CH 31

Swooshㅡ

A sudden opposition created an empty silence and a gust of wind in the conference room.

They were surprisingly unresponsive.

I was surprised as upon closer inspection, it seemed that they weren’t interested.

Cold sweat dripped down my round cheeks.

He said they want the revival of Vallois!

He said they are sincere about Vallois!

But if the expectations are high, the disappointment doubles.

I felt that despite the appearance of the Princess, they had lost their will to fight because the family head didn’t attend the event.

‘Was I so nervous to meet these people?’

The time when my stomach ached from the tension felt futile.

Thudㅡ!

First, I hit the table with my small fist.

Of course, it was impossible to show charisma with a palm the size of a cookie, but it was possible to steal their attention.

“…You’re Viscount Candice, right?”

I asked through my bulging nostrils.

He nodded his head, looking around slowly like a 100-year-old turtle.

His face was emaciated, yet he still couldn’t hide his intelligent gaze.

Black hair that looks like a mixture of gold threads.

At first glance, the pale purple eyes were mistaken for Vallois’s direct lineage.

‘Yeah, Viscount Candice. I’ve heard of him.’

The bloodline closest to the direct line among collaterals.

Did they say that he was the youngest member of the Rolls Empire who became the head of the Swittie family?

It was a long time ago, so he must be in his mid-50s now.

“…Is the military project for long swords that the Swittie family is currently working on going well?”

And the reason why he was able to become the youngest family head.

Viscount Swittie has been passionate about alchemy and smithing to make swords since he was young.

Military business is one of the identities of the Vallois family.

Since he was able to handle such a business without any burden, he could have been the youngest head of the Viscount of Candice family.

“…What kind of private talk is this all of a sudden?”

“First of all, don’t we need to keep their eyes on us?”

Agasa’s small question made me sweat profusely and whisper.

I knew it at first glance in my previous life.

All of the vassals were devoted to Vallois, except for the Bluebell family.

‘The reason why it happened like that is because Dad doesn’t care about Vallois. So, if I, a direct descendant, pay attention…’

“…Although I have recently succeeded in researching combining magic formulas with weapons…”

It was then.

Viscount Candice, a bit hesitant, continued.

Sensing the change, I put it on my chin to look as mature as possible.

“Yes, I was watching with interest.”

“…You’re five years old, though?”

“I know everything.”

“If you’ve been keeping an eye on it, since how old were you…”

“Around four years old?”

“…”

Viscount Candice, now over 50, shut his mouth.

‘Aaah. My young body.’

Breaking out in a cold sweat, I struggled to maintain the expression of a Tibetan fox.

“If it’s four years old, one knows how to read the Imperial language, so it means one knows how to read. Being able to read means being able to read proposals.”

“T-That’s right.”

“At that time, even though I was living in the Eillian family, I read the newspapers of the Rolls Empire and grasped the situation in Vallois in my spare time. That’s why…”

Those who were about to laugh, hesitated at the word ‘newspaper’.

“…Please tell me.”

Because of my request.

“Please tell this young Vallois, who desperately wants this family’s revival, what a regular meeting is like.”

Seeing the resolute figure, the eyes of the vassals widened slightly.

Dong! Dong!

At this point, I struggled to hit the hammer and started the meeting.

***

“From now on, Agasa will continue it.”

“Yes. I understand.”

“…By the way, if His Grace is also interested in the Swittie family’s military business…”

It was then.

I was going to focus on it and pass the rest on to Agasa, yet someone took a peek at me and asked.

“If we, the Marquis of Twiling, expand our transportation business to the southern zone, it will be easier to come and go to the Free State. I wonder if His Grace will confirm…”

It was the Marquis of Twiling family.

I was about to answer that I would ask Dad.

“Hmm. Let’s start with the meeting first. We have to show the Princess how a regular meeting goes.”

Viscount Candice, who cleared his throat, politely suggested.

“…Aha, by the way, we gathered for a regular meeting today, right?”

“Today’s topic is…”

“It’s the pros and cons of the withdrawal of the Law kingdom’s fund.”

The rest of the people raised their hands.

“That, I, ah. I said I agree, didn’t I? In my opinion, it’s right to cut off the fund, of course. It’s an obvious rebellion for a defeated nation not to communicate with the victorious nation, the Rolls Empire.”

“That’s right. And one of the four largest families has to cut off the fund first so that the other families will follow suit.”

“In that case…”

Only then did a normal discussion proceed.

People glanced at me and added their opinions.

As if to watch, listen, and learn.

It was quite different from their insincere attitude earlier, when I threw a chip in favor without hesitation.

Agasa, who was next to me, whispered in a bewildered tone.

“You did a good job.”

“Because I’m a prophet.”

“A prophet usually only warns. They don’t know how to attract people like this.”

“Really?”

“…”

“What?”

“Pardon?”

“What. Why do you keep looking at me?”

“I thought my position might change someday.”

As he said something incomprehensible, he gave a thoughtful gaze for a moment.

And soon he began conducting the regular meeting.

‘What is it? Those filthy words.’

I was bewildered as I rested my chin.

‘Is he going to betray Dad?’

I wouldn’t let him go if he betrayed me.

I had already revealed a lot of my information to him.

‘Just give up. I’ll show you what a villain’s daughter is.’

I fidgeted the paper, giving Agasa an indistinct stare.

In any case, it was time for the regular meeting to proceed normally.

Knock, knock.

The door opened without permission with a light knock.

“My opinion is…”

Everyone in the conversation turned to the door.

This was the place where each head of the families gathered.

There was no one in the duchy who could open the door without permission.

A knight who received intense gazes appeared.

He hid his expression, silently asked for forgiveness, and approached Agasa.

“An assassin has been found in Vallois Castle. We haven’t caught it yet.”

The eyes of all the vassals were fixed.

However, the knight whispered so low that only Agasa could hear it.

‘…Assassin?’

Hiding my almost hardened expression, I forced a dry smile.

Judging from the whispering, I noticed that it was a problem that the vassals couldn’t know.

“I understand for now.”

He, who matched the conversation with the knight, also smiled along with me.

Just this time, he seemed to be fortunate that I was an unusually perceptive five-year-old.

“Miss Baby. An assassin has been found. It’s already been a situation where there’s been a lot of distrust in the vassals these days, but things have gotten a little complicated.”

“…”

“Don’t stay out of my arms.”

The sound of breathing close to a warning sounded in my ears and then disappeared.

“I apologize, there was a little misunderstanding regarding the meeting. We will continue to move forward with the agenda for Vallois’ fund.”

He hid his expression and smiled peacefully.

Digging into Agasa’s arms, I glanced at the front.

The vassals seemed to know nothing.

***

“…You ate well today, too?”

That time.

Sian’s room.

As the maid tidying up muttered, Sian, who glanced at the cleanly emptied plate, muttered.

“Because the Princess told me to eat it.”

“Alright. Good job. Anyway, today is an important day. You can’t sneak out.”

He was about to leave when the maid glossed over him.

“Why?”

“…Huh?”

“Is it because it’s the day of the regular meeting?”

“…Ah, yes.”

“Is the Princess there too?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Is the Princess there too?”

The boy who had no interest in the world asked the question again.

‘Can I tell him that?’

The maid, who inadvertently tried to close her door, was met with black eyes as heavy as ebony and hardened.

She heard he was apparently seven years old, though.

There was an overbearing air in his stare at the maid.

She had a chilling feeling that if she didn’t answer him like a noble’s order, there would be trouble.

The maid nodded absently.

“Yeah. They said she was attending today.”

“…”

She answered at best, but.

Swishㅡ 

Perhaps what he wanted to hear was over, the boy turned his head and stared out the window.

The maid sighed and closed the door.

After a while.

He stood up from his seat while staring at the castle on the other side through the window.

Beyond the arched windows, middle-aged nobles were conducting a meeting.

“…She said it was the regular meeting.”

[I think it would be a good idea to take her when the regular meeting of Vallois begins. Can you help me?]

Apparently, the Master said so.

Probably, if it’s the usual Master’s idea, she will aim for lunch time exactly.

Usually during meals, there was no choice for people but to let down their guards.

Sian checked the clock in the room.

About 10 minutes left until lunch.

“…It’s good to go together. We can play together.”

He doesn’t know what the Master would do with Billishia, but he wanted to be with Billie a little longer anyway.

But.

[The Vallois are bad people. Child, what did I tell you to do when you meet bad people?]

Sian was no fool.

“…I like being with her, but will Billishia like it too?”

He, suddenly lost in deep thought, frowned.

The Master always said that those of Vallois bloodline were bad.

What would such a person do by bringing Billishia?

Training?

Education?

Punishment?

The words I could think of were limited.

Until this point, my life was defined by only three words.

Yet when I think of Billishia.

“… It’s buzzing, it’s tickling…”

What else was there?

[… Billie, Billie. You can’t die.]

It was then.

Suddenly, his face hardened like stone.

He doesn’t know what kind of fluttering feelings he has when he’s with Billishia, but one thing is certain.

He didn’t like seeing Billishia sad.

“…She’s stubborn, so if she goes to the Master, she won’t be able to adapt to training and will die.”

Sian, who had muttered quietly, suddenly became serious by himself.

Even the thought that she could really die made him suddenly suffocate his breath.

If so, there is only one option.

‘I can earn 5,000 gold, and get a definite answer from Billishia who said she would take care of me.’

As long as I have the 5,000 gold that woman mentioned, I can ask Billishia to buy me.

‘That child is a hundred and a thousand times better than Master.’

After thinking, Sian jumped out the window without hesitation.

To hear a definite answer, he had to get rid of the assassin first.