A Thorny Lesson for a Foolish Viscount
Fortunately, the injury wasn't severe enough to leave any lasting effects, so I was able to shake it off and stand up right away. As I left the hospital holding Marine's hand, my eyes caught the torn hem of her clothing that she'd ripped to staunch my bleeding.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Marine asked, looking embarrassed as she noticed my gaze. Since she was now a full-grown adult, walking around in such ragged clothes must have been mortifying for her. It seemed my consideration had been lacking.
"Wait here for a moment."
"Uh... where are you going?"
"I'll buy you some clothes to change into."
"It's fine..."
Marine might look like a frail young girl, but she was undoubtedly the next Sword Master. She had more than enough skill to protect herself, so I left her at the hospital without worry.
Now then, where's a clothing store around here?
I had confidently declared that I'd buy her new clothes, but this was my first time in the capital and I didn't know the area at all. With no other choice, I stopped a passerby.
"Excuse me. Is there a high-end women's clothing store nearby?"
Since I was looking for a luxury boutique that sold garments fit for nobles, I deliberately chose a man who looked wealthy.
The man, suddenly grabbed while walking past, looked me up and down and snorted.
"Hah, how dare a mere commoner lay hands on me—Beren Alend, head of the Alend Viscount family?"
"..."
In all my years, I never imagined I'd be looked down on by a mere viscount. I was stunned into silence. The clothes I'd been wearing earlier had been ruined by the blood I coughed up and had to be thrown away. With nothing else to wear, I'd borrowed a set from the hospital staff. The noble must have taken one look at my shabby outfit and assumed I was a commoner.
Logically, what ordinary commoner would dare grab someone wearing clothes that were obviously expensive?
Anger flared up, but since I was partly responsible for the misunderstanding by wearing clothes that didn't match my status, I held it in.
If I revealed who I was, his attitude would change.
"I'm currently wearing these shabby clothes due to circumstances, but I am not a commoner. I am Hendel Edgar, heir to the Edgar Count family."
"What? That Edgar territory—the granary of the empire?"
"Yes."
"Hahaha, talk sense. If you're from the Edgar family, then I'm the Fifth Prince."
"..."
The head of the Alend Viscount family drew a sharp dagger from his coat and pressed it against my throat.
"You brat, impersonating a noble is a crime punishable by immediate execution under imperial law. Do you want to die?"
"..."
Where on earth did this man get the confidence to wave a knife at anyone he pleased?
"Don't resent me. This is all your own karma."
"What are you even saying?"
Even though I didn't flinch when he pointed the blade at me, he should have realized something was off. Instead, the fool seemed completely brainless.
Perfect timing. I wanted to test my newly refined mana anyway. This guy's a good test subject.
The air hummed with power.
⟨ Blazing Flower Petals ⟩
"Y-you bastard! What do you think you're doing!"
Viscount Beren Alend broke into a cold sweat as he watched me grin at the prospect of using magic. He finally seemed to sense that something was wrong. Yet he lacked the courage to actually swing the dagger—his hand simply trembled.
It looked like he had threatened powerless commoners more than once or twice before, but he was far more cowardly than expected. I had no intention of injuring him badly and causing a scene.
⟨ Blazing Flower Petals ⟩
Vivid red hibiscus petals bloomed in a brilliant blaze. Since I didn't actually want to hurt him, I planned to only lightly singe his hair.
At that moment—
"Young master?"
A familiar voice came from behind me.
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue in disappointment and dispelled the magic. The Carde Magic Tower branch manager stood there holding a paper bag of bread. Sensing the tense atmosphere, he approached us.
"Gasp! Isn't that the branch manager of the Carde Magic Tower!"
Viscount Beren, who apparently knew the branch manager, quickly hid behind him.
I was probably on much better terms with the branch manager than this viscount was.
"Branch manager, that mage is threatening a noble just because he can use magic! Show him what for!"
The moment he learned I was a mage, Viscount Beren had been ready to flee with his tail between his legs. Unfortunately, he seemed convinced the branch manager would take his side.
"Ha..."
The branch manager hadn't earned his position for nothing. With just that short exchange, he seemed to have grasped the entire situation. He let out a deep sigh and roughly yanked the collar of the viscount hiding behind him.
Viscount Beren lost his balance and dropped to his knees on the ground.
"Branch manager... why?"
Beren wore an expression of genuine injustice. Anyone watching would have thought I was the one who started the fight.
"Haa..."
The branch manager rubbed his face, clearly stressed, and exhaled another sigh.
"Viscount Beren, do you have any idea who this person is?"
"Uh... no, isn't he just a commoner mage?"
"This is Lord Hendel Edgar, heir to the Edgar Count family."
"That... Edgar Count family where honey and milk are said to flow?"
It seemed our family was famous among the capital nobles as the land of flowing honey and milk. Well, it was true.
"Yes, the very Edgar Count family that developed Cola."
Viscount Beren's face turned deathly pale.
"I-I'm sorry! Please, spare my life at least!"
Though he acted like a thug, he was still a family head. His quick judgment led him to slam his forehead against the ground in a perfect dogeza.
"..."
How cowardly to pull out the ultimate technique of dogeza. Once he used that move, it became difficult for me—a Confucian youth who had lived in the East—to keep harassing him.
"Fine. Grant me just one small wish and I'll let this go."
"Yes! Money, women, anything! I'll prepare whatever you desire!"
"I already have more money than I know what to do with."
"Then what would you like..."
I raised a finger and pointed at the wall. Viscount Beren stood there blankly, not understanding. The quick-witted branch manager pulled his collar and pressed him against the wall.
"A little more to the right."
"Half a step further right."
I meticulously adjusted the position of the viscount, whose face was now pressed to the wall.
"Here?"
"Yeah, right there."
After my delicate adjustments, Viscount Beren finally stood in the perfect spot. I gathered my mana, aiming at the back of his head as he faced the wall.
"Y-Young master?"
When I stayed silent, he must have felt an ominous premonition and urgently called out to me. I ignored him and cast the spell.
⟨ Cactus Embrace ⟩
As a noble who respected the empire's labor laws, I faithfully fulfilled my duty to take every possible safety measure for my test subject. A hard shell formed around Viscount Beren.
"Please spare me! I'll give you my beautiful daughter! Pleeease!"
To think he'd try to sell his own daughter out of fear. Annoyed, I poured in more mana than I'd originally planned.
⟨ Blazing Flower Petals ⟩
Countless hibiscus flowers blazed fiercely as they materialized in the air.
"Kyaaaaack!"
He hadn't even been touched yet, but Viscount Beren screamed loud enough to shake the whole neighborhood. I ignored his cries and scattered the burning flowers.
"Aaack, aaaaaack!"
Thanks to the protective magic, he shouldn't have felt any pain, but the visual terror of being engulfed in flames made him shriek in panic.
"Be quiet."
"Agyak!"
He was too deep in panic to listen. Screaming was a luxury, after all—one you could only afford when you still had the composure for it.
⟨ Thornbush Forest ⟩
The moment the flowers vanished, I deployed the next spell. Countless thorny bushes erupted from the ground. The large, razor-sharp thorns were more than enough to frighten Viscount Beren into unconsciousness.
"Brr..."
Foaming at the mouth, the viscount collapsed.
⟨ Blazing Flower Petals ⟩
I neatly burned away the collapsed viscount's hair and stretched with a refreshed sigh.
"..."
The branch manager stared at the now-bald viscount with a mixture of pity in his eyes.
"Branch manager? I'll be on my way now."
"Ah... yes."
I could see fear in the way the branch manager looked at me. The one who started the fight was the viscount, yet somehow I had become the object of terror. I let out a sigh and checked my watch.
"Eh? One fifteen already?"
I'd felt like only ten minutes had passed, but a full hour was gone. I pictured Marine anxiously waiting for me since I hadn't returned.
"Branch manager. Branch manager."
"Yes?"
"Do you happen to know a high-end women's clothing store nearby?"
"Yes, I know of one."
I earnestly took both of the branch manager's hands.
"Could I ask you to guide me there?"
The branch manager made a troubled face.
"I have my own schedule..."
"I'll reduce the Cola settlement ratio by 0.1%."
The branch manager's eyes widened. On paper 0.1% might not sound like much, but given the sheer scale of Cola's sales, it was a considerable sum. Still, in any relationship, you had to give if you received in order to keep things friendly. When I considered that they'd found us a house in the capital where property prices were sky-high, 0.1% seemed like a fair concession. Honestly, taking twenty percent while doing practically nothing had been pricking my conscience anyway.
"Let's depart immediately!"
Having accepted my offer, the branch manager waved his hand. A single broom appeared out of thin air. He mounted the floating broom and gestured.
"Hop on."
"..."
A mage who rode a broom. It was the first time I'd seen a classic, storybook-style mage since reincarnating into this world, and I felt a small surge of excitement as I climbed aboard. It seemed romance wasn't dead after all.