At daybreak, the old steward Hill personally wheeled a breakfast cart into the study. When he opened the door, he found the young master standing on the ladder before the bookshelves, utterly absorbed in a thick volume on astrology.

It looked as if the young master had not slept all night. He seemed a little tired, but his spirits were still high. He was also far too dirty... Had he spent the entire night rolling around among the account books?

What was more, one of the short swords hanging on the wall had been taken down and laid on the desk. Sigh. It was an antique once used by an ancestor.

The old steward sighed and immediately summoned servants to help his young master wash and dress.

After breakfast, Du Wei stretched. “Have the people who came from the Imperial Capital with me been settled in?”

“Of course. They are staying behind the castle. Your guard knights have been incorporated into the castle guard, according to the family’s regulations... Forgive my boldness, Young Master, but it seems you recruited a knight on the road—a female knight at that. I had intended to arrange quarters for her in the castle, but she declined. Since you also brought back a prisoner, I had him confined in the castle dungeon. Last night, the lady knight and her attendants stayed in the rooms above it.”

“Good.” Du Wei sighed. “Then what am I supposed to do during the day? Keep reading these accounts? I think it will take at least three or four days to finish them... That would be unbearably dull. Hill, I need something to do.”

Three or four days? You would be lucky to finish them in ten.

The old steward thought this to himself, but his expression remained respectful. “Yes. You are the master here. Everyone in the castle is your servant, and your will carries the greatest weight. As for those accounts, there is no need to finish them at once. They are only the accounts from the past year, after all. When you have time, I think it would be more useful to spare a little of your valuable time to inspect one or two of the family’s properties than to bury yourself in such dry ledgers.”

Du Wei smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Good advice, Hill. Very good advice! So what shall I do today? Is there... any entertainment here?”

“Er...” The old steward looked troubled. “You know that this place cannot compare with the Imperial Capital in prosperity. The nearest town is a full day’s round trip by horse. As for the castle, there is usually nothing here to pass the time. The scenery around us is rather pleasant, though. If you are interested, you could ride out with your knights and hunt in the woods. There may not be much game this season, but a ride would still be a decent choice.”

Du Wei nodded. He lifted his tea and took a sip, then suddenly had a thought. “That fellow I captured... There will not be any trouble with him, will there? I mean, do I have the authority here to...?”

“You mean judicial authority? My heavens, Young Master, this is the Rowling Plain! The entire plain belongs to the Rowling Family! So long as you do not commit treason against the Empire, the Rowling Family’s will is the law here! And at present, you are the highest-ranking member of the Rowling Family in this castle.”

“All right.” Du Wei rose to his feet. A maid immediately stepped forward with a long fur coat, intending to help him put it on. Du Wei glanced at the garment, which was made from some unknown animal’s hide, and shook his head. “The weather is still warm. I do not need that... Oh, right, Hill. I need one or two attendants at my side. I prefer people I know. Have Ma De come over—I still like having him with me. And the other thing: have you placed the twenty knights I brought from the Imperial Capital in the castle guard? Good. I will make time today to see them and inspect the castle guardsmen as well. Ah... one final matter. My childhood tutor was the famous astrologer and scholar Master Rossiat. Under his instruction, I developed a strong interest in astrology. While I am staying at the castle, I want to use the room at the top of the White Tower.”

“The White Tower... the top floor...” The old steward opened his mouth, looking even more troubled. “Young Master, I fear you may not know this, but the family has always had a prohibition: no one but the head of the family is permitted to enter the White Tower.”

“Oh?” Du Wei’s eyes lit up. “Is that so?”

He was not disappointed in the least. Instead, he felt a flicker of anticipation. If it was forbidden ground, perhaps Semel had left something there? There might be another discovery waiting for him.

As for being forbidden to enter? If he could not go openly, could he not sneak in?

“All right, then. I have a few things I need you to purchase for me.” Du Wei picked up a quill from the desk and quickly scribbled several items onto a sheet of paper.

They were all things he had thought of the previous night for studying astrology.

To study the stars, he needed a telescope at the very least—preferably an astronomical telescope. Such a thing did not exist in this world, so it appeared he would have to make one himself.

Glass existed in this world, and the workmanship of its mirrors was excellent. With a little research, he should be able to produce a crude telescope.

Then again... telescopes were not especially useful in this world. Their chief application was military, but this world had magic. A mage using an Eagle Eye spell could see far better than any telescope allowed.

Magic, magic! He still had to find a way to learn it.

With that thought, Du Wei immediately stood up. “It seems I should make time to visit my prisoner in the dungeon today.”

Du Wei left the study, and the old steward soon sent for Ma De as instructed.

The former stable hand looked rather dejected. He had spent the journey acting as “Chief Steward,” commanding twenty cavalrymen, and he had enjoyed that immensely. But once they arrived at the castle, the guard cavalrymen were immediately absorbed into the castle guard and stationed in a small camp to the castle’s left. His position as “Chief Steward” had vanished in an instant.

He had the title of chief steward, yet not a single subordinate.

The old steward here was clearly one of the Rowling Family’s senior retainers. How could Ma De dare to compete with him for authority? After sleeping in his room all night, he had begun to worry about his future... His young master had not called for him the previous evening. Had he been forgotten?

So, the moment he heard Du Wei had summoned him, Ma De rushed over. His hurried appearance displeased Hill, who cared greatly about proper deportment, but Ma De did not care. When he reached the castle hall and saw Du Wei waiting there, he hurried up to him, looking as though he wanted to throw his arms around him.

“Oh, my master! I am your faithful servant, Ma De. What are your orders?”

Du Wei could see that Ma De was at a loss. In this place, Ma De was the only person who could truly be called his confidant. The others... well, Roline could barely count as half of one.

Du Wei did not immediately go to see the mage held in the dungeon. First, he gave an order: from that day onward, no one was to enter the study without his permission.

The old steward said nothing about this strange command and carried it out at once.

Du Wei then led his people to the military camp outside the castle. Three hundred of the Rowling Family’s private soldiers were stationed there, including one hundred cavalrymen. They were divided into five cavalry squads of twenty men each and took turns patrolling the area around the castle. The twenty guard knights Du Wei had brought from the Imperial Capital had been made into a sixth squad. After changing their equipment at the camp, they immediately came to greet Du Wei.

Du Wei spoke with Ma De on the way and had him select six men to serve as his personal attendants. Ma De had observed them during the journey and considered them reasonably loyal and conscientious. The six cavalrymen immediately took off their armor, changed into lighter clothes, mounted their horses, and left the camp.

Their comrades watched them go with envious looks. After all, serving at their master’s side meant they might one day catch his eye and earn a promotion.

It had to be said that life was much more pleasant after leaving the stifling Count’s estate in the Imperial Capital and coming to this castle in the Rowling Family lands.

At least here, Du Wei was the highest-ranking person. Noble life was quite comfortable, too. Whenever he went out, servants immediately led over a gentle, fine horse, fitted with the best saddle and bridle. He had heard that Ma De had personally chosen it in order to please him. The former stable hand certainly had a good eye for horses.

That morning, Du Wei took his six attendants on two circuits through the woods outside the castle before finally choosing a spot.

At the edge of the forest, some distance from the castle, there was a small stream, a branch of a branch of the Emerald River—the Rowling River. Its current was gentle, and an inspection of the surrounding area found no signs of large beasts. Du Wei immediately decided to build a wooden cabin there.

It would be his first magic laboratory. Though he was not yet a mage and had been judged to lack the talent to learn magic, Du Wei was not worried.

There would always be a way.

After marking down the location, Du Wei continued looking around with his men.

This young master truly did behave strangely.

That morning, apart from inspecting the surrounding woods, he chatted with the castle servants. The first people he received were actually the castle gardener and florist.

The young master then gave them a list and asked them to prepare several strange flowers, herbs, and plants. The list soon reached Hill’s hands. He said nothing and promptly arranged it.

By evening, Du Wei was finally free to visit the prisoner in the dungeon.

After two days and two nights of torment, that mage must have suffered enough. Would he be willing to yield now?

Du Wei returned to the castle confidently with his men, but the first person to come looking for him was the old steward Hill.

“Young Master, all the items required by the lists you issued today have been procured.”

“So quickly?” Du Wei was both pleased and surprised.

“Naturally. This is Rowling territory, and carrying out your orders is our duty. The moment you gave me the lists, I sent riders at once to purchase everything from the surrounding towns. The goods are already being transported back. There is only one small problem...”

“What is it?”

“I am afraid you do not have enough money,” the steward replied impassively.

“...” Du Wei was somewhat taken aback. “Money?”

“It is like this.” The old steward’s face remained calm, but that very calmness—and the faintly concealed delight in his eyes—made Du Wei feel irritated. “Young Master, because you have not yet come of age, the family head has decreed that apart from your daily necessities, you may draw three hundred gold coins from the family each month for personal expenses. Three hundred gold coins a month is the limit of the money you may use. Any excess must be deducted from the following month’s allowance.”

“...” Du Wei was nearly speechless.

Money? He had never expected that the eldest son of a count would run into trouble over so little money.

The old steward swiftly took a monocle from his robe and set it over his left eye. Then he read from the list Du Wei had written that day. “Four pieces of high-grade crystal, twenty glass mirrors, one furnace, half a cart of coal. From the florist, one bag of gold-scale flower seeds, one bag of arrow orchid seeds, and a large bottle of Carrow black rose pollen... in addition to a set of the finest floral tools. From the gardener, two tigerbark broadleaf trees, one hundred clover plants, and...”

After rapidly reading through the list, the old steward continued slowly, “Purchasing these items has cost approximately four hundred and twenty gold coins. In other words, you have not only spent this month’s allowance, but have already drawn upon next month’s as well... I have also heard that you intend to build a cabin beside the stream beyond the forest. I have made an estimate. A modest two-story wooden house would cost around three hundred gold coins, and the furnishings and furniture you requested for it would cost another two hundred. By that calculation, you have already used all your money for the next four months.”

Du Wei was speechless.

He realized he might have miscalculated.

Money!

The eldest son of a count—and he was out of money!

But the flowers and herbs were essential. They were the most basic raw materials he needed to research magical potioncraft.

Du Wei looked at the old steward, his face darkening. “Is that so? You mean that I, my father’s eldest son, the person responsible for overseeing the family’s estates and businesses, can use only three hundred gold coins a month? Did I hear that correctly?”

The old steward remained perfectly respectful. “Yes. That is the rule, written in the Count’s own letter. The family businesses may bring in tens of thousands of gold coins each month, but you must understand... that is public money. You have not yet come of age, received your own title, or been granted land of your own, so...”

“So I have only three hundred gold coins of pocket money every month, correct?” Du Wei’s tone was cold. Then he waved a hand. “Fine, I understand. For the next few months, I cannot buy things freely anymore, can I?”

“I am very sorry. Those are the Count’s orders. You may draw on no more than three months of future allowance.”

Seeing that his young master was unhappy, the old steward promptly took his leave.

After Hill had withdrawn, Du Wei looked at Ma De beside him. Ma De immediately said cautiously, “Young Master... I still have the one thousand gold coins you asked me to keep for you. The Countess gave them to you before we left the Imperial Capital.”

Du Wei sighed. “Sigh, I had wondered why Mother secretly gave me that money... Now I understand. Heh. It seems Father was worried that this idiot of his would cause trouble in the family lands and squander the family fortune. So he gave me the name of a caretaker, but not the right to use the money here.”

“Well... we could cut back on expenses. Three hundred gold coins a month is already quite a lot...” Ma De wisely fell silent when he saw that his young master was thinking.

“...All right. If that is how it is, we will find a way to make some money ourselves.” After a brief bout of displeasure, Du Wei quickly got over it. After all, there was plenty of treasure behind the false door in the secret passage Semel had left him. If necessary, he could use that money.

Still... it seemed his days of exile would not be as carefree and comfortable as he had imagined.

“Come. Let us visit the dungeon.” Du Wei waved his hand and said flatly, “Let us hope that mage does not refuse me again today. I am in a very bad mood.”