Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Duke's Young Lady
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The emperor, disguised as 'Ordinary Person 1,' slipped out of the alley and stepped onto the street lined with street vendors.
A gentle, mild-mannered face and shabby clothes.
No one would ever imagine this man was the emperor, called the sun of the empire.
"You're here."
"Daddy!"
As he kept walking, his two daughters, disguised as 'Ordinary Person 2' and 'Ordinary Person 3,' were waiting there.
Flip, flip...
The princess was turning the first page of her book, solving a fairly challenging puzzle.
Elise von Leonhardt.
She had been the crown princess meant to inherit the throne, but she'd handed it straight over to her younger brother Rufus because it was too much hassle.
As always, she was calmly scribbling across the paper with her pen.
"Nyum."
And beside her was a child chomping fiercely on a skewer.
The imperial family's baby, Louis von Leonhardt.
The emperor briefly pressed his forehead at the sight of the innocent child looking up at her father while tearing into the skewer...
"Elise... be careful. You never know if there's poison in the food—"
"Goodness, and here you are wandering around without even a shadow to guard you."
"......Tch."
The emperor clamped his mouth shut at his daughter's sharp-witted retort.
He scratched his head awkwardly and took Louis's hand.
"...Then let's head back."
"Hold on, I'm almost done."
Flip, flip.
The hand turning the pages reached the final one.
"Per-fect."
The puzzle pieces of the story fell into place one by one.
The moment the last sentence clicked into position, Elise closed the book with a satisfied expression.
"So, did you meet Lady Veronica?"
"Hmm... Not Lady Veronica herself, but her disciple came in person."
"Disciple?"
"The top student. The top one."
"The top student..."
Elise had heard plenty about the top freshman at the cradle.
Apparently some lunatic who wore a mask and pulled all sorts of bizarre stunts...
"That lunatic?"
The emperor nodded cautiously.
In terms of slaying a calamity, he was already a 'monster'...
And from what he'd just seen firsthand... well, what could he say.
Wandering around in a mask, with a fish on his head and a lizard at his feet...
He certainly deserved the title of 'lunatic.'
But...
"...Elise, that doesn't seem like something you should be saying."
The princess who'd dumped the throne on her brother because it was a hassle, ignored imperial duties, and spent all her time lounging in libraries or wandering the city.
The imperial family's headache and troublemaker... who exactly was she calling crazy?
"Why?"
"...Never mind."
The emperor shut his mouth, sensing he'd regret saying more.
But Elise was already buzzing with other thoughts.
"Anyway, let's go buy some books. I already finished the last one, 'My Crush Is the Queen, and I'm Her Maid.'"
"You finished that? It was ten volumes, wasn't it...?"
"Finished it yesterday."
"......"
"Come on. Volume 3 of 'Dating My Ex's Sister' just came out."
"Elise... I've told you time and again, love is between a man and—"
"I like girls."
".........."
The emperor clamped his mouth shut.
It wasn't something a father should say, but...
His daughter was no slouch either—a total lunatic... no, a crazy girl.
***
"This is the gray district..."
[You've never been here before?]
Surprising.
It's called the underworld, but most nobles set foot here at least once in their lives.
Whether for entertainment, deals, or information... it's harder not to come here.
"...I thought it'd be... dirtier... noisier, something like that."
[It's surprisingly orderly, right?]
"......It's cleaner than I expected."
[Right?]
"So... any recommendations?"
[For what?]
"For food."
[Oh.]
I'd eaten plenty from this district during the 'Akareung' incident, but...
This was my first time in reality.
"Anywhere's fine. Just nothing weird."
[Can't promise that.]
"Wait, what do you—"
I'd already turned toward the alley.
Carnel shouted a quick "Wait!" from behind, but soon followed with a small grumble.
If she was worried, she could've just gone home.
I glanced back at Carnel.
"......That shady guy back there keeps staring at me."
[Want me to kill him?]
"...Pardon?"
Carnel, who'd been grumbling, quietly pressed close to my back.
Amid the bustling stalls, I stopped at a familiar scent.
The aroma rising from the dark red broth.
Sweet yet stinging the tongue with its sharp spice.
[I like this place.]
"You really eat here?"
[If you haven't tried it, you're missing half your noble life.]
"I'd like to live my full noble life..."
Even so, Carnel cautiously sat on the rickety chair.
The young lady of the duke's house, seated on the worn, creaking chair.
Who among those watching would guess her true identity?
"Nyam."
When the bowl of broth was placed in front of her...
Ignoring the steam stinging her eyes, Carnel moved her hands and mouth as if entranced.
Then, she suddenly looked up at me.
"Um."
[Yes?]
"You're staring too much."
I blinked blankly at Carnel, then snapped to at her words.
I'd thought she meant my gaze, but no.
"Not you... around us."
I finally scanned the surroundings.
That's when I realized.
From the stall vendors to the passing customers...
Everyone was sneaking glances at Carnel.
[Must be because the student council president looks cool.]
"Hmm... yeah, figures...!"
Even nobles usually tone down their nobility a bit.
But this student council president radiated 'I'm noble' from head to toe...
Of course eyes would be drawn to her.
"Grrowl......"
Bahamut bared his teeth.
Dark red shadows dripped from his small body.
I quietly picked him up, set him on my lap, and gently stroked his back.
Purr...
As his anger subsided, Bahamut obediently lowered his head.
The dark red shadows had spread enough to blanket the area, but...
No one noticed as they shaped rice cakes, slurped noodles, or chatted.
'It's fine. I'll handle it if anything happens.'
"...Grrowl."
I carefully scooped some broth and held it to Bahamut's mouth.
...Lap.
He stuck out his tongue and lapped it up.
And then...
Plop.
Something dropped onto my head.
Plop—landing on the table was none other than the mikurebi.
Its round eyes widened hugely as it looked up at me.
'Me too.'
A silent, intense stare.
I scooped another spoonful and held it out to the mikurebi.
It wagged its tail and stretched its mouth forward.
"...Not eating more?"
[I don't eat much.]
"...You barely had a few spoonfuls."
It was true.
I'd only fed it two or three times.
But it wasn't exactly a lie either.
I had no appetite for anything, and even forcing it down didn't help much.
"Nyam...... Tasty, though."
***
"I want to go there."
Whoosh.
Carnel pointed far off with her finger.
[There?]
"Yes."
That place... the black market.
An auction house where all sorts of goods were traded.
[Sure.]
"You're not reacting much."
[Why?]
"Hmm... Have you been there before?"
[Yes.]
"It's an auction house?"
[Yes.]
"Without money?"
[Pardon?]
"Don't tell me you pickpocketed again?"
Carnel narrowed her eyes, shooting me a suspicious look.
...It'd been ages since I quit stealing, and it was sad how she saw me.
"I'm kidding."
Carnel burst into playful laughter.
As she giggled like "uhi hi," I swallowed a sigh inwardly and shook my head.
[Student council president.]
"What!"
[ 【Illusion】 is dispelling. ]
I offered her the 【Mask of Fantasy】 I'd been using as a ring to change my appearance.
Black markets required fake identities, so a mask to hide one's face seemed necessary.
"...A mask?"
[Thought it'd be good to wear.]
"To disguise ourselves?"
I nodded.
Revealing your real identity in a black market could lead to trouble.
Especially for nobles... high-ranking ones even more so.
Carnel peered at the black-based mask, then smirked with interest.
"...Hmm. Can't grade it yet, but the taste isn't bad."
Wonder what score it'd get this time—probably still zero.
I sighed inwardly and followed the masked student council president toward the black market entrance.
A suited staff member blocked the way at the door.
"Our black market requires a dedicated identity. Please fill in a codename and occupation for entry, transactions, and future benefits."
He handed over a paper with the words.
Carnel took it with a puzzled look.
"Codename and occupation?"
[Write whatever you want.]
"...What'd you put?"
[Mask Man, King of the Sea.]
I deliberately circled the words big for emphasis.
Carnel, seeing it, covered her mouth for some reason.
"Pfft... What even is that."
After a few fake coughs, she put pen to paper.
I glanced carelessly at what she was writing...
And spotted a name I couldn't ignore.
[Student council president.]
"What?"
[Who's Mikael?]
Carnel's codename was 'Mikael,' occupation 'Mage.'
And that name... matched the lunatic I could never forget.
"You don't know Mikael?"
[Who?]
"The first mage. Study up, seriously."
The first mage.
Mikael.
Probably just a coincidence, but the name alone made my stomach churn.
"Mask Man and Mikael, enjoy your time."
The staff bowed politely and opened the door.
Carnel and I stepped into the black market.
"This'll be fun...!"
Carnel's eyes sparkled as she looked around excitedly.
The student council president I knew was a noble, refined young lady...
But today, her thrilled demeanor was...
Surprisingly human.
***
"Customer 48, 【Tral Leo's Fin】 sold! Congratulations!"
The auctioneer's booming voice rang in my ears.
I glanced at Carnel beside me and raised the whiteboard.
[Know what that is, student council president?]
"What?"
[Tral Leo's fin is supposed to be good for virility.]
"Wha—! Wh-what am I supposed to do with that!"
Carnel jolted in shock, clapping her hands over her masked face.
She looked so frantic I thought her face had slipped out for a second.
Of course, her face was still behind the mask...
But I could picture her ears turning beet red.
[Just saying.]
I shrugged nonchalantly.
Just a bit of teasing, but this reaction? Top-tier value.
Satisfying.
"Next item right away!"
The auction lights swiftly shifted to the next lot.
A flash of eye-catching brilliance.
And...
"Ta-da! This one's 【Seraphim's Crown】!"
On stage gleamed a crown of overlapping silver and gold...
Far too ornate for any worldly ornament.
"Ooh...!"
Carnel's eyes sparkled the instant she saw it.
...She wasn't thinking of buying that, was she?
'Tsk......'
【Seraphim's Crown】 looked impressive but was pure looks-no-stats.
Just a cosmetic item.
Taken from the red demonic beast 'Seraphim's' head, it could be melted with metal for weapon crafting to boost appearance...
But performance? None.
Absolutely none.
Really... nothing but flashier weapons.
[student council president, that one's—]
I reached to stop her, but...
"Customer 1, g-gold coins 1,000!"
...Too late.
"Customer 1! Sold for 1,000 gold coins! Congratulations!"
A split-second silence.
...Followed by cheers.
That's when it hit me again.
"N-Nakchal...!"
The student council president before me... wasn't just any noble.
She was the young lady of the ducal house, who could shout "Ooh...!" and drop 1,000 gold coins like it was nothing...
Filthy rich.