Chapter 67
The conversation with the esteemed Gold Duke concluded with results far more satisfying than I had anticipated.
Following the request of His Grace, the Gold Duke, I was assigned the task of handling one baby Kraken. Fortunately, we could mobilize the full forces of the Three Kingdoms, so I could leave the escort duties to others and take some time for leisure on the water. A 30% bonus on top of that? Who could possibly resist such an offer?
No matter how I looked at it, it felt somewhat like dealing with a victim who had lost its home due to the destruction of the human ecosystem, but that’s not the crux of the matter. What truly mattered to me wasn’t the ‘Kraken’s Tears Trilogy’ but the sparkling 30% increase event for the “Golden-Sparkling Fortress”.
Honestly, wouldn’t the baby Kraken prefer going back to its parents instead of suffering in this cruel world? I’m just providing a little nudge to help it get there faster. How many folks out there are as considerate as I am?
— Let’s meet at the casino first. We’ll discuss everything in detail there.
And once I arrived in Boyar, I had a place I needed to rush to immediately. It was a bit unexpected to meet in the casino rather than the Duke’s castle, but it wasn’t something to fret over. Meetings often occur in the casino’s VIP room, after all.
Anyway, I’m relieved that I’ll be able to share some good news with Sir Villar. He’ll be thrilled to hear that all the forces of the Three Kingdoms can make it to Boyar.
‘I should mention that I’ll be stepping out for a bit.’
Sir Villar had originally indicated he wouldn’t involve me much. Under such circumstances, there shouldn’t be any issues with my stepping out to deliver some good news. In fact, he might just urge me to take a break!
Oh, I just remembered that I need some cookies for Sir Villar. I’ve eaten more than usual today, so there’s not enough to go around. I’ll have to ask Louise for a bit more.
*
My older brother asked for cookies again today. It’s not hard work, but considering the amount, it seems a bit excessive even for the Duke’s daughter. If there are leftovers, they might get soggy and lose their texture—will that be alright?
“Sir Villar’s on his way, so I figured we’d probably need a bit more.”
“Ah, really?”
“I’m sorry. He eats so well that I wanted to take care of him.”
“Hehe, it’s no problem.”
I offered a soft smile in response to my brother’s apology as I opened the oven.
Sir Villar is a knight from Armein, just like Rutis. He often meets my brother, and he’s helped us a lot during the fairs. I know him well enough. Given his position, he likely has a hearty appetite, so making a lot should be fine.
‘They all eat so well.’
The cookies I’ve been whipping up lately have been relatively ordinary compared to what I usually make for my brother. It would be embarrassing if the cookies he served to guests turned out to be awful.
Still, it feels somewhat disappointing. I used to add various health-boosting ingredients to the cookies for my brother, who always looks tired, but these days, I haven’t had time to do that. Though I’ve been giving him good-for-you tea leaves, I’m clueless about their effectiveness.
I peeked at my brother’s complexion, and the usual faint dark circles under his eyes were evident. Is the tea not effective? But he doesn’t appear too worn out.
‘I should’ve kept giving him the usual ones.’
After realizing during the fair that his taste buds weren’t functioning normally, I shifted my focus from flavor to health benefits in the ingredients. Sad, but it’s feasible considering my brother couldn’t taste them very well anyway.
If those ingredients improve his health and restore his taste, he would definitely notice that my cookies tasted different. At that point, I could just apologize, explaining I made a mistake. My brother would probably just laugh it off. I thought it wasn’t a bad plan!
However, if my health-focused cookies end up in someone else’s mouth, that would be quite the calamity, so I haven’t been giving them out at all. What good is a decent idea if I can’t implement it?
‘Should I whip something else up?’
I mulled over the desserts I could make—something that wouldn’t be easily gifted like cookies. If my brother were to receive it, he’d probably eat it all by himself, courtesy be damned.
What could it be… Ah, maybe a cake? Should I attempt to make a big cake?
*
As the date of the school trip approached, the expression of the student council president became increasingly haggard, and Marghetta’s smiles slowly faded. It was a shame, especially for kids who should be enjoying their youth.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could do to help—my only role was to listen while Marghetta vented. Still, she seemed to find solace in it, using work discussions to relieve her bottled-up stress.
The troubling part was that a subtle quiver was starting to creep into Marghetta’s voice as time went on. So faint that if you weren’t paying close attention, you’d probably miss it.
“We have to secure carriages for hundreds of people, check the routes they’ll take, identify cities along the way for rest stops, and find accommodations that suit their status…”
“That sounds incredibly challenging.”
The more I listened, the more absurd it seemed. The planning felt comparable to mapping out a military march. This must be why the student council was keen on picking a nearby location.
“Mar, have you been sleeping well lately?”
“I sleep whenever I have a moment, so no worries.”
I couldn’t suppress a sense of sympathy at her forced smile. Sleep isn’t something you’ll find time for; it’s essential, even when you’re busy. Apparently, this young lady had become twisted in her views after experiencing the taste of a civil servant’s life.
Not long ago, I found her snoozing face-down on her desk in the vice president’s office. I didn’t want to disturb her by putting her on the couch, so instead, I draped my coat over her and waited until she woke up by herself—not long after.
Part of me wished she’d catch a bit more sleep, but I understood the pressure of looming tasks stacking up–it stifled any words of concern I might have offered.
I tried to act like I hadn’t seen her startled reaction when she realized who I was. The coat fell to the ground, and she mentioned she would return it after cleaning it, but what returned wasn’t even hers but a new coat entirely. Once again, I pretended not to notice.
“I’m really grateful to have Carl around.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
I nodded slightly at Marghetta’s smile and slid over some cookies from Louise toward her. She immediately grabbed one and popped it into her mouth.
‘Just like the Executive Manager.’
He used to shove snacks in just for the nutrients, not the taste. But I wondered why Marghetta was acting like this. Is this really how a lady of the Duke behaves? This wasn’t the level of hardship I’d expected from her.
“I hope next year’s destination is closer.”
It was meant as a comforting remark, but Marghetta paused mid-bite, as if she realized something troubling. After chewing cautiously, she finally opened her mouth.
“…It looks like Boyar will be the school trip destination from now on.”
“Ah.”
The Gold Duke didn’t seem interested in this being a one-time special event. Boyar was shaping up to be the equivalent of a ‘Gyeongju’ or ‘Jeju Island’ in this world.
As I watched Marghetta reach for the cookies, now with an even more melancholy expression, I couldn’t help but recall the image of the red-haired woman fleeing from the student council.
‘What a pity.’
I quietly poured some tea into Marghetta’s cup. I hoped she could hold herself together without breaking.
With someone chuckling at the southern end of the Empire, and another sighing somewhere in the Academy, the day of the school trip finally arrived.
‘They really managed to gather everything.’
The sight of over a hundred carriages lined up before me swelled my chest with a sense of grandeur. With students from all three grades and faculty needing to move, this many carriages were essential.
But now that I think about it, it feels odd. Why would all three grades be going on the same trip? Of course, from the student council’s perspective, it must’ve been easier to finalize one set of plans than scheduling three separate trips.
“Carl, feel free to let me know if you change your mind.”
“Haha, will do.”
As I admired the impressive caravan, Marghetta made her way over to me. Though she seemed disappointed by my choice, I hoped she could respect my situation.
Three-seater carriages meant Marghetta’s had three people assigned. She’d been inviting me to join since yesterday, but I had another carriage I intended to ride.
‘Being next to Louise would be more comfortable.’
Thankfully, there were three seats assigned to Louise’s carriage as well, allowing me to hop on board with her. While the school trip itself was an event, unplanned incidents could very well occur along the way. Being next to her would certainly keep my mind at ease.
Though there was one small matter that worried me about sharing the carriage with Louise, there was nothing to be done. This was a public affair, after all.
“What? You’re on this carriage too?”
“That’s how it turned out.”
As I parted from Marghetta and headed toward Louise’s carriage, Erich greeted me. I felt a twinge of guilt; had I not been here, he would’ve been the only male member of this carriage. Ah, if only I could’ve made some romantic progress with Louise along the way…
‘Nah.’
Progress? I was overrating this guy again!
Pushing those ridiculous thoughts aside, I climbed into the carriage. Only Erich was inside.
“Where are the other two?”
“They should be arriving shortly. I think they were chatting with some others.”
“Got it.”
Once more, the social butterfly of a pink capybara was in her element, effortlessly strengthening friendships even in this fleeting moment.
Before long, I heard a commotion outside the carriage, followed by the door flying open. A pink-haired girl hurriedly popped her head in.
“Sorry! I’m late—oh? Oppa?”
“I ended up getting assigned here too.”
Waving at the surprised Louise, a smile soon crept onto her face. I appreciated her warm welcome.
‘They came together after all.’
With Louise’s wide grin lighting up the atmosphere, I glanced over her shoulder only to spot a tangled mess of golden hair peeking out, as if trying to hide behind her. Clearly, it had no hope of remaining hidden.
“Hello! It’s been a while.”
“Ah! Y-Yes, hello!”
Despite being in the same carriage, her greeting was hesitantly shaky. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
“Irina? What’s going on? Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine! It’s nothing.”
Irina responded awkwardly with a smile, attempting to reassure Louise. Sorry, but I didn’t want to put her in this situation either.
I felt a sigh welling up within me upon noticing the faint shadow of fear in Irina’s blue eyes.
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