Chapter 77: Chapter 79

Prophet. An unidentified presence that has recently heated up the Empire.

Baron Silicans also heard stories about the prophet but he couldn’t afford to care less about the prophet’s existence. He thought that even if the prophet existed, it would not prevent the disaster.

“Don’t tell me…”

The eyes of Baron Silicans were astounded.

Adelia’s eyes curled smoothly.

“Your guess is right.”

“No way…”

Baron Silicans sighed at the unexpected identity of the prophet.

“T, that’s… I can’t believe it.”

The baron buried his face in his hand as if to deny reality. Adelia did not panic. Baron Silicans’ reaction was perfectly normal. A poor man who has been swindled here and there by those who demand too much in exchange for salvation in the face of a crisis of his estate.

Adelia decided to take some time to relax. There was only one way for him anyway.

“You can’t believe it.”

“O, of course….”

“But how many options do you have now?”

Adelia used a cold voice to awaken the reality of barons. It’s a cruel thing to say to him, but she couldn’t keep showing a finite attitude. Adelia said in a voice full of sorrow.

“It’s only less than a month before the fourth disaster arrives.”

“…I know.”

“But what is the baron’s defense line?”

Adelia’s words may have touched Baron Silicans’ perversions, and his face was terribly distorted.

He answered in a chagrined voice.

“…nothing.”

“Yes, yes. Nothing.”

In the end, Baron Silicans showed tears. Seeing his tears of resentment made her feel uncomfortable.

“I guarantee you, if you hold my hand, the Silicans territory will be able to overcome the disaster successfully.”

Baron Silicans couldn’t help but agonize. Without any hesitation, her confident voice created a strange sense of trust. The Grand Duke is also quietly listening to the words of Viscount Yurpheon.

If he’s listening to this conversation, doesn’t it mean I can look forward to his help?

After much consideration, Baron Silicans decided.

“…Ok. I’m ashamed to say, but the only rope I can hold is yours.”

“You’ve done a good job.”

Adelia had a bright smile on her face. The baron asked in a tense voice.

“So, what do you want to get in return for helping me?”

“I…”

Just as Adelia opened her mouth, Baron Silicans quickly added.

“For your information, I cannot accept requests for more than half of our estate’s tax revenues from ships owned by our estate, or to hand over a part of the mountain range of the estate, or to pursue an arranged marriage with my daughter, who is not yet born”

Adelia let out a laugh.

Who would make such a ridiculous demand?

Oh, I see. The baron must have been asked by this ridiculous request all this time.

Adelia understood why he had become such a broken figure.

“Oh, and I, you can’t marry me.”

Adelia’s dumbfounded face was badly distorted. It was the same for Ivan.

You must have been offered a marriage.

Well, he wasn’t a bad-looking guy. Even though his whole body is covered with dust, you can occasionally catch a glimpse of his handsome appearance.

If I hadn’t gotten used to Ivan’s dazzling appearance, I might have been taken aback by his appearance.

Adelia smiled and said emphatically.

“You don’t worry about that because that’s never going to happen.”

“S, I’m sorry….”

Perhaps ashamed, Baron Silicans’ head fell endlessly.

“All I want from the baron is to talk.”

“To talk…?”

The baron’s eyes turned round at the unexpected price.

“Yes.”

“But I…”

Baron Silicans was not confident.

Talking. That was his least confident area.

Seeing through the baron’s worries, Adelia comforted him with a small smile.

“Don’t worry. There’s not much to talk about.”

“…Please tell me more about it.”

“You just have to spread a vivid review that you were helped by the prophet.”

At such an easy price, Baron Silicans’ corners of mouth soared high.

“Well, is that really enough?”

“Of course.”

“Well, then, please!”

Adelia smiled contentedly at Baron Silicans, who bowed his head.

“Well, can I now hear the explanation on how to prevent the disaster?” asked the baron cautiously.

Adelia glanced away and checked out the window. The night had deepened before she knew it.

“Of course, but I think we need to prepare. Both me and the baron.”

She could no longer tolerate the stench creeping over the table. As if the baron had also noticed this, he nodded with an awkward smile.

“Y, yes. I need to wash up, too.”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

“That’s… Can I borrow some money? I used up all the money I had on hand….”

The baron looked down as if he had no face.

“I’ll give you a room.”

“W, would that be, okay?”

“There’s a lot of room left. Darren.”

While waiting in front of the drawing room at Ivan’s call, Darren appeared in less than a second.

“Give Baron Silicans the detached house.”

“I’ll get it ready right away.”

Baron Silicans’ sparkling eyes turned to Ivan.

“Thank you very much, Your Grace!”

Ivan looked at the baron who bowed down and thanked him with strange eyes.

“First of all, wash up.”

***

A man’s fist-sized magic stone warmed the room.

It was a place where a fireplace should be in the Duchy, but in the system where there is no cold, the splendidly decorated Magic stone took over.

“I want to know how you plan to help the Silicans estate.”

Ivan whispered to Adelia, who was looking intently at the map. Adelia, who was focused on the map, finally raised her head.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Let me think about it. “

Ivan with a slight smile walked towards Adelia’s side. Adelia naturally shifted her body to the other side, making it easier for him to sit on the armrest.

“The terrain is quite important.”

“Yes. The beast that will show up in the fourth disaster is a ‘mermaid’. The coastline will be the contact point.”

“It will be a naval battle.”

Adelia nodded without saying a word.

“I cannot create ‘miracles’ by exploding divine power like Hestine. So, it would be faster to deal with the ‘core’ deep in the ocean than to deal with the mermaids one by one.”

Ivan nodded in agreement.

Mermaids, whose upper body consists of a human and lower body with a long fishtail, were beasts that lived in groups. They form a huge group to protect their core, which humans used to compare to pearls.

From a distance, the nucleus, which looks just like a huge, white marble but radiates a very mysterious and beautiful light when viewed up close.

Like a pearl.

But it wasn’t a pearl. It was the heart of the cluster of mermaids.

“The key is how to find the pearl.”

Ivan got to the point. No matter how much time you stop, you have to go into the water to find the core.

Naturally, humans cannot move freely in the water. If you were not lucky, you might have to search the vast ocean for a few days.

The longer the delay, the greater the burden.

In this case, it would be nice to have someone who knows more about mermaids… At that moment, a figure crossed Adelia’s mind.

“Your Highness, may I ask the scholars of the ivory tower who are staying in the Duchy for advice?”

Ivan pondered for a moment.

We’re going to study quietly in the east tower, so don’t worry.

Obviously, the sage of the ivory tower was faithfully keeping what he said.

Although the disciple of the sage wandered hard near the mountain range, the sage did not come out of the east tower.

Ivan was somehow reluctant about them. But that didn’t deny their need.

Ivan swallowed a deep sigh said, looking at Adelia, who was looking earnestly at him.

“With their knowledge, they may know the habits of mermaids.”

“Then…”

“I’ll tell them to prepare a communication tool.”

Adelia was delighted and clasped his hand.

“Thank you very much.”

Ivan felt better at the heartfelt thanks of Adelia. Furthermore, it was the first time she held his hand like this.

Ivan coughed for no reason and called in a servant waiting outside.

“Did you call me?”

“Prepare a communication tool.”

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

The servant ordered by Ivan left the room immediately. And soon he brought a big glass bead. Adelia was surprised to see the size of a communication sphere she had never seen before.

Was it really this big?

Adelia, who was momentarily surprised by the huge crystal ball, soon regained her composure.

Sure, as long as it works.

Soon, colorful smoke rose inside the transparent bead. The smoke that was spreading like a haze soon shone on a man.

“Spencer.”

– This voice is….

At Ivan’s voice, Spencer, who was buried in a pile of documents, appeared.

– Your Highness!

His voice calling Ivan was filled with resentment. It was as if he was crying out why he had left himself in this pile of papers and disappeared.

Adelia somehow understood his feelings.

You must be having a hard time with your work. When I return to the Duchy, I think I should bring a present for you who suffered.

“Spencer, go to the east tower and give the ivory tower scholars a message.”

– What? Why…?

“I have a question. Hurry up.”

– Sigh…Please wait a moment.

He hurried to the east tower with his coat tucked in.

And before long Adelia could see a familiar face over the communication tool.