Chapter 120
“You rejected the offer?”
“Yes, Master.”
Hers, the Head Butler of the Bahamut House, bowed his head in apology. Seated upon the throne opposite him, Duke Mydas did not hesitate to show his doubt.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“It was rather unexpected even to .”
“There cannot be anyone who does not know the na of our house. No matter how impressive the Adeline Marquis House may be, you must have offered him excellent terms.”
“No one could deny that the Bahamut House is the greatest house in the kingdom. Still, it seems Butler Dilen personally owes a debt of gratitude to the Adeline House. I heard he intends to remain there out of a desire to repay that kindness.”
“Then it will not be easy to move him. He does seem to be a loyal sort.”
After answering that way, Duke Mydas rubbed his cheek. It was a habit of his whenever matters did not go the way he wanted.
The two of them were speaking about transferring into their house.
So my purpose in lingering around the Bahamut Ducal House was being fulfilled to so extent.
I had not expected much, but to think the topic of conversation would turn to .
In truth, from the duke’s point of view, bringing over would not be all that important. It was sothing Head Butler Hers could have handled on his own authority.
But the problem was that I had rejected the offer. That was bound to leave at least a small scratch on their pride.
“On top of the fact that he helped my wife, I had hoped to bring him over while giving him generous treatnt.”
“There is, in fact, one thing I should add on that point.”
“Speak.”
Hers’s eyes changed. Lowering his gaze with caution and composure, he began speaking in a quiet voice.
“It seems Butler Dilen was attacked by suspicious n on his way back after the banquet held at our mansion.”
“What? How could such a thing...... But I have received no report from the Azure Dragon Knight Order. Has the commander failed to report it?”
“The Azure Dragon Knight Order completed its mission. The reason no report ca up is that Butler Dilen moved separately from Young Lady Sapiela.”
“Hm.”
“I am told he suffered the incident while riding in a carriage prepared by the master of the Blackstone rchant Company. The assassins all died at the scene, and since Young Lady Sapiela was moving separately, she remained unhard. I also heard that Dilen himself is safe.”
The duke fell into thought.
Hers, standing before him, was his loyal subordinate. He would not be wasting valuable ti simply to say that a man had been attacked.
“Was it rely an accident, or......?”
“We must investigate further, but we cannot rule out the possibility that it was the work of those targeting Madam. There have been various incidents of late, have there not?”
“Yes. If your suspicion is correct, then this has beco troubleso.”
The duke let out a sigh.
Rosaria, the first wife, was also the biological mother of the First Young Master, and she was highly regarded for her virtue and generosity.
But the problem was that the Second Young Master had a different mother.
The second wife was filled with ambition and jealousy. Rumors said she was carrying out all sorts of sches in order to push her own son forward.
Perhaps because he had inherited his mother’s blood, the Second Young Master too was ard with ambition and jealousy. Outwardly they appeared to be on good terms, but inwardly he was sharpening his blade.
“It is sothing I had expected, but seeing it with my own eyes makes my heart ache.”
For a mont, old mories ca back to him. The desperate struggle he himself had fought in order to inherit the house as the eldest son. The greater the power of a house, the fiercer the struggle for succession.
In the current situation, with two wives and even concubines besides, it was difficult to determine exactly who was behind such acts.
If the one targeting Rosaria, the first wife, had only one biological son, then the First Young Master could not be involved in this matter. He would have no reason to harm his own mother.
That ant it had to be the work of the other children.
“I would prefer that the attack turn out to have been a coincidence.”
“So would I. Since nothing is certain yet, would it not be best to observe the situation a little longer?”
“The very fact that I remain vague in my attitude may itself beco a problem. I ought to make a decision before long.”
The duke sighed and gave voice to the unfinished thought.
“I an the succession order.”
“Since you are still in robust health, is there really any need for that? Even so, I have heard that anything done to excess becos worse than leaving it undone altogether. If you were to issue a warning once, I believe matters might quiet down for a while.”
The duke, after so thought, nodded.
“Then you will have to do a bit of work as well.”
“Leave it to .”
The duke sank into thought, his eyes heavy with weariness. After a brief pause, Hers casually added one more remark.
“And I will continue trying to persuade Butler Dilen. If I apply a bit more effort, I believe I may be able to move his heart.”
“How easy do you think it is to move a person’s heart? Do not trouble yourself over it. Proceed at your own pace. From what I can see, he has considerable potential. The fact that he was attacked and still ca out unhard ans he has talent.”
“I understand.”
Now that was an interesting conversation.
That was everything I managed to overhear. As I walked down the corridor, I had infused mana into my hearing, allowing to select only the information I wanted and hear it loudly.
As luck would have it, the conversation ca to an end just as I arrived at the duke’s office. What followed afterward had nothing to do with .
“Please wait a mont.”
Elwin, the Senior Butler who had guided there, reported my arrival.
Once again, I offered silent thanks to the Young Lady. If she had not written that letter for , I would have had no choice but to turn back at the front entrance of the mansion.
A welco command ca from within.
“Let him enter.”
Creak.
The knights standing guard there pushed open the heavy doors. Beyond them lay a broad chamber, and at the far end of the carpet cutting through its center sat the duke.
I walked forward boldly, stopped at an appropriate distance, and bowed my head.
“I can hardly contain my apology for coming before you while you are so busy with affairs of state. I am Dilen, Attending Secretary of the Adeline House.”
“It feels as though I’ve been seeing you rather often. What brings you here?”
“Young Lady Sapiela has commanded to deliver a letter to Your Excellency.”
“From Sapiela?”
I took the letter from my pocket, and Hers, standing beside him, received it from and passed it on to the duke. The duke slit the letter open with a knife and read its contents.
Soon, a fond fatherly smile touched the corners of his mouth.
“What a thoughtful child. Tell her I appreciate the sentint she has sent.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency. And there is one other item I have brought for you.”
“Was that sent by Sapiela as well?”
“No.”
I opened the small box I was carrying and showed its contents. The duke’s and Hers’s gazes both turned toward it.
“To explain it simply, it is an excellent writing instrunt that may be used comfortably without dipping it in ink. I believed that Your Excellency was the true owner this object deserved, and so I have brought it to offer to you.”
“Oh......”
The duke showed interest and crooked a finger. Hers took out the fountain pen and handed it to him, after which the duke moved to the table and spread out a sheet of paper.
Scratch, scratch.
True to a man who oversaw the kingdom’s internal affairs, elegant strokes of handwriting appeared clearly upon the page. The duke started in surprise and looked down at the fountain pen.
“Is the ink stored inside?”
“You see correctly. The principle is simple, but it is an object of extre difficulty to produce.”
“How fascinating. I know there were attempts in the past by craftsn to make such a thing, but they all failed. They were crude and unsightly. The ink even dripped. But this object is different. To think it could be crafted with such precision......”
The duke began writing again. It was a high-end fountain pen. Not a single part of it, from the nib to the body, had been neglected.
“Good. Very good indeed.”
After writing for a while, the duke carefully set the pen down. Hers, standing nearby, retrieved it and placed it back into the box.
The duke’s gaze fell upon .
“I agree that it is an extrely precious object. But why bring such a thing to , and how did you co by it?”
“Have you ever heard of the tis Trading Company?”
“I have not.”
“It is a newly established company in Adeline. It specializes in producing and selling office supplies. That fountain pen is one of only three in existence in the entire world. Master Suhyeon, the head of the company, requested that I present it to Your Excellency on his behalf. He said it would be the greatest honor for his company if important policies of the kingdom were decided using that fountain pen.”
“That is a comndable thought. But if there are three in existence, where are the other two?”
“His Excellency Marquis Chronos of Adeline and his son, Young Master Kaien, possess them.”
The duke nodded readily. Since the company belonged to the Adeline territory in the first place, it was hardly strange that the nobles there should receive them.
More than anything, he must have felt a certain satisfaction from receiving such a precious object before even the king who ruled this Royal Capital.
“Tell him I shall accept it with gratitude.”
“It is an honor, Your Excellency.”
I bowed and began to withdraw. But then the duke’s voice ca from behind .
“Are you planning to return empty-handed after delivering sothing so precious?”
I would have been disappointed if he had not stopped .
That reaction had been exactly what I intended.
I had thought that if I showed I was willing to leave without expecting any reward, it would stir the duke’s curiosity. Give-and-take was more common in this world than one might think.
“Is there perhaps so special command Your Excellency wishes to issue?”
Perhaps my attitude seed overly bold. The duke glanced once at Hers, then fixed his eyes on again.
“It is not that. But did you not bring this object because there is sothing you want?”
“Master Suhyeon did not entrust with any special words, but I believe he would be delighted if, at so point in the future, he might be granted an opportunity to et Your Excellency once.”
“Good. That much is simple enough. But do you intend to sell this object from now on?”
“That is the plan, I am told. I understand that the standard fountain pen is already being sold unofficially in Adeline.”
“I see.”
The duke was clearly interested. A man who managed the kingdom’s internal affairs could hardly be indifferent to office supplies. I had cast the bait; now all that remained was to wait for the bite.
“Then I shall take my leave. Until the day we et again, may Your Excellency remain in good health.”
I stepped outside. The mansion was so large that I might well have been at a loss, but fortunately Senior Butler Elwin was waiting for there.
I followed him down the corridor.
“It took longer than expected.”
He asked the question, and I answered with a smile.
“I had other business as well.”
“I see. Then I hope it went well. Now, I shall escort you outside.”
“If possible, might I be permitted to pay my respects to Lady Rosaria? I am worried because of how shaken she was before. I would like to ask after her health.”
Elwin’s expression turned rather awkward. I could tell from his face alone that the answer was no.
“She is unwell today and is resting. She has said she will not receive any visitors.”
“I see. Has her health often been poor?”
“Regrettably, she has been taking to her sickbed rather often of late.”
It seed this was as far as my visit to the ducal house should go. Silently wishing for the duchess’s full recovery, I thanked Elwin once more and returned to the mansion.
When I ca back, welco news had arrived.
It was news from the main house.
“There is, of course, one piece of news in it that I think you will particularly like.”
With those words to open, Brituang smiled.
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