CHAPTER 48……………………………………….
Back in my room, I sat there blankly for a long while.
The brief moment I spent with Grandfather lingered intensely.
“Don’t try to learn too much.”
He had clearly been talking about the Trencia Forest in the North.
The place where Ron went missing.
Grandfather looked as if he knew something.
Perhaps—just perhaps—it was even related to what happened that day.
“I should be careful.”
I couldn’t draw conclusions from just a few exchanged words.
But the energy flowing out of the forest had felt unusual.
If I went inside, I felt like I would understand what it was.
“But Grandfather is far too firm about this.”
Still, there was no way someone like me, who didn’t even know the local geography, could just wander in blindly.
I decided that once I returned to the duke’s estate, I would ask the duke in detail about this matter.
For now, I pushed the issue aside.
And I recalled what I had planned to do when I first came North.
“Whew, guess it’s time to buy some land.”
Chenler’s brows were deeply furrowed.
“Send me to the North.”
I’d lost count of how many times I’d heard that line already.
Maybe fifty times? No, probably over a hundred.
Chenler dropped the hand rubbing at his forehead down to his chin and spoke.
“You’ve been quietly training this whole time. Why are you suddenly making a fuss about going North?”
“I must go.”
Of course, the North also had a branch of D’vl. When needed, personnel were often exchanged between the North, South, and West.
But that always happened for a clear reason.
This situation was different.
This kid was insisting out of nowhere.
I even asked his master, Gurter, but he also said he had no idea why the boy was acting this way.
Chenler frowned.
“If you can’t give me a proper reason, I can’t send you.”
Through his deep ocean-blue hair, crimson eyes shone clearly.
“I’ll go to the northern branch and kill a Condes.”
“…!”
Chenler’s eyebrow shot up sharply.
Condes were high-ranked magical beasts.
Their bodies were the size of a house and unbelievably ferocious.
On top of that, they lived deep in remote forests, making them extremely difficult to find.
Yet countless hunters and mages sought them.
From their hide to their horns, even the core inside their bodies—not a single part was worthless.
“You’re going to kill a Condes? Pfft—hahaha!”
Chenler couldn’t hold back and burst into hearty laughter.
But Ron’s face didn’t change at all.
The small boy stood firm and spoke clearly.
“I will go North and kill one without fail. So please send me there.”
In truth, Ron didn’t really understand how formidable a Condes was.
He had simply asked his master how he could get to the North, and Gurter had replied that it would be impossible unless he brought back a Condes.
So Ron had answered accordingly.
After wiping the last of his laughter, Chenler spoke.
“Fine, then two. Bring back two Condes. If you swear to that, I’ll send you.”
“I will do exactly as you said.”
“…!”
Chenler stared at the boy—solemn, determined Ron.
Don’t tell me he actually planned to do it?
Chenler narrowed his eyes.
He had heard plenty of rumors about Ron. That he beat grown members without even blinking.
He’d only been training for a few months, yet his growth was astonishing.
Hah, must’ve been luck.
That was surely all it was.
No matter that the boy carried the blood of the Kereis family—there was no way he could really kill two Condes.
Thinking that, Chenler decided to send Swordmaster Gurter along, just in case Ron got hurt.
If Ron got lost in the forest or died to magical beasts, the support of House Kereis would vanish.
That could not be allowed.
Leaving Chenler’s room, Ron clenched his small fists tightly and quietly celebrated.
A small smile, hidden beneath his hair, tugged up at the corners of his lips.
His red eyes softened.
He could finally go North.
To the place where Ren was.
A few days later, the perfect opportunity came.
“I heard that Lord Veil hardly goes out except for hunting. But he’s planning to step out tomorrow afternoon for the first time in a long while.”
Britta, the maid who came North with me, said.
Bright and clever Britta had been showing her talents even here.
She had approached the older maids and servants warmly, earning their favor.
Thanks to that, she gathered plenty of information while going between the kitchen and hall.
Naturally, everything she learned reached my ears as well.
“Oh, perfect. Tomorrow’s the day.”
“Is this for another crazy magic lesson with Lord Kaouts?”
Britta gulped nervously.
Her reaction was so cute that I smiled softly.
“Yeah, probably. So you have to help me again, Britta.”
“Yes, my lady!”
As I watched energetic Britta, I reviewed my plan.
It was simple.
Using Kaouts’s magic, I would transform into “Ren” and visit a mine with massive gold deposits.
Then, as his representative, I would buy it for a cheap price.
Because the original story covered this event repeatedly, I remembered the mine’s name exactly.
The Us Mine, not far from the northern outskirts.
“Ah, my lady. The coachman said that Lord Veil will leave right after lunch tomorrow. He was checking every corner of the carriage.”
“Right after lunch? Good timing.”
Just then—whoosh!
With a powerful flap of wings, Kaouts entered through the terrace window with his crow.
“Wow! Lord Kaouts!”
Britta clapped excitedly even though she’d already seen him do this several times.
“Britta, you’re here too? Could you give us the room for a moment?”
At Kaouts’s words, Britta quickly slipped out.
“How did it go?”
“I found the owner of the mine, just like you asked.”
“Oh, great.”
“But… a problem came up.”
“A problem?”
Kaouts hesitated, drew in a small breath, then said:
“He refuses to sell the abandoned mine. Absolutely refuses.”
I paced around the room several times, thinking.
Why would the mine owner refuse to sell?
This wasn’t part of the plan.
In the original novel, the heroine Bianca had bought the mine easily for a bargain price.
So I assumed I would, too.
“Wait—how did she buy it again?”
The Us Mine.
A place full of gold.
And the heroine, Bianca.
The mine owner bowing deeply to her in gratitude…
“That’s it!”
The memories clicked into place.
In the original story, Bianca happened to save the mine owner, who had collapsed on the road.
They remained close afterward, and that was how the sale happened.
He sold the mine to repay her kindness.
“But that’s strange. Why would he give her an abandoned mine as repayment for saving his life?”
Normally, someone would offer something good to the person who saved their life.
A life is worth more than anything.
“Kaouts.”
“Yes, my lady?”
Kaouts, who had been preparing the magic powder for my disguise, turned toward me.
“Say someone saved your life when you were on the brink of death.”
“Oh my! You must be talking about Lady Marianne, right?”
“…Huh?”
“She practically saved my life when she rescued me from that gambling den garbage heap.”
“Hmmm.”
I waved my hand at his sparkling eyes.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m asking a serious question.”
Kaouts blinked and focused.
“Okay, listen. If someone saved your life when you were dying, wouldn’t you feel like giving them anything? What do you think?”
“Of course. I’d even strip off the clothes I’m wearing and hand them over.”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying.”
Most people would feel that way.
“If someone saves your life, you wouldn’t hesitate to give them your clothes, your jewels—anything.”
“My… jewels?”
At the mention of jewelry, Kaouts jumped in shock, his expression turning deadly serious.
“My lady. No matter what, I could never give away my precious jewels.”
“No, I mean—if someone saved your life—”
“No. Absolutely not. I’ll take them all with me to the grave.”
I nearly blurted out, They’re all fake, but decided against it.
Kaouts clutched the rings on all ten of his fingers protectively.
Fine, take them to the grave then.
Seeing my doubtful look, Kaouts added that he could maybe give up half.
And at that, I came to my conclusion.
The mine owner knew exactly how valuable that “abandoned” land truly was.
That was why he sold it to Bianca.
