DPAA 49

chapter 49

As we stood there dazed for a moment, the man, thinking he had caught us off guard, continued in an annoyed tone.

“Anyway, kids these days… no, not even kids? You’re all grown up, huh? Hah, geez.”

‘What the…’

Why does it seem like every place I go, some obstructive pest shows up as if drawn here?

‘Calm down.’

Making a fuss here wouldn’t help at all.

I replied as calmly as possible.

“How can you be so sure that what we’re saying isn’t true?”

“Sure?”

He let out a short laugh.

“Kids, black magic disappeared half a century ago. His Majesty the Emperor only kept a department in case of emergencies. Do you really think black magic still exists?”

He shook his head and pointed at us.

More precisely, he was pointing at the academy emblem on my clothes.

“And even if black magic really exists… what, monsters? To catch monsters enhanced by black magic, you’d need to be at least a Sword Master or a Tower Mage. Something you academy rookies who haven’t even graduated could never do.”

“Sir, well… maybe it could be true though…”

“Shut up!”

“Yes, sir!”

The woman, who tried to back us up, closed her eyes tightly at her superior’s command and tucked her tail.

The man, who had been heated, now waved his hand toward us in a bored gesture.

“Anyway, I’ll let this slide this time, but don’t come around here again.”

‘Hmm.’

I crossed my arms and studied him.

‘If he’s acting so high-handed even though he can probably guess we’re nobles… he must be of a similar rank.’

Judging by the fact that he didn’t know Prince Aiden’s face, he probably wasn’t a high-ranking noble. At most, he might be the second son of a marquis house or someone newly ennobled for their talents.

Even that would put him in a very high position in the empire.

In novels, anyone below dukes seems insignificant, but in reality, even just holding a baronial title puts someone in the top 0.2%.

Mediocre heirs below the count level would confidently handle matters within their own scope.

Even if we were of higher rank, it wouldn’t really be a problem. Catching monsters tainted by black magic isn’t something ordinary teenagers could manage.

But…

“What if it really is true?”

I smirked, brushing the corner of my mouth.

“What?”

“I’m asking what you’d do if what we said is actually true.”

It was a serious question on my part, but the man just snorted.

“Ha! Still saying that? Sorry, miss, but there’s no way. Unless you’re some errand runners for Duke Escliff himself, it’s impossible. Right now, the only person who could capture a monster infused with black magic alone is probably him.”

He added something after a brief pause, as if remembering.

“Hm, no… wait. Come to think of it, it wouldn’t just be him. I heard someone from the Escliff family recently awakened for the first time in twenty years.”

“Oh?”

“Haha! But realistically, that can’t be possible. They probably awakened around ten years old and just did a bit of showing off. Still, it’s already a historic record.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, unless it’s one of those two, it’s impossible… and you lot dressed like that aren’t servants, right? Unless you’re concealing the strength of a Sword Master, it’s just absurd.”

“Oh!”

This guy is sharp.

His rude attitude hadn’t changed, but looking at the dark circles under his eyes, just like the woman’s, I could guess a little about his situation.

Too few people.

Yet overloaded with work.

Most of it probably had nothing to do with black magic, or it involved flipping through ancient tomes far removed from practical duties.

So I generously decided to forgive his rudeness.

‘Doesn’t mean he’s getting praised or I’m feeling good about it.’

Anyway, no.

“Phew… why did I end up talking so long with these kids? Anyway, our department’s busy non-stop, so don’t get in the way and scram.”

“But you haven’t answered yet.”

I cut in, and he frowned.

“What answer?”

“What would you do if what we said were true?”

I crossed my arms and gave a slightly arrogant smile.

Forgiveness is one thing, but letting it slide with a laugh seemed a bit unsatisfying.

“Still with that? I said it’s impossible.”

“But there’s always a chance, right?”

“Sigh… fine, if by some tiny chance. By some tiny chance.”

Seeing me persist, he seemed to decide it was better to just give the answer we wanted rather than force us out.

With a reluctant expression, he said:

“If by some tiny chance what you said is true, I’d kneel and beg for forgiveness.”

“That’s it?”

I taunted him, and he took the bait.

“Well, should I throw in the 500,000 gold I won in stocks this time too?”

‘Whoa?’

500,000 gold?

‘That’s the price of a single house on the outskirts of the capital!’

I couldn’t convert this world’s currency precisely to Won, but roughly, it would be around a billion.

And right now, I was extremely short on operational funds.

Even if the Escliff family had money, the authority over its use was entirely Helena’s.

‘But this is a jackpot.’

Honestly, I intended this outcome to some extent, but I didn’t expect it to go this smoothly.

It was literally a windfall.

I grabbed his arm, eyes sparkling.

“Sir, that’s real, right?”

“…Huh?”

He paused slightly, probably unsettled by my sudden change in demeanor, but his pride wouldn’t let him back down.

“Well, yes. If what you say is true, I’ll do that.”

And as often happens, proud people ruin themselves with their pride.

Excited by the thought of money, I shouted with a flushed face:

“Ta-da!”

About five seconds later, a torrent of curses echoed through the Black Magic Management Department.

“Damn it! This can’t be!”

“It can!”

‘Yay, free money!’

I happily counted the money I had extorted from the man with tears and mustard.

“One, two, three, a hundred! Hehe, how much is this?”

I had thought I wouldn’t have any money until the tournament ended, but unexpectedly, I had spare funds.

I began thinking how to use it most efficiently, when Aiden, walking beside me, muttered:

“…What terrible taste.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Do you even need to ask why?”

He looked exasperated.

“A child of the empire’s richest family taking so much from a commoner.”

“The duke may be rich, but I’m not.”

I said firmly, and he trailed off.

“Sure, for now, that’s true…”

What followed was obvious: since you’re the legitimate heir, naturally you’ll inherit all the wealth and position.

Not entirely wrong.

‘Besides, it’s technically mine anyway.’

If the duke didn’t give it, I could just take it by force.

“No need to feel too guilty.”

I explained to the still uneasy Aiden.

“I promised to give it back later.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Once I inherit financial authority from the Escliff family, this will just be pocket change.”

For now, though, it was precious capital.

‘And I got some useful information too.’

I recalled the recent events with pleasure.

“W-What the…!”

As soon as I pulled the monster’s corpse from my inventory, the only staff of the Black Magic Management Department gaped in shock.

“What kind of magic is this?! I’ve never seen this theory before!”

“Well, that’s because I made it?”

Not really.

It was just the X-bap skill inventory given to all Awakened ones.

“YOU made this?”

But in this world, it was my unique skill that no one else possessed, so the man believed my lie wholeheartedly.

His gaze at me had completely changed from before.

“How exactly does it work? Can you tell me the activation spell? I’ll definitely reward you!”

“There’s no actual spell.”

“No spell?”

“What?”

This time, it was Aiden speaking.

He stared at me with almost the same expression as when he first saw my inventory in surprise.

‘Ah, right.’

I had almost forgotten—he was a mage after all, though his Sword Master prowess overshadowed it.

“Yes. I just… went with my intuition.”

“Intuition… you say…?”

“Does that even make sense?!”

“Lies!”

The reactions were perfect.

I shrugged in front of the three astonished people.

“It just worked when I did it.”