Chapter 32: Dropping Bombs

Lily dropped a bomb.

It was a bomb so big that Keith somehow caught the scent of it and came crawling in from the window of the dining room.

"Wait what?! The marquis called us back?" He slammed his hand against the window and said. Maria let him in as that guy strutted through the room and took a seat next to me as casually as he could.

Seeing as everyone had assembled, Lily placed the letter from the main family on the table and looked at me.

"That... they are calling you to discuss Apollon..."

Now?

It had been two years since Apollon was recognized by the royal palace and was given the authority to collect taxes, have a knight brigade, and even appoint a lord or a mayor. Throughout it all, there had been no contact from the Marquis family other than a letter stating that I was the regent lord for the place for the time being.

But now. What was this about?

"That and... they are inviting you to your eldest sister's coming-of-age ceremony and the founding festival."

The founding festival, I had studied about it, no, I was preparing my territory to make big dough with it. A strong man needed cash, after all. It was a festival that took place on the founding week of most territories in the Schwarz kingdom, with the Founding Festival of the kingdom itself being a month-long ordeal. That wasn't a big issue, it was the other one.

Maria and Keith leaned back on their seats while I stroked my chin. Coming of age ceremony, huh?

"What's her name?"

"Yes?"

"My sister, what's her name?"

"Uh..." Lily looked at Maria as if she was lost while the other two chuckled. They nodded their heads, mumbling 'as expected from our young master' and stuff like that.

"Vienna, Lady Vienna Hall."

"What did you say?" A shocked gasp left me.

"Her name is Vienna Hall," Maria repeated.

I had never heard that name on a person before.

"She's smart and strong," Keith said. "She has reached the level of Aura Ki before 18, so that puts her at one of the top spots in the kingdom when it comes to the next generation of nobles."

"The quality here is rather low, huh?"

"That's not all, she's also very talented when it comes to administration. She has been managing a large chunk of the fief with the Marquis being busy with the dungeon city, and she's heavily involved even in that."

"Strong and capable... is she...?"

Maria nodded at my suspicion. "Yes, she's the top and the only candidate for the heir. A lot of subordinating nobles already call her the heiress."

I stood up at once and clapped my hands together.

"The future marchioness, I absolutely must make a good impression on her."

A strong man doesn't worry about impressions on others for they are filled with kindness, but there exists a stronger way for evil ones like me, which is worry about every important impression. A meticulous man is just as strong as a natural, I wasn't naturally able to leave good impressions, so being meticulous was my tune.

But, there was another problem.

I sat back down and crossed my legs.

"We have to go there, even if we disregard the ceremony and the festival, the Marquis has broken the silence on matters of Apollon." I slowly leaned ahead and locked my fingers, resting my chin on them as I propped myself up on the table.

"But I have a problem."

"A problem?"

"What's the matter, young master?"

It was time to tell them. At a place that would be filled with people, this problem of mine was going to be a huge hassle. Whatever, a strong man had no need for hesitation.

"I can't see people's faces."

"Oh, we know," Keith said.

"It was since you were eight, right?" Maria added.

"I was so shocked that day... don't worry young master, we won't let you carry this burden alone."

"Is that so...? You all already knew?"

Was I that bad at hiding it?

"How many times do you think you have said 'which one is Keith?' Hahah!" Keith cackled, he held his stomach and started laughing loudly. "And that one time in the adventurer guild, you held my hand and said I'll get lost HAHAH!"

This bastard.

"Keith! Don't bully the young master!" Lily defended me, but she was powerless.

As I was watching the two, Maria gently started stroking my head.

"You were so shocked that you came to your senses that day, right?" She smiled widely and continued stroking my hair. "That event changed you into a rational and cool young master like your mother, of course we would notice."

"Oh? Rationality?" I asked. "That wasn't because of that."

"That's because I received the memories of another life."