The Money-Obssessed Archmage's Second Life As A Broke Duke-Chapter 62 - Don’t. Come. Closer.

Chapter Sixty Two

"Don’t. Come. Closer."

I growled out, the words catching on the metallic tang still coating my throat, my back resting against the hard book shelf.

"Why are you always fainting and coughing blood when I find you? Kaelen’s voice just gruff and laced with frustration. His boots stepped into my crumbling vision, while I tried to get my breathing under control. "Do you want to die that eagerly?"

"Huff...Why are you always trying... Puff... to find me?" I shot back, wiping a smear of crimson from my chin with a trembling hand. "Are you in love with me or something? I’m not gay. Fuck off."

Kaelen let out a long sigh, puffing out his chest. "Haaah... From the way, you still have the energy to spout nonsense. I think you’re okay. Elena looked worried about nothing."

"I am okay!"

"I know!"

"Good!"

"Yeah! Good!"

The silence that followed was thick with the lingering scent of old paper, dust and the sharp iron of my blood. Kaelen stared down at me, his shadow looming over me like a watchful gargoyle as he let out a frustrated huff.

"Ugh! Can I sit beside you?" he grunted.

"Whatever."

Clunk!

He slid down the bookshelf beside me with a heavy clatter of metal. We sat there in the dim library light looking like two battered survivors of a war that hadn’t even started yet.

"You should seriously rest, Master," Kaelen said, staring at the opposite shelf. "You’ve been overworking a lot. Even a thoroughbred horse breaks if you never let it graze."

"How weak do you think I am?"

"Very weak," he replied instantly. "You were a professional drunkard and a trash person just three or four days ago. Even if your soul wishes to fix everything that is wrong... your body still needs time to adapt."

"That’s a wrong perception," I muttered, leaning my head back against the hard wood. "Just because someone drinks doesn’t make them a bad person."

"Most bad people drink."

"Some drink to loosen up, Kaelen. Plus... some drink to forget betrayal and pain. You won’t understand. You’ve never been betrayed."

Kaelen’s head turned sharply toward me. "Who says? Master betrayed me."

I paused, the air in my lungs feeling heavy. "How did I betray you?"

"You took in all the refugees. You gave us the hope of a good life. Then, you crushed it beneath a bottle."

"Haah..." I closed my eyes. "All you care about is how your life was bad. Have you ever wondered about mine? I don’t even remember what a parent’s warmth feels like anymore."

"Neither do I," Kaelen said, his voice dropping to a low, somber tone. "My mother is dead."

"Ah..."

"It was her last wish that I serve the Lord who gave her at least a bed to die on. That’s why, unlike the others, no matter what you did or how far you fell... I didn’t leave."

"Oh." The word felt small in the vast library.

"So," Kaelen cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "You still like drinking despite your amnesia?"

"Yeah. It helps me relax. And drinking isn’t bad, you know? It’s the reason that matters."

"I didn’t say it was bad. I drink too. Everyone does. Just do it occasionally. Too much of anything is a poison."

"I know that, Kaelen. I’m not dumb."

"What do you like, then? In alcohol."

I cut my eyes toward him, narrowed and suspicious. "Why. Are you planning to poison me?"

"If I wanted you dead, I’d just leave you here instead of staying. Plus, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to kill you. The cave. The day you woke up. The day you visited the fief. But aren’t you still alive?"

"...Fair."

"So?"

"Something strong. Clean. No sweet aftertaste."

"Straight spirits, then."

"Mhm. Makes the head quiet."

"That explains a lot."

"Oh?"

"You don’t drink to get drunk or enjoy yourself like you did before," Kaelen said, his voice reflecting clarity. "You sound like you drink to breathe when it’s hard to."

I tensed, my fingers digging into my knees. "...You’re annoyingly perceptive. But stop saying things like ’before.’ I don’t want to be compared with my past mistakes.

"Got it."

"What about you?" I asked.

"Wine. Cheap ones, preferably."

"Knight with terrible taste. Tragic."

"Says the man who downs alcohol like medicine." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"It is medicine."

"For what?"

"For a disease named life."

Kaelen let out a short, dry bark of a laugh. "You’ve been making more sense ever since you woke up. It’s almost unsettling."

"I told you, stop that. I don’t like it."

"Why? Because you’re not Veryon Halcrest?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. I felt my entire body lock up, my heart rate spiking instantly. Did I give it away?

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

[Ping!]

[We told Host to be careful! Buy a memory earsing potion!]

No.

[Ping!]

[Why is Host not listening?]

Because you lied to me, Sysi. I know I didn’t cough up blood due to-

Kaelen nudged my shoulder with his arm. "Why are you tensing up, Master? I was joking. Relax."

"I really don’t like it, Kaelen."

"Got it."

I exhaled. I needed to change the subject. How about checking that?

[Ping!]

[What is Host trying to do?]

"Anyway, what’s the god you worship here in the Empire?"

[Ping!]

[Please stop, Host... Please.]

Nah. Let’s see how much overwork it is. Shall we, Sysi?

A bitter feeling ran through my veins as I prepared myself for the impact.

"Well, when the First Duke was Emperor there was a different god. But, that name was erased all throughout the continent when he died. The current one is not a god. But, a goddess. Goddess Aelthra that-"

The agony returned with the force of a tidal wave. I doubled over, my lungs seizing as a fresh spray of blood hit the stone floor.

"Keugh!"

[Ping!]

[Stop, Host.]

Enough, Sysi. I don’t need any more system pings until you’re ready to tell me. I’m very mad. Scamming and lying are two different things.

...

Hah... So, you’re not even going to say sorry?

...

Fuck this. Whatever.

I heard non sentient systems were a trend among youth reading novels in past life. Now, I know why.

"Master?" Kaelen was on his feet in a second, his hands gripping my arms.

"Don’t worry. I guess I overworked huh." My voice was filled with sarcasm as I closed my eyes, trying to regain my vision.

"You’re being weird," Kaelen’s eyes were filled with alarm. "You coughed blood twice. We need to go to Lady Selia."

"No. Look at the sun." I pointed a shaky finger toward the high, stained-glass window.

"What about it?"

"It’s afternoon, Kaelen."

"You can’t fight a duel in this state. You can barely breathe. We’ll just postpone-"

"I can. I will."

"You’re being crazy."

[Ping!]

[Host is suggested to rest.]

Haah...

"Let’s go, Kaelen."