Chapter 39
“Eh! Kiki is also a candidate? Can anyone become one? But… what is this enormous number…?”
It seemed that in order to obtain a new key, it wasn’t enough to open just one person’s heart.
It was encouraging that Grandfather’s heart was beginning to open, but the number beside it was bothersome.
2/4 — it looked like the condition was to fill it four times.
‘What did I manage to fulfill twice to open Grandfather’s heart?’
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t figure out what the “twice” referred to.
Kiki climbed onto Liria’s lap and stretched out its paw.
“Coo-coo.”
The little creature spun in place as if showing affection, and Liria asked,
“What is it? Do you want jerky?”
“Peep-peep!”
“…….”
Liria pulled three pieces of jerky from her bag and gave them to Kiki.
Immediately, Kiki’s heart status changed in real-time: 48, 49, 50.
[The candidate’s heart is opening. (50/1000)]
“Oh? So jerky was the answer. Aha… the number increases if you give the other person what they want. Grandfather’s wishes were already fulfilled, so I can figure those out slowly. But I have no clue what Father wants.”
There wasn’t even a number.
It seemed his heart was still firmly locked.
“I need to figure out the cause first and turn his heart around.”
His Excellency plans to convene a family meeting at the end of the month. Please let us know whether you will attend so we can make arrangements.
“Of course I’ll attend.”
Osdel slammed the communicator shut after receiving the message from the Duke’s assistant, Buena.
“Damn it. A family meeting at this timing?”
He was in the middle of rerouting funds through the Roberc bank.
It looked like he’d have to pause the operation for a while.
What made it even more irritating was that as soon as Clasid’s consciousness, which had been missing until now, returned, his father immediately ordered the family meeting.
If the funds didn’t go through now, many things would start to get tangled.
“…How should we handle the funds that are being transferred?”
“Return everything for now. Restore it as if nothing happened!”
“…But the payment for experimental investments…”
“The experiments must continue. Absolutely!”
Osdel’s thin eyes narrowed even further.
“You know they always check the investment funds before moving forward.”
“…Who doesn’t know that? I meant to buy time, that’s all.”
He roughly swept back his hair and added,
“We’ll discuss that issue after the family meeting is over.”
The subordinate bowed and left.
Osdel quietly watched the mana stone box being transported through the gate.
“Tch… if I could just find a mana crystal vein, things would be so much easier.”
The experimental investment he was working on for mana stone development was a significant one.
A single magician could refine only twenty-four mana stones a day.
A massive diamond-shaped gate platform for the magical railway required thousands of mana stones per month.
However, naturally formed mana stones, which had accumulated the world’s mana over many years, had far higher purity and quality.
One was worth a hundred times a normal mana stone.
Honestly, they were priceless.
The amount of mana contained ranged from tens to hundreds of times more than ordinary mana stones.
If the experiment succeeded… not only would he secure huge funds, but all other matters would proceed smoothly.
Then his father would have no choice but to acknowledge his abilities.
He would construct research labs everywhere and eventually ascend to head of the Roberc family.
And if he managed to awaken the Eternal in his grasp…
‘Then I could control not just the Robercs, but this entire nation, couldn’t I?’
Osdel suddenly remembered the blue eyes of a certain boy and licked his lips greedily.
“…That was definitely a trace of the Eternal.”
He had an almost premonitory feeling of immense power.
The strongest power in existence.
Magic would be nothing compared to it.
If he could wield such strength beneath his feet, just imagining it gave him a thrill.
He could achieve even more than Duke Roberc himself.
Little did his father know that his eldest son harbored such dark ambitions.
Paah!
Using shadow magic, Osdel instantly teleported to his townhouse in the capital.
He opened the double doors of the vacant lord’s office.
An owl perched on his staff.
The lord’s chair, adorned with the Roberc family crest, could be occupied only by the family head.
Without hesitation, Osdel sat in it.
He felt as if he could dominate the world at any moment.
A satisfied smile spread across his lips.
“As soon as I return, I should go see it again.”
At that moment, his communicator lit up again.
Osdel, I heard a family meeting is being held. Would you visit my territory? The profits here have been quite substantial, and I’d like to treat you properly. Also, our children are interested in that mysterious research.
The sultry voice belonged to Viscount Jade.
A moment later, Natasha’s voice, pestering him, followed.
Dad, stop beating around the bush! I’m supporting the research too.
Osdel’s eyes flickered subtly.
“Of course I’ll visit Viscount Jade. Your contribution is significant. If we’re plotting something together, your children should benefit as well.”
In order to successfully awaken the Eternal in the future, Osdel had been researching dark magic on ordinary children for some time.
By imprinting the seal of dark magic, ordinary children experienced bursts of painful emotions, manifesting new magic. The process resembled the awakening of the Eternal.
However, magic artificially manifested through dark rituals was an illusion—it was false.
Even so, the effect was enough to captivate observers.
Viscount Jade, seeing the tremendous results firsthand, not only provided financial support but also offered test subjects. A truly valuable ally.
Noah’s daily life was simple.
He would wake up, climb into the deep mountains to chop wood, and eat the leftovers Humbltin had left for breakfast.
Then came chores and miscellaneous tasks.
After finishing them, he would be hungry again, but no extra food was given.
Humbltin usually dealt with the rest of his meals at the tavern.
Once, Noah asked if he could take leftover food from the tavern because he was too hungry, but he was met with beatings and confinement.
After finishing his afternoon chores, there wasn’t much to do, so he would put on his blindfold and take a quiet walk.
Last autumn, he had found a small, worn wooden sword someone had discarded and occasionally practiced with it.
Although he had never formally trained, he had carefully watched Humbltin use a sword when hunting.
So from time to time, he would practice swinging the wooden sword and break a sweat.
Afterward, the boring and terrible daily life felt slightly more bearable.
Today, after finishing his chores, Noah went outside the mountain lodge and opened the door.
It seemed the days were getting longer; the sun was still bright.
The sun wouldn’t set for a while. Only after sunset would he have something to eat tomorrow morning.
His stomach rumbled.
Reflexively, Noah thought of the little basket for that creature.
But yesterday, the day before, and the day before that, the cookie basket had been empty.
Still, it was the only thing he relied on and hoped for.
He ran toward it in a flurry and stared hard at the basket under the shade of the trees.
Today, too, the basket seemed empty, which only made him feel annoyed.
“Tch, liar.”
Will it really come?
