Chapter 103
My older brother hesitated for a moment, then wrapped the loupe in a leaf and put it into a glass bottle as he asked:
“By the way, is this really necessary? Father can see it with his own eyes. Sol, you don’t exactly need it either.”
“……”
“If you’re worried someone might take it, why not just destroy it?”
It sounded reasonable at first.
I also realized how difficult it would be for someone like me to find natural mana pearls using this. And… well, somewhat embarrassingly, my thoughts of running away had subsided considerably.
I had come to understand that the Duke genuinely cared for me, so I no longer needed to prepare for running away.
I asked the Duke,
“What do you think about this, Father?”
“Just because our family treats stolen goods like treasures, I returned it out of disgust, not because it’s something I particularly need.”
“The power of the Silver Dragon is stolen, yes, but the loupe itself belongs to the Godel Marquis, doesn’t it?”
“If a 300-year-old wine bottle is stolen, would you say its contents were stolen, or the bottle itself?”
“……”
Is that really a fitting analogy?
At a loss for words, I felt the Duke stroke my head and say:
“You’re worried that the Godel Marquis might track the loupe, right? Let me ease that worry for you.”
“How?”
“So that the Godel Marquis will value a piece of bread right in front of him more than treasures—no, Sol. Don’t be afraid. Not destruction, but… so that he can regain the primal sense of the prehistoric era…”
“Please calm down.”
“I am always rational. No one on the continent is more rational than I am.”
“No, Father, you need to be a little warmer.”
“The concerns I’ve caused, I should solve myself. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to worry so much… If you don’t want to make the Marquis disappear, shall we just destroy the item?”
“Hmmm…”
I looked at the loupe.
It was a magnifying glass, carved from black buffalo horn, about the length of a thumb. More beautiful than most accessories.
Even if I had no immediate use for it, something beautiful fulfills its purpose by being beautiful alone.
And…
“…I want to keep it.”
“I see.”
“It’s the second gift I’ve received from Father. More importantly, it saved me once when Father rescued me!”
Six years ago, during the spring festival in the Flogel Domain, when I was kidnapped by intruders, the Duke had traced me using the loupe I wore around my neck.
He looked a little surprised.
“That did happen. But now, you have small mana pearls inside yourself. You can be tracked even without the loupe.”
“I know you mean to reassure me, but that actually sounds kind of scary.”
“……”
“Anyway. I want to keep it a little longer.”
And it wasn’t just the kidnapping incident that brought back memories. There were times I had cried in front of the Duke or offered my arm to a beast dog to earn his trust.
For a moment, the corners of the Duke’s mouth twitched slightly. Just like someone relieved to hear the answer they expected.
Did my brother notice that expression, too?
He smiled faintly, then put the glass bottle containing the loupe into a kimchi jar, and then packed it into a box.
“Alright. As we discussed earlier, until that Godel Marquis returns to his hometown, I’ll keep it safe.”
“Thank you, Ignatz.”
“If any troublesome matters arise, please handle the legal aspects, will you?”
“Don’t worry. I can make it as if the Godel Marquis never existed.”
“That’s fine. I’m going to go dig now.”
My brother picked up the kimchi box first. The loupe would remain buried with the kimchi for the time being… and probably smell like it when retrieved.
“Father, thank you for consulting with me.”
“You’re welcome. By the way, the Silver Dragon fragment… was it called Tomato?”
“It’s Domado.”
“Anyway. Earlier, I sensed you in serious trouble. What did you do? You didn’t harm yourself, did you?”
“I just pretended to be dead lying on the floor.”
“……”
The Duke looked completely drained. Even Domado didn’t anticipate that.
“…Next time, call me another way.”
“How should I? Without hurting Domado, of course.”
“You can hurt him. He’s not alive.”
“No, I don’t want to. Hmm, then maybe this works?”
I gently stroked Domado’s head until he closed his eyes in contentment, then planted a quick, loud kiss on his cheek.
Domado’s eyes nearly popped out. Wow, better reaction than expected.
…And the Duke beside me, for once, had his eyes wide open. He must have been shocked.
“Father, did you… lose your senses?”
“……”
“Father…?”
I waved my hand in front of him. His trembling gaze slowly met mine.
“Sol, you… actually do that?”
“…Is there a problem? Not long ago, you told me to handle love on my own, so why do you panic over a kiss to Domado?”
“It’s not a problem, but… really, not a problem…”
“Surely, it’s not because you’re upset that even Domado receives kisses and you don’t.”
“……”
“…Really, are you upset?”
“No.”
The Duke shook his head. His expression regained its usual coldness.
“I would never want such a thing. And such gestures are only meant for young children and their parents. It’s past the time for us to display father-daughter bonding that way.”
‘Such a thing,’ and he’s being really conscious of it.
Hmm, one of the classic “daddy’s little girl” antics, though we’ve never really done it. The last time was when he pretended to kiss me during the Flogel Domain meeting, just the sound, not actually.
At this age, kissing an adult in front of others is… awkward.
Before I could ask how to handle Domado from now on, the Duke spoke.
“…Are you feeling slighted?”
“Huh?”
“Perhaps you feel slighted because we never exchanged those gestures that show trust in early childhood. Of course, as unlikely as I would be, so would you.”
“……”
He’s talking too much.
There’s only one way to silence him.
I tiptoed closer. Using a small post used by temple knights as a lookout, the Duke tried to retreat but soon had his back against the wall.
“Sol?”
“I’m not upset, just curious.”
“I don’t know what it is, but if you’re curious, don’t come to me; at least go to the library—”
“Whether Father is even capable of a kiss.”
Taking advantage of the wall behind him, I jumped and lightly pressed my lips against his cheek. More of a ‘bump’ than a kiss.
Let’s see what expression the Duke makes.
I stepped back mischievously—
“……”
I faced the Duke’s expression, which could only be described as ‘stern.’
“When your mischief is done, step aside.”
“……Yes.”
He doesn’t do “daddy’s little girl” stuff when no one’s around, huh. Hmph, so rigid.
“I’ll head back to the dorm now. Thanks for coming so quickly today!”
“Right. And don’t kiss Domado when calling me.”
“Understood. I’ll just keep pretending to be dead, then.”
Such a boring man.
I tidied up and stood by the door.
But the Duke, really… well, sorry to say, was pacing inside the small post like a puppy needing to relieve itself.
“Father, aren’t you coming out?”
“Why? Do you want me to leave the temple quickly?”
“No. You’re just watching to see if there’s anything to scavenge again, right?”
“…Let’s say yes.”
“Okay. You have work, so let’s go inside quickly. See you this weekend!”
I waved to the Duke and left the post.
Wow. Even at this age, kissing an adult requires preparation. Would it be better if he smiled just a little, out of courtesy?
When I reached the dorm, I heard… a sound like a cannon fired from the post.
Later, Eugene told me that the Duke had smashed the door of the small post.
The door wasn’t locked, but why?
Eugene mourned losing a good hiding spot, but the temple received a new piano for the chapel as compensation for the broken unused post.
The summer deepens.
As vacation approached, even the students and teachers noticeably relaxed. Some students went out with flashy accessories and returned late.
Betty whispered rumors about “so-and-so seeing a boy,” but when the list grew beyond five, no one paid attention anymore.
Me?
“Domado, I love you…”
“Coo~”
I just held Domado, my portable ice pack, and lounged in the dorm.
Occasionally, it seemed like the Godel Marquis wandered into the main temple, but he didn’t approach Eugene’s side.
One night, though, while I was physically relaxed but mentally alert, a strange sound came from the hallway. Knock, knock.
“Sorry for the late hour, Betty. May I quickly check your room?”
The dorm supervisor.
“Why?”
“A student lost an accessory. I’ll just look around briefly.”
“No…”
Betty grumbled but couldn’t stop her.
The door opened, and a quick search followed. The dorm rooms were small, so it didn’t take long. The supervisor apologized and left.
Then, the neighboring room, and another. That included my room.
“May I look around, Sol?”
“Yes, Supervisor.”
I calmly opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Nothing to hide.
Above all, I didn’t want the bun-haired girl who lost her item to see me hesitate.
“Lady Frühling, what did you lose?”
“My green sapphire necklace. Sorry for the suddenness. But it was a birthday gift from Father, so it’s very precious to me.”
Almost like reciting a script. Not even apologetic.
While the supervisor opened drawers, the bun-haired girl glanced around my room.
“Hmph, simpler than I thought. For a daughter of the Schläger family.”
“My father gave me a few skulls to decorate the room properly for the Schläger daughter, but I refused. The preservative smell was too strong.”
“Ugh…”
The supervisor gave me a look like I was a little devil, then returned to her usual expression.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Sol. If the same happens to you, the other students will cooperate as well.”
“Yes, of course, I believe that.”
“Well then, good night. …Sorry for checking your room at this late hour…”
The supervisor moved to the next room, and the bun-haired girl followed.
But you know…
The way you suddenly lost interest in searching the room—don’t tell me I’m imagining it, right?
