Chapter 24

Viscount Buzhe smiled and glanced at the duke.

"Will Your Grace be joining us for drinks today? Who knows, I might end up solving the ancient stone again while drunk."

Duke Astra chuckled at the arrogant attitude.

"Well, I don't move around much at night. Who knows what might happen."

"Huh?"

"You should be careful too. For all you know, there might be someone watching your arrogance."

"…!"

Viscount Buzhe's expression stiffened.

That was a threat.

A chilling threat that if he provoked, he would be sent to the netherworld.

The elders, who knew Duke Astra's temperament, froze.

The duke left the meeting room with a smirk.

The elders, catching on, began to follow him one by one.

Viscount Buzhe, left alone in the now empty meeting room, clenched his fists.

'What can you do to me anyway?'

He was the brother of Empress Ocellia, who had given birth to the crown prince.

When the empress's son became emperor, he would be the emperor's uncle.

'Let's see who will be the rising sun and who will be the setting sun.'

Once I become the emperor's uncle, even Duke Astra would have to bow.

Viscount Buzhe's lips twisted.

* * *

Han Jihyuk asked in shock, as if struck by lightning.

"R, R, Reinforcement Stones? Really, Reinforcement Stones? You're kidding, right?"

"Really. Have I been living a lie?"

"You've been living a lie."

It was a boast.

Han Jihyuk exhaled heavily.

Anyone who saw him would think he had won the lottery.

Well, it was like winning the lottery.

One of these stones would be worth a house in the city.

Han Jihyuk extended a trembling hand toward the Reinforcement Stones.

I quickly slapped the back of his hand.

"Don't think about stealing."

"Why are you being so... I bought it with my own money!"

"You'll only be in danger if you have something like this. How are you going to sell it?"

"Well, there are many ways. I could put it up for auction, or sell it through a broker..."

"As soon as the word gets out that you're selling it, assassins will break into your room."

It would be easier to quietly dispose of Han Jihyuk and take the stones than to buy them at a high price.

Han Jihyuk was a commoner, and he had been out of touch with his only father for a long time, with no powerful connections.

There was no one easier to deal with.

Han Jihyuk, catching the meaning, stiffened.

"Indeed, it is dangerous. What will you do then?"

"Hmm…"

"You're just three years old, and even if Lady Astra protects you, you're still just a child."

"…"

"Can you contact a broker, or put your name on an auction to sell it?"

"There's another way."

"Another way?"

"I'll sell it to Grandpa."

I smirked.

The richest person who could give the highest price and wouldn't kill me.

Duke Astra.

Han Jihyuk nodded, seemingly convinced.

"Then, how did you find the Reinforcement Stones? You can't say you found them on the street."

Han Jihyuk shrugged.

"If they know you bought them at an auction, they'll think you're not an ordinary three-year-old."

"I've already thought about that."

I stroked the cute Reinforcement Stones with my fingertips and raised an eyebrow.

"Prepare to be rich."

Han Jihyuk stared at me.

After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"…That's the most exciting thing I've ever heard."

Han Jihyuk and I laughed wickedly and did a high-five.

The next day.

Father's office.

I was sitting on the carpet under the desk, planting roses in a pot.

It was easy; I just had to put the flowers in the prepared pot and add some soil.

I hummed a tune as I patted the soil, and I could feel Father watching me.

"What's that?"

"It's a rose named after Mikael. It's a beautiful rose that looks like Father."

Suddenly, there was a thud from the side.

The adjutants had dropped their documents in surprise.

Enzo looked at me with wide eyes.

"A beautiful rose that looks like the general…?"

Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Father spoke.

"Shut up."

"Y-Yes…"

Enzo immediately closed his mouth.

I took the pot and tiptoed to place it on Father's desk.

Father smiled and asked.

"Where did you learn to decorate the pot with stones?"

"The gardeners gave me the pot. It has stones. They're pretty."

I held up the bag of stones I had brought with both hands.

Look! These stones are Reinforcement Stones!

'There's someone who will notice the existence of these Reinforcement Stones.'

I approached Enzo and handed him a stone.

"Here, the prettiest stone."

"Thank you, Miss."

Enzo smiled and took the stone with both hands.

Then, I "Ah!" and staggered.

In an instant, my body floated up.

It was Enzo's blessing, <Telekinesis>.

"Are you…"

"Ah!"

I screamed.

Because I had been lifted by Enzo's blessing and flown up to the ceiling.

"Miss!"

"Miss…!"

The adjutants were terrified.

"Enzo—!"

Father, who had jumped up, shouted.

Enzo's face turned pale. His blessing was out of control.

After a while, Enzo managed to lower me.

Father carefully picked me up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yep! It was fun."

I put my hands on my cheeks, delighted.

Since I had liked high places since riding the Mosco, no one found it strange.

Father kept checking on me.

I glanced at Enzo.

Enzo was looking at the stone I had given him with a stiff face.

'You felt the thrill when the blessing was amplified, didn't you?'

Now, explain it to Father for me.

I secretly smiled and chuckled.

* * *

In the afternoon.

The adjutants and the officials of the jurisdiction surrounded me.

Enzo had realized that the stone I gave him had amplified his blessing.

Enzo informed Father, and the stone was immediately investigated.

And the investigation revealed the truth.

'That these were the legendary Reinforcement Stones.'

One of the officials asked me in a trembling voice.

"Where did you get this stone?"

"A friend gave it to me. It was in a fireplace."

"Fireplace?"

"Yes. An ancient fireplace."

Then I handed the bag of Reinforcement Stones to Father.

The officials gasped at the weight of the bag.

Father frowned as he opened the bag.

"Is this friend the one who came to the castle last time?"

"Yep!"

Enzo looked at Father.

"Did he know they were Reinforcement Stones?"

"Unless he's an idiot, he wouldn't give away Reinforcement Stones for free."

"He probably didn't know the stones in the fireplace were Reinforcement Stones."

The officials gathered around Father.

Then, like a horde of zombies, they murmured,

"Gr-gr-gr…"

"Repairing the castle walls…"

"Replacing the knights' weapons…"

"Recovering from the flood…"

Father frowned and held up the bag.

"This belongs to Erylliot."

"Excuse me? How does a young lady like you have such a precious thing…!"

"If I take one without proper use, I'll end up taking two next time."

Father is amazing!

I looked at Father with shining eyes.

Father met my gaze and said,

"Erylliot, these are very precious. If you want to turn them into money, I'll help you. If you want to keep them, I'll give you a storage room with a barrier."

I groaned.

Then I glanced at Father.

"I want something else."

"Anything you want. They are yours. Tell me."

I smiled brightly and shouted.

"Grandpa!"

Father's pupils shook violently at the words.

* * *

At the ducal castle.

Baron Debussy handed over the information he had gathered in the capital and said,

"Viscount Buzhe's actions are excessive."

"Is he planning to attack me?"

"It would be better if he attacked openly. Isn't that what you want, Your Grace?"

If he attacked openly, it would be a matter of beheading him.

But if he just irritated and didn't act, there would be no reason to get rid of him.

"Empress Ocellia has a troublesome brother."

Astra had allied with Empress Ocellia.

So, under normal circumstances, there would be no reason to have a grudge against the Buzhe family, the empress's in-laws.

The reason Buzhe was irritating the Astra Duke, who was on the side of the empress, was one.

"He wants to be the leader of the empress's faction of nobles."

The ambition to be the leader of the empress's faction of nobles.

Just that was causing a split in the faction.

'He doesn't want to share power when his nephew becomes emperor.'

Baron Debussy frowned.

"He is winning the favor of the nobles by revealing ancient stones."

"…"

"Since the value of ancient stones increases just by having them, the price will rise tenfold in five years."

"…"

"By revealing such things, people will naturally gather around him."

Conrad, who had been listening to the two, sighed.

There was no other way here.

Since Astra had allied with Empress Ocellia, he couldn't attack Viscount Buzhe without a reason.

Nor could he prevent the sale of ancient stones.

'The only answer is to lower the value of ancient stones.'

But how to lower the value of such precious items…

While he was thinking about it, the butler of the ducal castle knocked on the door.

"It's Albert."

"Come in."

The butler, who opened the door, bowed.

"Lady Erylliot and Lord Daemon request an audience."

'What?'

Conrad and Baron Debussy opened their eyes wide.

While it was understandable for Erylliot, it was surprising to hear Daemon's name.

Daemon's father's hatred was so great that he would never come to the ducal castle unless there was a reason.

The duke frowned.

"Has he come to the castle?"

"He has passed through the outer gate."

"Prepare the audience chamber."

"Yes."

The butler hurried off to prepare.

About an hour later, the duke also stood up.

Baron Debussy and Conrad followed.

When they arrived at the audience chamber, Daemon and Erylliot were already there.

As they opened the door,

"Grandpa!"

Erylliot ran over with a bright face.

The duke, seeing his granddaughter run and hug his knees, coughed.

Conrad and Baron Debussy chuckled.

"It's been a month since we last met."

"Are you well, Miss?"

"Yep."

Erylliot answered.

Daemon, who was sitting on the sofa with a frown, called his daughter.

"Erylliot, come here."

Erylliot, looking back and forth between her grandfather and father, finally answered, "Yep…" and went to her father.

The duke frowned and sat on the sofa opposite Daemon.

"Why are you here with that face?"

"I didn't come because I wanted to."

"Then why?"

The duke and Daemon looked at each other with displeased expressions.

Daemon's eyebrows twitched.

But he didn't say much and looked at his daughter.

"Speak."

Erylliot took out the bag she had placed on the corner of the sofa and handed it to the duke.

"Here."

Baron Debussy and Conrad smiled.

"It seems to be a gift."

"Was there a recent anniversary?"

While the two were talking as if nothing was wrong, Daemon sighed.

"They are Reinforcement Stones."

"Ha, is that so. Reinforcement… Huh?"

"Yes, Reinforcement Stones… Reinforcement Stones?!"

Baron Debussy and Conrad's mouths dropped open.

"R, Reinforcement Stones? Did you just say Reinforcement Stones?"

In response to the baron's question, Daemon answered in a flat tone.

"Yes. Reinforcement Stones."

Erylliot opened the bag and handed a stone to the duke.

"Grandpa, this one."

"…Oberic Debussy."

When the duke called the baron, he quickly took the stone.

Soon, the baron's shadow began to waver.

The baron's blessing was <Shadow>.

The ability to separate and move shadows.

The shadow, which had been moving slightly, began to extend to an enormous size.

When the shadow covered half the room, the air in the room swirled violently.

The shelves and tables in the room shook with a loud noise.

"…!"

"…!"

"…!"

The only thing Baron Debussy could do with his shadow was to slip through a door crack and pick up a piece of paper.

"These are Reinforcement Stones—!"

Conrad and Baron Debussy were amazed. The duke's expression also stiffened.

The duke, who had been sitting next to his father, asked his granddaughter.

"Why are you giving these to me?"

"I'm giving the best to Grandpa."

"What?"

"Because you're the head of our family who protects Astra!"

Conrad and the baron murmured, "Miss…" with moved expressions.

Daemon frowned and muttered, "If I find a kid taught like this, I'll—"

Then,

Hahaha—!

The duke began to laugh loudly.

Conrad, Daemon, and even Baron Debussy, who had served the duke for nearly 30 years, were very surprised.

It was the first time they had seen the duke laugh so joyfully.

The duke, who had been holding onto the armrest of the sofa, looked at Erylliot.

"Alright. How many Reinforcement Stones do you have in total?"

"Um, um, 300, and another 67…"

The duke, nodding, said,

"Conrad Martial."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Attach a cart of gold to Erylliot's return. …Yes, about 300 million gold should be appropriate."

What?

300 million?!

The budget for the eldest son, Grimaud's, jurisdiction was 90 million gold.

"Wha—"

Baron Debussy, who had been standing, slumped into his chair.