chapter 3

After my two brothers went back, I kept practice-swinging the sword in my room .

The name of this thing was…yes, Leviathan .

The Blade of the Sea Demon, Leviathan .

Each time I swung it, the sword would leave a sea-colored afterglow in its wake .

Since I was still six, it was a bit hard to handle . But, it looked flashy and cool swinging it, so I kept hold of it .

And above all else, it was my brother’s — the Crown Prince’s present to me .

I had to show them that I was treasuring the present if I wanted to suck up to them and live a happy life .

Then again, it wasn’t enough just to carry it around in my home .

“Someone come here . ”

Calling a servant over, I sheathed the demonic sword .

“…Hm? Is anyone there?”

I thought it was strange that nobody came at my call .

I was the Thirteenth Prince as well as the master of this residence .

A servant would always be at my beck-and-call .

But nobody came .

Wondering what happened, I looked at the door . A single male servant was standing there, his face the very picture of “terrified . ”

“What’s up?”

“N-Nothing, sir . Pardon my rudeness…”

The man hurriedly entered the room .

His face was pale, and his body was shivering .

Clearly something was wrong .

“What happened?”

“T-That sword…”

“This sword? Ah . ”

I remembered what happened when my brothers came over .

Just like now, my brother’s servants had been afraid .

Right after I made that realization, the man started talking about exactly the same subject .

“Whenever I look at that thing, my whole body feels as if it’s encased in ice and a thousand needles are piercing through me . ”

“I see, so it really is the effect of the demonic sword . Uhhh…what did my brothers do…”

I remembered what it was like when I received the sword and put it back in its case .

“How about now?”

“Ahh…It’s a bit better…”

“That’s good then . ”

“So this is what they call a demonic sword . It’s amazing for you to be able to swing the thing around as if it’s nothing, Master . ”

“Which is why His Highness the Crown Prince gave it to me . More importantly, can you hold it when it’s in the case? Put it away if you can . ”

“Certainly!”

His face was still somewhat pale, but it was leagues better than what he came here like .

At my orders, he took the sword case and left the room .

As his substitute, a maid stood outside the room and knocked .

“Master . ”

“Hm? Oh, it’s Zoe . Come in . ”

If there was a single maid that made the most impression on me, she would be Zoe .

She looked to be twenty . Her work as a maid couldn’t be described as extraordinary, but she helps me with my bath every day, so she’s made quite the impression .

“What’s up? You came here without my beckoning . Did something happen?”

“Yes…Um, I would like to take some time off . ”

“Huh?”

As I was originally a commoner in my previous life, so there were some misunderstandings in my new life, this being one of them .

To a servant, “take time off” means “quitting the job . ” At first, there were some troubles with me not knowing why,

Knowing what I knew now, that prompted a question on my part .

“Why do you want to quit?”

“Um, my parent’s land was flooded by the early spring floods . ”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, everything we owned is gone, and my mother has nothing to eat . So I’ll go to the red-light district…and um, sell myself . ”

“That’s enough . ”

I thought for a little bit .

In the past six years, I studied how to behave as a nobleman and as a prince .

I looked for the optimal solution among my studies .

“Your only relative is your mother, is that correct?”

“Yes, and—”

“That’s enough . Summon your mother to the capital . ”

“Huh?”

“Your mother will be…oh yeah, the back gatekeeper . Ten leeng a month . ”

“Master!?”

Zoe was shocked .

I had just remembered that there was no gatekeeper for the back gate, so I gave her mother the job .

Ten leeng a month was the average income of a man in the capital .

“I have a few houses in the western side of the capital . Use one for your family . ”

“…Thank you very much!”

She was so surprised that it took nearly a dozen seconds for her to return from the skies .

And when she came back, she groveled at my feet and thanked me .

“Don’t worry about it . Just get your mother here from the countryside . ”

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

Zoe went flying out of the room in the greatest of spirits .

I did this for her because of two reasons .

The first was because Zoe was my maid .

If it got out that one of my maids sold herself into prostitution, my repuation would fall .

I would almost certainly be reprimanded by my brothers or even my father the Emperor .

Something like the honor of a prince .

The other reason was — my possessiveness .

A servant of mine is my servant for life .

They can only leave in death or when I personally kick them out .

Compared to the loose change of some ten leeng, keeping my servant from quitting and selling herself to a brothel was much more important .

“…Dylan . ”

“Yes, I am here . ”

At my command, a man in his late thirties came in .

His beard was like pieces of thread hanging off his chin .

He had the position of a butler-type person in my manor .

“You sure came fast . ”

“I saw the whole thing . You are amazing, Master . That was an act worthy of my greatest praise . ”

“Since you overheard us, let’s cut to the chase . Do you know about the flood?”

“The one in Dussol . ”

“Buy what land you can buy there . Merchants will come running to prey on the homeless victims . Before that happens, help them . ”

“…”

“Why do you look so surprised . ”

“Because I am surprised . ”

Dylan spat my words right back at me .

“Master, it was the first flood since you were born, yet you handled it splendidly . Moreover, our conversation right afterwards . ”

“…”

“I was surprised at how well it was done . ”

Things like this never happened before I reincarnated .

“No, that was foolish of me . His Highness the Thirteenth Prince is the son of His Highness the Emperor, wise beyond the realm of mortals . It is rudeness on my part to be surprised at such a meager feat . ”

“Yeah, yeah, just do it . ”

“Around half a million leeng will be necessary . ”

“Granted . Now go . ”

“Yes—also, Master . ”

“What is it . ”

Dylan’s eyes were dead serious .

“Thank you very much . ”

“Yeah . ”

With a nod, Dylan left the room .

Ah, come to think of it, Dylan came from that area too .

By the time I remembered that fact, Dylan was already long gone .