Chapter 7
Episode 7
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3:00 PM.
The weather was exceptionally bright, making me feel like abandoning all the piled-up work.
Master and Bestia-nim were scheduled to leave for their investigation in ten days.
“Young Duke, you still have to finish your backlog of work before you leave.”
At Bestia-nim’s firm words, Master… no, Master had been practically living in the office for days.
It seemed like he was completely smitten. It was just that the person in question, Bestia-nim, was unaware.
“Aristelle, what’s the afternoon schedule?”
“Ah, there was a letter from the House of Duke Ellen. They said there was something urgent to convey…”
Before he could even finish speaking, Master’s steps, which had been walking down the corridor, came to an abrupt halt. It was because of the maids’ voices.
“Hahaha, you really have some nerve. How can you talk about Bestia-nim like that?”
“What’s wrong with it? I wasn’t making things up?”
“I didn’t take you for someone like this, but you really… If you get caught, you’ll be dragged away for defamation.”
Unaware that the Young Duke was nearby, four maids were chattering excitedly, as if they had found something incredibly amusing.
Hmm… It seemed like something big was about to happen.
This was because one of the maids among them was someone the Young Duke had been watching intently for some time.
The black-haired maid who had been staring at Bestia as if trying to bore holes through her.
And now, Bestia-nim’s name was coming from their lips.
It probably wouldn’t end well.
“You lot, what is that?”
Master spoke in a chilling tone, glaring at a notebook the maids were holding.
It was truly rare for Master, who usually paid little attention to the servants, to speak to them first.
Naturally, this was a shocking event for the servants.
Above all, they seemed to be discussing something unpleasant.
“Now, Young Master. We weren’t….”
“Really, we had absolutely no ill intentions. Please be lenient…”
“Enough.”
As if he didn’t need to hear any more, Master snatched the notebook from the black-haired maid.
“All three of you, follow me to the office.”
It was a short statement, but it was enough to understand.
This was not Master’s usual indifferent tone…
The black-haired maid trembled noticeably and was led into the office as if being dragged.
Servants in noble households were fundamentally supposed to be tight-lipped.
Tsk, tsk, what bad luck.
…No, was it karma?
Master would have probably just passed it off as bothersome if it were just gossip about himself.
But this seemed too much?
Has it already been three hours since Master took the maids to the office?
There’s a mountain of work to do, Master…
How much more time passed after that?
This is bad. At this rate, working overtime today is confirmed.
My anxious heart took over, and I slightly opened the office door.
“Especially this part, what is this supposed to mean?”
“Y-yes…? Which part are you referring to?”
What was all this?
Master, wearing glasses he rarely used, was staring at the notebook as if he could burn it.
The black-haired maid, holding a pen and paper, was listening intently to Master’s words.
What is this…
“Page 32, second paragraph. Fourth line.”
Before I could even grasp the situation, Master spoke again.
“One day, the Young Master suddenly brought home his fiancée, ‘Betty,’ who was among the top five most beautiful women in the empire. This part.”
“……”
“Bestia isn’t just among the top five; she’s simply the most beautiful. Revise it to say that.”
“Yes!”
What, what is this…?
Unable to comprehend the situation at all, I peered closely at the notebook Master was holding.
Above the cover of the notebook, bold, large letters that appeared to be the title caught my eye.
One Day, the Peach Young Master Brought Home a Fiancée
What is that?
I sent a look of bewilderment through the door, but Master completely ignored me and continued the incomprehensible conversation.
It was clearly a sign to mind my own business and stay put.
How much time passed?
“…We’ll stop revising for today.”
“Yes! Young Master!”
“When will Volume 2 be released?”
“Ah, I will prepare it before the Young Master leaves for the investigation!”
“…Now that I see it, you’re quite talented.”
Master nodded his head a couple of times indifferently and gestured for me to leave.
“What in the world is this situation…?”
\ \ \
“What happened inside?”
As I entered the office, Master was looking at the notebook with a more relaxed expression than usual.
“That maid did something quite interesting.”
That maid, she must be the black-haired one who was taking notes.
“What exactly was written in that notebook that made you act like this?”
As I finished my question, Master chuckled and handed me the notebook.
Reading it page by page from the beginning, it went like this:
The story of the Young Master ‘Peach,’ who had never paid attention to anyone, falling in love at first sight with ‘Betty,’ a commoner, and bringing her home to marry and live happily ever after.
Although the names were slightly different, it was undeniably the story of Master and Bestia-nim.
And so, the title was…
One Day, the Peach Young Master Brought Home a Fiancée
It seemed like an ordinary love story, but it was a piece overflowing with praise and flattery for Bestia-nim.
So that maid wasn’t glaring; she was a fan…
While I was worried about working overtime, Master seemed to be in quite a good mood.
People tend to get excited when they meet someone with similar interests.
Especially if those interests concern the object of their affection…
In my life, I never thought I’d see someone who fangirled over their own fiancée with a maid.
“The House of Duke Russell is doomed…”
It was a rather rude remark, but Master lightly ignored my words and said,
“This is perfect timing. I needed someone to attend to Beth.”
“Pardon?”
“Include that maid in the entourage.”
“Ah, so the three of you will be going?”
What good fortune this is. I’ll be free from Master for a while.
The corners of my mouth couldn’t be controlled at the thought of escaping him.
“No, of course, you’re going too.”
Or so I thought until just a moment ago.
“No, Master… We have a lot of pending work, so perhaps the three of you should go…”
As I was making every effort to be excluded from the investigation…
BOOOOOOM—
Before my words could finish, the floor shook with an immense explosion.
“Wh-what? Master, are you alright? Uh…?”
I urgently asked about Master’s well-being, but the spot where he had been sitting just moments before was now empty.
\ \ \
A few hours ago.
“…It’s strange, no matter how I think about it.”
In the vast and magnificent Duke’s Mansion library, where not a speck of dust had settled, I was lost in thought, resting my chin on the desk in the center.
As I focused all my attention, a clear, pure light enveloped my entire body.
My magic power, which had been increasing only slightly, was growing immense as time passed.
Was it related to my past life?
Or…
Could it be that I was influenced by the Young Duke?
I had heard the saying that if one is constantly around someone with excessively high magic power, those nearby naturally become influenced.
But even so, Duke and Aristelle didn’t seem to be able to use their magic power freely.
Nevertheless, it was true that my magic power had rapidly increased since meeting the Young Duke.
Sigh…
Separately, I also had to decipher Titonos’s Diary, but with no progress, my heart felt heavy.
Although I sometimes interpreted Titonos’s Diary through dreams…
“It’s all so vague and abstract that I can’t understand it.”
The book was filled with negative stories, which bore a strong resemblance to the woman in my dreams.
After a moment of self-pity, I suddenly stood up.
I lightly patted my cheeks with both hands a couple of times, then organized my thoughts.
For now, I should think about how I can help the Dukedom.
The Young Duke seems to want me to just eat, play, and rest, but.
I refuse to be any more of a nuisance than this.
I pulled out all the books related to Healing Magic from the bookshelf.
It was true that my healing abilities were excellent, but I didn’t know the methods for finely operating healing magic.
This was a good opportunity to study the operational methods of Healing Magic through the books in the library.
I didn’t know what would happen in the future, and my companions might get hurt.
Besides, if my abilities improve, it would be much more convenient when repaying debts later.
I spread out a magic power measurement diagram on the desk.
First, I don’t have a sense of how much magic power I have…
The measurement method was simple.
Place your hand on the diagram and concentrate for a few seconds, operating your magic power.
Underneath the diagram, a small warning note was written.
(※) Caution. Excessive operation of magic power may result in backlash.
Hmm, just in case, I should try outputting it as weakly as possible.
Without hesitation, I placed my hand on the diagram.
1 second… 2 seconds, and then 3 seconds.
Huh? There’s no reaction?
Was my magic power too weak? Then, just a little more…
Huh? …Oh?
Before I could even pull my hand away due to the sudden sense of anomaly.
In an instant, white light surged through the diagram and went berserk, then…
BOOM!
It exploded in all directions.
Simultaneously, with a massive explosion, my body was lifted by the backlash from the magic power, and before I could even think, I was violently thrown against a wall.
With pain as if my whole body was being torn apart, my eyes slowly closed.
Even so, I was concerned about the ruined library.
The bookshelves, where precious books were stored, were in disarray, and everything from the windows to the chandelier was damaged beyond recognition.
Ah… How am I going to pay for all of that?
It felt like someone was urgently calling my name, but my eyes completely closed.
To be continued in the next episode ▶
