Chapter 39

Valderic listened to his son's words and raised an eyebrow.

"Stole a fountain pen?"

Daemond's daughter?

Valderic's lips curled up in a sneer.

If that's the case, it's a perfect opportunity.

It could serve as an excuse for ruining the competition, and he could also make the unlucky Daemond and his daughter suffer.

Valderic looked at Elliot, who was in Daemond's arms.

Then he shifted his gaze to Daemond, who was looking at Joffrey with a cold eye.

"Did you hear that, brother?"

"Your son has the talent to make a dog's bark sound like human speech."

Valderic's face twisted in anger.

"What are you talking about? He's your nephew."

"You're accusing your nephew of being a thief."

"Not a thief. Just need to check to clear up any misunderstandings between cousins."

Elliot, who was in Daemond's arms, shouted with wide eyes.

"It's not me! I'm not a thief!"

"We'll see when we check."

The people from Daemond's territory who surrounded Elliot became hostile.

The twins also glared at Joffrey with a menacing look.

"Why would a baby steal your fountain pen!"

When Balzac shouted, Joffrey hid behind his father.

Then, with only his face peeking out, he said,

"That fountain pen is incredibly expensive and precious, so it's possible to be tempted."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"But when my fountain pen disappeared, Elliot was the only one who had something to hide it with."

Joshua slowly approached Joffrey, exuding a chillingly cold atmosphere.

Joffrey's hands and legs trembled as Joshua approached, but he rolled his eyes and pretended not to notice.

"It's just circumstantial evidence."

"That's... "

"Treating Elliot as a mere thief based on circumstantial evidence."

Rumble.

The ground around Joshua trembled.

With a crack, the debris from the split ground rose into the air and condensed.

This was the effect of Joshua's blessing, <Compression>.

The condensed debris grew larger.

Joffrey took a step back with each step Joshua took, trembling like a leaf.

Valderic shouted,

"What are you doing—!!"

The loud shout drew the attention of people passing by the training ground.

The blood relatives on the podium also had a serious look.

Just as Valderic was about to grab Joshua by the collar,

"If you lay a finger on my son, his neck will no longer be attached."

Daemond warned in a low voice.

Valderic frowned and glared at Daemond.

Bang!

A loud thud came from the podium.

Everyone's gaze turned to the source.

Duke Astra was looking at them with a cold expression.

"You're doing a fine job."

Valderic quickly bowed his head.

"Father, please listen to Joffrey's story."

He gently pushed his son, who was trembling behind him.

All the blood relatives' attention focused on Joffrey.

Taking advantage of Joffrey's hesitation, Elliot jumped out of Daemond's arms.

"Liar! Joffrey is a liar! (Liar! Joffrey is a liar!)"

Joffrey glared at Elliot and immediately pointed at the child, shouting,

"Elliot stole my fountain pen! That's why I couldn't focus on the competition! So the results of this competition are invalid!"

"Do you understand the weight of your words?"

Joffrey shuddered at the Duke's low voice and mumbled,

"Y-Yes..."

"I'll give you a chance to correct it."

"That's... "

Valderic whispered to his frightened son,

"What are you doing?"

"I-I..."

"It's not a lie. You should say it."

"..."

Joffrey swallowed hard.

'Is this really going to happen?'

His throat was dry.

'No. It can't go wrong.'

The maid had clearly hidden the fountain pen in the girl's room.

Originally, he planned to inform the professor to ruin her grades, but this might be better.

'Chasing that unlucky girl away for good.'

Joffrey lifted his head.

Then, looking at the Duke boldly, he said,

"It's not a lie!"

Valderic shouted,

"Look. If it were a lie, he wouldn't be so confident!"

Elliot also spoke up.

"I'm not a thief. I swear to the crow! (I'm not a thief. I swear to the crow!)"

Elliot pointed at the Astra emblem on the flag on the podium.

"What can Joffrey stake?"

Valderic, seeing the naive girl pointing at the Astra emblem, felt a surge of anger.

She reminded him of Daemond when he was young.

Unable to contain his anger, Valderic said,

"I'll stake half of my territory and swear."

"......!"

"......!"

"......!"

The blood relatives were all shocked and looked at Valderic.

'So he feels so inferior to Daemond.'

'But seeing him come out so confidently, maybe Elliot really did steal the fountain pen.'

People looked at Elliot with skeptical eyes.

Just as Elliot was about to step forward, Daemond blocked her with one arm.

He looked at the Duke and said,

"I'll stake my entire territory and swear."

Valderic's lips twisted.

He wasn't interested in the land itself.

But his army was different.

Elite soldiers with unique abilities.

If he could own them, he would have the richest land and the strongest army in Astra.

That would greatly help in determining the next head of the family.

Valderic's eyes gleamed with desire.

The Duke ordered Viscount Debussy,

"Search Elliot's room."

"Yes."

* * *

The castle's staff began searching Elliot's room.

A thorough inspection was conducted, from the bag she took to class to the drawers, bathroom, and dressing room.

Joffrey whispered to Elliot, who was standing in front of the door,

"You're dead."

"..."

"Daemond's territory will be ruined because of you. Do you know that?"

The evidence that she took my fountain pen will soon be found.

Then that girl will cry and wail.

This competition will be nullified, and the girl will be expelled.

Joffrey couldn't hide his smirking lips.

Valderic also glanced at Daemond, who had an indifferent expression, and sneered.

Then, the butler who finished the search came out of the room.

Valderic said to Daemond,

"What will you do now that you're about to lose your territory...? Well, butler, tell my brother the results."

"The fountain pen was not found."

"Did you hear that? The fountain pen was not found... What?!"

Valderic's face hardened.

"That's nonsense."

"We searched everywhere, but the fountain pen was not there."

"Nonsense!"

Valderic pushed the butler aside and entered Elliot's room.

He pulled the bed sheets, opened all the drawers, and even turned the pen holder on the desk upside down.

But Joffrey's fountain pen was nowhere to be found.

Joffrey's face turned pale as the situation became more serious.

'It can't be. I definitely put it there...'

Joffrey ran into the room.

He searched every pocket of the clothes in the dressing room and even threw them on the floor.

But he found nothing.

Elliot, who entered the room in the chaos, secretly smiled at them.

* * *

'Did you really think I would keep your fountain pen in my room?'

I chuckled inwardly.

I thought Joffrey would make excuses if he lost the competition.

'The fountain pen would be a perfect excuse.'

So I hid the fountain pen well and entered the competition.

'There were unexpected gains too.'

The moment Joffrey accused me, I realized,

'If I play this right, I can punish that nasty brat and gain something too.'

So I escalated the situation.

"Liar! Joffrey is a liar! (Liar! Joffrey is a liar!)"

I provoked him.

Joffrey, as expected, told his grandfather that I stole the fountain pen.

Then I swore on the crow, the symbol of Astra.

Joffrey would have to stake something too.

"I'll stake half of my territory and swear."

Recalling Valderic's words, I smiled wickedly.

'Half of the territory. Jackpot!'

Valderic's territory is known for its wealth.

If I can get it, our territory will be on a smooth path.

After all the searches were completed, the butler and father left for the main castle to report.

Seeing this, Valderic turned pale and chased after them.

"Hey!"

His voice was tense.

Joffrey, not knowing what to do, followed them with trembling legs.

The twins, who had been glaring at Joffrey, smiled.

"Baby, let's go. We should watch."

"Let's go. Elliot."

I held the twins' hands and left the room.

We arrived at the main hall of the castle.

The door to the meeting room was still open, as Valderic had rushed in.

Peeking inside, I saw Valderic kneeling in front of the grandfather.

"Father, I only believed in my son."

His confident demeanor was gone, and he was pleading with his hands clasped.

"A father believing in his child is natural. This is just a minor misunderstanding."

Joffrey's face was pale, and he trembled.

Seeing his father's state, he finally realized what he had done.

"Joffrey, what are you doing!"

Valderic shouted, and Joffrey hurriedly knelt.

"I-I'm sorry, grandfather. I-I'm sorry...!"

"Is the apology for me?"

At the grandfather's words, Valderic and Joffrey's shoulders tensed.

"Bring Elliot in."

The twins gently pushed me in.

Viscount Debussy, who was sitting next to the grandfather, moved to make room.

Sitting down, the grandfather looked at the Joffreys.

It was a gesture for them to apologize to me.

Valderic's face flushed with humiliation.

The thought of bowing to me, who he called 'dirty blood' because of my commoner heritage, was unbearable.

Valderic gritted his teeth and whispered to Joffrey,

"Apologize."

"Wh-What? Father...!"

"Hurry."

Joffrey trembled at his father's stern words and finally spoke after a long pause.

"I... misunderstood..."

"..."

"..."

"I'm sorry."

"Okay!"

I said cheerfully.

"Will you accept the apology?"

When Viscount Debussy asked, I nodded.

"Sure. Give me half the territory."

"......!"

"......!"

Joffrey and Valderic turned pale and looked at Elliot.

Valderic shouted,

"He apologized!"

"Only if I'm not a thief will you give me the territory."

"......!"

"Elliot is sad, but I'll endure it. It's a promise."

Valderic stood up abruptly.

"This is ridiculous. To give half of the territory over such a trivial matter!"

I looked at the grandfather.

"Shouldn't we keep the promise made in front of the grandfather?"

I emphasized the phrase 'in front of the grandfather.'

'He made a vow in front of the head of the family.'

Breaking that vow would undermine the head's authority.

Moreover, most of the Astra bloodline witnessed his vow.

If this were overlooked as a minor issue, others might think, 'Oh, it's minor, so it will be overlooked.'

That would set a precedent.

The grandfather stared at Valderic and then closed his eyes.

"Bring the map of Valderic's territory."

"Father...!"

Valderic cried out, but nothing changed.

I looked at the map Conrad brought with sparkling eyes.

Then I pointed to a spot with my small finger.

"From here to here!"

Seeing me point to just the fertile land, Viscount Debussy chuckled.

The relatives whispered to each other in low voices.

"What will happen to Daemond's territory if it absorbs that land?"

"My goodness. What good fortune has Daemond's territory had. It's been like this ever since Elliot entered the castle."

"Is she a symbol of luck...?"

I covered my mouth with both hands and laughed like a devil, and my father chuckled at me.

* * *

I left the meeting room.

Valderic and my father stayed to discuss the land.

The sun had almost set.

As I walked down the dark corridor, a man in servant's attire approached. It was Han Jihyuk.

As Han Jihyuk passed by, he handed me something, which I lightly accepted.

[Joffrey Astra]

It was the fountain pen that Joffrey and his father had searched for so desperately.

I spun the fountain pen lightly in one hand.

Then I threw it to the needleworm at the second gate.

The needleworm, whose body was made of iron, ate the fountain pen with a satisfying crunch.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm."

I hummed a tune and skipped towards my room.