Chapter 27

* * *

Baron Amantha and Jerrit began to discuss with serious faces.

Elli watched the father and son's conversation with a pleased heart.

'Finally, they’ve realized it.'

They hadn’t discovered a mine but a den of monsters.

The types of monsters varied.

Some attacked humans on sight, but others, like these, would sit quietly and wait for someone to approach.

'That’s why they couldn’t be removed by human hands.'

It was natural that Baron Amantha and Jerrit had struggled for so long.

Baron Amantha would later use these monsters to create weapons.

Since the material was hard and only became problematic when it came into contact with human body heat, it wouldn’t have been difficult to make weapons from it.

The weapons made this way would put humans in a state from which they could not be revived.

While the poison wouldn’t be felt if the weapon was removed immediately upon contact, holding it for a long time would allow the poison inside the monster to seep into the body, leading to death.

'They are truly... monsters.'

Just imagining it made her shudder.

'Even if the monsters don’t attack first, to use them to make weapons...'

No wonder they weren’t just any vassals of Schuets. Elli was amazed by their methods.

Regardless, the two were very excited, enthusiastically discussing their ideas.

There was no trace of the previous gloom.

'In any case, this has almost advanced things by three years.'

Elli quietly slipped away from them.

Then, she looked up at the baroness with an innocent face.

"Lady, have I done something wrong?"

The baroness smiled faintly and shook her head.

"No. It seems you’ve done something very important, Lady Elli."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Yes. For my son, my husband, and myself."

Elli tilted her head, puzzled.

The baroness gently stroked Elli’s hair and extended her hand.

"Lady Elli, shall we go inside now?"

"Inside? But we haven’t had a proper conversation yet, Lady."

"That’s enough as it is."

The baroness looked at the father and son who were enthusiastically talking.

Her eyes shimmered with indescribable emotion.

"Come, we should return before nightfall. The duke will be worried."

"I understand, Lady."

Elli obediently followed the baroness out of the mine.

* * *

The duke’s study.

Franz, the butler of the ducal castle, was speaking to Erhardt.

"...Therefore, Lady Amantha has requested that Lady Elli meet her three times a week."

"Lady Amantha has—"

"Agreed with great pleasure, they say."

Erhardt nodded slowly with his eyes closed.

"To approach the lady instead of the baron, quite a clever child."

Baron Amantha was a devoted husband. His wife had become frail after childbirth, and she also suffered from occlumency.

Because of this, the baron couldn’t fully participate in the development of the newly discovered mineral.

Though the baron wouldn’t admit it, his wife was holding him back.

For such a couple, Elli’s suggestion to go for a walk was a relief.

The baron would be able to focus on his work a bit more.

From the moment she set conditions, it was clear she was a sharp child.

"And the baron has sent this."

Franz carefully placed something on the table. Erhardt opened his eyes.

It was an arrow.

Erhardt raised an eyebrow without a word.

"They say it was made from the newly discovered mineral."

"Just an arrow."

It looked no different from other arrows.

If anything, the tip of the arrowhead had a different color.

Erhardt touched the tip of the arrowhead with his index finger. Instantly, his finger stuck to it.

When he pulled it away, blood dripped, but Erhardt didn’t flinch.

"What is this?"

"Baron Amantha has made a great discovery."

Franz eagerly recounted the events that had unfolded with Baron Amantha.

He had discovered not a mineral but a den of monsters, which wouldn’t come off when touched by humans.

And ultimately, it would lead to death.

"To use monsters to make weapons. Truly remarkable, isn’t it?"

Erhardt nodded slowly.

"Using only the arrowhead is also practical. It won’t be easily removed like other arrows once it’s embedded in the body."

"Yes. If you try to pull it out hastily, it will tear everything out. If you don’t, the poison will seep in, leaving you with no choice."

Franz, familiar with the terrifying details, handed Erhardt a handkerchief.

"I thought he was struggling because of his wife, but he’s made something good. However—"

Erhardt wiped his hand indifferently, trailing off.

There were knights in the ducal castle who were skilled with bows.

But.

"Making swords would be better than arrows."

"This is just the beginning. He will develop it step by step."

"Indeed."

Erhardt nodded as if it were a given. Franz smiled warmly.

"Isn’t it truly remarkable?"

"Remarkable what?"

"Lady Elli. This incredible discovery is all thanks to Lady Elli."

"Thanks to that child?"

For a moment, Erhardt’s expressionless face showed surprise.

"Yes. Lady Elli’s casual comment helped them realize it was a monster."

"..."

"Truly a wise person."

Franz chuckled with a kind smile.

"Only now do I understand why the duke brought Lady Elli here."

Despite Franz’s praise, the duke remained silent.

A wise child. It was true.

Despite her young age, she had an indomitable spirit and a talent for guiding situations to her advantage.

Erhardt had brought her in, knowing she was the daughter of a thief, for this very reason.

And perhaps.

'This child, Elli, might be connected to the emperor.'

He didn’t consider Klauder’s death a simple accident.

While investigating the truth, he had frantically searched for his friend’s son.

To take responsibility for his friend’s death and the child’s fate.

One day, he had a thought.

'Might the child be within the emperor’s reach?'

If he left some clothes behind to hint at the child’s survival and then trained the child to obey the royal family.

'The emperor could easily possess Klauder.'

With this hypothesis, Erhardt searched not only orphanages but also slave markets.

During this search, he met Elli.

If Elli was the emperor’s lackey, she would know that the orphanage child was Klauder’s son.

Treating Damian well would also be part of her plan.

So, he brought her along.

Such a young child might inadvertently reveal information about the emperor.

Yes, that was it.

But the thought that she might be connected to the emperor made him feel strangely dirty.

Then.

Creak. A faint sound of wood scraping came from the door.

Erhardt’s eyes sharpened, and Franz simultaneously drew a dagger from his coat.

Without hesitation, he burst open the door.

Just as he was about to slash at the mouse who had dared to eavesdrop.

"Elli, Lady Elli?"

Franz’s eyes widened.

"Hello!"

Elli smiled brightly and greeted Franz.

"Lady Elli! What brings you here?"

Franz quickly hid the dagger behind his back and asked.

'Of course, I’ve already seen her.'

I smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"I came to greet the duke."

"Is that so? I thought—"

Franz hid the dagger in his coat and trailed off awkwardly.

I knew what he was about to say.

I had only come to eavesdrop on the progress of the development.

'How perceptive.'

I almost got caught eavesdropping.

'Thought he was considerate...'

The image of the blade aimed at me made my legs tremble.

"What’s going on here?"

The duke looked at me, his gaze more serious than Franz’s, making me tense up.

'If I act clumsy, the duke will see through me.'

So, I smiled brightly again.

"I came to see the duke."

"Indeed, but for what reason?"

The duke tilted his head and asked sarcastically, his voice leaving no room for error.

How should I say it? A flimsy excuse like "I missed you" wouldn’t work on the duke.

"I have something to give you."

I carefully reached into my pocket.

Instantly, the duke’s eyes narrowed.