Chapter 42: The Sword of Duty

Every time her firm fingertips pressed and passed over my scalp, I let out a small sigh.

“Could you relax your neck a little more?”

The perfumed oil flowed down stickily, emitting a fragrance so intense it almost gave me a headache.

“I’ll wipe it once and then you can soak again.”

The maid slowly poured warm water over my head.

My short hair, barely reaching my shoulders, clung tightly to the nape of my neck.

The scent was overwhelmingly strong.

It was a nostalgic fragrance.

I submerged myself in the steaming bathtub and slumped like a cabbage soaked in salt.

“Now will you tell me? What happened to you while I was away?”

“Yes, young master.”

The maid calmly began to speak.

“Starting from the month before last, thirty-three gold coins were allocated for you, young master.”

“Thirty-three coins?”

In my days as heir, my monthly dignity maintenance allowance was around a hundred gold coins, so this was exactly a third.

It was hard to compare directly due to price differences, but one gold coin was roughly equivalent to a million won in my previous life.

An allowance of 33 million won per month for maintaining dignity.

For a deep blue blood, it was insufficient for true noble upkeep, but more than enough for this level of luxury.

“First, I thought it most important to immediately equip you with fitting dignity, so I spent eighteen gold coins to have all your clothes newly tailored.”

“You bought cotton instead of silk for the fabric, right?”

Daily necessities were cheap, luxuries expensive, but crisp white shirts were both essentials and luxuries for nobles.

“Yes. There was no choice. I’m sorry.”

The maid bowed her head as if ashamed.

“No. I meant it as praise. There’s no blue blood unaware that I can’t use magic—if I strutted in silk, I’d only look ridiculous. You did well. Thanks to you, I’ll dress comfortably.”

The maid gave a faint nod.

“Next, I spent fourteen gold coins to dispose of the old carpet and all the furniture and bring in new ones. One coin was used to repair the hot water pipes and acquire perfumed oils and other beauty products.”

“You spent frugally and well. Good job. What did you use this month’s allocation for?”

For a moment, her face stiffened.

“First.”

“First?”

“First, I must apologize. I committed an unforgivable overstep.”

I sat up in the tub and looked at her.

“What do you mean? Tell me properly.”

“I invested that money.”

Invested?

“In what?”

“Recently, under the lord’s orders, a street in the slums is being demolished and redeveloped. Several seven-story buildings are being constructed—with shops up to the second floor and residences above. I invested in one of those buildings.”

From her further explanation, it was similar to small-scale real estate investment from my previous life.

Owning a share of the building and receiving distributed profits like rent according to the share.

“Of the thirty-three coins, thirty were invested, and it’s yielding about three and a half silver coins per month.”

Before judging right or wrong, I wanted to ask one thing.

“Why did you do it?”

After a short silence, she spoke.

“I thought the lord might lower your dignity maintenance allowance again at any time.”

“Ah.”

“I believed you needed assets you could manage yourself. I’m sorry. For a servant to arbitrarily spend her master’s money—it’s a grave crime deserving severed wrists.”

Instead of scolding, I asked one more thing.

“When did you learn about investing?”

“I learned from my father. He was a merchant. His blood was too dilute even to become a knight, so he had no choice but to deal in money.”

The maid bowed her head.

For noble blue bloods, concerning themselves with money was considered vulgar.

But I had memories of living in a capitalist society, and as a blue blood who once sold clothes and skipped meals for lack of funds.

Inwardly concluding on her decision, I spoke.

“Are there other places worth investing in?”

It was an unexpected question; she answered with a surprised face.

“The Ovesus family is eyeing a recently developed silver mine. The Temeratisia are also delegating iron mine management rights to dilute bloods, and that seems promising for big profits. The lord appears to be planning a comprehensive overhaul of the Intezeron sewers, and I know all the favored candidates likely to win the contract. Also…”

Impressive.

If I entrusted money to her, I doubt I’d ever lose.

Come to think of it, she’s in a good position for investment business.

She can pick up all sorts of information circulating in the absolute lord’s mansion.

And the only person she serves is me, who spends the year wandering outside.

“I believe you truly invested for my sake.”

At my words, her eyes widened.

“Thank you for telling me first. I know you had no intention of deceiving me.”

The position of my personal maid received no sweet favors—only bitter contempt.

I don’t think she served me all this time for personal gain.

“This might suit you better. After all, you weren’t originally meant for a role or career attending to my body.”

Yes.

Cleaning was for maids and servants; personal maids and valets were closer to secretaries in my previous life terms.

“I’ll give you authority to manage my funds.”

Until now, there was no money to manage, but thirty-three gold coins is no small sum.

I, who live gripping a sword all day, have no confidence in managing it well myself.

“Just don’t lose it all.”

I smiled faintly and looked anew at my longtime loyal retainer.

Gray hair that might pass for silver if well-managed, and dark blue eyes where layers of loyalty mingled with a hint of ambition.

“And you can grow your hair now. No need to keep it short because of me. I liked your long hair. Sirina.”

“Eut!”

Unusually calling her name, she jerked her head up.

Deep bloods did not call the names of dilute or red bloods.

In strict traditional houses, servants were even made to wear paper masks.

To avoid growing attached and getting hurt by those who would soon disappear.

Because lifespans differed by multiples depending on blood color.

Argantius, having lived over three hundred years, had a face like an older brother rather than father, but Seongbaek, despite living a hundred years, became a white-haired elder.

Sirina’s family couldn’t even produce knights, so her lifespan likely differed little from red bloods.

Unless I died in battle, I would inevitably watch her grow old and die.

That’s why we were taught not to grow attached, not to call names.

But perhaps I’m still a novice.

Unhardened to people, without experience of such wounds, I cannot treat someone sincere toward me that way.

“The remaining three coins are the bonus I promised before leaving. Sirina. Please continue to take good care of me.”

She bowed deeply with an overwhelmed expression.

***

“The money I gave you is yours to entrust to whomever and spend however you wish.”

Lord Argantius had placed an additional desk beside his office desk.

Atop it rested the skull of the giant snake turtle I had captured.

Having applied white preservative to each tooth, he set down the brush and ordered a valet to open the windows wider.

“Well done.”

“Yes?”

“Both the task I entrusted and how you treated your maid—you did well in all. One must live passionately in youth to avoid foolishness in old age.”

It was an odd remark.

Without trying to interpret it, I asked.

“According to the documents I saw, the supervisor there was a notorious embezzler.”

“He was.”

“But the supervisor I met was not an impious embezzler, but a pitiful man entangled in the imperial family’s conspiracy.”

“He was.”

“May I ask how much you knew before sending me?”

Argantius gazed at the ancient skull returned from time.

“I thought either possibility existed.”

“Ah.”

“He could have been an embezzler. Or the delays in construction, poor labor management, and lack of communication could have occurred. Or both at once. A noble must be able to respond to any.”

I nodded.

“They were meticulous. They used the logic that monsters resembling the ancients came from somewhere, and the imperial family was merely barely controlling them via a mind-attribute mage rather than attacking.”

“They did. It’s a rare and powerful trait, but you overcame it well.”

The lord smiled with satisfaction.

“You kept your promise, so I will keep mine. In a gathering of our house’s blue bloods, I will bestow the sword you desired.”

“Thank you.”

I thought it ended there, but Argantius continued.

“The scales and hide of the monster you brought were truly well-crafted.”

Crafted.

Not a common word for a living being.

“There seems to be an impressive mage in the imperial family. You’ll meet them someday, so do not let your guard down.”

***

The lord said he would bestow the sword in a gathering of the house’s blue bloods.

But thinking about it, the house’s blue bloods wouldn’t assemble just for one knight receiving a sword.

Even slaying a few monsters isn’t that great an achievement to true deep-blood officer-mages.

So I couldn’t understand the figures gathered in the Hall of Glory before me.

“Lord Okeanos?”

The head of the pureblood branch family managing the house’s navy and ports stood on one side of the hall.

“Lord Pezetio?”

The head of the pureblood branch managing the house’s largest granary was there too.

“The senate heavyweights are all out.”

Sky-blue officer-mages I followed as a child had left their mansions and gathered at the main estate.

“That one’s from Temeratisia too. Came instead of Temeratia?”

A young noble from a military lineage stood beside the hall, collar raised, medals gleaming.

They were figures as formidable as those from that day when I was fifteen.

I bit my lip and paced the corridor at the opposite end of the hall.

Snatches of the gathered nobles’ conversation reached me.

“Sir Anplus is over there, but Lady Belia is nowhere. Something wrong? She should be here today.”

“She’s late. It’s been three months since she left to meet the northern branches. Word is she’ll arrive in a few days.”

“Then today’s reception will be…”

“Sir Anplus will handle it.”

Reception?

Unfamiliar with the term, I frowned.

As per the valet’s message this morning, I wore a cloak over my breastplate and even steel gauntlets.

Without a wig, short hair tied back tightly, dagger at my belt—full combat readiness.

With a sword in hand, I could march to battle immediately.

Yet dressed like this for a reception?

“The envoys are entering!”

A valet announced, entering through a small side door.

All the house nobles in the Hall of Glory turned toward the main entrance.

Preceded by a golden cross flag, about a dozen nobles and twice as many knights marched in step into the hall.

“On behalf of Her Imperial Highness, we greet His Lordship Argantius Intezeruto. We have come to discuss the recent unfortunate incidents in the border region.”

The blue blood leading them bowed to the lord.

A noble man with glossy long silver hair neatly tied, green eyes shining like emeralds.

His crisp matching suit was impressive.

Like Lobigos and Sormanzer, he seemed a rising elite from an imperial branch family.

“Unfortunate incidents?”

“Who caused those unfortunate incidents!”

“Shameless.”

The house nobles grimaced and muttered.

Argantius replied in a dignified voice.

“You’ve traveled far—much hardship. As it happens, my son awaiting to receive you today is here. I have an item to bestow upon him, so would you stand beside the pillar and join in the cheers for a moment?”

It was tantamount to a command.

The envoy group exchanged glances, then stood beside a pillar near Argantius’s throne.

I felt my heart beat faster.

I roughly grasped what this occasion was for.

Not merely for me, but to suppress the imperial envoys’ momentum.

“Anplus. Enter.”

As soon as his words fell, musicians played delicate strings and grand brass.

Courtesy not even extended to the imperial envoys.

I stepped onto the red carpet and advanced through the Hall of Glory.

To crush their spirit, I held my head high and walked with utmost pride.

“Anplus! Anplus! Anplus!”

“Your merit is great!”

“The knight who slew the ancients!”

Blue bloods aware of the border dispute called my name.

Among the nobles lining the hall, wind manipulators summoned a gentle breeze to flutter my forelocks and cloak.

An honor reserved for triumphant generals.

It felt like being the protagonist in a play.

“The armor crafted from the monster scales you captured—strong as steel yet light as cloth, comfortable even for this old body. Thank you, sir.”

Sky-blue elder officer-mages of the house waved to me.

Elders older than Lord Argantius himself.

They wore scale armor sewn from large lizardman scales inside their uniforms.

Polished surfaces gleamed translucent green like jade—truly beautiful.

“We thank Sir Anplus for slaying the monster sent by the imperial family!”

“Thanks to you, I wear this splendid cloak.”

A military noble draped in a gorgeous cloak adorned with gold on monster hide shook it.

I waved back to them and prostrated before Argantius.

“Rise, my son.”

He called me in an unusually gentle voice.

“It was a foe children could not defeat, a place officer-mages could not reach. You were where needed and repelled the house’s enemies—your merit is great.”

It was a voice igniting fire in my chest.

“We live in an era where storms approach our eternally reigning house. Understand that to the meritorious, we can offer not rest but more opportunities. This sword is both burden and duty you must bear—forgive a father handing fetters to his son.”

From the lord’s eyes as he finished, I knew he desired a response.

I glanced at the imperial envoys.

Their expressions were rotting as they watched a knight rewarded for slaying monsters sent by the imperial family.

I chose words carefully.

“I have never once thought otherwise. I am merely grateful for the opportunity to achieve greater merits.”

As if waiting, he said.

“As you say, I hope this duty becomes your opportunity. Take the sword’s weight as responsibility, its sharp edge as chance.”

He opened an ebony box, revealing a long sword and scabbard.

The very sword I had longed for.

The ivory blade was over two spans longer than my former knight sword, widening toward the hilt and tapering to a point.

Thick enough to use as a club if dulled, unlikely to bend or break easily.

The scabbard was plain but high-quality, made of snake turtle leather.

Well-treated with chemicals, it seemed it wouldn’t rot even in water.

I received the sword respectfully.

I heard the imperial envoys inhale sharply in fury.

As if pouring oil on fire, I declared.

“With this sword, I will slay monsters children cannot defeat and go where officer-mages cannot. No matter who employs vile schemes to send abominations, they shall not tarnish Intezeruto’s glory.”

The lord smiled with satisfaction.

At the same time, the imperial envoys gritted their teeth and trembled.