Chapter 18: New Plot (5)

Arthur sat at the dining table. There was so much mouth-watering food in front of him. Even his eyes sparkled when he saw the food.

He was caught by Daniel and Milly as he continued to memorize. He had refused to eat for two days. Only once was Milly allowed into his study to deliver fruits as snacks.

Rest? He didn't even sleep and didn't eat.

Seeing this, Duke Rudolf became very worried. "I should have prohibit you to study if it's like this. Your memory hasn't returned yet. Studying like this all the time, it's the same as before."

"I will cancel all your schedules with Count Rubel and Daniel now."

Hearing that, Arthur immediately came to his senses. "Dad, don't! I love studying! Don't cancel my lessons."

"Then it's like you haven't lost your memory, son. I don't want you to get worse. I'll ask Sandy to replace you at the big event."

'I won't let that little bastard Sandy take my place.'

"No, Dad... don't you know that some of the upper nobles know me better than Sandy? I can get along with them better than Sandy. Let me make you proud again." Arthur tried to negotiate with Duke Rudolf.

Duke Rudolf shook his head. "But you're always torturing yourself, son. What father likes to see his son tormented?"

'Many, Baron Esperen is one of them. Even the previous King Gladius you told me about was a jerk to his children.'

Arthur looked at Daniel who was sitting in front of him. That man looked like he was about to cry when he saw Arthur's condition.

"Young Duke-nim, please drink this tea."

Even Milly, his personal maid, seemed deeply touched by his behavior. Milly poured the green tea that Arthur himself knew was from the Southern Region, the home of Queen Cossete.

Arthur looked at someone behind Duke Rudolf. The butler whom Daniel called Madam Hone. From the very beginning, that old woman had looked at him sharply as if she was telling him to do whatever he wanted.

'I'd love to gouge out that old lady's eyes.'

Arthur was annoyed by all the responses. Then he said, "Actually, my memory is slowly getting better. There are some things I know. Therefore, I can study hard."

Hearing that, Duke, who was cutting the steak, stopped his hand. "Really, kid?"

Arthur looked up. "Hmm... Sandy has a similar hair color to me, but lighter. Also the color of his eyes is purple? And Grandpa Isaac looks like my late mother, doesn't he?"

He also looked at Daniel. "You never told me about their characteristic, did you?"

Daniel nodded quickly. "T-that's right, Your Grace! I never said anything about their characteristic. Young Duke-nim, has gotten his memory back!"

It is not good etiquette to eat while talking. However, Duke Rudolf continued to break the etiquette because of his son.

"I'm really glad to hear that, son." Duke Rudolf looked like he was about to burst into tears.

When he saw Arthur's gentle smile, different from the first time he lost his memory and always had a grin on his face, Duke Rudolf was immediately moved and believed him. He thanked him deeply in his heart.

Then, he called out to the butler behind him. "Hone, come here."

Madam Hone replied, "Yes, Your Grace."

"Bring out the best meat and distribute it to the knights and other maids in the castle without exception. We must celebrate Arthur's slow recovery."

"As you wish, Your Grace."

That old woman smiled professionally at Duke Rudolf. As she was about to leave, she locked eyes with Arthur.

Although it was very brief, Arthur felt like that old woman was grinning at him. However, it was so brief that he couldn't believe it.

'Does that woman really hate me?'

***

That night, Dean didn't leave the lights on in his room. Actually, there was a hidden window that he covered up. Because behind that window, there was an area that he didn't want anyone to know about.

Dean leaned his body next to the window, the moonlight that night hitting half of Dean's body. Beyond there was a hill with a single tombstone. He didn't want anyone to know that place.

A lot of various kinds of camouflage magic were placed in the area. In fact, Dean fired some of his subordinates who accidentally passed by the area.

It had only been a few days, but Dean's mind was already filled with complicated work. Arthur Rudolf, the man was giving him a headache. Offering to work with him to get rid of Crown Prince Xavier Gladias, his own uncle. Although he agreed because the man's plan violated the rules.

When Arthur fainted and he left him, Dean didn't expect Arthur to carry out his plan by following Xavier Gladias' path first. He sent a theater proposal in the name of Count Rubel, which must be fake, through his guild. It could be done because his guild contained not only assassins, but other services.

He also surprised because Kalypt, who was famous for being mysterious and appearing everywhere in various professions, especially since that man refused to join any guild. Suddenly, he was heard to be Arthur's subordinate in the theater later and Dean quickly took care to prevent the rumors from spreading.

True to form, Dean spread the rumor that the theater would be conducted by Count Rubel and by order of the royal family. With that, the Marithus Kingdom might be pressured into accepting the proposal on behalf of Count Rubel.

It had only been a few days, but it already made Dean think of everything. Especially today, he got various kinds of monster carcasses that had been skinned. Monster carcasses were useful for making armor or some weapons. The people in the trading field under his guild must be happy. However, Dean didn't feel happy knowing that the carcasses were sent by Helena, probably as a form of gratitude.

Knock! Knock!

There was a knock on the door of Dean's room. That man immediately turned on the camouflage magic tool to cover the window. He turned on the magic lights in his room before opening the door.

Click!

"What's wrong?" Dean said coldly.

In front of him was Leon, who was carrying some notes with his trademark pen. That man looked scared in front of him. It was obvious because Dean's aura was no joke. Even Leon's height only touched Dean's nose.

"T-there's someone calling on the magic telegraph, Leader-nim."

Dean raised one eyebrow. "Who?"

"I-it's... he said to tell you that if you don't answer, he will cut off all the basic information of our guild, Leader-nim."

'Ah, that cheating guy.'

Dean chuckled to the class. "Okay, I'll be down."

That man went downstairs following Leon. Normally, someone who called him with that telegraph was a customer with middle to lower wealth. However, it was different with the person who called him now.

Dean saw the telegraph device light up. He immediately pressed it and said, "Yes?"

"Spread the rumor that I'm under Count Felix Rubel, not Arthur Rudolf." There was a very friendly voice from the other side.

"Sir Kalypt, that can be done. However, what brings you to that? You'd better work on behalf of my guild." Dean replied with an offer.

However, a surprising reply was heard from the other side. "Alright, there's no point in me running now anyway. It's only on paper, the rest is up to me to work. On the condition that you don't give anything about Irene Terra or Irene Gestrine to Arthur."

Dean was surprised to hear Kalypt immediately accept. Normally that man would have refused. "I'll put you in an executive position. It's just... why can't I tell him about his biological mother and stepmother?"

"The agreement between the two complicates my position. Arthur will have to find out on his own. Well, in a few hours, perhaps Arthur will meet you to ask for data about himself and his two mothers. I'll ask for the results then."

Click!

The call went off. Kalypt turned off the call unilaterally. Dean wasn't upset that Kalypt, someone who was so mysterious and rumored to be competent in all fields that he was rumored to refuse guild invitations, had finally entered K-Night. That man couldn't register a guild on his own because he had been blacklisted by the registration organization for guild creation internationally. Therefore, K-Night's value would soar.

Dean looked at Leon. "Prepare complete data about Arthur Rudolf. I'll choose whether to give it to him or not!"

Leon nodded at that, then ran to the archive warehouse on the first floor. Then Dean went straight up to his room, getting ready to go meet Arthur.

On the other side, Arthur, who was preparing to run away into the night again, was surprised by the notification he got that night.

Ting!

[You have influenced the side character "Felix Rubel" in "World of Level Up"!]

[The character "Felix Rubel" leveled up!]

[The new plot 「Protagonist 」 has been added!]

[Preparing the character 'Arthur Rudolf' to enter the main story plot: 63/100%]

'Huh? Count Rubel's level up?'