Chapter 153 – Grand Duke Collector (5)

At the time when Liv was deeply absorbed in reading at the Uzet Grand Library.
This was a story that came up when someone was asking me about a word I didn’t know.

— It’s a high-level dispel called reverse sequential action. It is a negative magic that cancels the spell after it is cast, not before it is cast.

I thought it was just ancient magic, but it turns out it was created by Lehel.
He seemed to have known the place since he left for Skandal, and he must have lived a really long time, as his magic is stored in the library.
However, the naming is somewhat unusual for this world’s magic, and he also said that he created it himself.
There is one problem.

“Chairman. “Is that really a unique magic?”
“Yeah what…”

When she saw my expression was unusual, she trailed off her words.
Since Lehel has used up almost all of her lifespan, this spell could be her last.

“Are you okay? If you use magic in a place like this…”
“Because it’s necessary.”
“But…”

Lehel took a quick glance at the people on the ground and proudly stretched out her hands toward the sky.
The rosary slowly untied and rose into the air, and the hem of her beautiful dress fluttered.
Then, as if the entire floating island was turning back time, Scarlett’s magic that had been struck on the ground began to go backwards all at once.
Lehel smiled brightly in the brilliant light.

“Ah, but the boss is having a hard time, so I have to do this for him! Perhaps this is not the end of this life. That’s what we are… ?”
“Joint name?”
“Yes! That!”

Cracks in the ground were restored and the island’s altitude gradually increased.
After even the current-flowing river water was oxidized to a handful of air, no trace of that fierce fight remained.
When the sleet that had disappeared for a while began to fall again, Lehel hurriedly wrapped herself in the robe she usually wore.

“Well, I’m glad I was able to show the boss wearing pretty clothes. “Right?”
“…”
“President?”
“… Yes.”

Snow-white hair peeking out from under the hat.
I nodded with mixed feelings as I couldn’t read his expression.

“Thank you.”

***

A meeting was scheduled every day around 10 a.M. On Plum’s central island.
The participants were, of course, the great dukes gathered in this mountain range.
The royal servants worked hard every day for the women who were the most shining treasure in Penheim and could never be treated negligently.

Of course, on the first day, no one came to visit in person, so all we did was wipe the dust off the empty chairs and keep the lights bright.
However, as the days passed and more people walked, their movements also became busier.

“Lily! “Did you warm up the bread from Gourmonde Bakery this morning!?”
“Oh, I put it in the oven earlier! “I’ll get it out now!”
“Hurry! “There are airships coming into the dock!”
“Yes!!”

Lily, the youngest of the employees, was busy walking around to greet the princes who would soon enter the conference room.
Check the final operation of the communication modification installed by the wizards.
They knocked on the princess’s waiting room at a steady pace, announcing the arrival of the grand dukes.
We immediately received the prepared refreshments and tea from the galley and set them in the designated spot.

— The Princes are entering!

After finishing all preparations, I was just about to stretch my back when I heard the sound of the bell tower signaling 10 o’clock.
The archdukes appeared in front of Lily, who hurriedly moved to the side of the door and lowered her head.

Again, again, again, again.

The sound of many beautiful footsteps coming from beyond the long corridor.
When the sound got closest, Lily caught a glimpse of the princes out of the corner of her eye.

“I guess Lewis hasn’t arrived yet.”

A woman wrapped in a north wind colder than the winter wind blowing on a floating island.
The four laurel leaves and trinket hanging on the black fur coat were the symbols of Rochear.

“Ah, bread! “I’m here today too!”

A frivolous step and a loud shout followed.
The woman who sat in her chair as if she was running, with the same blue hair as her older sister, was someone Lily knew well.

Because in the past she had been interviewed to become a servant of the Rochear family.
At that time, the entire family was in an uproar and the recruitment itself was canceled, so she had bad memories.

‘But if I had passed then, I would have had to work in a colder place than here, right?’

Now that she thought about it, Lily shook her head as she realized that it probably wasn’t such a bad outcome.

“…”

The woman who came in next quietly sat down with her elegant black hair hanging down to her waist.
The book she was holding in one hand seemed to be a magic book, judging by the difficult name that seemed incomprehensible even at first glance.

The wind coming through the door was cold.
Until yesterday, we ended up with three people like that, so I guess that’s it now. As I was thinking about closing the door and leaving, I heard a small shout from far away.

— Hey, wait! Don’t close the door… !

Another archduke approached in a wheelchair, supported by a priest.
It looked like a corpse with lots of bandages.
Yesterday, I heard that a floating island in Plum crashed and almost caused a major accident. Were you injured?
It wasn’t until Scarlett, who was the last to arrive, was seated, that Lily let out a sigh of relief.

There should be no negligence in entertaining the demanding archdukes.
Plum’s users had a duty to provide them with the best comfort.
Fortunately, the Grand Dukes generally responded satisfied with the meal prepared today.

Ice Snowgong preferred a diet consisting mainly of meat in the morning.
On the other hand, the illusionist liked to drink only one cup of black coffee in the morning.
Esther’s younger sister, who was called a snowflake among the workers, ate Gourmonde bread brought in from Thessalon every morning.
She said she wanted a bakery to supply bread to the canteens in Farencia, but the plan was rejected because there was no airship dock there.

“Lily! What are you doing there! Come out quickly… !”
“G-let’s leave now…” … !”

The grand dukes, including Erzsebet, sat around a round table.
Lily, who was mesmerized by their appearance, came out immediately after being scolded by her senior.
I silence my footsteps as much as possible, and the door to the conference room slams in the wind! I closed it carefully without making a sound and took a quiet breath.
There was no accident, but there was no way to avoid being reprimanded by my senior.

“Are you crazy now!? Don’t you know that no one is allowed to hear the contents of the meeting? That’s why wizards install soundproofing magic. When will they grow up!?”
“S-sorry…”
“Besides, Scarlett is coming, so aren’t you trying to close the door? You do it right “If you keep doing this, I can cut you off today!”
“Yes yes!!”

Unlike others who had tasks to do for each department, he was a senior who entrusted all the chores to himself.
When closing a door, shouldn’t you tell them in advance from the outside so they can check it from the inside?
Lily felt sick to her stomach because if she made even the slightest mistake, an unpleasant order would be issued.

“Oh, we don’t have time, so let’s go quickly. This place will be closed soon too. “No one can enter until the meeting ends.”

The senior looked anxious and winked at the driver standing outside the door.
While the Grand Duke’s meeting was in progress, the residents of the floating island were very frightened by those unidentified knights.
They are fearful people who do not receive food even when given, and cannot even see the inside of their helmets.
The iron soldiers, who only listened to the princess’s orders, blocked everyone who tried to enter the conference room, regardless of reason.

“Follow me. “I need to clean the accommodation too.”
“Yes… What?”

At that time when I was trying to quickly move on to the next task.
I saw a man trudging across the corridor.

— It’s a little late today, can I come in?
— Sorry, but the meeting has already started.
– That? Are you okay. Last time I saw him, he was talking about something strange. Like whether the North Sea Kraken is real or not… For your information, I think there is.
— Cough, clap! Still, the drivers won’t let you in, so if you get hurt…
— I’ll take care of it.

The attire of a man who clearly looked like a nearby tourist.
However, even the highest-ranking servant among the employees is bowing down to him.
Just as Lily was wondering, the senior next to her muttered indifferently.

“Ah, here we are again.”
“Do you know who that person is?”
“Maybe that’s it. Could she be the mistress of one of the princes? “I heard he was here from the beginning of the meeting.”
“Yes-!?”

It was a surprising Noja.
Among the five Dukes of Penheim, none of them had rumors of love or marriage.

As expected, the Grand Duke was not a person who could be dared to be mentioned in social circles as a potential marriage partner.
The moment a noble from any family marries them, the power structure of the kingdom will change.
Constant checks come in from other families.
Moreover, no matter how famous a magician he is, he must accept as his hostess a woman whose magical knowledge is incomparable to his own.
It was very difficult for self-respecting wizards to make such a choice.

“Anyway, a man like that…”
“Why? I heard his face is quite handsome. It’s popular among kids these days to guess who’s dating that guy. Would you like to take a walk too?”

Even the fine-grained senior tidied up her clothes, as if she wanted to impress him.
Inferring from the word betting, it seemed like some kind of bet was already in progress.

“Well, I… ?”
“Uh, the ones with the highest odds right now are Ice Snow Gong and Reincarnation Gong. The former probably has no interest in things like dating, and the latter… “You’re famous.”

Famous.
That was referring to Lehel.
One who returns from the end of eternal life.
A mortal who lives forever.
However, there are no rumors that she ever had a child or that she enjoyed sleeping with men.

Is it really fun not to die?
Because Lily didn’t know much about magic, it was difficult for her to give an easy answer.

“Who are you going to do it with? “Speak quickly, because I’m busy.”
“Yes? Uh, well, I…”
“Oh, it’s been a while?”

At that time, Lewis noticed the two people cuddling behind the pillar and spoke to them.
He looked at Lily’s clothes and smiled proudly.

“I see you found a job.”
“Yes… ?”
“The thieves incident didn’t work out. Anyway, I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”

Lily was just dumbfounded by him suddenly pretending to know her.
But it was better than the senior sitting next to her with her mouth open as if her jaw had fallen out.

“Then work hard~. “Let’s have something to eat later.”
“Lee, Lily… ! Are you with that person… !!”

Louis pats the armored soldier on the shoulder and goes inside.
Only then did Lily recall a memory from a long time ago.
A beggar-like man who talked strangely in his sleep while being hit by dust in a carriage heading to Edanbury.
Even though he was on his way to the North Sea, he was a strange man, wearing only shorts and shorts, and had no luggage.

“Uh, over there… Lily? Miss Lily?”

Lily looked back and forth between her senior, who had suddenly changed her demeanor and used her deferential address towards her, and at the closed door of her conference room.
They say you never know life no matter how long you live.
He didn’t know much about magic, but he definitely knew that something magical had happened to him.

***

“There really is a Kraken in the North Sea? “It’s like I saw it when I was young!”
“Don’t be stupid. “I looked all the way through the biopic book here, but it doesn’t say anything like that.”
“There are many types that are not in the encyclopedia. “When I was young, I also ate kraken meat that my father caught.”
“That’s terrible. Rather, I don’t have hands, so shouldn’t I at least call someone to feed me!?”

When I arrived at the conference room, the four archdukes were discussing today’s unnutritious topic.
Those who had already expressed their approval usually killed time in this way.
The maids outside thought that a meeting that would change the history of the continent was going on here, but it was a pity.

“Ah, teacher~!”
“Huh? Hey! “You come here!”

When Adela, who was stuffing her bread into her mouth, ran towards me, the multi-colored ball immediately turned her head.
She cried out when one of her hands was cut off and the back of her head was slammed into the ground, paralyzing her cervical spine and leaving her in a wheelchair.

“Sit here and feed me.”
“Why me?”
“They don’t let other people in! And, if you made me like this, you have to take responsibility for it for the rest of my life!”

The other three people flinched at Scarlett’s words.
If you just heard that, it could be quite misleading, but it was rather uneasy because it meant taking action.
The hand that was cut off in the first place is stored separately, and injuries of that severity can be treated.
It was almost like a sign that he wanted to be treated well while a high-ranking priest came from the royal capital.

“Tsk. “Eat this.”
“Wow… !”

Still, coming here means agreeing with the agenda.
Herzebet asked me as I shoved her baguette all the way down her throat, dipping it roughly in her soup.

“By the way, Louis. “Can you get in touch with Yunhoegong?”
“Chairman?”
“Yes. “You didn’t come to today’s meeting.”

I looked at the two screens projected into the air.
There was a gourmet worker who was trimming his nails as if he had no interest in the conversation, but he was not connected to Lehel.
Erzsebet muttered as if she was embarrassed.

“You continued to participate until yesterday… “Did something happen?”
— I’m sure he’s crying after losing all his money due to gambling. Otherwise, your lifespan will be short lived! Did he end up dead? What? So I’m the only one who’s against it?
“…”

The gourmet’s sarcasm continued, but I didn’t respond.
I was anxious that she might actually have reached the end of her life and returned to her cradle.

“I’ll go visit you sometime.”
“You?”
“Cough! Cough… ! Uh? Hey! Where! “You have to eat this too!!”

I got up and decided to go to the island where Lehel was.

“Cough… ! “Once you put it in, it’s none of your business anymore, right?”
“Yes?”
“Put it in… ?”
“Hey, this archduke collector bastard…”

I heard Scarlett muttering behind me, but I tried to ignore it.