Chapter 17
Chapter 17
"Bestia."”
“Yes?”
“Am I that old-looking?”
She seemed flustered by the unexpected question.
“No, that’s not it…”
“Right. If you call me ‘Father,’ people will become suspicious.”
Indeed, who would want to be called ‘Father’ by the woman they liked?
Bestia tilted her head and asked Master again.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Th-that thing, you know…”
“Yes?”
Master stammered.
He must have been about to say something that pricked his conscience.
“Not ‘Father’… something you call a man who isn’t that much older than you.”
“What is that?”
Normally, Bestia would have figured it out, but…
Unfortunately, she was in a state where her mental age had regressed due to the side effects of magic.
Mary, watching this with amusement from behind, spoke up instead.
“Bestia, in situations like that, there’s ‘Oppa’!”
“Ah! Right!”
Mary looked back at Master with an expression that said, ‘Did I do well?’
But his expression was strangely dissatisfied.
Seeing this, Mary gave me a confused look and gestured.
‘What’s the answer? Figure it out and fix this!’
“Bestia, commoners don’t usually use the title ‘Oppa’.”
“Ah, then… ‘Oppa’…?”
Master’s expression, which had subtly relaxed, proved that ‘Oppa’ was the correct answer.
Sigh, this is my fate. I should leave the Duke’s Mansion quickly.
“Oppa?”
As Bestia tilted her head slightly and said it again, Master muttered to me.
“……I’ll give you a raise when we get back.”
Come to think of it, burying my bones at the Duke’s Mansion doesn’t seem so bad.
\ \ \
The Duke’s Mansion a few days before the investigation was set to begin.
“Where is Bestia?”
“Uh… I think she’s in the library.”
Master looked for Bestia like a parrot every thirty minutes.
“You think she’s there? Not that she is there?”
“Yes. She said she wanted to go alone…”
“Is she crazy?His sudden, nervous tone was bewildering.
“Huh? M-me?”
“What if she gets lost? And you let her go alone?”
Of course, the Duke’s Mansion was vast enough for an adult to get lost.
But that library… it’s inside the building where Bestia is staying.
She’s not even visiting it for the first time.
However, such excuses wouldn’t work on Master, who had completely lost his mind over Bestia.
“Then, from next time, I will escort her.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“No, then you must trust me! Who else are you going to trust?”
I thought we had built a relationship of trust over the years.
Seeing the look of distrust and suspicion mixed on my Master’s face, I felt a surge of unfairness.
Should I be happy that he’s completely smitten with someone he met so recently…?
But if I let Bestia go, I’d clearly end up living as a bachelor, so I couldn’t interfere.
As if he didn’t know what was going on in my head.
All that remained before me was the chair where Master had been sitting.
Even back then, I had rushed off to see Bestia, abandoning all work, but I was scolded and brought back.
“Doesn’t it tire you to be rejected every time? You shouldn’t just pull; you need to push too.”
Master, who I expected to get annoyed, unexpectedly replied readily.
“Do you think it’s reasonable to say that when I barely have enough time to see her?”
“What if Bestia gets tired of you before you even start?”
“…….”
He seemed to realize he was being too clingy, as he shut his mouth tightly.
“It would be good to give Bestia time to think slowly…”
“Speaking of which.”
Master asked me in a voice filled with annoyance.
“Why are you still here?”
Master had always preferred to be alone.
Except for special occasions, he usually handled work alone in his office.
“Ah, I have some good news to tell you, Master.”
“Did Bestia eat well?”
He’s now associating everything with Bestia to this extent…
“Ah, no. It’s not that.”
“Then what? Did she laugh a lot today?”
“That’s not it either…”
“What else could be considered good news besides that?”
What should I do with this infatuated fool?
No, calm down.
I’ll just get beaten up if I attack him anyway.
“Didn’t the Duke recently purchase undeveloped land in the south?”
“And?”
He listlessly picked up a file from his desk.
“A fluorite mine was discovered on that land!”
‘Fluorite’ was a precious gem with unimaginable value compared to most expensive jewels.
There was no known information about the terrain or conditions under which it was formed.
Most importantly, it contained magic power and was used to craft magic tools.
Even Master, who was indifferent to everything, wouldn’t…
“So what?”
“…….”
Right, our Master had plenty of money and could use magic, couldn’t he? I was foolish.
“Master, still, this could be a good opportunity for Bestia.”
Although it might seem like a waste for the cost, fluorite could also be used to operate magic power.
If it helps her, Master will act, right?
Moreover, fluorite was a gem of exorbitant value.
Therefore, most nobles would only catch a fleeting glimpse of it in their lifetime.
But with such a large quantity of this gem discovered.
It was natural to accumulate immense wealth.
He already had more than enough money, but this meant he could become even richer.
Master seemed to like my idea, as he said in a slightly softened tone.
“Come to think of it, that’s true.”
“Right? Master? This is an opportunity. This time, let’s start a big business with fluorite…”
“Give that to Bestia.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll have it refined and deliver it.”
So, the woman he loves comes first, right?
It would be natural to be annoyed by Master, who shouts ‘Bestia’ for everything, but not now.
Considering the amount of fluorite buried in the mine, giving a little to Bestia wouldn’t make much of a difference.
By the way, if we proceed with business rapidly with this mine…
We could obtain wealth comparable to the Imperial family.
In that case, I would also benefit, wouldn’t I?
I couldn’t hide my smile and showed a goofy expression.
But this happiness didn’t last long.
“No, not that.”
“Yes? If not fluorite, then what?”
“Give her the entire mine, give it to Beth.”
I froze on the spot for a few seconds with a faint smile.
“Master, for your information, that land was purchased by the Duke.”
“What’s Father’s is mine.”
Master looked at me absurdly, as if asking what the problem was.
“What? Didn’t you clearly separate your assets from the Duke’s?”
“Because there was no reason to combine them.”
“Didn’t you, last time, prevent the Duke from entering your private gallery?”
“Ah, that?”
Master had created several private spaces within the Duke’s Mansion.
He didn’t allow anyone to enter, and his father, the Duke, was no exception.
“Fitz… isn’t this too harsh between us?”
“Father, my assets are not yours.”
I remembered the Duke’s wistful back as he walked away powerlessly after hearing those words.
“Yes! You said that to the Duke!”
You have nothing to say, you ungrateful filial imposter!
But there was no hesitation or tremor in the reply I received.
“Of course, my money is just my money.”
“…What?”
“Ah, right. I was careless. My money is also Bestia’s money.”
“You two aren’t even engaged yet…”
My mouth hung open, unable to close.
There are various kinds of crazy people in the world, but I never thought my Master would be one of them, driven mad by love.
The only fortunate thing was that Bestia was normal.
“Bestia wouldn’t even take it if you gave it to her.”
“Why?”
“It’s burdensome. Honestly.”
Master and Bestia were still strangers.
It was a relationship that could end if she rejected him, yet he was contemplating how to give her the mine without it being burdensome.
“The place Father bought… wasn’t it near where the investigation is going?”
“Yes. It is, but…”
Master fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
I don’t know what he’s plotting, but I hope he doesn’t. Please.
“First, let’s visit the mine while we’re out for the investigation.”
“Yes……. I’ll put it on the schedule for now.”
I had no choice but to agree to his suggestion, leaving a lingering sense of unease.
\ \ \
“Bestia, who am I?”
“Oppa!”
“Hoo…”
What was that? Did I hear a foolish laugh somewhere?
It couldn’t be the Young Duke, who was holding me.
I looked around to find the source of the laughter but couldn’t find a likely suspect.
Did I mishear?
“Young Duke, then who am I?”
“My Betty.”
“That’s right!”
As I extended my small hands to him, he brought his cheek to them.
“No! You should give me your hand!”
“Don’t my arms have to support Betty?”
He held me tighter, pressing his body close.
The Young Duke’s tone was quite affectionate, but I sensed a hint of madness in his eyes.
To be continued in the next episode ▶
