and strange flora lining the worn dirt path. The air here felt... wrong.

Kyle's senses flared.

Mana—unnatural, twisted mana—surged subtly through the soil and branches.

There were ruins here, ancient ones hidden beneath layers of time and illusion.

He could feel them like veins under the earth, forming an array that pulsed outward in all directions.

A barrier array.

This place was likely a core piece of the village's sealing mechanism.

The seller stopped at a structure hidden behind thick brush—a warehouse made of stone and overgrown with moss.

"Please wait here, my lady. I'll check to make sure there's nothing dangerous inside. The forest sometimes attracts beasts, and I'd hate for anything to happen to you."

The man said with an overly polite smile.

His words were honeyed, but his mana surged like acid.

Kyle felt the trap spring before the man even moved away.

Still, he nodded.

"I'd hate for anything to happen to me too."

He replied, voice sweetly mocking.

As the man disappeared behind the warehouse door, Kyle channeled his mana, letting it circulate through his body to brace herself.

The moment he stepped inside, his senses were assaulted.

The smell hit first—acrid, cloying, thick with fermented herbs and something darker. Next came the pressure.

The mana was dense, oppressive, trying to crush him from the inside out. It coiled around his core, searching for weakness.

But Kyle wasn't like others.

He had felt worse. He had been broken and put back together before. He had trained to resist worse kinds of mana with only his will to survive.

This?

This was nothing.

He walked inside with slow, measured steps.

Each breath he took was controlled.

He filtered the air through his mana, suppressing the urge to gag.

His eyes scanned the crates stacked high with dried herbs—some of them the same ones that had been used to poison the food the night before.

The seller watched his carefully from the shadows, waiting—expecting his to collapse, to gag, to fail.

But Kyle didn't falter.

He walked past him without sparing him a glance, even as he could feel the man's killing intent spike.

He didn't act, though. Not yet.

"Are you done, my lady? I hope everything was to your satisfaction."

The seller asked finally, stepping forward with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Kyle paused.

"No. It still stinks. You should consider picking a better trade. This one clearly isn't working for you."

He said flatly.

The seller froze for a second.

"I-I'm sorry to hear that…"

Kyle turned, giving him the most haughty smile he could manage.

"It's fine. I'm not here to give you business advice."

With that, he brushed past him, skirts swaying, his mind already making calculations.

The herb quality, the mana traces, the ruins beneath the soil—everything pointed to this place being a cornerstone in the larger scheme.

Kyle would need to return. Not just to destroy the mana array, but to uncover who was behind it. And soon.