Chapter 69
Not long after the announcement of the contest had been posted, Count Vitora was in quite a foul mood.
“Damn it… it seems the world has no intention of siding with me.”
Unlike others who dismissed it, he was genuinely serious about the mercenary business.
He had gone to bed with dreams and hopes of seeing success in a new pioneering venture while others were chasing gold or magical stones.
And yet, as soon as morning arrived, news came that there would be a contest related to the mercenary business?
He swallowed a sad feeling as he thought of his ailing predecessor, the late count.
〈I want to see our family succeed in business again before I die.〉
The former count was someone one might call “sick with business.” His passion for business was immense, and his results were not bad either.
But things didn’t always go smoothly. Small failures accumulated, and the trust he had in the industry hit rock bottom.
Though his love for business was greater than anyone else’s, no one would invest in him or collaborate with him, and eventually, he fell ill in heart and spirit.
Still, lying on his sickbed, he yearned to reclaim the family’s honor as skilled businesspeople.
“So, this must be the business the duke’s estate is pushing. Too bad.”
No matter how much he wanted to prepare, the one-week time limit was an unavoidable obstacle, and he certainly didn’t have the wealth to fund a new idea.
“Our family will be forever detached from business. I’d have no face to show my father.”
After all, he wasn’t naturally talented in business, so perhaps this outcome was inevitable.
‘I should have just kept playing the alchemist and not inherited the family…’
He tried to shake off the sadness, ignoring the summons from his retainers, and intended to drink his afternoon wine in peace.
Just then, someone came to see him.
More precisely, a small white sparrow arrived at his quarters and tapped at the window.
The little bird, cute as it was, glared at him as if to say, “Why are you opening the door so late?” before dropping a small piece of paper and disappearing.
Come to the main estate’s garden within 30 minutes.
Although the handwriting was clearly from a child, it had been written carefully.
‘What is this?’
He thought it might be a prank and decided to ignore it. But then the postscript caught his eye:
If you want to win the contest, you must come.
It seemed that someone who understood Count Vitora’s heart had anticipated his discouragement and sent this letter.
‘But if it’s a child…?’
The only child in the castle was Princess Flora.
‘Or maybe this is just someone pretending to be a child?’
Though suspicious that it might be a scheme by other retainers, he decided to follow the instructions, hoping for the best, and headed to the garden in the main estate.
There, standing before the garden, was a petite, pink-dressed princess who seemed utterly mismatched with Lucipher.
“Why are you so late?”
Grumbling that more than 30 minutes had passed, she looked every bit a child.
‘…What was I expecting to gain by coming here?’
He had no idea why he had allowed himself to be swayed by a child’s letter.
“Count, where are you going?”
As he tried to turn away without hesitation, Flora suddenly popped in front of him.
“If you came to see me, you have to talk to me.”
“I didn’t come to see you, Princess. I’m just passing through.”
He scolded himself for thinking he should have been using this time to come up with a good business plan.
‘Because I’m desperate, I let a child’s mischief sway me.’
From yesterday onwards, he had realized that the tiniest girl was perhaps the shrewdest among Lucipher.
As he was about to turn away again:
“Count, don’t you want to run a business?”
“…….”
An unexplainable chill froze him in place.
“I thought you’d know something, so I wanted to give you the qualification first. You can’t refuse now.”
Though her voice was childlike and cute, there was a strangely chilling tone to it.
Count Vitora swallowed hard and slowly turned around.
As he did, Flora, with her lovely face, smiled approvingly.
“Are you interested in the mercenary business, Count?”
“……Yes.”
“Why?”
“People treat mercenaries as insignificant, but without them, we couldn’t maintain the peace we have now. The fewer casualties, the more peaceful the world becomes. Isn’t that a worthwhile business goal?”
“Is that all?”
“……My father taught me that the most important principle in business is to take on challenges no one else dares.”
“Mm, I see. You’re such a dutiful son, listening to your father?”
He felt guilty as a once-unfilial son who had rejected his father’s request to inherit the business and pursued alchemy instead.
‘No, now that I’ve quit, am I considered dutiful?’
In such a pressing moment, why was he even thinking this?
“Since you’re dutiful, here, take this.”
“Huh?”
“Bend down and open your hand.”
Count Vitora thought to just comply and leave quickly.
So he did as Flora instructed, and then…
“Whoa, this is!”
“You know what it is?”
“It’s… a Shalia fruit, isn’t it?”
“Oh, how did you know?”
It was a fruit he had once seen in a mysterious plant encyclopedia when he made a living through alchemy.
It was a rare, expensive fruit he thought he’d never see again.
But why was it in the hands of such a small princess?
Flora tilted her head and smiled mischievously, despite her innocent-looking face.
“To run a business, you need capital, right?”
“……Yes.”
“And you don’t have that capital, right?”
“……I’m a count, you know. I have some funds to start a business!”
Flora shook her head gently, not at all intimidated.
“You don’t need to worry about pride. I asked Isaac to make this contest collaborative. So someone from Lucipher can help with your mercenary business. I’ll help you financially.”
“……Huh?”
Flora handed him a yellow pouch, about the size of an adult’s fist, hidden behind her back.
“Open it.”
Though concealed, he had an idea of what might be inside.
‘No way… could there really be more Shalia fruits in here…?’
When he peeked inside, it was indeed filled with the Shalia fruits he had just seen.
“If you want more, follow me.”
Flora grabbed his sleeve and led him into the garden.
Since what she had to say would be important, they needed to move somewhere as quiet as possible.
After walking a while, Flora stopped, and he asked urgently:
“……How did you acquire these?”
“They’re all mine. I found them. Daddy said I could keep them.”
“……Meaning?”
“That I’m this wealthy, so I can support you, Count.”
He had heard that Lucipher dealt with Shalia, but the information about the fruit had been strictly concealed—so this was a surprise.
‘The fruit is worth more than the tree itself. That means… this could earn a fortune.’
The count closed the pouch and, now tense, asked:
“W-What do you want from me?”
“My brain.”
“Excuse me?”
“You were an alchemist before, right?”
“How do you know that?”
“There are ways to know everything.”
Though she had investigated with Isaac’s help, Flora pretended otherwise.
“Do you even understand what an alchemist is?”
“I’m not stupid. I know they make interesting things. Why? Don’t I?”
Her answer was oddly accurate, and Vitora nodded awkwardly.
“Y-Yes.”
“Good.”
Flora’s smile changed from playful to genuinely pleased, her eyes sharp like a hunter who had found her prey, leaving the Count slightly bewildered.
‘How can such a cute child radiate this much confidence?’
It felt as if he were facing a duke or a young duke on a battlefield.
‘Even small, Lucipher is still Lucipher.’
As his suspicion hardened, Flora spoke again:
“Your praise yesterday left quite an impression.”
“Huh?”
“You complimented the mercenary business. Was that genuine?”
“It was genuine, but I don’t see how this relates to now.”
“Ugh, Count, you really have no sense, huh? By now, you should’ve realized.”
Flora flipped her luscious pink hair over her shoulder and lifted one side of her mouth in a sly grin.
“I’m the one who created this mercenary business.”
