Chapter 61

That massive weight was not Lagorn.

“Ugh, grr...”

It wasn't a dangerous situation, but it was still reassuring.

I let out a sigh of relief and looked ahead to see adults running over.

The person at the front was our grandfather.

His face, which was never soft to begin with, now looked even more menacing, as if it could easily kill someone with just an expression.

“Get your dirty hands off.”

Crack.

“Aah! Grr, grr!”

The sound of bones breaking echoed as the servant's arm twisted.

Due to the pressure, he couldn't even scream properly.

‘It’s a dead end.’

“Eryllot!”

“Abino!”

Grandfather, along with Father and Prince Belain, hurriedly ran towards us.

Prince Belain pulled Abino, who was limp in my arms.

Father, without even glancing at Abino, was busy checking on me.

His large hand carefully examined my body.

Father, with a worried face, asked,

“What happened?”

“That servant gave Abino a hypnotic drug. When I caught him, he tried to kidnap Abino and run away!”

Upon hearing my words, Belain's face hardened.

‘Wow.’

I had thought his sharp features made him look good, but now I retract that.

It turns out he has an incredibly terrifying face.

* * *

I stood in front of the table in the conference room.

The second-generation nobles, vassals, and people from Aligioza were seated along the long table.

All eyes were on me.

I calmly explained the situation.

“I started feeling something was off when we were playing in the garden during the day.”

Really, from then?

I could feel the surprised gazes.

The second-generation nobles, who had probably only heard their children complain that Abino wouldn't even acknowledge them, seemed even more surprised.

“What made you feel something was off?”

“Abino, after seeing my steel crow monster, Lagorn, said he had also raised an eagle, but it had disappeared. He said he really liked it and was sad it was gone.”

At my words, Belain's face hardened.

I was certain.

The eagle had disappeared during the civil war.

“So when I asked him in detail, he said he couldn't remember. Then he clutched his head and collapsed. He looked like he was in severe pain.”

“Abino's eagle... disappeared during the civil war...”

Sure enough, someone from Aligioza mentioned the civil war.

“Indeed. At first, I thought the trauma from the civil war was causing the headaches. I read it in a book! But then...”

I frowned and continued.

“The servant's eyes were darting around while I and the prince were talking about the eagle. He didn't seem worried about Abino's pain and was just eager to take him to his room. I had a bad feeling.”

“Hmm.”

“Still, I thought it was fortunate that Abino's condition improved during the banquet. But after the banquet, the servant urged Abino to take medicine. Abino's reaction was strange.”

“Strange?”

“Usually, if a medicine makes the pain go away, there's no reason to be reluctant to take it, right?”

“That's true.”

“If he was reluctant, it must be because the medicine was bitter or had a bad taste.”

“Right.”

Everyone nodded at my logical explanation.

“But Abino said that taking the medicine made his head feel foggy and dazed, and he didn't like it.”

“Really strange.”

The adults nodded.

They were almost like an audience watching my talk show.

“So, I started thinking about the headaches from the day. I remembered something I read in a book before. It said that taking hypnotic drugs for a long time can cause such symptoms.”

“Oh, you read such a difficult book at your age?”

Someone's admiration made Father's lips twitch.

‘Oh dear.’

Father, please hold back now.

When I gave him a look, Father resumed his stern expression.

“So, just in case, I went to the room...”

I acted like a worried child, trailing off and glancing at Grandfather.

“Is that so? If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.”

The adults were impressed.

“What a clever young lady.”

“She's only ten, yet she's so thoughtful and quick to judge. Remarkable.”

The adults only had praise for me.

It was hard to say anything bad here.

Even if I had said, “I just wanted to see Abino, so I went to his room!” everyone would have praised me.

By providing solid evidence, I had practically set the stage for their praise.

“What a considerate child.”

“It's not easy to make such a deduction, let alone act on it. It's commendable.”

Everyone praised me while subtly checking Prince Belain's reaction.

Given that Belain is known for his deep affection for Abino, the shock he must have felt was immense.

Belain sighed and clasped his hands over his mouth.

His usually handsome, tanned skin had turned pale.

He looked terribly shocked.

‘Of course he would be.’

The servant, who had been by Abino's side for a long time, must have passed Belain's thorough vetting.

To find out that the person he trusted to take care of his precious son was actually drugging him with hypnotics...

And if this hadn't been discovered now, who knows when it would have been?

How long can one take hypnotics safely?

If the servant had been giving Abino the drug for almost a year after he was returned...

‘How much strain it must have put on a child's body.’

Belain's eyes were moist, but people tactfully pretended not to notice.

‘Still, it's fortunate. To discover this before it was too late, for his only beloved son.’

I am weak for a father's concern for his child.

It reminds me of Father.

I sighed inwardly.

Prince Belain got up from his seat and approached me.

He met my gaze and expressed his gratitude.

“Truly... truly, thank you.”

“Thank goodness Abino is safe!”

“You must have been scared too. How could such a small body help Abino?”

Prince Belain looked at me with genuine gratitude and appreciation.

I giggled and looked at Father.

“Father, ah, my father says that being healthy is the happiest thing in the world.”

“...”

“Abino's health makes Prince Belain happy. I learned that making important guests happy is the host's duty, from Debusi.”

“...”

“I, as Grandfather's granddaughter, worked hard!”

From Father to Debusi, and finally to Grandfather.

‘A good chain of flattery.’

I chuckled inwardly.

The vassals' expressions were familiar.

‘That's the look our provincial managers give me.’

Their eyes brimmed with admiration and affection.

I glanced at Grandfather.

Grandfather, who had been smiling, flinched at my gaze and forced his lips down.

‘He seems to be in a good mood.’

And Father...

When I looked at Father, I flinched.

‘There’s no need to be so moved.’

His clenched fists were trembling.

It was a very intense reaction, as if he would break something if there were no one around.

The people from Aligioza couldn't take their eyes off me.

“What an amazing young lady...”

Even the people from Aligioza, who were already moved, were moved again by my words.

Their eyebrows drooped, and it seemed like a little nudge would make them cry.

‘There’s even someone dabbing their eyes with a handkerchief?’

That person would definitely cry if they watched a tear-jerker movie.

After praising me for a while, they broadened their praise to Astra.

“We were swayed by Astra's reputation and failed to see its true beauty.”

“I understand why Prince Belain insisted on trading with Astra.”

“Truly, how can we repay this kindness...”

I pretended to be shy, stroking my cheek.

How can you repay this kindness?

There are ways to repay it.

‘Give me some white crystal at a lower price!’

And negotiate with my father.

Don’t forget my contribution today.

Thud.

Thud, thud.

It felt like a dull sound was coming from somewhere.

It was the sound of new hospitals being built in our province in the near future.

* * *

After Eryllot finally went to sleep, leaving the conference room,

Belain looked down at his son in his arms.

He should have sent Abino back to his room to sleep, but he couldn't let go.

Abino, covered with Belain's jacket, was sound asleep.

Seeing his young face, still with baby fat, made Belain feel like tears were about to spill.

He had already failed to protect his son once.

‘Because of this incompetent father...’

He almost lost him again.

If Eryllot hadn't stepped in to catch the kidnapper, where would Abino have gone?

If Eryllot hadn't noticed Abino taking hypnotics, would Abino have grown up healthy?

Thinking of Abino, who had been lying on the floor and in Eryllot's arms, made Belain's heart sink to the bottom.

It must have been more painful than a heart attack.

“...Abino.”

Belain called his son's name with a moist voice.

Everyone held their breath, empathizing with the father who almost lost his son.

But there's always one clueless person in such situations.

That was Balderic.

Joffrey's father.

While everyone was waiting in silence, Balderic spoke up.

“Hehe. It's really fortunate that everything ended well. Now, let's discuss the white crystal, shall we?”

Zing!

People glared at Balderic in shock, but Belain, having composed himself, nodded.

“Agreed.”

With the prince leading, the people from Aligioza couldn't say anything.

The conference room transformed into a negotiation venue.

“Alright, then...”

Balderic was eager to close the deal, his eyes bloodshot.

After losing half of the province, including the prime territories, to Eryllot and suffering significant financial losses, Balderic's influence had been shrinking due to Daemon's land acquisitions.

He had to close this deal to gain credit.

Balderic's eyes gleamed with greed.

“We're not being greedy.”

Pretending to be skilled in negotiations and fluent in speech,

Balderic extended the introduction before getting to the point.

“If you can guarantee 700 white crystals, each over 10 carats, annually, we can offer a higher price than the market rate!”

“700?!”

The person from Aligioza showed reluctance.

“I believe we mentioned that even 500 is difficult...”

Earlier, the people from Aligioza had openly discussed over drinks that even 500 white crystals would be hard to supply.

700?

‘Can this work?’

‘If we push too hard, the deal might fall through...’

The other second-generation nobles, unable to scold Balderic, looked at the Duke of Astra with worried eyes.

The Duke of Astra, suppressing his anger, remained silent.

It was frustrating how they always turned to him in difficult situations.

Prince Belain, who had been silent, spoke up.

“...I have a better offer.”

“A better offer? Perhaps 800 white crystals?”

Balderic eagerly responded.

But Prince Belain, without looking at Balderic, spoke to the Duke of Astra.

And.

“Astra, become the distribution hub for white crystals on this continent.”

Belain's words left everyone, from Aligioza to Astra, speechless.

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

What?!

Silent exclamations filled the conference room.

Aligioza, responsible for 90% of the world's white crystal supply and capable of controlling the global market, was asking Astra to become the distribution hub for the continent?

This essentially meant an exclusive deal for all white crystals supplied to the continent.

“Prince! That’s...!”

“A bit more discussion...!”

“We haven’t even gone to the capital yet!”

The people from Aligioza were the most panicked.

While the people from Astra were stunned by the incredible offer, they wouldn't refuse such a profitable deal.

Bang!

Balderic slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

His face was dripping with greed, and his eyes were filled with the joy of success.

“Of course—!”

Balderic had a moment of euphoria.

He was the most active in the white crystal negotiations.

‘So, naturally, the credit should go to me...!’

But Belain's firm voice cut through his thoughts.

“On one condition.”

Belain looked at the Duke of Astra, then at Daemon.

The Duke of Astra was already smiling, as if he had anticipated this.

“The chief of this deal must be Daemon Astra.”