CH 55

After sending Elusiana away, Ethan looked out the window. His hand, stained with regret, scratched the window, but she never looked back.

“Anyway, my master is cold-hearted.”

“Your master is not the young lady, but the grand duke, Ethan.”

“Tsk. Both the lady and grand duke are my masters, Deputy Magician.”

Jayra, who came out of the empty space, clicked her tongue as if Ethan was pathetic.

“Why did you bother to get 30 more gold from your master?”

“That’s my fair share of trouble.”

Ethan licked his lips and smiled wryly.

“Ha. Did you know that the lady generously took care of you?”

“I want to eat chocolate, but they don’t give me that. They said it’s not good for my body. So, she should at least pay for my snacks at times like this.”

“I don’t think that excuse is enough to be a reason.”

“Ha. Jayra is as desolate as a flower blooming in the middle of the desert. Is it because you don’t know how ecstatic the sweetness is, enough to make your tongue tingle? To me, the time to savor chocolate is as sublime as the time to build up food in mind.”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on, let’s eat together. You will pay for it, right?”

Seeing Ethan teasing him, Jayra took a step back.

“…Please, don’t act cute with that big size, Ethan.”

“Hahaha. Why are you so serious? Sometimes they say I’m the cutest thing in the world.”

Getting a flagship, Jayra grabbed Ethan by the back and pushed him into the empty space.

“Stop talking nonsense and go back to your house.”

“Wait, Jayra! How can you kick me out like this? I did everything I was told to do, but at least a gift, a sign of sincerity— Argh! Jay— You—”

Ethan’s hollow shout disappeared through space. Only then Jayra felt genuinely deprived.

“Isn’t it when they were 3 years old that they said he was cute, that damn Ethan.”

Right after that, a bright green flame on his hand engulfed the ‘Dream-seeking Paradise’ as if to vent his anger.

* * *

“I’m sorry. So why are you throwing money at the slums… Ahem. Do you help them? If there were only some of them, you wouldn’t have asked such a disappointing request to me.”

“Please.”

“Your situation is pitiful, but I’m busy living my own life. I can’t help you.”

The noble who shook Simon’s hand mercilessly disappeared from his sight.

“Has the human heart become this ruthless?”

Simon sobbed and swallowed a dejected laugh.

It was because of the direct words of the high priest that he supplied food to the slums every quarter.  Who will talk about it when his daughter’s life, which he barely got back, will return to God’s arms if he breaks God’s oath?

His father died, and even his wife, whom he loved so much, suffered and died. Now, the only person left with him was his daughter Elusiana. But how can he turn a blind eye to that slim possibility? His generosity was essential to prevent possible misfortune.

I still don’t think it was wrong. Even if they had asked for my life, I would have given it willingly. Even if his family collapsed and it was hard to live day by day, or even if his beloved daughter became a commoner. Even so, wouldn’t it be better for her to stay alive than to die?

Simon looked up at the darkening sky. Soon the sun was setting, and the darkness was rising.

“Hey, Butler. Where did you go in such a hurry? What’s so urgent?”

The butler, who went to dispose of the last remaining mine of the Waieos family, lost his life on the way. The carriage that was going up the slope was overturned by the rain. His body couldn’t even be found.

“What were you trying to check?”

He vaguely recalled the butler’s grim face, who said he had something to check before leaving. But that was the case then, and now that he thought about it, there was nothing particularly strange about it.

“Why didn’t you tell me anything? If so, it wouldn’t be so frustrating.”

But regret was always late. A look of bitterness spread over Simon’s face.

“And now, who should I go and ask?”

A huge debt that he owed without even his knowledge.

He had just visited and begged those who once helped him greatly. However, they consistently turned away from Simon. Even then there was a case when they mixed words feeling pity for him, but there seemed to be no intention of helping him.

“Haha. I must have lived in vain.”

It was time when Simon let out a self-help laugh at his situation. Then he saw red flames rising in his sight.

“No! T-t-that place…!”

* * *

“Hey! Lusi! The Dream-seeking Paradise has been burned! They said there was no way to prove the debt because every single one was burned! Haha. I’ve checked with the judges several times, so I’m sure.”

Tears welled up in Elusiana’s eyes. When Simon, who had been contemplating last night, returned to the mansion, her heart sank. Now that she had finally paid off all his debts, she couldn’t stand it if he had another accident. However, the words that came out of Simon’s mouth were more exasperating than those the ones that ripped out her whole heart and threw her life into a hot fire.

“Now we don’t have to pay my debt! God helped us!”

So what about her thousand gold? What would happen to the thousand gold she paid back? Seeing her expression as if the sky were falling, Simon hugged her and cried for a long time. So she cried too.

The money she paid had become ashes, but the reality of living as a slave to the Sestein family for 10 years was bleak. There was no way she could stay sane.

I should have just stayed one more day. Just one more day. If that had been the case, she would not need to pay back the thousand gold with her life. Unfair. It’s unfair. It’s really unfair!

They said if you’re unlucky, even if you fall backward, your nose will break- What a bullshit situation!

“Sigh…”

“Elusiana, are you listening to me?” Aster, who was sitting in the seat of honor, asked with a serious expression on his face.

“As expected, it is too burdensome.”

“…?” Not understanding what he meant, Elusiana smiled awkwardly.

Thinking of the money she had lost, she didn’t hear a word from the grand duke. Without answering, Elusiana looked carefully at him while widening her eyes.

Aster, who stared at her face, let out a low sigh.

“Do you have any concerns?”

“N-no. It’s nothing.”

“I’m asking because you don’t seem to have heard me at all.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Elusiana, who bit her lips slightly, lowered her head. Just then, something heavy was placed in front of her.

Thud.

Elusiana’s flinched gaze turned to it for a moment. After confirming the identity of the familiar object, her scarlet eyes shook slightly.

“What is this satin pocket?”

“It’s yours.”

“Mine…?”

“To be exact, the thousand gold inside is yours, Elusiana.”

“T-thousand gold?!”

Elusiana’s eyes grew as big as a lamp, as if she had found something incredible. Even the moment she reached into the pocket, the situation didn’t quite make sense. But why is His Grace doing this?

Elusiana hesitated and withdrew her hand again. As the grand duke had said, the black satin pouch she received from the butler yesterday belonged to the Grand Duchy Sestein. But how come that black satin pouch was hers?

The surface was slightly scorched as if it had been burnt. The Dream-seeking Paradise was burned, so she thought that was the reason why the pocket was slightly scorched. But why is the black satin pocket with the grand duke? Besides, I’ve already paid off all my debts.

How unfair was it that the Dream-seeking Paradise burned after she paid all her debts? She wanted to pretend she didn’t know, but she couldn’t understand it.

As Elusiana stared intently at the black satin pouch, Aster guessed what she was thinking and then said a word, “It’s certainly yours, Elusiana.”

“There seems to be a mistake. The satin pocket is—”

Aster, who cut off her words, continued. “I happened to see him yesterday on my way to the magic shop on the outskirts yesterday.”

“Him?”

We’re talking about pocket, but why did he bring ‘him’ out of the blue? Elusiana tilted her head and looked at the grand duke.

“A man came out of the burning building holding the pocket.”

“Yes?”

“I tried to ignore it, but the pouch belonged to the Grand Duchy. Looking back, the building where he ran out was Dream-seeking Paradise.”

“It must have been its owner, Painen.”

“No, it was obviously a thief. He was wearing a black mask. That’s why I got it back. Didn’t you go to pay off your debts yesterday?”

“Your Excellency caught the thief? Why did Your Excellency do that? What about Sir Logan? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Aster, startled by Elusiana’s pressing question, nodded slowly.

“…I’m fine. More than that…”

Aster, who watched her sweeping her chest, spoke more seriously than ever.