Chapter 78: Reckless(2)
Chapter 78: Reckless(2)
For those who might have missed it, new fan art has been added to the fan art section!
My mind went blank at this new, spicy version of Mari, but my feet didn't stop moving toward the mansion.
Still, since she was still clinging to my arm, the heat in my face showed no signs of subsiding. Even as I tried my best to act nonchalant, it was pointless; as Mari said, it was all written plainly on my face.
"Poke. Poke."
"Stop it."
"No. I'm going to keep doing it."
Mari kept teasing me, pressing her finger into my cheek. Even when I told her to stop, she just gave me a refreshing smile and ignored me.
When I asked why, she said something about wondering if red juice would come leaking out. I could only let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of it.
In the end, I had no choice but to half-give up. It wasn't like it felt bad, and since it was Mari's own way of showing affection, I decided to just let her be.
It didn't matter if someone happened to pass by and see us. If it were Mari, she would proudly announce to that person that we were a couple.
As her boyfriend, it was a bit embarrassing, but I liked her confidence. Sometimes, I even felt like she was more manly than I was.
And so, with Mari teasing me the whole way, we finally arrived at the mansion.
"Welcome, Lady Mari. We sincerely welcome your return to the family."
An old man, who had been waiting in front of the mansion, greeted her with a polite, formal bow. I looked at the old man as he bowed deeply and respectfully.
The first thing that caught my eye was his traditional butler uniform.
His graying hair was neatly swept back, and his mustache was perfectly groomed without a single hair out of place. Furthermore, his sturdy build, which even the butler uniform couldn't hide, reminded me of a well-forged blade.
The traces of years of training were etched into his presence, revealing a strength that commanded respect.
"Hello, Head Butler Sebastian. It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"I am always the same. But who might this red-haired gentleman beside you be? He looks somewhat familiar..."
After receiving Mari's greeting, the old man straightened his back and looked at me. I hadn't realized it when he was bowing, but once he stood tall, I could see he was quite tall.
My father is nearly 190cm tall, and the head butler before me was about the same. Seeing how he kept his back perfectly straight despite his age, he was clearly a man of skill.
I've heard that butler characters are usually strong...
I suppose it fits a fantasy world. I didn't back down at all under the head butler's keen, sharp gaze as I answered.
"Greetings. I am Isaac Ducard Maishal of the Maishal family."
"Hmm. So you are indeed of the Maishal family. I thought that red hair looked familiar."
It seemed the head butler Mari called Sebastian was also aware of my father's reputation. Of course, I had no intention of bringing it up myself.
"In any case, I sincerely welcome you to the Rekilis mansion. I suppose there is no need to ask about the nature of your relationship."
Sebastian spoke smoothly yet playfully. Well, since she was still affectionately clinging to my arm, it would be stranger if he didn't notice.
I gave a wry smile, while Mari smiled even more broadly and leaned against my shoulder as if to flaunt our relationship. Sebastian wore a gratified smile as he watched our sweet interaction.
"Sebastian. Who is inside right now?"
"Both of them are inside. In particular, I heard that the Master finished all his work in a single day upon hearing the news of your return."
I could already smell the doting father from here. Honestly, with a daughter like Mari, it would be normal for anyone to become a doting parent.
Of course, for me, the boyfriend, it was like a massive wall had been erected in my path. I anticipated a rocky road ahead.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Mari just let out a giggle.
"Oh, Father. He really is something else."
"I shall escort you both inside. Young Lord, you will have to stay in the guest room for a moment. Would that be alright?"
"I'm fine with that."
"Understood. Though it may be brief, I shall serve you with all my heart."
As Sebastian gestured toward the mansion, the two of us began to walk. Once we started moving, Sebastian took the lead to guide us.
Before long, we reached the doors of the mansion, and the size of the main gate was staggering. Carved into the wooden gate was an eagle, the symbol of the Rekilis family, exuding a dignity that looked as if it might soar into the sky at any moment.
Just as Mari had said—that it was designed with great care by dwarves—the effort put into it was clearly visible.
Creeeeak—
While I was admiring the main gate, Sebastian opened the door for us. He then gestured inside, inviting us to enter.
Just before stepping in, Mari finally let go of my arm. Since she had been holding on as if she'd never let go, I couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"I should at least mind my manners at home. Don't you think so?"
When I looked at Mari with a questioning face, she spoke with a mischievous glint in her eye. She was right, but I still felt a bit disappointed.
Whether my feelings showed on my face or not, Mari lightly pinched my cheek. She added a request for me to bear with it for just a little while.
"Then, we shall head to the guest room first. Please follow me."
While Mari was teasing me during that brief interval, Sebastian began to lead the way. I followed closely behind his dependable back.
The interior of the mansion was far from gaudy, yet it possessed a grandeur similar to its exterior. It was a harmonious blend of simple yet complementary colors, and the internal structures were placed only where necessary, making it easy on the eyes.
The most impressive part, however, was the ceiling. Mari had mentioned before that the Rekilis family valued history, and the ceiling was adorned with a painting of the 'Race War' from 500 years ago.
It depicted the alliance of Elves and Beastkin clashing with Humans, while the Dwarves, acting more as a support force for the Humans than a direct ally, were shown transporting weapons from afar.
The depiction was so vivid that even someone without a deep knowledge of history could immediately understand its meaning.
The Minerva Empire was born after the Race War ended, so it makes sense to have it on the ceiling.
Anyway, I take back what I said about it not being gaudy. Painting such a scene on the ceiling—which was essentially the 'sky' of the room—meant they held it in very high regard.
"The Minerva Empire was nothing more than an ordinary kingdom during the Race War. However, based on the exceptional abilities of the First Emperor and the political prowess of the Rekilis family, it was refounded as an empire. It successfully navigated the Cold War period following the Race War to become what it is today."
As I was staring blankly up at the ceiling, Sebastian's smooth voice reached my ears. When I looked down, Sebastian was waiting with a gentle smile.
I blinked and then pointed to the ceiling, asking him.
"That's a depiction of the Race War, right?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"It's a bit of a shame there are no Demons. They also participated, split into two factions."
During the Race War, the Demons were divided into two groups and joined each alliance: those who hated humans and those who did not.
However, there wasn't a single trace of a Demon in the ceiling painting. Given the era, they might not have achieved great glory due to discrimination, but they still played significant roles.
When I pointed that out, Sebastian opened his mouth with a slightly troubled voice, as if he were well aware of that fact.
"...I find that regrettable as well. I heard that the artist who painted that at the time had suffered at the hands of Demons. It is presumed that is why they were excluded."
"Hmm..."
"However, I heard they are currently reworking it, so you need not worry."
"I see."
Though it was a bit strange for the Rekilis family, who valued history as a virtue, I let it slide since they were reworking it. As Sebastian resumed his guidance, Mari and I followed closely behind him.
As we headed toward the guest room, I discovered portraits installed on the walls of the long hallway. Beneath the portraits were brief descriptions along with the years used in this world.
They must be the heads of the Rekilis family by year.
Seeing portraits of people with white hair like Mari's from time to time confirmed it. As I walked slowly while looking at the portraits, Sebastian, who was guiding us, slowed his pace to match mine.
Mari, beside me, also stayed quiet until I was done looking. I thought she might complain since she must have seen these portraits a thousand times, but she was being considerate of me.
"...Hm?"
As I passed by, observing each portrait, I suddenly found a peculiar one.
The plaques for the descriptions were usually white, but this one had a black background.
Curious, I looked at the description on the plaque and was soon able to understand why.
[The worst villain in the history of the Rekilis family.]
[Assassinated his siblings to ascend to the rank of Duke.]
[Recruited private soldiers under the guise of the Minerva Empire's revival. Colluded with surrounding nobles.]
[In addition, lived a profligate life and intimidated employees for no reason.]
[Exiled all illegitimate children born from these actions.]
As the saying goes, a tiger doesn't always sire a tiger. Even in the Rekilis family, which produced such outstanding individuals, villains existed.
It seemed they made it stand out specifically to serve as a cautionary tale. After all, people often gain greater enlightenment from the darker parts of history.
"Hazel Hausen Rekilis. He was talented, but he used those talents for ill purposes, and his character was equally poor. Fortunately, his son took him as a negative example, so the Rekilis family never fell into true danger."
As I observed the portrait intently, Sebastian provided additional explanation, just as before.
I stroked my chin while looking at the portrait, then voiced a question that occurred to me after hearing his explanation.
"If he colluded with surrounding nobles, wasn't that a sign of rebellion? The Rekilis family is supposed to be close confidants of the Imperial Family..."
"Fortunately, the next head of the family stopped him before the Imperial Family noticed. Naturally, Duke Hazel was deposed, and his son inherited the title. That man was Indis Hausen Rekilis, the grandfather of the current Duke."
"I see..."
It really was interesting. Nothing piqued my interest quite like history.
I wanted to look around a bit more, but it would be rude to delay any further, so I moved on. I could learn more about the history later.
"It seems the Young Lord is quite fond of history."
"It's interesting, isn't it?"
"Ho ho ho. You suit the Rekilis family well."
Sebastian said that while glancing at Mari. Mari, seemingly catching the meaning behind his gaze, blushed and lowered her head slightly.
Unlike when she was with Rix, her shy appearance was incredibly cute. I almost reflexively grabbed her hand.
"This is the guest room. Simple refreshments will be brought shortly. May I ask if you intend to stay the night?"
"Oh, no. No. I'm just here for a visit. I'll be leaving soon."
"Understood. Then please wait a moment. Ah! There are books over there, so feel free to read them if you are bored."
"Thank you."
"Then, I hope you have a pleasant time."
Creeak—
As Sebastian opened the door for me, I gave him a polite bow and stepped inside. I didn't forget to lock eyes with Mari before entering.
She had a pouting expression, as if she hated being away from me even for a short time. I gave her a bright smile and whispered with my lips.
I'll wait.
As soon as I signaled that with my mouth, Mari gave me a radiant smile. Then, as she waved her hand, I waved back.
Click—
As Sebastian closed the door, silence settled over the guest room. Even though I was alone, the sudden quietness felt a bit strange.
First, since Sebastian said he'd bring refreshments later, it seemed best to take a seat. I turned around and surveyed the guest room.
"...Wow."
I was beyond being impressed now. They called it a guest room, but it was as large as a small house.
Is this what the interior of a true tycoon's house looks like? A long table for receiving guests was set up in the center, and there was even a terrace outside.
Most notably, the bookshelves located in the far corner caught my eye. Even though it was a guest room, the bookshelves were lined up as neatly as a library.
I set everything else aside and walked toward the bookshelves. I was curious to see what kind of books were there. If possible, I hoped for something I hadn't read yet.
"Let's see... read this, read this, read this too."
What? I've read them all.
As expected of the Rekilis family, the shelves were packed with history-related books, but they were all things I had already read at home. Even if they weren't history books, they were titles I had seen at least once.
Perhaps because it was a room for entertaining guests, they seemed to have selected popular, well-known books. Feeling a bit disappointed, I was about to turn away from the bookshelf.
[Xenon Chronicle]
"... ..."
On a bookshelf that looked newly installed and was mostly empty, my books were sitting there all by themselves. Neatly arranged from Volume 1 to the recently released Volume 10.
Finding Xenon Chronicle in a Duke's guest room of all places... how should I put it? It felt like finding a fantasy novel in a high school library.
But didn't they say only one copy of Xenon Chronicle could be purchased per person?
I harbored that question internally as I pulled Volume 1 of Xenon Chronicle from the shelf. It had been meticulously maintained; there wasn't a speck of dust, and the cover was pristine.
It didn't even have that characteristic damp or musty smell of old books. It was either recently purchased or the humidity was strictly controlled.
Flip—
I looked the book over and turned the cover. The paper was slightly discolored, but considering when Volume 1 was released, it was actually in excellent condition.
Let's put this back. I should look for something else.
Perhaps because it was a book I wrote myself, I wasn't very interested. I put Xenon Chronicle back on the shelf and checked for other books.
"Oh? I haven't seen this one before."
There was a book I hadn't noticed because it was on the bottom shelf. I pulled it out with anticipation.
Fortunately, it was a history-related book. It was even an exploratory text on the complex 'Race War,' making it perfect for me.
Delighted, I walked over to the table and sat down on the guest sofa. It seemed I could spend some quality time reading this until Mari returned.
What a find.
I turned the pages with a fluttering heart. Even though it was a book tucked away at the bottom, traces of careful maintenance were visible here and there.
Soon, I began to focus, losing myself in the knowledge the book provided. Since it was a new book, I found it even more enjoyable.
This person views the fundamental cause of the Race War from a different perspective. This is interesting too.
Books are essentially storehouses of knowledge written by people. Naturally, since everyone thinks differently, the knowledge conveyed in books is bound to differ as well.
While many people believe the Race War broke out due to ideological differences between Elves and Humans, this book was different. it claimed that Humans orchestrated a certain incident to challenge the Elves.
In reality, for a massive conflict like the Race War to occur, a 'justification' is absolutely necessary. The moment you declare war on surrounding nations without a justification, you're bound to be ganged up on, and in the worst case, you could end up like Nazi Germany in World War II.
Of course, the public might oppose the war, but the Nazis brainwashed their citizens, blinding and deafening them. Since the internet wasn't around back then, brainwashing would have been even easier.
Come to think of it, what were the humans thinking while they fought during the Race War? I'm curious.
When you trace history step by step, you naturally become curious about the thoughts of the people of that era. Unless you see and experience it with your own eyes, you might understand them, but you can never truly empathize.
I lost track of time as I focused on the stories in the book. I didn't even care when I occasionally felt the presence of someone moving back and forth in front of me.
It was the moment my unique trait of extreme focus kicked in.
"...Hmm."
"... ..."
"Ahem!"
Then, the sound of someone clearing their throat pierced my ears. At the same time, my solid concentration shattered instantly, and I was pulled out of the sea of knowledge.
My annoyance at the broken concentration lasted only a moment before I belatedly realized this wasn't my house, but the Rekilis mansion. I hurriedly looked up and saw the person who had cleared their throat.
The first thing I saw was white hair with a hint of blue. It wasn't hair that had turned white with age like Sebastian's, but hair that was snowy white from the start.
His face also left a very peculiar impression, where strictness and softness coexisted, but his gentle blue eyes radiated a sense of benevolence.
His attire was a simple yet dignified white suit. I blinked and stared blankly at the man who had appeared before me without warning.
Eventually, just as our gazes met, the man spoke in a soft yet heavy voice.
"A young fellow with a keen interest in history, I see?"
"... ..."
As soon as those words were spoken, I frantically looked to his left and right. Internally, I prayed it wasn't so.
But as they say, things rarely go as hoped. To my dread, Sebastian and Mari were standing side by side next to the man.
I had been so focused on the book that I hadn't realized they had returned.
...I'm screwed.
I was about to be branded as the guy who threw manners out the window in front of his girlfriend's father.