Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 233

Episode 233

To think the sword I thought would be a help turned out to be a ticking time bomb. I felt even more overwhelmed knowing that I had practically forced it onto Isana, who was hesitating. No matter how I looked at it, people were whispering that it was a demon sword; in this case, the Royal Knights had foresight.

I hadn’t intended to take anyone’s side until now, but my heart was rapidly leaning towards them. I even began to think that perhaps they had instinctively sensed this danger.

Should I throw it back into the dungeon?

It’s unfortunate, but Isana being threatened is a completely separate matter. Even if it weren’t Isana, I couldn’t just leave a sword that drives people mad. Since I couldn’t bring myself to destroy it, returning it to where it was and resealing it seemed like the best option. However, Ifrit, the culprit behind this whole situation, was acting more indignant than anyone else.

“You’re not thinking of abandoning that poor child now, are you? She’s already found her master. Just like a spirit contract, it’s a mutually agreed-upon relationship. You have to keep your promises, you know?”

“But you said it could go berserk!”

“I said there’s a possibility, but it won’t go berserk that easily. There’s no need to take it so seriously.”

“How can I not take this seriously!”

I wish he would just stay quiet. It was even more infuriating to have my insides twisted and then be told it’s okay.

This isn’t just a matter of compatibility. Ifrit, that guy has a flaw in his personality. A very serious flaw!

“Going berserk is just the worst-case scenario. You just need to manage it well normally, okay?”

“…Okay. So, what kind of things make it go berserk?”

“As you know, a sword with an ego like Ignis is greatly influenced by its owner. Becoming a demon sword just makes it more extreme. In short, the more unstable the owner’s mind, the more dangerous it becomes. Of course, this is only in very severe cases.”

“For example?”

“Experiencing such great frustration and despair that their lifelong beliefs crumble, or being captivated by strange ideologies to the point of changing their personality. Or harboring evil intentions that lead to their own destruction. Fortunately, your contractor seems like a gentle and upright child, so that’s unlikely to happen, right?”

“Hmm, well, yes…”

“See? Just that alone makes it highly unlikely that Ignis will go berserk. And that’s not all. Being with a gentle owner can actually improve its condition. It can even purify some of the evil energy.”

“It can be purified?”

“That’s right. Of course, that makes it even less likely to go berserk. The sword gets rid of its bad energy, and the owner gets stronger. Wouldn’t you say it’s a win-win situation? In the old days, they even used to entrust mad demon swords to pure children to calm them down. So, what do you think? Doesn’t sound like much, does it? In that sense, it’s really fortunate that your contractor became his master.”

…Okay, I get it now. From the moment he gave me the map, Ifrit’s true plan was this. And it was never for me or Isana!

“You were aiming for this, weren’t you?”

“Well, what do you think?”

“Did I really become your enemy for some reason?”

The only reason I didn’t lunge at him and grab his collar was that Ifrit was in a female form. Especially when he disguised himself as Ikana, he looked completely like a woman, so I couldn’t bring myself to treat him roughly. It’s been a long time since the habits I picked up as a human have been this annoying.

Why is it that the Spirit King near me has to be Ifrit? I missed Trowell and Minerva so much today.

* * *

If you were to name a famous mansion in the capital, you couldn’t leave out the Caribdis Duke’s residence. The Caribdis Duke was a well-known figure, but the mansion itself was also famous for its beauty.

The mansion, which he received from the late Emperor when he was granted his title, was more like a castle than a mansion.

It was built by the best architect of the time, and the market price during the construction phase alone was enough to buy several other mansions in the capital. It was famous from the moment it was completed.

People even came from distant provinces just to see it after hearing rumors.

However, contrary to its glamorous reputation, the interior of the mansion was very simple. Or rather, the mansion itself had enough foundation to be decorated nicely, but the resident wasn’t utilizing it.

Out of nearly a hundred rooms, only about five were properly used. Even a baronetcy [the rank of a baronet] would have dozens of employees, but here there were barely ten. The garden, which could be said to be the pride of the nobles, had been left unattended and had long since become like a wild forest. This was because the Caribdis Duke himself disliked troublesome things and wasn’t interested in appearances. He even spent more days in his official residence than in the mansion.

The quiet mansion, maintained with only the bare minimum, with hardly any signs of life, was nothing more than a beautiful ghost castle. That’s why the butler, Ruben, was always deep in thought. As a manager, he ideally envisioned a lively mansion full of human warmth. Managing an empty shell of a mansion was a very painful task for him.

If there were a mistress, this beautiful mansion wouldn’t be left idle. His indifferent master didn’t seem to have any intention of marrying. No matter how much he felt sorry, he couldn’t go against his master’s decision. Ruben was slowly giving up.

But one day, things started to change little by little. One day, the Duke came home from an outing with a young child. She was a commoner named Leia, who was eight years old this year. According to the coachman, who knew the circumstances, she had lost her parents in a carriage accident.

The reason for bringing the child was unknown, but the Duke told Ruben to wash and feed her. He wondered if he was doing a favor for one night before sending her to an orphanage, but the next day and the day after that, there were no further instructions. Even when Ruben brought it up first, there was no clear answer.

The Duke seemed to be pondering what to do with Leia. It was very rare for him, who was usually quick to make decisions. As the decision was postponed day by day, Leia had been living in the mansion for over two months.

In the meantime, a room was decorated for the child in the mansion, and necessary supplies were brought in. He bought picture books and toys for Leia, who was bored, and hired additional employees to take care of her. Of course, most of it was done by Ruben, but it was possible because the Duke approved it, so it was the same as if he had done it.

In a place with few people, the atmosphere changes greatly even with a small increase in personnel. Especially a young child was enough to bring vitality. Thanks to this, an untimely spring breeze was blowing in the desolate mansion these days. The Duke didn’t interfere with Leia’s schedule, but he always ate meals with her. He sometimes checked her daily routine and asked how she was doing.

Because of his actions, rumors were spreading among the employees that the Duke was going to adopt Leia. Of course, Ruben had already thought so for a long time. Not long ago, there was an incident that made him sure of that expectation. Although the Duke had ordered him to keep it a secret, he had no choice but to remain silent now.

‘He’ll officially announce it when the child is a little older.’

Just thinking about it made Ruben’s mouth water. It was a pity that there was no beautiful mistress, but it was better to have an heir. If there was someone to succeed him, the Duke would pay more attention to the mansion than before. No, in fact, none of that mattered. It was enough that his master wouldn’t live alone in loneliness for the rest of his life.

Contrary to the glamorous reputation known to the world, the Caribdis Duke was a lonely man. He refused and sent back even those who came to follow him for life, and he didn’t even make close friends to share small talk with, let alone acquaintances to interact with. Many people criticized him as arrogant for not trying to get along with others in an extreme way. But Ruben’s thoughts were a little different. In his eyes, the Duke just seemed to be wandering around, unable to find a place to settle down. Neither people nor things could give him stability.

But the little child who suddenly appeared was different. As far as Leia was concerned, the Duke didn’t act like himself in any way. Bringing in a child who had nowhere to go, giving her a place to stay, and taking care of her in various ways were things that he would never have done before.

The Duke, who was from a commoner background, spent his childhood in the Temple of the Gods. Children who grew up in the temple, unless they were priests, were mostly orphans, and that was the same for the Duke. Perhaps he felt a sense of kinship with Leia, who had lost her parents. But the reason didn’t matter. The fact that the Duke, who had been loyal only to the Grand Duke, had a special existence other than him was more important.

The Duke himself didn’t seem to be aware of it yet, but he tended to speak more gently when dealing with Leia. Thanks to this, the maids who had recently joined thought that his personality was originally gentle. It was a remarkable change in just two months. Leia’s existence will bring more changes to this Duke’s family in the future. Ruben had no doubt about it.

“Butler!”

Ruben, who had been lost in pleasant thoughts, came to his senses because of a woman’s urgent voice. When he turned around, Lolan, a new maid, was running towards him in a hurry. Ruben frowned as he saw Lolan, who had rolled up her voluminous skirt to her calves.

“I think I told you not to run in the hallway, Lolan. And if anyone sees you in that untidy outfit…”

“T, that’s not the problem now, Butler! Something terrible has happened!”

“Terrible?”

“Young Master Leia has disappeared!”

“……!”

Ruben’s face, which had been making a puzzled expression, hardened in an instant. To him, who had been excited dreaming of a hopeful future just a moment ago, it was like a bolt from the blue.

“Young Master has disappeared? What on earth are you talking about?”

“I’ve been looking for him all morning since this morning, but I can’t see him. I’ve searched every nook and cranny of the mansion, but he’s not there.”

“Have you been to the stable? What about the garden?”

“I’ve been to the stable, but he wasn’t there, and I’m searching the garden now.”

“Hmm, I see. I’ll go look for him right away, so you go to the gatekeepers and find out if Young Master has passed through the gate.”

“Yes!”

Just as the two hurried to move, the door near them opened and a huge shadow suddenly appeared.

“What’s going on?”

“……!”

The person who walked out was the Caribdis Duke. Ruben couldn’t help but swallow a groan. He had blatantly exposed the whole situation to the person he shouldn’t have been caught by the most. The maid Lolan was so surprised that she was hiccuping.

“I think I heard Leia has disappeared.”

“…It’s nothing, Duke. It seems Young Master is just taking a long walk in the garden.”

Ruben, who had quickly regained his composure as befitting his many years of butler experience, answered calmly. The Duke raised his eyes and looked at the window right next to him. It was past noon, so the sunlight was coming in clearly in a straight line.

“Isn’t it too hot to take a walk?”

“Yes, I was worried about that point. I’ll bring Young Master right away.”

“No, there’s no need to do that.”

The Duke shook his head lightly at the hurried words. Lolan and Ruben looked at him in surprise, but his gaze was still towards the window. In his vision, looking down to where ordinary people couldn’t see, he saw a small shadow hiding in the bushes.

“It seems I’ve already found him.”