CHAPTER 63………….
I relaxed my expression and smiled as gently as I could.
“My lovely friends, don’t be like that. Please, just hear me out.”
When I narrowed my eyes slightly as I spoke, the spirits flinched.
- Wh–what is it? Just because you smile like that doesn’t mean we’ll… Wait, doesn’t Rian look way too pretty today?
- Undine, I think you’re mistaken. Lord Rian’s smile is always beautiful, no matter when you see it.
- Mm… well, that’s true.
Looks like Undine and Sylph are convinced. The only one left is Gnome…
- Gnome, could you move your face a little away from Lord Rian’s? You’re blocking my view.
- (…)
The gnome, who had been rubbing its face against my cheek, shifted over to my left shoulder.
When I lightly tapped the fresh sprout on its head, it squinted its black eyes happily and let out a peal of laughter.
‘Gnome, passed.’
Undine, who had been restless ever since Gnome climbed onto my shoulder, couldn’t hold back any longer and plopped down on the crown of my head.
- Oooh, so fluffy! And your hair smells sooo good!
Right after, Sylph darted in and landed softly on my left shoulder.
- Ahem, pardon me for intruding, Lord Rian.
I offered up both shoulders and the top of my head to the spirits, all while continuing to think.
‘When that hack of an author claimed my “ability” was being the most beautiful in the world, I thought it was a useless, trashy setting…’
But apparently, even spirits were susceptible to looks. Maybe that hack wasn’t as thoughtless as I assumed.
I met the eyes of the lone spirit still resisting.
“Salamander, the others are willing to hear me out. What about you?”
The flame at the end of Salamander’s tail flared up like it was ready for battle.
- Th-this… damn appearance-worship! You all fold just because of a smile? That’s exactly why you’re hopeless, you idiots!
I gently brushed my fingertip along his thick jaw.
“I’m not trying to force anything. I’m just asking for a chance.”
- G-get your hand off! Move it! I said move—damn it, not there, a little lower… yeah, right there. Scratch harder.
“Here?”
- Ahhh, that hits the spot.
The flames on Salamander’s tail gradually calmed down.
As I kept scratching, I slipped in a question.
“So, will you listen now?”
- …Fine. Talk. What exactly are you planning?
“Even if Owen found out my secret, he can’t just reveal it carelessly. The aura is visible only to him. He’ll probably try to find some solid proof that anyone can accept.”
- And?
“So there’s no need to rush. We still have time, so I’ll try to persuade him somehow. You don’t really want to harm Owen either, right?”
Undine tapped the top of my head.
- Rian, you remember that Owen took your blood yesterday, don’t you?
“Of course. But I think the amount was too small to trigger a relic’s reaction.”
- Isn’t that a little too optimistic? What if the relic does react?
“It doesn’t matter. I already have a plan.”
- …Hold on.
The spirits huddled together, whispering among themselves. When they returned—
- What if Owen refuses to listen, no matter what you say?
- Would you follow our decision then?
- Can you promise not to stop us if we decide to rip that bastard’s balls off?
“Sigh… fine.”
No.
“Of course I’ll follow your decision.”
I’ll secretly sneak him away.
But hiding someone from spirits’ eyes would be nearly impossible. Meaning only one option remained—
‘Do my best to scam—ah, no, persuade Owen.’
After finishing my morning preparations, I went down to the dining room.
But Piace, who was always there before me, was nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Piace?”
“I heard she’s having her meal in her room.”
“Is she sick?”
“No, sir. She says she’s busy studying.”
“…She hasn’t even enrolled yet.”
“She says she needs to prepare the basics before entering. All the noble children do the same.”
This world is insane. What kind of five-year-old wakes up at dawn to study?
“Did the butler make her do it?”
“Of course not. The young lady is diligently doing it of her own accord.”
“Don’t pressure her. It’s enough if a child eats well, sleeps well, and plays happily. She doesn’t need to study on top of that.”
The dining room fell silent.
The maids, bustling about preparing breakfast, froze mid-step. Even the butler stared at me.
‘Ah…’
The moment I saw their eyes, I realized.
I’d just said something Adrian would never have said.
How long do I have to play this damned cold-blooded role? It’s exhausting.
“…If she pushes herself too hard, she might get sick and delay her enrollment. That would be a bigger loss. That’s all I meant.”
“Understood. Please take your seat.”
Maybe it was because I was eating alone, but breakfast tasted bland today.
‘How do I trick Owen?’
To pull off a trick, I needed to meet him first. But right now, I had no way of doing that.
‘Isn’t there some way we can meet privately, without anyone else knowing? Should I just show up at the plaza?’
I set down my fork after pushing my salad around.
“To meet a priest, I’d have to go to the temple, right?”
“Most likely, yes.”
“Do I need to make an appointment first?”
“That depends on whom you want to see. Lower-ranking priests can be seen the same day, but higher-ranking ones often require appointments—and the wait times are very long.”
“Owen’s rank must be high, right?”
“Do you mean Lord Owen, the Messenger of God?”
“…Messenger of God?”
“That’s his title, isn’t it?”
“Oh… was it? I didn’t really care.”
“In terms of hierarchy, Lord Owen’s rank is not very high. The temple strictly orders ranks by the order of initiation.”
“But he defeated the Demon King. Doesn’t that achievement matter?”
The temple used to be just a humble place where the faithful gathered, praying and healing the wounded like a clinic.
Then Owen appeared, a priest with extraordinary divine power—and eventually, he defeated the Demon King.
After that, the temple’s reputation skyrocketed.
It was basically Owen who had revived a house that had been dirt-poor.
“Owen did raise the temple’s prestige. The academy even established a theology department because of him. But that didn’t change his rank.”
“So it’s like… even if a younger sibling builds up the family, the eldest doesn’t change? Then what’s his current rank?”
“If we had to compare… about the level of a mid-tier priest.”
“And you can normally meet mid-tier priests without an appointment?”
“Normally yes, but not with Lord Owen.”
“Why not?”
“Because too many people want to see him. They say the line of those waiting circles the capital.”
“…Ah.”
Well, considering every sick person would want to see him, it made sense.
“So meeting him at the temple is difficult.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The wait is too long. I don’t have time for that.”
“Why would you need to wait in line, my lord?”
I looked up at the butler.
“…You mean there’s a way to skip the line?”
“If there isn’t a way, we simply create one. Just like we did when we established a new rule at the academy.”
‘Ah, so he means we’ll buy our way in.’
Well, I do have a massive amount of money at my disposal.
‘Would donating a building be enough?’
But then I shook my head.
The temple surely wasn’t lacking in funds. Many people would donate just for Owen, not to mention Rusfell and Leonhart.
Besides, the temple had a reputation for integrity and frugality.
‘They wouldn’t hand out favors just for money.’
At that moment, as he refilled my glass, the butler offered a suggestion.
“I’ve heard the temple is planning to establish an orphanage.”
“Really?”
“They have enough funds, but things aren’t going smoothly. I believe they’re stuck at the land selection stage.”
“Why?”
“They’ve chosen a location, but the landowner refuses to sell.”
“Then I can just solve it for them. Who owns the land?”
“…You do, my lord.”
“…”
“I’ll inform them to come by around noon today to discuss donating the site.”
I looked warmly at my butler.
Ah, I want to give this man a raise.
“Good.”
Thanks to my brilliant butler, I secured a meeting with the High Priest—the one even the Emperor couldn’t meet without an appointment—in just one hour.
The appointment was at noon.
I changed into a modest white dress and headed for the carriage.
“Luna will be accompanying you today, my lord.”
He now automatically reduced my attendants to just one without me even saying it.
Satisfied, I nodded. But then, from behind, a young voice called out.
“W-wait! Duke! Duke!”
“Hm?”
It was Piace, who hadn’t appeared all morning, running toward me.
I turned back and waited by the carriage.
“Haa… haa… a-are you… going to meet your friend?”
“…What’s the matter?”
Piace stuck out her tongue cutely, catching her breath, then thrust something toward me.
“P-please, take this!”
The butler, Luna, and the maids waiting nearby all turned their gazes to the item in her hand. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Blushing bright red, Piace lowered her head and whispered shyly:
“P-please hurry and take it, my lord.”
It was a small folded handkerchief.
When I accepted it, I felt something stiff inside.
“What’s this?”
“O-open it.”
Inside the handkerchief was a neatly folded pink piece of paper.
“I-it’s my first time, so I couldn’t draw well… Next time I’ll do better.”
“…”
“S-so you can give that one to your friend. I-I’ll give you something prettier myself later.”
I unfolded the paper and gazed at it silently.
“Did you draw this this morning?”
“Huh? H-how did you know?”
So much for her “studying at dawn.” She’d been doing this instead.
Glancing around, Piace went on tiptoe as if she wanted to whisper.
I hesitated briefly, then, under the weight of all the watching eyes, bent down slowly to lend her my ear.
“R-remember that phrase I taught you yesterday? Use it when you give this. Then you’ll b-become f-friends again.”
I couldn’t hold back my smile.
Quietly, I laughed.
“Thank you.”
