Chapter 13:
Why would he be curious about that when he wasn’t even Murray Craig?
“I mean, why did he raise his son that way? Damon has no warmth, no consideration for others. He’s like trash spoiled just because he was good at studying. Of course… I still love him, but.”
I spoke, fuming.
“Ahem. But he does make good money, doesn’t he?”
“That kind of money? I’m confident I can earn just as much myself.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. My husband is about to shoot himself in the foot. His Highness Crown Prince Valentine will have his soul devoured by the magical sword. But I’m different—I’m confident I can defeat it.”
“Oh my. Is that so? From where I’m standing, it looks like you’ll only get yourself badly hurt if you meddle. Ahem. I’m very busy with other designs, so if you’ll excuse me.”
Monde the old man returned to his desk.
As if he were truly busy—when all he did was dress the same dolls in different clothes and hairstyles.
I glared at him and stood up as well. Staying here any longer felt like a waste of time.
“Ah! My glasses. Oh dear? Where did my glasses go?”
Monde rummaged through the sketches scattered across his desk, frantically pulling at his hair.
“That raccoon must have played another prank. Where on earth did it run off with my glasses?”
Watching Monde crawl under the desk in search of them, I suddenly felt the urge to show off my ability.
‘So he thinks he can mock me, does he?’
I would find the glasses with my power and make him apologize—both for creating the doll however he pleased and for looking down on me just now.
I spoke into the air, in the language of animals.
[Bring me Monde’s glasses and I’ll give you food. I brought a lunchbox.]
As soon as I spoke in animal tongue, Monde bumped his head with a loud thud while crawling out from under the desk.
“Ouch, my head! Wait—Clarissa, did you just use animal speech?”
“I did.”
“T-that ability… isn’t that the Baron’s power? Did he give it to you?”
“Of course not. This is simply my own ability.”
As if telling him to watch closely, I stretched my neck forward and called out again, louder.
[Hey, old raccoon. You’ve seen me before. I even treated your broken claw last time. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already?]
Rustle, rustle—
From a corner, a raccoon emerged, holding the glasses in its mouth.
“That wretched raccoon!”
As Monde rushed to snatch them back, the raccoon ran straight to me and jumped into my arms.
[Give me the glasses, and the lunchbox is over there.]
I took the glasses from the mischievous creature.
[Thanks for the meal, human. And don’t get too close to that old man. He plays nasty tricks.]
The raccoon gave me that warning before scampering off toward the lunchbox.
“Here you go—your glasses. You don’t need to thank me. An apology will do.”
As I held out the glasses and demanded an apology, Monde suddenly snapped his fingers—pop!—and a rose bloomed at his fingertips.
“Wha—! How did you do that?”
“I used magic, Clarissa. Nice to meet you… daughter-in-law.”
“…Hiiiik! Then that means you are…?”
Was this man really Murray Craig? But how could a dead man be alive?
Around dinnertime, the carriage carrying Damon stopped in front of the Middletown estate.
“Welcome home, Master.”
The butler bowed deeply to Damon, who had returned home after a long absence.
“Go tell Madam that I’d like to have dinner with her.”
The Duke of Rackton had ordered them to appear affectionate at the eve-of-engagement party.
So at the very least, Damon thought he should share a meal with Clarissa beforehand. He had returned without even finishing his work.
“Madam has gone out.”
“She must be wandering around looking for me again. I was planning to thank her for the necklace gift. Tch! Send someone to fetch her at once. I need to leave right after dinner.”
He needed to retrieve the completed magical sword from the remote village. It was troublesome—magic delivery would have been far easier.
‘Why did Father insist I come in person?’
Murray Craig, rumored to be mad, loved playing pranks that left people bewildered.
Damon had no idea what kind of surprise awaited him this time, but he was already irritated.
“Master… are you aware Madam was in a carriage accident recently?”
“I know. Considering she’s already up and about after only two days, it doesn’t seem serious.”
“That isn’t true. She was bedridden for two full days and only went out after taking painkillers. When Madam returns, perhaps you could—”
“Gosling.”
Damon spoke the butler’s name quietly. Yet even that was enough to make the man tense.
“Yes, Master.”
“You’d do well not to lecture me too. I’m sick of it.”
Remembering the Duke’s demand to produce a child with Clarissa as soon as possible, Damon frowned deeply.
“My apologies.”
“Then hurry and send people to find Madam. I don’t have much time.”
As Damon disappeared toward the west wing, the butler scratched the back of his head.
“Where on earth am I supposed to look for her?”
Clarissa had changed so suddenly that he had no idea where she might be.
And even if he did find her, he doubted she would drop everything to return just to dine with Damon.
From the butler’s perspective, Clarissa was no longer the kind of woman who waited eagerly for her husband.
It seemed Damon was the only one who hadn’t realized that yet.
‘He really ought to win back Madam’s heart while he still can…’
“Weren’t you supposed to have passed away, Father-in-law?”
At my trembling question, Monde—no, Murray Craig—chuckled cheerfully.
“I just said I was dead. Once Damon became famous, nobles and merchants kept coming to my territory day after day, pestering me. Even if their carriages got stuck in the mud, they’d walk the rest of the way.”
Every business Damon touched became a success, and gold mines were discovered one after another on the barren lands he purchased.
Nobles and merchants hoping to gain scraps from Damon’s success had apparently flocked to the barony with gifts.
Since Damon was cold and difficult to approach, they must have thought currying favor with his adoptive father would be easier.
In truth, Murray Craig was even harder to get close to.
He was unpredictable and disliked people in general. I was relieved he didn’t seem wary of me.
“So you even staged a fake funeral?”
“Exactly. After that, life became peaceful. So peaceful I got bored to death. That’s why I help Damon with his work. Would you like some tea?”
“I’ll prepare it. It’s only right that I serve you.”
I couldn’t possibly sit still while my father-in-law made tea.
But as I moved toward the teapot, Murray Craig blocked my path.
“The only duty you have is to give me a grandchild.”
“Hiiiik.”
To hear talk of grandchildren right after meeting him! All I could do was laugh awkwardly.
“First, you need to be healthy. I’ll prepare some good tea for you.”
With a snap of his fingers, a steaming teapot and two cups appeared on the table.
As expected of an archmage—he seemed to use magic for everyday life.
“I’ll enjoy it… Father-in-law.”
“So, when can I expect to hold a grandchild?”
“If you keep pressuring your daughter-in-law like that… you’ll just prove you’re an old geezer.”
“Old geezer?”
“It’s what you call people who act like that raccoon over there.”
I pointed at the raccoon, who had opened the lunchbox and was making a mess of the table.
“Wha—! Don’t you dare compare me to that thing! Shoo! Get away, you raccoon!”
Ignoring Murray Craig’s shouting, the raccoon happily smashed a sandwich into crumbs.
“If only that raccoon weren’t here, I’d live in peace.”
“Can’t you send it to the barony like the magical sword?”
“That raccoon is actually a divine beast. It guards the magic stone mines and this village. When people with ill intentions approach, it makes them lose their way or blocks their path.”
Murray Craig’s expression darkened.
“Still, the mines can’t be hidden forever. Just like you can’t hide an awl in a pouch.”
After taking a sip of tea, he continued.
“That’s what worries me. God is not on Rochen’s side. The divine don’t like humans who are revered more than themselves. Even when mages like me tried to fight evil, the gods abandoned us.”
“Then… does that mean the gods are supporting Duke Rackton?”
“Who knows. I doubt they’d favor Damon, who carries the noble blood of Rochen.”
Then, suddenly, he looked at me and smiled.
“But since you’re by Damon’s side, perhaps this time, the gods will be on our side. You’re a special child, after all.”
He spoke as though he knew I came from another world.
“Ahem. I’m quite ordinary, actually.”
“Not at all. I sense a strange vibration from you. Something neither Damon nor I possess. What could it be?”
His sharp eyes examined me intently, as if trying to peel away even my soul.
“I’m not Clarissa.”
I said it impulsively, emboldened by his words.
“Hm. Then I suppose I’m not truly your father-in-law either?”
“That’s right. I suddenly came here from another world. I entered Clarissa’s body.”
“With her memories intact?”
“Yes. I even feel her emotions.”
Instead of calling me insane, Murray Craig nodded seriously.
“That’s possible. Mages have succeeded in dimensional travel before. But feeling her emotions too… perhaps that’s because you are Clarissa.”
“No way. I really came from another world.”
“Then who’s to say you couldn’t return the same way?”
His words made it seem almost simple.
After watching me think for a moment, he asked:
“Is there someone waiting for you in your original world? A reason you must return?”
