Chapter 05

* * *

“Rion. Rion.“

Every day, I visited Rion’s room and knocked on his door.

Seeing his face wasn’t easy.

But the more difficult something was, the more determined people became to achieve it.

Just in case he failed to recognize me again, I’d gone all out today.

I tied a blue ribbon in my hair.

I even decorated my dress with ribbons everywhere.

“Young Miss… don’t you think you’re wearing a few too many ribbons today?”

“No.”

“I have to go this far if I want him to appreciate all my hard work.”

“I’m not sure what you mean… but won’t it overwhelm him?”

“Mmm… Then it’ll be even more memorable!”

Hadn’t people heard of shock therapy?

The more surprised someone was, the longer they remembered it.

That was exactly what I was aiming for.

I wanted Rion to remember me for a very, very long time.

Until he opened the door, I simply crouched outside and waited.

“Ah… my legs are falling asleep.”

“If only Rion would open the door…”

“…Go away.”

“But this is my house.”

“…That’s unfair.”

“I know.”

“I’m unfair.”

“But it’s unfair that you haven’t shown me your face for days either.”

I grumbled as I lightly kicked the door.

“Ow!”

“My leg cramped!”

“It would’ve been nice if Rion came out.”

For a moment, there was no response.

Then—

The door slowly opened.

Rion peeked his head out.

“…Ribbons.”

“Yep!”

“Ta-da!”

I spun around in a circle before flashing him a bright smile.

“What do you think?”

“Anyone can tell it’s me, right?”

“Pfft.”

Rion lowered his head and started laughing.

It worked.

It actually worked!

Covering my mouth, I patiently waited for him to speak.

“…You win.”

“Come in.”

The moment he said that, I happily grabbed his hand and shook it up and down.

It felt like we’d become just a little closer.

That alone made me incredibly happy.

Rion stared blankly at our joined hands.

Then…

His cheeks slowly turned red.

He’s embarrassed.

How cute.

* * *

“It seems you’ve been calling for me quite often lately.”

Lifting my chin proudly, I looked straight at Edgar.

If you cowered before a tiger…

You’d just get eaten.

The best approach with someone like him was to act shameless.

“You’ve grown.”

“Let’s skip the meaningless small talk.”

“…Very well.”

“Let’s get to the point.”

“How did you know?”

“About the parchment.”

“Is that what’s been bothering you?”

Edgar gave a slight nod.

He’d assumed I was just an ignorant child.

Now he seemed genuinely curious about how I knew so much about business.

Sure enough…

The parchment that had once covered his desk had been replaced by paper.

I’d expected him to ignore my advice.

What brought on this sudden change?

“It’s a secret.”

His hand stopped where it had been stroking his chin.

He stared directly at me.

“You’ve certainly grown bold.”

Of course my organs grew as I got older too.

I wanted to answer that.

Fortunately…

I valued my life enough to keep my mouth shut.

“I already told you.”

“I must have inherited your talent for this sort of thing.”

“…Inherited me?”

“Well…”

“Who else would I resemble?”

What kind of obvious question was that?

Children weren’t born by their mothers alone.

Edgar’s blood ran through my veins too.

Naturally, I’d resemble him in some ways.

Our crimson hair alone was almost identical.

So why did he look so surprised?

There was a faint trace of anger in Edgar’s gaze.

Apparently, he didn’t appreciate how insolent I was acting.

“If I tell you…”

“What will you give me in return?”

“You run an intelligence business.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the most basic rule.”

“Hah.”

“If you want information…”

“You have to pay the proper price.”

Crossing my arms, I met his gaze without flinching.

Even though cold sweat trickled down my back…

I couldn’t back down now.

“If that’s how you feel…”

“Perhaps you’d rather be thrown out.”

Again.

He shamelessly used our living arrangement against me.

In the end, I reluctantly took a small step back.

Still…

There really wasn’t anything more I could tell him.

“But that’s honestly all I know.”

“Dyria always says I’m smart.”

Ever since I was little, I’d spent my days buried in books.

Naturally, I’d learned quickly.

I’d memorized countless things.

I’d even learned to read foreign languages.

Honestly…

Maybe I really was a child prodigy.

“So…”

“You’re useful after all.”

Edgar’s empty blue eyes remained fixed on me.

He tapped the table a few times before finally asking,

“Fine.”

“What do you want?”

“I want you to stop the slave trade.”

“…I’ve indulged you too much.”

“Now you’ve started saying whatever comes to mind.”

Ah…

Maybe I pushed too far.

But of all his businesses…

That was the one that absolutely had to end.

Before Edgar grew angry, I hurried to justify myself.

“No one would have told you.”

“Very few people even know.”

“So how did you find out?”

His eyes swept across the maids and knights in the room.

Not wanting anyone else to get blamed, I answered immediately.

“Last time!”

“I saw documents on your desk.”

“The papers listing people’s personal information.”

“So…”

“You even read documents without permission.”

“I couldn’t exactly pretend not to see something that was right in front of me…”

My voice grew quieter and quieter.

Fidgeting with my fingers, I looked up at him.

His eyes narrowed sharply.

“I don’t make deals that lose me money.”

“T-Then…”

“I’ll tell you about an even better business.”

No matter what…

I had to make him abandon slavery.

In the future, the Emperor would enact sweeping reforms that abolished every noble slave market in the Empire.

If Father became caught up in that…

His hatred toward the Imperial Family would only deepen.

And that would only hasten my own death.

I didn’t know exactly why Edgar despised the Imperial Family so much.

But that didn’t excuse the terrible things he’d done.

So if there was something I could prevent…

Then I would.

“Let’s hear it.”

“Father.”

“Who would reveal all their cards before a contract is signed?”

“I’m not that foolish.”

“…Very well.”

“We’ll write a contract.”

Edgar pulled a document from one of his desk drawers and placed it on the table.

Only then did I smile in satisfaction.

Business required proper etiquette.

“Come over here.”

“We should negotiate as equals.”

“…What?”

The paper crumpled slightly beneath the force of his grip.

I swallowed nervously and gestured toward the chair across from me.

In other words—

Stop glaring at me and sit down so we can sign the contract.

* * *

“You’re really going to abandon it?”

“So what if I do?”

“The slave trade has always been our riskiest business.”

Edgar’s aide spoke with concern.

“The other nobles won’t like it.”

The Bellois family had dealt in dark businesses for generations.

He knew why.

Perhaps…

Aside from Edgar himself…

He was the only one in the family who knew the entire truth.

“You were already planning to abandon the parchment business.”

“But the slave trade?”

The aide, Herrington, wasn’t wrong.

Edgar had originally intended to sell off the parchment business after this year anyway.

He had already received reports that livestock across the southern regions were becoming increasingly sick.

As the head of an intelligence network…

There was no way he wouldn’t know.

Ever since the rainy season began, strange diseases had gradually spread among animals.

“You even signed a contract with her.”

“I honestly don’t understand what you’re thinking.”

“Look into it.”

“Her instincts seem unusually sharp.”

“If the Imperial Family discovered it first…”

“It would’ve become troublesome.”

The Imperial Family had been searching for any excuse to bring down House Bellois.

That wasn’t surprising.

On the surface, they operated an intelligence network.

In secret…

They handled every kind of dirty work imaginable.

Building strength to oppose the throne.

Buying the loyalty of nobles.

Accumulating enormous wealth.

“…Not yet.”

“Not yet.”

Edgar slowly clenched his fist.

Before he realized it…

Elle Natasia had grown into someone who resembled his late wife almost perfectly.

Her crimson hair and blue eyes resembled him…

But—

Perhaps it would’ve been better if I’d never looked at her.

For years…

He had tried to forget.

Ignoring Elle had been easier.

Keeping his distance had been better for both of them.

The reason Edgar hated the Imperial Family…

Was because of the death of his wife.

Celine Delisha.

She had died because of the Empress.

The tragedy had begun with the Emperor’s obsession with Celine’s older sister—

Defelloa.

Despite already having a destined companion, Defelloa had been assaulted by the Emperor and forced to become his mistress.

Unable to be with the one fate had chosen for her…

She remained trapped inside the palace, crying every single day.

Fearing her existence…

The Empress plotted to have her killed.

When Celine learned the truth…

She secretly tried to save her sister.

She never told Edgar.

To oppose the Imperial Family…

Was equivalent to treason.

It was a crime severe enough to destroy an entire noble house.

Celine understood that better than anyone.

Which was why…

She believed someone had to survive to protect the child she’d given birth to—

Elle.

So she acted alone.

She deliberately kept Edgar and House Bellois uninvolved.

The Emperor, guilty of his own crimes, chose to overlook the Empress’s actions.

To prevent the scandal from spreading…

The Bellois family received only a single punishment.

Exile to the frontier.

Nothing more.

After all…

Both Defelloa and Celine—the women at the center of everything—were already dead.

Once they were buried…

The truth could be buried with them.

How could you leave me behind… all alone?

Remembering Celine, Edgar leaned back in his chair.

Somehow…

He couldn’t help blaming everything on Elle.

That was why he’d never looked at her.

And until recently…

He’d believed he’d continue living that way forever.

“Are you all right, my lord?”

Seeing Edgar’s darkened expression, Herrington asked carefully.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Edgar slowly closed his eyes.

“Do it.”

“And…”

“I think it’s time we kept a closer eye on her.”

“My daughter has suddenly become… far too clever.”

There was something unsettling about the way Elle had changed.

He’d noticed hints of it before.

But as she grew older…

She seemed to become bolder with each passing day.