Chapter 15 - Just Do What You're Good At

Zed glanced away at Ferda's words.

The disloyal servant he mentioned had to mean the young girl who had been trailing after him.

Since Zed made his living by reading people, he could at least tell where murderous intent was pointed.

'No matter how I look at it, that murderous intent seems like it's aimed at him, not me...'

He was not mistaken.

That was actually the case.

Luri was extremely irritated by the fact that Ferda had lost money.

Compared to all of Valdrova's wealth, it was not a large sum, but it was not a small amount for one person to spend freely either.

Especially in Halim.

It was not money that should have been spent in a gambling hall.

Ferda had scattered it around as he pleased.

Zed had no way of knowing that background, so he could only be confused.

"... Fine."

The dagger in Zed's hand spun, then slipped neatly into his back pocket.

"Let's talk first, then. What do you want to say?"

"This is not a good place for a sensitive conversation. Let us go somewhere we can talk quietly."

"Follow me."

Zed led him to his room.

He was staying in the most expensive room at the casino hotel.

Unlike the lavish room, what he took out was cheap rum.

"It's a drink I like. I don't know if it'll suit a young nobleman's palate, but want to try some?"

Ferda shook his head.

"I do not drink."

"A mage who doesn't drink?"

"I do not drink precisely because I am a mage."

"A mage who doesn't enjoy alcohol? You're an odd one."

For mages, who had to spend all day thinking and concentrating, their escapes were women and alcohol.

Of the two, alcohol was cheaper, so there were plenty of mages who drank straight from the bottle.

Ferda had not drunk because he had to keep running straight ahead, and abstaining from alcohol had naturally become a habit.

"So... how did you learn that name?"

"I found out while searching for information."

Of course, the source was Zed's own mouth.

Even if he said that, Zed would not believe him, so Ferda decided to gloss over it.

"There is no point in telling you now. All that matters is that I know."

"If you were planning to sound me out like this, maybe I should have killed you even if it meant dying."

"I am not sounding you out. I know about you. You leech off poor women, leech off nobles too, and gather money little by little that way because you are trying to enter high society, are you not?"

"..."

"Because in order to find your younger sister, Emilia, you need success and connections among the upper class."

Zed, who was skilled at keeping a poker face, stared at him expressionlessly.

But his hands were shaken.

There was not a shred of guesswork in what Ferda had said, only certainty, and that certainty had precisely struck Zed's intentions.

"Impressive. It doesn't look like you're using magic, but you're looking inside my head..."

"It is not difficult. At one time, I had thoughts similar to yours."

It was an idea Ferda had once had after being driven out of his family.

To become greater than House Rosnova and place them beneath his feet.

Naive as he had been, Ferda had first resolved that he would make them admit their wrongdoings that way.

'In the end, I failed.'

Ferda had not been accepted by the magic society because he possessed the Red Circle.

Zed had failed to gain entry because he was blemished by the label of being a widowed marchioness's plaything.

"I will make that foothold for you."

"A noble as green and young as you?"

Green young nobles.

Even if they had outstanding ability and drew the world's attention, the ground beneath nobles was one where they could soon slip and become traitors.

The weaker one's connections were and the younger one was, the harder it became.

If one had just come of age like Ferda, one's situation was as precarious as a candle set before the wind.

However, Ferda was a being far removed from ordinary mages.

For one thing, he was the Consort of the Grand Duchess.

"It seems I should introduce myself again. My name is Ferda Valdrova."

"Valdrova... that's the Red Dragon's name, isn't it?"

At that, Zed snorted.

"You do know that in the noble world, that means dismissal, right? What lunatic in the world would get engaged to the Red Dragon?"

"That lunatic is me."

"... For real?"

Ferda's expression had not changed once.

Zed scratched his head and looked embarrassed.

"Damn it. If it was that important, it should've reached my ears already... I guess being in a casino really does blur your sense of time."

He slipped in an excuse, then changed the subject.

"Anyway, if you're Valdrova's husband... even if people treat you like a kept man, you must have tremendous power, right?"

"Yes. You should be able to enter the upper circles you are trying to risk so much to reach."

Zed, who had lowered his head, slowly lifted his eyes and looked at Ferda.

"What do I have to do?"

Ferda held out a hand to Luri.

As he had with Burnel, he handed Zed a letter of appointment.

"You will become an aide under me and carry out missions with that ability of yours."

"What kind of missions?"

"All sorts, from minor tasks to major ones. However, I will not order you to do anything beyond your ability."

After mulling over those words, Zed asked.

"... So I'm a lackey?"

"An aide."

"That's a lackey."

"Then choose. Will you be a lackey who can enter high society, or will you be a fool who cannot even do that and is mocked as a nouveau riche upstart?"

"..."

He had said it unpleasantly, but Ferda was not wrong.

Would Zed become a gigolo treated as a nouveau riche upstart, or a lackey with a position, difficult though it might be?

Zed ran the calculations in his head.

"If I refuse... are you going to report me?"

Ferda tilted his head.

"What do I gain by reporting you?"

"You're a mage, aren't you? And I'm Red-Eye Clan. And the Red-Eye Clan are things that shouldn't exist anymore. It looks like you're in the more advantageous position, doesn't it?"

They were a people who, if born of that bloodline, could possess the peculiar ability to unravel magic.

Their natural predator relationship was as clear as that of cat and mouse.

"No matter how I think about it, there is nothing for me to gain."

"I heard that when our bloodline was wiped out, mages held festivals for three days and nights. Are you different?"

"What a foolish question. Being afraid of the Red-Eye Clan because magic does not work on them is no different from crying under a blanket because one is afraid of ghosts. That disqualifies one as a mage."

It was an utterly arrogant answer.

But Zed did not feel annoyed by that answer.

'He's a strange one.'

When someone acted that way at a young age, they were bound to show the arrogance of relying on their status or overestimating their own potential.

But Ferda did not feel that way at all.

'Judging by his appearance, he's no different from a brat who just came of age...'

Yet the way he acted was like a high-ranking noble who had firmly secured his position.

'Maybe he really can give me what I want...'

Even Zed, who did not easily trust others, was made to wonder that.

"Ah, damn it."

Zed scratched his head roughly.

"Is this how it feels to make a deal with a demon? It pisses me off how sketchy it feels, but how tempting it is too."

Zed rolled silence around in his mouth and tapped the letter of appointment with his finger.

"Fine. I'll do it, my noble lord. But I have conditions. That much should be allowed, right?"

"Tell me. I will write them down now."

Ferda took out the pen tucked into his breast pocket.

Zed held up two fingers and spoke.

"First, you pay me an appropriate amount depending on the mission. Whatever else you say, I need money to do my work."

"Of course. I will pay you compensation."

"Second, if I ever think you're cutting me out or just using me, I'll leave you without hesitation. That's fine, right?"

"That is fine. I have no intention of deceiving you by tricking you. Is that all?"

"Yeah, for now."

In truth, Zed wanted to add one more clause.

A contract saying he would only do this until he found his younger sister.

'That might end up becoming a shackle that drags things out for no reason.'

So Zed ended his conditions with those two.

"Since we are on the subject, I will add one more thing."

Ferda took the pen and wrote one more item in the blank space of the letter of appointment.

"Our contract will last until you find your younger sister."

Zed lifted his head in surprise.

"... Is that really all right?"

"Once you find your younger sister, that is the end. After that, I will leave it to your will."

A tone and terms that were nothing if not clean-cut.

Seeing him show not even a speck of greed, Zed was dumbfounded.

He had even set the time limit that Zed had deliberately not mentioned himself.

'What the hell is this guy?'

Zed's questions about the person named Ferda only grew larger and larger.

No matter how wildly Zed thrashed about, Ferda had the composure of someone who held him in the palm of his hand.

He possessed the virtues only true nobles who had experienced every hardship could have.

'It bothers me that he knows Emilia...'

At the same time, he was the only person who knew and could help him.

Whatever his abilities, his position was trustworthy.

For now, Zed had no choice but to trust him.

"Fine, I get it. No, understood."

Now that he had become an employee, he used polite speech.

With that, all the conditions were settled.

The reason Ferda had set that time limit was simple.

'There is nothing to gain from holding him by force.'

He desperately needed Zed's ability to carry out missions, but that did not mean he intended to hold him by force and make him a slave.

And even if he tried to hold him, there was no way Zed would be caught.

After all, he was a great thief who had escaped infamous prisons time and again.

'And... finding her does not mean everything ends either.'

Ferda watched Zed put the appointment letter into his pocket and opened his mouth.

"Then I will give you a mission immediately."

"Already?"

"I would like to commission you with the money you took."

"Isn't that the money I won?"

"It was originally money I intended to use to commission you. I told you what I was going to tell you if I folded, did I not? Treating it as a commission would be better for both you and me."

"Well, a first request that's basically free doesn't sound too bad. So what are you going to make me do?"

"For you, it is an extremely simple task."

Ferda pointed to one of the names Luri had with her.

-Echidna Philiaz

"Just do what you're good at."

* * *

Once his business was finished, Ferda's carriage left Halim and moved busily.

Unlike with Burnel, Zed had joined them this time and was accompanying them.

"As expected of the carriage of the man who'll become the Grand Duchess's Consort, it's incredibly comfortable, isn't it? The inside is spacious, and even when the road is bad, the interior is stable without any rattling."

"..."

"And on top of that, there is even a pretty, petite servant."

Zed naturally shifted the topic and smiled.

He casually placed a hand on the seat where she was sitting and leaned over.

It was behavior natural to a born gigolo.

"I don't think we've exchanged names, so may I ask who you are, young maid lady?"

"I will kindly explain."

When asked what she was, Luri answered with Dragon Fear.

"Urgh!"

Zed, who had been about to sidle up to her, pulled away and clutched his chest.

Even though he was Red-Eye Clan, Zed was human, and he was a person who feared dragons.

"Hah... This, this is... a d-dragon?"

"A dragon spawn. She is Grand Duchess Valdrova's personal attendant."

"I never heard that dragon spawn could emit Dragon Fear... And she doesn't have horns or a tail, does she?"

"It means she is that powerful a dragon spawn."

"I thought she'd be a half-elf or a halfling at most..."

Zed suddenly recalled the moment when he had threatened Ferda with a dagger.

If he had really acted up with the dagger back then, he truly would not have gotten away with it.

Zed flicked his shirt with his hand, cooling the cold sweat.

Luri looked at Zed as if he were pathetic, then sat demurely again.

"Do not worry. She may be savage, but she becomes docile if you put food in her hands."

"Who are you calling docile?"

Ferda heard Luri's retort and nodded.

"True, rather than docile, you are more of a doglike child."

"Huh? Are you insulting me again?"

"It is a compliment. Among dog breeds, there is a small but brave dog called a Chihuahua. I think it resembles you."

"Would you please beg me to hit you just once?"

"I would rather not. I prefer to avoid pain."

Ferda kept provoking her endlessly, and Luri's expression kept rotting away.

If an ordinary person had taken that Dragon Fear directly, they should not have been able to breathe by now.

But Ferda was nothing but calm, and Zed, the only one caught between them, said this.

"I'll just go play with the coachman. Please call me if you need me."

What did it matter if the seat was comfortable?

Peace of mind was best.

* * *

To find Echidna Philiaz, Ferda entered a deep forest.

As they proceeded, they eventually reached a road where the carriage could go no farther.

"They say we can't go any farther than this. The road's too narrow and all."

"Then we must walk."

"It's quite far, but it isn't steep, so let's think of it as a stroll."

With no other choice, Ferda got out and walked with Luri and Zed behind him.

The two following him were walking as though it were nothing more than a light stroll, but Ferda was dripping with sweat.

"You need to work on your stamina, don't you?"

"Surprisingly... this is my limit."

"You might build up more stamina if you try a little harder, couldn't you?"

"I was once from a knight family, and this is why I became the Grand Duchess's fiancé."

"Ah, so that's why..."

Zed scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"Well, should I carry you on my back?"

"I decline."

Ferda struggled, but because he did not want to delay, he forced his feet forward through sheer willpower.

At last, he saw a single house built in the middle of the deep forest.

"That must be it."

"Just like a witch's house, the gloomy energy is no joke."

"It is also the place you will enter now."

"I know. Ahem...!"

Zed loosened up and prepared to carry out the mission.

"Phew, seducing a witch as my first mission... It feels like I'm walking into a tiger's jaws."

"There is no need to be too nervous. You only need that face."

"That makes it sound like I'm dead weight without my face."

Ferda stared blankly at Zed's face and answered.

"Without that face, you might become dead weight."

"Ha, you keep looking down on me? Fine. Watch and see."

Zed swept his hair back with both hands and shaped it.

Having entered gigolo mode, Zed walked straight toward the witch's house.

"Echidna Philiaz. What is this woman?"

When Zed had moved some distance away, Luri asked.

"She is a witch."

"I know she is a witch. They are a people who become sisters through sorcery and become one, are they not? And when they become witches, they receive the surname Philiaz."

"Yes, you know well. Have a piece of candy."

"Do you think I am a child?"

Even as Luri said that, she accepted the candy and rolled it around in her mouth.

"What I mean is, why go out of your way to bring in a witch?"

Bringing in a witch was a dangerous act.

That was especially true for those involved with the Philiaz surname.

Among women with talent for magic, only mages who possessed the Red Circle could become witches.

The Red Circle was formed based on intense emotions.

And in most cases, when a woman awakened the Red Circle, it was formed from resentment toward her husband and obsession with her child.

In other words, witches were a group primarily made up of people who held extreme hatred and disgust toward men.

"That is why they say witches are impossible to reason with and tend to be self-centered."

"That is true."

"If she was branded a heretic by those gloomy people, is she the same kind of person as Burnel?"

Burnel, was it...

"She would be closer to my fiancée than to Burnel."

"How dare you say a mere witch is similar to my master. Do not speak so carelessly."

"I am only saying they are close."

Luri glared and growled at him.

No matter how Ferda looked at her, he could not shake the thought that she was like a dog.

"There is no need to worry. It is thanks to the reason Echidna was branded a heretic by the Philiaz that we can recruit her."

"Thanks to it?"

As if that question had barely been asked, Zed came out of the witch's house.

It had been less than three minutes since he entered.

Zed, too, returned to them scratching his head with an awkward look on his face.

"Uh..."

Echidna Philiaz's notable trait.

"She looked at me and said she'd do anything, no matter what. Is this right?"

An extreme sucker for handsome faces.