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chapter 5
At the same time, in front of the castle walls—
Crash! Boom!
With a deafening noise, the walls collapsed completely.
Vero Ansen, a young architect who had won the Young Architect Award for designing over a hundred buildings,
was now trembling under Raphael Kairosen’s cold gaze.
“Why.”
“Th-that is… I-I’m sorry.”
“What exactly are you sorry for? Building a wall without properly understanding magical beasts? Designing something that doesn’t fit this place at all? Or making it so low that beasts can easily leap over it? Or perhaps… embezzling construction funds?”
As the harsh words continued, Vero Ansen shook uncontrollably in front of the rubble.
“A-all of it…?”
As Vero sniffled, Raphael’s adjutant, Tain, sneered from beside him.
“Embezzlement alone disqualifies you, but listen—Lord Raphael wants something simple yet extravagant, modern yet elegant. You got the very concept wrong.”
“……”
“Why can’t you do it? It’s easy, isn’t it? Simple yet extravagant.”
The young architect wanted to protest.
What does that even mean?
How is that easy?
But under the Grand Duke’s icy stare, he could only freeze.
At that moment, Raphael lazily tapped the remains of the wall Vero had designed.
Soon, a bluish light flowed from his fingertips.
The energy shimmering in his hand—
was what people called the “light of death,” a power capable of erasing anything.
‘I heard just brushing against that light means instant death…’
With a faint sound, the wall disintegrated completely into nothing.
Watching it vanish, Vero swallowed hard.
Th-that light definitely brushed past his face just now…
His body stiffened as he stammered,
“P-please spare—”
But Raphael replied indifferently,
“Don’t worry, you won’t die. I have perfect control.”
Tain shrugged casually.
“That’s right. There’s basically no situation where Lord Raphael loses control of his power.”
But Vero’s mind was filled only with the fact that the “light of death” had just grazed his hair.
“Hic… hic…”
After hiccuping for a while, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
“Then be on your way. Oh, and the embezzlement will be sent to trial, so make sure you properly pay for your crimes.”
With that single sentence, Raphael turned away—cold as the winter winds of the North.
His adjutant hurried after him.
“Phew, what will you do now? That guy was definitely a corrupt scumbag, but is there even an architect who can satisfy you? You’ve already rejected more than ten. This exhausting perfectionist control freak…”
“Really? Go on.”
“…I have never thought that. Please don’t kill me.”
“I see. I won’t kill you—I’ll simply erase your existence.”
“Eek.”
And just as they were exchanging their emotionless conversation—
Raphael suddenly stopped.
From the castle gate, he heard someone chatting brightly.
A cheerful, lively voice—rare in the North.
“Oh my. The entire castle has collapsed! This is really serious.”
It was Serentia.
Raphael wasn’t particularly surprised by her words.
She came from the comfortable South.
So naturally, she would be unable to endure this harsh place and would soon say she was disappointed and return south—
“I want to help build the buildings too!”
…What?
“Y-Your Highness…?”
“Why? I am an architect. I graduated from the Architecture Academy and even have a license!”
“It’s not that I doubt you…”
“I’m actually a genius architect. I can read a client’s mind. That means I can design something ‘simple yet extravagant.’”
He stopped walking.
That boldness—enough to silence even Melosi, who had over 30 years of experience as a head maid—
It was…
the same shamelessness of the woman who once asked him,
“May I call you dear?”
“Hello. I’m architect Serentia Rosemary.”
Inside the office where “architect meetings” were usually held,
Raphael sat across from his fiancée and asked cynically,
“I’m pretty sure you had a different profession yesterday. Changed jobs?”
“It’s a side job.”
“……”
“Ah!”
It seemed Serentia had finally realized how suspicious she sounded. She rolled her eyes nervously.
“…Is there, by any chance, a rule that forbids the Grand Duchess from having a side job?”
No—she clearly had no awareness of how suspicious she was.
With little expectation, Raphael continued,
“Start with your background. You said you’re an architect. What buildings have you designed? Any experience in city planning? Portfolio?”
“Ah, none of those!”
“How cheerful.”
Her eyes sparkled.
“Yes, thank you for the compliment!”
That was absolutely not a compliment.
But since he preferred working over pointless arguments, Raphael simply moved on.
“So what’s your point? I don’t accept architects without a portfolio.”
“What if I can prove my ability without one?”
“…What?”
“I heard that you hire based on ability regardless of background or status!”
She wasn’t wrong.
That was exactly the standard he had set.
‘There’s no procedural flaw.’
Rejecting her just because she was his fiancée would actually violate his own rules.
Since he had indeed said that ability mattered more than a portfolio.
Not wanting to waste words, Raphael calmly picked up an hourglass.
“I’ll give you exactly ten minutes to demonstrate your talent as an architect. When the sand runs out, time’s up. Begin.”
“Y-yes!”
“So, how do you intend to prove this ‘ability’?”
“Please give me a pen and paper.”
Despite the pressure, Serentia’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Meanwhile, despite speaking so confidently, I was internally flustered.
Because—
“Boldly admitting you have no portfolio! I guarantee it—you have top 1% judgment.”
Grandpa squirrel, I thought you were a divine beast…
‘Sure, I can accept that you switch from formal speech to casual whenever you feel like it!’
But on the way here, it clearly said:
‘Let’s make a contract. I’ll help you use your abilities and rise as a great architect!’
And we even signed a contract…!
‘What is this? Is your ability just… telepathy? No—flattery?’
Even worse, the way it spoke sounded oddly like that soulless artificial intelligence I’d seen in my previous life…
‘Are you not just a squirrel, but a “Squirrel-GPT” or something?’
Still, has anyone ever truly helped me in my life? As long as it doesn’t get in my way, that’s good enough.
Since this thing chose to be Squirrel-GPT, I’ll just have to push through with my own skills.
…Just as I resolved myself and firmly gripped the pen—
The squirrel whispered dramatically.
