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Episode 9
"Ahem, do take a look at that adorable little belly."
"How delightfully ‌‌‌plump and precious."
"I heard the Elders fiercely opposed and cornered that child during the last conference. Surely ‌‌‌that was too much, was it not?"
"To mistreat such a tiny Saint! Unforgivable!"
The words reaching my ears were absolutely sweet—deliciously sweet! ‌‌
The terrifying grandfathers I'd met at the last conference had vanished, replaced by men in their forties and fifties who now filled this space.
They were the practical presidents running each subsidiary of the Driblyane conglomerate—a true corporate dinosaur.
'In other words, every single one of them is a powerhouse outside these walls!'
Winning their favor meant my path ahead would be paved with gold.
"As you said, the Driblyane acquired that entire region outright. ‌‌‌Just a week ago it was still winter, so we purchased it at a bargain ‌‌price."
Wow, buying an entire neighborhood and calling it cheap.
Perhaps waiting for me to finish my honey milk, the Patriarch slowly opened his mouth. The moment he did, the surroundings fell silent as if by agreement.
"Now then, shall we plow that entire land and convert it into farmland?"
"I... beg your pardon?"
"Was it not originally a wheat production region? ‌‌Your meaning was that now spring has come, we should prepare the fields for plowing, yes?"
No, no, no! What are you saying right now?!
Flabbergasted, I lifted my head sharply, and the Patriarch's dark eyes gleamed with amusement. The attendants around him also seemed curious about how I would respond.
'Ah, I see.'
This is a test.
Realizing it a beat too late, I first wiped my chin, still moist from the milk. Then, thrusting out my ‌‌‌round belly, I wobbled ‌‌to my feet.
"How utterly adorable."
"Truly, this little one smells of milk."
"Have you ever seen something so small? This is my first time in all my years."
"Well, your family are ‌‌‌bears after all. The Grizzly Bear clan has no small-statured beastfolk!"
Before their various murmurs, I folded my front paws respectfully.
Had these attendants deliberately chatted for a moment to give me time to prepare my answer?
I took three deep breaths, then declared boldly.
"Put it up for auction ‌‌‌first, then sell it to the Imperial Family at ‌a premium price!" ‌‌
The evidence of spring—an event monumental enough to shake not only the Demon Empire but the Holy Empire as well.
Could you even imagine what Luxoria would be worth at this ‌‌moment?
Year 986, the Saint's seal. Now it was year 995. Nearly a decade of lost seasons had returned—and only in that ‌one place! ‌
'If we were to settle in Luxoria, it would become a privilege enjoyed by only a select few.' ‌‌‌
Yet converting it to farmland wouldn't save the entire Demon Empire.
Moreover, it was common knowledge that it would take considerable time to provide sufficient fertilizer to frozen earth and bring it to a state where crops could grow. A land of tremendous significance, but conversely, utterly impractical.
I looked up ‌‌‌‌at the Patriarch with the most trustworthy expression a Marten like me could muster.
"You must sell it at an extraordinarily high price—for an amount that will astound everyone and set a ‌record in auction history!"
That way, ‌‌‌more money ‌‌would fall to me.
I repeat: for villains, the Driblyane strictly maintain performance and reward systems. When we sell Luxoria, they'll definitely share the proceeds with me, won't they?
"And this information is truly precious and rare..."
"Do you have more interesting information?"
I nodded. ‌
The Patriarch's expression had transformed remarkably—from suspicion to intrigue, ‌from intrigue to amusement, and now to pure delight.
I observed this shift with keen interest and let out a soft laugh.
"Spring is coming soon. To the entire world."
Which meant Luxoria held value to the Imperial Family only now—as the first place where spring had returned.
"Then we must hurry and sell Luxoria before spring is spotted anywhere else in ‌‌the realm."
"Yes!"
"Those ‌‌‌Imperial Family fools will have quite the stomachache after ‌‌‌paying up!"
The Patriarch slammed the table and laughed heartily.
His retainers chuckled wickedly as well, and I, playing the part of a ‌‌‌‌future daughter-in-law of this villainous household, ‌‌smiled with villainous glee.
'Ah, but...'
Why do I get along so well with these villains?
Though I felt slightly unsettled, watching everyone around me laugh until tears streamed down ‌their faces ‌‌‌didn't feel ‌‌entirely unpleasant.
"If only that Emperor knew whose mind conceived this scheme!"
"Kahahaha, the mere thought brings such satisfaction!"
"Every year they extract from us through taxes, donations, border defense funds, and countless other pretexts."
"Consider this our rightful recompense. Kehehehe!"
Though it seemed they relished the thought of outwitting the Imperial Family more than the prospect of ‌recovering their massive investment—
'Well, good is good.'
Thus I continued ‌‌adapting to this villainous family.
Soon after, I gently ‌‌tugged at the Patriarch's sleeve, for I hadn't finished sharing all my ideas.
"Um, Patriarch... does the Driblyane Family perhaps have seeds and fertilizer?"
"You're suggesting we sell the seeds, fertilizer, and seedlings that the Driblyane Family has been researching, since spring will soon arrive everywhere?"
"Yes!"
"To seize the market first. Soon the entire realm will desperately need fertilizer."
How satisfying that he grasped it immediately. Experience truly cannot be overlooked.
In the original story, the Driblyane Family were military contractors, concentrating their workforce on research into firearms, explosives, and invisible surveillance golems.
'But the current Duchess—she is a spirit contractor. Specifically, one bound by contract to the spirit of earth.'
And the Duchess had long researched methods to cultivate crops indoors to save countless lives, developing ways for plants to grow robustly and deliciously with minimal nutrients, knowledge she had shared with the Imperial Family.
Thanks to this, the people of the Demon Empire suffered less hunger ‌‌‌compared to those in the Holy Empire.
'And because of that research, the seeds the Driblyane Family possesses are hardier than those of any other household.'
Planting them would allow crops to flourish even in barren lands, yielding a first harvest.
That harvest would carry meaning beyond mere sustenance.
'It would carry the meaning of hope.'
But how would everyone here receive this information?
'Surely they'd be cautious, ‌‌thinking it absurd to incorporate the Duchess's research into such calculations?'
As I pondered this, my round ears twitching, ‌‌‌‌I ultimately decided to betray Kyrakseruss, ‌‌who wasn't present.
"You ‌‌‌‌are quite capable. I won't ask where you obtained such information or how you devised its application."
"Well... half of it was what Kyrakseruss told me."
"Don't tell me this 'Kitty' you're referring to is Kyrakseruss?"
"...Yes."
The name Kyrakseruss was simply too difficult to pronounce. So I found an alternative that rolled off my tongue ‌more easily... and that was Kitty.
My apologies.
"Pfu, pfu hahahaha!"
"Did you just call the Patriarch a ‌‌‌kitten, sir?"
"Oh my, oh my, I'm dying!"
"Our precious little kitten Patriarch, kyahahaha!"
...At this rate, these gentlemen would think I was a comedian.
I let out a long, ‌‌‌‌weary sigh.
"Well then, in exchange for all this information, what does the little one desire?"
"A, a reward?"
"Yes. The Driblyane possess a greedy nature—we ‌‍‌‌must have what we desire. But conversely, we cannot simply take anything without earning it."
The Patriarch was now explaining the Driblyane to me.
'This means... he's accepting me!'
My heart suddenly raced.
It was anticipation of a kind of 'belonging'. ‌‌Until now, I had drifted alone, ‌‌‌never truly ‌‌‌‌belonging anywhere.
Now I would finally have... a place to call home. Officially.
"You determine the value of your own achievements. As such experiences ‌‌accumulate, you will eventually ‌‌‌be capable of guiding the family's internal affairs."
"Yes."
"So I ask again. What value do you place upon this accomplishment?"
I realized then that pretending to be weak, cute, or ignorant would be utterly pointless here.
These people ‌‌‌did not want such an 'child'.
'Right now, I am like a comet that fell unexpectedly from the sky.'
In any case, what the Patriarch and the retainers loyal to the Driblyane desired was singular.
A talent worthy ‌of becoming a daughter-in-law.
In this world's philosophy, one's nature does not change.
So even if I seemed suspicious, if I proved as useful as a dragon's offspring, these people would gladly discard their pre-arranged plans and claim me instead.
"...."
I turned to face the expectant expressions surrounding me. I could smell their faint hope. I resolved to meet that hope willingly.
"The Driblyane."
"What?"
The Patriarch raised an eyebrow and asked again, but I answered without ‌‌‌‌even blinking.
"I want to have the Driblyane. Because... because... it's the very best!"
My pronunciation, clearer than before, revealed just how ‌‌‌carefully I ‌‌‌‌was speaking. Then, before the atmosphere could turn strange, I added some ‌‌‌‌aegyo.
"I'm so pretty too, yes?"
But after puffing out my belly and saying all that, I became somewhat confused.
"But when ‌‌‌‌you pet my belly like this, I get rewards too, ‌‌‌‌‌right?"
Normally that would be the head, but as a beastkin—and specifically in this marten form—it was confusing.
Wasn't it customary to tickle a dog's belly when showing ‌‌affection...? Or was it not...?

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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