Chapter 9 – Making money and future plans
It was the next day after Elysia became my Servant slash maid.
I was currently visiting the horse race track.
“Holy Shadow!? It’s Holy Shadow!! Holy Shadow comes in from the side!!”
The deafening voice of the announcer was coming from a loudspeaker Wind Magic tool.
I was also glued to my seat watching the horses running on the track.
A single black horse was currently in the process of overtaking the frontrunner group.
The name of that horse was Holy Shadow….the least favored horse of this race.
It was a mixed race between a bicorn and a normal horse, so it wasn’t just unpopular, but even hated.
Today was the debut race of that Holy Shadow.
A truly famous race that will be remembered for a long time in Luxia.
Since this was the day when a horse born between a normal horse and a cursed bicorn triumphed overwhelmingly against a number of unicorns that were favored, and were demonstrably superior thus far, as racing horses in Luxia.
“Holy Shadow is gaining! No catching up now── Holy Shadow!! Holy Shadow, goal in!!”
A scream-like live commentary and a crowd of angry voices blended together.
The people in the audience tore up their tickets and threw them away, creating a veritable paper blizzard.
“….I did it.”
I looked at the ticket in my hand to confirm once again.
The name of Holy Shadow and first place was written on it.
Furthermore, the other two in the top three were also correctly predicted.
Before coming here, I made some money by selling a few vases from my room.
This was the ticket I bought with that money, but….
With this it now increased to a point that I could buy a few houses in the capital. An amount that I could conceivably use to escape to a different country and live my life as a normal citizen.
Without thinking, I let out the same kind of cheer that I used to on every occasion I’ve won before I came back in time.
“Whoopee!!”
“Congratulations! As expected of Alec-sama! To think you could predict something like this!”
The one praising me while clapping was Elysia in a maid outfit.
“I-I had a bit of an inside information.”
A few years before I jumped back, I got quite into horse racing.
I even spent some time looking up past races.
So, of course, I remembered a few historic races because of that.
“Still…..I managed to see something neat even aside from getting the money.”
After this, Holy Shadow will keep being on the top for a year.
However, one year from now, it gets killed by some people who don’t think well of it being a half-bicorn.
“Even though it’s this lively….”
As someone with a Dark Crest, I had some complex feelings about the Holy Shadow that died.
What immediately popped into my mind was that perhaps I would be able to save Holy Shadow this time around.
Since I know about the things that are slated to happen.
Of course, there is a possibility that due to my actions, those future events might change.
“I guess I’ll try something when the time comes….”
While thinking about that, I went to exchange my race ticket for money.
A barrel full of coins….It wasn’t something that I could lift, but Elysia picked it up casually.
Even though her appearance changed, she still has orc blood running through her veins, so she is quite powerful.
“This is some amazing amount….”
“Yeah. We won’t have money problems for a while. We can’t just take it home with us like this, so let me just store it away.”
“Store it away?”
“Here.”
So I stored away the barrel with the prize money Elysia was holding onto into my 《Pandora’s Box》 after checking that no-one was around. Now there is no need to worry about it being stolen either. It’s an even safer method of storing money than leaving it in a bank.
“I-It disappeared? Is this okay?”
“It’s fine. See?”
I pile up a bunch of coins I took out from 《Pandora’s Box》 into my hand.
Money is very important.
We won’t be able to win as much as today, but let’s come and bet on Holy Shadow again sometimes.
Seeing me return the coins into my 《Pandora’s Box》, Elysia just stared in mute amazement.
“E-Even magic like this…”
“Please refrain from telling others about this, just to be sure.”
“But of course! I vowed to obey your every command, Alec-sama….I will continue to serve you until my body turns to dust, your highness. Your wish is my command!”
Elysia said with a rapturous expression on her face.
Before this, she was a demon about the same height as me.
However, no matter how you look at her now, she is a peerless beauty.
That long skirted maid outfit fits her quite well.
At first I thought she would be receiving some snide remarks, but thanks to her 【Holy Knight】 Crest and the fact that I passed her off as a human, Elysia managed to avoid problems like that.
Anyhow, she seems to be thankful to me.
I can’t tell her about my return to the past, but I told her some things about my magic.
“T-thank you. Let’s get back to the palace for now.”
“Yes….hmm?”
Elysia noticed the sound of footsteps getting closer.
“Here! Here is the one that managed to win big! It’s just a kid today, so this will be easy.”
“Heheh! And the woman is quite a beauty too, right? I guess we’ll take her as well!”
It seems there are some ruffians that want to rob me of the money I managed to get.
“Elysia, let’s teleport.”
“Very well. But shouldn’t I deliver some punishment first?”
“Indeed. Perhaps they should learn a painful lesson here.”
Judging from what they’ve said, they were habitual criminals.
“Please leave it to me.”
“Will you be fine?”
“There is no need for you to use magic here, your highness.”
Saying that, Elysia took out a sword she was hiding under her long skirt.
Meanwhile, five men appeared from around the corner.
“They should be around here…..ah, there they are!”
“This one has a sword on her.”
“A small sword like that is useless. Just do it already!”
The men all had either curved swords or short swords on them and were coming closer.
I also raised my hand, just to be ready.
However, Elysia jumped right in the middle of the group and disarmed all of them in the blink of an eye.
“Wha-, she’s…..nguh!?”
All men received blows from her sheath into their face and nether regions.
The five men dropped to the ground, defeated in a flash.
Strong….
Elysia’s 【Holy Knight】 Crest also gives a blessing not just to her Holy Magic, but her fighting techniques as well.
Also, she had experience from the cemetery, so she was already quite used to battle.
She was entrusted to the monastery’s care when she was five years old and now she’s fifteen. Then, ever since receiving her Crest when she was seven years old she was fighting undead in the cemetery.
Meaning that she also became a powerful bodyguard to me, which was quite reassuring.
After returning her sword to her sheath, she bowed her head to me.
“I’ve let you see something unsightly.”
“No, it was very well done. Well then, let’s return.”
“Yes. Uhm…”
“We will go back using 《Teleport》.”
“Y-yes….pardon me.”
Elysia held onto my hand tightly. She was considerably taller than me, so I had to raise my hand a bit.
I made sure when coming here that I was able to 《Teleport》 the distance between the race track and the palace.
I also confirmed that I could 《Teleport》 someone if they were touching me.
Not just that, but I was even able to 《Teleport》 Elysia alone somewhere else. Though I wasn’t able to get her back after that.
Leaving that aside, Elysia’s hand feels awfully sweaty for some reason….
Looking at her again, she seems to be blushing as well.
“Elysia? Are you alright?”
“Y-yes. No problem at all! Your highness is just too….nevermind!”
Elysia shook her head vigorously, still blushing.
“T-then tell me if there is some kind of problem. Well then, 《Teleport》──And here.”
I was able to 《Teleport》 us from the race track to my room in the palace in a single moment.
“It was astonishing when we went there as well, but….”
“This is surprising to me as well. I didn’t think that we would be able to cover this much of a distance in a second like this.”
Walking to the race track from the palace takes approximately thirty minutes.
“I may be able to 《Teleport》 much farther than this….That means we could visit a lot of places if we want.”
I managed to get some funds and I have a strong bodyguard as well.
I had no intention of remaining at the palace forever. I just don’t feel good living here.
Therefore, even if I don’t end up with a territory, I think I may just buy a house somewhere quiet, then live freely as I wish. Maybe go and travel sometimes.
For that, money would be necessary. Getting some kind of territory wouldn’t be that hard if I relinquished my right to inherit, but…. For the time being getting more money wouldn’t hurt.
On the other hand, members of the imperial family tend to be targeted as well, so I need to gain some strength.
That means I will indeed need to improve my Dark Magic.
Then, a knock could be heard from the door.
“Prince Alec! His Imperial Majesty requires your presence immediately!”
That was something that didn’t happen the first time around.
Starting to like this one too
sigh
hope things don’t go that shtty