Chapter 53: What Are You Doing Not Coming In?

“W, what’s all this?”

Karan was freaked out seeing the paper Ian held out.

How could he not?

On the paper Ian held out, numerous purchase lists and plans were written.

That, too, cost a lot of money.

“Explosives, large harpoons… Do you even ask for the craftsmen as well? What the hell is this…”

“What do you mean? It is something that Young Master Karan has to buy for the upcoming envoy of the empire.”

“Buy… W, what are you going to treat the envoy just now?!”

Dragon meat?

A monster that even veteran hunters called dragon hunters couldn’t even catch well?

No, actually, there was one bigger problem before that.

“How about the test!”

“Ah. The grand scholar will send someone soon. Prepare the room. And please do some cleaning.”

“Your Highness! That’s not important now!”

Ian frowned slightly at the remark.

“Then what’s important?”

“Of course, it’s this Crystal Palace! You have to pay your servants first…”

Then Ian chuckled.

“It’s okay. Didn’t I tell you I had a great source of money? She said she offered me a good price.”

With those words, Ian glanced at Countess Aria.

Countess Aria was sipping tea and waiting for Ian’s words.

Thus, Karan was dumbfounded.

‘Was it true that she had a source of funds?’

Without a doubt, that woman was in the First Princess’s faction.

In other words, she was a nobleman who was determined to bring Ian down.

But she could solve Ian’s financial problem?

‘Don’t tell me that prince lied and threatened her.’

Ian’s skill of teasing others with an innocent-looking little boy’s face was not quite common.

And as if reading Karan’s expression, Ian frowned.

“I have no idea what you’re thinking, but do you know that you’re making a very rude face now?”

“Cough. Ah, no… But still, this amount…”

Karan clicked his tongue when he saw the estimated expenditure on the paper.

The amount was equivalent to a thousand gold coins.

But the countess accepted this crazy amount at once?

“Yes. All the loans are indefinite, interest-free, and without any conditions. How fortunate.”

“???”

What was worse, she even declared to ply Ian with money.

Hence, Karan was confused.

‘If this were possible for her, she might have enough financial resources to threaten Garcia.’

This was something his father didn’t expect. He had never heard of the Aria family possessing such wealth.

But instead of notifying his father, Karan looked at Ian anxiously.

Ian didn’t expect to be rejected by his father, and he was in a hurry to sort things out.

The prince must have given his trust to the noble who brought good conditions with his naive mind.

“The prince must still be not familiar with the nobles’ lies and forked tongues, but this is a trap. She is an enemy! You must not fall for it!”

Ian smiled instead of responding.

This was because he remembered what happened 10 minutes ago.

***

It was when Countess Reese Aria violently swung her dagger.

Sensitive to the name of the duke, she rushed toward Ian.

However.

Whirl—

“Kugh!”

Ian’s cloak wound around the dagger. Thanks to this, Countess Aria, or Reese, eventually collapsed with her hands tied. She clenched her teeth.

But regardless, Ian chuckled.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Why? You dare denounce me as a member of the family who had committed a crime worthy of extermination. Even if you are a prince, I cannot forgive you!” n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“The reaction is too extreme for that. Is there anything you feel guilty about?”

“That’s…!!”

“It is high treason to use the sword against the royal family. Am I mistaken?”

Reese gritted her teeth at the words.

It was inevitable.

‘Why the hell am I doing this? I’ve been strangely unable to control my emotions since before…!’

Ian was intrigued by the sight.

It was obvious that his was affecting her. No, to be precise, it was affecting another Seven Virtues in her body.

‘Come to think of it, I heard that was the leader of the Seven Virtues.’

It was practically the same as hearing that there was a leader-subordinate relationship within the Seven Virtues.

But it didn’t matter. Reese glared at Ian with a livid look.

“I can’t stand it if anyone tries to threaten me in reverse by calling me a traitor, even if it’s you, Seventh Prince… ugh!”

Ian, with his fingers locked, smiled lightly.

“I don’t do that. I told you I was Line’s lord.”

“Who the hell is Line?”

“It is said that Line is the only survivor of the Adria family, the son of the now perished duke.”

“…!”

Reese froze at the words that flowed from Ian’s mouth.

Shuddering, she seemed to doubt her ears.

“What… That’s nonsense!”

“You are free to believe however you want, but he is truly alive. He nearly died a while ago, but he survived with proper treatment.”

Reese’s eyes shook uncontrollably. It could never be true.

But she soon bit her lip tightly and collected her wavering mind.

“I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“Come to think of it, Line said something. He was going to build strength for his parents and his sister’s revenge. That’s why he is with Gerard’s mercenary corps.”

“Gerard?”

When Reese trembled at the name, Ian raised his lips as if he had been waiting.

She knew that name for sure.

“If you know Gerard, the story will be quick. He was obviously a mercenary associated with Duke Adria.”

“Huh… Who knows that name…”

Then Ian fished something out of his chest. It had always been something he carried around since that day.

And the moment he took it to Reese’s face.

Reese flinched.

Ian’s golden eyes curled.

“It’s something I got in return for their gratitude. Will this prove it?”

“…!”

What Ian showed her was a small potion bottle.

And that was none other than the potion bottle from Gerard. Of course, the important thing wasn’t the potion bottle but the insignia engraved on it.

A turtle with two snake heads.

Each head represented wisdom and knowledge, and it was the insignia of the Adria family they had promised to carry on forever.

“I can tell by your eyes that it’s not fake.”

But Reese chewed her lips fiercely.

“The prince could have killed him and got it.”

At those words, Ian stood up as if tired of it.

“Well, the truth is that Gerard was captured by me and begged for his life, then he told me about the duke’s son and offered me the potion.”

“!?”

“Would it make you feel better if I say that?”

Ian’s eyes staring at Reese were chilling.

“Well, it is up to you to believe, but the man you know, Gerard, must have been a disloyal man to do things such as selling off the son of those he served and even got his potion snatched from him.”

Ian rose from his seat as if she was no longer worth dealing with.

“You are free to go back. I don’t know what sort of guts the daughter of a fallen family has to think of standing next to the royal family.”

He beckoned his cloak, about to release Reese.

But then.

Clank.

Finally, the dagger that Reese was holding fell off.

And then a trembling voice flowed.

“My little brother… Is Royne really alive?”

It was a slightly damp voice.

Although there was still confusion in it, Ian smiled quite warmly when he heard the voice.

“I swear upon my . He is alive.”

And at that moment, began to react in Ian’s heart. It was as if it responded to the Seven Virtues that Reese had.

Then Reese, with her head lowered, chewed her lips, and tears trickled down quietly.

Although she believed in the royal family in front of her, she knew in her head that she should be suspicious and wary of everything. Yet, her heart didn’t seem able to do that.

Seeing that, Ian smiled softly.

“Help me and I will help you meet Line, or Royne.”

“…Is there a way for me to meet him?”

Ian grinned as if it was nonsense.

“It won’t be easy to find him. After being targeted by Garcia once, he said he would hide well. I’m the only one who can find him now.”

“Why?”

“Gerard and Line pledged their allegiance to me.”

P-pledge?

Reese looked perplexed, but regardless, Ian continued to insist on her.

“Anyway, can you help me? Of course, the money should be lent for free.”

Reese immediately burst into laughter as if it was dumbfounding.

Even in this situation, the prince threatening her was exasperated for money. But that didn’t matter.

‘If my brother is really alive…’

Reese’s eyes changed.

***

And back to the present.

Karan, who was not aware of such a fact, stopped Ian.

“Are you listening? This is a trap. You should never trust that countess. It must be a trick of the First Princess.”

But Ian only smiled instead of answering.

If he dug a trap, he would rather be the one to dig it himself.

“All right, Third Master Karan will do as written. Shouldn’t we feed the hyenas who dare aim for the Crystal Palace?”

“No, I get it. But even so, a thousand gold coins wouldn’t be an amount you could get right now…”

Karan glanced at Reese and shut his mouth. Even that amount was enough to make Garcia’s third son flinch.

But Ian smiled at Reese Aria.

Because he had already heard about the source of her confidence.

‘The Aria family is a secret family created in preparation for the destruction of the Adria of Intellect.’

All the goods, knowledge, materials, and manpower hidden by Adria, the family responsible for the founding of Aria, were gathered. It might be less than Garcia’s financial resources, but as one of the kingdom’s only three dukes, an enormous amount of wealth was slumbering.

And perhaps after the dukedom’s fall, she developed her merchant group on her own.

At the same time, Reese, who had decided to trust Ian, said.

“Don’t worry about money. You just have to focus on the test.”

Ian smiled contentedly.

***

A few weeks had passed since Ian and Countess Aria Reese met.

And finally, the day of the final inspection, not long before the test.

The brothers and nobles, who came to take away Crystal Palace on the pretext of helping Ian, could not hide their confusion.

It was only natural.

“How in the world did this happen? Wasn’t this the Crystal Palace?”

“It doesn’t make sense. In a few days…”

Crystal Palace.

As a matter of fact, Crystal Palace had only grand symbolism but no owner for a long time.

Even if they snuck in spies, Ian wouldn’t notice at all. The embodiment of a shabby and desolate place that required a lot of labor work. It might be a tradition, but in fact, the reception of the envoys was also scheduled to take place elsewhere.

In the first place, it was impossible for Ian to prepare the banquet at Crystal Palace.

However.

“Isn’t that a greenhouse?”

“This was a place that didn’t even have a proper flower garden…!”

“There were reports that a lot of carts visited the Crystal Palace these days. Surely it was just built during that time, wasn’t it?”

The Crystal Palace was completely different.

In a flower garden full of beautiful flowers, the armor of the soldiers blocking them was truly top-notch.

Some high-ranking aristocrats could guess that it was the work of a master craftsman.

That wasn’t all. They couldn’t see the Crystal Palace much because it wasn’t open yet due to the preparation.

“D, did the royal family have servants dressed like that?”

The direct servants of the Crystal Palace differed in the quality of their attire.

“Didn’t the quality of the servants’ uniforms change?”

“Look at the design. It looks like Madame Arize’s work, doesn’t it?”

“Is it possible? How many reservations for Madame Arize have been pushed back? It has already been half a year since I made a reservation.”

If that’s all there was to it, it didn’t make sense.

“Why does the meat go that way? Is it for the servants’ meal?”

“Are you kidding me? What kind of crazy nobleman feeds his servants with meat? It is problematic and cannot be…”

“However, if not…”

The faces of the servants, who were neither motivated nor energetic, were fair and plump. It was like they had meat for three meals a day.

In fact, when plenty of meat entered the palace too much for Ian to eat alone, not only the nobles but also the servants of other palaces were astir.

Shocked to discover the information, one of the servants gave them a slight hint.

“This is His Highness’ new policy.”

“New policy?”

“He said he would treat those who worked hard.”

Not only a meat diet but also a generous salary and guaranteed day off.

It was said that vacation expenses were paid separately when on vacation. Unknowingly, it caused a commotion among the royal servants that they would move to the Crystal Palace.

At that moment, the faces of other nobles hardened.

‘What? Why didn’t those spies say anything about this…!’

Did they fall into Ian’s hands?

It was then.

The nobles, who came to watch Ian suffer and see the First Princess and other brothers take over and acquire the Crystal Palace, gnashed their teeth.

‘Where on earth did he get all that money from?’

In fact, they laughed when they heard that Ian was preparing to hunt a dragon.

It seemed that he could not protect Crystal Palace due to financial pressure, so he was trying to get points somewhere else.

Therefore, they told the First Princess not to worry and to prepare for the reception of the envoy as the owner of Crystal Palace.

‘Is it the Garcia family? But they definitely didn’t make a move…’

‘It can’t be. No matter how you look at it, this must be Garcia…!’

‘Right, we have to fail him because he didn’t satisfy the test condition of not getting help from his guardian.’

But they gulped nervously when they saw Duke Garcia standing among them. Looking at Duke Garcia’s angry expression, somehow it didn’t seem like it was his doing.

And it was then.

“Oh, are you here to check before the test? It is shabby, but you are welcome.”

“!!”

Ian showed up at the opened Crystal Palace.

He looked at the surprised nobles and his brothers, then said with a smile.

“Have you seen enough? What are you doing not coming in?”