WDTD 13

Chapter 13

Why would he be curious about that when he wasn’t even Murray Craig himself?

“I mean, why did he raise his child like that? The man has no warmth, no consideration for others. He’s like trash spoiled rotten just because he was smart. Though of course, I still love Deamon anyway.”

I grumbled angrily.

“Ahem. But doesn’t he make money very well?”
“I’m confident I could make money just as well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. My husband is trying to destroy himself. Crown Prince Valentine will have his soul devoured by the magic sword. But I’m different—I’m confident I can overcome the sword.”
“Oh dear, really now? From my perspective, it looks like you’ll only end up badly hurt by interfering unnecessarily. Ahem. I’m very busy with another design, so I’ll be going now.”

Old Monde returned to his desk.

Busy? All he did was put different hair and clothes on the same doll every time.

I glared at him and stood up myself. Staying here any longer seemed like a waste of time.

“Ah! My glasses. Goodness? Where did my glasses go?”

Rummaging through the desk scattered with sketches, old Monde scratched furiously at his hair.

“That raccoon brat must have played another prank. Where on earth did he carry my glasses off to?”

Watching him crawl under the desk searching for them suddenly made me want to show off my ability.

‘He mocked and ignored me, did he?’

I would use my ability to find the glasses and make him apologize—for altering the magic doll however he pleased, and for looking down on me just now.

Facing the empty air, I spoke in the language of animals.

[Bring me old Monde’s glasses and I’ll feed you. I brought a lunchbox.]

The moment I spoke in the animal tongue, old Monde hit his head with a loud thud while emerging from under the desk.

“Ow, my head! Good grief. Lady Clarissa… did you just use the language of animals?”
“I did.”
“B-but isn’t that the Baron’s ability? Did the Baron perhaps give you that power?”
“Of course not. This is simply my own ability.”

As if telling him to watch carefully, I stretched my neck and shouted even louder.

[Old raccoon. You saw me last time too, remember? I even healed your broken claw back then. Have you forgotten already?]

Rustle, rustle—

From a corner, a raccoon crawled out carrying the glasses in its mouth.

“Ah! That damned raccoon!”

As old Monde lunged to snatch the glasses away, the raccoon ran straight to me and leapt into my arms.

[Glasses here. Lunchbox there.]

I accepted the glasses from the mischievous raccoon.

[Thanks for the meal, human. And don’t get too friendly with that old man. He loves nasty pranks.]

After giving me its warning, the raccoon dashed toward the lunchbox sitting on the workbench.

“Here. Your glasses. There’s no need to thank me, but I would appreciate an apology first.”

As I held out the glasses and demanded an apology, old Monde suddenly snapped his fingers.

Pop!

A rose bloomed from his fingertips.

“Ah! You startled me! H-how can you do something like that?”
“I used magic, Lady Clarissa. A pleasure to meet you, daughter-in-law.”
“……Eek! T-then you are…?”

Was this truly Murray Craig?

But how could a dead man be alive?

Around dinner time, the carriage carrying Deamon stopped in front of the Middletown estate.

“You have returned, Master.”

The butler bowed deeply before Deamon, who had come home after a long absence.

“Go tell Madam I’d like us to have dinner together.”

Duke Raktin had ordered him to appear affectionate with Clarissa at Valentine and Aileen’s engagement eve banquet.

So before then, he thought he should at least share a meal with her. He had even returned home before finishing his work.

“Madam has gone out.”
“She must be wandering around searching for me again. Probably trying to thank me for the jeweled necklace gift. Tch. Send people immediately to bring her back. I only have time for dinner before I must leave again.”

He had to retrieve the completed magic sword from the remote village. It was bothersome. It could simply have been sent by magic.

‘Why did Father insist I come retrieve it personally?’

Murray Craig, infamous as a madman, enjoyed pranks far too much and often left people bewildered.

Deamon didn’t know what surprise awaited him this time, but he was already irritated.

“Master, are you aware Madam was injured in a carriage accident recently?”
“I know. Seeing her running around again after only two days, it doesn’t seem serious.”
“That’s not true. She was bedridden the entire two days and only went out after taking pain medicine. When Madam returns, well… that is to say…”
“Gosling.”

Deamon called the butler’s name quietly. Yet even that alone made the butler tense immediately and bow his head.

“Yes, Master.”
“It would be best if you don’t start lecturing me too. I’m sick of it.”

Remembering Duke Raktin’s order to produce a child with Clarissa as quickly as possible, Deamon frowned harshly.

“My apologies.”
“Just send people to find Madam quickly. There’s no time.”

As Deamon disappeared toward the western side of the estate, the butler scratched the back of his head.

“Where on earth are we supposed to find Madam?”

Clarissa had changed so suddenly that the butler could no longer even guess where she might go.

Moreover, even if they found her, he doubted she would drop everything just to return home and eat with Deamon.

In the butler’s eyes, Clarissa was no longer a woman who simply waited longingly for her husband to come home.

It seemed Deamon alone hadn’t realized that yet.

‘At this rate, he really ought to win Madam’s heart back somehow…’

“W-wasn’t Father deceased?”

When I asked in a trembling voice, old Monde—or rather, Murray Craig—burst into delighted giggles.

“I simply declared myself dead. Once Deamon became famous, nobles and merchants started visiting my territory nearly every day to bother me. Even if their carriage wheels got stuck in mud, they would walk the rest of the way.”

Every business Deamon touched became wildly successful, and gold mines had been discovered one after another on the wastelands he purchased.

Nobles and merchants must have thought that befriending Deamon would let them at least pick up scraps of his fortune, so they brought gifts all the way to the barony.

Since cold and aloof Deamon was difficult to approach, they had tried currying favor with his adoptive father, Murray Craig instead.

Though in truth, Murray Craig was even harder to get close to than Deamon.

Murray Craig was impossible to predict and disliked people in general. Fortunately, he didn’t seem wary of me.

“Ahh, so that’s why you even held a fake funeral.”
“Exactly. After that, life became wonderfully peaceful. So peaceful I nearly died of boredom from having nothing to do. That’s why I’ve been helping with Deamon’s affairs instead. Would you like some tea?”
“I’ll prepare it. I should be the one serving you.”

I couldn’t very well sit there doing nothing while my father-in-law prepared tea.

As I headed toward the corner where the teapot sat, Murray Craig stepped in front of me.

“The only thing you ought to do is give me grandchildren.”
“Eek.”

Talking about grandchildren the instant we became acquainted? I could only laugh awkwardly.

“For now, your health comes first, so I’ll prepare a healthy tea for you.”

Murray Craig snapped his fingers, and suddenly a steaming teapot and two teacups appeared on the table.

As expected of a great mage, it seemed he used magic even for ordinary daily tasks.

“Thank you for the tea… F-Father.”
“So then, when exactly will I get to hold my grandchild?”
“I-if you pressure your daughter-in-law with topics like that… it only proves you’re an old-fashioned boomer, Father.”
“Boomer?”
“It’s what you call people who act like that raccoon elder.”

I pointed at the raccoon, which had opened the lunchbox and was now taking everything out and making a complete mess of the table.

“Ugh! Surely you’re not comparing me to that raccoon? Absolutely not. Never! Get away from me, you raccoon menace!”

Ignoring Murray Craig’s shouting completely, the raccoon crushed a sandwich and smeared it across the table.

“Good grief. I feel like life would be far more peaceful if that raccoon disappeared.”
“Can’t you send it away to the barony like the magic sword?”
“That raccoon is actually a divine beast. It protects the magic stone mines and this village. Whenever those with evil intent approach, it causes them to lose their way or collapses mountains to block their paths. But the magic stone mines can’t remain hidden forever. You can’t hide an awl inside a pouch forever, after all.”

Murray Craig’s expression darkened as he took a sip of tea before continuing.

“That’s why I worry so much. The gods are not on Rochen’s side. They dislike seeing humans more revered than the gods themselves prosper. Even when mages like me tried to eradicate evil from the world, the gods abandoned us.”
“Then does that mean the gods are supporting Duke Raktin?”
“Who knows? But I doubt they would support Deamon, who carries the noble and sacred bloodline of Rochen.”

After sighing deeply, Murray Craig suddenly looked at me and smiled.

“But with you beside Deamon… perhaps this time, the gods may finally stand on our side. You are a special child, after all.”

He spoke as though he somehow knew I came from another world.

“Ahem. I’m completely ordinary.”
“That cannot be true. I sense an unfamiliar wavelength from you. I cannot tell exactly what it is, but one thing is certain—you possess something special that neither Deamon nor I have. What could it be?”

Narrowing his eyes, Murray Craig studied me carefully. His sharp gaze felt as though it were dissecting not only this body, but my very soul.

“I’m not actually Clarissa.”

I spoke recklessly, deciding to let whatever happened happen. Since he had already sensed something strange about me and called me special, I gathered my courage.

“Hm. Then I suppose I’m not truly your father-in-law either?”
“That’s right. I suddenly came here from another world. I entered Clarissa’s body.”
“And you retained Clarissa’s memories?”
“Yes. I even feel Clarissa’s emotions exactly the same way.”

Instead of calling me insane, Murray Craig nodded thoughtfully.

“That is possible. There have been mages who succeeded in dimensional travel. But if you not only possess Clarissa’s memories, but also feel her emotions exactly as she did… perhaps that simply means you are Clarissa.”
“Oh, come on. There’s no way that’s true. I literally came flying here from another world.”
“Then couldn’t you simply fly back again the same way?”

Hearing Murray Craig say that made it sound strangely possible.

He stared at me quietly as I sank into thought before finally asking:

“Is there perhaps someone waiting for you in your original world? Some reason you absolutely must return?”