Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Buying the Dip (2)
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“Enoch! My little brother! So this is where you were. Did I ever tell you your big sis loves you?!”
“Jevella sis...?”
In order to keep my resolution to do nothing, I was just practicing aura a bit and strolling through the garden like a total NEET.
Suddenly, Jevella came running toward me, lightly hiking up her skirt and taking these bouncy steps.
I was surprised enough that Jevella, who was always holed up indoors whether in her office or her room, had come outside for no particular reason.
But wasn't this the same Jevella who always walked gracefully with soft smiles?
No one could help but be shocked by the sight of her beaming from ear to ear, practically bouncing over.
“What on earth has you in such a good mood, Jevella sis?”
“Hehe. Oh, Enoch. It's all thanks to you.”
“Me?”
As I tilted my head in confusion, Aaron the head butler, who had been following half a step behind Jevella, bowed his head slightly and spoke.
“Lady Jevella is delighted that the patriarch resolved House Zahav's financial woes with his bold decision.”
“...Huh?”
As I blinked in disbelief at what I was hearing, the still-grinning Jevella added,
“You know that 'friend fee' you decided to accept? So many merchant guilds and nobles have sent tokens of their friendship.”
“Ah.”
Only then did I piece it together. And with it came a wave of bewilderment.
If this were right after the announcement about accepting friend fees, I'd get it, but by now, shouldn't people be disappointed in the do-nothing me and starting to complain?
“Are there still places sending friend fees?”
“Of course! Even the smaller outfits are lining up to send letters and pouches of gold coins.”
“Why would they go that far...?”
“Oh? Isn't it obvious?”
Jevella tilted her head. Her long white hair swayed in the breeze.
“Because you're the one who's going to bring back House Zahav's golden age.”
“...Me?”
“Yes.”
“...The golden age?”
“That's right.”
“...Why?”
“Why? Haven't you heard any of the rumors going around lately?”
Shrugging, Jevella began counting off some seriously ominous epithets on her fingers.
“Ancestor’s Return, Golden Sun, Black Magic Slayer, Noble Beast, and...”
“Th-that's plenty, sis.”
Each one was a cringey chuunibyou nickname that made my limbs twist in embarrassment.
Of course, Jevella wasn't teasing me on purpose. You have to consider the era.
In a medieval fantasy world, chuunibyou-style titles? They're just pure praise.
In other words, people out there were still hyping me up massively.
“Why the heck do I have those nicknames?! I haven't done anything lately!”
“Hmm? Even if you say you haven't done anything, it's only been a little over a month. The rumors are just starting to catch fire.”
“...!”
Right. Magic exists, but it's a convenience reserved for the privileged few.
For most, rumors spread mouth-to-mouth, occasionally via letters—that's the norm in this era.
The info initially spread only among academy students who saw me fight and their families.
Now, it's trickling to commoners through traveling merchants, and naturally reaching the ears of local nobles.
As a result, just as the first wave of friend-fee senders quieted down, a second wave emerged from those hearing the rumors late.
“What the... But the first ones who sent friend fees must be pretty pissed, right? Since I haven't responded or anything.”
“Hardly. They're bragging to high society about being the first to connect with House Zahav.”
“...So my rumors are spreading in high society too?”
“Naturally. You're a hot topic in the capital's social circles, at least. Princess Cornelia herself wrote about your alliance in her letter, so it's reliable intel.”
“...”
Now I get it. The empire's out to get me, and the world's just jealous-hating.
Or is it jealous-loving?
As I spouted nonsense in my head, Jevella's voice reached my ears while I clutched my throbbing head.
“Phew. Things are going so well, but... I do have one worry, which is why I came to find you, Enoch.”
“A worry?”
“Yes. Enoch, my little brother. I'm grateful you trusted me with all the big and small matters, but this feels too big for me to handle alone.”
With that, Jevella pulled a luxurious letter from her bosom.
I didn't know what it was, but the odd sense of dissonance suggested it wasn't ordinary paper—it had some kind of magic enchantment.
However, since Jevella handled it casually and my instincts weren't alarmed, it wasn't dangerous.
“I'll read it for you. Just wait a sec?”
“No need. I can read this much myself now.”
Proud of escaping illiteracy, I snatched the letter from Jevella with a bit of swagger.
“Oh my...”
She widened her eyes in slight surprise, then smiled contentedly.
Dodging her ticklish gaze, I read the letter.
In summary: They'd pay a hefty friend fee if I dealt with their territory's long-standing headache.
“I'm a grand duke, not a sellsword. What the hell...”
“Read to the end. You'll understand.”
“Fine.”
Skipping pleasantries to the main point. Then the specific amount.
“...One million gold? How much is that, Jevella sis?”
Calypso Territory was a sort of prison camp, but it had discreet external dealings via brokers.
Even in semi-isolation, gold functioned properly as currency...
Even to me, accustomed to the inflated black market prices amid rampant crime, one million gold was unfathomable.
I remembered that when the assassins' guild was after me, my bounty was 100,000 gold.
After serious thought, Jevella cautiously replied to my question.
“Well... One million gold could build another Zahav Castle.”
“???”
Zahav Castle was built with special materials to withstand periodic dungeon outbreaks.
The materials were pricey, and the enchantments on the walls even more so. I'd bet it rivaled the value of an equal weight in gold.
...This world had abundant gold—enough to trade in tens or hundreds of thousands of pure gold coins—but even accounting for that, it was absurd.
“Who the hell can casually offer this insane amount as a 'friend fee'... Ignatus?”
I knew the name Ignatus well. I'd learned the bare minimum of imperial history after coming to House Zahav, but even without that, it was famous enough to reach Calypso.
And for good reason...
“The Archduke of the West sent this personally?”
“Seems so. With Ignatus Archduke, one million gold isn't an empty promise, which is why I was at a loss and came to you.”
Ignatus Archduke.
One of the empire's four great grand dukes, ruling the west—like the now-extinct Calypso Grand Duke or my somehow-acquired Zahav title.
Master of the empire's sole magic tower, last surviving dragon from the Tragedy God.
It's called a grand ducal house, but with no other dragons alive, it's effectively a lifetime title ending with Ignatus himself...
Ignatus predates the empire and, barring incidents, could live another millennium easily as a long-lived species.
Naturally, his wealth overflows.
Rumor has it he could crash the empire's economy if he wanted, but holds back because the emperor begs him every time.
For such an Ignatus Archduke, one million gold was trivial.
...If I skimmed just 10,000, wouldn't that be enough to live off forever?
My slush fund for when I step down as Zahav Grand Duke.
The thought suddenly filled me with motivation.
“For this amount, we should at least hear them out. Plus, now that we're both grand dukes, it's time we met.”
“If that's your will, I'll reply that you'll visit soon. How about talking to his proxy in the meantime? They said they'd relay details through the proxy.”
“The proxy's already here? That fast?”
Considering distances from south to west and rumor spread, it was too soon.
To send a proxy before even a reply... Magic tower master and dragon—must've used teleport.
Jevella shook her head at my question.
“Hehe, no. Surprisingly, Ignatus Archduke's 322nd disciple was in Yuria's graduating class at the academy. And her roommate, no less.”
“...He has a lot of disciples.”
“Well, he's lived a long time.”
True. Only 322 disciples in imperial history? That's actually few.
“Anyway, got it. I'll meet her and talk.”
“Good decision. Tell your big sis if you need anything.”
I waved lightly to Jevella and headed to Yuria's room.
Not in Zahav Castle, but the dorm prepared outside for academy students.
Roommate, so she'd be there.
I used my Zahav Grand Duke status to enter the girls' dorm through the front gate boldly. Honestly, my heart raced a bit.
...Even if it was my little sister's room I was heading to.
Anyway, as I opened Yuria's door...
Screeech.
“Hey, Maykin. Dragons have a cloaca like lizards, right?”
“...Absolutely not. Don't you dare say that in front of Master! And saying it in front of me, his disciple, is technically insulting him too?!”
“Aw, Maykin, you were curious about big bro's length in cm too.”
“It was about height! Anyone hearing would misunderstand... Huh?”
My eyes met those of the timid-looking brown-haired girl, Maykin. From the cloaca talk, she had to be Ignatus's disciple.
“Ahem. I don't actually know my own height. Never measured it precisely.”
“...”
“You're Maykin, right? I came to hear details about Ignatus Archduke's letter.”
“...”
“Hmm... Looks like I interrupted girls' talk. Should I come back later?”
It was my attempt at consideration, but sadly, it didn't land.
“...Eek.”
“Hm?”
“Eeeeek!!”
Maykin screamed and unleashed mana from her entire body.
A small swirling mana storm. Where Maykin had been were now abandoned clothes, and in their midst, a hamster curled into a ball.
“Oh.”
She knows transformation magic too.
For the record, the underwear peeking through was gray.
More precisely, gray dampened and slightly darkened by the hamster's streaming tears.