Episode 890: I Have a Plan for Everything (5)
Tina, who had been delighted, suddenly turned sullen.
“But Dad will tell you not to. He doesn’t like it when I do things.”
Tina had no mother. Her father was raising her alone.
But he was a rough and violent man. He was so pathetic that he even sold his rations to drink alcohol. He
would often curse at Tina or hit her. The only silver lining was that she drank every day and passed out quickly.
Alfoy replied with a disapproving expression.
“I already told your father everything. You just have to follow me. You can come see him whenever you want.”
Before coming here, Alfoy had visited Tina’s father.
Tina’s father was terrified when the nobleman brought soldiers with him.
It wasn’t hard to persuade him. After throwing him a few gold coins, he immediately accepted Tina.
While the kingdom had changed a lot, there were still many parents who treated their children harshly. He didn’t seem particularly disappointed that he was taking Tina with him.
Of course, Tina didn’t know about this. She was simply overjoyed to hear permission.
“Wow!”
Tina exclaimed, jumping for joy.
She wanted to go to school and make friends, but she thought it was impossible for her. Then a miracle happened.
“You’re truly a star!”
It was as if a star had descended from the sky and granted her wish.
It was the highest compliment Tina could give.
Alfoy murmured, running his hand through his hair.
“Well, I guess I was a little too good. Oh, and you said you’d clean up this place too, right? I’ll do that too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but first, let’s cheer everyone up.”
Alfoy turned around. Then, a man stepped forward with a smile.
It was Fiote, who had come here at Alfoy’s request.
Fiote, now a bishop of the Order of Juana, was slightly surprised.
“Alfoy helping someone else… …”
And it wasn’t ordered by others, but by his own decision.
He was a man who would easily harass others and wield power ruthlessly once he had it.
Fiote gently stroked Tina’s head and said,
“You’ve shown that a pure heart can transform even ‘evil.'”
“Who are you, sister?”
“…It would be better to call me brother. In any case, I will bestow a blessing on you and this street.”
Fiote closed his eyes and prayed.
Then, his hair turned silver and a massive divine power burst forth.
Paaaaah!
The divine power spread like light, enveloping the slums.
The bodies of those who had been listless were infused with vitality. Those who had been sick and bedridden felt their pain vanish, and even old wounds were completely healed.
Tina was no exception.
Her body, knowingly or unknowingly wounded, was being purified by the divine power.
“Wow…”
Tina stared at Fiote, her face lost in amazement.
The divine and beautiful sight was like that of an angel.
Alfoy, too, was a bit taken aback by the sight of Fiote after such a long time.
“Go, possible… … . Oops! Come on!”
Thanks to Fiote’s divine power, the slums were finally revitalized. Of course, things would return to normal in a few days, but for now, the surge of vitality was crucial.
That’s when the soldiers Alfoy had brought began to move.
“Everyone, come out!”
“Starting today, street cleaning begins! You pick up the trash in front of your own house!”
“It’s the magistrate’s order! Quick! Move!”
The soldiers patrolled the streets, forcibly dragging people out. If left alone, no one would bother cleaning.
The soldiers were supposed to clean up common areas. However, the neighborhood itself was so dirty that they had no choice but to mobilize the residents.
Alfoy, having cleaned up the streets as promised, said to Tina,
“You seem talented.”
“Huh? What?”
“Magic. Learn it well.”
Because she had told him she was a star. A child with such insight couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
It was a completely baseless argument, but Alfoy was convinced. That’s how inflated his ego was.
In any case, there was no way Tina would be ignored even if she went to the academy.
A child sponsored by the Marquis Macquarie family wouldn’t be treated rudely. Still, if problems arose, there was the option of simply adopting her as the Marquis’s daughter.
“I feel a little better now.”
In fact, Alfoy, back home(?), continued to feel uneasy.
He needed to ambitiously plan for the future, but he couldn’t concentrate because he kept worrying about Tina.
So, he finally admitted his true feelings and came to fetch Tina.
He still didn’t like the idea of such weakness.
Feeling relieved, Alfoy hummed as he rode.
Tina, sitting in the carriage, gazed out at the world with a bewildered expression.
And so, the two returned home together.
* * *
Maurice treated Alfoy with extreme kindness. He granted him everything he truly desired.
At Alfoy’s request, he also treated Tina with the utmost respect and supported her, even providing her with a bodyguard of knights and a tutor from the nobility.
Considering that she had worked so hard to find her child, Maurice’s devotion was truly remarkable.
Frankly, given the times, many nobles felt no particular affection for their children. The prevailing view was that children were possessions, and if problems arose, they could simply be replaced with new ones.
But Maurice was different. At first glance, he seemed to have committed some grave sin.
One day, Maurice cautiously asked Alfoy,
“Aren’t you curious… about how I lost you? Why don’t you ever ask?”
“I’m not curious. The past doesn’t matter. What matters is that I returned ‘home.'”
Alfoy truly didn’t want to know. He wished they wouldn’t bring it up. He
really didn’t care. He just wanted to live as the son of a marquis.
Even now, he was quite nervous inside.
Maurice was deeply impressed by Alfoy’s dignified(?) appearance.
‘As expected, that’s my son! He has the demeanor of a hero!’ They
say he saved the world, and he truly deserved it.
The strange rumors were all clearly false. They were probably spread by those who were jealous and envious of such a talented son.
‘Yes, that Claude was a bad guy. He must have framed my son. Somehow, when I saw him before, he was so impudent and reckless.’ In any case
, Maurice felt relieved when Alfoy said he didn’t have to listen.
In truth, losing Alfoy was entirely his fault.
‘If only I hadn’t gotten drunk and thrown him into the lake… …’
Maurice was on a boat in the middle of the lake, drinking and having fun. Then he made the biggest mistake of his life.
― Hey hey hey! If he’s my kid, he should be able to swim! They say our family treasured ducks long ago! So, he must be a good swimmer!
There were plenty of high-level knights around. Even if they were in danger of drowning, they could quickly pull them out.
With that complacent thought, a drunken Maurice simply threw Alfoy into the water.
But was this a punishment from heaven?
Suddenly, the lake shook, and a violent storm arose. Alfoy was instantly swept away in the aftermath.
The knights rushed to the shore, but Alfoy was nowhere to be found.
Later, they learned that a meeting of wizards had taken place on the other side, and some, in a battle of pride, unleashed powerful magic on the lake.
And so, through a series of coincidences, Maurice lost Alfoy.
Having lost his child through his own fault, he was doomed to a lifetime of regret and self-blame.
And Alfoy’s memories of that day remained subconscious, and from a young age, he had often dreamed of drowning.
However, one of them wanted to hide it, and the other didn’t care. In a way, it was a fortunate turn of events.
Maurice was able to let go of the guilt that had plagued him for so long, thanks to Alfoy’s indifferent response.
“I’m so relieved. It turned out just as the fortuneteller said. By the way, I wonder what happened to the fortuneteller.”
Maurice tried desperately to find the old woman, but ultimately failed.
Even if she had lived back then, considering her age, she would likely have passed away by now. That was a great pity.
He wished he could repay her kindness, for such a joyous occasion had come.
“Grandma, if you’re dead, I hope you’ve gone to heaven. Yes, you are. You’ve said so many good things about me.”
The old woman, reassured by Maurice’s warm hospitality, assured him that he would find his child. She even offered to offer a “blessing prayer” to ensure his safety.
He was deeply grateful, even if it was just a few words. After all, he had safely reunited with his child, just as the old woman had said.
Such a skilled fortuneteller must have gone to a truly wonderful place.
Maurice also diligently taught Alfoy about his family. As the son of a Marquis, there was a lot to know.
Alfoy listened intently to that. It was essential knowledge if you wanted to show off somewhere.
However, as time went by, he noticed a few strange things.
“Father, our family has a lot of duck emblems and ornaments. Why is that?”
“Hmm, that’s… I just left them alone because they’ve been passed down for so long… Honestly, I don’t know either. Maybe ducks were the family emblem a long time ago.”
Alfoy frowned slightly at those words.
To have such magnificent creatures as lions and dragons, and then a duck? Doesn’t it seem so insignificant?
They weren’t used anymore, but they must have been passed down through generations, so they were just left alone.
“What… didn’t you make a fortune selling ducks back in the day and buy a title of nobility?”
“Oh my! Our family is a noble family with a strong backbone! It must have something to do with ducks!”
Alfoy snorted internally.
‘What kind of strong family would have something like this? They’re so embarrassed that they hide it all over the house.’
Seeing his glum expression, Maurice said as if making excuses.
“This is a secret that even the nobles of the kingdom don’t know… Our family has a guardian deity.”
“…What’s that? You’re not saying a duck is our guardian deity, are you?”
“No way! I mean… That’s not entirely accurate. In fact, they say our family has fallen and risen several times. They say that each time, a hidden shadow within the kingdom helped us.”
“…A shadow?”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s actually said that there is an invisible hand within this kingdom.”
Alfoy’s eyes now turned pitiful. Maurice felt it too and beat his chest in frustration.
“It’s a story that’s been passed down through generations of our family. Our ancestors helped establish this kingdom, and they were founding heroes and friends, or something like that. So, in return, the shadow of the kingdom always protected us…”
“…”
“No, it’s just a legend, but it’s a family with that kind of backbone. There’s a story that says they’re a thousand-year-old family.”
“…”
“So, the duck-related stuff… I just left it there just in case. Otherwise, I would’ve thrown it all away a long time ago. Well, it’s not just superstition… I really just wanted to…”
“Oh, yes.”
Alfoy answered absentmindedly.
A thousand years! A founding hero! An invisible hand always protecting us!
Each and every one of them was ridiculous.
It was obvious they were made up stories to embellish their family, and it was the kind of story that Morris, a man with a penchant for superstitions, would have enjoyed.
“This family must have bought their title by selling ducks. That’s embarrassing, so they made up a crude story. If they’re going to make one, they should make it at least a little more believable.” “Who do you think I am?”
He made the story too absurd. The ancestors of the family didn’t seem to realize that it would only make them look more pathetic.
Maurice looked equally pathetic. He was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, yet he was talking about the “invisible hand.”
It wasn’t worth answering, but he did it out of respect for his son.
Maurice, after speaking, seemed a little embarrassed and cleared his throat, changing the subject. He told them about other aspects of the family’s history and business.
Alfoy, who had regained his status and received an education, had changed. He
learned from his past failures, became more cautious in his behavior, and put on an outstanding performance.
The same was true when dealing with his teacher, Hubert.
Hubert had been unintentionally held captive at the Marquis’s mansion because Alfoy had insisted on serving him more.
One day, when Alfoy and Maurice visited together, Hubert’s expression became tense.
Alfoy bowed politely and spoke.
“Master.”
“Uh, yes?”
Hubert looked at Alfoy with a suspicious gaze. The always frivolous boy had suddenly changed.
Alfoy suddenly bowed to Hubert.
Hubert was startled and said,
“G-Gee, why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
Alfoy cried out with a solemn expression.
“Master, I, your unworthy disciple, have been so rude. Please forgive me.”
“Why is this punk acting like this these days?”
He shouldn’t be like that, but this only made his suspicions grow. Regardless, Alfoy just blurted out what he wanted to say.
“I have now repented of my past mistakes and have become a new person. I will never disappoint you, Master. So…”
Alfoy paused for a moment, his eyes shining.
“Please discuss it with the elders and have them revoke my decision to be removed as successor.”
“This punk?”
Hubert was flustered and was about to refuse. He had already designated another successor and was planning to retire soon.
But Maurice was smiling happily beside Alfoy.
“Oh, what should I do?”
If he refused now, it would be very unpleasant. Maurice, who was secretly narrow-minded, would remember this incident.
Then, life in the capital after retirement would be tiring. He might even be ostracized from noble society.
It was a foolish move. Alfoy knew this, so he brought Maurice here and pretended to apologize.
“This guy is trying to eat the magic tower too!”
Before, he had tried to take everything without thinking, but now he had definitely changed. He knew how to use his surroundings and even put on a show.
It seemed that his past failure had really hurt him.
As Hubert broke out in a cold sweat and remained unable to answer, Alfoy frowned and licked his lips. Judging
by the shape of his lips, he was telling him to just move on. As expected, this kid had changed only on the outside, not on the inside.
Hubert finally lowered his head.
He had no choice. If he wanted to live in the capital and mingle with the high-ranking nobles, he had to get along with Maurice. In
a way, this was his karma, his life of greed.
He truly was like a master and like a disciple.
“……Ah, I understand. I will discuss it with the elders again.”
“Thank you!”
“……I will discuss it, not decide.”
“Thank you!”
Alfoy didn’t care about such flimsy evasions. He knew full well that Hubert, greedy and extravagant, would have no choice but to follow his orders.
And so, Alfoy regained his position as successor to the Magic Tower.
Maurice was overjoyed. For a child to become the lord of the prestigious Magic Tower was a source of honor for the family.
From then on, Maurice became even more blatant in his affection for Alfoy.
Ultimately, Alfoy harbored the ambition to completely devour even the Marquisate.
‘Okay, I can do it. I’ll keep going like this!’
He’d devour the Marquisate and the Magic Tower.
That alone would make him one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.
Of course, it would take a very long time. Completely controlling both the Magic Tower and the Marquisate was no easy feat.
But he was confident.
Failure had helped him grow. He wouldn’t act rashly like before.
Slowly, but surely.
‘I’ll grow my power, then strike down Claude. Then I’ll become the most powerful man in the kingdom and take the position of Prime Minister. Hehehehe.’
That was his ambitious plan.
Alfoy smiled sinisterly, unbeknownst to anyone.
* * *
The Marquis of Branford, who had long since retired from politics, was enjoying a peaceful life.
Unlike before, his expression had softened considerably. He had let go of everything and found peace of mind.
These days, his daily routine was simple:
reading, drinking tea, and occasionally meeting people.
And another thing:
“It’s nice weather.”
Looking out the window and soaking up the sunlight was another simple pleasure. The
Marquis of Branford’s office was on the highest floor of the mansion, affording a clear view of the capital.
He had witnessed the transformation of the capital over the past decade. A brighter, more hopeful energy flowed through it than ever before.
All of this change was a miracle, born from a single person.
“Giselle…”
Whenever he gazed out the window at the capital, he always thought of Giselle.
And at the same time, another person came to mind.
The Marquis of Branford had two people he could never forget.
One was Giselle.
And the other was…
The Marquis of Branford walked slowly. He gently pushed a corner of the bookshelf.
Suddenly,
a hidden secret library came into view.
Tucked away in a corner of the library was an old, framed portrait. It had been obtained with great difficulty, long ago, at the behest of the butler. It
was the portrait of Annette, the Shadow Knight
Commander, Zwalter’s wife and Giselle’s mother.
