Chapter 8 : I Will Bring It Back (2)
I do not expect pleasant rumors anyway.
It would be more helpful to speak honestly without refining it.
And since the maid in front of my eyes is young and innocent, she will convey it without filtering.
“Yesterday, rumors were widespread due to the matter at the Reichart Forge. People inside the castle talked about the Young Master all day long but…….”
The maid’s following words were content that far exceeded expectations.
At the maid’s delivery of ‘curse words exceeding the limit’ that continued until the meal ended, I raised my two hands.
“……Stop. I think that is enough.”
“I, I am sorry! Young Master, that I dared to mouth so many words that should not be spoken…….”
“It is fine so hurry up and send a message to Sir Bolpar.”
“Yes, I, I understand!”
Of course, there were good stories that the prodigal had changed, but most were curses.
As expected, it seems that just scolding Alain was insufficient to rectify my prestige.
‘Since one cannot be full with the first spoonful.’
I decided to take my time.
Anyway, as time passes, my honor will be recovered.
Because…….
‘I will make it so.’
At that time, the maid abruptly added words.
“Um, Young Master. I think you do not need to care too much about whatever others chatter about.”
“Mm?”
“Even before the matter at the Reichart Forge, people chatted for their own reasons. Whether it is a good story or a bad story, just chattering is the pastime of the people inside the castle.”
“…….”
It was all correct speech.
I quietly looked down at the maid who was trembling in reality after saying everything she had to say.
“Then what do you think?”
“Y, yes?”
“Tell me your thoughts about me.”
The maid opened her mouth carefully.
“H, honestly, just until a few days ago, I was scared of the Young Master. I was more scared because the Young Master’s daily routine and intentions were not predicted.”
“Then are you saying you are not scared now?”
“N, no! It is not that meaning but…….”
“Continue.”
“……Ho, however, I am not scared now. The Young Master’s daily routine and intentions being hard to predict is the same in the past or now, but since I think there must be a reason for it all, I came to not be scared.”
“Reason?”
“That is right. J, just as I think there must be a clear reason for you visiting the Tower Master now. Just like there was a reason for the Young Master going to the Reichart Forge. Young Master.”
Hearing the maid’s words, I was lost in thought for a while with my eyes closed.
‘To summarize roughly, it means grounds have been created for my conduct.’
Compared to the people who still have not noticed my change, this maid was catching my change quite quickly.
Even considering the fact that this maid had been attending me by my side all along, considering her age, it is a clear fact that she is quite bright.
“You, what is your name?”
“Are you speaking of my name?”
At my question, the maid blinked her large pupils for a moment, hesitated, and opened her mouth.
“I am called Emily. Young Master.”
I, who was lost in thought, said with my eyes still closed.
“Thank you for telling me your honest thoughts, Emily. You may leave now.”
“N, no! How could you say thank you to the likes of me…….”
“If I am thankful, I am thankful. I understand, so try leaving now.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The maid left the door making an expression that she had survived a crisis, and I, having organized my thoughts, opened my eyes.
‘If it is to the extent that everyone inside the castle is chattering, the Fox Old Man must know too. Perhaps things might become a little easier.’
To put my plan into action, Bolpar’s help was needed in many ways.
However, I could not know if he would help meekly.
I just had to hope that the negative gaze towards me had changed.
***
Bolpar’s laboratory was messy.
Just looking at it filled with all sorts of experiment tools and magic books made me dizzy.
However, the white-haired old man standing in front of me right now was neat without a single messy place.
“What did you say you want now?”
Bolpar’s two eyes bulged.
White beard that was not satisfied with covering the mouth area and hung down to the waist.
The figure of Bolpar puffing out cigarette smoke in clouds between it was just like a ‘dragon’ spewing a breath.
It was an impression that reminded me of the mural of the White Dragon I saw in the Ancient Dragon’s Tomb before my regression.
“I need a bundle of feather grass, two containers of one-eyed bush clover powder, and two bunches of dried paradise flowers. If you have to spare, it is good if you give a little more.”
Suddenly, thick smoke spewed out in front of my face.
Because Bolpar, who heard my requirements, coughed in vain, he blew the cigarette smoke just as it was.
“This old man, originally I had no intention of facing the Young Noble alone. Even so, the reason I accepted the meeting request is because I heard the rumor that the Young Noble has come to play the role of a person a little these past few days.”
“That is a truly fortunate thing.”
“By the way, coming in front of me, the words you say are merely that kind of nonsense? It seems the rumors were all in vain after all.”
“It is not a false rumor. And, it is not nonsense either.”
“Haha. If it is not nonsense, what are you saying it is? Does the Young Noble even know for what use those herbs you just mentioned are used?”
I already expected this reaction.
If it were before my regression, he would have naturally noticed, but it is a combination method not widely known yet.
“Try answering once. What on earth do you intend to do with those ingredients?”
It seemed that Bolpar, who is counted as a top mage within the territory, did not notice at all what I was trying to make.
Well, it was much more comfortable for me that he didn't know.
Since he will find out anyway, it is better for me to say it first.
“I will make a hallucinogen.”
“What? A hallucinogen?”
I thought Bolpar’s beard trembled and soon an expulsion order fell.
“Go back!”
Bolpar turned his back just like that.
“This old man has no strength left to listen to the Young Noble’s nonsense anymore! Just when on earth do you plan to understand the Family Head’s will?”
A reaction expected to some extent.
Well, a hallucinogen.
He must be misunderstanding that I intend to use it for an impure purpose.
“Did you hear the news of Alain that happened at the Reichart Forge today?”
At those words, Bolpar clenched his mouth tight.
If it is news, naturally he heard it.
The news that Alain was overwhelmingly defeated in the duel with me and is indebted to a doctor.
‘Inwardly, it was gratifying.’
Alain Vispon.
The prodigal of the Vispon family is rumored to be usually greedy and arrogant!
He was a headache who scratched Bolpar’s nerves with speech and conduct that looked down on mages, not to mention various evil deeds in reality.
If it were usual, Bolpar would have condemned him personally, but because he was carrying the powerful figure Rishu on his back, he was just boiling on the inside.
“If it is Alain, isn't he a guy the Tower Master also had a headache over?”
At my words that seemed to read his thoughts, Bolpar lost his color.
“So? Since you scolded Alain, are you saying this old man must cooperate for that impure purpose?”
“No. Since it seems the Tower Master does not know about the progress after that, I only intend to explain it to you.”
“Progress after that?”
“Tomorrow evening, a trial will be held.”
“What? A trial?”
It seemed Bolpar had not heard the news of the trial yet either.
“Using this matter as an excuse, they requested a formal trial against me.”
Bolpar’s white eyebrows wiggled.
He knew too well what a formal trial meant.
“The Family Head? Does the Family Head know this fact?”
“Of course he knows.”
“He knows? Even so, are you saying the Family Head permitted the continuation of the trial?”
“Isn't it not a problem of whether Father permits it or not? If there is a plaintiff who wants a trial and a defendant who committed a ‘crime’, the principle is that the trial is established.”
“The composition, how did the composition of the trial become?”
“The plaintiff is the Vispon Family. The defendant is me. For now, it is so.”
“Wait in this spot for a moment. I will go meet the Family Head and come back.”
Hein Reichart is one of the legitimate sons of the family whom Vispon’s influence has not reached.
No matter how much of a prodigal I am, I cannot be compared to Alain.
But for such a Hein to step forward to a trial alone against the Vispon Family?
Thinking he must cover up the incident before the situation becomes serious, Bolpar tries to head straight to the Family Head’s office.
“If by chance you are trying to stop the trial, there is no need to do so. Father will not change his will. And…….”
My following words were enough to surprise Bolpar.
“I also want that.”
“……!”
“ Generally, if a person committed a ‘crime’, isn't it the family’s law that he must receive a fitting punishment.”
Bolpar, who could not grasp my inner heart, had no choice but to stand with his mouth open.
‘The person has changed. Is this indeed the Hein Reichart I knew?’
To Bolpar who could not close his mouth, I added.
“And, I intend to use the hallucinogen you are worried about to make evidence for the trial.”
“……Evidence for the trial?”
“So do not worry and please give me the ingredients. If you do so, even when the future comes, I will not forget the favor.”
‘I will not forget the favor’.
It was a remark that truly did not match the Hein that Bolpar had known until now.
However, for some reason, the appearance of me saying I would not forget the favor in front of Bolpar today was not awkward at all.
“And one more thing. The trial will be held tomorrow around 21:00 at the ‘Coffin of Judgment’. I request the Tower Master to please observe by all means. This is a formal request given to the family’s advisor as a legitimate son of Reichart. I believe you will surely grant it.”
“…….”
Bolpar is someone whom everyone was reluctant to face alone because rumors were widespread that he is eccentric and cranky.
But just for the moment standing in front of me now, he had no choice but to be silent.
“I have conveyed all the words I intended to say with this. You do not necessarily have to give me the ingredients, so please do not feel burdened. Then I will withdraw now.”
I, having finished what I had to say, rose from the seat without lingering attachment.
After putting the cloak I had taken off around my shoulders, I headed for the workshop’s exit.
And around the time I just grabbed the doorknob, Bolpar’s voice, which had clearly changed from a little while ago, was heard.
“……I will give you the ingredients the Young Noble spoke of.”
“Thank you. Sir Bolpar. By the way, is it okay if I ask for one more thing?”
“……What words are you trying to say again?”
Thinking that for some reason he was being swayed by me all day today, Bolpar threw the question.
I said with a secretive voice while lowering my body.
“Would you give me just one scroll that can detect traces of mana?”
***
“Hiyah!”
“Neigh!”
A rough cry burst out suddenly at the outskirts of the forest where silence had settled.
“Halt, stop!”
The black horse of a sturdy build that was running on the forest path carrying its master stopped its steps only after reaching in front of the sentry guarding the forest’s entrance.
“From where did you…… co…… come?”
However, the expression of the sentry who had stopped the black horse with good spirit suddenly became serious.
Because the face of the rider riding the black horse was very familiar.
“We greet the Young Noble!”
“Y, Young Master. For what matter all the way here…….”
The sentries, who confirmed that the one who came riding the black horse was Hein Reichart, were startled and greeted me, screaming inwardly.
‘Why on earth did this damned guy come here again?’
‘To make who suffer again did this prodigal guy come?’
They remembered clearly.
Half a month ago, because one idiot-like guy deserted without leave and even lost his sword, just how much hard trouble did they go through finding that idiot?
However, since that ringleader visited that place again with such a calm face, it was in a way natural for them to make such expressions.
“You ask where I came from? I came from the castle. While receiving the Family Head’s order.”
However, whether knowing the hearts of these people or not, I replied with a calm expression and got off the horse.
“Inform the Captain of the Guard that I have come.”
After shouldering the bag tied to the horse’s saddle, I handed over the horse’s reins I was holding to one of the sentries.
“Um, what business should I convey to the Captain of the Guard that the Young Noble visited this place for?”
The sentry who received the reins made a polite but somewhat reluctant expression and asked me about the business for visiting this place.
“I told you. That I came to receive the Family Head’s order.”
I answered and put my hand in my inner pocket and took it out.
There, a pass with the Family Head’s seal clearly stamped was held.