Chapter 4
“Was he outstanding as a person of Eisenhud?”
If asked that, Kurtz would undoubtedly shake his head.
After all, although he didn’t get angry, he was often bewildered by Artesia.
“…Kurtz, I’ve told you many times.”
Standing in front of him, Artesia folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.
“Come at me like you mean to beat me to a pulp.”
“A servant can’t possibly hit their master with all their might…?!”
In his memory, his past self lunged at Artesia.
It had been two years since he came to this mansion, and he had gotten quite used to living with her and how to interact with her.
“Artesia-sama, you know…I have no talent for martial arts.”
“Yes, in the beginning you would stumble even with light exercise. I thought I’d teach you some basic self-defense today, but as soon as you try combining moves, your movements become clumsy.”
“…It’s difficult for me to spar with Artesia-sama since you’re the head of the family.”
While Kurtz said that, there was another reason.
Although she had lived for over 300 years, Artesia, whose physical aging had been stopped, had the appearance of a 17-year-old girl and an exquisite beauty that made anyone glance back at her.
When they took their once-a-month permitted walk through the Imperial Capital, regardless of whether they were old or young, male or female, they would gaze at her. Kurtz could even sense those gazes and presences.
Back then, when Kurtz was around puberty, he felt a bit embarrassed as well.
“Even if it’s training, please don’t casually touch me since I’m also a man.”
“But you’re just a child.”
“…I can’t deny that strongly.”
“Plus, even if my appearance doesn’t change, I’m over 300 years old. Compared to me, humans are basically like children.”
Boasting, Artesia thrust out her ample chest and smiled.
Usually she acted properly befitting the head of the Eisenhud, but sometimes she would make unsettling remarks like Baronier.
Perhaps it was a side effect of having spent her long 300 years alone.
“So come at my chest with all your might.”
“No…that’s why I’m not suited for–“
“No, do it.”
Cutting off Kurtz’s words, Artesia said firmly.
“Even if you’re unsuited for it, there are times when brawn or violence is necessary. Not just when someone is trying to harm you, but also to protect loved ones, or to dissuade friends from going down the wrong path.”
The way she spoke befitted being called the “head.”
“I’m not telling you to become strong. I want to teach you to have the awareness to stand up when needed in those situations.”
When speaking as the head, Artesia always looked straight at him.
She showed with her eyes that the words were said with Kurtz in mind.
Understanding that, Kurtz said nothing more.
“…My apologies.”
“It’s fine. Listening obediently to what I say is one of your good points.”
As Kurtz nodded obediently, Artesia smiled and poked his cheek.
“Now, this time, really leap into my chest with all your might.”
“…I do not need to actually leap into your chest?”
“A body blow is an effective self-defense move in various situations. Even if outmatched in size, you can disrupt the opponent’s movements and transition into joint locks.”
“I suppose so, but…?!”
“If you won’t come to me, I’ll go to you.”
As if putting her words into action, Artesia then tackled Kurtz.
He remembered that after a while, having no choice, Kurtz started going at Artesia half out of stubbornness.
And as he was knocked down to the ground over and over, Artesia drilled the proper use of his body and self-defense moves into Kurtz.
Truly, she taught Kurtz many things, but—
She didn’t teach him about the day he lost consciousness and collapsed in his room.
Five days after Kurtz visited the Dragon Race Course.
Just like before the reset, the noble’s riot at the race course was widely reported.
However—there was a slight change in one line that was written:
[The disturbance at the Dragon Race Course. The nobles’ lamentations and curses escalated into a riot requiring the patrol soldiers to mobilize. A maiden beloved by the Mercantile God who grasped the faint light amidst it all.]
Placing the newspaper he was holding on his seat, Kurtz gazed out at the Imperial Capital’s night view from the carriage cabin.
The orderly, well-maintained streets.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
Stone pavements laid out with carriage and engine vehicle traffic in mind, street trees positioned consciously to adorn the scenery, and on the main boulevard leading to the capital’s center, street lamps lined up at regular intervals illuminating the area to allow safe passage even at night.
None of the drunken revelry seen in the lower towns or market clamor, just a calm atmosphere with subdued signs and exteriors of the stores standing in rows.
“—Young master, we’ve arrived.”
Called by Lucia, Kurtz realized the carriage had stopped.
“Ah…my apologies, I was spacing out a bit.”
“Oh my, did you get sleepy being a child?”
“That’s not it. I’m a human who can operate fine for three days without sleep.”
“Young master…I can sleep together with you, so please get some rest?”
“No need to sleep together, but I’ll be mindful of sleep deprivation.”
After replying, the two exited the carriage cabin and looked up at their destination.
The luxuriously decorated auction hall.
As Kurtz and Lucia headed for the entrance, they were stopped by a man in a suit waiting there.
“Excuse me, may I see proof of identity like a family crest for verification?”
“I’d like you to see this.”
While maintaining composed behavior, Kurtz took out a pocket watch engraved with his family crest.
After checking the crest emblem and craftsmanship of the pocket watch, the suited man nodded deeply and handed over a pass.
“Thank you for your understanding. We are truly honored to welcome Count Trifen’s son.”
“My father instructed me to broaden my knowledge, so I thought I’d stop by the Imperial Capital since I was visiting from afar. I only have my maid accompanying me, is that alright?”
“Yes, no problem. Please feel free to call on us if you need anything.”
With the staff deeply bowing, Kurtz and Lucia proceeded into the hall.
As they headed toward the audience seats, Lucia spoke to him in a hushed voice.
“As expected of you, young master, your adult-like conduct and response was perfect.”
“Any blunder on my part would be seen as Artesia-sama’s, my lord’s, failure. I put in considerable effort in my previous life so the nobles who like to pick on things like that couldn’t say anything.”
“I like when you act childishly too, young master.”
“Stop the useless chatter and look for our target.”
“In that case—the right center of the audience.”
Following Lucia’s words, he turned and saw…a familiar figure there.
And Kurtz approached the person, calling out—
“—It’s an honor to meet you again, Edel-Mercator-sama.”
At Kurtz’s address, the ash-blonde haired girl turned around.
The girl…Edel’s expression brightened with surprise.
“The boy from the race course!”
“Eh?! That brat?!”
“Don’t call him a brat, Grad! Be polite and say ‘young master’ here!!”
“Grad, Gizaiah, be quiet.”
Silencing the rough-looking men, Edel stood from her chair and shook hands.
“I was looking for the boy. There was something I wanted to give him.”
“…Something to give me?”
“Yes, I want to give this to the boy.”
Saying so, Edel heaved a case placed at her side onto the chair.
Inside were beautifully stacked bundles of bills.
“There are 500 million Galds in this case.”
“…You’re giving that to me?”
“Yes. There was a dragon betting ticket in the candy box the boy gave me. It must have been something the boy purchased, so I exchanged it for cash to give back.”
“So you’re giving me the payout from the ticket?”
“Yes. It was something the boy was supposed to receive originally.”
Edel lowered her brows with an apologetic look as she said:
“Money easily warps and misleads people.
But this 500 million Galds…for an ordinary commoner, it would be an immense sum they could live a rather extravagant life off until the end.”
So for someone to consider returning it to the rightful owner simply because “it’s not mine,” would be few and far between.
“Money is precious. So this is something the boy should receive.”
Edel extended the case while looking at him with her golden eyes.
Kurtz met her gaze straight on,
“—No, I cannot accept it.”
then smiled faintly and shook his head.
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