Chapter 21
Chapter 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Diamond
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“What…….”
Ian, who rarely ever panicked, was even stammering.
Berik whistled as he strode right inside, his movements flowing as naturally as water.
“You, I definitely told you to wait, didn’t I?”
“I was waiting just fine. They called me over.”
“Who?”
“The butler, apparently.”
“What?”
“He came to the tavern and said I could come to the mansion anytime. I bolted over the second I heard. Got a problem?”
Ian’s expression grew a bit complicated. It didn’t seem like Berik was lying. Given the guy’s temperament, he wouldn’t have snuck in. The fact that he’d passed through the front gate without issue was proof enough.
Berik stood still, looking down at Ian.
“…….”
His gaze slid slyly to the left. Berik glanced at the fruits and bread on the table. Ian let out a sigh and nodded.
“Eat.”
“Jackpot. Don’t mind if I do.”
Berik shoved food into his mouth with both hands, devouring it greedily. Watching him, Ian pieced together what was going on.
“That’s all they told you?”
“They said to stick with you and report back.”
“And you weren’t planning to do it faithfully, were you?”
Crunch, crunch.
Berik chewed on fruit while staring straight at Ian. What did he take him for…? A man who gripped a sword didn’t speak twice, and his blade pointed in only one direction.
“Whatever. Spill it quick. What was that thing that day?”
“Oh. Right.”
He was dying of curiosity about this mana or whatever it was. But what could he do? Ian had told him to keep quiet, so he’d played dead. Of course, there hadn’t been anyone around worth telling anyway.
“Alright. Listen up.”
Ian faced Berik and explained the wondrous power latent within him.
The source of the world, an unknown energy that hinted at the existence of gods. Berik’s red eyes sparkled brilliantly like sunlight.
“…No way.”
“So mana was blocking your body’s energy, which is why you fell behind others. No amount of training would’ve helped.”
“And you’re the one who broke through it.”
“…Do you not know what respect is?”
“Whoa, this is insane…….”
Berik clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly as he paced. His face showed uncontainable joy and excitement. That alien power he’d felt in the training grounds really was his. He slammed his head against the wall and burst into laughter.
“You’re impossible to reason with.”
“Shall we start right now? Just tell me what to do.”
Ian stared at him silently. He wanted to infuse the mana right away, but if he caused a scene here, it’d be trouble.
Unaware of Ian’s concerns, Berik trembled his legs as if he could barely hold back.
“Hand.”
“Hand!”
Berik’s hand rested in Ian’s palm. Ian gripped it tightly and warned him.
“Learn some self-control. Otherwise, I’ll have you doing nothing but endurance training for days.”
“Don’t worry, hurry up!”
Ziiing.
The moment Berik answered, Ian activated his mana. His green eyes turned golden as his hair gently floated up. Mana flowed in through their point of contact.
And shortly after.
Boom! Thud!
“Oh my.”
“What was that noise?”
Servants downstairs froze at the unfamiliar roar. It seemed to come from Ian’s room……
Knock knock.
“Master Ian? Is something wrong?”
The reply was a bit late. As the servant reached for the door handle, Ian’s irritated voice came through.
“It’s fine. The table got smashed.”
“Pardon? How did that happen?”
A perfectly fine table?
Bang!
The servant flung the door open in shock, and the sight was spectacular. Shattered furniture, Ian with veins bulging, and a red-haired man sprawled face-down. Even upside down, his face was clearly grinning.
“…Um.”
“Never mind. Clean it up later.”
What in the world was going on?
Ian gestured for him to leave, and the servant backed away awkwardly, like a broken machine.
* * *
“Ian.”
The next morning at breakfast.
Ian paused his cutting and looked at Derga. At the same time, Countess Mary and Chel watched the two intently.
“Looks like you’ve made a new friend.”
What was the point of asking when everyone already knew? Ian set his knife aside and smiled.
“Yes, Father. A guy named Berik. We met at the training grounds, and we hit it off. I’m sure Chel knows his face too.”
He was testing how detailed and transparent his answer would be. Derga twitched an eyebrow, as if to say go on.
“I thought he’d been kicked out after that, so I figured I wouldn’t see him again. Thanks to you, Father, I had a fun time.”
“Kicked out? Why?”
Countess Mary, who’d been listening quietly, asked back. Unlike Derga, she seemed unaware even that Berik had entered the mansion yesterday.
“He assaulted a comrade.”
“Good heavens. How awful. And you keep someone like that close? You’re something else. Do your personalities mesh?”
Even with the sarcasm, Ian just smiled. He’d succeeded in keeping Berik by his side, after all. If things blew up later, that kid would be the one chopping off these people’s heads.
“If you don’t learn your letters within a month, I’ll assume you’ve been playing with that scum and snap his neck.”
“…Yes, Father.”
He planned to use him in every way possible. Not content with chains, he’d wield the whip too. Ian lowered his gaze in obedience. All he could see were Derga’s thick fingers.
‘Good thing they don’t know about the smashed furniture.’
The servant must have kept it secret. Sharing food helped too, but being close to Hanna meant his standing among the servants wasn’t bad.
‘Hm?’
Then, his eyes caught the diamond ring glinting on Derga’s finger. A large stone with flashy goldwork. Derga had never seemed interested in jewelry before, yet he wore this one every day.
‘A wedding ring?’
Ian checked Countess Mary’s hand. But her left hand had no diamond. Opal, pearl, ruby, but no diamond.
‘The cut’s too crude.’
Observing further, he noticed the diamond’s cut was odd. Gems were meant to maximize light reflection for brilliance, but this one was rounded as if to avoid that.
As if it were made more for insertion somewhere than display……
Clink.
“Tsk tsk.”
“Still making mistakes like that?”
“Ah, sorry.”
Ian had dropped his fork without realizing. Under the sharp glares of the count and countess, he apologized quickly and turned his head.
The icy meal soon ended, and everyone left the dining hall, but Ian stayed put. Servants approached hesitantly.
“Master Ian. Was the meal insufficient?”
“We’ll bring hearty snacks soon since your tutor is coming.”
They couldn’t clear the dishes with Ian still sitting there. He stared out the window and muttered.
“That ring Father’s wearing… it’s not a wedding ring, is it?”
What random question was this? Still, the servants answered as best they could.
“We don’t think so. They say the ruby Madam wears is the wedding ring.”
That explained the red mana brooch. Ian rested his chin on his hand, tapping the table. The more he thought, the more his suspicions solidified.
‘The gesture of reaching under the desk, the butler’s mysterious key, and that diamond ring so similar to it.’
Not a turn-to-open type, but just press somewhere. Did the safe only respond to diamonds? No, then the butler’s key should have a gem too.
The difference between them……
‘The material.’
Derga wasn’t the type to entrust a master key to anyone. What the butler held was less a sign of trust and more a test piece.
Considering security, only one possibility came to mind. Electricity flowing inside.
“Ha.”
What a nasty, clever lock.
The servants exchanged glances, peeking at Ian, but he didn’t budge. Only when the tutor’s arrival time neared did he move.
Creak.
Ian opened the door and ordered Berik.
“Out.”
“Huh? Why?”
Thud!
Berik, doing handstands and push-ups, tumbled forward. Ian ignored him and straightened his desk.
“The tutor’s coming soon.”
“So what? Can’t I stay a bit? Room’s huge.”
“I have important business. When the servant brings snacks, take them and send him away.”
“That’s different then. Sure!”
Claiming he was hungry anyway, Berik grabbed his shirt and left.
Soon, the tutor arrived right on time. He glanced toward the door and asked Ian.
“Young master. Who’s that guy outside?”
“Sit first. I have something urgent to discuss.”
Ian’s unusually serious demeanor felt off. The tutor sat on the sofa without removing his coat.
‘I’ve figured out the safe’s key. Now, just the plan remains.’
After Hanna and Berik, he needed more help. Someone close to Derga, able to face him often and for long periods.
“What is it?”
“Teacher, do you know Lord Molin?”
The abrupt question stiffened the tutor’s body.
“N-No, I don’t?”
“Even just graduating from Variel University suggests a connection, and I see you’re from the same region.”
Who knew a usually listless guy could make that face? Ian chuckled inwardly and leaned back.
“N-No way! What a coincidence that would be!”
“Then I can report it to Father?”
“Wait! That’s not…!”
Strong denial was as good as admission. The tutor chewed his lips, frowning. If Derga found out, it’d be disastrous. He wouldn’t lose his head, but he’d lose his job and soon be chased from Bratz territory. No better place for Great Desert research.
“…Young master, you seem to be misunderstanding something.”
“No. Father monitoring me through you, and secretly dealing with Lord Molin—it’s almost certain.”
Was this really the usually slow, disinterested Ian? The tutor experienced speechlessness firsthand.
“Plus, you tried to break into the butler’s room on Lord Molin’s orders.”
“Wait! That’s not it! I’ll explain everything one by one, so calm down, calm down.”
“Teacher, you’re the one who needs to calm down.”
Ian lifted his tea with a bright smile. The tutor stammered, carefully choosing words to defend himself. Starting from his first encounter with Molin in Bratz.
“It’s true I spoke to Count Derga about you. B-But that’s just what any parent-teacher does. When I taught Young Master Chel, I talked about him too.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Best not mention the letters. No need to reveal that.
“Then I started teaching you too, and learned an inspector from the capital was coming. I really didn’t know it’d be Lord Molin. He’s my uncle, but I hadn’t seen him since leaving the main house.”
“Been a while, huh.”
“Nearly ten years.”
As good as saying he’d devoted himself to scholarship. He tore at his hair, sensing something wrong.
“So we exchanged greetings, and… I had no choice. Research costs more than you’d think…. He said he’d supplement my living expenses if I shared mansion gossip. I couldn’t refuse, and it wasn’t important stuff.”
“If it’s not important, Father finding out wouldn’t matter.”
“Y-Young master!”
His face paled, eyes nearly rolling back. Just shaking for control, but the reaction was fiercer than expected. His life’s research was at stake.
Ian sighed and smiled.
“One more word and you’d collapse.”
“Please. Keep it from the count.”
“Teacher, why do you think I didn’t go straight to Father but told you instead…….”
The tutor’s faded pupils shook. He wasn’t quick on the uptake in these matters.
“You still don’t get it?”