Chapter 08
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Bree ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Flushed with anger, he shot his words like an arrow.
“It seems like you won’t be able to get married, so you’re resorting to force, aren’t you? If there’s an unmarried lady in the family, Duke Peregrine would be in trouble too!”
That statement had some truth to it. This damn world imposed the obligation of marriage on everyone. Especially for nobles and a hero like Peregrine, setting a good example was even more critical.
“I advised you to try to capture Roderick’s heart rather than marrying some nameless bastard…! I never expected you to come out so rudely!”
“Did I ask for your advice?”
“What? What is this…”
I took a step closer to him. Perhaps feeling the pressure, Mentis shrank back.
“It’s called being nosy when you’re just talking about something unnecessarily. I’ll handle my own business, so you take care of yours.”
“…”
“If you want to live long, that is.”
The last words were whispered softly into his ear. At that, Mentis’s face completely turned pale with fear.
Someone who was terrified with just one word, who on earth was he guarding?
With a scoff and laughter, I turned away and passed by him.
But my heart wasn’t light. As he said, for a noble daughter, marriage was a necessity.
Occasionally, there were those who didn’t marry, but everyone felt ashamed about it. They believed there was something wrong with them or that they hadn’t been chosen.
No one had ever decided not to get married. Society was like that, and the environment they were in was like that.
And I’m probably no exception.
So, I wanted to go down to the borderlands as soon as possible. If I lived there like a dead person, maybe Daphne would be completely forgotten.
But I had to consider the worst-case scenario.
‘What if Duke Peregrine, enraged by Daphne not marrying, cuts off all support?’
And what if he arbitrarily chooses a fiancé for her and sends her away?
…I might have to spend my whole life with a shadowy figure I didn’t even know.
‘How can I miss out on life with a golden spoon just because of marriage!’
I sighed heavily, my head throbbing with pain. Then, I thought more calmly.
Currently, my great-grandfather, Duke Peregrine, was away in another territory.
‘He’s probably furious because of Daphne’s situation.’
Until he returned, I had to figure out how to deal with the situation.
“And above all, if I’m going to be a villainess, I should be wealthy.”
If that was the case, there was no other way.
Having made up my mind, I took out two vials I had prepared in advance from my pocket.
One of them was the poison that Daphne had consumed to end her own life, later to be used as evidence when Flora reported Daphne to the royal family.
‘But even if I search Daphne’s memories, there’s no memory of her making poison.’
So, there was only one possibility.
“Someone else made this poison.”
That’s why I decided to find out who made this poison.
‘If someone really poisoned me, I should first eliminate this flag to enjoy a peaceful life.’
And, as a side note, I wanted to know specifically what ingredients were in the antidote I made.
I’ve made several medicines, but I’ve never seen a medicine that improves immediately upon consumption in the advanced medical life of the past.
‘If this world is still not well-established in terms of medicine, developing a new drug could be a big money-making opportunity. Patents mean money.’
However, I made the antidote too hastily without ensuring its safety.
Even though my body is feeling better now, it would be a big problem if I suddenly dropped dead later.
‘I need to investigate the ingredients of this antidote as well.’
Having made the decision, I headed towards the outer edge of the Duke’s mansion through the back gate.
The servants who were waiting for me bowed their heads respectfully.
The maid’s face was familiar. She was the maid with orange hair who had supported me as soon as I arrived here.
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes, Milady. Lord Peregrine is also out for a while, so you don’t have to worry about being noticed.”
“Alright, thanks.”
As a gesture of appreciation, I handed her the money pouch that had been prepared in advance.
The maid’s face brightened up all at once.
“That is not necessary.”
But at that moment, the servant rejected my favor.
“I just wanted to help you, Milady.”
“Hey, what are you talking about now!”
“If I could be of help, it would make me happy.”
Although the maid shot back fiercely, he seemed not to notice and grinned at me.
If it were the original me, I would have been happy that the money was refused. However, since she had violated her master’s orders and helped me, we were both accomplices.
So we had to leave some sort of evidence of our dealings. People’s kindness could change depending on the situation.
Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud, so I just smiled.
“I understand your feelings well. But this is a transaction, right? You should receive a fair value.”
“But Milady…?”
“That way, my conscience will be at ease too.”
Will you accept it?
With those words, I gently grabbed her hand.
“Oh, my…”
Not the servant’s hand, but the maid’s hand this time.
Then the maid, who had been glaring at the servant just a moment ago, blushed, saying, “Yes, Milady…”
“You’re a good person.”
Alright. I smiled and let go of her hand.
Then, leaving the ecstatic two behind, I climbed into the carriage.
“Where would you like to go?”
In response to the coachman’s question, I replied.
“Let’s go to the central square in Wayne District.”
* * *
The square at the center of Wayne District was always bustling with people. The academy, where only outstanding individuals in the empire could attend, was located there, naturally leading to a thriving commercial area.
However, no matter how well-lit a place was, there were always shady corners. In the alleys behind the square, the so-called underworld guilds thrived, and among them, the most popular was a shop called ‘Ailts.’
This shop sold various substances and items that were currently difficult to develop, and its skill was comparable to that of a demon.
Of course, according to the market’s law, the performance of the products was proportional to the price.
“No, why is this one thing so expensive?”
So, newcomers often showed this kind of reaction. People’s reactions at this time were divided into two.
Either they just left, or…
“It’s ridiculously expensive! Do you think this is a reasonable price?”
They expressed their anger.
However, the store manager of Ailts looked at the angry customers as if it was nothing.
“Don’t say that and give me a little discount.”
“No.”
“Then! Are you insisting on this price?”
The customer raised his voice.
It was a somewhat uncool method that relied on the fact that the person with the loudest voice wins, but it was an effective method.
“Is it wrong to receive the right price for a good product?”
However, the store manager didn’t even blink.
‘Huh? This isn’t working.’
The customer, momentarily bewildered, raised his voice again.
“T-This price is still too much! Did I come all the way here for nothing? There should be some human decency!”
Still, there was no change in the store manager’s expression.
The frustrated customer blurted out even the words he shouldn’t have.
“I don’t know why I’ve come to a place that operates illegally!”
At that moment.
The corners of the store manager’s mouth, which had been gracefully curved, dropped to the ground in an instant.
“…Customer.”
Then, he slowly stood up.
Hidden behind a somewhat high table, the store manager’s physique wasn’t visible. So, the customer thought of the owner as just a small guy.
But…
The store manager was huge, to the point that the description “big” fell short. Broad shoulders, a shirt stretched as if it would burst, and even the muscles on the forearm.
It was clear that a slight touch would send someone far away.
“What did you just say?”
The store manager asked, looking down at the customer.
At that moment, the customer realized.
The reason why the store manager had been sitting down was to prevent the customer from feeling threatened.
‘You touched someone you shouldn’t have.’
“I, I made a mistake…”
The frightened customer quickly lowered his tail.
Then, with a smile, the store manager sat back down. Similarly, the eye level dropped.
“Well then, let me assist you with the payment.”
At his words, the customer, as if enchanted, presented the money he had.
“Thank you for your purchase.”
The store manager smiled warmly as he carefully wrapped the items in a paper bag.
“Your order is ready.”
“…”
“Oh, you’re leaving already.”
The store manager handed the bag to the customer as he spoke.
“Well, take a look at it, sir.”
And, in a dry tone, he added, “Be careful with your tongue.”
“Ugh…!”
The customer’s face turned pale as he left the store as if fleeing.
Once the door closed, the store manager fixed his expression as if nothing had happened.
“Come again if you dare, you damn guy.”
It was an attitude that coolly discarded the kindness from a moment ago.
The store manager, or rather, Gael, slumped into his seat.
In reality, Gael didn’t want to sit on such a lowly chair.
But due to his large physique, customers often got scared and left in a hurry. In the end, his master designated this low chair to emphasize kindness. Thanks to that, his back pain was killing him.
Muttering to himself, Gael complained.
“I really should quit when I’m feeling so miserable…”
“Quit? Quit what?”
“This shop, of course… Ugh!”
At that moment, a calm voice was heard from behind.
In that instant, Gael’s expression turned ashen, as if to say, “When did this happen?”
Gael’s expression turned pale as if it had always been that way.
Wearing a black robe, with his face covered and only his lips visible, his tall stature and broad shoulders gave away the fact that he was a man.
“Master! Have you arrived?”
The man with a large build greeted the person in front of him.
Though it might be a bit burdensome, the man naturally accepted it.
“Hello, Gael. It’s been a while.”
The man greeted Gael affectionately and asked, “You seem a little upset. What happened?”
With a calm yet leisurely and soft voice, the man inquired, and Gael forced a smile as he replied.
“Well, there was a customer who was being difficult. But we managed to complete the transaction without any issues.”
“Good to hear that.”
The lips revealed beneath the robe turned upwards gently.
The master’s atmosphere… didn’t seem that bad.
Didn’t you hear? Gael asked, watching for his reaction.
“But, when did you arrive, Master?”
“Ah, even before you said you wanted to quit.”
“…”
Gael closed his mouth.
Whether he said it or not, the man took off his robe.
Then, the slightly curly, silvery hair and the crimson eyes were revealed. It was a color that was not common, perfect for attracting the attention of others.
However, there was a separate reason why he concealed his appearance.
It was because of his breathtaking beauty.
Fair skin with a hint of pink on the cheeks. Eyes that slightly rose at the ends, giving the impression of a smiling gaze. And even the crimson lips.
It looked as if an angel had descended.
To the extent that a sculptor, who had only carved goddesses from legends his whole life, begged, “Please let me carve your beauty just once,” and followed him day and night for several days.
Even though it would be a burden, he said.
“Haha. Wouldn’t that be cool? That sounds like fun.”
The sculptor was happy to get to work, but soon realized that his beauty is not something he could dare to touch. He broke the chisel and hammer which had been with him for many years.
Then he vowed never to sculpt again.
It was indeed an act of madness, but the man simply smiled with regret.
That’s how kind, languid, and non-threatening he appeared to be.
Of course, he also had a stature that couldn’t be called small, but in terms of physique alone, Gael was even bigger.
However, there was a reason why Gael couldn’t help but shiver.
The reason was that the man was none other than the Master of the Mage tower and the Grand Duke, Luciel Winterose.
“Master, I see you’ve been visiting all of our shops for some reason. Have you been to the Mage tower?”
“Yes. I was begged by people who seemed on the verge of death, so I thought I’d check how close to death they really are.”
…And this person who could casually utter such ruthless words while smiling was also known as someone not to be taken lightly.
