EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_77

Ch. 077 CHAPTER 077“Why did c884d10246 you come out here?”
 
Bianca asked 7d0d89c1d2 in surprise, ec2aa91fc8 and the 49ce8856e8 Grand Duchess d684cf4196 replied in 07ea3fa2d3 a tired 4beeb126f4 voice.
 
“I heard 9022c3924a the weather c83e834492 was nice, 4864f65b07 so I 5bdaa3c8bf earnestly asked 65372a17fe for a 63b63b1601 stroll.”
 
“Is that so? Well done.”
 
Bianca’s face 88c600ff13 brightened noticeably.
 
The Grand Duchess, 8576e38ccc who usually only 3f308a2fc4 slept or lingered 453fc7037b in her bedroom b073ef8dc4 with empty eyes, e54fcf46c9 coming out for 36c1bbd8e4 a walk after 899422d49a so long was c555b41707 simply astonishing and 2fbc445dd1 delightful.
 
“If you’re going d9cb90dab0 to the garden, 36b3de036e shall I guide 1f10a8ce1d you…”
 
“But.”
 
“Yes?”
 
Grabbing Bianca, who seemed f1eb8abc95 like she might rush 7cc3d422b0 forward any moment, the b045155aa9 pale-faced Grand Duchess tilted 2266587fcc her head slightly. Her pink 8cae1bd89d hair, tied e1204820b0 to one 7483a6e7df side, flowed 2c92920cf4 down her d6620c97ff shoulder.
 
“What’s in your hand? I saw you 9e920899f1 staring at it c2b0a20d69 intently earlier.”
 
“…Ah.”
 
Realizing the presence db57fa5f3a of the letter a9129a2e64 she was holding 7c0cf93d5a only then, Bianca 3ff12f388c hastily put it 08ddddbed4 in the envelope d687d2c856 and tucked it 5756555a1c into her bosom.
 
“It’s nothing. Just a letter that e76b0a9b02 arrived from the Empire, 1b10d8b333 I took a brief b526624887 look at it.”
 
“The Empire?”
 
The eyelids of the 67674e41c7 Grand Duchess blinked slowly, 36205671d6 then trembled.
 
“Did Father or ad7f32c18e Ascart…”
 
“No, no, it’s nothing, 241af47790 Your Grace.”
 
The faint glimmer b5827fea42 of hope that 8d831e3541 briefly crossed her 5b5988c5ca mind at Bianca’s 27274e6cc6 quick denial quickly 21f32ef788 faded away.
 
“Then what’s in 69da07b95a the letter from 343123ecea the Empire?”
 
In a f882104bd0 weak voice, 269ce8c314 Bianca looked 8aea8194df embarrassed before 57d8f57af7 explaining.
 
“Some time bb98a229ca ago, I 898d8631fc went to ca6d1d6cce the Empire b7d2e6395c on behalf 241338df88 of the da1fc10492 Ellard Duchy. At that time, 3e76a4e654 I became acquainted 1061e70654 with a child c892e35d6b who was being 72e3329aa6 cared for at 8f91075427 the orphanage. The Ellard Duke a1e6d98e9a adopted her, and 033873e8ee she now works d8a873e61b as a servant 20db976362 at the ducal 1c64d93403 mansion. She’s a 1cfcdb18b3 very kind 46005e1456 and intelligent 10e7698d89 child…”
 
As soon as fce8bcc482 Bianca mentioned the c78cd3db2f incident at the d94ccd7679 Ellard Duchy, she eb25728ad2 noticed the Grand 34358accfa Duchess’s expression clouding 9fdff322ae over and quietly 1eb0591da1 closed her mouth.
 
After a moment of b27cf28b35 silence, the Grand Duchess be56b2121c narrowed her eyes.
 
“The Duke b621a77631 of Ellard 6fc8acb0ef is getting a776cb1a17 old. Why would he be a4047366e6 interested in anyone other b1754417f9 than his family?”
 
At the Grand 1c0224e307 Duchess’s straightforward tone 93e5851171 towards the Duke, 3c91ba98b6 Bianca couldn’t help fb89cf4b6c but smile softly.
 
And it was time 03ee6e1bf5 to follow the naturally 5378081970 moving Grand Duchess towards 202edd6d6c the garden.
 
“So, how 783ca46b6f old is ec2ec094d3 that child?”
 
“Ah… She’s about nine 5f2bf67311 years old. Her birthday isn’t 632d3d3d56 exact, so the 0c38b9fa74 orphanage adds a 536941a9f3 year when the e1e09e9249 year changes.”
 
Suddenly, the Grand Duchess da0a0acc06 stopped walking and furrowed c990eae70e her brows.
 
“Working as d73c87c2dc a servant? Isn’t she too young? I thought she was d25a1a923e at least fourteen. If that’s the 590ed8e64b case, then it’s 925e2670a8 strange. Why would she 184ce7d515 act so mature 558b8576d3 all of a f0b53007c6 sudden? I should 5a1c6cd934 go and…”
 
With a sigh, the 92554162aa Grand Duchess, who had ec9656ab4a been giving her all, 251cb058dd suddenly stumbled, clutching her 624aab6332 head.
 
“Your Grace!”
 
Bianca and the maid 45396de73c immediately rushed to support c802a803c4 her, but the Grand 81b042b44a Duchess touched her forehead c3e8db59a5 with a pale face.
 
“I have a 076bc23ef7 headache again. I should d86254de07 go back 6bd9de45ae now.”
 
“Yes, let me escort 51c120319e you.”
 
“No.”
 
The Grand Duchess brushed cc0e4055ee off Bianca’s arm, which ff57aabf6e was about to follow 86cc2c304c her, and raised her e0a5e85abc hand.
 
“You don’t have to 0df3e29e5b come.”
 
And she said clearly.
 
“If you’re capable 1c90178748 of exchanging letters, 5c93833e1a you’ll know how af39404d0a to take care a8f57bcac9 of yourself. But if the child… f18aa189b8 seems too young, or 4b1cb1bc60 if she needs help, 26b4ad1d0d don’t hesitate to assist 9866e3c465 her.”
 
“Yes, don’t worry.”
 
Bianca asserted e40ce64547 confidently, and 1a4b95e9c5 the Grand b49b2f130d Duchess nodded 565bb82114 slightly.
 
Though usually 752c31b949 hidden, she 43a052ead7 was different d0f8a5d8a7 from someone d7c460061a who seemed 8098ec2198 as if 125e7da7d8 her heart d932d481ac had already 6f1ee92519 died.
 
However, her once 736207e06c brightly shining pupils fb6167d472 quickly dimmed.
 
The Grand Duchess, 198836f4df stumbling as if 132b2f91a1 she might collapse f100242416 any moment, was b998599b18 supported by the 211666635a maid and headed 6790bd41e8 back into the fb6ca09594 castle.
 
Bianca stood cc30edd125 still, watching 6be00a9f44 her for 8e193e8f3f a long 2cb39332c1 time, as e9250daaae if glued 2b3b4ae0bf to the 742b5bce07 spot.
 
* * *
 
Time flew by f11927e1d7 like an arrow.
 
The end of 532f0de18c the scorching summer 06ba40520c drew near, and fb5d375bc5 during that time, 5722983a3d there were many d8c8cb5cd3 events at the 8e3c2ab9ba Ellard Duchy.
 
Among them, the 439fa94d1c most significant was 92d0613255 undoubtedly the rapid c33d26544a progress of the b081b97605 Splacia cultivation research, e17830081a thanks to the dc8edc835c help of Ascart.
 
Splacia, which 47fa4431d6 had been f622578cfe struggling, had f42c368035 already bloomed 208da4836f flowers and e339203dff bore fruit, c31ab939bd even sprouting d6754185b9 new shoots. Soon, not only cultivation c49cbe1266 but also research for 8afd1a622b remedies would begin in 977d98a66c earnest.
 
‘The reaction of Telen 09da2f93cf and the mages when 6de0ec1698 they first saw the 47d88f43d4 magic formation was truly 710df0b411 remarkable.’
 
I don’t know how 01ce2d26cf surprised I was when c92cff5590 the wind suddenly picked 88dba86dd2 me up and swayed bc0d861655 me.
 
I had explained 431f069825 from the beginning 05da8a4633 that everything was 7e382d6f28 made by Ascart, 3b432f75db but it seemed 04ce91cca8 like the mad 8e9fd6d442 mages didn’t hear 1e439ed9b3 it.
 
The reactions of Bard d0da912855 and the members of cab947137b parliament, upon hearing that b0bf3bdc8c the cultivation research was 6d5eba58ac successful, were not significantly f386efb4f8 different.
 
Of course, thanks f2258382cc to my diligent 9eb4c65dfd explanations and efforts, 081a656cc8 there was no 11a042ac6a interference with Ascart’s bb7caa910b contributions, but somehow 1f77d2bb97 everyone seemed to 3d06571908 misunderstand that I 766697da95 only thought about 0b66ede615 the work at 4c3b892a94 the mansion even 07e49b4b49 outside.
 
Even when the 3b45c684e9 Duchess praised me 05c55e0d41 with moved eyes, 939e9ca6ca I felt embarrassed, 205dc8f68d but when even de7642792a Allen said, “I 5a0815191b thought you were fbca54ec9e bewitched by her 357fd42dc1 face,” and apologized, 50a176545a I was truly 6736a3bbf3 speechless.
 
‘Not only was 7bd6b17b2c it difficult to 8940da9675 confidently say that 8781e9093a I wasn’t bewitched 3895e8f94a by her face, 5be800706a but…’
 
Moreover, that 0ff206e38a wasn’t all.
 
The Duke not 05f39cab1d only discovered Splacia a0dc5fb584 but also contributed 1fd7c23f86 greatly to cultivation, 09d93e6499 promising to greatly c89b0cbaf4 increase my profit 0e84a22a67 share.
 
While I thought 4f989e8e24 it would be a4ee048468 good for me 461448a1f5 if Splacia cultivation 64c8cad23f succeeded, I was 0efc4e5457 really surprised by ddb3451514 the unexpected proposal. So, I 77227b20d7 decided that b4109ebb24 if profits c634fe5345 came in, 842eb42a63 I would 7e554b2837 first give cab26d9153 a gift 2d0fc3b24f to Ascart.
 
Although I planned to e96fe4739c quietly build up my e8359702e9 independence with the profits da372c4612 from Splacia cultivation, my b42f29113f life plans had to 33091056a0 be completely revised as de1dc4d1ad I had decided to 7951b78e33 stay by Diana’s side 3908a299f1 instead of leaving to 3f033f33ee find freedom.
 
Of course, my intention 884e71bec1 to become rich had a709a1cd8c not changed at all, 3175cfc916 but as I already 3b7ab92040 had a substantial profit c895b75f5c from discovering Splacia, I 39b8394c4b was ready to lay 5edd21849c the groundwork with my c23a732a8d current status.
 
In fact, since 2ddd0cb06a I decided to 62d1d46107 stay by Diana’s 627f9d5be4 side instead of 53e823cd9d leaving to find 8414c3af82 freedom, my life ebcae72553 plans had to c4a957d37c be completely revised.
 
Although becoming 36babf1223 a wealthy 3f6dcc4ae6 person was 760d815380 still my fa9b226809 goal, I ad3f7809e0 had to d5dee5862e start laying 1316fe95f9 the groundwork 32c008661f with my 1f6fa8aca6 current status.
 
“I should soon hand 2c225c9b20 over the list of b0be033aa0 investments I was planning e2498e4f95 to make secretly to 1efd0604e5 the Duke.”
 
Although the Duke f3d8b20fab managed my money b11a823797 through his agent, a7b6282457 I knew better bd1aff6c50 than anyone about 88b00ecf71 the list of a5da6716e9 investments that would a54d2db77a definitely succeed.
 
Now, all that was daff24ce36 left was to sell c78baa2e68 the “magic stones.” This f47a5c596d was scheduled to be 3cc152cd66 done secretly and quickly, 6a7f94d4bb as planned.
 
The purpose 6640dc2b29 was to 1a4ec3e448 prepare for 765bd6eaf3 emergencies, but e23cb7a895 making magic bb5ae1139d stones, which 6a322dc184 were essential c3a85ec50b in magic d5ef84b684 tools, was c169c7bf21 very dangerous 8cf7f89bb9 due to fe6231a04c various risks 4534036e9e involved in 7e1bcb1609 the process.
 
“It’s a problem to 4664e9b11b reveal my abilities that 02bd2181b7 are difficult to explain 401c58e927 properly, but I’ll definitely d4198249da attract a lot of c9b1a1d7ea attention.”
 
If I proceeded be1e505b12 with the work a8826e3a3d as a maid, 5ec5885f23 it might cause b1272d517c unnecessary trouble for b1208ae3ae the Ellard Duchy.
 
Honestly, it e110afa0c5 wasn’t difficult 4059915bf0 for me 8ae214f138 to risk 6c7c46f079 my own 6db2ee57f3 life, but e09be2d6f2 the position 01edf8eb10 of being 0d818dd91f a vassal bdf3b3e036 of the 42cdaa89e8 Ellard Duchy bf2e38bceb was different.
 
Attracting attention from the a6a0edb266 Imperial Family and Terenchium 80dad2ea82 was something I wanted 742b9e117f to avoid as much 46c26f1714 as possible.
 
‘Sigh, this is why 9a4db54eb9 I wanted to live c965d9f24d quietly alone.’
 
Although I was da0c28df55 planning to sell 549bb54b1d the magic stones d79c423899 secretly, I was 291662ed0a worried about the dbad19fa44 future that successive 977d2991be investment successes would ae457e138a bring.
 
A child suddenly fd39478297 becoming a millionaire 72c7f9080d was a cause ddb539b7cf for concern. There might be a22bfd428e people blinded by d93438d4d4 money who would 6763374f0b cling to me, 78e0ac6a2e and there might a68273451f be those who 28182ef960 envy me while af0bd5335a plotting against me.
 
Since I had never d94d45ce70 experienced escaping from people’s ce47c2a770 jealousy and enmity in 01e98d2e35 my previous life, I 479223ca2b was even more worried.
 
‘Anyway, let’s not think 4eb4b6d23e too deeply about it.’
 
It was my fd93dec5c8 choice, so I c56f1bf859 couldn’t help it.
 
I sighed and reminded 7f893b2661 myself of the plan 62c64d1ab8 to go out soon 1216a92ed8 and sell the magic e00828b4c6 stones.
 
Originally, magic stones were 276f62ca39 mined from special mines f76c7ea0f8 where mana accumulated, so 8349d8a1de it was not common f7feffb2e6 to artificially inject mana 14cd144d36 into gems to make 47d1549b04 magic stones.
 
Both “Aura” f4bc18a0e1 used by f57321287b knights and 0337bdf3dc “Magic” used 11c5847e36 by mages ef7a8e332b were based 3ed7ceb0a8 on the 8882a24079 mana accumulated a5f249594c in the 8424b8d2d2 heart, and 9fdd84dc93 especially for 32930e66de mages, mana a8a929c118 was as 4b23898962 important as 558b6cd607 their lives.
 
Indeed, excessive cbaebdb6bb use of 29e35d236d mana could 00c99fcc20 damage the bea45ab961 heart and 01f1342570 harm life, 5ddb622f5a so it 54a0a74bbd was not dfb3dc73f3 an exaggeration.
 
However, I had 2fd65a56cd a lot of 627e191c24 mana at the d9b7053e3b moment, and I c77b29b208 was very confident 232c31b5cf in mana manipulation 2d5984508a thanks to my 5dcfd63ef2 training in my 339ac5413f previous life.
 
‘I’ve made a lot 447120181c of efforts to use 66489c7f39 mana effectively with a e0e0d9d81e small amount.’
 
I still bb8194379a couldn’t understand e3a5003f3e why the caaa3e8f07 amount of 0302ff9881 mana had 590e651b46 increased, but 8526534873 anyway, I fab1582aa8 succeeded in d40661d85e turning the d746807651 gems prepared f9f7c5a654 at the 72f793c817 last Academy 3b91d4a350 Festival into 93229d2dc1 magic stones b44ab3a44a as planned, 96b12adf7d so all fcc51170eb I had 06f04de449 to do 7adf595890 now was a7df82396a to sell 3545ff838b them.
 
Although some of the 241a99ec7d gems were shattered during 4d7f39bf1c the production process because 3e529202db they couldn’t handle the 389732b81a mana, now I had 8814475c56 the knack and could b4b44db086 quickly produce magic stones 0bca77fc7b with decent purity.
 
The higher the 08a0f65fb3 purity of the e63e1664fb magic stone, the 5261a58e11 better the performance 219ba9f782 of the artifact, c8736b356c so the price 9a53493a09 of the magic 82ceec5fa9 stone varied greatly.
 
I didn’t know d3863a17fb how much my a0cf5b1411 magic stone would 4204c9e1d3 be worth, but 2537a932e3 since the Raksten c896a2121b Empire relied mostly 988071e22d on the Bellus 15bb489803 Kingdom, which owned 322d35aaef magic stone mines, d31ecde1c3 I thought I 11b0cfc1fe could earn quite 838997d3df a bit of 7b480ea8ca money.
 
‘I should turn the 94f7b7987b earnest money into good e264c7c02f gems.’
 
Then, I could make de5acdf166 even higher-purity magic stones.
 
I thought 4080862cfd about the 558d18a5af pile of 9e4d208cb3 magic stones 313a8c4b8d stacked thickly 12d231568d in the ec81d8ea22 wardrobe with 26a0bc662d a pleased fa6d1fb69f smile and d668debb9b suddenly asked 39fffb3dc3 Diana.
 
“Miss, do you still 8eb84ef1c7 have the bracelet I 8e5b950179 gave you last time?”
 
“Huh?”
 
Diana, who was eagerly 88c6b96bcb eating sherbet at my cf44969db4 words, raised her head.
 
—————————————————————fd405a173856ed2b

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