~Chapter 55~
I chose the room at the far end on the second floor. It was a little smaller than the castle rooms, but it felt cozy, and I liked it a lot.
Most of all, the bed was really soft and fluffy!
“Hot spring.”
I lay on top of it, staring at the ceiling, imagining.
“Hot spring!”
I remembered the ones I’d seen on TV in my past life. The faces of the people inside all melted with relaxation. That had been really impressive.
“But… I really, really want to do it, and I really, really can’t!”
Even though it was the Jebert family’s hot spring, that just made it more dangerous. Dad, Grandpa, or Void might barge in at any time!
As I flailed my arms and legs, a blunt reply came from the side.
“I’ll stand guard at the right time.”
It was Khalid, sitting nearby, polishing his sword. Like a puppy, he had run straight to me after unpacking at the knights’ building.
I jumped up from the bed.
“Really?!”
“What’s the point of putting strength into it?”
Wow, as expected of the second male lead.
“Khaaal~.”
I grabbed Khalid’s arm and stretched down from the bed like dough.
“…You’re being cute again.”
“Hm?”
“I mean, annoying. The Jebert people. They don’t even let you use a hot spring freely.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong.
Khalid, his ears strangely red, slid his sharp sword back into its sheath.
“Anyway, are you really going to meet that stronghold mage? Do you know that person?”
I straightened my posture on the bed.
“Yes! Asha Drucan.”
She wasn’t someone I knew from the original story. Like Khalid, she was someone I had met on the battlefield by chance. She was a stronghold mage of Babylon’s East.
“Drucan… descendant of dwarves?”
Khalid stared at the air, thinking deeply, then looked enlightened.
“Blueprints. To tempt a blacksmith.”
“Exactly.”
To distract Uncle Maddix, I needed blueprints that were more and more exciting—no, more precise.
Khalid realized my intention and frowned.
“I told you not to worry about that.”
“Yeah. But if there’s a mage here, then it won’t be strange for Jelrox to have a magical barrier.”
The barrier I made was a double-edged sword.
It protected me from the Demon Kingdom, but at the same time, it advertised the fact that there was a mage here.
“In short, I needed a fake mage to cover for me.”
Of course, the method of making barrier magic tools with barrier stones was a secret only I knew. No one else was aware I had that knowledge.
“Which meant… even if someone found out, it wouldn’t be strange.”
Asha Drucan was the descendant of an ancient magical weapon craftsman. Her family had declined, but still.
Anyway, if that descendant studied the northern magic stones and researched long enough, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to develop a new defensive weapon.
“Let me point out two things.”
Khalid folded his arms and spoke coldly.
“Not too cold, please…”
“First. What’s your proof that you can win Asha Drucan to your side?”
Thud. I sank to the floor.
“Second. Do you think the Duke of Jebert will allow a mage into his territory?”
Flop. I lay completely flat on the ground.
“What are you doing?”
Khalid looked displeased but helped me up.
“My bones broke.”
“Let me see.”
“I was joking.”
I grinned and started counting on my fingers.
“First… Asha Drucan owes me a favor, so she has to repay me.”
“Really?”
“On the battlefield, I saved her younger brother.”
“….”
Khalid’s face grew complicated.
“Wait… one of the mages you saved in the Kanalane Canyon—was that Asha Drucan’s brother?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
A low silence fell. I raised another finger.
“And second, Liam Jebert can take care of it.”
“Liam Jebert?”
I thought of the boy obsessed with monster studies. And Asha, too, had a deep interest in it. That would be an irresistible temptation for Liam.
Of course, if Dad said no, nothing could be done.
But in the original, Liam once had a mage as his monster studies teacher. It wasn’t clear who it was, but I was just moving that time forward.
“Don’t worry. If the second doesn’t work, I can at least get blueprints from Asha.”
Either way, it was a good deal!
I smiled widely, and Khalid sighed softly.
“How could I not worry…”
At that moment, a rattling sound came.
“Ah! That sweet sound effect!”
I jumped up. Khalid had taken off his bracelet and offered me his hand.
When I lightly held his pinky, his big hand grasped my wrist.
“Mana density here is lower than in Jelrox. Don’t overdo it.”
I felt the rush of refreshing energy and nodded. Yes, sir! Who was I to argue?
“When should we go? I’m really, really curious. Hot spring!”
“Call me when the mood is right.”
Khalid answered shortly, concentrating on sending mana. I leaned close, whispering secretly, feeling playful.
“If I were really a boy, we could bathe together. Hehe. Too bad, huh?”
“Wh-…!”
“Huh? Why did you let go?”
I looked at the abruptly cut mana in regret. Khalid rubbed his ear, begging me not to say strange things, then held my hand again.
“Why? Don’t close male friends bathe together sometimes? Best friends? No, wait… what was that word… only boys use it…”
I searched my memory, staring at the ceiling. Oh, that’s it!
“Yeah! Bro—”
But then a big hand suddenly covered my lips.
“Please.”
His head bent low, his dark hair brushing my face.
“Please, spare me…”
Mana surged wildly, like waves inside him.
Noble carriages were steadily arriving in Ipsun, where the Green Festival would be held. The city, celebrating the spring festival, was filled with joy and excitement, buzzing all day long.
When the Emperor’s party arrived from the capital, prayers would be offered to the gods for peace throughout the year, and then the Green Festival would officially begin. The nobles’ banquets would also start from that point.
‘Since we arrived early, it kind of feels like a vacation.’
In the morning, I went out to tour Ipsun city with Void and Grandpa. There were so many people that it was crowded, so honestly, it wasn’t as fun as going out in Jelrox.
In the end, by afternoon, I was back at the villa.
“Does Father have to work even here? Poor thing…”
I teased Dad, rolling on the sofa, while he sat at his desk signing papers with a tired face.
Crunch, crunch. His weary gaze drifted to the large fruit candy in my hand.
“Give me a bite, and I won’t eat you instead.”
“Hmm…”
“Are you actually thinking about it?”
I giggled and was about to sit up to share when—knock, knock.
“Your Grace, Count Camelan has arrived.”
“Bring him in.”
Butler Adolf hesitated before speaking again.
“Um… he brought his daughter with him.”
At that, Dad put his papers aside and stood, lifting me into his arms as if it couldn’t be helped.
“Let’s go to the drawing room. Prepare some refreshments.”
“Waaaah!”
The drawing room was filled with sobs.
“Hic… hiccup… waaaah.”
“There, there, Titi. It’s alright. You’re okay.”
The Count’s daughter, Sortie Camelan, with fluffy sky-blue hair, had burst into loud tears the moment she saw Leviathan.
“Scaryyy! It’s pricklyyy!”
Count Camelan, looking troubled, hugged his daughter and tried to soothe her, but she couldn’t calm down, clearly terrified.
Now that I thought about it, it made sense.
Leviathan groaned softly and pressed his forehead. Lately, he’d forgotten, but children usually reacted like this when they saw him.
“…We should come back later—”
But just then, a familiar silver head popped forward.
“Um, Lady… my unc— I mean, my Dad isn’t scary.”
Rubian had quietly stepped up to the opposite sofa and spoke to the girl clinging to the Count.
Awkwardly fiddling with her finger, she looked shy after stepping in but still didn’t stop speaking.
“See? Even now—”
Rubian quickly turned her head, pointing at Leviathan, who was sitting at the far end of the sofa.
“He’s sitting as far away as possible, just so you won’t be scared.”
Her round, gentle eyes curved warmly.
Sortie’s crying began to quiet little by little.
