Chapter 47
“Long ago.”
Artia always used teleportation magic for him since he disliked riding in carriages. Naturally, he had become quite familiar with it.
No, I’ve even used it recently.
He had tried teleportation magic not long ago to bring Yulia from the nursing home.
“Hmm.”
Chaeyan nodded slowly.
He had mentioned knowing a magician before, so perhaps that was the first time he had encountered teleportation magic.
“Anyway, about Countess Elresia.”
“Countess Elresia?”
“How long has she been the head of the house?”
“Why suddenly ask that?”
Chaeyan gave him a puzzled look at the abrupt question.
“I’m just a bit interested in the Elresia family.”
“Why?”
“Just.”
Just…
Chaeyan held back from asking more, knowing that pressing further wouldn’t yield a proper answer.
“It’s been just under three years.”
“Just as I thought.”
“Just as you thought?”
“What happened to the previous head? Did he die?”
“Yes. I heard he died of an illness.”
“An illness? What kind?”
“I don’t know. He suddenly fell ill and passed away in less than a month, that’s all I heard.”
“Less than a month…”
“Everyone was in an uproar for a while when the Elresia head died of some unknown illness.”
“…”
So it wasn’t a sudden accident.
Still, the fact that the true ring’s location wasn’t passed on to the successor suggests the deceased head never intended to hand it over.
Three years, huh.
He must be gnawing with impatience by now. He probably realizes the ring he wears is fake.
The Elresia family holds a family council every three years. It’s a gathering of the elders who thoroughly evaluate what the head has accomplished over the past three years.
One of the important checks at the council is whether the head is properly safeguarding their ring.
A fake can never fool them.
The real ring has a special power. Everyone in the Elresia household knows this, not just the elders.
Actually, doesn’t the whole world know?
This must be maddening for him.
The council is approaching, and he has a fake ring while the real one is nowhere to be found. His stress must be unbearable.
“Are you going to handle what Countess Elresia requested?”
At the palace, Creel, the head of Elresia, asked Chaeyan to install defensive magic circles throughout the Elresia mansion.
Perhaps unsettled by the black forest appearing in the middle of the capital, he requested defenses to keep monsters at bay.
“This is why rich people… those with money always demand more. Right, Ceres?”
“…If anyone heard that, they’d think you’re poor.”
Someone who casually pulls 5,000 gold from his pocket… that’s not me. That’s a remark I, struggling with interest payments, should make.
“Eh.”
Chaeyan pouted as if the request displeased him greatly.
“Anyway, I don’t like it. It increases my workload.”
Engraving magic circles large enough to surround a mansion is an enormous task. It requires manpower and costs a fortune.
“So you won’t do it?”
“Well, the person in charge will check and report first.”
“But the decision is ultimately yours, right?”
“Probably?”
“Hmm… if you do it, can I come along? I’ll do chores or something.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Just… I want to.”
“….”
Could it be? Does she really have some connection with the Elresia household?
But Creel Elresia didn’t seem to recognize Ceres at all.
Chaeyan looked at Ceres with a puzzled expression before nodding.
“Alright. I’ll consider it.”
KWAANG!
“Damn it.”
Creel, head of the Elresia family, couldn’t hold back a string of curses.
In his hand was a crumpled piece of paper: a notice from the Council of Elders stating that the family council would be held in two months.
“Where could it be hidden?!”
Even after searching the house for nearly three years, he had found no trace of the true ring.
The unbearable pressure was making Creel increasingly irritable.
“Damn old fool!”
He never expected that the ring his predecessor and mentor wore was fake!
Creel glared at the red ring on his hand with murderous intent.
Did he know all along?
That I was planning to kill him?
Otherwise, why would the true ring be hidden?
“Sigh.”
The plan had been perfect!
The poison used to assassinate his mentor had no antidote. It was so sophisticated that no one could realize it was poison.
Seeing his mentor waste away and die within a month brought him secret satisfaction.
Why did I even consider letting another inherit the position…?
He had devoted himself day and night, barely sleeping an hour a day, to research and work to gain his mentor’s favor.
Yet that same mentor planned to hand the heirship to someone else.
Learning this by chance, Creel felt deeply betrayed.
Thus, he plotted: to assassinate his mentor!
Luckily, those who approached him with knowledge of the situation provided the perfect poison.
Even the will claiming the mentor passed the heirship to him, written in the mentor’s hand, was perfect enough to deceive everyone.
If only the ring had been real…
Then everything would have been perfect.
But the ring he possessed was fake.
So far, he had deceived everyone, but once the family council was held, he would have to reveal its true power.
“What should I do?”
He could tell no one, seek no help—otherwise he might be removed as head.
The Elresia family endows the head’s ring with immense power and significance. Without it, he would lose all authority as head.
Indeed.
If someone else took the ring, he wouldn’t forgive them either.
“Sigh.”
Creel exhaled again. Looking at the crumpled notice, he pressed his temples as if to ease a headache.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The butler hurried in.
“What is it?”
“There’s been contact from the Mage Tower.”
“Really?”
Creel’s stiff expression quickly brightened. A response from the Mage Tower regarding his request had arrived.
The first thing Creel did upon discovering the ring was fake was to expand his influence.
He used every means to build connections with nobles and curry favor with the royal family.
If I can’t find the real ring…
He would need leverage to convince the elders. Someone still had to take the head’s seat, after all.
Then what?
He realized he must strengthen his position so that things could turn in his favor.
For example, so they’d say, “Yes, continue serving as head.”
And that plan was progressing steadily.
If the Mage Tower also supports me!
That would put him in an even stronger position.
He had long tried to build ties with the Mage Tower, but it wasn’t easy.
Chaeyan, the Mage Tower’s master, had always been too busy to meet despite countless requests.
His final attempt to form a connection was submitting a request to the Mage Tower.
The sudden appearance of the black forest in the capital was a convenient excuse.
It would cost a fortune, but this was a matter of his headship—worth every bit!
“Huh?”
As he read through the documents, Creel’s eyes widened.
He was pleased the Mage Tower accepted his request, but the more astonishing detail was…
The Mage Tower’s master is coming in person?
Chaeyan’s name was listed as the person responsible for this matter.
“Welcome.”
Creel greeted Chaeyan and his party with a full smile.
Who would have thought that the Mage Tower’s master would visit personally?
Chaeyan, in turn, wore a mask-like smile.
“You must be rich.”
“Pardon?”
“The magic circle installation isn’t cheap.”
“Ahahaha, it’s for the safety of the family; that’s a small price to pay.”
“Oh, for the family. You’re a good man, Count.”
“Haha, you flatter me. Let’s proceed this way.”
Chaeyan followed behind, still smiling.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
Ceres quietly approached and whispered,
“Why did you come along?”
She had only learned that Chaeyan would participate in this task that morning.
It puzzled her and others why the Mage Tower’s master would personally oversee such a minor task.
Why is the Mage Tower master coming? Is he ill?
Is there something interesting there?
We’re not just going for fun, right? This is work, right?
If Chaeyan goes, maybe it is just for fun…
She nearly blurted out, “How have you even been living all this time?” but swallowed it in time.
