Chapter 44
"What is that contract?"
Belreck muttered with an anxious face.
"I know Brother is experimenting with converting mana into power."
I needed his genius for creating artifacts.
This is a contract to use his abilities.
"Wait, Deborah, how do you know what my thesis is about? It hasn't been announced publicly yet."
He asked, suspicious.
‘That's because of the contents of the novel.'
Belreck was a character who always stayed at the top of the popularity poll.
There is a strong demand for a male character with silver, long hair, along with glasses, and the scene in which he appears is… Ahem, because there was something that differentiated him from other male characters.
I don't refer to Belreck as a sadist pervert for nothing.
‘This guy is the real deal.'
Belreck had all kinds of strange R-rated tools with various powers such as rotation, vibration, etc.
"Under the black slate on the second floor of the basement of the separate building where Brother lives. An adult device that turned mana into mechanical energy… Mmph!"
Suddenly, Belreck covered my mouth.
"Deborah. I have bitterly realized that your intelligence is not ordinary, so please stop. I was really wrong."
He rambled.
His white face was as red as if he were about to explode, and his earlobes seemed to be bleeding.
‘Is this something so surprising that he is startled like that?'
He used the tools so shamelessly in the novel that I thought he was a guy with no sense of shame.
‘Oh! Wait a minute. Is it because I'm his younger sister?'
His family had discovered his secret private life; and now that his stance had changed, he became pitiful and quiet.
There was someone like that.
When my mother suddenly opened the door and came in while I was watching pornography, I felt as if time and space had stopped, and I wanted to disappear as fine dust in the universe.
"Sign! Where can I do it?"
Looking at Belreck, whose face was dyed red and tears were welling up, I felt as if I had done something seriously wrong.
‘I didn't mean to push him this far…'
Feeling a little sorry, I gently held out the parchment.
Belreck didn't even read the terms and conditions of the contract, as if he were greatly embarrassed.
"Can I sign here?"
"Yeah. Put your heart and mana into it."
Belreck Seymour.
A silver signature, imbued with mana, shone in the darkness.
He left melancholically after signing, and I suddenly got one of the most powerful slaves in the Empire, one of the leading artifact makers and capable of even operating ancient weapons.
There is gossip that Belreck is moving an ancient golem that had stopped as an experiment to substitute mana with power, but anyway…
***
‘Oh my God, it's Princess Deborah.'
‘Lower your eyes, quickly. What are you staring at?'
After Louis Gargell appeared at the Academy with a large bouquet of flowers, Princess Deborah's bad reputation was unintentionally increasing among the aristocratic young men.
Because rumors spread that she made the gentleman, who came to confess, run away crying.
‘I heard that the son of the local lord ran away trembling as if he had seen a ghost.'
‘What on earth did he do to run away while pooping his pants?'
‘Exactly.'
‘Oh-oh! Now you're fighting with the gentleman, who brought a bouquet of flowers!'
There was a rumor spread secretly by those who were overflowing with unnecessary curiosity and watched Princess Deborah from afar, because they were afraid of her so they couldn't get close.
‘This is not the first time that Princess Deborah has made a gentleman cry. William Lemont also said that after the fact-finding session, he went home and cried all night. Recently, it is said that he has convulsions just from looking at the color purple.'
‘Damn it, she has received Duke Seymour's favor, so you can't even touch her. I guess even arrogant wizards are called geniuses, surprisingly.'
‘She's slowly evolving. In the past she was just a viper, now she's a venomous viper.'
‘Who on earth will escort Princess Deborah to the Spring Flower Festival?'
‘We need to decide on a festival partner as soon as possible. The Princess may try to hire a partner by coercion.'
‘If I'm chosen, I'm planning to become very sick. Cough, cough, I wouldn't dare pass a sickness to the Princess!'
‘As for me, I might have an urgent matter in my estate sooner or later…'
***
‘Hmm. This is a bit of a big deal.'
Although I succeeded in defeating Louis Gargell and making Belreck slave no. 2, the situation at the academy was taking a turn for the worse.
"I think I've become a villain that makes not only the ladies cry, but also the gentlemen.'
I rubbed my forehead as I heard what Arin Oslot had picked up here and there.
Even though I am proud to be living a good life as a villain without a character change, I'm getting a headache from the problem I am facing right now.
‘Is there a man who will be my partner for the ball?'
Father and Belreck had to be excluded from the candidates.
The Spring Flower Festival is an event with a youthful and enjoyable atmosphere, so, unlike Thanksgiving, immediate family members could not be escorts.
Arin Oslot's eyes twinkled in front of me, who was at a loss.
"I was moved by Princess Deborah's determination, resolution, and charisma. Those ugly, lacking a sense of fashion, disgusting men; it's right to coldly tear them apart. So that they don't get confused! And don't dare pick a fight with you!"
That's not the problem right now.
When I looked up at Arin, who was saying strange things, her big eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she started shaking her hands and feet.
"A-Anyway, Princess Deborah! Please call me whenever."
Red up until her ears, she quickly ran to the magic building after bowing multiple times.
I stared blankly at her back, which was getting smaller and smaller.
‘I feel like I bullied you today as well.'
But she discreetly flattered me and said everything she had to say, shaking like a squirrel.
Master said that she was a sincere and kind young lady, so it must be true. Well.
After secretly meeting Arin, I came out of the back of the magic building and walked towards the path leading to the east gate of the academy.
I came to know that the theology building, where Mia goes to, is located on the west side, so I didn't even step in that direction anymore because I am unlucky.
‘I should also investigate the commercial area near the east gate.'
Because I was relying on the patent, I neglected to proceed with the cafe business.
And finding a good location was surprisingly not easy.
For a franchise business, the first store must be a big success; and since location is the most important issue, it wasn't easy to decide.
‘After all, location is half of a business.'
Unfortunately, the Yones district, where I did the market research, was eliminated from the candidates for the site of the first cafe.
Because the Master's Maisond, which is using an excellent strategy, was already firmly established.
What I'm aiming for is a cafe with a young and trendy concept while emphasizing popularity.
‘I would rather it be in the Horun district.'
As I looked through the carriage window when going to and from the academy, there were major facilities such as the imperial family, the academy, the Wizardry Association, the Knights, a temple, etc., and there seemed to be a large floating population.
There must be a lot of good business areas.
‘Let's make some money. Since when have I been popular, who cares about the ball…'
As I was walking along the path toward the east gate, half transcending, I heard a cat crying somewhere and stopped.
‘Is this a cat haunted area?'
As I looked around the wooded landscape, I narrowed my eyes at the person shining in the distance.
‘It's Isidor.'
He was on his knees, petting a gold-haired cat.
Isidor, skillfully petting a small animal on a green forest road, seemed to be the embodiment of a mythical elf.
"Do you want more?"
As he pulled out a small snack from his pocket, the cat immediately devoured it.
"Be good."
Isidor whispered softly and smiled.
Deborah has a healthy 20/20 eyesight on both eyes, so even from afar, his friendly smile was visible.
‘I think I'm having trouble breathing because he's so handsome.'
Oddly enough, Isidor's path often overlapped with mine, like right now, so there were quite a few opportunities to see his face at the academy.
‘I deluded myself into thinking that I had gotten a little used to that face.'
What an impertinent thought. There was an even more fatal point now.
A handsome man and a cute cat. This is a bit too much.
As I stood there, mesmerized by the gracious sight that could not be overlooked, Isidor turned his head towards me.
"Oh…"
His well-shaped lips parted slightly.
‘I must have stared too blatantly.'
Cold sweat ran down my back.
"Princess Deborah?"
Isidor, who got up, greeted me first while approaching me.