When the Mid-Boss Villainous Noble Recalls Memories of a Past Life and Gains Game Knowledge. I Will Never Accept a Future Where I'm Called the Jealous Earl - Chapter 20

Two months had passed since I, Khalil, gained this newfound knowledge.

During that time, my days had been consumed with countless responsibilities: harnessing the power of jealousy, treating Redstone Disease in the Duke’s territory, establishing connections with the nobility, and managing various pressing matters. It had been a whirlwind, not just for me but for the entire Dikaman household. However, as time went on, the chaos subsided, and a sense of normalcy returned, making each day feel less overwhelming.

“Khalil, letters have arrived from the Talias Count’s family and the Minoyu Viscount’s family,” Bosco announced.

“Thank you,” I replied.

Bosco handed me the letters. With these, I had finally received responses from all the noble families, including the royal family, to whom I had sent materials regarding Redstone Disease.

As expected, the content was similar to that of the other letters—expressions of gratitude for the information I had provided.

“Hmm. Both of these families are aligned with the Ewell Duke’s faction.”

The responses could be divided into two distinct groups: 40% aligned with the Ewell Duke and 60% leaning toward the Dikaman household.

Those aligned with the Duke expressed only gratitude, keeping their replies neutral. In contrast, those siding with the Dikaman household made their positions clear: some offered overt support, pledging their assistance if needed, while others outright declared their animosity toward the Duke, seeing an opportunity to strike against his faction.

Even though I had carefully chosen the recipients, I hadn’t expected 40% of the replies to favor the Duke. Still, it wasn’t a bad outcome. For now, I could breathe easier.

“All right, I’m going to stretch my legs for a bit,” I announced.

“Shall I arrange for guards?” Bosco asked.

“No need. I’m not leaving the estate. Rest assured, Bosco—and be sure to take a proper break yourself.”

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Khalil,” Bosco replied with a small bow.

As I walked through the estate, I marveled at the transformation in its atmosphere. The dark, oppressive mood that once plagued the household had lifted. The halls now buzzed with energy, and the servants moved with renewed vigor, their chatter filled with lightness and enthusiasm.

While strolling and exchanging brief pleasantries with the staff, I noticed a man staggering down the hallway.

“You look unsteady. Are you all right?” I asked, concerned.
“…? Oh, Lord Khalil,” the man replied, blinking as if trying to refocus. “I’m fine. I just haven’t been sleeping. My research is on the verge of a breakthrough.”

The man was one of the alchemists employed by the Dikaman household. While the creation of the family’s secret elixirs was a task reserved exclusively for me, the head of the household, the mass production of other potions was entrusted to these skilled alchemists. Since we had withdrawn support from the Duke’s territory, many alchemists had relocated to the estate’s annex.

Alchemists, as I had learned, were a peculiar bunch. Some demanded standard wages, while others asked only for access to research facilities in lieu of payment. This man belonged to the latter group. If I remembered correctly, his current project involved developing a potion to regrow hair.

“I see,” I said. “Still, you should make time for rest.”

“I know, Lord Khalil,” he replied, his voice tinged with determination. “But I can’t afford to rest. My father started losing his hair when he turned 30. I’m 28 now, and I refuse to lose my hair. Just a little longer, and I’ll perfect this potion.”

The man who spoke was filled with a crazed determination, his eyes alight with unhinged zeal.

“I see… well, keep at it,” I said, somewhat resigned.

“Of course, Lord Khalil. I will strive to meet your expectations.”

He gave a low bow before staggering off, clearly exhausted yet undeterred.

Many alchemists possessed an unusual obsession with their research. While their fervor often bordered on insanity, they weren’t inherently bad people. As long as they were compensated fairly and provided with proper facilities, there was little risk of betrayal.

There had been a few instances of overly curious alchemists attempting to sneak into my personal laboratory. However, the enchantments I had installed—small enchanted koi fish capable of emitting a sleep-inducing aura—were more than enough to deter them. After I punished the offenders by tripling their potion quotas, no one dared to try again.

“At this moment, letting anyone into my lab is out of the question…”

Under normal circumstances, I might have laughed such attempts off, but not now. My current project involved developing a potion capable of healing physical injuries—a crucial tool I intended to use as leverage against the Duke’s faction. Losing it would be catastrophic.

“In my knowledge, this potion could be created with the press of a button… if only reality were that simple.”

From the knowledge I’d acquired, I had access only to the necessary ingredients. The actual process had to be painstakingly recreated. Using records from the Dikaman family and documents from the Temple of Jealousy, I had managed to piece together the method. However, the final step alone was projected to take a week. Until it was completed, I couldn’t proceed with my plan to strengthen ties with the royal family.
The only solace was the Duke’s lack of action against the Dikaman family. He was likely preoccupied with stabilizing his own territory. Even a man of his caliber couldn’t resolve all internal issues in a week. Additionally, he would need to focus on exploring the dungeon at the root of the problems. For now, I could breathe easy.

In the worst-case scenario, should the Duke act before I completed my preparations, I planned to use the mana-sealing stones Bosco had gathered as a bargaining chip.
The price of mana-sealing stones had surged recently, though the cause was unclear. To possess 500 of them in such a volatile market gave us a significant advantage. Bosco’s diligence had truly been invaluable.

As I walked through the estate, mulling over these thoughts, I spotted a maid acting suspiciously a short distance ahead. Her furtive glances and restless movements immediately caught my attention.

“A-ah, Lord Khalil…” she stammered as I approached.
“Let me guess—it’s happening again?” I asked, sighing.
“Yes… it’s happening again…” she confirmed, clearly frazzled.
After getting directions from the maid, I headed toward the commotion.

“Weak! So weak!”

The voice of a young girl echoed down the hall, leading me to a small training ground used for sparring. Suppressing another sigh, I pushed open the door.

Inside, I found Noelle, mercilessly overpowering one of my guards.

“Seriously? You’re my age and you’re still losing to me? Isn’t that embarrassing?” she taunted with a triumphant smirk.

“Urgh…!” the guard groaned, clearly struggling to keep up.

Noelle was the daughter of the Beltona family, whom I had taken under my protection. Her mother, Narmis, had been prioritized for treatment, but due to the advanced stage of Redstone Disease, she was mostly bedridden. Witnessing her mother’s condition had deeply affected Noelle.

Driven by her desire to protect her mother, she had declared, “I want to become strong enough to protect her!” and started training with the guards she had befriended during our time in the Duke’s territory.

However, what had started as a heartfelt goal had somehow taken an unexpected turn.

“Take that, loser!” she shouted, grinning mischievously.

Yes, Noelle had become a full-fledged brat.

Despite her attitude during mock battles, the guards didn’t seem to mind. In fact, the one she was sparring with looked almost pleased, despite being completely overpowered.
And then, as if flipping a switch, Noelle turned and greeted me with her usual cheerful demeanor.

“Oh! Lord Khalil! Good morning!” she chirped, her previous arrogance vanishing in an instant.

“Good morning, Noelle,” I replied.

“I’m getting stronger every day! Soon, I’ll be strong enough to protect my mom, and one day, I’ll repay you for everything you’ve done for us!” she declared with a bright smile.

“I’ll be counting on it,” I said with a nod.

“Yes!” she exclaimed happily.

The maid’s earlier panic now made perfect sense. While Noelle was known as a polite and well-mannered girl, seeing her sudden transformation during mock battles was enough to leave most of the staff in shock. Even those who had heard the rumors found the reality hard to process.

“Well, I’ll be going now,” I said as I turned to leave.

“Okay! I’m going to train a little more,” Noelle replied enthusiastically.

“Very well…”

As I left the room and the door began to close, I heard her shout, “Take that, you pig!” followed by the delighted snort of one of the guards.

I sighed again, caught between amusement and exasperation.