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Chapter 8
“I apologize for failing to properly control the lower staff and causing you concern. Please show mercy.”
Sol Rike clicked his tongue.
“That’s not it.”
“Pardon…?”
“You should be apologizing to her.”
His long finger pointed at Rosetta. Meeting those golden eyes, Lady Kirilos widened her gaze.
Apologize to that woman?
She would never, not even if she died and came back to life, apologize to someone so beneath her.
Seeing no reaction, Sol Rike spoke again.
“Do my words not sound like words to you?”
“N-no, Rike.”
“Then do your job.”
Grit.
Clenching her teeth, Kirilos slowly stood up. She approached Rosetta and bowed her head with visible difficulty.
“I-I am sorry… Lady Valerie. I have failed in my duties and caused you trouble. Please… show your generosity.”
“….”
Looking down at Kirilos’s bowed head, Rosetta spoke softly.
“It seems managing the servants alone must have been difficult for you. From now on, I’ll take initiative and help lighten your burden, so don’t worry.”
“…!”
At the implication that part of her authority as head servant would be taken away, Kirilos snapped her head up.
The less responsibility she held, the weaker her authority became.
Despite Kirilos’s piercing gaze, Rosetta continued gently.
“And I’ll be reducing your salary by two months. The deducted amount will be reassigned to food expenses. This is a disciplinary measure for negligence, so you won’t object, will you?”
Rosetta looked toward Sol Rike.
He nodded. There was no reason to oppose it if the money was being redirected to household expenses.
She turned back to Kirilos.
“No objections, right?”
Kirilos gritted her teeth. In the end, she had no choice but to respond as Rosetta wanted.
“I… am grateful for Lady Valerie’s generosity.”
Watching her trembling shoulders, Rosetta smiled sweetly.
* * *
Once the situation was settled, Sol Rike led Rosetta out onto the terrace.
He had lunch served there and ate with her.
Rosetta finished her Greek salad and charcoal-grilled octopus, then quietly set down her utensils.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Why don’t you eat more?”
Sol Rike, already done and sipping coffee, casually suggested it.
Rosetta shook her head.
“Planning to fatten me up before eating me?”
“You should put on some weight.”
Hearing his teasing tone, Rosetta recalled last night and flushed red.
I can’t even take jokes anymore.
For some reason, her shoulder itched.
As she rubbed it, Sol Rike gestured toward the wooden storage box on the table.
“So. What’s that?”
“I told you. It’s my mother’s keepsake.”
“No, I mean what exactly is inside.”
“Ah…”
Thinking of its contents, Rosetta’s expression darkened.
The hinges had been warped so badly that the jewelry box inside must have been damaged. She probably wouldn’t hear its music again.
“It was an organ music box. When you open the lid, it plays music.”
“Hm.”
Sol Rike stared at her for a moment, then reached out with his long arm to pick up the wooden box.
Startled, Rosetta grabbed his arm.
“What are you doing?”
“Let go.”
“Please give it back!”
“Ugh.”
He flicked her forehead lightly.
“Just stay still.”
His impatient tone made Rosetta’s expression crumple for a moment. Seeing that, Sol Rike’s eyes twitched.
At that moment—
Kiing—
Light spread from his hand. Startled, Rosetta let go.
“…?!”
“Oh dear.”
This wasn’t the intention.
Clicking his tongue, Sol Rike applied force to his fingers. The light gathered into a small glowing sphere like a firefly.
Rosetta widened her eyes.
What is that?
The light expanded again, enveloping the wooden box completely—
Pop.
And then disappeared like soap bubbles.
“Wh-what just—”
Sol Rike muttered irritably.
“You’re so impatient. Who said I was going to eat it?”
What?
Who’s calling who impatient here?
Annoyed, Rosetta snatched the box back.
“I said it’s my mother’s keepsake! Please show some respect!”
“I did.”
“How is that—!”
“Just look.”
He tilted his chin.
Still frowning, Rosetta examined the box in her arms.
“…Huh?”
The once-damaged box was completely restored. Even the warped joints were now perfectly straight, like new.
How is this possible?
She opened her mouth in shock.
“Go on. Open it.”
“….”
Hesitating, she unlocked it and lifted the lid.
Inside was the organ music box, glowing softly.
“…Oh my God.”
It should have been shattered.
This is impossible. There isn’t a single scratch.
But her relief didn’t last long.
Still unable to believe what she was seeing, she asked cautiously:
“How did you do that?”
“There are ways.”
Sol Rike shrugged and sipped his coffee, refusing to elaborate.
Rosetta glanced at the bracelet on his wrist.
The dragon-scale engraving didn’t look ordinary.
Is that… a magic tool? A restoration-type artifact? That kind of thing would cost a fortune…
Magic tools had become common in daily life.
Devices that produced hot or cold water instantly, or portable mana kettles that boiled water anywhere, had once been revolutionary—but people quickly got used to them.
They were now affordable for the middle class.
But a restoration-type artifact was different.
How many cultural relics and treasures had been destroyed over time?
If ancient artifacts lost to destruction could be restored, history itself would change.
Even the economy—and politics—would shift dramatically.
If Iglesia, with its massive mana stone mines, produced such devices, controlling supply would be easy.
Then why not release it to the market? They could dominate the economy…
While Rosetta was lost in thought, Sol Rike asked calmly:
“Why?”
“Ah, no… nothing.”
Still, she was grateful.
Rosetta smiled brightly.
“Thank you, Sol. Thanks to you, I think I’ll be able to keep my mother’s keepsake forever.”
Sol Rike simply smiled lightly and drank his coffee.
* * *
Juan Machi, pacing anxiously in the hallway, brightened when he saw Sol Rike exit the inner room.
“Rike! You’re finally out!”
“…”
Sol Rike looked unusually relaxed.
Morning fatigue, perhaps? Juan quickly fell into step beside him and began reporting.
“The revised proposal you rejected last time has been resubmitted. Shall I process it as you instructed?”
“Hmm… what did I say then?”
Juan hesitated, then carefully replied.
“You said… ‘the fundamental premise is garbage, so even if they resubmit it, discard it.’”
“Oh, right.”
His reaction was casual, like someone who forgot what he had eaten yesterday.
But Juan watched him worriedly.
Normally, Sol Rike remembered everything down to the smallest detail.
So when he occasionally seemed to forget things, Juan couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
He had been quiet lately…
Even if it didn’t affect his work, those moments made Juan anxious.
At that moment, Sol Rike suddenly turned his head.
“Oh, cancel the afternoon schedule. I’m going to ‘that room’ now.”
“Pardon? But Rike, there’s a patent rights meeting in a few hours—!”
“Postpone it.”
Juan protested, but Sol Rike didn’t care.
We didn’t even go on a honeymoon, and I already attended the breakfast meeting, he thought.
That should be enough.
The urgent matters were over there, not here.
“Rike…!”
Juan hurried after him, looking like he might cry.
