Chapter 39: You’re Good at Math
Under the old man’s skillful persuasion, Paul eventually signed the contract and received his ten gold coin advance.
“Work hard, young man. If you can befriend some of those high-ranking nobles, you’ll have more gold than you can spend.” The old man chuckled, patting Paul’s hand. “You’re quite a sturdy lad.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll do my best.” Paul uncomfortably withdrew his hand.
The old man’s gaze made him uneasy, as if he were being appraised like merchandise.
However, he had heard rumors about Orchid Castle. It was a lavish and enormous estate, said to be accessible only to high-ranking nobles and important officials.
If such influential figures were seeking attendants, the high salary made sense.
The old man sighed as Paul pulled away. “Remember, you must arrive at Orchid Castle before six o’clock this evening. We need time for makeup and training. If you’re late, you’ll have to pay triple the compensation.”
“I understand. I’ll be there before six. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head home now.”
Paul was eager to return and experiment with his newly acquired funds.
“Go on, then. See you tonight.” The old man waved him off with a smile.
As Paul left, he muttered to himself, “Students like him fetch the highest prices. And he seems to be a virgin. Hopefully, those noble lords will be pleased. Hehehe…”
…
“I’ll pick you up at the palace gates at eight o’clock tonight. Wear your prettiest dress. But nothing too revealing.”
Kailun bid farewell to Vivian at the palace gates.
She looked at her half-eaten cotton candy, a fleeting thought crossing her mind: maybe Kailun wasn’t so bad after all.
The Royal City was bustling with life, filled with delicious food, people in various attire, and a glimpse of the joys and sorrows of the world she had never witnessed before.
[The little devil Vivian has been deceived by you. Favorability +5. Total favorability: -45.]
Kailun’s smile widened as he received the notification. “Go on, now. Stop staring at me. Even if you wanted to come home with me, I wouldn’t allow it.”
Vivian was so easy to manipulate. Reaching -100 favorability would be a piece of cake!
“Hmph!”
She huffed and stormed off, her dress swirling behind her as she followed the female knights into the palace.
“Do you like Princess Vivian, Master?” Carol asked curiously.
“Like her? No, I just enjoy teasing her. What can I say? I’m a bad guy. Speaking of which, would you hate me if I bullied you?” He pinched her cheek playfully.
She blushed. “I… I wouldn’t hate you, Master.”
“That’s a shame.” He sighed dramatically.
Carol tilted her head, confused by his reaction.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back for lunch. I need to tell Anna about Ella.”
His mischievous side was eager to stir up some drama. He imagined the two women, aunt and niece, facing each other in shame and anger. Oh, the favorability points he could harvest!
Upon returning to the manor, he rushed to Anna and excitedly shared the good news.
“Anna, I have some good news. We’re getting a new pet dog. A very pretty and obedient one. Are you interested in taking care of her?”
Anna, who had been lost in thought, blinked in surprise. She loved animals and readily agreed. “I can help look after her.”
Kailun grinned. “Good. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to hear that.”
Anna frowned, sensing something amiss about his choice of words, but she couldn’t quite place it. Perhaps the answer would become clear when she met the “dog.”
Carol, privy to the truth, hid a giggle behind her hand. She was becoming quite wicked under Kailun’s influence.
“Hey, Kailun, do you really think I’m pregnant?” Anna shook her head, pushing aside the strange feeling in her abdomen, and asked with concern.
“Call me Master!” He slipped his index finger into her mouth, teasing her tongue.
Instead of resisting, she obediently mumbled, “Master~”
“That’s a good girl. If you want to learn magic and other useful skills, you have to be obedient.”
He placed his hand over hers on her stomach. “And shouldn’t you know if you’re pregnant? Once or twice a day, that’s hundreds of times a week, thousands of times a month, tens of thousands of times a year. With that kind of frequency, you could give birth to an entire mage regiment.”
Anna, impressed by his mathematical prowess, pondered for a moment. “You’re good at math.”
While his calculations were exaggerated, she knew that as long as he didn’t let up, the chances of her getting pregnant within a year were high.
And if that happened, would she truly be able to leave him after a year?
“Stop overthinking things. You’ll be in charge of teaching Carol magic this afternoon. I have a banquet to attend tonight and might be late, so clean yourself up and wait for me in bed.”
Seeing her lost in thought again, he laid out the day’s schedule.
The Silver Moon Knights would be arriving soon, and the Royal City would be plunged into chaos.
The Divine Church, Princess Hilna’s guards, the other duke’s reinforcements, and his own forces.
Other factions might also get involved. Since he had altered the biggest variable, future events were unpredictable.
Fortunately, he had lived through this once before and understood these factions. As long as he didn’t make any reckless moves, he would always be one step ahead.
Most importantly, with so many leeks working hard to increase his strength, how could he possibly lose?
[Paul has successfully inscribed a new magic circle in his quest for revenge. You have received 200 free attribute points.]
[Ella’s strength has slightly increased through meditation. You have received 3 free attribute points.]
[Vivian’s mana has slightly increased after consuming a rare fruit. You have received 23 free attribute points.]
[…]
He occasionally glanced at these notifications, as his gains were constantly fluctuating.
As he enjoyed a lap pillow from Anna that afternoon, a new notification popped up.
[Paul has used a divination spell from a Royal Magic Academy teacher to roughly determine Anna’s location. He suspects you have kidnapped his sister, and his hatred has intensified. Favorability -3. Total favorability: -83.]
…
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