Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings

Chapter 43: Skyfield

Rewinding time a bit, this takes place shortly after Rofus returned from the party hosted by the Duke of Galeos and just before he was set to depart for the Steria territory.

Under Rofus’s orders, the butler Carlos was given a week off.

The reason for this was that Carlos had been secretly reporting Rofus’s daily activities to Rudens, the head of the family. This had been going on for about two years, ever since Rofus moved to the annex and Carlos became his exclusive attendant.

However, this was a reasonable arrangement. Rudens was reluctant to leave the not-yet-ten-year-old Rofus alone, so he assigned Carlos, the most trustworthy servant, to accompany him and report back.

Rofus was unaware of this fact, and it only came to light during the incident with Rougvelt when a letter Rofus left for Rudens before departing the capital was discovered. Suspecting there had been other such correspondences, Rofus confronted Carlos, who, unable to lie to his master, confessed everything.

Despite this, Rofus did not impose any punishment on Carlos. However, Rofus was evidently displeased, and this boiled over when Rudens mentioned Fol during their journey to the Galeon territory.

Thus, upon returning from Galeon, Carlos was given a week’s leave.

Though Carlos had been working tirelessly up until then, making this break long overdue, he wasn’t in the mood to fully enjoy his time off. Nor could he return to Rofus.

Deciding to make the most of this rare opportunity, Carlos chose to use the time to settle some unfinished business. He planned a short trip, sufficient within the week’s leave.

Carlos’s destination was none other than the fishing village of Rougvelt. Traveling without a carriage, he relied on his own magical and physical strength, reaching Rougvelt a full day after leaving the capital. It was almost midday.

Realizing how much time it had taken, Carlos acknowledged his age; in his younger days, he could have made the journey in half the time.

“Ah, time is unforgiving,” he mused.

Taking a break after running continuously, Carlos headed to the tavern adjacent to the inn he had visited before.

Rougvelt, being a small fishing village, had few places to eat, making this the only viable option.

As he entered, a cheerful voice greeted him from the counter.

“Welcome!”

The waitress looked surprised upon recognizing Carlos.

“Oh, you are…”

Carlos also recognized her.

“Miss Lilia, if I recall correctly?”

Lilia, the daughter of the innkeeper whom Carlos had met during his first visit with Rofus, smiled warmly.

“I’m honored you remember me, Sir Carlos, Rofus-sama’s attendant.”

“Yes. So this establishment is affiliated with the inn?”

“That’s right. I manage it during the day.”

“You’re quite responsible for someone so young,” Carlos remarked, smiling as she flexed her slender arms.

“So, what brings you here today? Is Rofus with you?”

“No, I’m on a short holiday. Rofus isn’t here.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

“?”

Carlos raised an eyebrow, prompting Lilia to wave her hands apologetically.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude…”

“It’s fine. What did you mean by a shame?”

Lilia hesitated before speaking.

“Well, I just thought Fol would have loved to see him.”

“Ah, I see…”

Carlos nodded in understanding at the mention of Fol.

“I actually came to see Lady Falatiana. Is she out fishing?”

“Not fishing, exactly. She’s out hunting monsters.”

“Hunting? Are there still monster attacks?”

“No, thanks to Rofus, the attacks have ceased. But she’s been hunting monsters voluntarily to become stronger.”

“Interesting…”

Carlos narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Lilia’s explanation.

“She’s determined to become a noble. I wonder what kind of promise she made with Rofus.”

“Indeed, I have a rough idea.”

Carlos had pieced together the promises made between Rofus and Fol, having persistently questioned Rofus and gathered information from Yurika, who had been nearby at the time.

Though Fol’s quest to become a noble as a commoner seemed almost impossible, she was clearly giving it her all. The path she chose to get stronger was uncertain but commendable.

“Fol should be back after finishing her morning tasks.”

“Then please tell her I’ll be waiting on the hill outside the village.”

“Got it. I’ll make sure she knows.”

Carlos left the message with Lilia and exited the tavern.

“Hey, was there a customer?”

Norn, emerging from the back of the store with messy hair, asked groggily.

“He finally woke up,” Lilia sighed, giving Norn a disapproving look.

“It was Sir Carlos, Rofus’s attendant—”

“What!?”

Norn, startled, quickly began grooming herself.

“Why didn’t you wake me up, Lilia? Is he still nearby? Did he say he’d come back?”

Norn, in her pajamas, started picking out her outdoor clothes, looking like a girl in love. Lilia’s face twitched.

“Wait, are you… into him? Isn’t he a bit old for you?”

“Age doesn’t matter, Lilia. Sir Carlos is so gentlemanly and kind.”

“I get that, but… Oh well.”

Lilia gazed out the window in resignation.

Fol, who once hated nobles, was now in love with one, and Norn, who had been kidnapped, was now infatuated with the butler who had rescued her. It was Carlos who had brought Norn back to Rougvelt, likely having been very gentle with her.

“Everyone’s falling in love… When will a good man show up for me?” Lilia muttered, resting her chin on her hand.

＊

Amidst the sound of seabirds and the smell of salt, Carlos stood alone on the hill.

This peaceful moment was a rare reprieve from his recent busyness, unexpectedly making for a pleasant break.

As the clock passed noon, Fol appeared on the hill. Slightly out of breath from running, she no longer wore her bandana or chest binding. Unlike three months ago, she now sported clear golden hair tied back, presenting a tomboyish but distinctly feminine appearance.

“Carlos…!”

“Good to see you. You can just call me Carlos, Lady Falatiana.”

Carlos greeted her with a warm smile.

Fol looked around, puzzled.

“Is Rofus not here…?”

“Unfortunately, it’s just me today.”

Though still catching her breath, Fol frowned in disappointment, making Carlos chuckle.

“Despite my message to Lilia, it seems you rushed over without listening.”

“…I see.”

Carlos watched with a fond smile as Fol’s shoulders visibly drooped.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well. Your feelings for Rofus-sama remain unchanged, I see.”

“Wha!? Did Rofus tell you…?”

Blushing, Fol averted her eyes, looking uncomfortable.

Carlos smiled, thinking it was already well-known, and nodded.

“Well, yes.”

“Seriously? Then, about that promise…”

“Yes, I’m aware. I’m here today regarding that matter.”

“Regarding that matter…”

Fol’s expression tensed slightly at Carlos’s words.

Why had Carlos come alone instead of Rofus concerning the promise?

A troubling possibility flitted through Fol’s mind.

Could he be here to annul the promise?

Sensing Fol’s concern, Carlos hurriedly shook his head.

“Oh, please don’t misunderstand. I came here on my own accord. There’s no message from young master Rofus.”

“I see… that’s a relief…”

Fol sighed in relief, then tilted her head.

“Then what is this about?”

“I’ve heard you’ve been working hard to become a noble. However, aren’t you hitting a wall?”

“That’s not…”

Fol averted her eyes.

Her lack of a firm denial suggested she was putting on a brave face.

“Seeking strength is not a bad thing. However, that alone won’t make you a noble. Do you know the method for a commoner to become a noble?”

“…No, I don’t.”

Carlos spoke gently to the downcast Fol.

“It’s understandable that you wouldn’t know. There aren’t many examples of commoners becoming nobles. But the method is surprisingly simple.”

Carlos raised one finger towards the sky.

“It is to be appointed as a noble by His Majesty the King.”

“The King…”

Fol’s face contorted at the mention of the king.

“It sounds daunting, but it’s not as difficult as it seems. As long as you apply, it will generally be approved unless there are significant reasons against it.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. However, the difficult part is meeting the application requirements. These conditions are quite stringent.”

Carlos held up three fingers.

“There are three conditions. First, possessing magical power. Second, having a high-ranking noble as a patron. Third, bringing benefits to the kingdom.”

“High-ranking noble, benefits…”

Fol repeated, looking like she didn’t fully understand.

Carlos smiled wryly and continued.

“Possessing magical power and having connections with high-ranking nobles—these two conditions are particularly challenging. If you lack magical power, you’re out of the running from the start. And for commoners, forging ties with high-ranking nobles is extremely difficult. However, fortunately, Lady Faratiana has already cleared these two hurdles.”

“Cleared…? Oh, right, Rofus is a high-ranking noble too.”

“More precisely, the House of Marquis Lightress, rather than young master Rofus himself. Of course, you’ll need to meet with the head of the family, Lord Rudens, and express your desire to become a noble.”

Fol looked down, tense.

“The head… Rofus’s father…”

“Well, that’s for later. There’s no need to be nervous now. What you need to focus on now is the third condition.”

“The third… benefits to the kingdom?”

“Yes. Examples of commoners who became nobles include subduing powerful monsters classified as disasters, discovering gold mines, developing wastelands, and inventing new magical tools. The accomplishments that bring benefits are varied.”

“Uh, well… the only thing I might be able to do is subduing monsters.”

“Monsters designated as disasters by the kingdom are extremely dangerous. For instance, the giant Kraken in the Sea of Demons or the flying whale in the sky. Both were defeated by young master Rofus.”

Carlos concluded, mentioning the extraordinary nature of these creatures.

“The flying whale and that Kraken…”

Fol made a bitter face.

Even the giant Kraken would be a tough opponent for Fol as she was now.

Carlos smiled.

“Therefore, I propose this: how about exploring and developing the Sea of Demons?”

Fol’s eyes widened at Carlos’s suggestion.

Developing the Sea of Demons.

The Sea of Demons had been inaccessible for 300 years due to the presence of the giant Kraken, known as the ship-eating devil.

While there were sea charts, uncharted islands might exist as they had drifted to unknown islands during shipwrecks.

Even though the Kraken had been defeated, other dangerous creatures might still exist.

If developed, the Sea of Demons could become a route connecting the Steria and Lightress territories.

While the development posed risks, the accomplishment would be significant.

“Development, huh…”

Listening to Carlos’s explanation, Fol looked troubled.

“Are you worried? Certainly, there are risks involved, but we will ensure Lady Faratiana’s safety. We will hire skilled personnel and ensure your safety. We will handle the preparation of the exploration team and equipment. Please rest assured; we will approach the development with utmost care.”

Given such a well-prepared situation, Fol furrowed her brow.

“Carlos, why are you going to such lengths? I’m just a commoner who likes Rofus.”

Carlos met Fol’s somewhat wary gaze with a straight look.

“Lady Faratiana, you care for young master Rofus. And you treat him as an equal. Young master seemed very happy when he was with you. That’s all. There’s no other reason.”

That joyful expression was something Rofus never showed, even to his family or Carlos.

“I see… Rofus was happy…”

Fol blushed and averted her eyes at Carlos’s earnest words.

After thinking for a moment, Fol turned back to Carlos.

“I appreciate it, but I can’t accept your offer.”

“Why not? This is the quickest path to becoming a noble.”

“Because it wouldn’t be my accomplishment. Most of it would be your work, Carlos. Rofus told me to become a noble.”

“But…”

“I will develop the Sea of Demons. I appreciate the offer. But I’ll handle the preparations. I need to accomplish this myself.”

Seeing the determination in Fol’s eyes, Carlos sighed.

“If you insist, I understand.”

Carlos nodded quietly and drew the rapier at his waist.

“…Huh?”

Caught off guard, Fol stared as Carlos pointed the sword at her.

“In that case, we’ll change the plan. Lady Faratiana, you will train intensively under me during my entire leave. You must become stronger immediately.”

“Training…!?”

Carlos’s sharp thrust grazed Fol’s cheek.

It was so fast she couldn’t see it, leaving Fol pale-faced.

“Don’t worry. You might become young master Rofus’s wife. I swear I won’t leave any lasting scars.”

Carlos smiled warmly.

But his words meant he wouldn’t hesitate to leave non-permanent wounds.

“I heard you couldn’t even land a blow on Yurika. Yurika is a dark knight of the Lightless family, a professional warrior. But Yurika’s strength is among the weakest of the dark knights. I can’t entrust the Sea of Demons to someone with your current skills.”

As Carlos spoke, he launched a series of invisible thrusts.

Fol couldn’t react, accumulating numerous shallow cuts on her body.

“When… did he cut me…?”

Fol, pale with shock, collapsed to the ground as Carlos used healing magic from a distance.

Sharp cuts, if treated immediately with healing magic, would leave almost no scars compared to bruises or lacerations.

The wounds inflicted by Carlos disappeared cleanly without leaving marks.

“In three days, you will be able to at least avoid these thrusts. If you can’t, you’ll have to accept my backup… or give up on young master Rofus.”

Carlos glared sharply at Fol with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

Fol glared back defiantly and drew the cutlass at her waist.

“I won’t give up. I’ll do it.”

“That’s the spirit. By the way, I served as a sword saint for about eight years in my youth. I’m confident in my swordsmanship and my teaching abilities, so rest assured.”

Following Fol’s lead, Carlos also raised his rapier.

Though she only needed to evade, Carlos mentally noted the unnecessary act of drawing her sword.

Moments later, Fol charged at Carlos.

Her straightforward attack was easily dodged by Carlos.

Carlos’s expression stiffened slightly.

Maybe she didn’t understand the purpose? Carlos felt a slight unease about the future.

Incidentally, the commotion about a wyvern appearing in Rougvelt occurred that night.

Norn, seeing the wyvern circling as if searching for something, recognized it as Frugel, who had brought her here.

Norn explained the situation to the villagers, causing some uproar, but the night ended peacefully.

The next day, a wyvern subjugation team was dispatched from a nearby village, likely due to a report.

However, Fol, Log, and the younger villagers who had heard from Norn put up a fierce defense to protect Frugel, even repelling the team.

Later, the official soldiers led by the deputy official (a puppet manipulated by Rofus) arrived.