Sol and Hermes made a happy deal. Of course, the deal itself was pretty vague. Sol never really stated how much support he would provide. But, this was something that could be discussed later.
After uttering his oath and getting back up, the Duke looked at Sol and hesitated for a short while before finally speaking,
"Your highness, there's someone I must present to you. Someone very important."
"Oh?"
Sol raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The Duke was basically the highest rank, only below that of the king. For him to describe someone else as important was truly intriguing.
Still,
"Why should I meet this person?"
He was the prince. This was neither arrogance nor hubris. Why would the prince and future king of a whole kingdom move to meet some unknown person?
The Duke, having clearly expected this answer smiled, "Her name is Theresa and she is the matriarch of one of the highest families in the council of Greed Dike. But, you might also know her as–one of your father's old companions."
This brought Sol's attention. Not just because of the reveal about her being his dad's crewmate. But rather because of the obvious respect the Duke was showing.
"So your house still has connections with the dwarves kingdom?"
His tone wasn't particularly accusatory but The Duke shivered a little as the temperature in the room seemed to plummet very fast.
Sol wasn't surprised about the situation. It was very clear from the beginning that the first Duchess was basically a sort of open spy or a link between Lustburg and Greed Dike.
Still, this action of the Duke showed that the influence Greed Dike had was stronger and he did not particularly like that.
His eyes became a little colder as he thought about how another kingdom could basically obtain any information they wished about him.
'Perhaps I should lower the rank of the Duke and place another family in its stead? Or perhaps–should I simply put them on the target list?'
He briefly entertained the thoughts but brushed them aside. It was one thing to attack traitors, but it was another to do so to someone more or less loyal. As long as the Traver didn't threaten Lustburg, he would let them be.
'Though, something needs to be done about that.'
Hermes, as an experienced old merchant, didn't miss the slight killing intent that Sol leaked. Thankfully, it seemed that the prince wouldn't follow the style of his ancestors, the bloody queen. Otherwise, he might have had to flee with all his family fast.
Thinking so, he smiled bitterly before putting his hand on his heart.
"I swear on my life to the goddess Luxuria that I never did anything that could threaten Lustburg."
Sol stared at the Duke for a short while before finally sighing then gave a hearty smile.
"I will believe you. I believe that this trust won't be betrayed."
'As if. The very moment the light is out, I will search all around in your mansion.'
Keeping his smile, "Then, since we have made everything clear. Why don't you introduce the matriarch, Theresa? I have heard her name from Camelia but aside from that I don't know much."
He wondered what kind of woman she was.
"Little Sol~!"
---
[20 Minutes later.]
Sol sat with a bitter smile on his face as a young woman who could have passed for a pre-teen girl sat on his lap while she kept humming.
If he didn't know that this woman was even older than his own father, he would have petted her head by now.
He had wondered what kind of woman the so-called matriarch would be and was surprised by how bubbly she acted.
Currently, only three people were present in the office.
Sol, Theresa, and a silver-haired maid standing with an impassive expression as she eyed the scene.
The Duke decided to leave them alone for now.
Watching the back of this seemingly young girl that aroused his protective instinct, he spoke calmly,
"Miss Theresa,"
"Aunt."
"...Yes?"
"Call me Aunt Theresa. Not miss. I am your godmother you know? Though I guess I had been absent most of your life."
He could hear the sadness in her voice quite clearly. Either she was genuinely sorry or she was worthy of an Oscar.
"This is the first time I have heard about having a godmother."
"What!?"
She seemed ready to jump in shock as she turned her head around and looked at him,
"Camelia did not inform you?"
"No. She never did."
"Oh~! The sneaky bitch. *Cough* *Cough* I mean. This is something she should have told you."
Sol's face twitched à little but otherwise didn't become angry. He knew the difference between a genuine insult full of malice and the kind of insult friends could make to each other.
Deciding to change the subject, he asked, "By the way, how did this come to be?"
"Hehehe~! I bought it."
"... Come again?"
"Yep~! You had heard correctly. I bought it."
Saying so, her tone softened, as if reminiscing. "Back then, Blaze said that only the one who gave the best gift could become your godmother. It was funny how Camelia and Persephone fought. But even though they could crush me in terms of might, no one can beat me in terms of money."
A funny image appeared in Sol's head. One where his mother was an auctioneer searching for the highest bid.
"It seems that my mother was someone really interesting."
A bell-like laugh escaped Theresa. "You can say it again. I remember the first time I tried to take Mars as a consort, she nearly fried me alive. Not really the best first meeting."
Even though she spoke of such events, Sol could feel again that this was another fond memory of her.
Sol never wondered how his parents of this world were in the past. In a way, he was thankful that they gave life to him. But in another way, not only did he never really see them aside from fuzzy memories in his head, and what's more, it wasn't as if he was an orphan in his previous world.
Those two conditions made it so he wasn't particularly curious about them and never asked any particular questions about his parents aside from some general information.
"It must have been interesting."
"... Indeed… You could say that it was the best time of my life. Going on an adventure. Fighting in a pseudo harem with an oblivious man and a jealous wife. Being chased around by said wife after trying to sneak in the bed of the husband. Those were without a doubt the best days of my life."
Theresa closed her eyes. The dwarf community was one extremely harsh. You could never trust anyone. Not even your own family. Business was paramount and even your family wouldn't hesitate to stab you in the back for enough profit.
Back then, she was fed up with this atmosphere and decided to take some vacation on Lustburg
This was where everything began. For the first time in her life, she made friends. True friends. Friends she knew could die for her without hesitation. She even had her first love. Sadly,
"Happiness never lasts."
She murmured as a feeling of grief washed over her.
She shook her head and kept a lid over those feelings. Now wasn't the time.
"Hehe~ ! Forget it. Even though it's sad, this is life. At least they didn't totally disappear from this world.".
"People do not die when they are killed. They only die once they are forgotten."
Theresa's forced laugh stopped as she looked at Sol with shock before a big genuine smile formed on her face.
"This is a beautiful sentence."
Sol answered with a smile of his own, causing Theresa to blush.
"Oh my, you have the qualities of a true player."
His smile became a little cramped.
"So, Miss Theresa."
"Aunt."
"...Aunt Theresa, what brings you here now exactly? Why not sooner?"
"I really wished, you know? Sadly I was at war against some members of the council controlled by my brother for our heritage."
"I guess you won?"
"Indeed. Even though he was a true bastard, he was without a doubt a sneaky dangerous bastard."
'Was?'
Sol questioned inwardly. It seemed that the competition in the dwarves's kingdom was more brutal than he assumed. He also elevated his assessment of Theresa. She might look and act like a cute little girl, but under this mask was a woman who seemed rather dangerous.
"Anyway, you won so you came to visit me?"
"Yes. How could I never visit my godson? I am ashamed enough about missing all those years. As such, I decided to bring you a gift."
Saying so, she pointed toward the maid who had stayed silent until now.
"You are 15 right? Meaning you need partners. I don't know if you will follow the same policy as your father and only have one partner, but in any case let me present this girl to you."
Sol looked once again at the maid in wonder. No matter how he looked she didn't seem like any race he ever seen or read about.
"Is she a demon or an angel?"
"Nop, neither of the two. She is a chimera — from Gluttony Foss."
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