Chapter 39
After carefully cradling the original text, Leonhardt and I stepped out of the library.
Could it be because of the old book in my arms?
He tilted his head and asked, “Is there a reason you suddenly brought a book?”
“Oh, this book seems to be an original copy,” I replied.
“An original… you say?”
“Yeah. Just looking at it, it appears to be old, right? And when I read the contents, it felt different from a regular magic book. I just had this strong feeling.”
At my words, Leonhardt nodded.
Since the price difference between original and copied swordsmanship books is significant, he likely understood the meaning of the term “original” instantly.
“If it really is an original, that’s quite a good find. Sometimes, originals hide details that aren’t in copies.”
“Well, having those details would be nice, but if not, it’s whatever. It’s a pretty rare occurrence, right?”
“That’s true, but you never know. By the way…”
He glanced at me and then cautiously looked around before speaking softly.
“Have you perhaps achieved the 2nd Circle?”
“Why do you ask that all of a sudden?”
“Fire Arrow. That’s a 2nd Circle spellbook, isn’t it? Somehow, I thought you might have achieved it.”
Did he catch on to something?
Well, considering we spent more than twelve hours a day together, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to notice my changes faster than others.
Looking into his eyes, it seemed he had a good idea.
Well, there was no reason to hide it from my escort knight.
He was heavy on secrets, and besides, I had raised his favorability to 60.
Honestly, I hadn’t made any special effort.
I thought it had just naturally increased as he stayed by my side.
Dungeon expedition.
What happened at the Count’s house.
And the magical talents I consistently showed.
My perception in his mind must have changed quite a bit.
“That’s right.”
“Just as I thought…”
“I’m planning to keep this a secret for a while.”
“Is it because it’s too fast?”
“Yeah. This is a bit too quick, isn’t it? If this rumor spreads, a bunch of annoying pests will start swarming around me.”
At my words, he nodded, seeming to understand immediately.
“I understand.”
Well, if it’s that blunt knight, he would surely keep his mouth shut. Moreover, I couldn’t hide the 2nd Circle from him anyway, as I would have to bring him along every time I practiced magic.
After all, he was the one who always accompanied me for security and vigilance.
The moment I returned to my room in the annex, I sensed a presence inside.
Who could it be?
There weren’t many people who would dare to enter my room without permission.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw a familiar face.
“Have you come? I was waiting,” he said.
Ugh.
As expected.
Adolf Seltarion.
He appeared to be sipping tea as if he were in his own room.
What a shameless guy.
“It’s been a while since we last met,” I said.
“Yeah. Actually, I was going to find you regarding Baron Jerome’s matter. However, since I went straight to the Count’s house shortly after, it’s been quite a while since we last saw each other.”
“I’ve been here for a long time. I wanted to look around a bit.”
“Well, since your restriction has been lifted, that makes sense. Please, sit.”
I promptly sat across from Adolf.
“Did you enjoy your travels?”
“Yes. It felt quite nice to look around outside after such a long time. Since I saw and experienced a lot, I feel like I’ve learned a great deal. How have you been, brother?”
“Not bad. There’s a saying that one should travel often for a reason. If it weren’t for my duties, I would have roamed around more.”
The expression he had shown when I delivered the news of the baron’s death had almost completely faded. It seemed like he had moved from a state of extreme anger to one that was much more subdued.
Since more than half a month had passed since I delivered the news, it seemed that his fury had lessened quite a bit.
Moreover, considering the appearance of the two-headed monster that was the cause of the situation, he probably chalked it up to bad luck.
In fact, it was lucky that the soldiers and I had returned alive, as that creature was incredibly powerful.
After exchanging simple pleasantries, Adolf began to steer the conversation toward the main topic.
“I heard an interesting piece of news.”
“What news are you referring to?”
“I heard that our elder brother purchased a large quantity of grain. From the Neiron Count’s house.”
After finishing his sentence, he sipped his tea and started to look at me.
It seemed like he was trying to smile, but his tone carried an undertone of interrogation.
The Neiron Count’s house.
After I left for tourism and travel, it wasn’t long before I saw Abel closing a major deal with the count.
What he was curious about was obvious.
He was likely wondering if Abel and I had formed an alliance.
Well, we did join forces, but of course, I had no intention of telling him that straightforwardly.
For now, the best strategy was to pretend to be walking a tightrope between the two.
“Is that so?”
Feigning ignorance, I tilted my head in response, and he began to stare at me intently.
“Were you unaware?”
“Yes. I’ve only met our elder brother directly once recently. That was just for a brief moment before heading to the count’s house for tea. He only offered his congratulations at that time.”
“I see…”
With that, the suspicion in his eyes began to dissipate slowly. I had moved to the count’s house, and Abel had purchased a large amount of grain there.
Just from this, it was natural to wonder if there was a secret connection between us.
But.
‘He probably won’t suspect any further.’
The reason was simple.
The fact that Abel, who had only met me once and not for long, would buy 60 billion worth of wheat—what would make him believe in some sort of connection between us?
Especially since it was a commodity that had been steadily decreasing in price for the past ten years.
While I had an inkling that Abel possessed a special talent known as intuition, others were naturally unaware of it.
So even if he wanted to be suspicious, he couldn’t.
Even if there was a connection, it would be hard to grasp what kind of connection it was concerning an investment in grain.
I wouldn’t know if he had heard the news that I bought the grain together with Abel.
‘Only the count and Abel know that.’
Moreover, the count had sealed his lips with a contract.
So there was no way this guy could find out about it.
I then looked at Adolf and spoke up.
“Brother.”
“What is it?”
“I understand why you might think that, but our elder brother also made an offer to me to come into his fold when we met.”
Mentioning that there was competition directly was a fast way to raise my value.
There was no reason to hide it since Adolf would likely already be aware.
He nodded at my words.
“That’s probably true. Overcoming Hermemu isn’t a trivial matter.”
“Yes. Because of that, both eldest brother and you have offered me similar proposals. But I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“You haven’t decided…?”
“Isn’t that only natural? Whether it’s my eldest brother or you, brother Adolf, both of you hardly had any real interaction with me before I became a mage.”
“……”
“Both of my brothers are people whom I might meet once a year, so how much could I possibly know about either of you? In such a situation, it’s only natural to find it difficult to choose someone.”
Hearing my words, Adolf smiled wryly.
“It’s true that I’ve been a bit careless towards you.”
“Even now, while I’m getting to know you a bit better, I was a bit startled at first.”
“Right. I apologize for that.”
It seemed like he was trying to pacify me.
After all, I was a valuable card.
Moreover, if he wanted to win me over, there would be plenty of ways to utilize me, so he couldn’t simply remove me, even if I played both sides.
Rather, if he intended to entice me, he might even offer better terms than Abel.
So, my course of action was quite simple.
I needed to be cautious and avoid jumping in to help him recklessly, as I could end up accepting a terrible option if I wasn’t careful.
‘It’s time to become a professional schemer.’
I would bide my time until I could assess the situation, and as the succession ceremony approached, I’d team up with Abel to topple this villain.
With Erciel, myself, and Leonhardt, we could become a significant variable against the rebellion he would initiate.
I continued speaking while observing Adolf.
“To be honest, I’ve had quite a bit of concern regarding the subjugation forces.”
“Concern?”
“Yes. Honestly, you sent me there to gain some real combat experience, didn’t you?”
In truth, he likely wanted to win me over.
Adolf nodded at my words.
“Indeed.”
“However, during that time, I encountered a monster I never expected… and many people lost their lives. Only about two hundred of us, including myself, managed to return.”
I subtly glanced into Adolf’s eyes as I continued.
“I was worried that you might think poorly of me. If it weren’t for the sacrifices of your loyal subordinates, I wouldn’t have made it back.”
“No. How could I blame you for bringing forth a monster? That would be foolish of me.”
Exactly.
What was lost was lost.
He wasn’t the kind of fool who would hold a grudge and decide to discard me.
He wouldn’t even dream that I had called forth the ogre.
“However, when I conveyed the news, your expression seemed… quite grim. Moreover, Baron Hemington’s attitude toward me was rather hostile. I thought you might have changed your mind about me.”
“Change my mind? I never thought that for a moment. Kyle, if someone were to lose their loyal subordinates, wouldn’t they all react in the same way?”
Adolf waved his hand dismissively and continued.
“Furthermore, Hemington’s reaction was… to be honest, I didn’t see that coming either.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It seems something must have occurred between you and the Baron, but I don’t know what it was.”
So that’s how it was.
Given the favorability and attitudes I observed, it seemed something had indeed happened, and I was roughly right.
It was something unexpected.
That was probably true.
However.
‘I also didn’t intervene at all.’
I had quietly observed the verbal spat between the Baron and myself without taking any action.
He truly was a crafty one.
Adolf.
Since he was testing the waters like this, I felt it was time to receive some benefits in return.
It was the perfect opportunity; I needed mana to interpret the genuine article.
If I could get my hands on some mana stones, it would replenish my mana.
With Adolf’s power and authority, acquiring low-grade mana stones should be a piece of cake.
“I see. I was worried that you might have changed your mind about me.”
“There’s no such thing, so don’t worry. By the way, as a wizard, you likely need various things… If there’s anything you require, feel free to let me know. I admit I haven’t been attentive, so from now on, I’ll do my best to assist you.”
Oh.
Was he biting the bait firmly?
Perhaps it was due to Abel’s appearance and the various seeds I had sown, but he was now offering help first.
I had nothing to lose.
My requests were already clear.
Mana stones.
Through his warm support, I planned to interpret the genuine article.
Nodding slightly as I looked at him, I thought about my next move.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment