Chapter 21

In a dimly lit bedroom, three people and an egg were huddled together.

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

The head maid’s shout sounded almost like a scream.

With a distorted face, she clutched her forehead and ground her teeth with a voice heavy with deep regret.

"What... such nonsense... I was too hasty. Showing this room to Mr. Lu was a mistake."

No matter what she muttered, Lu, the one being criticized, seemed to pay no attention.

Lu was busy examining the surface of the Viscount Weatherwood (the egg) with a look of interest.

I approached him and asked quietly.

"Is it true?"

"If you’re going to ask, put a subject in your question."

What a brat. I glanced at the head maid and asked again.

"Is this egg really one of the 'Five Treasures of Dian Ket'?"

The Five Treasures of Dian Ket.

A legendary magical artifact said to perfectly cure any incurable disease when all five are gathered.

After the head maid and Lu had sworn an oath, it had only been five minutes since the three of us entered Viscount Weatherwood’s bedroom.

Even the unpredictable Lu couldn’t hide his surprised expression when he learned the identity of the master.

He strode up to the bed and, after a detailed examination of the egg’s surface, said,

"Head Maid, did you say this is Viscount Weatherwood?"

"Yes."

"That’s impossible."

"Unbelievable as it may seem, it’s true. This egg, or rather, Viscount Weatherwood, was entrusted to me by the previous master with repeated instructions to raise it..."

"This isn’t a living being. Perhaps a highly sophisticated magical artifact, but not a living being."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Especially with this extremely bizarre appearance."

Lu, running his slender fingers over the egg’s surface, smiled faintly.

"Looks like one of Dian Ket’s creations to me."

The head maid, alarmed, accused Lu of lying.

Given her position, it was a natural reaction, but I couldn’t support her claim.

'Lu is an excellent magician.'

He was also someone, like me, who sought Dian Ket’s relics. There was no reason for him to falsely accuse the egg without evidence.

"...Sigh. Mr. Lu, I apologize. I overreacted. Anyone would be skeptical about the viscount’s identity."

The head maid’s expression softened as she spoke.

"Your claim is incorrect. This egg has been growing for four years. If you put your ear to it, you can even feel a pulse. It is a living being."

"Hmm. It seems you don’t believe me, Head Maid."

Lu, with a somber gaze and a bright smile, suddenly clenched his fist.

"Then, let me show you."

Crack.

There was no time to stop him. Lu’s large fist pierced the smooth, pearl-like surface of the egg.

'This...'

He’s always been crazy, but today he’s even more so!

"No!"

As the head maid, pale-faced, rushed to push Lu away, a brown pupil appeared on the pearl-white surface of the egg.

It looked like an eyeball.

-Damage Detected.

I saw it clearly. The inside of the shell was completely empty.

-Outer Shell Restored.

With an alien voice, the pieces of the shell that had fallen on the bed floated into the air. As they returned to their original positions, the egg returned to its original form, and the brown pupil disappeared.

"What is this...?"

The head maid, who had been watching, took a step back with a look of despair.

"Unbelievable. This egg is really a magical artifact? Then... what have I been protecting all this time? What did the viscount... what did the viscount give me...?"

"Let’s find out."

With a light answer, Lu placed his hand on the egg’s surface and began to recite a complex incantation.

Whirr.

The egg resonated. Soon, a blue light emerged from its smooth surface.

Luminous letters appeared in the light, which rippled like a curtain in the wind. The letters grew rapidly, filling the entire field of vision.

A tear rolled down the head maid’s cheek as she watched this miraculous scene.

"It really is a magical artifact."

When the head maid was lost in sorrow, only a maid could comfort her.

I patted her shoulder to soothe her grief.

"Not just any magical artifact, but a high-quality one."

"..."

"Could fetch a good price."

"Miss Daisy, you need to learn how to comfort people again."

The head maid, slowly wiping away her tears, looked up at the floating letters. A faint admiration began to appear in her previously empty eyes.

"But isn’t this a magical interpretation? I’ve never seen such a detailed one before."

"You can only see it for the first time. Because I’m the only one of my kind, an unparalleled genius."

Lu, answering half-heartedly, began to read the magical interpretation slowly. Or rather, he summarized it.

"The purpose of this magical artifact seems to be defensive. It’s imbued with various area-of-effect attack spells. The purpose imprinted in the artificial self is..."

He paused, then added in a mysterious tone.

"To protect the Weatherwood family."

"Protect?"

"Hmm. I can’t think of a more appropriate word."

"If that’s the case, Head Maid."

No response.

'Could she be sobbing?'

Worried, I turned my head, but...

'...Unnecessary worry.'

Contrary to my expectations, the head maid was wide-eyed. Her gaze, fixed on Lu’s magical interpretation, was bright and eager.

It was hard to believe she had been crying just moments ago.

'Surely, this is the first time I’ve seen such a long and detailed magical interpretation.'

Magical interpretation.

The act of a magician unfolding the design of a specific spell in language, based on their intuition, insight, and knowledge. A highly advanced spell that even novice magicians can’t attempt.

I had seen magical interpretations through the Magician’s Union, but they were usually just a few blurry words or a few short sentences.

'This is the first time I’ve seen such a systematically detailed magical interpretation.'

The head maid, being a magician like Lu, must have felt the same way.

"My goodness. Each explanation is a perfect sentence."

The head maid’s eyes, now wide with admiration and excitement, gently traced the letters etched in the air.

Perhaps because of Lu’s miraculous magic, the head maid’s aggressive stance against him had softened.

She seemed to have reached a certain level of compromise beyond denial and anger.

'Now that she’s recognized the truth, will she soon fall into depression?'

The five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Learning that the being she had devoted herself to for four years was an illusion would certainly have a significant impact.

She might even lose the meaning of her life and make misguided attempts...

"Mr. Lu, where did you come from? Under whom did you study magic? It’s impossible to achieve this level at your age. How old are you really? Every time I try to perform a magical interpretation, I lose consciousness as my vision turns white. Is it just a lack of practice? Or...?"

She seems fine. No need to worry at all.

But...

"Especially this extremely bizarre appearance."

"Looks like one of Dian Ket’s creations to me."

There’s something that’s been bothering me since earlier.

"Lu."

"Lu?"

"Mr. Lu."

He nodded as if to say, "Go on."

"Do you know Dian Ket?"

Lu, with his arms crossed, turned his head away and asked,

"Curious?"

That short question gave me a new certainty.

'You do know him.'

Dian Ket died before I was born. Knowing someone who died so long ago means Lu must be at least in his forties.

But that’s just the minimum age. Considering Dian Ket lived for over a hundred years...

How old is Lu?

'He seemed a bit crazy.'

It’s because he’s an old magician.

They say no one is as crazy as someone who studies magic until old age. Now it makes sense.

This adds new information about Lu. One, he’s not a noble but has a lot of money. Two, he knows Dian Ket.

"Not curious."

"Really? What a shame. Then, let’s move on to the next plan."

Lu waved his hand, and the magical interpretation in the air dissipated like ink in water. The head maid sighed with a look of regret.

"Now that we’ve confirmed the interesting identity of our employer, let’s move on to the next plan."

"Next plan?"

"The Noble Council."

At this, the head maid sighed deeply and looked at the egg. Her expression was complex and subtle.

"Indeed, with Mr. Lu’s magical skills... it’s not impossible to deceive the sharp and suspicious nobles."

"Of course."

"The current Viscount Weatherwood, known to the public, is the previous master’s nephew. Specifically, the only child of the master’s younger brother, who was two years younger. The brother married early and had a child early. The entire family died, but..."

The nephew survived and continued the Weatherwood family. Since he’s not a distant relative, there won’t be any questions about legitimacy.

"He’s turning twenty this year, the perfect age to start public activities. But I’m worried. I don’t feel safe sending Miss Daisy alone. But if we follow as maids or servants, it would look bad."

That’s true.

If the viscount were a woman, bringing a maid to help with makeup and changing clothes would be normal, but for a man, it could lead to awkward misunderstandings.

Especially for an unmarried young man, rumors of having a mistress could spread.

The heir of the Weatherwood family, appearing after four years, would certainly attract a lot of attention. It’s best to keep a low profile.

"Then, let’s get him married. Having a wife by his side will allow for appropriate control."

Control? Am I a dog on a leash?

It wasn’t a bad suggestion, but the head maid’s expression remained dark.

"That’s a good idea, but... I can’t leave the mansion."

"That’s fine. I never intended to leave it to you."

"Who else can do it?"

Lu looked at the head maid as if she was asking an obvious question.

'Wait a minute.'

Could it be?

"It’s me, of course."

My suspicions were confirmed.