Chapter 134
“Scribe, make arrangements for me to meet the Saintess immediately. If you fail, you will face severe punishment!”
Prince Camus shouted threateningly at the scribe. The scribe bowed his head and clasped his hands together.
“I have brought news that will please Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“We have found someone claiming to be the Saintess’s older brother!”
The scribe exclaimed excitedly.
Prince Camus’s eyes widened.
‘The Saintess’s family! If I use this well, I can get closer to the Saintess!’
Excited at the thought of creating a connection with Sarubia, Prince Camus couldn’t contain his enthusiasm.
“Where is the Saintess’s brother now? Bring him to me immediately!”
“We have already brought him to the palace. Through him, you can make contact with the Saintess.”
Hearing the scribe’s reply, Prince Camus’s stern expression softened into a satisfied smile.
“Good! Lead me to him at once!”
***
Baroness Inferna, who had been leisurely enjoying tea time with Rufus, finally set down her teacup.
“Rufus, the tea was good.”
“Please, have some more if you wish.”
“No need. This old woman needs to go back and get some sleep.”
Baroness Inferna stood up and glanced at Rufus.
“Rufus.”
“Yes, Baroness.”
“Get a ring by tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“Otherwise, your lower half won’t be safe.”
“Excuse me?”
“The ring. By tomorrow.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
Baroness Inferna left, guided by the maids, still casting a disapproving look at Rufus.
“….”
Left alone at the tea table, Rufus clasped his hands and rested his chin.
A ring, a ring.
What kind of ring would Sarubia like?
She was never one for extravagance. Considering her past actions, she seemed to prefer simplicity.
What kind of person was Sarubia? She once made a brooch out of a stone she found while fishing and wore it. She even hurt herself trying to pierce her ears out of sheer curiosity. The only piece of jewelry she currently owned was the ugly fish-shaped necklace Rufus had made.
What kind of ring would such a person prefer?
“…”
He couldn’t figure it out at all.
Should he ask Sarubia directly?
Yes. Rather than worrying alone, it would be better to seek her advice.
‘Since Sarubia will be the one wearing it, let’s go with something she likes.’
With this thought, Rufus went back to his room.
“Sarubia, I have something to ask…”
However, Rufus’s question was drowned out by laughter.
“No way! Did Brother really do that?”
Beyond the cheerful laughter, he saw a white furball. Edel was rolling around on the carpet, laughing.
“I’m telling you, I thought I was going to die that day.”
Sarubia, sitting next to Edel, laughed heartily, slapping the floor. Dust floated up from the carpet, clearly visible.
Rufus, bewildered, looked back and forth between the two.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, Brother!”
Edel sprang to his feet when he saw Rufus.
“Edel, what were you talking about with Sarubia?”
“We were talking bad about you.”
Sarubia answered quickly in Edel’s place.
Rufus’s face stiffened.
“…”
“It was a joke. Smile.”
“…What were you talking about?”
“We were discussing how hopeless your horseback riding skills are.”
“Yeah, Brother, you really can’t handle a horse. Remember that time you got kicked by a horse and rolled onto a pile of manure?”
Edel, who had wrapped his arm around Rufus’s in a friendly manner, burst out laughing.
“What? Wait, that’s the first I’ve heard of this. Is it true?”
Sarubia’s lips twitched at Edel’s words. She had laughed so hard that tears were forming at the corners of her eyes.
Rufus unconsciously stiffened his face.
“That never happened.”
“It did. I saw it.”
“It didn’t.”
“It did.”
Edel, excited to tease his older brother, shouted louder.
“Why are you denying it? Remember that time! You fell right into the pile of manure you had gathered for fertilizer…”
“Edel.”
Rufus grabbed his younger brother’s shoulder firmly.
“Wh-what’s wrong?”
Edel was visibly flustered by Rufus’s unusually stern expression.
“Go to your room and study.”
“I already did.”
“You can never be finished with studying.”
“No, I finished everything. I completed all the arithmetic problems you gave me. Look.”
Edel eagerly presented his arithmetic book. It seemed he had been waiting to show it off.
Rufus quickly skimmed through the arithmetic book. Indeed, all the problems had been solved.
“You actually did it.”
Rufus, after a brief glance, set the book down on the table.
“How did I do? Didn’t I do well?”
Edel followed Rufus like an excited puppy, waiting for praise.
Instead of answering, Rufus blew magic onto the cover of the arithmetic book.
Suddenly, a bright light shone over the book. At the same time, the pages began to flip as if caught in a whirlwind.
“Huh? What are you doing?”
Edel tilted his head in confusion.
Then came an unimaginable and terrifying answer.
“I erased all the ink with magic.”
“What?”
“I erased all your answers, so start from the beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
In shock, Edel lunged at the arithmetic book he had been working on for weeks.
It was true. All the answers he had left on every page were gone, as if washed away by rain.
Edel’s face crumpled like a wrinkled piece of paper.
“Brother… You’re a demon! A demon!”
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