Chapter 81 – Requilis (5)

April 14th, 2023

From then on, I had various conversations with Dimitri, and the field that we delved into the most deeply was undoubtedly history.
Dimitri boasted a wide range of knowledge as a Duke of Requilis, and I also had a considerable amount of knowledge that was not inferior to a professor despite not being at a professorial level. 

Thanks to this, there was never a lull in the flow of our conversation, and it went on for so long that Marie even expressed her boredom.

In particular, Dimitri had a deep knowledge of the culture of other countries.
He explained in detail why that culture came about, and what form it has taken up to the present day. 

I took out my magic pen and notebook that I always carried with me, as if I couldn’t miss this unexpected opportunity, and recorded diligently. 

Even though I had read a lot of books compared to my peers, there were many ways in which I was lacking in accurately grasping the culture of other countries.

“Do you always carry a pen and notebook with you?” 

Dimitri glanced at my magic pen as I was taking notes, and raised one eyebrow.

He seemed interested in my habit of recording in a notebook rather than just looking at the pen.

I stopped recording for a moment and answered in a blunt voice. 

“Yes.
I have a habit of recording important information so that I don’t forget it.”

“You have really developed a great habit.
My daughter should learn that too.”

“Hmph.
I don’t forget what I’ve heard at least once, you know?”

Upon hearing Dimitri’s complaint, Marie quickly turned her head and expressed her dissatisfaction.
She had no choice but to complain because he treated her like a sack of barley while only talking about boring history.

“Did that kid ask you to borrow the notebook?”

“Hey!”

Marie immediately yelled, interrupting his unnecessary question.

I laughed a little at Marie’s reaction, who couldn’t hide her shame and was huffing with her face completely red.

Dimitri also burst into a rare hearty laughter.
Only Marie couldn’t laugh within the cheerful atmosphere.

Knock-knock-

“Master, it’s almost lunchtime now.” 

Sebastian’s voice came from outside the door, interrupting the good atmosphere.
Both Dimitri and I checked the clock in the guest room.

Was it right to say that they didn’t even realize time was passing? Upon checking the time, it was already approaching lunchtime.

Sebastian must have known that I would not eat lunch and just go home.
However, it seemed like he wanted to confirm that lunchtime was approaching.

Dimitri pursed his lips as lunchtime was approaching and looked at me. 

“Is it really that time already? Are you really leaving without having lunch?”

“Yes.
I want to see my family as soon as possible.
I plan to get takeout and leave.”

“Just take the food our chef made and don’t spend money.
I’ll tell him to prepare separately.”

“If that’s the case, thank you.”

“Sebastian.”

Upon my approval, Dimitry called Sebastian, who was waiting outside the door, into the room.
Sebastian came in and approached Dimitry’s side.

Dimitry commanded Sebastian in a low voice, sitting up straight next to him.

“This friend won’t have lunch and will return home, so there’s no need to prepare anything separately.
Instead, tell the chef to prepare something simple to take out.
He’ll eat it on the carriage.”

“I understand.”

“And stop by my office for a moment and bring the ‘remover.’ There should be a new remover in the drawer.”

“Yes.”

Sebastian received Dimitry’s instructions and walked outside the door.

As I watched Sebastian’s back walking away with steady steps, I became curious and asked Dimitry a question.

“Your Grace, may I ask what a remover is?”

“It’s something you’ll like.”

“Something I’ll like?”

“Well… you’ll definitely like it.”

As I looked at the object with a puzzled expression, Marie sitting next to me nudged me.
This made it even harder to figure out what the object was.

After a little while, Sebastian returned with a long, white object in his hand.
I fixated my gaze on the familiar-looking object.
Meanwhile, Dmitry had received the object from Sebastian and showed it to me.

“This is called a Remover.
It’s a device that contains magical formulas like your magic pen.”

“What’s it used for?”

“You have the notebook you wrote in earlier, right? Try pressing the button here and touch it to the notebook.”

Dimitry seemed to have judged that it would be better to try directly than to explain, so he handed me the object.
I received it with skepticism.

It looks like a baton overall.
Should I describe it as being as thick as a very thick pencil?

To solve my growing doubts, I held the object like a pen and touched it to the notebook.
The notebook contained the knowledge Dimitry had just shared, and as soon as I pressed the button in the middle, a surprising phenomenon unfolded.

“Huh?”

It disappeared.
The black writing that had been written with a magic pen.

The writing disappeared cleanly, leaving no trace where I had touched the end of the object.
It was as if it had been erased with an eraser or whiteout, leaving the paper clean.

“It’s a magical item called a ‘remover.’ It may only be a short time of five minutes, but it can erase any record written with a pen.” 

Explained Dimitri, as I stared at the notebook with vanished writing in despair.
As I lifted my head, I noticed Dimitri’s smiling face.

While facing him, I hurriedly confirmed whether the other writings had been erased.
Although the writings from a while ago were not erased, the records written just a moment ago were all removed without a trace.

This alone was like a treasure among treasures for me.
I put on a bright expression before quickly reverting to my original expression.

Even a magic pen is known for its exorbitant price, and this ‘remover’ item must have a price tag to match.
Although he is a duke, I don’t think he would gift this to anyone.

“May I ask why you gave this to me?” 

I asked carefully, holding the ‘remover’ in my hand.

I indirectly revealed my desire to own the ‘remover’ and would gladly accept it if he proposed a fair deal.

Dimitri seemed to have caught onto my desire for it and smiled slightly.
I tensed up, hoping that he would not make any strange offers.

“It’s just a gift.
There’s no particular reason.”

He replied nonchalantly, however, I remained cautious and did not immediately accept his gift.

“Even as a gift, this item is too expensive for me.
While the magic pen can substitute mana for ink, it seems like the remover would be more complicated… isn’t it?”

“You’re right.
If the magic pen is worth 1, then the remover is worth 10.”

As I expected, this item called the remover was priced so high that I couldn’t afford it. 

Of course, if I were to consider the profits I earned from Xenon’s Biography, I would gladly pay for it, but it’s a gift.
The price is outrageously expensive for just a gift.

Just as I was about to politely decline and put down the remover, Dimitri stopped me with a loud voice.

“You don’t have to feel burdened.
It’s a gift from me because I like you.
You wouldn’t refuse, would you?”

“…It’s too expensive for me.”

“Still, it’s no different from loose change for a Duke Requilis.
Just take it as a kind word.
You gave Marie history lessons, so you should get something in return that matches that.”

“…Thank you.”

It can’t be helped if it came from none other than the Duke of Requilis, but I couldn’t hide my joy, and my mouth kept twitching with happiness.

Just knowing that such magical items exist is a great fortune, and to receive it as a gift on top of that is even more amazing.
As someone who would have had to discard the manuscript itself if I had made a single mistake, I couldn’t help but be happy.

“Do you like it that much?”

Seeing my mouth twitching, Marie asked.
I replied with happiness, tightly holding the remover in both hands.

“Yes.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you happy like a child.
You must really have a personality that enjoys what you like.”

Like Mari’s analysis, I am the type of person who really enjoys what I like.

When I received a magic pen as a gift from my father, I didn’t show my joy and my emotions mixed together, but my feelings were not much different from what they are now.

“If you like it that much, I’m happy.
If you want, I can give you something else.”

“No, thank you.
This gift is more than enough for me.”

When I shook my head and said no, Dimitri let out a subtle smile and muttered quietly.

“‘More than enough’… that’s an interesting phrase.”

*****

As Isaac had stated that his visit was only for the purpose of visiting, he left the Requilis mansion before lunchtime.
Before leaving, Marie asked if he could stay for just one night, expressing her regret, but Isaac flatly refused. 

He wanted to reunite with his parents as soon as possible, and above all, he judged that it would be a breach of etiquette to stay longer.

“Then give me a kiss.”

“Willingly.”

In the end, they replaced their regret by stealing a kiss during the moment when Dimitri briefly left to call the carriage.
The long yet short kiss time passed, and Isaac rode the carriage that Dimitri had separately called back to his home.

Afterward, Marie stood quietly at the front gate of the mansion until the carriage Isaac boarded disappeared from sight.
Even though it was only a short month, her heart felt heavy at the thought of not seeing Isaac.

“Miss, it’s time to go back now.”

“…I understand.”

As the carriage passed through the Duke’s gate and disappeared completely, Marie followed Sebastian’s lead and walked inside.
Still feeling regretful, she turned around before entering the mansion.

The carriage Isaac rode in was nowhere to be seen outside the firmly closed gate.
He really had gone back home.

“Sigh…”

Marie let out a deep sigh, already feeling the overwhelming longing.
If she had known this would happen, she would have squeezed his soft cheeks after the kiss, but there was no time.

As she walked into the mansion with a melancholy expression, a familiar voice spoke in her ear.

“You look disappointed.”

It was Dimitri.
He had been waiting with Marie and Sebastian in front of the gate, pretending not to directly escort Isaac as it would not befit his status as a Duke.

Marie smiled wryly and replied. 

“Did it show too much?”

“It doesn’t make sense for a father to not know how his daughter feels.”

When Dimitry answered confidently, Marie chuckled.
To the outside world, Dimitry was a duke who received the respect of the Empire’s citizens, but in Marie’s eyes, he was just a father who loved his daughter.

Marie looked around and gestured for Sebastian to leave.
Sebastian politely nodded and walked away to another area, leaving Marie and Dimitri as the only ones in front of the main gate.

Marie checked once again to make sure no one was listening, then asked Dimitry in a quiet voice.

“Dad, do you roughly know who Isaac is?”

Marie had a natural talent to see through people’s psychology, so she felt a sense of discomfort during the conversation between Isaac and Dimitry, and was convinced when Dimitry gave him the Remover as a gift.

Dimitry had a vague idea of Isaac’s identity.
Fortunately, Isaac was unaware of this fact because Dimitry did not reveal any signs.

Dimitry shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly.

“Marie, as you know, I am the Requilis Duke who serves His Majesty the Emperor.
I am informed of everything that happens in the Empire, even if it is something the Crown Prince did personally.
I have been investigating separately for some time.”

“When did you find out?”

“I only became certain recently.
Thanks to that, we need to revise the laws to prevent tax evasion.
There is ample room for abuse.”

“What are you going to do now?”

Marie asked in a slightly lowered voice, ‘Even though he is my naive father, he is still the Duke of Requilis.’ 

Like the question she had asked Isaac, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the person sitting confidently in the highest position among the ‘people holding the pen.’ 

Even if he personally liked Isaac, she had no idea what he might do.
If he did something unnecessary, she would try to stop him somehow, but she was far too weak to do so on her own.

While Marie was worrying about that, Dimitry spoke in a calm voice. 

“At first, I thought we should take action.
Even though people might not know, as the author of Xenon’s Biography, he is very dangerous.
But after a few conversations, it seems like it wouldn’t be a big deal if we just let it go.”

“Why?”

“Like that kid said, the world changing is a natural phenomenon.
Even if we try to stop it by force, we will suffer the most.
It’s like trying to block a flowing river.
Eventually, the dam will break.
But it’s always best to be prepared.”

After saying that, Dimitry glanced at Marie and then smiled mischievously. 

“Above all, you are that kid’s girlfriend now, right? As a duke and as a father, I approve of him, but if that kid does anything weird, tell me.
I’ll take care of him.”

“Father…”

For a moment, Marie felt uneasy about Dimitry’s low-quality joke and gave him a pathetic look.
By the way, all the vulgar words that didn’t suit the dignity of the Duke were things she had heard from her own mother.
Whether she said anything or not, Dimitry never stopped teasing Marie.

“So, when do you want to get married? If you want to…”

“Right now.”

“… …”

“I want to get married right now, so send a marriage proposal to Isaac’s mansion.”

Did he realize that she was serious?

“…I need to think about it again.”

Dimitry muttered to himself, unable to even respond.

“No.
Let’s just send a letter.
With my father’s influence, we can make it arrive in a day, can’t we?”

“… …”

That’s how Marie’s vacation began.