Chapter 152 : Chapter 152
Chapter 152. What Is Favorability, Anyway?
The next day, I woke up early, as always.
“Ha, I am tired.”
To be honest, I wanted to sleep a little more. I had barely slept last night because I had been studying magic books and practicing Hand Signs until late.
It was not only fatigue. Both my arms and shoulder blades were stiff. I felt as though I understood the pain of orchestra conductors.
“By the way, when am I going to read all of that?”
I looked down at the magic books scattered to one side. A sigh escaped me on its own.
Reading itself was not a major problem, but finding the proper Hand Sign, then repeatedly practicing that Hand Sign and making it my own, was an unimaginably difficult task.
On top of that, I also had to increase my Mana and refine it to be purer. The higher the level of Magic became, the greater the amount of Mana consumed.
“Still, if I do just a little more, I should be able to use the next stage of Fire Magic.”
The next spell was none other than ‘Fireball,’ the flower of fire-type Magic.
To explain it simply, it was Magic that launched a large sphere of flame and made it explode.
In the countless games I played in my previous life, I always insisted on being a Mage, and especially when I played WoW, I insisted on being a Fire Mage.
It was because I liked its unique impact and flashy effects.
Every time I ran a raid, my overwhelming damage output would break through the damage meter and even pull aggro, and whispers would come from here and there trying to take me along.
These days, whenever I studied Magic, I often thought of the old days.
That was also why I became even more absorbed in Fire Magic. It was at least familiar.
“Will I be able to drop a meteor once before I die?”
After dreaming an ambitious dream, washing cleanly, and coming out, a maid was standing there with neatly ironed clothes. It was a small bit of ceremony that had appeared after I became a Baronet.
“Good morning, Sir Dilen. Did you sleep well?”
“It was fine.”
As I put on my clothes, I asked her,
“Has Miss Eluna woken up?”
“She rose even earlier.”
“Where is she now?”
“She is in Young Lady Sapiela’s room. They had luncheon together and are enjoying Tea Time.”
That was very like Eluna. To think she would move immediately as soon as I ordered her to stay close. As expected, I truly knew how to choose people.
“Understood. You may leave.”
After sending the maid out, I struck one final pose before the mirror. Only after confirming my perfectly arranged clothes did I go outside.
Sometimes, there were people who asked why a mere butler looked in the mirror so much.
For butlers, a tailcoat was like a combat uniform.
Just as knights tended to their armor before going into battle, butlers also inspected their equipment before going into the battle called household duties.
That was what I had been taught, and I was putting it into practice.
After leaving my room, I headed straight toward the Young Lady’s residence and ran into Arthas. He looked quite exhausted today as well, perhaps because he had trained all night.
“Do not overdo it. Hm? We do this to make a living, so you need to take it easy once in a while. Have you forgotten that you are my Lieutenant?”
“When I have caught a clue, I have to push forward. When will another Fortuitous Opportunity like this come?”
“You look like you will die before the next Fortuitous Opportunity arrives.”
I spoke with sincerity, and Arthas chuckled as he loosened his body. I moved behind him, placed my hand on his back, and injected Aura.
The Aura I possessed was far stronger and purer than his Aura, so it would clear away the fatigue accumulated in his Aura Circuit.
Once the Aura completed one full circulation, I removed my hand. Arthas’s fatigue-soaked expression brightened considerably.
“How is it?”
“Refreshing. Aura can be used this way too, huh? My body feels a bit lighter.”
“Learn it well and use it on me later.”
He chuckled, then suddenly put on a serious expression. Then he spoke as though interrogating me.
“But why have you not been coming to training much these days? If you are lazy, rust gathers on the sword.”
“I am training alone so I do not disturb you. Do not worry. I will soon grasp the ultimate essence of the Merdiang Sword Art. Later, I should spar with your father once.”
“You madman. You are saying you will do what even I have not done first?”
“Hahahaha. You must be the only fellow who curses at his superior. Once we return to Adeline, I will behead you first and hang your head on the city gate.”
I had learned all the latter five forms of Merdiang. Learning them was not a major problem, but as expected, connecting the first five forms and the latter five forms together and completing them as one Sword Technique was another matter.
Besides, I was not only practicing Swordsmanship. I was also studying Magic, so I was always short on time. If I had two bodies, I would have learned a little more easily.
“Enough nonsense. Let us spar once tomorrow. I want to see how much you have improved.”
“Fine. I understand, so go inside and rest. Take the day off from guard duty.”
“Oh, thank you! Sir Dilen.”
“You only call me Sir Dilen when it suits you. Tsk.”
After laughing together for a while, we parted in the corridor. Because no one else was around, we could interact this informally. A title was not purely a good thing. It came with the inconvenience of having to observe formalities with each other.
I walked diligently along that path and arrived at the Young Lady’s residence.
The door was open about a handspan. Judging by the occasional laughter, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. How unexpected. I thought it would be tense because Eluna was with them.
“Is that not Sir Dilen…….”
“Shh.”
I raised my hand and stopped him from continuing. I wanted to observe the inside for a moment. When the knight flinched in surprise and straightened his waist, I folded my arms and looked inside.
Sapiela was sitting face-to-face with Eluna. Beside her, Arwen stood holding a tray in her arms.
The three of them were clearly drawing lines, yet they had no hesitation about exchanging conversation with one another.
Arwen mainly led the conversation, Eluna responded to it, and Sapiela occasionally joined in. That was the situation.
“The atmosphere is better than I expected.”
Then, suddenly, the subject turned to me.
My ears perked up.
Arwen spoke with a smile.
“It is true. At the Main House, they misunderstand Miss Eluna as Sir Dilen’s lover. When you came to the mansion before, the rumor spread that way.”
“Is that so? It is not an unpleasant rumor. If it is Sir Dilen, then…….”
When Eluna responded leisurely, the expression of Sapiela, who was holding a teacup, began to turn cold. Arwen, who was holding the tray, also did not seem weak in spirit.
If I added up the Favorability of the three women before my eyes right now, the total would be 298 out of 300. If this were the College Scholastic Ability Test, it would be the level of passing straight into Seoul National University’s premedical program. Sapiela was at the maximum value, and Eluna and Arwen were following closely behind at 99.
A tense race was unfolding where one mistake could determine whether it was an initial acceptance or an additional acceptance.
Eluna asked,
“It seems all of you hold goodwill toward Sir Dilen. Judging by the way you are reacting.”
“For me, Sir Dilen and I are childhood friends.”
“Because I am his loyal Attending Secretary.”
Each of them represented her own position. However, Eluna was looking back and forth between the two women with eyes that seemed to ask, Is that really so?
This feels ominous.
Eluna continued speaking.
“Sir Dilen is truly perfect. He is handsome, kind, intelligent, and strong on top of that. As a man to spend one’s life with, he is ideal. I do not know who it will be, but the person chosen by Sir Dilen will be happy.”
CLACK!
Sapiela set down her teacup. Because she set it down a little forcefully, Arwen, who stood beside her, was startled. Eluna merely tilted her head.
“Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Your complexion does not look good.”
“No, it is nothing.”
“Come to think of it, Young Lady Sapiela, you seem particularly sensitive whenever the topic of Sir Dilen comes up…… Is that just my imagination?”
It seemed she had reached the limit. I had told her to get along with them, yet she was openly picking a fight. My head throbbed.
I knocked on the door.
“Good morning. Everyone was gathered here. Please excuse me for a moment.”
When I went inside, Eluna rose from her seat. Sapiela remained seated. This was the difference in status.
“Miss Eluna. Please speak with me for a moment.”
“That is exactly what I hoped for.”
Eluna bowed lightly toward Sapiela and came outside. I took her and moved to one side of the corridor where there were no people. Even that made me uneasy, so in the end, we entered an empty room.
Leaning my back against the door, I folded my arms and glared at her crookedly.
“Do you not think your joke went too far?”
“A joke? You told me to become close to them, so that is what I am doing.”
“If I had entered even a little later, the Young Lady would have thrown you out on the spot.”
“Only when people are honest with each other can they understand one another.”
I did not know what kind of logic that was, but she was not someone who spoke without thought, so I decided to accept it for now. A woman would understand a woman’s heart better than I would.
“In any case, from now on, when the three of you are together, avoid talking about me if possible. She is already troubled because of the unrest in her hometown. Is it really right to provoke her like that?”
“I will be careful.”
“I am not scolding you. I am saying you did not come here to play, so do not get too excited.”
“I am not excited at all. I am thinking of this as an extension of work as well.”
“Do it properly.”
“Yes.”
She spoke calmly, but I could sense a subtle change. To be precise, it had started on the day I used her lap as a pillow. Since that day, Eluna’s attitude had grown somewhat bolder.
I had done it without thinking much, simply because it seemed comfortable, but to think it would cause such a misunderstanding.
I will have to be careful with my conduct from now on.
“I am sorry for giving you work first thing in the morning, but there is something I need you to do.”
Only then did I bring up the main subject. First, I took a piece of memo paper from my breast and handed it to Eluna. After checking its contents, Eluna asked me,
“This is…… the note I delivered to you, is it not? It seems to be the material list that Young Master Prah’s side asked us to procure.”
“Try to obtain everything written there as quickly as possible. It does not matter how much money you use. Sweep it all up. Young Master Hamel has also decided to join this plan.”
“It seems the discussion went well.”
“It is better to have one enemy than two. He probably intends to seize the opportunity when it has come.”
Eluna folded the paper neatly and placed it inside her breast.
“I understand what you mean. If that is the case, you will probably have to return to the Adeline Territory soon.”
“I think we will leave immediately after the Princess’s birthday party. I intend to tell Young Lady Sapiela that.”
“Will the Young Lady accept it?”
“It seems the shock from the Banquet was great. She is not showing it, but she wants to leave right now if possible. She probably will not attend the Academy for a while.”
Eluna nodded. Then she told me a few things that had happened before I arrived. She said she had been asked how she had viewed the Princess at the Banquet.
“So what did you say?”
“I said she seemed like a dangerous person. I also said that when ambition is great, the people nearby suffer misfortune. If one calls it a woman’s intuition, it works rather well, does it not?”
“Well done.”
I was sincerely satisfied. I should work on Arwen later as well.
“That is why I am telling you to support her well from beside her. There are also things I cannot do. Understood?”
“Please do not worry too much and leave it to me. I will repay that trust.”
“Good.”
Eluna lowered her head and left. Since she was stepping forward personally, gathering the materials would only be a matter of time. Then I should stop worrying about what came next.
“What sort of situation will unfold if the Second Young Master’s true face is exposed? And if he is even involved in the child kidnapping incidents…….”
A truly dreadful situation would unfold. Imagining that situation in my mind, I began walking toward the Young Lady’s residence again.