/
As a result of looking into it so far, everything written on Lobel’s identity card was fake. He didn’t even know if the name was right.
Then, why did she crawl into Denkart without fear?
It was full of things that didn’t make sense if it was because of wealth.
There was no place where the funds flowed, and nothing was missing. There were no people who he communicated with separately.
Then back to the starting point.
Why is he doing this? For what reason?
He didn’t seem to want power.
If that were the case, he never would have done that in the first place.
His subordinate said he would rather ‘handle’ or interrogate it.
But it wasn’t very pleasant.
The boy was cooperative and, in many ways, was quite smart.
Getting rid of him here was a clear loss.
“I’ll keep an eye out on him myself.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Was there anything else strange?”
Once again, Alexis frowned at the strange story.
“…He doesn’t go to the bathroom?”
“On the days that Young Master didn’t leave the room, only traces of washing water were spilled on the terrace. As a result of investigation, it was the same in the Denkart estate.”
This time, he was stunned by a sound that didn’t even sound like a joke, and he couldn’t even say anything.
If Iza hadn’t been a comrade who traveled the battlefield with him, if Denkart’s sword weren’t still usable, it would be so ridiculous that it wouldn’t be enough to kill him right now.
But for a moment, he had a strange sense of dĂŠjĂĄ vu.
[Y, you have to embrace me. ]
Alexis remembered a woman standing in front of a running carriage long ago.
She was a woman with a shabby look but impressive dark green eyes.
[I’m the only one who can lift the curse of the Duke. A chain tied to Denkart…]
Alexis’ lips slowly opened as he recalled that time.
…Wasn’t that a lie?
After thinking for a while, he turned to his subordinate, who was waiting for the next order.
“Summon all the vassals.”
******
As I expected, the rumor about the Young Master turned the capital upside down.
“Ah! Even his name is brilliant! The angel of Denkart who accomplished miracles, Edric Denkart, a young boy with extraordinary distribution and great intelligence—!”
“…Stop it now, Lobel.”
The Young Master covers his ears with both hands as I play the harp and talk like a minstrel. His ears are very red.
Just today, I giggled as I shared the rumors I heard through Tilly Unnie.
It was so fun that I could hum even if I stayed still. The Young Master has been given new opportunities and improved his health.
I also feel proud that I could return some of the favor the Young Master did for me.
As I hummed the harp string, the Young Master, who was sitting on the sofa reading a book, got up and approached me.
No matter how many times I saw it, it was hard to take my eyes off it.
Even though he moves so slowly, it’s good that the Young Master can now walk.
“I think it’s like this.”
Soon a clear sound spread through the room.
The Young Master plays the harp very well, even though he has only used it a few times. I think this is also a succession by bloodline.
I looked at him with admiration and envy as he played skillfully.
“Diff is said to be good at playing harps, I guess it’s true?”
After thinking about it for a while, the Young Master nodded and said that it seemed to be true.
But it wasn’t entirely good.
The meaning of telling this important story only to me is that the Young Master trusts me, so I was both thankful and sorry.
‘I’m fooling the Young Master from the beginning….’
I couldn’t help but feel guilty, so I promised myself.
“Young Master, I’ll do better for you.”
“It’s enough now.”
“More, more, more, and more!”
As I promised to do my best while I was there, the Young Master shook his head with a smile on his face.
Of course, I didn’t stop talking.
I went around the mansion and tried to find the things the Young Master lacked.
…But, there really wasn’t.
It would be rather strange if something were lacking in the Young Master, who is now recognized as the successor.
‘The Duke has a really dirty personality, but he’s a sure human.’
As if the Duke had been ignoring him in the meantime, everything he needed was put into different rooms and given to him.
Also, it was not only the harp and numerous educational books that the Young Master received.
This is because when the reading session was over, the Duke called the vassal as if he had planned ahead.
The butler told me that the Duke would select those who would be in charge of the Young Master’s education.
Today, the day of the gathering, I also closely watched who was coming from afar from the terrace.
‘Who’s coming?’
I knew some of the people in Denkart’s vassal group, which has a strange vibe, because I had seen them at the reading.
But among them, there was an old man who stood out.
‘The Duke of Denkart’s right-hand man, Count Clant—’
He didn’t feel like an old man with all his gray hair.
Indeed, it was a great presence to match the reputation of being the right arm of the Duke of Denkart.
But I didn’t like the Count very much.
‘He was one of the forces trying to drive out the Young Master in the original story, probably.’
I didn’t like seeing him in person at the reading session.
This is because the eyes that were looking at the Young Master were as sneaky as a snake’s eyes when observing their food.
If he thought he wasn’t good enough to be a successor, he would devour it right away.
Even though I wanted the Young Master to have a lot of people around him, I didn’t want that kind of person.
I put my clasped hands on my forehead as if praying.
‘…Please, please, not him.’
But it’s just—it doesn’t work out the way I want it to.
Count Clant was put in charge of teaching the basic lessons of the succession.
I asked carefully when Denian, an aide, said that the class would start today.
“Should I leave?”
Looking into the Count’s eyes— I asked because it seemed like he didn’t like me.
If he doesn’t like me, I should hide and listen. As he was making plans, he shook his head and looked at me with a troubled face.
“There was an order to pay special attention to the Young Master in every class.”
As I said, the Count, who came into the education parlor, looked at me with displeasure but didn’t drive me out.
Moreover, contrary to my concerns, he conducted the class with a fairly active attitude.
The Count told the butler to bring him parchments with information about the history of Denkart and the capital townhouse.
I thought I had seen it all, but precious materials that I hadn’t seen yet were piled up on the table. The management was so good that there was no small flaw.
The Count let them out one by one and then led the class with a strict voice.
“Isn’t it the virtue of the successor to grasp the inside first?”
The Young Master worked hard at the class. There was no sign of boredom even though the amount was quite large.
As I didn’t know much about it, I glanced sideways behind the sofa, and my eyes met with the Count.
The eyes looked at me with displeasure and then back at the Young Master.
My heart sank even in a moment.
‘…How can the Duke use a man like this as his hand and foot?’
The class lasted for hours.
As soon as the Count left, my legs lost strength.
I sat down next to the Young Master while he was still reading the parchment.
Then he took out the things he had read one by one, scattered them around and asked.
“Are there any difficult words or expressions while reading it?”
“Yeah, there’s no such a thing.”
When I saw how calm the Young Master was, I felt even more strange.
I’m sure the main character is the main character.
If he tells me one thing, I know it’s not hard to play even Count with a lot of pressure—.
I poked up the parchment and asked cautiously.
“Young Master. Can you do me a favor?”
“I’ll listen.”
—The answer took less than a second.
So I was quite embarrassed.
No— You should know what it is and answer it. There are so many bad guys in the world.
Even though I was deceiving the Young Master from the beginning— it was difficult to hide my worries.
“Why don’t you ask me what it is first and listen to it right away?”
“….?”
We looked at each other with absurd eyes.
The Young Master asked me with a tone as if he was asking why I was asking something obvious.
“I’ve done everything I need to do today. If you’re still asking, can’t I just do it with hands or mouth again this time?”
That was it.
This is because at the end of the day, I got slapped or stamped by the Young Master.
But then, I heard the sound of something falling.
We turned our heads at the same time.
Then we saw Wayne with a pale, tired face. He was picking up a pile of papers that had fallen on the floor.
Unlike usual, he moved with a somewhat distracting and hectic movement, but soon put a pile of documents on the table.
“I, I apologize.”
—And then ran out of the door.
In a fast pace, the Young Master made an expression, ‘What’s wrong with him?’
“Maybe he’s in a hurry to the bathroom.”
The Young Master seemed surprised with an expression ‘Is that how you’re going to run?’
When I saw him, I felt a sense of playfulness and said grumpily.
“Well, of course Young Master doesn’t know how it feels.”
The Young Master avoided looking at me because he felt sorry for lying to me under the pretext of the bathroom.
As I gently comforted him by telling him it was okay, I suddenly thought of a single thing.
‘…Wait. I think I’ve been going to the bathroom a little less lately?’
Looking back, I had never felt uncomfortable when I was trapped somewhere under Wayne’s plan.
Am I becoming more like the Young Master?
“Lobel. What are you thinking?”
“Young Master, we’re really starting to resemble each other.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The Young Master’s handwriting is becoming similar to mine, and I also seem to go to the bathroom a little less like the Young Master. And the Young Master is just like me and is eating a lot. I think it’s true that you resemble someone if you like them.”
The Young Master made a face that said something is strange in response to my gibberish remarks, but he didn’t deny it in the end.
At the end, he even admitted, “That’s true,” with a slight blush on his cheek.
As expected, he seemed like someone who would believe me even if I made meju with red beans. (T/n : It means (teasing) to blindly believe what someone says.)
Still, before I leave, I think I should warn him not to trust people easily, but the Young Master asks me.
“By the way, Lobel. What favor do you want to ask?”