Chapter 44: The Duke’s Birthday
At last, Albel’s point of view returns. It’s been a while, you hopeless girl.
This is that birthday. Up until now, Father would usually schedule long-distance inspections or expeditions months in advance, so when Albel casually tried to ask about his plans, it would almost always fall through.
They would celebrate later and give him a present, and that alone was enough to satisfy the duke.
When Christina was still alive, it had been properly celebrated on the actual day.
On the table covered with a pure white cloth, an array of dishes was lined up.
The flowers arranged nearby were baby’s breath and roses with only a faint fragrance so as not to interfere with the food.
Walnut bread and white bread, herb potato salad, a terrine of beans, chicken, and cheese, roasted duck with orange sauce, consommé jelly, vichyssoise, tofu steak, and petit gratin—an assortment of Latiche’s proud dishes. Most of them were recreations of modern cuisine born from my selfish requests, prepared through the chefs’ persistence and ingenuity.
Father’s favorite dishes were there as well, but somehow many of my favorites were included too.
Rather than a course meal, it was a style where the dishes were laid out and served by the attendants.
“Father, happy birthday.”
At my words, Kishtarial and Mother Lati also offered their congratulations.
In the Sandis Kingdom, drinking alcohol is allowed from sixteen, but this was non-alcoholic.
Someday I would like to drink with Father, but he is so busy that such time is hard to come by.
Because I once insisted on celebrating his birthday on the actual day, Father, who was already busy, became even busier. He had originally planned to work as usual, having no interest in his own birthday, but he easily gave in to the request of his doted-on shut-in daughter.
Since he had made time for me, I wanted to make it a wonderful day for him if possible.
The reason he had set aside time today was because of my selfishness.
Normally, Father is indifferent even to his own birthday.
Father is not just the pillar of the Latiche house but practically the backbone of the entire Sandis Kingdom.
I was fired up to celebrate him in my own clumsy way, yet everyone around me was watching with warm smiles. I don’t understand.
He is a duke, the head of this household, one of the most powerful figures in the country. This is a chance to show appreciation for everything he does for the nation and for his useless shut-in daughter.
“Thank you. I’m happy.”
Yes, as always, it seemed Father’s eyes saw only me.
Mother Lati beside him simply continued sipping her wine without concern, and Kishtarial—wait, wine!? I’m the only one with non-alcohol!?
When I looked at him with a slightly dissatisfied expression, Kishtarial gave a small, troubled smile.
“At evening parties, we do drink a little.”
“Then I would like some as well!”
“““No.”””
Why are you all answering in unison!? The Latiche household!?
Do you think I’m some kind of drunkard? I’ve only ever had things like hot milk with a few drops of brandy or honey wine where the alcohol has almost evaporated. I am of an age to be called a proper lady.
Unable to accept it, I stubbornly questioned Father.
“Why not? I am not a child.”
“…Very well, Sebas.”
“Yes, sir.”
The expression I made was hardly suitable for a young lady, but at Father’s word, Sebas stepped forward.
Into a polished wine glass, he poured a pale mint-green liquid—wine? Isn’t wine usually red or white? Ah, right, this is another world.
“This is Green Ceramicot wine, aged forty-three years. It has a mellow maturity and refreshing acidity, with a sweet and light taste that is easy even for young ladies to enjoy. It is a vintage from Vints in the Domitrius territory.”
Sorry, Sebas. I don’t understand a thing.
Green Ceramicot is apparently a rare grape variety not widely circulated. I wondered if forty-three years was impressive, but if Father asked for it and Sebas prepared it, it couldn’t be anything strange.
It might be absurdly expensive. That was scary, but if I hesitated now, I might never get another chance. I accepted it gratefully.
When I carefully tilted the glass, a refreshing sweetness spread through my nose.
“Oh my, it’s delicious!”
…But it doesn’t feel like alcohol at all. There’s none of that bitterness or strong aroma.
It feels more like juice.
Unable to hide my delight, I smiled, and Father gently narrowed his eyes.
“Do you like it, Albel?”
“Yes, it is very good. Thank you, Father, Sebas.”
“I see. Then shall I have it prepared for every dinner?”
“Oh no, occasionally is better. It feels more special that way, and tastes even better.”
I believe rest days from alcohol are important, and I’ve heard it’s high in calories. It sounds like it would make you gain weight.
Father doesn’t seem to age at all. He’s so slender with no excess anywhere… If I ate the same way as him, I’d probably puff up in no time.
Even though he claims to have no interest in food, he always eats what’s served.
“Albel’s cake is very delicious. I never imagined the day would come when my daughter would cook for me… One grows older. I am happy.”
“Thank you.”
Father’s beauty only grows more ageless, to the point women obsessed with anti-aging might curse him.
Honestly, he hasn’t changed at all since I was kidnapped, so hearing him say that just makes me tilt my head.
He is wonderful, and I love him dearly, but something feels off.
Also, I would like permission not only to mix ingredients but to use the oven or a knife.
Father said it was delicious, but my cooking is amateur at best.
“Father, next time may I try using the oven…”
“What if you burn yourself? I cannot allow something so dangerous.”
“…What about a knife… at least a peeler?”
“If even a thin layer of skin were cut from your fingertips, every head in the kitchen would fall. Do you still wish to use one?”
Defeated!
Mother Lati and Kishtarial continued eating as if this were perfectly normal.
Isn’t this overprotective!? Has Father’s overprotection spread to them!?
At this point, it might be faster to find cooking methods that don’t use blades at all.
“I only wish to make even more delicious food for Father…”
At my quiet words, Father suddenly stopped.
Oh? There’s a reaction. Just moments ago he was dismissing my compromises, yet now he clearly hesitated.
When I looked at him, he lowered his brows with a troubled expression.
“Thanks to you, I feel I am already eating very well. What would you do by refining my palate further? I might never be able to leave the estate.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful! Then you would always be with me!”
As a devoted daughter, that sounded extremely appealing.
Recently he has been so busy we rarely even have tea together. He does come see me when he returns and sends word ahead, but still, our time together has decreased.
For someone lacking Father’s presence, that would be more than welcome.
As I smiled happily, Father watched me with a soft, melting gaze, though his brows still showed a trace of concern.
After what happened at the academy, the outside world felt frightening. Being near Father was simply too safe. I honestly didn’t want to go out anymore. The territory and estate were fine, but other towns? Absolutely not.
Still, how long can I remain a dependent shut-in?
…Father seems more than willing, but relying on that feels wrong.
And part of the reason he is so busy is the matter of Lady Duches.
No one will tell me what happened afterward. Even Father just smiled and said, “In time.”
Sebas briefly lost his usual expression, so something must be going on.
It wasn’t his usual tired look, but something colder, like the blank expressions Father, Julius, and Kishtarial sometimes show.
“Normally, I should be of an age to marry into another family…”
I found myself relying on Father again. It’s simply too comfortable, and he is too kind to me.
As those words slipped out, the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Trying to cover it, I cut into the white fish and took a bite. It was delicious, though the sauce tasted slightly bitter. The aroma of herbs and butter was wonderful, but somehow it felt a little salty.
After swallowing, I noticed something.
Everyone was staring at me.
Not just Father, Mother Lati, and Kishtarial—Sebas, Julius, Anna, the maids, even the chefs.
And every one of them had a blank expression, devoid of emotion. It was terrifying.
Their eyes alone, however, were like bottomless swamps, fixed on me.
“…Albeltiina.”
“Y-yes?”
Father was terrifying.
I had never seen him like this.
This shut-in felt like crying.
I had already lost all will to fight. If I were a dog, my legs would be trembling and my tail tucked tightly between them. The thought of fleeing crossed my mind.
Though Father still wore a smile, the warm softness from before had vanished, replaced by an icy presence colder than diamond dust. I even glanced at the wine glass nearby to see if it had frozen.
He slowly interlaced his fingers before his face and lowered his head.
“…Which nameless wretch is it?”
After a long pause, Father spoke.
His usually sweet baritone carried a cold more severe than absolute zero.
A nameless wretch? Were there spare ribs on today’s menu? Horse meat, perhaps?
I tilted my head, but Mother Lati and Kishtarial were watching me tensely.
“Ah, forgive me, my dear Albeltiina. I am not angry with you. Your father was merely curious whether my precious angel might have taken a liking to some man and wishes to marry into another family.”
“Eh? Marry elsewhere? Absolutely not.”
The words slipped out honestly.
Marriage among nobles would surely be troublesome. With my lack of social skills, I would certainly be bullied. Having grown up freely in the safe haven of the Latiche house, I would be useless elsewhere and reduced to a mere decorative wife. It would be a slow form of self-destruction.
Worse, I could even be used as leverage against Father.
…Wait, could it be…
“Are you finally considering my marriage, Father…?”
“Do you think there exists a place worthy of entrusting my beloved Albel? If so, I would first take control of that house and train it thoroughly so it could serve as your toy. If there is a house you desire, tell me.”
Father answered immediately.
Wait… something about this conversation doesn’t align. Taking over a family… that sounds like a heavy responsibility.
I shook my head.
“I love the Latiche house and being by your side the most, Father. But if you wish it, I will go anywhere. I am, after all, a noble’s daughter. I will fulfill my duty.”
“That is troubling, Albel. If you say such adorable things, I might never be able to let you go.”
“Is that a problem?”
Well, it probably is. Supporting a useless shut-in forever isn’t ideal.
I’m still a beautiful girl now, but one day I’ll age. That’s inevitable.
Even if Father loves me, how long will he continue to cherish such a burden? And if he did, it would surely affect Kishtarial, the next duke. The academy incident was already significant enough.
This conversation still feels mismatched.
Father smiled wryly, though the heavy atmosphere had lifted. Perhaps it was fine.
I didn’t want to go elsewhere, but if Father wished it, I would obey. If I could be of use to him, I would try my best… though I would prefer a convent. Still, marriage is the proper role of a noble lady.
“Honestly, Father, you are too kind. At this rate, I may never grow independent…”
“Oh? That is a pleasant thing to hear.”
“I am serious. You are so wonderful that I haven’t even experienced my first love yet. I do not wish for many romances, but I feel my ideals have become far too high…”
It is quite troubling.
Even as I sighed with my hand on my cheek, Father smiled gently and raised his glass. When our eyes met, his smile softened even further.
I am aware that I am overly attached to my father.
The original Albel likely had no such trait; this must be my own personality.
With someone like Father always by my side, I doubt I could ever be swayed by ordinary men.
Others may call him a demon king or monster, but to me he is simply a doting father.
“That reminds me, Father, I prepared a birthday gift for you. A mantle suitable for court, and a pen for your work.”
The pen had a blue grip matching Father’s eyes, designed elegantly to fit comfortably in the hand.
In this country, quill pens are still the norm, but this fountain pen holds ink far better.
Originally I considered a dip pen, but I insisted on a cartridge system. Producing the cartridges was difficult, but with a protective cap to maintain the nib and prevent leakage, it turned out quite well.
Now even long letters can be written smoothly.
“Did you come up with this as well, Albel?”
“Yes, you can write immediately without dipping the pen into ink each time.”
Father immediately took an interest in the fountain pen.
In fact, the cap bore the crest of the Latiche family.
When Sebas quickly prepared some paper, Father signed his name. The ink flowed smoothly, and there was no skipping in any direction.
I had put a lot of effort into the ink. Fortunately, this world is full of mysterious materials that do not exist in my previous life, so I was able to recreate it.
“Yes, this is good. It writes easily, and the shape is excellent.”
“I am glad it pleases you.”
Father would even be happy with a simple origami from his daughter, so of course he would like this, but seeing him actually use what I gave him made me happy.
I heard he still wears that origami kusudama pinned proudly to his chest when he goes to the castle. I would very much like him to stop that. That is why I prepared my next move.
“And also, a new amulet. Father, you seem busier than ever lately, and I worry about you. I have imbued it with my barrier magic. It is far better than the origami from before.”
Originally, I wanted to use a pale blue magic gemstone to match Father’s eyes, but the stone that had the best compatibility with my magic was Sandislite—a deep green magic gem.
Sandislite is a stone native to the Sandis Kingdom, and among them, only a very limited number possess both high purity and exceptional beauty, making them valuable as both jewels and magic stones.
The detachable fittings were designed so it could function as a cloak clasp, brooch, or tie pin, so it should not look out of place among the many decorations on Father’s chest.
As I proudly puffed up, Father examined the amulet closely.
Wait, hold on… I am confident in it, but to Father, who is a top-tier mage, it might just be a childish trinket, so please do not stare at it so intently…
“It is well made. You must have practiced a great deal.”
“The one I gave you is my finest work.”
“Bring out all the failed stones as well.”
“…What?”
“Sandislite is a rare magic stone. If magic is imbued into it, its price and value increase significantly. For advanced magic or rare attributes, the added value is even greater.
Even if they are failures and worthless to you, you must not leave them unattended.”
“…Is that so?”
In truth, I had quite a few cracked or discolored stones.
Honestly, I really did not want to show Father that pile of failures. Even a shut-in has pride. But if Father insists, I have no choice.
There are quite a lot of them. I spent a considerable portion of my allowance on materials.
I only showed the successful ones to save face.
In the game, if your magic power and intelligence were high, you could produce magic tools one after another like an alchemist, but in reality, the failure rate was so high it nearly broke my spirit. My tutor treated me as an excellent student, but this is the reality. If it had not been for Father’s gift, I would have given up long ago.
“Anna, check later. Find and submit everything, even fragments. Julius, confirm the count and weight against what Albel prepared.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Nooo…! It will be exposed! My mountain of failures!”
I broke out in a cold sweat, panicking, until Kishtarial urged me to sit down. I am not crying. I am a proper lady.
Seeing my dejection, Kishtarial brought a piece of chocolate to my mouth.
…It was delicious.
“Father is neither angry nor disappointed. He is simply curious.”
“…Really?”
“Your barrier magic is rare. Being able to imbue it into objects is even rarer.”
“It was very difficult.”
“I can do it as well, but I am not very good at it. It requires delicate control, and often the magic stone cannot withstand the magic power.”
“Kishtarial’s magic is amazing.”
I nodded. He can handle multiple attributes at a high level, which is impressive.
Father also seems to be multi-attribute, though I have rarely seen it. Apparently, he used it quite spectacularly on the battlefield in the past.
When I glanced at him, he had already put on the amulet. It seemed he liked it.
For some reason, Sebas and Julius were watching with slightly complicated expressions.
Father is a marshal and sometimes goes to the front lines, so I think it is necessary.
Mother Lati gave him a letter as her present.
Father opened it without much interest, but after reading it, he wore a faintly chilling smile before turning to me with a gentle one. I smiled back, though I had no idea why.
Later I learned that the letter contained information about the weaknesses of rival nobles that Mother Lati had gathered in high society.
Kishtarial’s gift was an old book—a copy of a grimoire containing spirit language and ancient grand magic. Apparently, it was worth enough to buy a top-class carriage, though it looked worn. Kishtarial said, “I already read it, and the person who gave it to me was unpleasant, so I wanted to get rid of it,” which was hardly a proper reason for a gift.
Grand magic is extremely advanced, usable only by those with enormous magic power like Kishtarial or Father, though it can sometimes be used through contracts with high-level beings.
“That book has a strangely sweet smell.”
“Yes, it stinks, so I always read it outside while using wind magic. It must be the perfume the owner used.”
Ah, Father used magic just now.
He seemed to dislike it as well. It was a sweet smell, but artificial, like something unhealthy.
“…As expected, Father is better at magic… I tried to remove it, but the spell on the book reacted.”
Kishtarial looked slightly discouraged. I gently placed my hand on his soft hair and stroked it, and unusually, he did not pull away.
I think Kishtarial is doing his best.
Compared to me, a useless shut-in sipping tea all day, his minor shortcomings are insignificant.
As I continued to stroke his head, he leaned against me as if seeking comfort. He has grown into a fine young man, so if I try to hug him, I end up completely enveloped instead, but I still tried my best to comfort him.
Just as I stretched my hand, Mother snapped her fan shut, and Kishtarial quickly pulled away.
Ah? Comfort time is over? I wanted to pet him more…
As I wiggled my fingers in disappointment, Julius silently wiped my hand and handed me a glass of Green Ceramicot wine.
“But are you sure that was fine, Kishtarial? That book was rare, wasn’t it?”
“It is rare, but the person who gave it to me was too suspicious.”
Apparently, the giver was very unpleasant. Since the item was valuable, it was difficult to dispose of.
Is it really fine?
If Father is pleased, then it must be.
Though for some reason, his smile seems a little frightening.
“If another war breaks out, the terrain somewhere might change…”
…Was it really okay to give that to Father?
Kishtarial stared into the distance. I just hope the map does not need revision.
“Julius, can we obtain more Green Ceramicot wine? It was very delicious.”
“Impossible.”
“Why?”
“The production of Green Ceramicot wine is strictly confidential. It is one of the finest wines, supplied only to the royal family.
Occasionally, it is given to former royals or to nobles and knights who have rendered great service, but even then, only about ten bottles are distributed per year.
The duke likely stockpiled it due to his achievements, but normally, it is not something to be casually served. A single bottle could buy an estate.”
“Eek…”
“What kind of sound is that? Are you a bird? Do you wish to be caged and hidden away? …Though I know that is not your intention.
The duke does not particularly prefer sweet wines, but Lady Christina did. Until now, he collected them out of habit, but from now on, he will likely gather them for your sake.”
I was somehow scolded very fluently. Why am I being scolded?
Julius sometimes has incomprehensible internal struggles.
More importantly, the shocking information overwhelmed my brain.
“Eek…”
“Where do such pitiful sounds come from? Honestly, I might lock you away, useless young lady.
Even so, I believe one bottle of Green Ceramicot wine is included annually with the royal family’s compensation.
If you asked, the duke would use his power and wealth to obtain it from anywhere. Shall you ask?”
I shook my head frantically.
After hearing something so terrifying, there is no way I could still say I want more wine.
“I cannot provide Green Ceramicot, but I will find you a good wine suitable for you. Will that suffice?”
“Yes, please. But do not overdo it.”
“I will not. I have connections among merchants and nobles. Please look forward to it.”
“Alright.”
Later, not only Julius but also Kishtarial and Mikaelis brought recommended wines.
Wine is nice, but I wonder if cocktails exist in this world. Things like cassis orange, fuzzy navel, or peach fizz… those are made with fruit liqueurs, right? Something like Kahlúa milk would be good too.
As usual, Julius noticed my desire to recreate things from my past life and thoroughly extracted ideas from me.
Julius, I am a duke’s daughter. I am a duke’s daughter.
After that—
“Albel, Julius was sitting in the hallway looking pale earlier. What happened?”
“Eh? We were just tasting some alcohol…”
“…How much did you drink?”
“…A lot?”
Julius kept bringing out samples one after another, so I kept sipping. I have no idea how much I drank. Julius tasted some too, but I think I drank more.
I am not particularly confident in my tolerance, and I only started drinking recently.
Julius does not seem like the type to lose control, and I do not think I forced him…
As I tilted my head, Kishtarial approached as if he had realized something.
“Albel, may I?”
“Yes?”
“Ah, I thought so. This barrette is a detoxification amulet.”
“Detoxification?”
His hand reached to the back of my head and removed the barrette from my half-up hairstyle. He examined it and gave a wry smile.
“Yes, it would neutralize something like alcohol. But you should not drink so much during the day.”
“…It was too delicious… I will be careful.”
I nearly made a fool of myself.
It seems I was saved by a magic item I did not even realize I had.
Later, when I asked Kishtarial to try some cocktails for feedback, he collapsed. The sweetness makes them easy to drink, but apparently they are quite dangerous.
Even someone accustomed to social gatherings like Kishtarial was defeated…
Hmm… Anna and Mother Lati seem to like them, but perhaps I need to adjust the proportions and alcohol content.