Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Reborn as the Plum Blossom Sword Master in the Count Family
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Recently, the Prucus mansion had been bustling with activity.
Three weeks from now, Ention Prucus, the head of the Prucus Count family, would return to the mansion, and a banquet would be held to coincide with his arrival schedule.
Vassals who worked with Ention at Utren Castle, as well as Prucus family retainers scattered throughout the territory, would attend the banquet. Famous merchants, nobles from other regions, soldiers who had earned merits, and more—there would be a tremendous number of participants. Considering the Prucus family's influence, they were expecting up to around 800 people.
Of course, the banquet wouldn't last just one day; it would continue for about three days.
Accordingly, Countess Elrain Prucus, along with Head Butler Hasent and all the mansion servants, were moving busily. The knights were also training more rigorously these days upon hearing that Ention was returning.
However, there were two people in the mansion who weren't busy and were acting as usual: me and Kyle. Kyle was utterly incompetent at clerical work, and I was still frail and young.
Elrain didn't ask for our help. Helping the servants? If people of our noble status assisted them, it would disrupt the hierarchy. The servants would only feel uncomfortable anyway.
In short, staying out of the way was how we were helping Elrain.
'They must be really busy.'
Even my exclusive maid, Yuria, had been called upon to assist the head maid. In her place, some clumsy young maid had temporarily become my exclusive servant. She wasn't particularly pretty and didn't seem competent at her job either. I simply ordered her to stand by.
'Ention Prucus. Aura Master. Raphael's Guardian Sword. My father.'
It felt awkward.
My real father ran a beauty salon with my mother in reality. Ention was just my father in the Playful Life world setting.
'He'll rest at the mansion for a few days and then head back to Utren Castle.'
That's how it was in the original story too. Ention lived at Utren Castle, except for occasional returns to the mansion.
The important thing was whether Ention would mention the successor at the banquet. The moment he even uttered a single word about it, the Prucus retainers' covert war would begin.
'In the original, he didn't mention a successor. That's why the eldest son, Zent, felt anxious and tried to exclude Kyle from contention.'
I couldn't be certain.
There was a third son who didn't exist in the original: me.
Ention must have heard rumors about me, and he would have received information from spies planted in the mansion. Elrain and Hasent also reported to him regularly.
The genius inventor Eugene.
His fame had already spread beyond Pterus City to nearby cities.
'Hasent didn't openly declare support for me... but he must have inferred it from the reports.'
I hadn't deliberately hidden Hasent's support. Politically, the head butler's backing was a huge boost for me. There was no need to conceal it.
'The Plun Knight Order supports me too. Not officially yet... but the atmosphere is basically the same. The rumors say so.'
I had been exceptionally good to the Plun Knight Order. Really good. If asked what I'd done, I could list at least 100 things without hesitation.
'The Plun Knight Order can't live without modern goods anymore. They've already gotten thoroughly hooked on modern conveniences.'
The knight order captain was an outrageous smoker and beer enthusiast. He used to go crazy for pork belly and chicken, but lately, he'd been raving about cheese dakgalbi.
'And the noble ladies who've tasted modern cosmetics and desserts are on my side.'
This world had excellent cosmetics too. But compared to modern ones, there were far fewer options, and many had side effects.
'They nearly fainted when they saw the false eyelashes.'
Foundation and lipstick were the most popular. Noble ladies hooked on modern cosmetics not only bought every new product but hounded me about when the next ones would come out.
'Desserts. Especially chocolate—that was a total hit.'
According to my information guild, this world had no cacao trees. Meaning I could completely monopolize chocolate.
'There are coffee trees on the eastern continent... but heh heh. Monopolizing chocolate is plenty.'
It wasn't enough to claim the noble ladies fully supported me, but I could definitely wield more influence than Zent or Kyle.
'This banquet is crucial.'
No skipping out. I would definitely attend this one.
'My goal is to make my presence known to the retainers. And... the merchants and magic tower mages attending the banquet.'
The merchants were essential for expanding my business.
I needed a symbiotic relationship with the magic tower, not hostility. After all, no one dominated this world's economy more than the magic tower.
I glanced at my laptop. Cameras installed throughout the mansion were functioning properly, sending footage.
'Kyle, this guy trains every day without getting bored.'
The day Ention Prucus returned.
For the first time in a long while, all family members gathered at the Prucus dining table and picked up their utensils.
However, there was no warm family conversation.
Ention was an extremely curt man. He hated unnecessary words. He didn't even say something as simple as "delicious" during meals.
With the family head like that, the meal atmosphere was extremely quiet and awkward.
I sliced my steak with a knife and glanced at Ention.
Black hair, black eyes. A jawbeard, wrinkles around his eyes. And unusually tanned skin for his face. Proof he was always outdoors.
'How many assassins would it take to kill an Aura Master?'
One thing was clear: poison wouldn't easily do it.
I shifted my gaze a bit further.
Zent Prucus.
A young man with black hair and black eyes, sporting a jawbeard like his father Ention. The Prucus family's eldest son.
'He's my blood brother too. How should I use him to make rumors spread that I played him well?'
Ention was someone I wanted to kill but couldn't. Zent was someone killing now would be a loss.
'Zent needs to fight Kyle for the successor position. At least until I come of age.'
I pondered while eating my steak.
The only sounds at the quiet table were the clinking of utensils.
After the meal, back in my room, I immediately opened my laptop to monitor Ention. Cameras and bugs were already installed in his room and study.
However, after eating, Ention headed straight to the bath. After bathing, he returned to his room, sat on the floor, and began mana breathing exercises.
'...Well, whatever.'
There was no embarrassing or flashy private life like I'd imagined. Just a dry routine matching his appearance.
'No. Wait. Jumping to conclusions is dangerous. It's his first day back at the mansion. He'll probably reunite passionately with his wife Elrain.'
10 PM.
Ention's room door opened. I thought it was Elrain, but it was Hasent.
Hasent briefly reported everything that had happened at the mansion so far. Ention nodded silently, listening. When Hasent subtly praised me, he smiled faintly.
As Hasent finished and turned to leave...
"Hasent. Do you think Eugene has the qualities to become family head?"
"Family head. I don't know well what qualities a head needs. But Young Master Eugene more than qualifies to stand above others. He is of the Prucus bloodline and your son, Family Head."
"Eugene is frail. He suffers from the same heart condition as Harrel. If Eugene suddenly dies after becoming head... the family would be shaken."
"Young Master Eugene's condition is improving daily. He hasn't had a seizure recently. I'm no doctor, so I can't say for certain, but in about five years, the heart condition should be fully cured."
"......Has Eugene's heart condition improved that much?"
"I believe it's due to the ancient artifact Young Master Eugene possesses."
"Understood. Hasent, you may go."
"Yes, Family Head."
Hasent left the room.
Ention sat in a chair, deep in thought. Probably about me.
I must have been completely out of consideration as successor. A heart condition was that big a demerit. As he said, if the head suddenly dropped dead, the family itself would falter.
But if that heart condition healed in five years? And if he had the ability to lead the family?
'He can't completely rule me out as successor.'
My personal combat power was a weak point... but if Ention was smart, he couldn't ignore my inventive talents. Even if I lacked individual strength, I could make the family wealthier than the eldest or second son could.
'Honestly, the Prucus family's military power is sufficient now. Looking to the future, we should pursue wealth.'
Wealth maintains military power. Military power protects wealth. The two can't be separated.
Ention pondered for a long time before lying in bed and closing his eyes.
I felt a huge mental shock.
'...Where's Elrain? No sex?'
Elrain was a stunning beauty rare even in reality. This wasn't a fantasy world for nothing. With a wife like that, embracing her every night wouldn't be strange.
'He's really asleep!'
I switched the laptop camera to Elrain's room. She was also lying in bed, asleep.
'Is Ention in menopause!'
I quickly shook my head. No jumping to conclusions. It was his first day back; he might just be tired. They could have sex tomorrow night.
'But if they really don't... that opens a gap to target Elrain...'
I looked away from the laptop, stood from the chair, and walked toward the bed.
There was already an occupant on the bed: Yuria.
Yuria was restrained on the bed. Handcuffs and anklets spread her in a 대 shape. A black blindfold covered her eyes, and a ball gag filled her mouth.
I walked to her crotch while undressing. I removed the rotor faintly vibrating against her pussy.
I checked Yuria's erogenous zones almost habitually. It was about time to develop the next one, but I hadn't decided where yet.
"Yuria. Pussy training again today, just like yesterday."
"Mmph. Mmmph!"
Squelch!
I inserted my cock into her pussy. All the way until the glans touched her cervix. As my exclusive cocksleeve, her pussy molded perfectly to my shape.
After insertion, I did nothing. No thrusting hips or fingering her clit.
"Yesterday, it took two hours in this position for me to cum. Today, I bet it'll be faster. You're a pussy genius, Yuria."
I laid my upper body over hers. I planned to stay still until I came.
I whispered quietly into her ear.
"Yuria. If you make me cum within 30 minutes... I'll hold you as much as you want then."
"Mmmph...."
Her pussy clenched tight. But it wasn't enough to make me cum.
"As expected of my cocksleeve. Improving every day."
Banquet day.
I entered the banquet hall in more ornate noble attire than usual.
The rarely used banquet hall was vast and splendid enough to comfortably accommodate hundreds. Accordingly, it was filled with people.
An orchestra invited specially for the occasion played music from one wall.
Invited nobles, merchants, and guests enjoyed wine and food while chatting. Some even danced to the music.
The busiest in the hall were the servants. They handled guests' requests, refilled empty dishes immediately, and cleaned up any spills.
"Eugene. You've come to the banquet."