Chapter 4 : Chapter 4
Volume 1
Chapter 4 : Doing Good Deeds Brings Good Luck, Right?
“Wuwu, these damned privileged nobles really do have it too good.”
Even as he cursed the extravagant decadence of the aristocracy in his heart, Muen relied on the original owner’s muscle memory and enjoyed tonight’s dinner with impeccable grace.
Dinner was nothing more than steak paired with a bottle of wine from some unknown vintage.
But—
It was unbelievably delicious!
Muen swore that in both his lives, he had never eaten a steak this good.
The aroma of the meat was rich and overflowing, the fat was lush and full, and it melted the moment it touched his tongue.
The so-called top-grade steak he had once splurged on in a Western restaurant in his previous life—the one that had cost a ridiculous amount of money—was not even worthy of comparison with what he was eating now.
Wuwuwu, how could this possibly be so good?
What was he supposed to do if he was suddenly starting to feel reluctant to give up this身份?
“Is something the matter? Little Muen seems especially happy today.”
Across the table, the elegant and magnificently dressed woman dabbed her lips with a spotless white napkin and asked with a smile,
“Did something pleasant happen?”
“Haha, he must be looking forward to tomorrow’s coming-of-age banquet.”
Beside her, seated in the place of honor, was a man whose beard resembled a lion’s mane and whose face carried an innate majesty even without anger.
He laughed and said,“After all, this is one of the most important banquets of Muen’s life.”
“…Yes, Father. Yes, Mother. I am indeed looking forward to it.”
Muen answered with a textbook sunny smile, while inwardly raising his guard.
The two before him were Muen Campbell’s biological parents.
One was Duke Lorne Campbell, one of the four great dukes of the Leopold Empire.
The other was his wife, Noyas Campbell, a woman born as the daughter of a marquis.
Although the Campbell family held an exalted position, the men of their house had always been passed down through a single line.
The duke and duchess had only one son—Muen.
Naturally, they doted on him to an extreme.
It could be said that a large part of the reason Muen Campbell met such a miserable end was because of the excessive love this couple had showered on him.
But for that very reason, Muen had to be careful and make sure his bargain parents noticed nothing amiss.
After all, he still needed this duke and duchess—who adored their child beyond reason—to plead on his behalf. If the king did not issue an order wiping everything away and forbidding further pursuit of the matter, then the day he became a commoner, he would probably be hacked to death by his enemies in the street.
But the facts proved that Muen had been overly cautious.
The original owner’s memories, fused together with his own, plus the instincts that still lingered in this body after more than ten years of habit, ensured that every move he made was flawless. There was no chance of exposing any weakness.
“My son will definitely be the most dazzling presence at the banquet tomorrow. Who knows how many young noble ladies he’ll steal the hearts of?”
Gentle and virtuous Noyas clasped her hands together eagerly.
In her eyes, her little Muen was the very image of perfection.
“Haha, that will not do. He already has a fiancée. If Princess Selicia sees that, she’ll get jealous.”
After drinking a little wine, even the usually serious Duke Campbell could not help teasing him.
“Hmph, I do not like Princess Selicia at all. She’s so cold and icy. How could she possibly be worthy of our little Muen?”
“Well now, if Princess Selicia is not worthy of him, then no one is. Still, there is one thing I agree with—you can bring back a few more young ladies, Muen, and help the Campbell family flourish. I’ll handle His Majesty’s side for you. Glug, glug. With my son’s abilities, that should be effortless, hahaha…”
“……”
Listening to his bargain parents praise him to the skies, even someone as thick-skinned as Muen felt a little embarrassed.
Sure enough, love that was too heavy could blind a person, allowing them to see only what they wanted to see.
Who was Princess Selicia?
She was the Empire’s Third Princess, the Pure White Child blessed by the gods, the Ice Witch spoken of by the people, and one of the candidates for the greatest beauty in all Ereland.
In the original story, Selicia had won over a massive number of admirers with her flawless appearance, her aloof temperament, and the contrast of seeming cold on the outside while warm on the inside.
She had also been Muen’s favorite character.
How could a worthless scrap like him ever be worthy of her?
“If something cannot be obtained, then I should not force it.”
“I will let everything return to its proper course.”
“Selicia will come to know and love the protagonist, and she will find her true happiness.”
“Even if I am nothing more than a lowly blond villain, I will survive!”
Muen silently renewed his resolve.
…
After finishing dinner and saying goodbye to the duke and duchess, Muen prepared to head out.
But just as he turned the corner, he ran straight into a maid.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Young Master Muen… I wasn’t being careful…”
Tea splashed over Muen’s luxurious clothes, leaving behind a broad red stain.
The maid turned deathly pale at once and hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief, trying to wipe it clean for him, but the soaked mark only spread more visibly.
Her face grew even uglier, and in the end she dropped to her knees and begged for mercy.
“Please spare me, Young Master Muen. I-I only made a mistake for a moment… I will not do it again next time… Please do not beat me, and please do not strip off my clothes and throw me into the street…”
“……”
Faced with the maid trembling like a leaf, Muen was somewhat speechless.
Was he really, in her eyes, such a cold, evil, unreasonable person?
Well… actually, he was.
If it had been the original Muen Campbell, he probably really would have done something like that.
“It’s only a small matter. There is no need to worry. Get up first.”
Muen bent down and helped the kneeling maid to her feet.
“I won’t punish you.”
“Huh?”
The maid stared blankly in shock, seemingly unable to understand how Young Master Muen—who normally beat and cursed the servants at the slightest provocation—could be so gentle and merciful today.
Muen smiled faintly.
That handsome, radiant smile was so striking that even the maid could not help losing herself for a moment.
Of course he would be gentle and merciful.
He was not the vicious young master Muen from before.
Besides, since he was about to become a commoner, Muen felt it would be best to make as few enemies as possible.
Especially when he already knew there was a chance he might be cut into pieces.
For all he knew, it could very well be one of his past misdeeds that made a maid with easy access to him harbor hatred in secret and ultimately strike a fatal blow.
“By the way, are you all right?”
Muen looked the maid over and felt that something was off.
She had clearly been frightened, yet her cheeks were still flushed.
“Could it be that you’re sick?”
Muen suddenly placed a hand on the maid’s forehead.
The gesture was so abrupt that she had no time to react at all and could only stand there rigidly, as stiff as a stone.
“As I thought…”
Her forehead was burning hot.
The maids of the ducal household were always well trained.
The reason she had made such a low-level mistake was probably because she was ill.
Muen stared at the bewildered maid and said sternly,
“You’re this sick. Why are you not resting?”
“B-Because tomorrow is your coming-of-age banquet, Young Master, and the household is short-staffed…”
“That still doesn’t mean you should be working while sick!”
Muen rebuked her severely.
Yet strangely, instead of growing more afraid, the terror on the maid’s face faded.
She only blinked her wide eyes in confusion, as though wondering whether she was dreaming.
“Ann.”
“Yes.”
“Arrange for her to rest… Right, what is your name?”
“M-My name is Noelle.”
“Mm. Arrange for Noelle to rest.”
“Yes.”
Ann respectfully accepted the order.
“It is just, Young Master Muen, that what Noelle said was true. There is a severe shortage of manpower for tomorrow’s coming-of-age banquet. Every maid in the manor has her own responsibilities. If she rests, the burden on the other maids may grow much heavier.”
“Then hire people from outside. Can a ducal manor this large really not afford extra hands?”
“…Yes. I will relay the order to the head maid.”
Ann turned and left. She needed to inform the head maid of the order as quickly as possible.
All banquet arrangements were coordinated by the head maid.
Since the banquet was tomorrow, it would be best to communicate this staffing change immediately.
“Ah, right, Ann.”
“Is there something else, Young Master Muen?”
“…Forget it. It’s nothing. Go on.”
“……”
A trace of confusion appeared on Ann’s face, but it quickly disappeared.
“Yes. Then I shall take my leave first.”
“Haa…”
Watching Ann’s departing back, Muen let out a soft breath.
The reason he had called after her just now was because he had originally intended to send her to buy the key item for this incident—
the drug.
After all, in the original novel, Ann had been the one to do it.
But after thinking it over, he decided to forget it.
The original novel had never stated it outright, but as an accomplice in framing the princess, Ann would definitely have been implicated and executed as well.
But this time, the ruinous ending belonged to Muen alone.
There was no need to drag another unrelated life down with him.
“Hah.”
Thinking of that, Muen could not help mocking himself with a bitter smile.
“Who would have thought that I, who have never even killed a chicken in all my life, would end up committing the evil act of drugging an innocent girl?”
“But fortunately, this is a scheme doomed to fail.”