# Chapter 74
—
“…My apologies. I should not have said that.”
Arthur nodded as if it were only natural.
Realizing from that attitude that Arthur had no intention of actually telling him the truth behind the incident, Leon let out a sigh.
“If I’d known it would turn out like this, I should’ve just gone home early instead of sticking around. Well then, I’ll be going.”
“Oh? If you ask me a little more nicely, I might actually tell you.”
“I’ve got my pride, you know? I’ll see you next time.”
Arthur was about to nod, then suddenly called out.
“Your Highness! Don’t forget about the group assignment—we have to finish it, so make sure you do your share!”
Leon, who had just opened the door to leave, flinched.
“Damn it!! I completely forgot! That’s due tomorrow, isn’t it?!”
With that, Leon bolted out of the room. Watching him go, Jeannie blinked and murmured.
“…What on earth is your relationship with him?”
“With His Highness?”
“Yes.”
“We’re mortal enemies.”
Jeannie fell silent.
“You always defy expectations, Sir.”
“Oh? How so?”
“Just… everything. From the smallest things to the biggest. You always break expectations.”
Arthur blinked.
Which part of my answer just now was unexpected?
At that moment, Jeannie tried to stand but let out a groan.
“Ugh!”
Her wounds had not fully healed yet. As she staggered, Arthur caught her and said,
“Lie down a bit longer.”
“…I don’t want to trouble you any more than I already have.”
“You’ve troubled me plenty already—one bit more won’t hurt.”
Jeannie closed her mouth. At the same time, her sharp ears flushed red.
“Th-that’s true, but still…”
“So, why don’t you explain? Why did you suddenly become a slave?”
Arthur’s question froze her expression and breath.
“……”
After hesitating in silence for a long while, Jeannie finally spoke.
“…How much should I tell you?”
“As much as you’re comfortable with. Preferably everything.”
Jeannie sighed.
“…I really don’t want to talk about this, but… since my lifesaver is asking, I can’t refuse.”
“That’s what I was aiming for. So, what happened?”
Jeannie murmured.
“After I retired, I immediately started looking for a house. And a new job.”
She told him about visiting real estate offices.
About going to the bank because nothing was available in her price range.
About finding a job at a flower shop that wasn’t a bad source of income.
Listening closely, Arthur tilted his head.
“…Then when did Hamburg get involved?”
“He didn’t. I didn’t get involved with him.”
“Then?”
“He came looking for me. With people.”
Her voice faltered, and she bit her lip.
“They already knew everything. They had investigated me completely, knew I wasn’t one of Sir Willet’s mercenaries.”
“……”
“I think they had been watching me for a while. They even dug into my lineage far enough to discover that I was an elf.”
Arthur stroked his chin.
‘Something’s off.’
In all of sprawling Arcane, they tracked down Jeannie specifically because she was a rare descendant of elves? That didn’t make sense.
As he pondered, Arthur quickly found the answer and asked,
“…Did you get involved with loan sharks, Jeannie?”
“…!”
“You went around borrowing money, didn’t you?”
Flustered, Jeannie waved her hands, face turning red.
“N-no, not exactly loan sharks…”
“Not exactly? Then what?”
“…Something similar.”
“Then that’s basically loan sharks.”
Jeannie fell silent and sighed.
“You’re right… haah. I guess that was the problem. When I went to that loan place, that bastard must have noticed my ears and figured something out.”
Arthur let out a short laugh.
“See? That’s what you get for going to places like that.”
“It’s not like I wanted to!”
“Well, anyway. Do you remember anything after you were taken?”
Jeannie shook her head.
“No… maybe because I was drugged… I don’t remember.”
Sensing the unease in her voice, Arthur offered reassurance.
“It’s fine. Nothing like what you’re imagining happened.”
“…That’s just to comfort me, right?”
“No. I mean it. If I were a slaver, I’d never lay a hand on someone like you.”
Still, her expression didn’t lighten.
Arthur could feel her fear and unease, and he shrugged.
“High-class slaves need to be in perfect condition. Especially pretty women like you.”
“……”
“And if anyone *had* touched you, wouldn’t you be the first to notice?”
Jeannie said nothing.
Arthur realized she needed some space, so he stood.
“Rest. You still don’t look well, and you’ve got a fever. Once you’re fully recovered, we’ll deal with what comes next.”
Jeannie hesitated, then asked,
“Can I… really stay here longer?”
Arthur nodded.
“Of course. You’re my guest.”
Her eyes widened slightly at that.
Arthur smiled faintly and added,
“Though it’s not free. Once you’ve recovered, tell me about your elf ancestors.”
—
—
Three days passed since Jeannie had stayed at Arthur’s house.
Each morning Arthur left for somewhere, leaving the maid Anna to attend to Jeannie.
From bathing to grooming, Anna tended to her every need. Jeannie felt burdened and tried to refuse, but Anna always answered firmly.
“A guest of the Young Master is also a guest of House Bayern.”
“……”
“If I made a guest uncomfortable, that would dishonor the Bayern name. So please, do not refuse.”
Jeannie could not argue.
Having lived a rough life as a wanderer and mercenary, she could not move once the word *honor* was invoked.
And she realized—
‘That lunatic… really *was* the heir of House Bayern?’
Even now, it was hard to believe. That madman was the successor of the Empire’s most prestigious ducal family?
Yet, seeing the dignified maid and every servant in the household show deference to Arthur, she could not deny it.
Naturally, her curiosity grew.
‘Why would someone from such a house… take up mercenary work?’
For fun? For interest? Or some hidden goal?
No explanation made sense.
‘The heir of House Bayern… is in a position to have anything he wants.’
Time passed, and Jeannie gradually recovered her health. She could now stroll comfortably in the manor’s gardens.
‘…Am I really allowed to be this comfortable here, as just a guest?’
Whenever she tried to help out, Anna strongly refused, insisting it would be improper.
So, on the sixth day of her stay, she found herself idly rocking in a chair in the garden.
Her eyes wandered over the carefully tended flowers and trees.
“……”
Vivid blossoms she didn’t know the names of.
Ancient trees glowing with lush green.
As she gazed at them, Jeannie thought,
‘Somehow… this is calming.’
In truth, she had never liked flowers or plants—her childhood had been surrounded by them, and in that place she lost her parents. That was why she wanted a home in a city like Arcane.
But seeing the Bayern estate made her rethink.
If she ever bought a home, maybe a place like this wouldn’t be so bad.
‘Though… how much would a place like this even cost?’
Jeannie let out a small laugh, and just then, she brushed her fingers against a flower.
“…Huh?”
The bud bloomed into a dazzling flower.
Startled, she blinked.
“Wh-what’s going on?”
She tapped it again, and the bloom grew even larger.
Just as she gaped in shock at the impossible sight, Arthur murmured,
“Wow… Jeannie, you had this kind of ability too?”
“…!”
Startled, Jeannie stepped back. Behind her, Arthur stood with his hands clasped behind his back, head tilted.
“What’s with that reaction?”
“Y-you could at least make some noise when you approach!”
“Noise? I didn’t hide my presence—you must just be dull.”
Jeannie sighed.
“That’s not what I meant… I meant greet me or something. You startled me.”
Arthur let out a small exclamation.
“Oh, if that’s the case, then I was at fault. Sorry, Jeannie.”
Jeannie narrowed her eyes.
…What’s with him? Apologizing so easily? Normally he’d spout some nonsense excuse.
‘Come to think of it, he actually does apologize when he should… doesn’t he?’
Arthur came closer. He touched the flower that had grown so large, then casually plucked it.
“…Why would you pluck that, Sir?!” Jeannie cried.
Arthur answered as if it were obvious.
“If one bloom grows too big, the others die. This one would suck up all the nutrients. You know… nature’s law. Survival of the fittest.”
Jeannie blinked.
Arthur then tucked the flower behind her ear.
“…!”
Startled, she stumbled back. While she flustered, Arthur exclaimed,
“Oh… you look beautiful like this.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I always thought you were pretty, but seeing you like this—truly beautiful.”
Jeannie’s lips pressed shut. Her eyes trembled slightly as she whispered,
“S-Sir Arthur…?”
“Yes?”
“Do you… like me?”
Arthur blinked.
“No?”
“……”
“But I do think we have a good relationship.”
Her eyes widened.
“A… good relationship?”
“Yes. Or… am I the only one who thinks that?”
Jeannie stayed silent.
A good relationship? Could she and Arthur Bayern really be called that?
Their first meeting hadn’t been good. They had only met twice more since, and neither encounter was pleasant.
But thinking back, she realized—
Both times, they had needed each other. And both times, neither had turned away.
The thought slipped out before she knew it.
‘When did it turn into this? I tried so hard not to get involved…’
She let out an involuntary laugh.
Arthur tilted his head.
“…What’s so funny, Jeannie?”
“Nothing. Just… something.”
“Something?”
“Yes. Something like that.”
Jeannie touched the flower behind her ear.
“Thank you.”
“Hm?”
“Truly… thank you, Sir Arthur. For saving me.”
Arthur smiled and nodded.
“Isn’t that thank-you a bit late?”
Jeannie laughed again.
Just then, from a hidden corner, Sylph’s eyes widened.
\[Huh?]
In a burst of light, Sylph’s body changed.
From boy to youth. From youth to adult.
With that sudden transformation came a roaring gust of wind.
“Huh?”
Sensing the anomaly, Jeannie turned—and froze at the sight.
“S-Sylph? What’s happening?!”
\[I don’t know… suddenly your power surged.]
Sylph’s now-deeper voice rumbled as he gazed at her.
Jeannie instinctively realized—
‘He evolved into a higher spirit. But… why?’
To contract with a higher spirit, one needed extraordinary spirit affinity.
But unlike mana or magical power, affinity could not be trained.
‘Innate talent… something no effort could achieve. That is spirit affinity.’
That was why spirit magicians were considered rarer and more precious than sorcerers.
Yet now, Sylph had evolved into a high spirit, overturning all common sense.
‘…Why? Am I still dreaming?’
On the other side, Arthur curled his lips and murmured,
“Well, now… what’s this?”
He stared at his hand.
“……”
His blood boiled hotly, and from that blood something began to surge.
‘Jeannie’s blood. It’s raging inside me.’
With that sensation, Arthur finally understood—
What Whitebeard had meant by the *true power* of this blood.
—
