Chapter 28: Misunderstanding (2)

Ah, I’ve had a good rest.  

It had been a week since returning to the mansion.  

Evan had rested to his heart’s content.  

The Duke happened to be away.  

Since no one summoned him, staying in his room was perfectly legitimate.  

Nice. 

This is happiness.  

Too many things had happened lately…  

For safety-first Evan, they were utterly exhausting events.  

Not that they were bad.  

Thanks to them, he’d obtained the health ring, which eliminated his usual anemia and headaches.  

How great would it be if the ring’s effects applied even when he wasn’t wearing it?  

If it weren’t for my poor health, I’d be pretty decent.  

Evan Alkart’s body had plenty of flaws.  

Too many, in fact.  

Still, a year of effort had paid off.  

Steady improvement through potions.  

He’d worked on “body refinement” rather than alchemy, and it hadn’t been ineffective.  

With the health ring, he’d likely reached the level of an average person.  

Now, only the advantages remained.  

My status alone is already overwhelming.  

This world operated on a class system.  

Status was law, power, and money.  

Evan’s position was that of a noble’s son.  

Not just any noble—a ducal family, with only the Emperor above them.  

What a tremendous advantage.  

Some might say being the second son was a pity, but for Evan, it was a perk.  

True, he wouldn’t inherit much.  

But that also meant fewer responsibilities.  

In other words, a sweet deal!  

If only it could last forever.  

How much time is left?  

Evan stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.  

Roughly three years.  

The time until the main story begins.  

But it wasn’t exactly a grace period.  

Maybe… two years?  

The world’s downfall starts much earlier than the main story.  

By the time the player appears, the collapse is already underway.  

To stop it, he’d need to start moving now.  

Even if he slacked off, he had one year at most.  

He had to prevent the impending doom entirely.  

Of course, it’ll be the allies, not me, doing the preventing.  

Even so, he’d have to run around a lot.  

…As much as he hated it, there was no choice.  

He didn’t want to deal with pain.  

So far, he’d met three main allies.  

Adrianna, Arthur, and the Assassin King.  

His relationship with Arthur had grown closer this time, and he was keeping a reasonable distance from the Assassin King.  

The problem was the Saintess.  

He seemed to have earned her favor.  

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent a letter.  

But her support is stingier than I expected.  

Practically nonexistent.  

Sure, he wasn’t sick, but it was a far cry from the original story where she showered aid.  

Was it because he hadn’t faced a crisis yet?  

With the gift I sent this time, she’ll be satisfied and send more, right?  

If not, he could send more.  

Or solve her flaw, like he did for Arthur.  

The curse lingering in the Saintess’s heart remained.  

To resolve it, he’d need a lot of materials.  

Still, I made a good connection at the ball.  

Belia.  

The only connection he made at the ball.  

The second daughter of the Golden Caravan’s leader.  

The caravan was mocked as the eternal second-place, but its scale couldn’t be ignored.  

Second place could become first at any moment.  

If he shared a few pieces of future knowledge, wouldn’t they seize the top spot on their own?  

Kingmaker.  

That sounded pretty cool.  

Knock, knock!  

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.  

Lapis, who was playing with string alongside Frey, peeked up.  

“Who’s there?”  

“Young Master! Two letters have arrived!”  

It was Dolph outside.  

His characteristically lively voice rang out.  

“Would you like to read them now?”  

“Two? From people I know?”  

“One’s from someone I’ve never seen before!”  

“?!”  

Puzzled, Evan opened the letter Lapis brought with her string.  

Sender: Belia.  

Oh.  

She didn’t forget!  

Evan carefully scanned the letter’s contents.  

It’s been a while, Young Master Evan Alkart.  

I’m sorry for leaving without a proper goodbye that day. 

An urgent matter came up.  

Instead, I’ll personally send the “good connections” you wanted to the mansion.  

Thank you.  

I hope you achieve everything you desire.  

P.S. Beware of the notorious villainess.  

A letter sent without him asking.  

A pleased smile naturally formed on his lips.  

Seems like they don’t get along.  

Well, of course.  

Asella was a famous villainess.  

Some disliked her, but no one liked her.  

How else could someone with her looks still have no marriage prospects?  

I heard she had one in the past.  

Didn’t it end with her dying after drinking tea?  

An “accident” he’d seen a few times back on Earth.  

Probably not just an accident, though.  

I should send a reply.  

Thank you. Wishing you even better things.  

That should do.  

Anything grander wouldn’t suit his style.  

“I’ll send this! Oh…! And Young Master! This is the progress report on the orphanage!”  

Time to get back to work.  

Evan sighed inwardly and looked over the documents.  

Hmm.  

He didn’t quite get it.  

Roughly, it detailed costs, required manpower, hiring a manager, and appointing a responsible overseer…  

In short, a lot to do.  

“Evan.”  

At that moment, Frey stood up.  

“Ah! My string!”  

Ignoring Lapis’s protest, Frey approached and held out her hand.  

“Let me see those documents.”  

“? Go ahead.”  

Evan handed them over without hesitation.  

“But don’t tamper with them.”  

“Don’t worry. It’s all for you.”  

“?”  

Did she eat something weird?  

Lately, Frey had become overly obedient.  

Probably because he gave her a name.  

Aside from occasional “walks,” she stayed holed up in the room.  

It wasn’t bad, but it felt… off.  

She’s not going to stab me in the back, right?  

“Why are you building an orphanage?”  

“If we happen to find people like you, we can’t keep them all in this mansion.”  

Eventually, he’d need to become independent.  

The mansion belonged to the Duke.  

Unless he inherited the ducal title, he’d have to leave.  

A house to live in later.  

He’d deliberately chosen a peaceful city.  

One with little presence in the game, unlikely to get caught up in major events.  

Of course, he couldn’t say that.  

And it wasn’t his primary goal anyway.  

Evan stated his purpose plainly.  

“No matter their circumstances, children with nowhere to go need at least one ‘shelter’ to rest in, don’t they?”  

“A shelter… like me…”  

Muttering a few words, Frey nodded.  

“Got it.”  

“Huh?”  

Lapis peeked up.  

Looking out the window, she said, “Evan! Evan’s dad is back!”  

“His Grace the Duke?”  

Knock, knock!  

At the same time, someone knocked on the door.  

An unfamiliar presence.  

Frey and Lapis’s gazes turned toward the door.  

Their eyes carried a faint hostility.  

They must’ve mistaken it for an enemy.  

As Evan calmed them, an emotionless voice came from beyond the door.  

“Young Master Evan, His Grace the Duke summons you.”  

…Can I not go?  

***  

Evan stood before the Duke’s study.  

Ugh, I’m already exhausted.  

Before coming, he’d washed, dressed up, and changed clothes for the sake of etiquette.  

Did parents and children really need such formalities?  

But they were nobles before family.  

Living and dying by honor, so this process felt natural.  

So stifling.  

He reached to loosen the tie around his neck but stopped under the fierce glare of a nearby maid.  

Fine.  

He’d loosen it later.  

It wasn’t because he was scared.  

“His Grace the Duke.”  

Evan cautiously knocked on the study door.  

“Evan Alkart speaking. May I enter?”  

Come in.  

The voice was so unlike Evan’s.  

Unlike Evan, who was still growing, it was deep and dignified.  

A voice that exuded nobility with just a single word.  

Creak—  

The door opened with a small hinge sound.  

The study.  

Filled with luxurious items.  

Yet, it didn’t feel excessive.  

Books were piled high on the desk, a carpet made of high-grade Demonic Beast fur covered the floor, and a peaceful music box played softly.  

Click.  

The music box stopped, and the Duke, who had been focused on documents at his desk, looked up.  

Black hair and the golden eyes symbolizing the Alkart family bloodline.  

A sharp nose, flawless features, and a face without an ounce of excess flesh.  

A suit vest over a white dress shirt.  

His mere presence radiated dignity and authority.  

Even in his study, he wore a suit instead of casual clothes, yet it felt perfectly natural.  

He was born to be a noble, a duke, the head of the family.  

Cabaro Alkart.  

This was their first face-to-face meeting alone.  

The moment Evan saw him, his face stiffened with tension.  

Good thing, too.  

Better to have a stiff face than to make a mistake.  

The vibe is seriously intimidating.  

Especially those eyes.  

Now he understood why his two brothers were said to pale in comparison to Evan.  

A dazzling hue that seemed to shine even in the dark.  

It wasn’t something acquired—it was innate.  

I do resemble him… somewhat.  

Evan did look like Duke Cabaro.  

Not to the same degree of presence, though.  

With effort, he might achieve that level of dignity and grace.  

His body would strongly resist it, and Evan had no such intentions anyway.  

Ugh, I’m feeling queasy.  

The memory was still vivid.  

The moment of possession.  

In the inherited memories.  

His mother’s cold corpse.  

Evan kneeling before it.  

And those golden eyes looking down on them.  

Father! Why! Why!!  

…  

Your voice is too loud, Evan Alkart. 

Maintain your dignity.  

You loved Mother, didn’t you?! How could you…!  

Evan couldn’t recall what the Duke said after that.  

Even the veteran players didn’t know.  

It was a backstory never revealed in the game.  

No way to know, even if he wanted to.  

If that’s the case… I… I…!  

But Evan’s own rage-fueled words were etched clearly in his body.  

Mother. 

I’ll find your humanity. 

Even if it means committing [taboo]!!  

After that, father and son had no further conversations.  

The most recent was just before Evan left for the ball.  

This was… a father-son relationship?  

“I heard you attended the ball.”  

Cabaro spoke.  

Evan nodded slowly.  

“Yes.”  

“Did anyone catch your eye?”  

What did he mean?  

Was he asking if Evan met a girl he liked?  

No way.  

The Duke wouldn’t ask something like that.  

“There was no one particularly impressive.”  

Evan spoke as calmly as possible.  

“They all seemed to live for their own desires.”  

“…”  

“It was an enlightening experience. Though I couldn’t raise the prestige Your Grace desired.”  

“No matter. You’ve already elevated your reputation.”  

…Huh?  

Me?  

“Your name was mentioned a lot at the ball. I heard you spoke with Lady Belia, the second daughter of the Golden Caravan, on the balcony.”  

Cabaro’s eyes gleamed nobly.  

“What did you talk about?”  

Should he hide it?  

Evan hesitated briefly.  

Vague lies here could lead to unpredictable consequences.  

For safety, honesty was best.  

Cabaro wouldn’t threaten or reprimand him over this.  

He’d probably just nod and move on.  

“…It was about heretics.”  

“Heretics.”  

Cabaro closed his eyes briefly.  

Pushing aside his documents, he clasped his hands, propped his chin, and opened his eyes.  

“I see.”  

He looked deep in thought.  

But he didn’t show it further.  

Did I get away with it?  

“…Well done.”  

A dry compliment.  

It felt forced, like he had nothing else to say.  

As if the conversation was over, Cabaro dismissed him.  

“You may leave.”  

“Understood, Your Grace.”  

Evan slowly turned and grabbed the doorknob.  

Just as he was about to leave—  

“Do you still…”  

Cabaro’s voice caught him.  

“Intend to commit [taboo]?”  

“…”  

How should he answer?  

Evan’s mind raced.  

The tone seemed to ask, “Do you still resent me?”  

No way.  

As mentioned, Duke Cabaro had no attachment to “Evan Alkart.”  

He was a mastermind who wouldn’t blink if Evan died.  

This much should be fine to say.  

He’d been open about this much before.  

“I no longer intend to commit [taboo].”  

As Evan turned the doorknob and stepped out, his faint voice lingered in the room.  

“Nor will I attempt to resurrect Mother.”  

“…”  

A brief silence.  

Duke Cabaro’s final words followed.  

“…Soon, a guest will visit the mansion. It will be a beneficial meeting, so prepare accordingly.”  

“Yes.”  

That was it.  

Evan stepped out of the room.  

God, I thought I was going to die.  

He felt dark circles forming under his eyes.  

Too many things have happened…  

He needed to rest.  

As he turned to leave—  

“Evan.”  

“…Brother Leonardo.”  

The eldest son of the Alkart family.  

Evan’s half-brother, Leonardo, stood before him.  

“I heard about you.”  

“My news?”  

“You addicted all the nobles’ sons at the ball to drugs, didn’t you?”  

Leonardo’s eyes glinted sharply.  

“Now you’re planning to make a move in the open, huh?”  

“…???”  

Me?