The Villainous Mastermind Gets Lucky in His Later Years - Chapter 23

A few days later, Angelus personally visited Doah.

“Here.”

He handed over a black card with the family seal ornately engraved over it.

「 6.8 Million Gold Festha

The total amount to reimburse Ophelia Credel

—Fluvia Credel’s deputy,

Angelus Credel 」

“In addition to that, from now on, 500,000 Festha will be set aside every month for your expenses.”

Doah almost let out an exclamation.

‘Wow… You’re really giving it to me after I asked for it.’

What if she saved all that money for eight years?

She’d be able to buy an island, build a mansion, hire employees and spend the rest of her life playing and eating without a care in the world.

Faced with an astronomical amount of money, she naturally set out a blueprint for the future.

‘You’ve got something going for you after all.’

That he wasn’t stingy when it came to money.

Doah had a new outlook on Angelus.

It felt like she discovered a new potential in him. She first thought that it’s better not to interact with him in the future, but she changed her mind.

That is, there’s a good outlook on him as a personal wallet.

‘My moneybag…’

“What kind of look is that in your eyes?”

Did he perhaps see the greed that flickered in Doah’s eyes?

At Angelus’ feisty comment, Doah smiled broadly and curled her eyes into crescent moons, as if she had never once looked at him as a cash cow.

“I’m so happy. I can buy pretty and warm clothes now.”

“……”

“Um, I can also eat a lot of delicious food, buy some toys, dolls, books…”

Doah counted with her fingers one after another, listing things that children her age might want.

The high and mighty Angelus might have gotten his conscience stabbed at, too, as he couldn’t reply for a brief moment.

‘If I want to avoid their surveillance over what I’d spend this money on, I shouldn’t spend it on just reasonable extravagance. I wonder if there’s a good place where I can freely spend a lot of money.’

Doah’s cheeks reddened with excitement as she wondered how she’d turn this money into an escape fund without being discovered.

However, on the surface, she looked like an innocent child who was rejoicing at the gift she was given.

“That…”

“Huh?”

“I can buy you that much.”

What?

Doah looked up at Angelus with round eyes.

He must have gotten flustered after saying this impulsively that he brushed one finger over his lips in a mild panic.

But it was just for a moment.

Angelus quickly regained his composure. As he raised his chin haughtily, he said.

“What, it’s not like I said something I’m not supposed to say. You’re a ducal princess now, even if you’re just a substitute. As long as you’re called Ophelia, you will be given whatever you want.”

Ah.

Doah could feel her lips curling up on one side, but she pursed them instead.

She really didn’t need any of it.

Fluffy and soft fur coats, colorful jewelry, cute dolls, wonderous toys, interesting fairy tale books, pretty flowers that weren’t common in the northern region…

As Bunny endured alone for two years, these were all the things she desperately wished for.

‘Those were things that you could have given her with just one command.’

And yet he was giving them all to Doah, who was just a shell now.

It’s like fixing a barn when the cow had already disappeared.

‘Now that I’m here, you’re being good, huh.’

It’s funny. But at the same time, sad.

Because Bunny, who would have jumped for joy, was gone forever.

“Wow, really?”

Unlike her cynical thoughts, Doah pretended that she liked what she heard.

And pretended to be shy as she ducked her head to hide the cold look in her eyes.

“If there’s anything you want, let me know.”

“I don’t care, as long as the Young Duke gives it to me…”

It’s all useless. So it doesn’t matter what you give.

She smiled broadly, showing her white teeth, then moderately reworded what she wanted to say.

“You’re always busy, Young Duke. You’ve also already lost a lot of precious time because of me. I’ll figure things out on my own from now on, so you don’t have to pay any attention to me.”

“……”

“I didn’t expect you to give me this much, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll use it well.”

It was a euphemistic rejection.

Angelus glanced down silently at Doah for a long while, as if he had been caught off guard.

“Angelus— Brother!”

“Please play with me.”

“Hmph… Brother is always busy.”

“Are you very busy again today?”

His already moon-white face grew slightly paler.

Now knowing what Angelus had recalled just now, Doah tilted her head to the side, wondering what made him make that expression.

“…You’ll be given a month to rest under the pretext of recuperation.”

Having been stiff for a long while, he quickly spat out what he came here to say.

“In the meantime, don’t raise any trouble and adjust well. Your education will start again after that.”

And without even waiting for Doah’s response, he suddenly walked out and slammed the door behind him.

“What’s wrong with him.”

Ridiculous kid.

‘You sound like an old man, but you’re only just fourteen.’

He’s like an unpredictable season, going hot and cold like that. But she wasn’t all that curious about him anyway.