Episode 7
I came back to my room and stretched out on the huge, super-soft bed.
“Feels good.”
Like I was floating on a cloud. I’d never slept on a bed this fluffy in my life.
“I made it, huh — I’m set now.”
Even if I don’t have long to live, I looked around and rolled up my sleeve.
The ancient-script mark on my left arm hadn’t changed. Before I went back in time, that mark covered my whole body.
First thing: write to that crazy scientist.’
The weird scientist grew up abandoned by his parents and raised among monsters. Maybe that’s why he’s obsessed with strange creatures.
I’ll send him a few clues.’
He should bite. No need to overthink it. But even if I lure him, money’s the problem. I’ll have to fund his research — and I don’t have a single coin.
Money is the top priority.
“Guess that’s the plan — steal his idea.”
Not stealing from decent people — I mean, taking the mad scientist’s own invention ideas. The guy’s nasty, but he’s invented a lot.
Research costs money. So even the mad scientist needed legal projects and working inventions to hide the human experiments. He showed up at conferences while doing terrible things in private.
And I know his inventions inside out — I memorized them. The worst was the chimera built for combat.
“Huh. Right about when he’d be working on that.”
Alright, let’s start.
I pictured the mad scientist screaming as I stole his patent and ran off. Heh.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Startled, I smoothed my sleeve and jumped up.
Shailene Woodley walked in.
“Father?”
“Mm.”
He carried a tray in a very composed way and set it down in front of me.
Chocolate, candies, pancakes piled with whipped cream and decorations, pudding — the tray was overflowing with sugary stuff.
Just looking at it made my teeth ache.
“Take it.”
“What’s this for?”
“…found it on the way.”
Found it? At this hour? When he’s supposed to be sleeping — why would he be carrying freshly made pancakes? So many things about it didn’t add up.
And “found it”? Yeah, right.
Steam rising off the pancakes and the faint coolness from the pudding made it obvious it was freshly made.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel… fine?”
The bed was soft and cozy, so there was no reason to be upset.
“Good.”
Huh—super casual. I glanced toward the slightly open door. Mary was standing there with an awkward smile.
When our eyes met, she put a finger to her head like horns.
‘Oh….’
No way. Is this because I got scolded earlier?
‘Tsundere…’
What word was I trying to remember? I scratched my head, feeling weird.
Mary and Gold are watching, so I should act like a proper daughter.
I hugged the sugary tray to my chest and beamed.
“Father, thank you! These are all my favorites!”
A wide smile on my face made the Duke frown and stare down at me.
I put the tray on the nightstand and then ran and flopped into his lap, hugging his leg.
The Duke went rigid.
“You truly are the best, Father!”
Ugh, what’s with this guy? So cheesy.
There are servants watching outside; I should tone it down here.
“I’m so happy a great dad like you is my dad.”
At that moment, I saw it: the Duke’s face softened, then his cheek twitched. I realized—
‘Ah.’
He’s more vulnerable to flattery than I thought.
“You say the obvious,” he muttered, puffed up but pleased.
“Father’s the best!”
“I know.”
“Father’s a genius!”
“I know that too.”
Okay, he knows. I couldn’t hide my smile. The room smelled like sugar that night.
Hmm, first I should bring up a business idea to the Duke.’
I couldn’t throw away the food he brought last night, so after stuffing myself with sweets and feeling pumped all night, I figured: stealing his inventions is impossible for me right now.
I know the theory, but turning it into reality has too many obstacles. Also, I haven’t been here long; bossing the staff around would look suspicious.
What I want is a new use for magic stones.
Normally, a magic stone has a single attribute. A fire stone holds fire. But with a little trick, you can make a stone that has two effects.
For example, a fire stone can shoot flames or warm things. If you melt a finished fire stone and a finished water stone together, you can make a stone that pours out hot water.
We call that a “composite stone.”
That mad scientist made a fortune from such stones and then hired people and started human experiments.
“Okay, first let’s get on Duke Aubry’s good side.”
For that, I’ll play to my strengths.
I jumped up and left the room. Since he gave me food, I’d repay him with some cooking.
“I’m a genius if I say so myself.”
I tried to dodge the servants in the hallway.
Smack—!
“Ah!”
I thought I avoided them, but I collided with a maid coming from the other side. I went sprawling to the floor.
“Ugh…”
My butt slammed into the floor, pain shot through me, and then I heard giggles above.
“Oh dear, are you okay? You should watch where you’re going~.”
“You should learn to look where you walk.”
“Heh, true. I’d love to go from an orphanage to a noble’s house.”
“This smelly orphan is supposed to be someone we serve? The standing of the Green Duke family is dropping. I heard another house tried to recruit her — maybe I’ll go there.”
Their giggles sank my mood.
No matter how fancy the place is, bullying like this never changes.’
It felt almost the same as the orphanage.
The throbbing pain in my butt faded away.
‘Do they think I’ll cry?’
No, this kind of mocking doesn’t even itch. Not because I’m tough, just because it’s not worth the attention.
Still, their tone made me angry — it was the same blaming style I’d heard from the mad scientist: everything’s my fault just for existing.
“Hey.”
“…yes?”
“You think I’m a pushover?”
I wiped the cheery smile off my face and asked in a flat tone.
