Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Ice Cream Trials and the Fake Betrothal
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"Whoa, this is insane. It's freaking delicious."
"That's not it—this is an insult to ice cream!"
"Are you crazy? It tastes great, what's the issue?"
Unfortunately, it tasted nothing like the stuff I'd made and devoured in my previous life.
I had to swallow back bitter tears of regret.
Was it the lack of ingredients? Or did I miss some crucial step? Maybe the quality of the materials was off?
I'd thought it would work since there were plenty of similar ingredients to what I remembered from my past life, but disappointment flooded in.
"Hey, give me more."
In stark contrast, Melissa seemed pretty pleased with the flavor as she shoved her empty bowl toward me.
"You raising a whole pig in there? Eat in moderation."
"Hey, this is seriously good! Hand over more!"
Who the hell was going to marry someone with such a bottomless appetite...
I clicked my tongue but still handed over another serving of my failed prototype ice cream No. 1.
Melissa shoveled it in with a gleeful grin, like she was venting all her pent-up stress.
"Hey. You'll get fat eating like that."
"Ever seen an Expert pack on pounds? Calorie control is a breeze. Hoo... Eating while circulating aura cools my heated body so fast—feels amazing. My brain's tingling..."
What could I do if she loved it that much?
She looked reasonably satisfied, but I still couldn't see this making money.
"Leon! Sell this! I guarantee it'll rake in cash!"
"Ugh... Come on, you're joking, right? You wanna tank the business?"
"No, it's delicious! And the ingredients are pretty cheap too. Wait, make it a specialty product of the county and draw in traders..."
"No way it's that easy."
"Then what's the problem?"
I tapped the failed ice cream bowl.
"Sure, it'll get a good reception at first. For a little while."
"Not later?"
"You'll see for yourself. Here, eat up."
I offered her more ice cream, and she dug in happily.
"Here."
And she ate it again.
She kept accepting whatever I gave her, but soon her face scrunched up.
"Ugh, it's cloying..."
"Get it now? Yeah, it tastes good. But this is a failure. It's the kind of flavor you get sick of fast."
It wasn't bad, but fundamentally, it was something you'd tire of quickly.
"Who'd keep buying it once they're bored of it?"
"Hmm... Yeah, you're right. So this is a flop?"
"A flop, yeah. But the business itself isn't doomed. It's worth trying. Money's a later issue."
So for now, I figured I'd focus on making this.
A flavor less aggressively stimulating, one that wouldn't wear thin so fast.
That was the key.
"Still, it's a solid start. I'll handle making this, so you clean up at Tibel's estate and look after the Other Race we rescued there."
Breaking their slave contracts took time, so they were still hanging around.
"Once the contracts are broken, anyone who wants to go home can contact their people to pick them up. But some say they have nowhere to return to. I'm planning to take them in."
"We're House Cascadia too? And some want to stay?"
"Their minds are broken. Ones who've lost the will to even escape slavery on their own—they need treatment."
"How many?"
"Still tallying, but not a small number. For now, I'll hire them as servants and provide room and board."
Safely returning the Other Race should prevent any major backlash.
No matter what, I wanted to avoid clashing with massive powers like the World Tree faction.
I'd have to tend to the abducted Other Race's recovery in parallel.
With the big fire out, nothing should disrupt my rest now.
Or...
So I thought.
About two weeks had passed since the monster incident.
Most cleanup was going smoothly, and we'd collected everything from Tibel's estate.
Of course, the treasures from his vault were still in my possession.
Melissa had recovered quickly enough to walk without crutches, and the wounded could manage basic movement.
It was a rare taste of leisure and peace.
"Young Master."
I turned from my kitchen research with the head chef when a maid called for me.
"What is it?"
"The Young Lady urgently requests you."
I had to head to the capital soon for official Expert recognition and confirmation as count heir.
What now?
When I arrived at her office, I clenched my fist at the sight of her smirking smugly.
"Why the face? It's pissing me off."
"Pfft... Looks like you're in deep shit?"
She waved a single letter in her hand.
"Know what this is?"
The paper looked high-end at a glance, addressed to Melissa.
An inexplicable anxiety swelled up.
The Melissa I knew had a nasty temper—she wouldn't smirk like that over good news.
I pondered deeply.
When did she ever grin like that?
-Leon, Dad says you need training. Heh heh... Come on. I'll beat you senseless today.
-Leon, I snitched to Dad about the mess you caused. He's raging to drag you back. Run if you can. I'll chase in 10 seconds.
-Leon...
"Damn it all!"
I spun to flee on instinct, but her drawn shortsword slammed into the door behind me in a flash.
"Where do you think you're going, you bastard?"
"Throwing a knife at your big brother? You lost your mind?"
"Hey, I haven't forgotten you drawing on my mustache while I was out cold."
Petty!
I stared at her in dismay.
"That was over two weeks ago. Still hung up on it?"
"Yup. I'll never forget, even after years."
I could only stick out my tongue at her terrifying grudge-holding.
"Sigh... So, what is it?"
"What do you think?"
She snickered creepily.
"Damn it. Just tell me."
"Heh heh... Heh heh heh heh."
The bigger her laughter grew, the worse my unease.
She was the acting family head—when she said jump, I jumped.
"Mielephon."
"Hm?"
"Betrothal dowry list approval request. Wow, this is a shocker... They're sending a sword from the Sword Hall report."
"Wait, that was just supposed to be a rumor that talks of betrothal were floating around? What's with the sudden dowry..."
Exactly as it sounded. It was just talk—no need for formal letters like this.
A strange dread surged.
"You nuts? Word's out that House Mielephon positively received the betrothal proposal, and you think we can dodge without preparing a dowry? What kinda backlash you aiming for?"
I hadn't considered that.
"Hm, makes sense?"
"'Makes sense' my ass."
Thinking about it, she wasn't wrong.
Dismissing it as mere rumor could kill the potential deal.
House Mielephon would have to stay silent too. But just letting rumors fly unchecked would trash their face.
As if teasing me, she pulled out the family head's seal.
"Hey... Hey! You crazy bitch! Stop!!"
"Not stopping. Jealous? Marrying into a rich, powerful family's young lady?"
"Hilarious. Cut the crap."
"Nope. Rejecting this blows it up big time."
A hefty dowry list like this? Rejecting it paints House Cascadia as greedy in a heartbeat!
Nobles obsessed over honor even in petty matters. In other words...
It'd kill any business prospects.
I screamed like a banshee, but she cackled wickedly and slammed the seal down!!
"Take that, you prick."
Why the hell did I save her ass?
Dizziness hit me hard.
"No way... It got this messy?"
"You started the fake betrothal talk first, even if it was bullshit. They bought it! One word from them, and we're the ones with no comeback. What's our excuse to reject the dowry?"
"Mm..."
Damn, she had a point.
"Not a normal amount either. Reject it, and you're the greedy pig bastard."
No, shoving through the dowry like this might actually make the betrothal real. How didn't she see that?
Once sealed, backing out hurts both sides.
I glared at the damn document.
She casually tucked the letter away and shrugged.
"You caused the mess. Own it."
"Fine, gather the dowry and return it later."
"Leon, you clearly don't get it, so listen up."
She leaned back, crossing her legs.
"Political marriages sometimes spark suddenly with a 'let's do it!' but others, like yours, balloon from rumors you let slip. That's why royals and great houses nip scandals in the bud."
"..."
"Acting family head's order. Don't let your karma drag the house down."
"Damn it, under stood."
She pouted mockingly.
"Ah, 'understood, Young Lady~' Feels kinda nice. Yeah, show me respect like always."
"You look like a rampaging megalodon, acting just as fierce."
Outsiders called Melissa beautiful and aloof, but to me, she was a trilobite-lookin' menace.
It was my seed, sown from ignorance of noble ways. I'd only asked for light rumors—no dowry requests—but as she said, I'd been too lax.
The old man must've known. Never warned me once.
[He warned you sufficiently. Moreover, in my judgment, whether he warned you or not, estimating the Sword Saint's actions at that time, it's highly likely he would have welcomed it instead.]
'Shut up.'
I ground my teeth.
Fine, just a dowry list. No need to overthink.
Plenty of minor excuses to cancel. Melissa knew that too, so she was taking it lightly.
She probably figured it was too good an opportunity to pass.
"Hey, can I be honest?"
Humming, she scanned the list, then propped her chin seriously. Her face was earnest, but my nape prickled.
"What."
"Seeing you panic is hilarious."
Of course, the seriousness vanished, replaced by her teasing smirk.
I yanked the dagger from the door; she drew her spare.
"What, regicide now? Come at me. You die, I live today."
Her unyielding attitude drew a sigh.
"Ugh, whatever."
I'd only asked for a whisper of rumor, but the scale dizzied me. Still, with it nailed as fake betrothal, unless some Mielephon lady suddenly demanded marriage...
The Sword Saint wouldn't push further.
"Oh, right. Heading to the palace soon."
"For official Expert certification and count approval?"
Melissa was already an Expert. To become count, she needed royal Expert endorsement first, then the king's appointment.
We had to visit the Bata palace, like it or not.
"You're staying behind?"
"Nah. Coming with."
"You hated it before."
Didn't matter now.
The capital was the tiger's maw. Home to Tibel's backers among the nobles. No way I'd let her go alone.
"Too worried not to."
"I'll take that gratefully."
She looked pleased enough. Tibel's fall and her reduced stress helped.
About four days later.
Melissa and I boarded a carriage with minimal escort, heading for the palace.
Rumble!!
"What's that?"
She tilted her head at the small blue box in my lap.
"Nothing much."
It was alive, but who knew what might hatch while I was gone? Had to bring it.
Thankfully, no signs of imminent change.