Chapter 4: Doing good deeds will bring good luck, right?
“Sigh, the wicked privileged class, they’re living it up too much.”
Muen cursed the extravagance and corruption of the aristocratic class in his heart while elegantly enjoying dinner, following the muscle memory of the original host.
Dinner consisted only of steak, paired with a vintage red wine from goodness knows how many years ago.
But—
It was unbelievably delicious!
Muen swore that he had never eaten steak this delicious in his entire life.
The aroma of the meat filled the air, the fat was rich, and it melted in his mouth.
In his previous life, the only time he indulged was when he went to that upscale Western restaurant and bought that ridiculously expensive so-called top-grade steak. Compared to what he was eating now, it wasn’t even worth wiping the plates!
Wuwuwu, how could it be so delicious?
Suddenly, I feel a little reluctant to part with this identity. What should I do?
“What’s the matter? Little Muen seems very happy today,” the elegant and graceful woman across the table asked with a smile as she elegantly wiped her mouth with a clean napkin.
“Ha ha, I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow’s coming-of-age banquet,” Muen replied.
Beside the woman, seated at the head of the table, a man with a beard resembling the mane of a lion, his appearance exuding a natural aura of authority, chuckled.
“After all, it’s one of the most important banquets of Muen’s life.”
“Yes, Father, Mother, I’m looking forward to it,” Muen responded with a standard sunny smile, while silently raising his guard.
These two individuals before him were Muen Campbell’s birth father and mother.
One of the four dukes of the Leopold Empire, Duke Ronan Campbell, and his wife, the former daughter of a marquis, Lady Noyas Campbell.
Although the Campbell family was noble, they had a tradition of male lineage inheritance, and the Duke and Duchess of Campbell only had Muen as their son. Naturally, they doted on him excessively.
It could be said that Muen Campbell’s tragic fate was largely the responsibility of this overly indulgent couple. However, precisely because of this, Muen had to be cautious to prevent his adoptive parents from noticing anything amiss.
After all, he still relied on the Duke and Duchess, who doted on him so much, to intercede for him. If there were no royal orders to absolve him of any wrongdoing, he feared that the day after he became a commoner, he would be hacked to death by enemies on the street.
But the reality proved that Muen was overly cautious. The memories of the original host, combined with the instincts that lingered in this body for over a decade, ensured that his every move showed no sign of any misstep.
“Tomorrow, my son will surely be the most eye-catching presence at the banquet. Who knows how many noble young ladies he’ll charm,” Noyas said, her hands clasped in anticipation. In her eyes, her little Muen was the epitome of perfection.
“Haha, we can’t allow that. He already has a fiancee, Princess Selicia. If she sees, she’ll surely be jealous,” Duke Campbell, who was usually serious, joked after taking a sip of wine.
“Hmph, I don’t like Princess Selicia. She’s so cold, how could she match our little Muen?”
“Well, if Princess Selicia isn’t a match, then no one is. But I agree with one thing: Muen, you can bring back a few more girls for our Campbell family, and I’ll handle it with His Majesty. With my son’s abilities, it should be easy to win them over, hahaha…”
“…”
Watching his adoptive parents boast about him, Muen couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, despite his thick skin.
Indeed, excessive love can blind people, making them only see what they want to see.
Who is Princess Selicia? She is the third princess of the empire, blessed with divine grace, known as the White Child.
She’s also known as the Ice Witch, and considered one of the top candidates for the most beautiful woman in Ireland for her perfect appearance, aloof demeanor, and the contrast between her cold exterior and warm interior.
In the original text, Selicia, with her perfect appearance and aloof temperament, along with her endearing contrast of coldness and warmth, garnered a large number of fans, and she was also Muen’s favorite character. How could someone like Muen, who is unworthy, compare to her?
“If it can’t be obtained, then don’t force it.”
“I will let everything proceed as it should.”
“Selicia will also come to know and love the protagonist, and find true happiness.”
“Even if I’m just a lowly supporting character, I will survive!” Muen once again made up his mind.
After finishing the meal and bidding farewell to the Duke and Duchess, Muen prepared to leave the house. But just as he turned the corner, he collided with a maid coming from the opposite direction.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Master Muen… it was my fault…”
Tea spilled onto Muen’s luxurious clothes, leaving large red stains. The maid, seeing this, immediately looked terrified and panicked, taking out a handkerchief to try to help Muen wipe it clean. But the wet stains from the tea only became more pronounced.
The maid’s expression became even more grim, and she actually knelt down and begged for mercy.
“Please, Master Muen, spare me… I-I… I just… made a mistake… I won’t do it again next time… Please don’t hit me or strip me naked and throw me onto the street…”
“…”
Facing the trembling maid, Muen was speechless. Did she really see me, Muen, as such a cold, evil, and unreasonable person?
Well, maybe she did. If it were the original Muen Campbell, he might actually have done those things.
“It’s just a minor issue, don’t worry about it. Please, get up,” Muen said, bending down to help the maid up from the ground.
“I won’t punish you.”
“Huh?”
The maid stood there in surprise, seemingly unable to comprehend why Master Muen, who used to scold and beat servants for minor mistakes, was being so kind and merciful today.
Muen smiled slightly, his handsome and charming smile causing the maid to become a little dazed.
Of course he would be kind and merciful now. He wasn’t the same delinquent Muen as before!
And he was about to become a commoner soon. Muen felt it would be better to avoid attracting any more hatred, especially considering the possibility of being targeted for revenge, which might involve being tortured to death.
“Are you alright?” Muen observed the maid, sensing that something was off.
Despite being frightened, her cheeks were still flushed.
“Could you be sick?”
Muen suddenly placed his hand on the maid’s forehead. This action caught her completely off guard, leaving her frozen in place like a statue.
“Indeed…”
Her forehead was burning up.
The maids in the Duke’s mansion were always well-trained, so making such a basic mistake might indeed be due to illness.
Muen stared at the bewildered maid and said sternly, “If you’re so seriously ill, why aren’t you resting?”
“B-because tomorrow is your coming-of-age banquet, Master, and the staff at the mansion is short-handed…”
“You shouldn’t be working while you’re sick!” Muen scolded sternly.
However, in the face of his reprimand, the maid’s fear seemed to dissipate, and her big eyes blinked in confusion, as if she were wondering if she was dreaming.
“Yes.”
“Arrange for her… by the way, what’s your name?”
“I… I’m called Noel.”
“Alright, arrange for Noel to rest.”
“Yes.”
An respectfully accepted the order.
“However, Master Muen, what Noel just said is not false. Tomorrow, at your coming-of-age banquet, there is a severe shortage of staff. Each maid in the mansion has her own responsibilities, and if she rests, it may significantly burden the other maids.”
“Then recruit people from outside. With such a large Duke’s mansion, can’t we even afford to hire staff?”
“Yes, I will convey this order to the head maid.”
An turned and left. She needed to inform the head maid of this order as soon as possible.
The arrangements for the banquet were overseen by the head maid, and with the banquet being held tomorrow, it was best to communicate this personnel change as early as possible.
“Ah, right, An.”
“Is there anything else, Master Muen?”
“…Forget it, it’s nothing. You can go about your business.”
“…”
An showed a hint of confusion, but quickly suppressed it.
“Yes, then I’ll take my leave.”
“Phew.”
Watching An’s retreating figure, Muen let out a sigh. He had just called her over to ask her to purchase an important item for this event – a sedative.
After some consideration, Muen decided against involving An in this matter.
Even though it wasn’t mentioned in the original book, as an accomplice in framing the princess, An would likely incur the wrath of authorities and face punishment.
However, this time, it would be only Muen’s own downfall. There was no need to involve an unrelated life.
“Sigh.”
At this thought, Muen couldn’t help but chuckle self-deprecatingly.
“Who would have thought that someone like me, who hasn’t even killed a chicken in his life, would contemplate such a heinous act as drugging an innocent girl?”
“But fortunately, this is a doomed mission from the start.”
Let
Him cook