"Instead of just screaming with your mouth wide open, why don't you try talking?"

Wolfgang, who was breathing heavily in the basement of the mansion, spoke sharply as he stomped on the back of a large man.

"Kuaaaaaak...!!!!"

"I said, try talking."

"Please spare me...! Please, just my life...!"

"Yes... I'll spare you. Of course, I'll spare you..."

Wolfgang, wiping the blood from his forehead, frowned and said.

"You can bring the ledger, can't you?"

"...Heok...heok..."

"You said you saw the ledger. You said with your own mouth that you saw someone taking the ledger."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry!!"

Wolfgang, biting his lip tightly, shook his head and roughly grabbed the man's hair.

"I hired you believing only your words. I paid you a lot of money in exchange for finding the ledger."

"...I'm sorry!! I must have been crazy back then."

"No... no."

Wolfgang, who met the man's eyes with a calm gaze, let out a sweet laugh and whispered in a low voice.

"That's not the answer I want."

Wolfgang's chilly voice is heard.

"Didn't you say you would definitely find it?"

"..."

"The scene of you vigorously pounding your chest in front of me and saying you would find the ledger no matter what is still fresh in my mind. This can't be a lie."

"...I'll give you the money back."

"No. You're the one who's going to bring it, so why would I take the money back?"

Wolfgang, pressing down on the head of the fallen man, said with a cold expression.

"You can just bring it from Desmunt."

"It's impossible!!!"

"Bring it."

"I have a family. A young daughter and a wife...!"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"If I go to Desmunt, I will die!!! Please have mercy!!"

The man was an adventurer who had lied to Wolfgang about knowing the location of the ledger.

He had coincidentally made contact with those looking for the notebook and had lied in the thought that he could make a lot of money.

The rumors circulating in the public said that Wolfgang's family was foolishly kind.

If he sent a fake notebook.

Or, he had thought that Wolfgang, who held large charity events every year, would understand even if he was caught in such a lie.

But.

-Would you please follow me? I think I need to give you more compensation for your efforts...

The young adventurer, who had realized too late that it was his own arrogant mistake, was begging for forgiveness with his hands clasped together.

Really...

"You can't do it?"

It seemed like he was going to kill him.

A chilly sensation is felt.

"Uh...?"

Without even a moment to wonder, the line drawn on his Adam's apple began to open up, leaving a great pain and marking the end of his life.

Wolfgang's voice is heard coldly in the ears of the man who is losing consciousness.

"If the money is still there, I will end your family's crime with slavery."

"...Save me..."

"If it's not, your family will go the same way as you, as much as my anger."

His breath stops.

"Hoo..."

Wolfgang, who was breathing heavily, looked at the old man standing behind him without a word and said.

"Clean it up, butler."

The butler, who had served the family head from the previous generation until now, bowed his head and began to move.

"What do you think."

At the family head's question, the butler, who was moving the corpse, answered in a calm voice.

"I think we should interact with Desmunt."

"Do you think it's possible?"

"..."

"The other party is Desmunt."

"..."

"Desmunt, who runs the largest business in the empire with a great magician."

"..."

"Why would such a family want to interact with Wolfgang? Are you saying we should give them half of the western territory?"

"If we can get them with that, I think it's worth a try."

-Bang!!!

Wolfgang, who slammed the armrest of the chair with his fist, continued to speak to the old butler in a calm voice.

"Butler..."

"Yes, family head."

"I've given you a lot of time too, haven't I?"

"..."

"I gave you the status of a nobleman for serving the family for a long time."

"..."

"And I gave you plenty of time to find the ledger. Why are you spitting out the same answer as that piece of trash?"

-Grip...

"Why... I asked why you are disappointing me."

The old butler put down the corpse that was dirtying the floor and answered politely.

It was clear that if this man wanted to, he would see his life as less than a bug.

"I am looking for a way, family head."

"..."

"The reason I kept you alive even though you knew many secrets was because of your unchanging cleverness over the years."

"..."

"Now that you've grown old. It seems I can't find that cleverness of the past."

"I am a person who can do anything for the family."

Wolfgang's eyes shone coldly as he said.

"What can you do, to say such a thing?"

With a deep question of how he could solve what he couldn't solve.

"Are you going to break into Desmunt alone with your old body and steal the ledger?"

"..."

"Or are you going to assassinate the Desmunt family to destroy the evidence?"

"..."

"You're not going to say something crazy like kidnapping a family member, are you? If we touch that family, which is full of monsters, we will be annihilated."

The butler said.

"The heretics."

"..."

"If we join hands with the heretics, it's definitely possible."

"...Are you kidding me now?"

Wolfgang opened his cold eyes and walked towards the butler. Even with Wolfgang's large frame looking down at him, the old butler was not intimidated at all and continued to speak.

"If we cause a conflict between the heretics and Desmunt, we will be able to steal the ledger."

"..."

"Currently, that is the only way. Even if we can't destroy Desmunt, we just need to steal our objective, the ledger."

"..."

"In any case, if Desmunt reveals the ledger, Wolfgang will be annihilated."

Yes.

It was a good method.

Wolfgang, who was looking down at the butler's eyes, sat down in the chair again and asked in a calm voice.

"The deal..."

"..."

"Requires a corresponding price."

With the meaning that the proposal is good, but we have nothing to offer.

"What do we send as a price?"

"..."

"Do you think it would be enough to give the fanatics money to deal with Desmunt?"

"..."

"Do you think they would be willing to do it if we asked them to fight an all-out war with Desmunt at the risk of annihilation, in exchange for your old life?"

"..."

"What idiot in the world do you think would make a deal on such terms?"

Wolfgang, who let out a long sigh, burst into laughter at the butler's calm expression. It seemed he had thought of a good idea.

"Do it."

"..."

"In any case, if the ledger is revealed, both I and my wife's family will be on the floor."

"Thank you, family head."

"Tell me everything you need. Instead, this matter must not harm our family at all."

The moment Wolfgang's cold words spread, the butler's eyes shone as he answered.

"I will definitely succeed."

It is the family he has devoted his life to.

He had done all sorts of dirty work and countless unspeakable things, so getting his hands dirty was nothing new.

He had a fondness for this family because he had raised it.

"Who am I?"

"Ha..."

"I am the butler of this Wolfgang family."

Wolfgang, who saw the look in the old wildcat's eyes, smiled with satisfaction and said.

"You are still alive."

"I will die when this family is at its peak."

In any case, his master was a person who would kill him without hesitation for the sake of power.

He had to prove his ability.

.

.

.

And so, now.

Wolfgang's butler was in Hamel.

"Is this Hamel, where the young lady's mansion is?"

According to rumors, the head of the Desmunt family cherished the young lady very much.

Even when the family almost collapsed because of the young lady's black magic, he did not excommunicate her and only sent her to a villa in exile.

Then what would happen if he attacked the young lady's mansion?

Unable to even stand up.

If the heretics were to storm the mansion of the crippled young lady, not only the duke but also the full force of Desmunt would be forced to gather here.

It would be even better if the family head died.

The butler, who glanced at the villainess's mansion from afar, began to think as he walked the streets of Hamel.

He wandered the streets aimlessly, thinking about how to attack the mansion in the capital when people were gathered at the young lady's mansion.

One step.

Two steps.

After walking a little further.

The hungry butler began to walk towards a restaurant to have a late lunch.

'Yuram.'

The name, which meant to wander aimlessly, was quite amusing.

'Jingle'

The butler, who sat down, finished his order and looked around the shop. If used well, this place could also be helpful to the plan.

If it were used as a heretic's hideout...

-Eat a lot...

It was then.

A familiar woman caught the old butler's eye.

One of the family head's many women, and a woman who had come to the mansion claiming to be pregnant with his child. The memory of her begging him to 'please take responsibility for the child' before she was kicked out of the mansion was so vivid that it seemed to be clearly浮かぶ in his mind.

-Butler-nim, please let me see the family head just once...! Please, just my child!!!

-Go back.

-I'm begging you just once.

-I told you I abandoned my daughter.

-I didn't abandon her...!

-Live your own life. If you had thrown her in a slum, a brothel would have picked her up long ago. If you're lucky, she might be dead.

-How... can you say that...!!! You have a family too, don't you...?

-You can just make a new family.

-...You're crazy. You're all crazy!!!

-Be quiet. You can just live a new life with the money the family head gave you.

The memory of her spewing insults, saying 'I'll curse you,' came to mind, and Wolfgang's butler smiled and nodded.

'It seems she has succeeded, for a bug.'

It wasn't the capital, but seeing her running a decent restaurant and attracting customers, it didn't seem like she had been idle. Seeing her live quietly, having given up early, it didn't seem like she would be a harm to her master.

If she had come to the mansion to extort more, she would have been dead, but it had been over 10 years, so his butler kept his lips sealed and began to eat.

Yes.

-I haven't decided what to call him yet.

Until he saw the child in front of him.

Wolfgang's butler, who had encountered numerous articles and information, looked at the child sitting in front of his master's old woman and his eyes trembled coldly.

-Because I don't think it's the right time yet.

Mikhail.

He is currently the most talked-about student in the empire, and is being hailed as the master of the holy sword who defeated the second daughter of the Hystania family.

He was currently at the academy, so it was impossible to contact him, but if he were to leave the academy someday, he was one of the knights that not only we but also other nobles would be eager to hire.

I had given up because it seemed he would enter the imperial palace.

-Because I don't think I can forgive my mother yet.

His fists kept clenching as he heard interesting information in the eavesdropped conversation.

Perhaps...

-Grip...

No, for sure.

That child looked like a being that would bring great fortune to Wolfgang.

Our eyes meet, with an awkward gaze.

"Uh... uh...!"

"Let's go."

Her panicked hand was small and young. Even though she was the master of the holy sword.

For Mikhail, the restaurant 'Yuram' held many meanings.

The mother who abandoned her.

The time she endured under a mossy bridge at a young age to keep a promise.

Because the owner of that restaurant, Yuram, was the one who had given her the nightmarish time that came to mind whenever she closed her eyes.

Unlike me, who doesn't know my parents' faces, for Mikhail, who had lived an unfortunate life due to the will of others, the existence of 'Yuram' was not to be taken lightly.

"Just a moment...!!"

And yet, I, who was pulling her there, was a meddlesome person.

The last time I came to Yuram with Mikhail, their meeting hadn't gone well. To be precise, it would be more fitting to say that Mikhail ran away.

For Mikhail, who was not mentally prepared, meeting the one who had abandoned her again must have been difficult, so I could understand. I felt like even I would have been afraid to meet them.

For me, the restaurant Yuram was just an ordinary restaurant, but for Mikhail, who held countless stories, it would be different.

"Ricardo!!"

And yet, the reason I'm holding her hand is.

"I'll buy you a meal. Haha!!"

It must be because I'm meddlesome.

I yelled at myself not to be so meddlesome, but how ridiculous is it that I'm the one being meddlesome.

'I'm really...'

I think I'm a hopeless case.

I had a strange feeling.

A premonition that the back of Mikhail, seen from afar, would not change even as time passed.

Even after a month.

Even after a year, I didn't want to see Mikhail's regretful figure, who seemed like she would only watch from afar.

It might be an arrogant misunderstanding, but it felt like Mikhail's heart was opening.

Even though the person who made her angry, the mere sight of whom made her clench her fists, was right in front of her, the fact that she came without avoiding it seemed to indicate that she had the will to improve this relationship.

Whether it would lead to ruin.

Or to warm feelings, I don't know, but in my eyes, I could see her will.

That she wanted to do something.

Her memories with that person told me so.

And because the Mikhail I remember from the original work was that kind of person, I gave her a push.

Mikhail.

-...Mom...

She had regretted it in front of the grave of her mother who died in her place.

She wanted to ask but couldn't.

She wanted to resent her for abandoning her but couldn't. The emotions of the Mikhail in the novel.

-What am I supposed to do....

It didn't seem like a very good ending.

"You won't regret it."

"..."

"It's a place that's tastier than it looks."

I didn't want her to experience it again.

I didn't want Mikhail to experience the emotion of regret.

I looked at Mikhail's flustered face and gave an awkward smile.

"If you're mentally prepared..."

"It's okay."

"..."

"It'll work out somehow."

I grabbed the hand of the timid master of the holy sword and led her inside.

Because I'm enough of a person who is stuck.

*

The restaurant, Yuram, that we arrived at was full of people.

It seemed even more crowded than when I came with Malik last time. There were adventurers who had finished their dawn subjugation, and the sight of budding lovers was not uncommon. Sitting inside the restaurant Yuram, I looked at Mikhail in front of me with an awkward smile.

"...Hoo... hoo..."

Looking at the stiff figure of Mikhail, sitting cutely like a hamster, I spoke with a natural smile.

"How is it?"

"Pardon...?"

"The atmosphere of the restaurant."

Mikhail raised her eyes and looked around. If she were alone, she would have just sat still in her seat... no, she wouldn't have even come in in the first place, but because she had a companion, she could relax.

"It's nice..."

She could feel the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant.

'It's pretty...'

Mikhail, who hadn't come to meet her mother but had been led into the restaurant by Ricardo's hand, smiled awkwardly and clenched her fists.

Is she living well after abandoning me....

She came to see that.

'She's not here.'

It seemed she couldn't help her eyes from wandering at the sight of her absent mother.

Ricardo must be awkward too.

"Hmm...? Why are you looking at me like that?"

I thought it must be awkward that I, who used to bully her so much, was now acting like an old friend, suddenly being so friendly.

He seemed to be trying his best, but the misdeeds I had committed in the past would be an indelible memory.

-Grip...

Mikhail, wanting to apologize again, lowered her head and began to wear a stiff expression again.

It was then.

"Again..."

Ricardo, with a pleasant smile, spoke to her.

"You have that expression again."

"Pardon...?"

"The expression that says you're so awkward and sorry you could die."

"...N-no, I'm not."

"You keep feeling sorry, so I feel good, but..."

Ricardo trailed off and pinpointed the worry he was having. It was right not to erase the guilt, but as if admitting that he had done bad things too.

"You have to eat your food deliciously."

"..."

"Don't you think so? The hamburger steak here is delicious."

"Uh... uh..."

He was using a foul play to talk to her.

Mikhail, pushing back her fluttering silver hair, looked at Ricardo's red hair and her eyes were tinged with emotion.

'Wow...'

Just looking at his hair made her relax. A silly smile keeps coming out at his kind appearance.

"Pfft..."

"Why are you laughing?"

"...Just because."

"My face is the kind of face that makes women laugh just by looking at it."

Even that kind of joke was pleasant to hear.

"That's right."

His jokes, which had no lies, were like a comedian who always showed me a comedy, and like a brilliantly shining sun.

"I can't stop laughing."

"...Are you saying my face is ugly?"

"No... you're handsome."

"I know."

"I didn't know you would grow up to be like this back then..."

"When we were young, I must have told you every day. That I'm very handsome."

"...Really."

Ricardo said to me with a leisurely smile. That chatting is nice, but he's hungry, so let's order food.

For a moment, I had forgotten.

Where I was, who the owner of this restaurant was.

"Can I have a green grape juice for my drink?"

"How did you know I liked that?"

"I know everything Mikhail-ssi likes. And I'm in the process of getting to know more."

A person who gives nothing but感動 from one to ten.

"I'll buy the meal today."

"You don't have to...!"

A person who scolds with a serious face when I try to rummage through my pocket for my wallet.

"Put it down quietly before you start mooching off me next time."

"...Still"

"I'm going to eat something more expensive. Don't try to get off easy."

"Pfft..."

Like a tightly clenched fist, I felt sorry for him and wanted to get even a little closer to him. Because the person who seemed like he would disappear if I let go of his hand was a popular person.

"Could I have one hamburger steak, one shrimp risotto, and two green grape juices?"

"Yes, understood. Is there anything else you'd like to order?"

"Hmm..."

Ricardo looked at the waiter and said.

"Is the owner not here?"

"...!!!!"

"I wanted to ask her to make it delicious. Haha!!"

"...Ricardo!"

"It's a joke. Please make it delicious. And don't tell the owner."

I feel a strange sense of jealousy at the blushing smile of the brightly smiling waiter. Even though she's a nice person who has done nothing wrong.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"..."

"Still..."

Ricardo said, turning to me.

With a gentle voice, different from before.

"Do you need more time?"

He asked if I still needed time.

-Grip...

Ricardo's refusal to ignore my feelings seemed to put my mind at ease. If he had pretended not to know, I would have just suffered in silence.

Even well-intentioned lies can be poison if they go too far. At Ricardo's words, which frankly asked about my feelings, I clenched my fists and closed my eyes.

"I don't know."

Ricardo replied.

He calmly told his own story in a low voice, as if reading a fairy tale.

"I see... I don't know either. I've never had a family since I was born."

"..."

"I don't know who gave birth to me, or what kind of love I'm supposed to grow up with. To be honest, I've never received it, so I don't know what kind of expression to make. I'm not a god, you know."

"..."

"But still."

Ricardo smiled as he looked at the beautiful middle-aged woman coming out of the kitchen wearing a bandana.

"I think it's right that she's a precious person."

Through a small smile, our eyes meet with the beautiful middle-aged woman.

At first, she looked at me with trembling eyes, but soon her eyes began to widen.

Should I run away?

"Would you like to leave now?"

"..."

No.

"No."

The woman running with trembling hands recognizes me at once, even in my male disguise, and approaches. With a desperation that pleads, 'please don't run away.'

-Tadadak...!

What story does she want to tell so badly?

"I won't run away."

I wanted to hear it.

-D-deuk.

Ricardo, who had placed a gold coin on the desk and stood up, looked at me with a gentle smile and said.

"I don't know if I ordered well."

Really...

"I thought a heavy menu wouldn't be good for a meal with your mother..."

He's a hateful person.

"Do you hate me?"

"...A little."

"Haha... but what can I do? I'd appreciate it if you'd look at me favorably, even if I'm a nuisance."

Ricardo, who had stood up, gave a slight nod to the middle-aged woman approaching the table and moved out of the way.

"Thank you..."

This is...

"Don't mention it."

I didn't do it to receive thanks.

I can feel an awkward atmosphere from behind him as he leaves.

Fortunately.

"....Misa?"

"..."

Mikhail didn't run away.

*

We talked a lot.

I still haven't erased my resentful feelings, so I said some bad things.

-You said you would come back.

I heard apologies until my ears were ringing.

-I'm sorry... I'm sorry... no matter what excuse I make, I can't lift my head...

To be honest, I was scared.

What if she said she hadn't been looking for me?

What should I do if she asked why she appeared now and made things difficult for her? I was afraid.

I accepted her feelings.

I let go of my feelings.

It's not all erased.

Like it was erased with an eraser, the smudges remain.

But it seems much better than when I hesitated.

No, it was so good that the world seemed a little brighter.

I can see him over there.

"Did you have a good talk?"

The sight of Ricardo extorting money and valuables from a vagrant child.

"Do you hate me?"

At Ricardo's question, as he looked at her, Mikhail let out a small smile and showed him with her actions rather than her words.

-Squeeze...

"Mikhail-ssi...?"

Mikhail, embraced by Ricardo, said.

"Thank you."

How could I hate him?

When I have a mountain of debt to repay.

"It's not Mikhail, it's Misa."

Mikhail, who had been holding onto Ricardo tightly, let go and said with a bright smile.

"That's my name."