CH 9.2

It was the day they decided to go to my mother’s hometown.

It rained so hard. The two pushed their schedules ahead, which was something that they would usually hate.

The journey, which was not easy from the beginning, became more difficult as the usual road was flooded. Eventually, an accident occurred on their way around to avoid the flood.

Their carriage was trying to avoid falling rocks that fell to a cliff. It was an accident, but when I looked back, everything was dubious.

‘At that time, I just let it go because I was sad.’

“Sana told you to find me?”

At Zoe’s question, I came to my senses.

Zoe exhaled.

“Yes, she said my aunt would help me. I’m still young, so I need you.”

I lowered my eyebrows down and held hands together to look pitiful.

It was unimaginable of me to lie in the past. But now I knew that sometimes lies were necessary. I was no longer a child.

“Did you say, Diana? Do you, by any chance, need a legal guardian?”

Zoe grabbed my hand, pulled me next to her, and stepped back. She leaned against the wall while taking out a cigarette and asked.

White smoke spread widely in the back alley. As the smoke spread widely, the back alley gradually shone.

“I don’t need a guardian. I need other help.”

“You’re so innocent. Do you think I would do it just because I am your family? No, I won’t. What will you give me if I help you?”

‘Give you what? I’m your niece. You, who came to my death row, didn’t come there hoping for anything from me.’

At Zoe’s question, my play-innocent expression almost crumbled at the moment.

After seeing the change in my expression, the left corner of Zoe’s lips went up.

Zoe tapped my cheeks, which had hardened at a loss of words. Her hand that was holding the cigarette threw the cigarette to the ground.

Her cigarette fell into the puddle, and there was a crackling sound.

I dropped my gaze down.

I bit my lips as I watched Zoe crush the cigarette.

I thought I could let down my foolish and naive act, but… Again, I almost made a mistake.

How could I even think that I could lean on someone else just based on mere good faith?

‘I thought I knew a lot about Zoe.

Zoe certainly considered gains and losses regardless of her opponent. If she felt that she got more loss than gains, she would refuse.

A rumor about her receiving royal treasures in return for cooperation in creating a royal intelligence organization back then came to my mind.

‘At that time, I didn’t even know that she was my aunt, and I only thought she had great guts. I thought giving up royal treasures was a great cost for His Majesty.’

But it wasn’t.

The information organization that Zoe ran played a significant contribution to the Kingdom.

It was embarrassing for His Majesty to beg for a deal in front of his vessels. However, disappointment turned into faith.

“You should learn that first. There’s no help without a price.”

I poked the floor with my heels.

Every time I stomped, dirty puddles splashed on my dress.

Of course, depending on others based on emotions could only be done when I had nothing to give in return.

However, I had a lot.

“Do you need something in return?”

I raised my head, and I threw away the innocent expression.

“Of course.”

Zoe stood up as if she was interested in my completely changed expression.

I took a step closer. I opened my eyes wide and looked at her.

“I’ll give it to you.”

“Do you know what I want?”

“You want money. I know that the guild members’ living expenses have been troubled.”

Zoe’s eyes sharpened.

Her eyes were full of suspicion about how I knew about such a thing.

Zoe’s guild traded information all over the continent and built their wealth from it, but they suffered from financial difficulties during their early days.

Trust was the basis of trading information.

Naturally, only very few people wanted to hire her guild, which was not adequately established.

People believed in Zoe, but not in her guild.

So, currently, Journee was closer to an errand guild than an information trader, and almost all of the current incoming requests were just little chores.

However, information like the financial situation of a guild wasn’t supposed to be easily leaked from the inside.

Zoe looked at me with a look of vigilance.

“I resemble my aunt in a way, so I know how to get some information. The transaction is equal. Now I’m willing to engage in a deal. Do you want to trade with me?”

Though I didn’t exactly buy that information.

The situation of Journee wasn’t difficult to find out through the conversation I had with Zoe in the past.

In my memories, she used to talk about her difficulties once in a while.

Whether it was a lie or not, Zoe, who was looking at me to make sure that I wasn’t lying, took a step back.

She raised her chin with her arms folded in front of her chest.

“Make a deal, huh? Sure, let me hear the terms.”

I was safe for now.

When she pointed the knife at me, I thought it would be challenging to have a conversation with Zoe today, but fortunately, it turned okay.

“As you know, I’m the heir to the Irenberg family.”

“Correction. You are a prospective heir. You have no guardian. Do you want me to be your guardian? You should just give up. I hate being tied up.”

“I know that I can’t tie my wind-like aunt to my side.”

“But how can you give me the money?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to be an official head of the family soon.”

“Hahaha, you’re not naive. You were a fool”.

Zoe loudly laughed as if she knew I would say that and shook her head.

Zoe walked past me. She didn’t forget to pat my shoulder as she passed by.

However, I said confidently behind Zoe, who was about to leave.

“I’m going to marry the Third Prince, His Highness Cassion.”