At dawn, Old Butler Hill personally wheeled the breakfast cart into the study. As he pushed open the door, he found the young master of the Rowling family perched on a ladder before the bookshelf, engrossed in a hefty tome on astrology.
It seemed the young lord hadn't slept a wink. Though his face bore traces of fatigue, his spirit appeared undimmed. Yet, his clothes were rather… unkempt. Had he spent the entire night rolling about in those dusty ledgers? And there, on the desk, lay a short sword plucked from the wall—an heirloom once wielded by an ancestor.
Hill sighed inwardly and promptly summoned servants to attend to the young master's grooming.
After breakfast, Du Wei stretched lazily. "The men I brought from the capital—were they settled in last night?"
"Of course," Hill replied. "They're housed behind the castle. Your escort knights have been integrated into the castle's guard, per family protocol. If I may, my lord, it seems you recruited a knight on your journey—a female knight, no less. I offered her quarters in the castle, but she declined. You also brought a prisoner, whose offense I'm unaware of. He's been secured in the dungeon, and last night, the lady knight and her squire took rooms above it."
"Well done," Du Wei said with a sigh. "So, what's on the agenda today? More of these ledgers? It'd take three or four days to slog through them all. Too dull, Hill. I need something to do."
Three or four days? You'd be lucky to finish in ten, Hill thought, though his face remained deferential. "You're the master here, my lord. The entire castle serves your will. As for the ledgers, they're last year's accounts—no rush to tackle them now. If you find time later, might I suggest inspecting one or two of the family's estates? It could prove more fruitful than poring over dry numbers."
Du Wei grinned, his brow arching. "A fine suggestion, Hill. So, what's today's plan? Any… diversions around here?"
Hill hesitated. "Well… this place can't compare to the capital's bustle. The nearest town is a day's ride round trip. The castle itself offers little in the way of pastime, but the surrounding scenery is pleasant. If you're inclined, you could take your knights and ride into the woods for a hunt. Game may be scarce this season, but a ride could be refreshing."
Du Wei nodded, sipping his red tea. A thought struck him. "That prisoner I brought—any issues? I mean, do I have the authority to…"
"Enforcement rights?" Hill interjected. "My heavens, my lord, this is Rowling Plain! The entire plain belongs to the Rowling family. Here, short of treason against the empire, the family's will is the law. And you, sir, are the highest-ranking Rowling in this castle."
"Very well." Du Wei stood, brushing off a maid who approached with a heavy fur coat. He eyed the garment—some beast's pelt—and waved it away. "It's warm enough without that. Oh, Hill, I'll need a couple of attendants. I prefer familiar faces. Have Marde join me; I'm fond of him. And those twenty knights I brought from the capital—integrated into the guard, you said? Good. I'll take time today to inspect them and review the castle's warriors. One last thing: my childhood tutor, the renowned astrologer Mr. Rosia, sparked my passion for the stars. While I'm here, I'd like to use the room at the top of the White Tower."
"The White Tower… top floor…" Hill's mouth opened, his expression tightening. "My lord, I'm afraid you may not know—family rules forbid anyone but the patriarch from ascending the White Tower."
"Oh?" Du Wei's eyes gleamed. "Is that so?"
Far from discouraged, his curiosity flared. A forbidden place? Perhaps relics of Seimei, his enigmatic ancestor, awaited discovery. If he couldn't go openly… well, there were always other ways.
"Fine," he said breezily. "I need a few items procured." He grabbed a quill, scribbling a list with swift strokes—tools for his astrological studies.
A telescope was essential, ideally an astronomical one, but such devices didn't exist here. He'd have to craft one himself. Glass was common enough, and mirrors were finely made. With some tinkering, a crude telescope should be feasible.
Truth be told, telescopes had little use in this world. Magic outshone them—mages could cast Eagle's Eye for far superior vision, especially in battle. Magic, Du Wei mused. I need to find a way to learn it.
He rose abruptly. "I'll visit the prisoner in the dungeon today."
Leaving the study, Du Wei sent for Marde, as Hill arranged. The former stablehand arrived, his mood visibly glum. On the journey, he'd relished playing "steward," commanding twenty cavalry. But here, with the knights folded into the castle guard and stationed in a nearby barracks, he was a steward without a retinue. Even Hill, a Rowling family stalwart, clearly outranked him. Marde had spent a restless night worrying Du Wei had forgotten him.
When the summons came, he bolted to the great hall, his haste earning a disapproving glance from Hill. Spotting Du Wei, Marde nearly lunged to embrace him.
"My lord! Your loyal servant Marde, at your service!" he blurted.
Du Wei saw the man's unease. Marde was his closest confidant here—well, him and perhaps Rolynn, to an extent. Rather than rushing to the dungeon, Du Wei issued an order: no one was to enter the study without his permission. Hill nodded and complied without comment.
Next, Du Wei visited the barracks outside, where three hundred Rowling private troops were stationed—one hundred cavalry, split into five squads of twenty, patrolling the castle grounds. His twenty escort knights from the capital formed a sixth squad, freshly equipped. They greeted him promptly.
After a brief talk with Marde, Du Wei had him select six men—loyal, diligent sorts Marde had observed on the road. These six shed their armor for lighter gear, mounted horses, and left the barracks under envious gazes. Serving the young lord directly could mean future favor.
Away from the capital's stifling earl's mansion, life in the Rowling estate felt… liberating. Here, Du Wei was the highest authority, and noble life had its perks. A servant brought a fine steed—saddle and bridle of the finest make—chosen by Marde, whose eye for horses remained sharp.
Du Wei spent the morning riding with his six attendants through the woods beyond the castle. He settled on a spot at the forest's edge, a fair distance from the castle, beside a gentle stream—a minor tributary of the Rowling River. The area was safe, free of large beasts. He decided it would house his first magic laboratory, despite lacking magical talent—or so he'd been told. He wasn't deterred. There'd be a way.
Marking the location, Du Wei explored further. His behavior struck others as odd. Beyond scouting the woods, he chatted with castle servants—starting with the gardener and florist. He handed them a list of peculiar plants and herbs to procure, which soon reached Hill, who set about fulfilling it without question.
By evening, Du Wei finally had time to visit the dungeon. After two days and nights, surely the captive mage had softened. Would he yield? Du Wei felt confident as he returned to the castle—only to be met by Hill.
"My lord, the items on your lists have been arranged," Hill said.
"So quickly?" Du Wei was pleased, even delighted.
"Of course. This is Rowling land; your orders are our duty. After receiving your lists, I sent riders to nearby towns. The goods are already en route. However, there's a slight issue…"
"What?"
"Your funds may be insufficient," Hill replied evenly.
Du Wei blinked. "Funds?"
"Yes," Hill continued, his calm tone betraying a hint of amusement. "As you're not yet of age, the patriarch's rule limits you to three hundred gold coins monthly for personal expenses, beyond food and lodging. That's the sum you may freely use. Overspending deducts from the next month's allowance."
Du Wei was speechless. Money? The earl's eldest son, strapped for cash?
Hill produced a monocle, donned it, and read from Du Wei's lists. "Four fine crystals, twenty glass mirrors, one smelting furnace, half a cart of coal. From the florist: a sack of goldscale flower seeds, a sack of arrow orchid seeds, a large vial of black rose pollen, and a set of premium gardening tools. From the gardener: two tiger-stripe broadleaf trees, one hundred trefoil grasses, and more…"
He finished the tally. "These cost roughly four hundred twenty gold coins. You've not only spent this month's allowance but dipped into next month's as well. I also heard you plan a wooden lodge by the stream. A modest two-story structure would cost about three hundred gold coins, plus another two hundred for furnishings. In total, you've committed four months' worth of funds."
Du Wei stood dumbfounded. He'd miscalculated—money, of all things! Those plants were vital, the bare essentials for studying magical pharmacology.
He fixed Hill with a cool stare. "So, you're saying I, the earl's heir, tasked with overseeing the family's lands, am limited to a paltry three hundred gold coins a month? Did I hear that right?"
Hill's tone remained respectful. "Indeed, my lord. It's the patriarch's written decree. The family's estates yield tens of thousands monthly, but that's public coin. As you're not yet of age, without a title or land of your own…"
"So, I get three hundred coins for pocket money," Du Wei cut in icily. "And now I can't buy freely for months, correct?"
"I'm sorry, my lord. You may borrow up to three months' allowance, per the earl's orders."
Sensing Du Wei's displeasure, Hill bowed and withdrew. Alone with Marde, Du Wei glanced at him. Marde spoke cautiously. "My lord… I still hold the thousand gold coins the countess gave you before we left the capital."
Du Wei sighed. "I wondered why Mother slipped me that sum. Now I see. Father fears his 'idiot' son will squander the family's legacy, so he's made me a figurehead here, with no real access to funds."
"We could cut expenses," Marde ventured. "Three hundred coins a month isn't so bad…" He trailed off, seeing Du Wei deep in thought.
"No matter," Du Wei said, shrugging off the irritation. "We'll find our own way to make coin." The secret passage Seimei left held treasures behind that decoy door—more than enough if push came to shove. Still, this exile wasn't proving as carefree as he'd hoped.
"To the dungeon," he said, waving a hand. "Let's hope that mage doesn't test me today. I'm not in the mood."