Chapter 39

However, the problem was that there were too many people who coveted her power.

Although they are now gone, the royal family, as people blessed by the World Tree, could use healing magic.

Their magic was a tool that solidified royal authority in the past when wars were frequent.

There was little difference between divine power and healing power, but in terms of strength, healing power was much stronger.

'That’s because the size of divine power each priest possesses varies.'

The royal family, blessed with infinite healing power by the World Tree, was the only one.

Therefore, the temple, which repelled and purified evil with divine power, and the royal family, which governed the empire with healing magic, had ruled the empire.

The problem was that, for some reason, the royal family’s healing power was gradually disappearing.

The unique power of the royal family had become a rare and precious ability even among the royal family.

Ashabel was a threatening presence to both the temple and the royal family.

But Damian, who fell in love with her at first sight, brought her to the empire.

The duke did not strongly oppose, but as the heroine, Ashabel managed to win over even Duke Schuetz to her side and defeated the temple and the royal family fairly.

'And the original story is that she lives happily with Damian, eating well and living well.'

If the story follows the original flow, I am an unnecessary element.

Although I am enjoying good things under Duke Schuetz’s protection now, I will become a forgotten person after she appears.

Actually, being driven away wouldn’t bother me, but to live proudly without the name Schuetz, I need money.

'So I need to save a lot of money before that happens.'

I made this decision and looked at Ivana.

"Can I go with Damian?"

"Oh, you want to go together?"

"Yes!"

Time was running out.

After Damian leaves for war, I won’t see him for five years.

I wanted to create many memories before that.

"I want to go with Damian."

"How sweet."

Ivana smiled contentedly and nodded.

"By the way, it’s time for the young master’s training to end. Shall we go and meet him?"

"Yes!"

Ivana and I held hands and left the room.

The training ground’s door was open, and it seemed the training had just ended.

Today, Viscount Amantha didn’t come, so the knights had taken turns sparring with him.

The knights’ faces were etched with fatigue.

They seemed to have fought Damian with all their might and sincerity.

To check if he was hurt anywhere, I quickly approached Damian.

"Damian."

Damian, who was holding a wooden sword, suddenly lifted his head at my call.

"Elly!"

He threw the wooden sword aside and quickly came to me.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I’m not hurt at all."

Damian said with a face still flushed from the heat of training.

"You must have trained hard."

I searched my pocket to wipe Damian’s sweat.

But it seemed I had forgotten to bring a handkerchief in my hurry.

"Ivana, do you have a handkerchief...?"

I was about to ask if she had one and if she could lend it to me, but before I could finish my sentence, a handkerchief appeared in my field of vision.

"Huh...?"

The owner of the handkerchief was a knight who happened to be passing by.

A man with deep scars on his eyes and cheeks spoke in a low voice.

"Use this."

"Ah... thank you."

I took the handkerchief with an awkward smile.

It was a soft handkerchief with lots of floral patterns.

'...So this is his taste.'

I didn’t mean to mock his taste, but it didn’t seem to suit him.

I looked at Damian.

For some reason, Damian was looking at the handkerchief in my hand with a disapproving eye.

'Why is he doing that? Does he dislike this pattern?'

"Damian, close your eyes."

He obediently closed his eyes despite my words.

As I carefully wiped his face, I could see Damian’s eyelashes trembling slightly.

'So cute.'

"All done. You can open your eyes now."

When he opened his eyes, Damian’s clear blue eyes were revealed.

"Beautiful, our Damian."

"…I’m beautiful?"

"Of course, you trained hard and listen well, so you’re naturally beautiful."

I praised Damian for everything he did to teach him what affection was.

Although he would become a Swordmaster in the future, he was still a child now.

I wanted him to feel the affection he had lost to others.

Perhaps my feelings reached him.

Damian’s eyes began to sparkle like they were sprinkled with gold dust.

"…I’ll listen to you, Elly, from now on."

"Really? Oh, you’re so good."

I showered him with praise and stroked his head, and Damian’s pink cheeks turned even redder.

At that moment, a loud and small coughing sound was heard.

When I turned my head, I saw Ivana looking at us with a content smile.

"I’m sorry to interrupt, but the carriage is waiting. Would you like to continue your conversation in the carriage?"

"Oh, right!"

We were going to the square!

"Damian, come on. Let’s go together."

"Where are we going?"

"Yeah, we’ll see lots of interesting things and eat lots of delicious food."

"Will Elly come too?"

"Of course."

"Then I’ll go too!"

Damian answered with a bright and energetic face.

I held Damian’s hand tightly and followed Ivana out of the training ground.

* * *

Our destination was Pellin, the center of the Schuetz territory.

Ivana asked if we were going to the Schuetz market or the Cleyder merchant guild, but I insisted on going to Pellin.

'I need a product that I can distribute exclusively.'

A product was essential to make a contract or distribute goods.

'Of course, the Schuetz family operates its own merchant guild, and there’s the Cleyder merchant guild too…'

But to do business under my name after being disowned, I needed the help of another merchant guild.

'Still, it’s the central market of the northern region, so it shouldn’t be small, right?'

This thought didn’t leave my mind during the journey.

"Elly, Elly."

"Huh?"

"What should we do next?"

When I was distracted, Damian’s voice brought me back to my senses.

A small coin was placed between Damian and me.

'Right. I was teaching him a magic trick.'

"See, can you see the coin in front of you?"

"Yes."

"I’m going to make it disappear. Okay, focus."

Damian nodded with a serious face.

I watched the timing and remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked out the window as if I had just remembered something.

"Hey, there are no crows today?"

"Really?"

Damian immediately turned his head.

I took the opportunity to hide the coin in my hand.

"The sky is really clear, Elly."

"Yes, it is."

I smiled in agreement with Damian’s words.

When Damian tried to refocus, he blinked in surprise when he saw the coin was gone.

"The coin… is gone."

"Yes. I took it."

"How did you do that?"

Damian asked with wide eyes.

I chuckled and showed him the coin in my hand.

"I just diverted your attention. Remember the crow story?"

"Ah…"

Damian’s eyes lit up as if he had a revelation.

Although I made it sound like a grand technique, it worked because Damian was the one I was dealing with.

For a normal adult, diverting attention would be difficult.

Moreover, even if I had put the object in my hand, it would have been noticed immediately.

To pickpocket, you need to grasp the right timing and have at least two people.

Without these two prerequisites, pickpocketing would be difficult.

So I taught him. To children, this hand technique was a form of magic.

"Amazing…!"

"Do you want to try? Hmm, the coin is small, so let’s try with something bigger."

I took out the handkerchief I had put in my pocket.

It was the handkerchief the knight had given me at the training ground.

I had kept it to return after washing it.

When Damian saw the handkerchief, his eyes sharpened as if he was concentrating.

"Let’s try with this. Okay, take it once."

Of course, such a simple trick wouldn’t work.

I waited with bated breath for Damian’s response.

Damian, who was staring at the handkerchief as if he was about to burn it, remained silent until the carriage slowed down.

Finally, when the carriage stopped, Damian glanced out the window.

I could hear Ivana and Mei talking and approaching.

Damian smiled and grabbed the handkerchief.

"I can’t do it, Elly."

"It’s okay. It’s fine if you can’t."

I smiled and stroked Damian’s head.

At that moment, Aceil poked his head out of the opposite window and said,

"Young master, Miss Elly. We’ve arrived. Please get out."

At Aceil’s words, I quickly got up from my seat.

'Finally, market research!'

I got out of the carriage, holding Ivana and the knights’ hands.

The magnificent scenery of the square left me speechless.

I could hear the sound of money rolling. I couldn’t control my excitement.

"Damian, let’s go quickly!"

At my urging, Damian, who was fidgeting and putting something in his pocket, quickly came to my side.

"…There are too many people."

Damian, who seemed scared of the noisy atmosphere, shrank back.

"Are you scared? Do you want me to hold your hand?"

I quickly grabbed Damian’s hand and warned him.

"It can be dangerous with so many people, so don’t let go of my hand."

"What if there are no people?"

"Huh?"

"If there are no people… will you let go of my hand?"

Damian asked in a slightly dejected voice. His downturned eyes looked like a dog that didn’t want to be separated from its owner.

His appearance was so cute that I chuckled and replied,

"No, I won’t. I’ll keep holding it."

"Really?"

"Of course."

Damian’s face lit up at my answer.

"I promise. I’ll never let go."

"Okay."

With my answer, the hand he held tightened. Despite being much smaller than mine, his grip was persistent.