C 15
I looked at the hologram for a moment with wide-open eyes, then turned my head and looked at Duke Miriel.
"Grandpa!!"
When I regained my senses, I was already clinging to his leg with my eyes shining brightly.
"W-what are you doing, fluffy little thing?!"
"Hehe, thank you! I'm ready to leave home with this."
"Daughter."
It was then that I realized I was still clinging to Duke Miriel's leg.
Unbeknownst to me, Erno Etham bent down and then placed his hands under my armpits to lift me up.
"That's not polite."
He put his index and middle fingers on my bracelet while smiling gently.
Ring~
This time, a small cluster of lights spread and then disappeared.
A hologram floated.
[Withdrawal Amount: 100,000,000 Lotse
Remaining Balance: 10,000,000 Lotse]
The hundred million that had just come in went out and disappeared.
"What-?!"
I looked at Erno Etham with my mouth hanging open as I saw the money evaporating before my eyes.
"If you pick up food carelessly, you'll get an upset stomach."
What? This immoral bastard really...!
Listen here, listen here!
Crazy psychopath!
"Come to think of it; this person is an eighth-circle mage."
In other words, he's one of those crazy mages who could break the Magic Tower's system.
"That's so terrifying."
Who knows if Magic Tower mages could track him down.
While my mind was in a whirlwind, he took out a bracelet made of diamonds and placed it on my wrist.
"Diamonds?"
Obviously, diamonds surpass platinum, and there are only 5 pieces in the entire empire...
Ring~!
This time, the group of lights appeared brighter than before.
[Deposit Amount: 1,000,000,000 Lotse
Balance: 1,010,000,000 Lotse]
I was greatly surprised to see another zero added to the amount.
How much is this?
A billion?
"You understand, right? Daughter."
Right, all your words are true.
"Yes, I love you, Father!"
I hung on Erno Etham's neck with sparkling eyes and rubbed my face on the nape of his neck.
For some reason, his waist felt a bit stiff. It's just my imagination, right?
"Thank you so much, Father! Father is the best! The coolest! Incredible! The best demon king!"
I kept pouring the best praises I could think of onto him.
"At this rate, I can live peacefully even if I don't work myself to death."
Is this an indirect signal indicating the end of the game?
I don't know if so much money can definitely buy an island.
Should I act indifferent?
When I lowered my gaze from Erno Etham's arms, there was the heroine looking at me with wide-open eyes.
Her hair is as black as ebony, and her honey-colored eyes are so beautiful that anyone would believe her relationship with Erno Etham is that of father and daughter.
She wore a bright face full of curiosity and the fresh energy of a child.
I realized something the moment I saw this girl.
The reason why this girl has to be the heroine.
The reason why all the dark parts of the heroine and the extras were removed, and why everyone stays by her side; she was as bright as the sun.
In this place, I'm a complete supporting character.
I'm an extra.
When our eyes met, the heroine smiled with her lovely face.
There was a light that could never be defeated.
"Erno Etham!"
"Didn't the patriarch hear what I said? I'll send you medicine that's good for your ears soon."
"No need! As I said before, this girl is your older sister's daughter, so I order you to adopt her. She will be of help to you."
Erno Etham's eyes curved in a rounded shape. It was a dazzling smile.
In the novel, his appearance is described as such.
"Beware when Erno Etham, the demon, smiles.
He never smiles sincerely. His essence is nothing more than madness and pleasure.
If he smiles sweetly, then the atmosphere around him becomes a bit uncomfortable; and if the corners of his eyes curve, then it's better to be careful about how he breathes. When he captivates his surroundings with a brilliant smile on his face, simply stay quiet and leave that space.
When he smiles like that, something will definitely disappear from the face of the earth, whether it's a person dying, a family disintegrating, or even the peak of a mountain that was there yesterday disappearing without a trace."
I swallowed my saliva and felt tense.
"I already have a daughter. So, I have no idea what you mean."
"This isn't about playing house. This girl has the power to calm 'it'."
There was interest in Erno Etham's eyes as he spoke half-heartedly.
"...Are you referring to this girl?"
"Yes. You wouldn't want to harm your children either, would you?"
"...Hmm."
He looked at me for a moment as if contemplating, then glanced at the girl hiding behind Duke Miriel's legs.
"Father, I want to go back to my room!"
In a situation like this, the intruder should leave.
Anyway, I never thought she could be Erno Etham's real daughter.
"I've earned a lot of money too."
I also know a good orphanage, so now all that's left is to leave this place safely.
"Yes, everything is perfect."
In response to my cheerful voice, Erno Etham let me go obediently.
"There's something I want to discuss with you a bit more. I'll pick you up for dinner."
"Alright!"
I smiled widely and waved for our next appointment.
As I exited, Mayla, who had been waiting for me, approached immediately.
"My lady!"
"Mhm, let's go to my room."
"Yes. What happened inside? You came out earlier than expected."
"Mmm... I received pocket money!"
I called it pocket money, even though it was a lot of money.
The hologram appeared when I touched the bracelet. The numbers that appeared made me happy.
"I'm going to take a nap, goodbye!"
"What? A nap all of a sudden? In that case, I'll prepare the bed."
"No need. I can do it myself."
After speaking with Mayla, I immediately went to my room and closed the door. Fortunately, Mayla didn't ask any more questions and left.
It was time for me to quietly prepare to leave.
I crawled under the bed and retrieved the things I had carefully collected so far.
They all appeared before me when I opened the cloth wrapping.
To the eyes of the other nobles, it probably looked useless, but...
"Should I return these first and then leave?"
I've earned a lot of money, so bringing stolen things from the annex hurts my conscience.
I have to return to the annex.
However, Erno Etham asked me to have dinner with him, so I should be back before that.
I brought a chair, opened the door handle, and looked outside. Fortunately, there was no one there.
I left my room and moved my short legs eagerly towards the annex.
It was quieter here than in the main house.
"This was here..., then this was there, right?"
After returning the stolen items to their original places one by one, I returned to my room.
I encountered the knights on my way, but they didn't pay much attention when I greeted them warmly.
I saw something as I returned safely from the annex after putting the stolen things back in their original places.
Someone was running while holding a white cloth.
"... Huh? Isn't that Mayla?"
Mayla's face looked tense, unlike usual.
She looked around nervously and then disappeared behind the annex.
"... What is she doing?"
Is she busy?
"Oh, I have to get back before Mayla arrives!"
It happened that she was here, so at least I won't be late.
I took advantage of that space to hurry back to my room as quickly as possible and then lay on the bed.
As if nothing had happened, I toyed with my legs, kicking them with my fists as I waited for dinner.
It's already 5 o'clock.
"Hmm, is she coming slowly?"
I turned around on the bed, feeling a bit bored as I waited tensely.
It's already 6 o'clock.
"It seems like she's running a bit late..."
I forced my eyes open, trying not to close them.
It's already 7 o'clock.
Erno Etham still hadn't come.
Slowly, I felt uneasy.
Usually, I have dinner with Erno Etham no later than 6 o'clock.
"Something must have happened."
I picked up the stuffed tiger that was next to me and hugged it as I thought hard.
However, Erno Etham still hadn't shown up even though it was already 8 o'clock.
Suddenly, I realized something.
"Ah, this is the end."
I forgot; maybe he's no longer interested in me.
"It's fine..."
Yes, I'm fine.
This is something that always happens.
["Why haven't they come...? Mom said today we're going to eat together as a family outside..."]
Even on that day, I only remember my father at the dinner table saying, "Tomorrow, we'll eat outside together."
So, after school, I changed my clothes and waited.
But...
I turned around. The clock showed past 9, and I had already given up waiting for Erno Etham.
Unlike my past, where I waited for dinner until midnight without changing my clothes, now I tried to close my eyes and count some sheep as I tried to fall asleep.
Indeed, Erno Etham didn't come that day.
Just like my previous family left me behind and went out to eat alone.
* * *
"Oh my goodness, my lady. Have you heard? Lord Erno Etham received a probation order yesterday."
Unlike usual, I woke up earlier and sat down in incomprehension as Mayla entered with a bright expression.
"As I thought, something urgent came up yesterday."
Having thought so much, I slowly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and replied, "Father? Why?"
"I'm not sure... I don't know the rest. From what I heard, His Grace was furious."
If that's the case, then it's not that he didn't come on purpose because he doesn't like me.
I shook my head, surprised by my unexpected hopes and expectations.
"What am I thinking?"
I shook my thoughts away.
"Can I go there to meet Father?"
"Yes, my lady may be allowed to enter."
"I want to go!"
I jumped out of bed.
It took a bit longer when Mayla blocked my path with a gloomy expression and said I couldn't go in my pajamas even if I died.
"Should I ask if it's okay to have breakfast together?"
I arrived at his room with a racing heart.
Fortunately, the bedroom door wasn't properly closed, so anyone could open it. And strangely, there were no knights outside on guard.
"Mayla, you can go now!"
"Excuse me? But..."
"It's fine, I'm going to have dinner with Father!"
When I clenched my fist and said that, Mayla covered her mouth as if she were proud of me.
"Mayla...?"
"Ah, yes. If that's the case, I'll excuse myself."
"Mhm."
Contrary to her behavior, Mayla kept looking at me as if she regretted something before nodding and bidding farewell.
I reached into the gap of the door to open it quietly.
"It's confirmed now, it really works."
"Yes, so I'll leave it to your care..."
If it weren't for the voices coming from inside, I wouldn't have known that there was someone else there.
