Chapter 19
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Chapter 19
"Five million...."
Dale murmured in astonishment.
"It's an advance payment. I made a prior contract with Rosanna's trading company to sell large quantities of herbs if I cultivate them in bulk."
I had requested herb distribution rights from Rosanna, who was known to grant any wish.
"However, that's quite a substantial sum for an advance payment."
Dale, who had been observing quietly, pointed out the practical concern.
It was an enormous amount to hand over without any guarantee of concrete results.
"Actually, I made another wager with Rosanna."
"You won."
Dale asked with a slight smile.
"Yes. I managed to extract 1.3 million Crowns from her."
In the end, I had received the full five million Crowns I'd originally asked for the necklace.
The wager with Rosanna concerned the future of Grunvalt and Kiddleland. I had given her a hint.
"Soon Grunvalt will become more prosperous than Kiddleland. Trust me and shift your allegiances to Grunvalt."
But Rosanna remained skeptical.
Even after I revealed the misdeeds Kiddleland had committed, she refused to believe Grunvalt could ever rise.
The wager was structured this way:
If my words proved false, I would sell the necklace for one million Crowns.
That was a reduction of 2.7 million Crowns—a sum substantial enough to pique her interest.
Conversely, if Rosanna was wrong, she would give me an additional 1.3 million Crowns. And so the winner was determined.
I gathered all the boxes into my infinitely expanding bag.
"I'm curious what you'll do with that money."
"Most of it will go toward purchasing herb seedlings. As for the rest, I'm not sure yet, but for now, where I'm heading is...."
As Dale and I exited the shop, I opened the door to the largest boutique on the street.
"I'm going to buy you some new clothes."
The moment Dale stepped inside, the shop assistants' heads swiveled toward him like meerkats.
"Welcome!"
A brightly smiling attendant emerged from within the bustling boutique to greet us.
She couldn't take her eyes off Dale. As expected, everyone reacts that way to a handsome face.
'But given Dale's nature, he must find this uncomfortable.'
I linked my arm through his and pulled him closer.
Blink, blink.
I signaled to Dale with a wink.
'I'm here, so don't worry.'
"...."
Dale understood my signal and nodded with a smile.
He glanced around before leaning against my arm with the expression of a frightened puppy.
"This place is unfamiliar to me, so it's rather intimidating. I'm grateful for your guidance."
* * *
'I ended up buying twenty outfits for Dale.'
I shook my head at my own extravagance while reviewing my household ledger.
It had been a day of earning much and spending much.
I turned away from Dale, who was sleeping soundly on the sofa.
'But someone as handsome as him deserves stylish clothes.'
Yes. This was an essential expense.
"It seems Dale was quite exhausted today."
I gazed at Dale sleeping with the most blissful expression in the world. Even in slumber, a smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.
Like someone lost in a pleasant dream.
'He seems to be sleeping well now.'
The Emperor and Dale shared a common trait: severe insomnia.
But lately, perhaps because he'd been returning so late, he seemed to fall asleep quickly once he lay down.
"Sophia mentioned wanting to visit our house. Would it be alright if we continued using separate rooms?"
Rumors in Grunvalt spread quickly, as expected.
Somehow, word had already spread throughout all of Grunvalt that Dale and I had swept through the Shopping District together.
Moreover, after helping the Lord recover, the territory's people had become even more interested in both Dale and me.
"If we use separate rooms, it might look odd. There's a limit to how much I can prevent villagers from visiting this house—what should I do?"
I tapped my pen absently.
But sharing a room with Dale was somewhat...
Somewhat...
Intriguing?
I glanced at Dale as he shifted in his sleep.
It was curious how he slightly furrowed his brow as if sensing my thoughts about him.
"Handsome men are dangerous. They captivate people."
Every time I look at Dale, I'm reminded of the power of beauty.
But Dale is my precious S-rank Mercenary, so I must protect him as well.
Besides, Dale is quite shy.
Even at the Boutique today, he simply followed behind me.
'Ah, at the Boutique.'
Now that I think about it, I discovered something unexpected about Dale today.
When being fitted for clothes, he naturally extended his arms as if knowing where measurements would be taken, and he showed no tension.
I expected him to startle at a stranger's touch, but his complexion didn't change in the slightest.
The sample clothes at the Boutique weren't purchased outright—they were custom-made, and I naturally understood that the process would take several days.
I also knew I'd need to visit the Boutique another couple of times for fittings.
'I seemed to know fabrics well too, but was I really that knowledgeable?'
My head tilted in confusion.
Earlier, Dale had appeared quite skilled, as though being attended to by others wasn't particularly awkward for him.
"That's strange. Why would that be?"
Was there something Dale hadn't told me?
Or could it possibly be....
My eyes widened in realization.
'A fallen noble?'
It was plausible.
"Yes. This sofa was made by the most renowned craftsman in this area."
I pressed down on the plush sofa with my hips.
For someone who lacked sensibility or had no interest in interior design, the space was remarkably clean and beautiful.
"Would it be alright to ask Dale about this?"
I gazed quietly at Dale, who lay sleeping with an angelic expression.
He seemed like a man burdened by his past.
There was the fact that he'd been a mercenary since childhood, and the way he lived alone in a house with a dressing room—all of it pointed to something deeper.
Dale was an enigmatic man in subtle ways.
"In any case, I'm holding Dale's bankbook."
Upon signing the cohabitation agreement, Dale had entrusted me with his bankbook.
So I wouldn't carelessly spend it on something strange, so he wouldn't flee midway through the contract, so I could have peace of mind.
He'd called it a form of identification.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Enya, Dale—who had been pretending to sleep with his eyes closed—quietly opened them and gazed at her.
Watching her small head sway felt like a dream, yet a bittersweet ache bloomed in one corner of his heart.
This unexpected time was stretching far longer than he'd ever anticipated.
"Compounding stress upon stress is manifesting as pain not just internally but externally on your body. It's having a severely detrimental effect. Please refrain from using the scroll for a while. Please."
Dale closed his eyes, feeling the fatigue that had grown noticeably worse.
* * *
Three weeks passed, and the herbs flourished magnificently.
I gazed upon the Herb Field, which I had cultivated with considerable care.
'Herbs thrive better in soil that's slightly dry.'
I thinned out the earthworms and watered the field.
"Enya!"
In the distance, I saw Sophia running toward me.
"Enya, Enya! Why are you so far away?"
Sophia arrived at my location, breathless and flushed.
Her face had grown noticeably brighter.
Over the past three weeks, the territorial dispute between Grunvalt and Kiddleland had been properly resolved.
Kiddleland had reverted to its former size, and all the mines had been returned to Grunvalt's ownership.
The enormous compensation extracted from Kiddleland provided ample funds for territorial restoration, and Grunvalt's soil had recovered considerably.
'I've severed the connection with House of Hexagon as well.'
Though I hadn't instigated it, The Emperor himself uncovered the connection between Kiddleland and House of Hexagon.
According to my sources, Marquis Kidland confessed that House of Hexagon had taught him the methods long ago, and the scandal spread to them as well.
As a result, Kiddleland had even kicked away its lifeline to Hexagon.
Sometimes I felt as though The Emperor knew exactly what I wanted.
'If we hadn't been bound by marriage, we might have made excellent partners.'
What a shame. What a pity.
"Enya, it's lunchtime! Grandfather asked me to bring you. Let's have lunch together. Come on!"
I followed Sophia into the castle.
After thoroughly stripping Kiddleland, Grunvalt's financial situation had improved dramatically.
Thanks to hiring about thirty servants from outside, Lord's Castle had been completely transformed into a respectable establishment, and with the moat and gates now maintained, it presented quite an impressive appearance.
Though the private army remained small, it was sufficient to garrison the mountain passes, and the townspeople could finally breathe easier.
"Please, sit, Enya."
"Welcome, Miss Enya."
The Lord laughed heartily, displaying his complete recovery.
"Just call me Enya—you needn't be so formal. Feel free to drop the honorifics."
"...."
For a moment, The Lord's face went pale. He gazed at me with an expression tinged with inexplicable betrayal.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... How could I possibly do such a thing...."
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