Episode 88
âFather.â
As soon as he saw the Duke of Ace returning from his business trip, Eugene got up from his seat.
Looking at the Duke heading to his office desk, Eugene opened his mouth in a cracked voice.
âFather, Thereâs something I need to tellâ.â
However, Eugene could not finish what he had to say.
âWhy are you here at this hour?â
The Duke, who cut off Eugeneâs words in the middle, asked in a piercing voice.
âI know you should be training now.â
The Duke had his eyes fixed on the desk without even raising his head.
âYouâll have to move to the Reylath training ground from tomorrow morning. Do you even have time to relax?â
With a cold voice like a blade of a knife, Eugene was hardened to the ground.
But he bit his lips to the point of blood, and he managed to get himself together.
He couldnât be a coward just because he was afraid of his fatherâs scolding.
He who will be a Housekeeper must go to work for the people in charge.
âIâm sorry. I had to tell you something.â
Eugene bowed his head.
He tried to speak in a voice as unshakable as possible.
But he couldnât help it when his two fists shook weakly.
âWe will conduct the training separately, so you donât have to worry.â
With a clear voice, Eugene took a deep breath and began to talk about what he really wanted to say.
âDid you hear that there was a death in Flantz Payne today?â
At Eugeneâs words, the Duke hesitated to write on the document.
Then slowly raised his head, he looked at his son with bright blue eyes.
âWhy do you know that?â
âIâve got a call from Ydir.â
At the words, the Duke squinted his eyes, looked again at the papers, and opened his mouth.
âItâs not something youâd care about. Stop and just go back.â
âBut Father.â
âEugene.â
The Duke snapped down the quill pen and said.
âThere are many cases that have not yet been confirmed.â
Eugene knew.
He has to keep his mouth shut for now.
âAs Trump and as a patriarch of Aceâ territories people, he should not bring up private conversations about events that have not been concluded for sure.â
Eugene, who was listening to his fatherâs story, knew. He also knew the whole story of this case.
âSo go back. Donât be swayed by strange words, all you have to do is do your job right.â
ââ¦â¦Yes.â
But Eugene knew.
Ydir was not a man to give false testimony.
âBut, Father, I just want to say one thing.â
The Duke frowned at Eugeneâs words.
Eugene quickly added as it was obvious that he would not be able to tell the really key story.
âIf you will, I promise Iâll never talk about it again.â
The Duke sighed openly and closed his eyes.
Eugene gulped in nervousness as he saw him.
ââ¦â¦tell me.â
His mouth is dried up.
Somehow he felt the taste of blood on his cracked lips.
Still, he had to say it.
âI think the monster in the Frantz Payne case is the same kind as the one in the Academy attack.â
For a while, the silence had settled in the Oval Office.
With his sharp eyes staring at him, Eugene was invariably stifled.
âWhat would Spade do?â
It was clear that she would have pushed her opinion to the end.
Even if his father is her conversation partner.
ââ¦â¦never bring up this story in the future.â
An icy voice echoed through the room.
âGo back.â
At the remark, Eugene bowed deeply toward his father.
When he straightened his back, the Duke had his eyes on the papers.
âYes, Iâll see you tomorrow morning.â
Even until that moment, the Dukeâs eyes were not directed at Eugene.
He closed the door and went out to his room.
Inside the darkroom without a candle, the moonlight was pouring down, and on one side of the bed was a trunk full of clothes.
âConsidering the supplemental training, Iâll have to move early tomorrow.ââ
He sat in bed thinking so.
And he thought about what happened today.
The Dukeâs face, which told him to stop going back, passed by.
âAll you have to do is do your job rightâ
It was right.
Eugene has lived up to that word all his life.
But this time, it felt like he had to do something beyond what he had to do.
ââ¦.⦠If it were you, you would say this, right?â
Feeling a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, Eugene closed the curtains.
***
âErica, letâs put more force on your fingertips.â
I shouted at Erika, who was concentrating with her both hands forward.
âYes!â
Erica, whose eyes were at the target, answered vigorously.
Her pink hair tied together shook loudly as she nodded.
âCome on, Iâll count to three. One, two, three!â
As soon as my signal was over, a red glow came out of Ericaâs hand.
But the rays did not hit the target and hit the wall and disappeared into the air.
When I saw it, I held my hands together and shouted in a happy voice.
âOh, my God, you did a great job, Erica!â
Then Erica said, scratching her head awkwardly.
âWell, but I didnât hit the target.â
Holding her regretful hand, I shook my head.
âNo, it wonât take long to get it right if you know how to fire it right.â
I smiled and looked at her eyes as if they had a tourmaline in them.
âSo, youâll be able to handle this magic perfectly in no time.â
âThanks for saying that, Yerine.â
Erica replied with a slight smile around her mouth.
âI didnât know how to handle any magic, but I was able to do this much because of you.â
Erica talked, looking at her white palms.
âUh, no. This is all because of Ericaâs hard work.â
I furtively dodged her gaze and glossed over it.
Actually, I didnât do much.
I only knew the original Erica could use defensive magic.
Ericaâs skills have risen so much because of her own efforts.
âNo, really. Yerine can teach any magic easily.â
âHahaâ¦â¦ this is embarrassing.â
When I turned my head slightly in embarrassment, Erica smiled even more broadly and raised me up.
âYerine is the best. Iâll only follow Yerine in the future.â
I was thrilled to hear that and closed my mouth with my hands.
âUgh, Ericaâ¦â¦.â
The moment tears rolled toward her with eyes full of emotion, an incredibly tall object came out and blocked Ericaâs way.
âYerine, can you help me? Thereâs something I donât know.â
For more,
Showing her agony, she clapped her hands and answered in a refreshing voice.
âAbout three hours?â
âBlottea, you are conscienceââ
âCome on, stop.â
I said to the two who seemed going to use magic towards each other at any moment.
âHaha, letâs be friends. Friendly.â
Then I bowed my head slightly toward Erica and spoke to her.
âErica, letâs go to practice again now. Letâs drink some tea after this practice. What do you say?â
With a slight melancholy look on her face, she nodded up and down at my words.
âOkay. Whatever I do with Yerine is fine.â
âYes, me too.â
And straightened up and smiled at Cassius.
âWait a minute. It wonât take long. Iâm a quick-witted kid.â
Then Cassius pouted his lips.
âI want to get one-on-one tutoring from you, too.â
âCassius.â
I grinned as I called his name.
âCan you wait kindly?â
Cassius was weak on this face.
Sure enough, he looked at me with a red face and complained.
âYerine, youâre so cheap.â
Nevertheless, I repeated the lines with the same face without caring.
â You can wait kind.ly, right?â
Eventually, he lowered his tail.
âOkay. Iâll wait. Donât forget, youâre going to tutor me too.â
âYes, yes.â
As I said so, I barely took a sigh.
âItâs the job to comfort them every day, both of them.â
Until before I possessed this body, I thought the reverse Harem heroine would only suck honey, but now their grievances were fully understood.
âWell, it doesnât matter.â
Thanks to them, I was able to cleanse my eyes every morning at the table and start my day with a refreshing mood.
âCome on, then. Erica, letâs start again.â
Looking at the state of the target, I opened my mouth at Erica.
But as soon as the words were finished, a butler appeared from the back door.
In his right hand, there was a shining necklace on a tray.
âDuke, thereâs a call.â
âErica, Iâm sorry. Wait a minute.â
I took the necklace from the butler, avoiding my seat for a while.
âWhatâs going on this time?â
The sender was Duke Jacqueline.
âDuke Jacqueline?â
And I couldnât shut my mouth when I saw the single line of messages he sent me.
âWhat?â
My astonished cry filled the training ground.
***
âHorseman, stop right now! What are you doing?â
In the frantic wobbly carriage cried the freckled young man.
But the horseman did not hear his cry.
His body caught the reins of a runaway horse in madness, shook helplessly.
He couldnât control the horse.
âStop, stop!â
The horse did not stop the carriage.
At the moment the horses turned roughly, and the carriage slanted sideways as if to flip over.
The shock knocked Eugeneâs shoulder against the wall.
âUh.â
âYoung Master!
âNo, Iâm fine! I have to stop the carriage first.â
âNo, Master, itâs dangerous!â
In his sight, which he managed to get up, a window leading to the perch came in.
And the horses lost control and were rushing towards the giant oak tree.
âYoung Master!
The young manâs scream rang out, and the carriage crashed into the tree.
When the dust had subsided by the impact, no sign of life remained in the carriage.
âââââ