Chapter 62
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Episode 62
"...No, but even so, giving away a diamond mine seems like such a waste."
Until that moment, Haem had maintained the pretense of a dutiful adjutant, but the instant he climbed into the carriage, his lips jutted out in protest.
Lucas, who had glanced at Haem, raised his eyebrows as if to ask what the matter was.
"Well, sir, if a mere servant like myself may be so bold as to voice an objection to your decision! No, setting everything else aside, why specifically the Brueha Mine? Why not simply give him a gold mine instead, sir?"
"A waste?"
"Yes! Such a terrible waste. I mean, if you told Grace that you gave it to her as a wedding gift, I wouldn't think it wasteful at all, would I? But giving it to Marquess Capren Oellin seems far too generous. Yes, that's right. It does. Yes."
Haem unleashed his complaints in rapid-fire succession.
Of course, Lucas didn't own just that one mine.
The hidden assets he'd accumulated through various channels were too numerous to count on both hands.
There were likely considerable fortunes that even Haem didn't know about.
But no matter how wealthy one was, extravagance still stung.
And for Haem, who had personally investigated Capren Oellin's background, the loss felt particularly acute.
'People truly aren't what they appear to be.'
The men of Oellin House.
The deeper Haem dug into the Marquess and Norman Oellin's pasts, the more petty and sordid their deeds became.
There were numerous instances of Grace being neglected and abused since childhood, and a considerable number of female servants had left that household permanently maimed.
Zeronum was notorious for its deeply patriarchal culture.
Though the younger nobility's attitudes and behaviors had begun shifting in recent times, the old aristocrats still regarded women as mere tools or slaves.
Capren Oellin was one such nobleman.
Though he felt apologetic toward Grace, Haem despised both Capren Oellin and Norman Oellin.
It was Norman Oellin who had struck Julie across the face back then.
The man was utterly contemptible.
"Well, it is rather excessive, I suppose."
"Then shouldn't you reclaim it now? Just say the word, sir, and I'll retrieve it for you. I may earn a reputation for being petty, but what does it matter? I'll bear the criticism myself, sir...!"
"Never mind. Leave it."
Lucas chuckled softly and shook his head.
"If you're concerned, wouldn't it be better to exchange it for a different mine? The gold mine in Roxan would be suitable, wouldn't it? No, this is madness. Even if that Marquess had a conscience, he shouldn't so readily accept a diamond mine no matter what!"
Of course, Haem harbored no such illusions about the man, but he voiced his objection with a faint glimmer of hope.
Lucas, observing Haem's desperate attempts to dissuade him, simply shook his head in refusal.
Faced with Lucas's apparent unwillingness to listen to reason, Haem's expression grew sorrowful.
But why? Exactly why, sir?
Had his inner thoughts slipped past his lips? After staring out the window for some time, Lucas finally offered an explanation.
"How long does it take to reach Brueha from here?"
"...Pardon?"
"How long does it take to travel from the Capital to Brueha?"
Of course, Lucas could reduce that distance through his teleportation gates, but others could not.
Haem provided the standard travel time.
"It takes approximately a month and a half just to get there. For a round trip, we typically allow about three and a half months, but...."
"That's right. Quite far indeed. The path is treacherous as well."
"But, sir...?"
"Diamonds have issues with Roxan, so the owner must manage them personally. Given their high value, management requires particular diligence. If there were trustworthy subordinates, that would be ideal, but if not... well, one must do it oneself."
"Indeed, it does seem..."
Currently, the one guarding the Brueha Mine was Knight Odian.
He was a man who had been saved from death twice by the Previous Duke Black and had sworn lifelong loyalty.
Particularly upright and frugal in character, the Previous Duke Black held him in great affection.
'If that's the case, I could overlook it even if he pilfered a few diamonds along the way.'
For this reason, the Previous Duke Black had entrusted Knight Odian with the management of five mines.
But would Marquess Capren Oellin possess such a loyal retainer? The answer was, of course, no.
"The Marquess will likely visit Brueha frequently. Always fretting over any possibility of missing quantities, he'll be perpetually anxious. That means Grace will have at least a year free from worrying about her father."
"Pardon? Merely for such a reason... you granted him the diamond mines?"
"That's not all of it, but it is quite the decisive factor."
"My goodness..."
This man, so blinded by love.
Haem gazed at his master with a mixture of awe and astonishment.
Seeing that nonchalant expression, I could discern how vastly our ambitions differed.
'...Well, if that's what he intends, what can I do about it?'
There was nothing to be done. Even knowing this, the regret remained.
"Your expression is rather poor."
"...No, sir. No, Your Grace. I've decided not to dwell on it anymore."
Lucas Black, who had been chuckling, turned to Haem with a question.
"Do you know how long that mine has been in operation?"
"Brueha? That would be approximately... 82 years ago, sir?"
"Good thing. Sometimes I see him being so recklessly careless that I wonder if I should cut him loose... but well, generally speaking, he does seem quite intelligent."
Haem looked at Lucas Black with a somewhat aggrieved expression.
His eyes held a sense of injustice.
Lucas Black, laughing heartily, ruffled Haem's hair with his large hand.
"Last year's extraction from Brueha decreased by approximately 30% compared to the year before. And according to last month's report, this year shows roughly a 35% decrease compared to last year."
"Ah...?"
"That place is already finished. At most, two years. The minerals will be depleted within two years. It was a mine destined to run dry anyway. That's precisely the kind of thing you shouldn't lament over—you should simply sell it off appropriately."
"Ah... ah! Wow! I, I see!"
Haem, who had been momentarily dazed, immediately began clapping like a seal.
'As expected, our Grace! Bravo!'
Buoyed by Haem's enthusiastic support, Lucas Black tilted his chin up with pride.
* * *
At that very moment.
Grace had come to the Estate of Countess Gestash, Selena's longtime friend, at Selena's request.
They followed a servant across the Garden where the tea party was being held, moving at a leisurely pace.
True to Countess Gestash's reputation for gardening as a hobby, the grounds were adorned with flora far more vibrant and beautiful than any other Estate's.
Grace found her gaze drawn irresistibly to the lush greenery that passed before her.
'My goodness, are those really tropical plants?'
Inside the glass Greenhouse, she glimpsed plants she had only ever seen in books.
Without thinking, Grace slowed her pace as she passed by.
Yearning to observe them in greater detail, her head turned back of its own accord.
"I hear you're fond of plants—you truly can't tear your eyes away."
"Oh, I apologize. I've been rather inattentive, haven't I? They're simply so fascinating."
"No, not at all. I actually felt bad for dragging you here so abruptly, so I'm simply delighted to show you something you love."
Watching Selena speak with such warmth, Grace's heart stirred strangely.
'If I had a mother... would I feel this way now?'
Perhaps it was because she had seen her mother in a dream last night.
Selena's smile overlapped with her mother's.
Though the two women bore no resemblance whatsoever, somehow Grace saw Elenoa in Selena.
'It must be because I miss her.'
Grace quickly composed herself and smiled serenely.
Simply receiving the incense burner from Selena filled her with apology and gratitude.
How could she possibly refuse such a small request—accompanying her to a friend's tea party?
"Not at all. Rather, I worry that I'm not an interesting enough companion for you."
"Not interesting? You? I find spending time with you incredibly enjoyable."
"I'm simply grateful to hear you say so."
Selena smiled brightly.
In that smile, Lucas appeared for a moment.
Though they didn't seem alike, their expressions were similar when they smiled.
"Did you have pleasant dreams last night?"
"Yes... I had a good dream. My late mother appeared in it."
"How remarkable. It truly does show you those you miss most."
As Selena murmured this, a flicker of longing crossed her face.
There was someone she missed deeply.
A beloved person she wished to see, even in dreams.
If she possessed the ability to turn back time, she would sacrifice everything to bring them back to life.
"..."
Grace quietly read an indescribable ache in Selena's profile as she walked, still smiling.
It was something that could not be expressed in words.
"Um... since I've already seen the one I missed, perhaps you should take the incense burner back?"
"Oh! No. That's yours, Grace. It only came into my hands through an improper route, but the true owner of that object is you. Don't think twice about it—hold it close."
At last, I could see the tea party in full swing.
"And... I promised Roxanne that I'd stand steadfastly by her side. That alone is enough for me."
Selena gestured toward the bustling gathering with a subtle tilt of her chin, then whispered in a voice only Grace could hear.
"Please protect me in that jungle, Grace. Don't let me be devoured... understood?"
With a playful wink, Selena turned back and waved toward the radiant red-haired woman smiling brightly at her.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org