The Road to the Capital (5)
Roy explained the earring diligently, sweating bullets on the inside.
"That earring is an amulet. I've heard that amulets are often excavated from dungeons, just like enchanted weapons."
"I know what it is. But is that something a commoner maid should be wearing around? Judging by the value of the guardian amulets excavated in our territory, it would be enough to buy a decent house near the capital and still have plenty left over."
Roy put force into his eyes and said,
"I made that myself."
"What!?"
The Count's expression was quite a spectacle.
One might say it was utterly unbefitting a noble.
He was so startled that he spat out the meat he had been chewing.
"You made that?"
"Yes."
Revealing that he was the creator of the amulets was something he had already planned.
Unlike enchanted weapons, amulets were consumable items.
Naturally, they had to be newly crafted and used over and over.
In a situation where anything could happen in the capital, once an attack came—whether by chance or design—the existence of the amulets would naturally come to light.
Just like with Misha the night before.
Then he would have to replace them with new ones right away, and if he wore a fresh amulet while separated from Geren, he might draw suspicion from all sorts of people.
In that case, it was better to claim he had crafted them himself.
Through four years of business, Roy knew all too well how the conversation needed to flow to his advantage.
But there's no need to rush spreading the rumor. It'll be a hassle if everyone starts asking me to make them.
"This is an absolute secret from others. I'm revealing it because I've heard Your Excellency is very close with my father."
"Was there really a need for that? You could have kept it secret from me as well, couldn't you?"
"I simply couldn't think of a good excuse. And after hearing the stories of your memories with Father last night, I thought you were someone I could trust. However, I must urge you once more: please keep this strictly confidential. In exchange—though it feels a bit odd to put it that way—if you wish, I'll gift you one of the amulets I craft."
Roy had set a trap for the Count.
"What nonsense! Even if Cliv and I are childhood friends, I can't just take something so precious for free from a child like you. Tell me how much effort it took to make. I'll pay you three times that. And don't worry about me keeping quiet."
It was the natural course of events.
His Excellency the Count surely wouldn't want to look as though he were robbing a young child.
Moreover, he would keep the secret thoroughly.
If rumors spread, Roy would suspect the Count as the source.
To keep requesting amulets steadily in the future, mutual trust would be important—and if such a rumor started in the Bacon territory?
That was not a picture the Count desired at all.
"It's fine. I'll just give it to you. You treated me so grandly yesterday—this is my repayment. Please don't feel burdened."
"Haha, very well. Cliv has raised his son well indeed. Then I'll give you a gift as well. You won't refuse a gift from me, will you?"
"I'll gratefully accept."
With this, a fine picture had been completed.
Roy smiled slyly to himself.
I was planning to reveal the amulets and the enchantments sooner or later anyway. Well, no rush.
"I've made you talk too much. You haven't even managed a proper bite."
"Not at all. The conversation was so enjoyable I lost track of time."
The Count summoned the maids he had dismissed for the important discussion.
Then he immediately ordered fresh food to be brought.
They ended up starting the meal over from the beginning.
"By the way, your master seems truly remarkable. Anna, whom I met last year, was no ordinary person either, but seeing you is even more astonishing. And to master such a secret technique on top of that. That Cliv fellow is blessed indeed."
"I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you."
"Hahaha, of course it's a compliment!"
Then—
Someone barged into the private meal between the Count and Roy.
"Father! You mustn't scold Roy! About last night, Brother was—"
The intruder was none other than Chloe.
She flung the door open and shouted as she entered.
But seeing the Count and Roy dining with smiling faces, she trailed off.
Don't tell me that girl came to defend me?
It was the moment the boy's favorability toward the girl shot up dramatically.
Chloe ended up joining them for the meal as well.
Originally, the rest of the family had a meal prepared in another room, excluding the Count, but since she had witnessed the events of the previous night, the Count forcibly seated her to ensure her silence as well.
Roy repeated to Chloe what he had told the Count.
Chloe was greatly surprised to hear that Roy had crafted the amulets himself, but she swore by the gods that she would not spread the rumor to anyone.
Only then did Roy relax and resume the knife work he had paused.
The properly roasted veal was exquisite.
Meat for breakfast isn't bad either.
But he soon had to stop cutting again.
Because that cunning girl had dragged out the part the Count had forgotten.
"Then what about your eyes yesterday? They were all sparkling."
Roy nearly sprayed the meat he was chewing right into the Count's face.
"Ah, there was that story, wasn't there? Yes. I heard it from the knights as well."
The tale of Roy's eyes turning entirely golden had finally come out.
But it wasn't a major problem.
His excuses were always loaded and ready.
Though Chloe had asked the question, Roy answered toward the Count.
"It's the spirit I've contracted with. No matter how excellent the weapons Master Geren crafted for me are, how could I dare face Lord Harry, who carries Your Excellency's bloodline? Lord Harry was also drunk, and I only managed to hold out with the spirit's help. I was lucky."
"Just the eyes? There are spirits like that?"
"I've loved reading books since I was young, and it's a forgotten spirit written about in an old tome. Sometimes it reveals its form, but the mana consumption is extreme, so I usually don't summon it."
"Hmm, I don't call my spirit either except when hunting or in battle. But normally, one contracts a spirit after entering the Knight Academy, don't they?"
"I got greedy. Because of that, the mana drain is severe, and there's a major restriction on how long I can use it."
Roy scratched his head sheepishly.
"I see."
"That's a shame... Ah! What I said yesterday was a real mistake, so please don't take it to heart."
"......?"
At Chloe's sudden remark, Roy's eyes went round.
"A mistake? Chloe, did you make some kind of mistake toward our guest?"
The Count asked Chloe what mistake she had made.
Don't answer. Bringing it up again now would be an insult in itself.
Roy fixed his gaze on Chloe.
"Ah, no. I just feel like I acted a bit too coldly."
"You two will be attending the Knight Academy together soon. There will come a day when you're grateful to have even one more person on your side. Keep that in mind."
"Yes... I'll keep it in mind, Father."
Roy remained silent.
He had heard it, but it was clearly advice directed at the Count's own daughter.
Seeing Chloe's dejected expression, it seemed the Count was thorough in educating his children.
It was a world of difference from how he treated Roy.
I can see why Chloe was scared of her father.
In fact, parent-child relationships in lordly families were mostly like this.
When trying to project authority to the people of the territory, it tended to carry over when dealing with one's children as well.
Moreover, out of pride, thoroughly educating one's children so they would never be criticized by other nobles was the greatest characteristic of the Steel Kingdom's nobility.
It'd be nice if they were a bit freer... Then again, that baron fellow kept me locked in the mansion for eleven years too.
Roy was thinking something that would make the baron want to cry if he heard it.
What the baron had done was protection, not confinement.
Of course, for Roy who remembered his past life, such thoughts were inevitable.
Roy somehow felt sorry for Chloe.
So he decided to say a word.
"If it hadn't been for Lady Chloe last night, I might have been badly injured. Thank you for saving me."
"Hm?"
A glint appeared in the Count's eyes.
"That was because my brother was causing a ruckus, so I had no choice..."
"No. Thanks to that, Misha and I were able to stay safe. As compensation, I'd like to gift you an amulet as well, Lady Chloe. Would that be all right?"
"Really?"
Chloe's eyes went wide with joy.
The Count watched the sight with satisfaction.
Well then, the gifts I'll be giving are now two amulets, Count. How much will you give me for my gifts?
While Roy was having such sly thoughts, the Count made an unexpected proposal.
"Chloe. Since you're departing today as well, why don't you go together with Roy here. To build some rapport in advance."
"What?"
"How about it? Do you dislike the idea?"
The Count's final question was directed at Roy.
He couldn't refuse by saying he disliked it here.
"I don't mind. If Lady Chloe is fine with it."
"Chloe. Go with him. He's a boy you can learn much from."
"We're going in separate carriages anyway, so do we really need to go together? Of course I don't think of it as unpleasant to go with him. But the point is..."
"You can just get down and sit together for a while, can't you? Roy seems born for magic, and his master is excellent, so you'll certainly have much to learn."
"Then I'll do that. Is that okay?"
"Huh? Ah, of course."
Roy suddenly felt as if he could hear a cat meowing by his ear.
Noah's going to throw another fit.
Meanwhile, the Count looked satisfied as he watched his daughter and Roy.
But his true intentions were a little different.
A massive old snake had coiled itself in his mind.
Chloe, go and steal the method for crafting those amulets. With talent like yours, it shouldn't be impossible.
It was true that the Count liked Roy, and it was also clear that he considered Cliv Greenhilt a friend.
But what he prioritized above all was no different from other territorial lords.
The development of the territory and the glory of the family.
Roy later realized this fact and trembled in his sleep.
Great nobles are scary... Lords are scary...
He had a nightmare that night.