C23
"You're going too far!"
But perhaps Enrique took the head pats as something ridiculous, as even his neck turned red, and he vigorously shook his head from side to side.
When I hastily removed my hand, the boy, panting with sharp eyes, suddenly ran toward the exit.
"The book! You should take it!"
However, Enrique had already disappeared.
"He's super fast. Is he a squirrel?"
Feeling dejected, I returned the book to its empty spot.
I approached him with good intentions, but I didn't know he would misinterpret my actions.
It was natural, considering Deborah and Enrique's relationship, but I couldn't help but feel bitter.
"It was the opposite of my intentions."
Well, considering there's a duke who thinks forty million is being considerate, Enrique is quite good.
"Ugh."
I'm living a new life after waking up from death, but I sighed because it seemed like nothing was going as I wanted.
"Alright, let's see what we have here."
[Princess Deborah. Please come to pick up the last pastry you ordered.]
As soon as I saw the note from the Master of Blanchia in the dessert box, I headed out.
--------------------
Enrique, who had run out of the library after escaping from Deborah, held his breath as he rubbed his burning cheeks.
"Because you're cute."
The boy's earlobe turned even redder as he remembered the way his sister spoke, with a smile on her face.
Clearly, his older sister, who had a bad personality, must have laughed at his body, which was growing slower than his peers.
However, her eyes that gently curved like a half-moon and her soft voice unsettled Enrique.
The warm hands that carefully stroked his hair were also one of the things that bothered him.
His heart kept beating.
"Calm down!"
Enrique, confused by his sister's strange expression and behavior, slapped himself on both cheeks to regain control.
Enrique reminded himself several times that even though she is as elegant and beautiful as a rose on the outside, she is as vicious as a snake on the inside.
Moreover, there was no way she would pat him on the head because he's cute.
Because he's a child born after taking his mother's life.
Suddenly, his body lost strength. Whenever he remembered that his birthday was the anniversary of his mother's death, he felt himself sinking into endless anxiety.
"After the Lady's death, the Duke has been working non-stop. It's a pity. So, Young Master, you must behave prudently. So that the Duke doesn't hate you..."
And at the same time, the whispers of his nanny remained in his ears.
Enrique walked around the mansion with a gloomy expression as far as his feet could take him, then stopped in front of a flowerbed under construction.
The flowerbed, which had always had the same shape due to conservation magic, had suddenly disappeared one day.
"What was my father thinking? I know it was the flowerbed my mother loved the most."
Every time he saw a rose that was preserved in its entirety, he felt a heavy weight on his mind.
Enrique, who had been watching the workers digging the soil with shovels and planting new seedlings on top for a long time, entered the separate annex because his legs started to hurt.
The nanny, who had been pacing in front of Enrique's room with an anxious expression, rushed toward him.
"Young Master. It's time for your lesson, so where on earth have you been?"
"...In the library."
"I've told you several times not to lose track of time. Fortunately, the tutor is waiting for you. I have the textbook. Go quickly."
Enrique's silver eyes sank darkly.
His sweaty hands curled, and the boy bit his pale lips.
-------------------------
"Welcome, Princess Deborah."
When I arrived at Maisond, a woman who seemed to be the shop owner came to greet me immediately.
She couldn't hide the fear that still lingered on her face.
Probably because I overturned the table in front of the terrace and broke the furniture.
"I received a message from the Master that the Princess would come to pick up the cake."
"Lead the way."
The woman entered a secret passage behind the store where various products were stacked.
Like Diana, Maisond also had a magic circle with spatial magic where you could instantly meet with the Master.
"Were spatial magic circles this common?"
"Princess, if you come this way, we can travel immediately."
"Wait. How many kg can this teleportation magic circle handle?"
A "Why are you asking?" question flashed across the woman's face.
"I've seen five adults move at once, but I'm not sure about the maximum number of people it can move."
"I see."
I felt sorry, but since asking the Master of Blanchia costs money, I tried to satisfy my curiosity for free through her.
"But five people means it can move at least 250 kg at once."
While thinking it wasn't a bad number, the magic circle and mana stones started emitting a bright light.
"Master, Princess Deborah has arrived."
A valuable guest has arrived.
When the commanding voice sounded in the hallway, tension suddenly increased.
Don't be discouraged.
When I entered the office with a cold expression, I was surprised by the bright golden mass that hurried over.
The identity of that mass was Cookie.
Cookie, approaching, circled around the side where the catnip bag was, then swept the back of my hand with its rough tongue.
As I stroked its fluffy jaw, it purred and squinted its eyes like a fox.
"Cookie. Come here."
The Master of Blanchia said with a rough voice.
But Cookie still stayed by my side, letting out a whimper.
In the original work, it was an animal that created a warlike atmosphere by roaring violently every time the Master showed signs of distress. As expected, the power of drugs is great.
"Ah, what's wrong? For now, sit."
Sighing softly, the Master moved the chair that was far away with magic.
As soon as I sat down, Cookie rolled its golden eyes from side to side, then secretly sat down near me.
Then it put its head on my lap.
The Master let out a small sigh, as if he had given up.
"Ah."
As he sighed, Cookie alternately looked between the Master and me, pricking its ears.
It seemed fierce, as if it were going to bite its owner, but it was cute to see how it now cared about its owner's feelings.
I laughed too, unconsciously.
"Isn't Cookie adorable?"
I quickly adjusted my expression and changed the subject.
"Ahem! Well, I heard that the request for the magic bag is complete."
"Gets straight to the point. No mercy."
Perhaps because I caused trouble in his shop, his tone of reproach was uncomfortable.
"That's unexpected, you already knew I'm this kind of person. If you handle information, you must have heard rumors about me."
"Yes. I've heard them well..."
It was a bit vague, which was unusual for him. Perhaps something was bothering him.
As I looked into his glassy eyes, I felt uneasy.
"But are we in some kind of relationship to talk like this?"
When I turned the topic around, the Master shrugged.
"That kind of relationship, we can make it from now on."
"Why should I do that?"
"If we're in that kind of relationship, you get something like a discount."
"You, who are a hardcore businessman, will give me a discount? That's just empty talk now."
The Master chuckled briefly.
"I didn't expect you to have any discernment at all. Well, we can improve our relationship as time goes on, so let's get straight to the point."
He handed me the secret bottom bag I had requested.
At first glance, it looked like a normal bag, but when I untied the cord and opened it, the inside was as dark as a wolf's mouth, as if it had been stained with ink.
I began to put things I had brought inside to test the bag's functionality.
"It's truly amazing."
It sucked in the items inside, like a black hole.
I was distracted, looking around the bag when suddenly the man extended his hand to me.
"Princess."
"What?"
"Give me your hand."
What's with this sudden situation?
"I'm not a dog, why should I give you my hand? That's insolent."
"If the princess wants to summon objects again in case of loss, she needs to specify the coordinates on her hand."
"Ah."
"Did you think I was treating you like a dog? Technically speaking, the princess... is more like a cat."
He took my hand while saying something absurd.
I felt the touch of his cold leather glove on my hand, and immediately, a pale light flowed from his.
"His hand is huge. My ideal type is a man with long fingers who can play the piano well."
Eh. But why am I thinking like this?
Honestly, this situation is strange enough to make me feel uncomfortable. To other people, it would seem like we're holding hands on a date.
"For how long should we do this? It's taking quite a while."
At my question, he immediately withdrew his hand.
"...done."
The complex patterns on my palm slowly disappeared, like snow touching the ground.
"If you want to summon something, you have to recite the spell."
He wrote down the spell and handed it to me.
As soon as I saw the spell written on the note, I swore never to lose anything again.
"When you want to take something out of the bag, reach your hand into it. You can't use your eyes to pick things, so it's easier to put only gold coins in it."
"I see."
He continued to talk about my requests.
"And not taking the pink diamond to the academy was a rather good decision."
"Eh...?"
"Perhaps because they wondered what kind of jewel the princess hid, it seems to have piqued the curiosity of the aristocrats."
I just didn't want to provoke Philap, but it seems the Master thought I was trying to increase the value of the pink diamond.
"Was that your intention?"
"Hmph! Well, of course."
He caught me, but I managed to maintain my expression and pretend I was fine.
"If you want to increase the value and reputation of that diamond even more, hide it as you are doing now and bet on it at a decisive moment."
"When will the decisive moment be?"
"It will be good next month when the spring festival is held. You'll have the chance to turn it into gold coins."
He moved his finger with a faint smile. Shortly after, a teapot and two teacups of tea flew over and gently landed on the office table.
"Shall I add sugar?"
The Master asked as he poured fragrant tea into a teacup.
"Just one."
He added it to my tea and put three teaspoons of sugar in his teacup.
It seemed he liked sweets. When all the sugar dissolved, the conversation began as he enjoyed the steaming tea.
"So, let's hear today's request."
"How can you be so sure that I'm going to make a request?"
"If you had no business, you would have gone home immediately with the bag."
Is it just me, or does he seem in a bad mood?
"That's right. As he said, I have a request. There is one more person I would like to know about."
"Who is it?"
"Isidor Visconti."
