When dawn broke, Old Steward Hill personally pushed a breakfast cart into the study.
As he pushed open the door, he saw the young master of the family standing on the ladder by the bookshelf, absorbed in a thick book on astrology.
It seemed the young master had not slept all night. Though his face bore a trace of tiredness, his spirits remained high. He was far too dusty, though… had he been rolling in those account books all night?
Besides, a short sword had been taken from the wall and placed on his desk… sigh. That was an antique once wielded by their ancestors.
Old Steward Hill sighed and immediately summoned servants to help the young master freshen up.
After breakfast, Dwight stretched.
"Have the men who came with me from the capital settled in well?"
"Naturally, my lord. They're housed in the rear of the castle. Your guard knights have been integrated into the castle's guard corps per family rules… forgive my boldness, but I understand you recruited a knight on the journey — a female knight. I wished to arrange quarters for her within the castle, but she refused. You also brought back a prisoner. I've had him locked in the castle dungeon, not knowing what offense he gave you. Last night, the lady knight and her squires stayed in the room above the dungeon."
"Very good." Dwight sighed. "Now, what shall I do with my day… continue reading these accounts? I imagine it would take at least three or four days to finish them. That would be dreadfully dull, Hill. I must find something to occupy myself."
Three or four days? He'd be lucky to finish them in ten.
Old Steward Hill thought to himself, but his face remained respectful.
"Of course, my lord. You are master here. Everyone in this castle is your servant, and your will shall be obeyed above all else. You need not rush through the accounts — they cover the past year, after all. I would suggest, if you have time later, that you inspect one or two of the family's estates. It would serve you better than wading through dry ledgers."
Dwight smiled and raised an eyebrow.
"Excellent advice, Hill. Excellent. So what shall I do today? Is there… any entertainment here?"
"Uh…" The old steward looked awkward. "You understand, of course, that this place cannot compare to the capital's splendor. A round trip to the nearest town on horseback would take a full day. As for the castle, there are few pastimes here ordinarily… but the scenery is pleasant. If you wish, you could ride out with your knights and hunt in the woods. There may be little game this season, but a stroll would do you good."
Dwight nodded, took a sip of black tea, and suddenly had an idea.
"That prisoner I brought back… he won't be a problem, will he? I mean, do I have the authority here to…"
"You mean law enforcement power? Good heavens… my lord, this is the **Rollin Plain**! The entire plain belongs to the Rollin family! Here, so long as you do not rebel against the Empire, the will of the Rollin family **is** the law. And you, my lord, are the highest-ranking member of the Rollin family in this castle."
"Very well." Dwight stood up. A maid immediately stepped forward with a long fur coat to help him put it on. Dwight glanced at the unknown pelt and shook his head. "The weather is still warm; I have no need for this. Oh, and Hill — I require a few familiar servants about me. Send for Mad. I prefer him by my side. As for the rest… you've integrated the twenty knights I brought from the capital into the castle guard? Good. I shall inspect them later today, along with the castle's warriors. One last thing — my childhood tutor was the famous astrologer and scholar Master Rosiat. Under his teaching, I grew deeply fond of astrology. During my stay here, I shall use the top-floor room of the White Tower."
"The White Tower… the top floor…" The old steward gaped, his face troubled. "My lord… you may not know. The family has a strict edict: no one but the lord of the house may set foot on the White Tower."
"Oh?" Dwight's eyes lit up. "Is that so?"
He showed no disappointment — quite the opposite, he felt a surge of anticipation.
A forbidden ground… surely Semel had left something there? Perhaps he would make even more discoveries.
As for being forbidden entry… if I cannot go openly, I shall sneak up.
"Very well. I have a list of items I wish you to purchase for me."
Dwight picked up a quill and quickly scribbled several things on a piece of paper.
These were the supplies he had decided he needed the previous night for his astrology studies.
To study the stars, he at least needed a telescope — an astronomical telescope, if possible. But such a thing did not exist in this world, so he would have to build one himself.
Glass did exist here, and mirror-making craft was advanced. With a little research, he ought to be able to make a crude telescope.
Truth be told… telescopes had little practical use in this world anyway. They were mainly for military use, but here, there was **magic**! A mage could cast **Eagle Eye** and see far better than any telescope.
Magic, magic… he simply had to find a way to learn it.
With that thought, Dwight stood up at once.
"I think I shall pay a visit to my prisoner in the dungeon this afternoon."
Dwight left the study, and Old Steward Hill quickly sent for Mad as ordered.
The former stable hand was in a gloomy mood.
He had acted as "chief steward" all the way from the capital, commanding twenty cavalrymen — it had been thrilling. But upon reaching the castle, the guards had been absorbed into the castle's corps and stationed in a small barracks to the left of the castle.
His title of "chief steward" had left him a commander without troops.
Old Steward Hill was clearly a senior figure in the family; Mad did not dare challenge his authority. After moping in his room all night, he had begun to fear for his future.
Had his young master forgotten about him?
So when he heard Dwight summon him first thing in the morning, Mad sprinted over. His haste drew a disapproving look from the punctilious Hill, but Mad did not care.
He rushed into the castle hall, saw Dwight standing there, and hurried forward, practically ready to throw his arms around him.
"My lord! Your loyal servant Mad, at your service! What do you command?"
Dwight saw Mad's unease.
After all, in this place, Mad was the only one he could truly trust. As for the others… well, Jolin could be counted as half an ally.
Dwight did not rush to see the imprisoned mage. First, he issued an order:
**From this day on, no one was to enter the study without his explicit permission.**
The old steward obeyed without question, though the order struck him as odd.
Dwight then led his men to the barracks outside the castle, where three hundred Rollin private soldiers were stationed.
One hundred were cavalry, divided into five twenty-man teams that patrolled the castle grounds in rotation.
The twenty guards Dwight had brought from the capital had just been formed into the sixth team, and had just finished changing into their new equipment when Dwight arrived.
Dwight had spoken with Mad earlier, and instructed him to select six men to be his personal retinue — men Mad had observed to be loyal and dutiful on the journey.
The six cavalrymen did not hesitate. They stripped off their heavy armor, donned light gear, mounted their horses, and left the barracks.
Their comrades watched them go with envy.
To serve at the master's side! A single favorable glance could mean promotion.
To be fair, life was not bad here, far from the oppressive Count's manor in the capital.
Here, Dwight was the highest-ranking person, and noble life suited him well.
As he stepped outside, a servant immediately brought over a gentle steed with an exquisitely crafted saddle and bridle. Mad had personally chosen the horse, and the former stable hand had an excellent eye for horses.
Dwight spent the morning riding through the woods outside the castle with his six retinue, and finally chose a spot.
On the edge of the woods, some distance from the castle, flowed a small brook — a tributary of a tributary of the Emerald (Rollin) River. The current was calm, and a check showed no sign of large wild beasts.
Dwight made his decision at once: he would build a wooden cabin here.
This would be his first **magic laboratory** — even though he was not yet a mage, and had been declared magically untalented.
Dwight was not worried.
He would find a way.
After marking the location, Dwight rode on to look around.
The young master's behavior was certainly peculiar.
All morning, he did little but tour the woods and chat with the castle servants.
The first people he summoned were the castle's gardener and florist.
Dwight then handed them a list, ordering them to prepare strange flowers and plants according to the instructions.
The list quickly found its way to Old Steward Hill, who carried out the order without comment.
By evening, Dwight finally had time to visit his prisoner in the dungeon.
After two days and nights of torment, the mage must have suffered enough.
Surely he would be willing to yield now?
Dwight headed back to the castle confidently — only to be stopped by Old Steward Hill.
"My lord, all the items on your lists for purchase today have been collected and are on their way back."
"So quickly?" Dwight was pleased and surprised.
"Naturally. This is Rollin land, and your command is our duty. I sent riders to the surrounding towns the moment you gave me the lists. However… there is a small matter."
"What is it?"
"Your funds are insufficient," the steward replied calmly.
"…Money?" Dwight was taken aback.
"It is as follows, my lord." The old steward's tone remained level, but his eyes held a hidden glint of satisfaction that irritated Dwight.
"You have not yet come of age, so the family head has decreed that, aside from your daily meals and necessities, you may draw **three hundred gold coins** per month from the family treasury for personal expenses. Only three hundred gold coins each month. Any sum over that must be deducted from the following month's allowance."
Dwight was left speechless.
Money? He had never imagined he, the eldest son of a count, would be short on such a paltry sum.
Old Steward Hill quickly pulled a monocle over his left eye, took out Dwight's list, and began reading:
"Four pieces of high-grade crystal, twenty glass mirrors, one smelting furnace, half a cart of stone coal. From the florist: one sack of golden scale flower seeds, one sack of arrow orchid seeds, a large bottle of black rose pollen… and a full set of top-grade gardening tools. From the gardener: two tiger-skin broadleaf trees, one hundred clovers, and…"
He finished the list and continued calmly.
"These items cost approximately four hundred and twenty gold coins. That means you have not only exhausted this month's allowance but also drawn fully on next month's. I also understand you intend to build a wooden cabin by the brook outside the woods. I have calculated that a modest two-story wooden structure will cost roughly three hundred gold coins. The furniture and furnishings you require will add a further two hundred. In total, you have already spent all your allowance for the next four months."
Dwight could say nothing.
He realized he had made a serious miscalculation.
The eldest son of a count, and he was broke!
Yet those flowers and plants were essential — they were basic raw materials for his research into magic potions.
Dwight stared at the old steward, his face hardening.
"Are you telling me that I, the eldest son of the Count, placed in charge of the family's lands, may only spend three hundred gold coins a month? Did I hear correctly?"
The steward's attitude remained respectful.
"Yes, my lord. This is the rule, written in the family head's own letter. The family estates earn tens of thousands of gold coins each month, but those are public funds. You have not yet come of age, received your own title, or been granted your own lands… so…"
"So I only have three hundred gold coins in pocket money each month. Is that right?" Dwight's voice was cold. He waved a hand. "Very well, I understand. I shall not be able to buy anything freely for the next few months, then."
"My apologies, my lord. This is the Count's order. You may draw no more than three months' allowance in advance."
Seeing the young master's displeasure, the old steward quickly took his leave.
Once Hill was gone, Dwight looked at Mad, who spoke cautiously at once.
"My lord… I still have the one thousand gold coins you entrusted me with. The Countess gave them to you before we left the capital."
Dwight sighed.
"I wondered why Mother secretly gave me that sum… now I understand. It seems Father was so worried his 'idiot' son would run amok here and ruin the family legacy that he gave me nothing more than a caretaker's title, and barred me from touching the estate's funds."
"W-we could cut back on spending, my lord. Three hundred gold coins a month is already a great deal…" Mad fell silent at once, seeing Dwight lost in thought.
"...Very well. If that's the case, we'll find a way to earn money ourselves."
After a moment of frustration, Dwight calmed down.
After all, Semel had left him that secret passage. Behind that fake door she had set as a decoy, there was plenty of treasure. If worst came to worst, he could use that.
Still… it seemed life in exile would not be as carefree as he had imagined.
"Come. To the dungeon." Dwight waved a hand, his tone cool.
"Let us hope the mage is more cooperative today. I am in a very bad mood!"