Chapter 7
4. A Light Body But a Heavy Title
The Zepetto Count family was renowned as one of the most prestigious magic lineages in the empire. Although they held the rank of “Count” due to a lack of wartime achievements, their influence rivaled that of a Duke.
The quarterly tributes and donations from the Magic Society were another reason for the Zepetto Count family’s high standing.
That’s right. The Magic Society wasn’t groveling at the feet of the Zepetto Count family but deliberately showering them with gifts to cultivate their power.
It was a strategy to send them numerous mystical artifacts, have them use them publicly, and make people think, “Magic is amazing. Science is nothing compared to it.”
The young master wasn’t fond of this sly generosity from the Magic Society.
“Young master, the Spectro Carriage is ready.”
The young master, dressed in his formal attire, frowned and adjusted the jeweled ornament on his neck.
“Estella.”
I opened the carriage door and showed him the curtains.
“I’ve prepared blackout curtains and a blindfold.”
“Good.”
The young master lightly stepped into the Spectro Carriage and closed his eyes.
After placing the blindfold over his eyes, which he had tilted back as if tired, I took my seat.
“I already want to go home.”
The Spectro Carriage was one of the useless luxuries the Magic Society had sent. It was a self-propelled vehicle, with a giant, shimmering horse-shaped light in place of actual horses.
Expensive magic stones were meticulously carved and adorned the front of the carriage to create the illusion of a horse made of light. The rear was also covered in ornate gold decorations for weight balance and aesthetic harmony.
It was an extravagant item that far surpassed the artistic standards of the young master, a doll maker and an artist.
Perhaps the biggest drawback was that the dazzling light penetrated the carriage, irritating the passengers’ eyes.
Woooong— As the Spectro Carriage started up, the servants each pulled out sunglasses from their pockets and put them on.
I could hear the gardener sighing in the distance.
“No! These seedlings shouldn’t be exposed to such light! Cover them! We must cover them!”
Cries of eye pain were heard from all directions. As a doll, I was unaffected. However, the light was so intense that I couldn’t see anything, just like the humans.
The sunglasses made by the scientists came in handy in these situations. Putting them on, my vision cleared as usual.
The world reflected in my dry, glassy eyes was a lush green. Even I, an inanimate object, felt like I was blending into nature.
“Don’t look outside too much.”
The young master, whom I thought was asleep, spoke.
“Why?”
“It’ll hurt your eyes.”
The inside of the carriage was dazzlingly white. The young master, trying to sleep amidst the bright light, looked as beautiful as a mythical being.
His navy blue uniform was like the night sky, and his silver hair, seemingly melting into the light, was like stars. He looked so lovely with the blindfold covering his eyes.
“My eyes are made of glass. They can’t be damaged. Maybe they’ll reflect the light and shoot out beams…”
Now that I mentioned it, I felt a bit worried. What if my glass eyes actually reflected the light and emitted beams? The young master was delicate; he would melt in an instant. I adjusted his blindfold.
“It’s not ordinary glass. It’s magically crafted. The scientists mined the materials from a dwarven mine. The old geezers at the Magic Society hate dwarves, though.”
The young master chuckled. His mature smile was as innocent as when he was a child, and to me, it looked adorable.
“It’s a rare and strong material, but prolonged exposure to strong light can cause discoloration. I made your eyes exactly the color and shape I wanted. There’s not a single thing about them I dislike.”
His tone was filled with pride.
“And yet you tried to smash me as soon as you saw me?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I brought you with me.”
He couldn’t bring himself to do it…
The carriage passed through a secluded forest path and headed towards the city. The moment the young master dreaded the most was approaching.
“Turn left in 300 meters. 1 kilometer to the North Gate of Ritvara.”
“You don’t have to tell me every detail.”
“Shall I prepare earplugs?”
“Sigh, fine.”
As I handed him the earplugs, I asked a question I had always wondered about.
“Can’t you just use a soundproofing spell?”
The young master replied matter-of-factly.
“It’s a waste of mana. I can’t use mana, which I might need at any moment, on trivial matters. It’s better to use ordinary tools for simple tasks.”
Putting in the earplugs, he smirked.
“That’s why I dislike the Magic Society. They waste magic to show off to the commoners. The scientists are the same. I dislike both.”
The young master crossed his arms and turned his head away. Looking out the window, I saw that we were entering the city through the North Gate.
The commotion was about to begin.
“Aaaah! It’s so bright! What is that! It’s a divine punishment!”
“Magic? It’s a magician!”
“A horse made of light!”
“My eyes! Ugh, my eyes!”
People who saw the Spectro Carriage were startled and bewildered. The Magic Society had achieved its goal of spending a fortune to create the carriage.
People reacted with fear, astonishment, and curiosity.
“Get your free sunglasses from the Imperial Science Promotion Department! Sunglasses!”
Members of an organization opposing the Magic Society were distributing sunglasses, shouting that the Spectro Carriage was nothing special. It had the opposite effect.
“Look! People are using strange tools to look at a strange tool!”
“Me too, me too!”
People in the city rushed towards the Spectro Carriage. The carriage, which had been moving steadily, slowed down. It was unable to navigate properly due to the crowd.
It was no use that the knights had been blocking traffic since the zombie outbreak. Instead of hiding to prepare for the unseen zombies, people were more concerned with not missing out on the spectacle in front of them.
The knights struggled to control the surging crowd. The more chaotic the situation became, the more the Magic Society would rejoice.
They were getting a great advertising effect, showcasing how amazing magic was.
“There’s a beautiful woman wearing funny glasses inside!”
Children who spotted the young master even started clinging to the carriage. But the windows on his side were tightly closed, and the curtains were drawn! As expected of the young master.
“Even blackout curtains can’t hide his stunning beauty. Why are only neighborhood kids, and not beautiful ladies, captivated by his charm?”
I opened the window on my side and shouted to the children.
“Get down! It’s dangerous! The young master has no need for children under seventeen! Only adult women should contact the Count’s household!”
The children’s reaction only intensified.
“The pretty lady is talking to us!”
“Hello!”
“Marry me!”
Even as they were being dragged away by the knights, the children waved at me. They rubbed their eyes, desperate to see more.
“Their enthusiasm to see the young master is truly remarkable. I must work harder. I can’t lose to strangers when it comes to passion for the young master.”
I clenched my fists and made a vow. The young master, who was wearing earplugs, flinched and sighed deeply.
Was he uncomfortable?
As an excellent maid, I rushed to him and adjusted the cushions. I even checked the surroundings to see if there was anything else bothering him.
“Can’t magic cure obliviousness…”
I tilted my head, unable to understand his muttering. Was he talking in his sleep?
“Sweet dreams!”
The young master exhaled deeply. He must be sound asleep.
Only nobles or those summoned by the Emperor could enter the Imperial Palace. A mere servant like me had to wait outside.
After getting off the Spectro Carriage, knights with red banners approached to greet the young master.
“Cou―nt― Lu―pin― Zepe―tto―, His― High―ness― the― Crown― Prin―ce― sum―mons― you― to― the― La―ter― Pa―la―ce―”
A short, elderly herald slowly read from a scroll. The young master, with an air of indifference, was checking his pocket watch and chatting with the carriage attendant, saying, “I wonder if I can go home early.”
Poo-woook! Two knights standing behind the herald blew their horns.
“This― way―”
As the herald turned and began to lead the way, I raised one hand and waved to the young master.
“Young master! I’ll be waiting nearby. I’ll spend my free time looking for a doll maker who can give me nostrils or shopping for stylish and pretty doll clothes. Please contact me with a communication crystal when you’re done.”
I smiled and tapped the black crystal on my maid uniform with my index finger. The young master frowned and beckoned me with a casual flick of his finger. As if telling me to come closer.
“What are you doing?”
“Seeing you off, Young Master.”
“I meant, why aren’t you coming with me?”
The young master stopped abruptly.
“Huh? Am I going with you?”
“Why else would I have brought you if you weren’t coming?”
“For decoration?”
“Just shut up and follow me.”
“Yes, sir.”
We strode into the Imperial Palace.