CH 5

Chapter 5

I went to Leon’s room every day and knocked on the door.

It wasn’t easy to see his face. The more difficult he is, the greater effort needs to be done.

Just in case he doesn’t recognize me, I especially wore a blue ribbon on my head today.

The dress was also lined with ribbons.

“Young Lady, I think the ribbon is too much today.”

“No, I have to do this much for him to know my hard work.”

“I don’t know about that, but wouldn’t this be burdensome?”

“Well, this will be more memorable!”

Have you ever heard of shock therapy?

It is said that the more surprised people are, the longer it stays in their memory.

I aimed for that and wanted to be remembered by Leon for a long time.

I crouched in front of the door and waited until Leon opened it.

“Oh, my leg is numb. Leon didn’t open the door, so I got cramps on my leg.”

“……Go back.”

“This is my home, isn’t it?””

“………That’s cheap.”

“Yes, I’m cheap. But Leon, who hasn’t shown his face for a few days, is also cheap.”

I kicked the door with a grunt.

“Oh! My legs hurt! I wish Leon would come out!”

I thought there would be no reaction, but the door opened and Leon peeked, showing his face.

“……Ribbon.”

“That’s right, ta-da!”

I went around and smiled broadly at him.

“What do you think? Anyone can tell it’s me”

“Pfftt.”

Leon shook his head and began to laugh. Did it work? I guess it worked!

I covered my mouth and waited still for his words.

“I lost. Come on in.”

I shook my hand up and down with joy at his words.

I felt a little closer to him, so it felt good inside.

Leon stared down at my hand and blushed.

He seems a little embarrassed.

* * *

“You seem to be looking for me quite often these days.”

I looked up at Edgar and raised my head.

If you feel intimidated in front of a tiger, you will be eaten. Therefore, it is right to go out with a brazen attitude at times like this.

“You’ve grown quite a bit.”

“That’s such a lame excuse.”

“……Yes, let’s get down to business. How do you know?  The parchment.”

“Well, you’re curious about that?”

Edgar nodded slightly.

I thought he didn’t know anything, but he seems to be quite knowledgeable about business, so he seems to be curious.

There was paper on the desk, as if the parchment business had really been closed. I thought you’d ignore it, but what kind of whim is this?

“It’s a secret.”

He stopped touching his chin and stared at me.

“You must have had a big liver, seeing how cheeky you are.”

Of course, when a person grows up, won’t the organs in the body grow? I wanted to say this, but I couldn’t say it out loud.

Because I cherished my life.

“I told you then. I guess I’m smart because I look like my father.”

“……you look like me?”

“Then, who do I look like?”

Why are you asking me the obvious? Can a child be conceived by a woman alone?

I also had Edgar’s genes in my body. So there must be something that looks like him.

I look exactly like him with red hair, but why is he so surprised?

There was some anger in Edgar’s gaze looking down at me.

“What are you going to give me if I tell you? My father is an informant and doesn’t know the basic rules?”

“Ha.”

“If you want to get information, you have to pay the price.”

I crossed my arms and glanced at my father.

He opened his eyes wide without avoiding a glance.

I broke out in a cold sweat because I was nervous, but if I step back from here, I end up losing.

“It looks like you want to be kicked out now.”

Edgar took another cheap turn.

I had to take a step back. But there was really nothing to tell him but what I told him.

“But that’s really all. Diria said that! I’m smart.”

Since I was a child, I was stuck and read one after another, so that was the way it was.

There were a lot of things in my head, and I was the type to write quickly.

I could even read languages of other countries, so I might be really gifted.

“It looks useful.”

Edgar’s empty eyes were still stuck to me.

He tapped the table and then stopped and asked.

“Okay. What do you want?”

“I want you to quit the slave business.”

“……I asked you what you want, and you’re spouting arrogant words.”

Oh, did I go too far? But it was the business that had to stop right now.

Edgar had to be given a good reason quickly before he got angry.

“No one else has ever told you, and few people know about it, so how did you know?”

Edgar’s eyes quickly scanned the maids and knights standing around.

I spoke quickly to prevent the sparks from popping up on other people.

“Last time! I saw it in the document on my father’s desk. It has people’s personal information on it.”

“You even peeked without permission.”

“You can’t pretend not to see what you see…….”

I looked at the crawling voice.

“I didn’t do any damage.”

“Instead, I’ll tell you a better business than that.”

Slaves had to be let go.

Later, the law that the emperor implemented to abolish the entire slave market for nobles was enormous.

If he gets caught up in it, my father will also show more hostility to the royal family.

It was the way to quicken my death.

I don’t know exactly why my father hates the imperial family. However, that does not justify bad things.

So, I have no choice but to prevent what I can prevent with my own hands.

“Let’s hear it.”

“Father, who would lay their cards on an uncertain contract? I’m not that stupid.”

“……Okay, write a contract.”

Edgar took a document out of the drawer and put it on the desk.

I finally changed my posture with a satisfied look.

You have to be polite in dealing with customers.

“Come here. We have to do it in a fair position, right?”

“Ha?”

The paper was crumpled with strength in the hand that was holding the document.

I glance at the table, swallowing my saliva.

It meant to sit down and write a contract instead of trying anything.

* * *

“Are you really going to close it?”

“Well, there’s nothing more dangerous than slave business.”

“But the nobles will protest.”

The aide, who stood by Edgar’s side, said in a worried tone.

Originally, the Belois family had always been involved in dark business.

He knew the reason. Perhaps he’s the only one in this family who knows the whole story except Edgar.

“I was going to close the parchment business, but not the slave business.”

Assistant Herrington was right.

Edgar originally intended to do the parchment business until this point and dispose of it.

He also got information that animals are not in good condition these days.

Since he was leading the information business, there was no way he would not have known about it.

Since the rainy season, he heard that animals in other regions are getting sick one by one.

“You even signed a contract. I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“Find out more about it. I think she had a good hunch. It would be troublesome if the royal family found out.”

It was no wonder that he tried to bring down the royal family somehow.

The Belois family was seemingly a decent intelligence trader, but secretly took charge of everything.

He has built up strength, won the hearts of the nobles, and gathered money to fight against the imperial family.

“Not yet, not yet.”

Edgar clenched his fist.

Elle Natasia, who grew up before I knew it, resembled my wife. Red hair and blue eyes look like me, but…….

‘It would have been better not to look.’

It was him who had forgotten. He tried to forget.

It was easier not to look, and it was better for the child not to pay attention.

The reason Edgar wanted to fight against the imperial family was the death of his wife, Seline.

Seline Delicia was killed at the hands of the empress.

The cause was the emperor’s greed for his wife’s sister, Defeloa.

The emperor blackmailed the government in order to get Defeloa.

She had a companion, but she couldn’t make a match with her fate companion.

The empress set things up to kill her, she was trapped in the palace and couldn’t stop crying.

After learning about this, Seline orders people to save her sister. She didn’t tell Edgar.

To oppose the imperial family is to rebel.

It is a punishment that is severe enough to destroy the family.

Seline was well aware of that.

That’s why she thought she should have someone to protect Elle, the child she gave birth to.

That’s why she ran alone. To show that Edgar and the Velois families have nothing to do with her work.

The emperor turned a blind eye to the queen’s atrocities because he was also guilty of them.

In order not to be exposed to others, no other punishment was imposed on the Belois family other than being driven out to the outskirts.

The cause, Defeloa and Seline, died, so it was enough to bury it with them.

‘How can you leave alone?’

Edgar leaned on the chair, recalling Seline.

It seemed that Elle was to blame for everything. So he didn’t look for her. He thought it would continue to be the case.

“Are you okay?”

Herrington looked at Edgar’s dark expression and asked cautiously.

Waking up from his thoughts, he closed his eyes and spoke quietly.

“Take care of it. I’ll probably have to keep an eye on her.”

I feel like my daughter is smart.

Edgar was bothered by Elle’s atmosphere, which had changed somehow.

He has seen it before as a passed by, but somehow she kept getting more arrogant as she grew older.