Another day passed but Enoch still hadn't removed the magical barrier blocking the top floor.
But Rosenta didn't rush him.
Was it because of the conversation he’d had with him yesterday? His mind was much more relaxed.
He even had the time to chat with Aphra, the guest he’d been neglecting with the excuse of being busy.
"Have you looked for something to do?"
"That's...… I'm looking into this and that, but...….”
"But?"
"I’ve learned that things are different here from in Silva so it’s hard to adjust."
Aphra kept looking at Rosenta, then lowering his head like a child being scolded by their mother.
Even though he didn’t mean to be harsh, he felt guilty, as though he’d done something mean.
He had nothing else to say.
Because of that, there was only awkward silence between him and Aphra.
Then, Aphra mustered up his courage and spoke to him first.
"I...… duke."
His orange eyes, shaking with uneasiness, showed how much courage he was mustering.
So Rosenta decided to respond as sweetly and sincerely as possible.
"Yes, is there anything you want to ask?"
"Well, that's...… There is one thing that I am interested in recently……. I was wondering if I could get any help in that regard."
"As much as you want."
Aphra was quite hesitant, even though Rosenta told him to speak comfortably.
But Rosenta wasn't in a hurry. He simply quietly for Aphra to open up.
"Well, that's...… I'm thinking of starting a business.”
"Did you say business?"
He was surprised for a moment. Perhaps because of his reaction, he could see Aphra's body shrinking.
Aphra's fingers were constantly wiggling, reflecting his anxious state.
"What kind of business did you have in mind……A man should be free to manage his own affairs.”
He could see Aphra grow depressed.
He couldn’t believe that the talkative Aphra was standing there with his head hung down and his mouth tightly shut.
Rosenta felt like he was going to sigh, but he held it in.
‘If I sigh in this situation, I'm sure he'll misunderstand it as being directed at him.’
"Listen, Duke Cardia sent you here to see the world. That must be because she saw something in you. If you don’t mind, Id’ like to hear your idea."
Aphra raised his head.
His orange eyes lit up with excitement.
"Actually, when I was in Silva, my mother would often ask me about transport. Maybe because my hobby is drawing maps…… I'm sure there were a lot of things she wanted to ask me about topography."
Aphra's usual chatter began once again, but this chatter didn't feel tiresome.
It felt like there was a lot of good content in it.
"I've thought about it. Even ordinary people may want to receive things from far away or make personal transactions."
The more Rosenta listened, the more he was astonished.
Inspired by Aphra's words, Rosenta also began to develop a business idea.
"Since I'm very interested in maps and topography, I wonder if I can start a business that transports things for people.”
Rosenta couldn’t respond right away. This was because he was trying to organize the thoughts that were now flowing in his mind.
After a while of silence, Aphra carefully looked at Rosenta’s face.
"It would be all right, wouldn’t it?”
This was more than all right.
Before this, Rosenta had been thinking about how to use his skeletons.
You couldn't take skeletons to the battlefield in this peaceful world, and they might be mistaken for devils if you just took them around.
But the transport industry was different.
Skeletons obediently followed his commands, plus they wouldn't get tired, even after running 24 hours a day.
And in the near future, when they need capital, they could rent them out for money.
If so...….
"Aphra."
"Yes?"
Rosenta smiled broadly.
And without wasting another word, he immediately made Aphra an offer.
"Although we are not a wealthy Ducal family, I would like to invest in Aphra's business if you don't mind."
***
However, he did not immediately provide Aphra with a contract or provide additional details.
First of all, he had only received a verbal agreement.
Before he shared one of his secrets, he had to be sure he could trust Aphra.
Rosenta reached out to him.
"Aphra, take my hand...….”
Suddenly, Aphra jumped up, horrified.
"Oh!"
"Aphra?"
"Ah!"
He looked up at Aphra as if he was displeased at his interruption, then became puzzled.
Aphra was looking out the window at something else, not him.
"Ah!"
‘What the hell is out there?’
Rosenta raised himself and turned to look at where Aphra’s attention was directed.
He saw a pink-haired man sitting next to the coachman on a carriage, as opposed to the inside.
More pink curls popped out from inside the carriage.
It was Lysander and Vivian.
"How come they are...….”
Vivian frequently came and went, but Lysander was a completely unexpected uninvited guest.
The two seemed to converse for a while.
Soon Vivian's impression crumpled, and she pointed a finger at Lysander. She seemed to be arguing with him.
But Lysander was just grinning. He was the perfect fool for his little sister.
Rosenta’s head was pounding.
‘If it was that important, they should have worked things out before coming here.’
"Aphra, I'm sorry, but I think I'll have to go greet them, so let's talk about it next time."
For some reason, Aphra's expression brightened up.
The fact that he did not have to meet Lysander, who had frightened him last time, seemed to please him.
"No, it's not a problem. Of course, I should get out of your way! I'm going to get going!"
Aphra left the office very quickly, fearing that he might hold him.
When he saw Aphra leave, he turned to the window again.
But in that brief moment, Enoch appeared between them.
Rosenta frowned.
"Why is he there?"
Why was Enoch there?
Was Enoch just unfortunately passing by?
In any case, he would prefer that the mage Lysander and Enoch did not meet.
Of course, Enoch would be hiding his magic well, but Rosenta was still uneasy.
He left the room quickly.
As Rosenta walked down the stairs, he felt the hall on the first-floor buzzing. There were only two voices coming in.
"Why do you keep sticking to me? Aren't you busy? Hurry up and go back to the tower!"
"I won't go until I check all the damned faces that have enticed my sister."
"I told you to be careful of what you say, right? Just stay in the tower and work. Why would you bother my friend...….”
"Do you think it's easy to get out of the tower?" When I come out like this, I have to look at my sister’s face as much as I can."
"Ugh, your gross!"
It was a frustrated Vivian and Lysander clinging to her.
The two were very alike. To the point that if Vivian were a man, she would look like Lysander.
But the personality was different.
He may be similar to the original Vivian, but to the present Vivian, he was just a tough leech-like brother.
"Vivian."
"Rosen!"
She kicked her brother's shin hard and shook off his arm. Then, Vivian came running to Rosenta.
Lysander held his shin and glared at Rosenta bitterly.
He had a very murderous look.
"You're going to go to the Holy Land, too, aren't you?"
"Of course."
But Rosenta wasn't conscious of him. Rather, he tried to act as usual.
After she grabbed his sleeve, Rosenta stroked Vivian's hair as she looked up at him like a rabbit.
He felt one more fierce gaze fall on him. He knew the owner of that gaze.
It was Enoch.
He would have looked calm to others, but his emotions were very obvious to Rosenta.
A pale shade of green.
He stared at Enoch instinctively.
Maybe it was because he looked back at him, but Enoch's temper seemed to be softening.
"Rosen."
Vivian tugged his sleeve.
He naturally took his eyes off Enoch and looked at Vivian.
As their eyes met, Vivian smiled and offered him a suggestion.
"Do you want to go with my family?"
"Together?"
"Yes, you should use Lysander at times like this, since I’ll be doing so anyway. If it's Rosen, my family would welcome you too."
**Reminder that Rosenta would have to go by carriage because he didn’t have an official mage to transport him there. He also didn’t have the funds. Lysander is a mage from the tower.
Lysander seemed to hear that.
He opened his pink eyes wide and shouted.
"Who would welcome him!?"
Vivian would not lose.
"It's up to me. What are you going to do about it?!"
They threw away the dignity of the aristocracy and fought like normal siblings.
Of course, even though Lysander growled, he lost to Vivian.
"No. I didn't come here to offer such generosity to others."
"Then why are you here?"
“……Don’t you want to see your brother?"
In a way, it was a very sweet thing to say. That a brother missed his sister.
But Vivian's expression was completely distorted, as if she had heard nothing.
She even rubbed Rosenta’s forearm and shouted hard.
"His personality is trash, he's even a very good liar. You've never even really come out with me because you’re always in the tower."
She even snorted.
It was true that Lysander was also a fool for his sister, similar to Lennox.
However, the way they expressed it was different.
While Lennox was expressive, Lysander was the type to act like an elementary school student who tormented those he cherished.
"Bu-but…”
"Oh, I don't care. I'm going with Rosen."
Vivian, in annoyance, waved her hands as if he were shooing away a fly.
Then she turned completely towards Rosenta. That meant that she no longer wanted to talk to Lysander.
Vivian's lovely red eyes turned onto Rosenta.
"Is that all right with Rosen?”
A callus-free, tiny hand clasped his.
He immediately glanced at Lysander.
Lysander was watching him with fierce eyes, as if he would charge at once and go on a magic rampage.
But there was only one answer he could give.
If he took a carriage, he’d have to take another long journey and that wasn’t an option.
"I'd appreciate it if you could do that."
"Yes!"
The brighter Vivian smiled, the thicker Lysander's hate toward him became.
Rosenta simply ignored the evil intent.
"Please take care of me Young Lord Marigold."