The Duke’s Madness

On the way back to the mansion in Bavaria.

Arthur used his lap as a pillow and brushed Irene’s bangs while sleeping.

[You’re pretty, Arthur!]

Undine, who was sitting on his shoulder, smiled brightly.

Arthur also smiled and murmured.

‘huh. She’s a pretty child.’

In response, Arthur puts out his finger.

Undine, flapping her wings, sits on her finger.

And we started having small talk.

The moment I first saw him, he suddenly asked me to sign a contract, so I thought he was rude.

Still, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

It was a more talkative water spirit than I thought.

‘hmm… Well, since we signed a contract, it’s about chatting like this.’

The reason the contract didn’t work out as expected was probably a problem with the location.

He was able to sign a contract with Undine only after coming to Lake Heinen.

And this contract suggested quite a lot.

‘With Undine’s ability, I can heal the poisoned body.’

If that happens, you will heal your body years ahead of the past.

‘It makes a difference even if you wield the sword for 10 years, but it’s a huge difference if you heal your body 10 years earlier.’

As Arthur smiled at the achievements of the day, along with his thoughts, the limousine that was running slowly slowed down.

At the same time, the majestic mansion of the Bavarian family came into view.

Arthur, who woke Irene from sleep and entered the mansion, had a pleasant dinner with Yonel.

“Next time, let’s all go together. With delicious food and a mat.”

After completing the day’s schedule like that, Arthur came into the room and stretched.

From the day I returned to the past to today, it seemed like I had the longest schedule.

With that feeling, I asked Undine, who was snooping around the room.

“It’s Undy. How do you feel about my body?”

Undine turns her head.

And after narrowing her gaze for a moment, she looked at Arthur and then shouted in surprise.

[…] no Arthur. What the hell did you do to get your body like this?]

“Quite bad?”

[yes! Not bad… . It’s completely ruined!]

“So I want to treat it, can I? I heard that Undine’s ability can cure it.”

Undine hesitated before answering.

[…] The bond between Arthur and me is not yet deep, so perfect healing is difficult.]

“then?”

[Instead, you can continue treatment!]

Arthur nodded.

At that moment, an indescribable feeling of refreshment passes through the body.

‘Hmm… . It’s something different from the holy power of the priests.’

With a murmur, Arthur raises the corner of his mouth.

It was slow, but I felt my body condition getting better little by little.

In the midst of that, Arthur let out a small exclamation.

‘Bill Dormund… That person gives all this help, it’s a big deal.’

Arthur raises his head with a thought.

At some point, the treatment was finished, Undine whispered.

[Arthur. Do you see the gnome, the spirit of the earth over there?]

“where?”

[There is a flowerpot. Can’t you see?]

At this, Arthur turned his head.

The spirit I saw when I beat Bill a few days ago was sticking out its head.

Undine flies away and grabs the spirit’s hand.

[Gnome! why are you hiding there? Come here!]

[…] !]

[…] you don’t like it? why? Is it because of Arthur?]

[…] !]

[Arthur is a good man! are you okay!]

The gnome shakes his head.

Undine tilted her head in bewilderment at that stubborn refusal.

Even for a bashful land spirit, it was a strangely stubborn refusal.

And Arthur, who had been watching this scene, smiled as he grasped the situation.

‘I can see it now. Why couldn’t I make a contract with that spirit?’

Most of the spirits were very gentle and peaceful.

Among them, the spirit of the earth was more prominent in this nature.

However, the image of himself beating Bill a few days ago was far from that peace and gentleness.

‘So that’s troubling. I can say useless things to Undine.’

Arthur, who wanted to maintain a good relationship with Undine until his body was healed, thought about it and gestured.

“Mr. Gnome. Would you like to come over here?”

[…] !]

“If you don’t go, I will go.”

The gnome is startled and rushes forward to Arthur.

Undine, who was watching this, tilted her head.

[Why was the gnome so frightened? That’s strange… .]

In the meantime, Arthur met the gnome’s gaze and whispered in a small voice.

“What happened that day is a secret between the two of us. OK?”

[…] !]

“It’s okay if Undine doesn’t like me. Can you protect me?”

The gnome trembled at the face of Arthur who smiled and proposed.

It was because the smile on his face now was exactly the same as the one he had that day while beating up a human.

‘Dae, if you don’t answer, I don’t know if I’ll hit you… .’

Arthur nodded in fright and snapped his fingers with a satisfied smile on his lips.

“By the way, what power does Mr. Gnome have?”

[…] .]

“The spirits of the earth are shy, so I haven’t seen many people who signed contracts with them. Can you tell me if it’s okay?”

Undine, who flew in somewhere, answered instead.

[Gnomes can distinguish many things!]

“Which one?”

[What you can eat and what you shouldn’t eat! And it smells good too!]

Arthur tilted his head.

“Isn’t that a very useless ability?”

[…] .]

“Do you have any other abilities besides that?”

Undine muttered in bewilderment.

[That, well? Do gnomes know how to do something different?]

It was when the gnomes flapped their wings, unable to answer Undine’s question.

Sebastian’s voice came through the door.

“young master. Time to take your medicine.”

Arthur replied with a smile on his lips.

“Come in!”

With Arthur’s permission, Sebastian brought poison disguised as medicine as usual.

“How was your outing today?”

“It was good!”

At Arthur’s reply, Sebastian hesitated as he was about to leave the door.

Bocchan, you must take your medicine.”

Arthur nodded at the request.

“Sure!”

After hearing the answer, Sebastian slowly left the room.

Arthur, who was looking at the back, clicked his tongue and muttered.

‘That person is really steady. He brings poison every day.’

It was when I picked it up to destroy the medicine that Sebischan had brought along with my thoughts.

The silent gnome suddenly shouted.

[…] !]

Undine, who was next to Arthur, also shouted in surprise.

[Arthur! They say you shouldn’t eat that!]

“why?”

[The gnomes say that humans shouldn’t eat it!]

Arthur raised his eyes.

“Can you recognize the poison?”

[…] I told you! Gnomes can smell anything!]

At Undine’s answer, Arthur turned his gaze to the gnome.

It was when the gnome trembled in surprise at the gaze that sank low.

Arthur raised a corner of his mouth and suddenly suggested.

“Hey, Mr. Gnome? Would you like to sign a contract with me?”

* * *

The powers of the spirits were outstanding.

To the extent that it far exceeded Arthur’s own expectations.

‘It’s very useful in many ways.’

Undine, the spirit of water, could not only heal the body, but also use simple magic related to water.

It wasn’t as much as a professional wizard, but it was an ability that Arthur now needed.

However, Undine’s abilities were not the only ones that were useful.

The ability of the gnome I contracted with last night was also useful in many ways.

‘Different poisons… . It’s a pretty great ability. Especially in the current situation.’

Currently, my condition is very unstable.

Although he made a contract with the spirit, his frail physical condition did not change.

In the midst of that, if Count Dormund made up his mind and put his hands to work, he would have no choice but to be defeated helplessly.

‘Due to Count Dormund’s personality, he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, but it’s something you never know.’

Count Cain Dormund was a man who valued his reputation very much.

Maybe it was the sense of entitlement he developed when he abandoned his family to pursue success and entered the Dormund count family.

Because of that, he wouldn’t do anything conspicuous, but on the contrary, he was a man who would do anything that was not noticeable.

One of them was poison.

Even now, he was constantly feeding Arthur himself under the guise of medicine, but because of the previous incident, he did not know when he would put a stronger poison on his food.

‘In the meantime, even the gnome’s ability to recognize poison… Aren’t you suddenly so lucky?’

Arthur praised the gnome with his thoughts.

“Thank you for signing the contract, Mr. Gnome.”

[…] .]

“Thank you for keeping the secret.”

The two small eyes of the gnome tremble without rest.

When Undine next to her looked puzzled, she heard a knock.

“It’s time to take your medicine, Bocchan.”

Arthur’s butler and traitor.

It was Sebastian.

“Come in!”

In response, Sebastian opened the door and entered.

He put the medicine down on the desk as usual and straightened his back.

“How are you feeling today?”

“Okay!”

“… That’s good. Then, shall we take some medicine today?”

Sebastian stayed in his seat without leaving the room.

Arthur tilted his head at the unusual appearance.

‘If it was like usual, I would have to leave only the medicine, but why am I like this?’

The reason soon became apparent.

“young master. The medicine brought today is a special medicine.”

“… ?”

“That’s why you should never leave it or spill it.”

At these words, Arthur stares at Sebastian.

Then, he quietly withdrew his hand and called out to the gnome.

‘Could you look over the medicine?’

The gaze of the gnome sitting on Arthur’s shoulder turns to the medicine on the desk.

And it flapped its wings in surprise.

[…] !]

The gnome told Undine, and Undine was shocked and told Arthur.

[You must never eat it, Arthur! It’s an incredibly bad poison!]

Arthur smiles at the warning.

could know at the same time.

That at last Cain Dormund’s retribution had finally begun.

‘I knew it would move one day… … . it’s fast That’s why it’s even better.’

After completing his judgment, Arthur raises his head.

Then, he asked a question to Sebischan, who was looking down on him.

“Why are you staying? He didn’t even check until then and left.”

“Before that, I believed in the young master… . young master?”

Sebastian’s eyes widen.

In the meantime, Arthur, who got up from his seat, asks the gnome.

“Will you close the door, Mr. Gnome?”

The gnome flew in and closed the open door.

After confirming that, Arthur slowly turned around.

Sebastian, who was in shock, opened his mouth.

At that, Arthur smiled brightly.

“Why do you look like that, Sebastian? Are you surprised that the idiot speaks properly?”