[Mido’s Resolution]
Early in the morning, a knock on the door signaled the arrival of a visitor at the mansion. Syrup hurried into my room as I was going through my morning routine.
“Master! Lord Mido is here.”
“Lord Mido? So it’s not Akali?”
“Yes, it’s Lady Akali’s father.”
“Ah, Morsekey Mido?”
“Yes.”
I had Bal take a break and decided to shower before meeting Mido. It was partly because I remembered it was impolite to receive guests while sweaty and partly to give Mido time to have some calming tea since he seemed to have come in a hurry.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”
“Please, don’t be. I should be the one apologizing for intruding so early in the morning…”
Despite the time I had given him to calm down, Mido’s complexion was still pale.
“What’s wrong?”
“My daughter… Akali has been kidnapped!” Mido said gravely. Hearing that, I sunk back into the sofa.
Syrup’s face turned pale, her hands covering her mouth.
“I see…”
“H-how can you be so composed?!” Mido stood up, his frustration evident in his outburst.
He glared at me, his once-pale face now flushed with agitation.
“You’re planning to marry my daughter, aren’t you?! How can you stay collected after hearing she’s been kidnapped?! I’ve been anxiously waiting to meet you, to implore for your help, and this is how you react?! Even if it hasn’t been that long, who knows what horrors she’s enduring by now! If it were you in trouble, Akali would have rushed to your aid. Because she loves you.”
“It’s okay.”
“Huh? It’s okay? What do you mean it’s okay?!”
So loud. It was going to be a pain to explain if he remained like this.
“Mido!”
So, I chose to exude my mana, using it to assert my presence.
“Ngh! Ah, I-I apologize. It’s just that, it concerns Akali, so I… could you please clarify what you mean by ‘it’s okay’?”
“If something happened to Akali, I’d sense it immediately.”
“Huh?”
“Akali wore her hair ornament, didn’t she?”
“…Yes, she had the hair ornament she’s been fond of recently.”
“As long as it remains inactive, it means she’s safe.”
“I-Pardon me, could you explain a bit more?”
The hair ornament I had given to her as a Christmas gift contained my enchantment magic. If Akali were to encounter something she was unwilling to face, it would protect her.
The fact that I sensed it was inactive meant Akali was safe for now.
“I see! You gave such a wonderful magic tool to Akali!!! I’m truly sorry for lashing out at you without giving you a chance to explain… That settles it! I’ve made up my mind!”
“Hmm?”
The weariness he had upon arriving had disappeared. Now Mido’s eyes were filled with life and determination.
“Before this, despite knowing how much Akali loves you, as a merchant, I decided not to directly take part in what seemed like a losing battle on your part.”
Hm? He started saying something strange.
A losing battle? But I wasn’t fighting anyone. There was no winning or losing here.
“But now… please allow me to pour my heart and soul into supporting you!!”
“No need.”
I flatly declined.
I had a feeling it would bring me nothing but trouble.
“Hehe, just as I heard from Akali! Lord Luc, you seem to possess very little greed compared to others in the greed-filled noble society. Regular nobles would have demanded a hefty sum from a commoner like me for coming to a nobleman’s mansion so early in the morning to request a favor.”
Even an affluent merchant had to be prepared to part with a significant amount of money when seeking a favor from a noble.
That was because there existed an insurmountable status gap between nobles and commoners.
“Lord Luc Hugaro Deskustos.”
Morsekey Mido rose the sofa and knelt, bowing his head.
“You have accepted my daughter as your wife. Furthermore, you went out of your way to provide her with a means to protect herself in case of danger. I was deeply moved and I admire your kind treatment of her.”
Hmm. There seemed to be a great misunderstanding here.
I had simply crafted her hair ornament while creating Karin’s ring.
Besides, I had used it as a practice to ensure success when enchanting Karin’s ring… Haa~ It did work out, so it was a genuine magical tool, though.
“I, Morsekey Mido, hereby pledge my unwavering trust and loyalty to Luc Hugaro Deskustos. I shall stand by your side to the end, even if you were to lose to your political opponents.”
So heavy! I didn’t need your unwavering trust and loyalty!!!
I had no enemies, political or otherwise either! And wouldn’t you gain nothing if I were to lose in this hypothetical battle?!
I really didn’t want to be responsible for him. Or rather, didn’t I turn him down?
“I—”
“Say no more! My decision is final!!! I entrust Akali to your care. Please utilize my power as you see fit. Whether it’s resources, funds, or people, I will provide whatever you require!”
Mhm. He’s Akali’s father, alright.
Resolute, obstinate… insistent… Haa~, well, I didn’t dislike it…
“In that case, I have a few things I’d like you to prepare.”
“Such as?”
“Some small and convenient beauty tools.
“And could you gather a list of his supporters for me? As comprehensive as possible, please. Also, do you know about the facilities that Karin has arranged for me?”
“Well… Oh, I see… I understand. I’m honored to play such a crucial role.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll take action when the time is right. I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”
“Understood! Well then, if you’ll excuse me!”
He was a busy man.
After receiving my instructions, he hurriedly exited the room.
“Is Miss Akali truly safe?”
“She is. I just have no idea where she is right now. Though, I’m sure I’ll find out sooner rather than later.”
Just the thought of the troublesome tasks awaiting me had me let out a deep sigh.
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