The Hunter and the Mad Scientist - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Didn’t you notice at all?”

Esperanza asked in a dismal tone.

Realizing the lady’s identity, the count found his seat and sat down to answer.

“Because I remembered you in that fabulous outfit.”

“Is the difference that great? What do you wear here?”

“Not at all, it suits you great. It was worth letting my mother buy clothes that didn’t fit her.”

The late former Countess was short and voluptuous. She wished to be tall and slender, but when she saw that she had no hope of becoming like that, she was content to splurge her excess wealth and dress her mannequins or tall maids.

The Count found her mother’s hobbies to be quite unproductive, but he left her alone because not everyone can have a productive and developing hobby like himself.

“Isn’t this what the Countess used to wear?”

“No.”

“I see…….”

After dampening my mouth a little, I decided to say what I needed to as quickly as possible. Fortunately, the count seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

“Well, I, in the morning……Mrs. Lux called a tailor.”

No, I can’t say it like this. Mrs. Lux was considerate of her guests. Therefore, a well-worn self should not be used as an excuse for Mrs. Lux.

“I spent the Count’s money on matching a few dresses, but I’ll pay you back soon.”

“Why?”

“It’s just.”

What do you mean why?

“Did Mrs. Lux not explain enough?”

“No, she explained it enough.”

“Do you have a bad head?”

“Probably not.”

Then the count, who raised his eyebrows as if something was wrong, buried himself in a chair.

Sitting in a single chair, he looked quite tall and long for his chair. His blonde hair, loosely tied, hung over his tight vest. Still, it looked like a photographer had painstakingly set the angle.

“You gave me that weapon, and I told you I’d be in charge of food, clothing, and shelter. In accordance with the guest, that is, with the lady.”

“I’m not a lady in the first place.”

“It’s my problem, not yours.”

Esperanza has played this game for quite some time and she ran into quite a few nobles so she thought she was quite used to aristocratic society, but Lord Avondale’s words didn’t make sense at all.

Of course, the society after the monster crisis is bound to be very different from the society before it, but is it still something that she couldn’t adapt to?

“Because if you’re my guest, you can’t be below the lady rank.”

The explanation became shorter, as it became increasingly annoying. It was understandable, though. So the point is, that it’s a matter of decency.

“And your weapon is quite usable.”

“Do you want some other weapons?”

Esperanza, who was feeling bad inside, asked quietly. He bought her clothes, the tea is delicious, and the room is nice. Compared to the price of the weapon, it was really embarrassing.

“It would be nice to have but I guess playing with the scythe will suffice for the time being.”

Are you thinking of transforming rather than just researching?

For example, equipment enhancement.

Dr. Sullivan did that when she gave him the monster by-products, so did the blacksmiths, but there are no monster byproducts here.

“I’ll show you later.”

“Thank you.”

I could only hear the sound of drinking tea and chewing cookies.

The count occasionally moved his hands to think about research even during his break time and began to write something busily while holding the paper. I glanced at it but I didn’t recognize anything.

‘I know the letters, but I don’t know what they mean.’

This is what I thought when I saw Jack’s bad handwriting.

The count handwriting was not bad, but it was no different from a bad handwriting in that it could not be recognized.

Such silence continued until tea food was finished and since I had nothing to do or to say, I just ate.

‘I ate it all.’

Esperanza, who pulled out of the only two cookies left, rolled her eyes and looked at the count’s countenance.

He who’s been spending a fortune doesn’t give her the hint that he’s only eaten a cookie, but that was it and she couldn’t help but look around.

Come to think of it, this guy was also a magic engineer.

“Excuse me, by any chance.”

“Say it.”

Replied the man, who still kept his eyes on the paper.

I was even suspicious that he heard me.

“Do you know Dr. Sullivan? I have something to ask him, so I want to visit him. I don’t know if he lives in the same place as 13 years later.”

“Ask Howard.”

Esperanza shrank her head when the curt reply came back. That’s true. It wasn’t something to ask the count.

“Oh, yes. I just thought you’d know because you’re both engineers.”

“……What do you think I’m asking?”

Esperanza, who fixed her eyes on the tea water, felt awkward and murmured roughly. She did not realize that the count had put down his pen and raised his head.

“I found out something about how to get back. I need to find an item, but it’s related to magic, so I thought a magic engineer would know something.”

“Sullivan?”

“Yes, he’s about 60 years old. What was his name? Albert?”

That’s Einstein. No, the character design was taken from Einstein so it could have been the same name. She always called him Dr. Sullivan, so she couldn’t remember his name.

“It’s not Albert?”

Hmm.

“Never mind the name.”

“Oh, yes.”

“I’ve never heard of a guy like that.”

“I see.”

Thirteen years ago, was Dr. Sullivan not very famous?

Thirteen years later, he was the best magic engineer Nine Hodder had. Or was he just a graduate student? He’s a little old for that, isn’t he?

“Maybe he’s a nobody.”

The end of the sentence felt bitter and Esperanza blinked. Her purple eyes were reflected in the red teacup.

“Esperanza, you want to ask about magic engineering, so you’re going to visit such an insignificant guy?”

He felt angry but he laughed.

“When I’m in front of you?”

“I know, I know.”

Esperanza desperately tried to come up with an excuse but she really did not think she should ask Count Avondale about the golden claw so there was nothing to say.

“Since I’ve never heard of him or seen him, he must not have any proper research results. But you, who live in this Avondale mansion, said you want to get advice on Magic Engineering from this nobody?”

“He’s a really famous person 13 years later and I was also indebted to him. I didn’t communicate well, but he was the best magic engineer in Nine Hodder!”

The count grinned at the remark.

“Who do you think is the best magic engineer in Nine Hodder?”

Esperanza opened her eyes wide and looked up at the count. He pointed at himself with one finger, and spoke very lightly.

“Dr. Cedar Ruth Clyburn, Count of Avondale, Viscount Gleiley, Chair Professor at the Royal College of Magical Engineering and recipient of the Order of the Rusty Sword.”

The problem is, the really big problem is that Esperanza knew the name.

“That’s you?”

Esperanza, who was indifferent to the worldview, had no choice but to know. When it came to Magic Engineering, that name was always mentioned.

Magic Engineering is a new discipline and Cedar Clyburn was the mastermind behind the most used techniques in magic engineering. Automatons, communication technology, space expansion technology, etc. His creations were endless.

It was a name that came out in Dr. Sullivan’s study, in the magic engineering section of the Royal Library, and even more so in the mouths of blacksmiths who handle magical weapons.

In addition, Esperanza had no choice but to know more. The Order of the Rusty Sword is a very valuable decoration given to one person every 10 years, as the recipient after Dr. Clyburn was Hunter Esperanza.

The arrogant expression with the corners of his mouth raised fits him perfectly. Even at times like this, his beauty that didn’t need to be customized is admirable.

“If I were alive, they wouldn’t have dared to name someone else as the greatest magic engineer.”

His arrogance fitted him if he really is Cedar Ruth Clyburn. Though I never dreamed that Clyburn and Count Avondale were the same person.

“I thought he died of old age…….”

Because no one said that he was young, that he was a nobleman with a title and that he was handsome.

The world really isn’t fair and since no one said anything, she naturally thought of an old scholar.

“What a rude thought.”

Esperanza was startled, then narrowed her eyes and looked at Cedar up and down.

“Excuse me Lord Avondale, how old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“When did you get your doctorate?”

“Five years ago. From then on until now, I’ve been the best magic engineer.”

His pride seemed to have been hurt to a small extent. Now I could understand the feeling a hundred times.

“You are a real genius.”

I thought Dr. Clyburn, who had gray hair and a bent waist, was also a great genius, but he was only 25.

But Cedar was sour, only raising his eyebrows. Indeed, such praise would be as natural as breathing for him. Instead, he glared at me and retorted curtly.

“Yes, you have a lot of prejudice.”

“Where I lived, few people became a doctor at the age of 20.”

“There are hardly any here.”

“Oh, I see. You are amazing…….”

I had nothing to say.

In fact, Esperanza was quite troubled.

For example, she had suddenly jumped in time and ended up living in Isaac Newton’s house and she even said that she would seek advice from another physicist in front of him.

Still, she had to talk to him about the Golden Claw.

While being wary, the count was immersed in his own world, holding his chin with one hand, and touching it with his long finger wrapped around the armrest of the chair. He was as quiet as if he would turn into a portrait.

As he began to feel thirsty, he opened his mouth.

“Is it about the item you’re looking for, ‘Time’?”