Chapter 75
“The head chef said he made these cashew nut cookies especially for you, since you haven’t been eating well lately. They’re supposed to be good for the brain.”
“They look delicious.”
Just looking at them made her mouth water.
“Go on, try one. They’re really good.”
“Have you tried them, Your Highness?”
“He made some for me too.”
Noah motioned with his eyes for her to eat quickly.
“The Duke told me not to come back until I’d seen you eat one. So hurry and eat.”
“Alright, I’ll eat it.”
Elia picked up a cashew nut cookie and put it in her mouth.
A rich nutty flavor mixed with sweetness spread throughout her mouth.
“It’s really delicious.”
“Good. I saw you eat, so I’ll be going.”
Noah coolly turned around.
Watching his back, Elia tilted her head.
“Wait… were His Highness’s shoulders always that broad?”
Not long ago, he seemed so skinny, but today Noah’s shoulders looked unusually wide.
“Am I imagining it?”
Come to think of it, Noah had just turned thirteen, and he had grown quite a bit taller. She wondered when he’d grown that much.
Time really did fly, Elia thought.
Compared to him, Elia was still short. The fact that she now had to look up at Noah somehow made her feel annoyed.
From beside her, Gaji clicked his tongue.
[Of all things to worry about. You’ll grow when it’s time.]
‘If I ate the Fruit of Life like Jirc, would I grow too?’
She had heard from Jirc himself how he had grown.
On the day Elia had introduced Austin and Jirc to the World Tree, Jirc had been given the Fruit of Life as a gift.
[You know that’s impossible.]
“Tch.”
The Fruit of Life wasn’t something that merely sped up growth. It was a fruit that granted the deepest wish of the person who ate it.
What Jirc had desired was to shed his childish appearance. That wish had been fulfilled through the fruit.
Duke Javier’s Office in Noblesse Town.
“Why is there still no news?”
The Duke of Javier paced around his office, then pulled a bell cord to summon his retainer, Viscount Paltzman.
“You called, my lord?”
“Nothing yet from Marquis Fiorn’s house?”
“No, nothing yet.”
“Strange, isn’t it? By now, it wouldn’t be odd if he came running to sell the mansion. Did you make sure to pressure him?”
“Yes. We used Young Master Dylan as leverage to threaten him. Since it concerns the well-being of his only heir, the Marquis has no choice but to comply. Let’s be patient a little longer. There’s still time left on the deadline.”
“How much time?”
“They asked for a week, and we granted five days. Today is the third day, so two days remain.”
“Very well. You may leave.”
After sending out Viscount Paltzman, the Duke of Javier stroked his beard and smirked.
“Two days… I can wait. I’ve waited years for this, what’s two more days?”
It was outrageous to begin with.
How could a family ranked below a ducal house occupy the best estate in Noblesse Town? Naturally, that place should belong to the Javier Ducal House, the leader of the Noble Council.
In the Adelhaite Empire, aside from the northern Cartellani Ducal House, Javier’s was the only ducal family.
He had always despised the Marquis of Fiorn for holding on to the prime estate under the excuse of his family’s long history.
Their political ideologies also clashed—while Duke Javier only cared about the interests of the nobility, Marquis Fiorn valued the happiness of the common people as well.
The Marquis even advocated cooperation with the Imperial Family, instead of confrontation.
The Duke, on the other hand, preferred deals that benefited him. Naturally, they often butted heads.
At first, he had no intention of scheming to seize the mansion, but Fiorn’s behavior had pushed him into taking action.
And in just two days, Marquis Fiorn would come crawling to him, begging on his knees to sell the estate.
Just imagining it made Duke Javier feel like a long-standing weight had finally been lifted from his chest.
Jasper handled the sale contract as Elia’s representative, since she couldn’t go up to the capital herself.
It just so happened Jasper was running the Beautiful Line shop in the capital, making her the perfect candidate.
“You really are the Cartellani Duke’s representative?”
Marquis Fiorn looked at Jasper with suspicion.
“Yes, I am. Here is the letter of attorney.”
The document bore the eagle crest of House Cartellani.
“Very well.”
The Marquis set down the papers and studied Jasper again, his doubt finally dispelled.
“Alright, let us sign.”
Jasper smiled faintly and signed the contract. The Marquis then signed the transfer agreement, and the two exchanged documents.
Jasper pulled out a check and handed it over.
It was for a staggering 150,000 gold.
The Marquis accepted it and tucked it into his wallet.
“I’ll vacate the mansion within two weeks.”
“Are you returning to your domain?”
“Yes. I’ve grown weary of politics.”
“I wish you happiness, my lord.”
“It’s an old and storied mansion. I hope you won’t change it too much.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Marquis.”
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Marquis Fiorn rose first and departed.
Only after seeing him off did Jasper and Lapis finally let out a sigh of relief.
“So, it’s done?” Jasper asked, handing the transfer deed to Lapis.
Lapis smiled gently. “Of course. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Take care.”
Jasper was busy.
The store was doing so well that without her, they were short-handed. At this rate, she thought she might hardly get to see her beloved at all.
Through someone Lapis had sent, Elia received the deed to the mansion.
Naturally, the very first thing she did was brag to Alexis.
“Duke, we finally have a home in the capital!”
“What?”
Elia spread the deed proudly before him.
“This is…”
Alexis widened his eyes as he read it.
“It says here this is the Fiorn family mansion. Elly, you really bought this?”
“Yes.”
“The Marquis of Fiorn sold his mansion…?”
Alexis knew Marquis Fiorn well.
As a member of the Noble Council, he was influential, and his family was one of the old noble houses like the Cartellanis.
Then he suddenly remembered the letter he had received from the Marquis a few days ago.
They had never had much contact, so Alexis had been surprised.
In the letter, the Marquis wrote that he was retiring from politics to manage his lands, and asked that if Alexis’s family acquired the mansion, they not erase all traces of his lineage.
After speaking with Lapis, Alexis understood the situation better.
The heir, the Marquis’s son, was the issue.
It was the desperate decision of parents willing to sell even their mansion to save their child.
“Duke, don’t you like it?”
“Hm?”
“You don’t seem very happy.”
Elia declared proudly, “I didn’t do anything shady! This was a legitimate deal!”
She believed wholeheartedly that Alexis would never think she had used underhanded means.
“I know, Elly. It was a fair deal. And thank you—for doing this for me and His Highness.”
“Duke…”
“I know how much effort you always put in. But I want you to do things that make you happy too.”
“I am happy! Helping you and His Highness is the greatest joy for me.”
Elia hugged Alexis around the waist.
“I’m very happy, Duke. So please don’t worry.”
“Alright, Elly. If you’re happy, that’s all that matters. Now, shall we go have lunch?”
“Oh, is it that late already?”
“It is.”
As it happened, she was hungry. Elia went to the dining hall with Alexis, and Noah soon joined them.
Noah was growing stronger by the day.
Every day, he trained with Austin to learn how to wield the Blessing of the Sun.
Swordsmanship was taught by Alexis, and the Sun’s Blessing by Austin. What greater fortune could there be?
A prince with a Sword Master and the Tower Master as his teachers.
If the world ever found out, it would be utter chaos.
