Chapter 150

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 150

Chapter Title: Emergency Decree

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Coming out of the Imperial Palace, I turned to look at the attendant.

"Does Duvered have anyone in the Inspectorate?"

"One of the executioners received support from Duvered."

"Tell them to keep a close eye on Linda. Bribe the Inspectorate captain too. Win over a few prison guards as well. Until I finish my deal with the Emperor, not a single scratch should appear on Linda."

"Understood."

I climbed into the carriage and pressed a hand to my forehead.

It was a relief to remember that the territory Linda had run off with—a full year's budget—was Marquis Suhail's land.

That was why I could choose Marquis Suhail as the sacrificial lamb to free Yohan.

Normally, we'd have to throw Marquis Nodeli back in prison, but the Nodeli family was already ruined beyond repair. Piling on this crime would destroy them completely.

'If that happens, Nodeli will hold a grudge and never join hands with me.'

"Did you get permission for military training from the Emperor?"

I nodded at the attendant's question.

"Yeah. The Emperor took the bait when I said I'd found source water. There are some annoying restrictions, though."

"Restrictions?"

"I have to share the training details with the palace. And we cover the costs for reinforcing the palace barriers."

"Our goal was just to scare Marsch and his cronies anyway, so it doesn't hurt us."

The capital, home to the Imperial Palace, had special laws.

Live blade training was allowed inside manors or clan-owned barracks, but elsewhere, only permitted escorts could carry spears or swords.

But with military training approval, the entire army could carry edged weapons within the capital.

In other words, if I lost my mind and ordered an attack on a noble, they'd be dead nine times out of ten.

They couldn't possibly fend off the full Duvered forces with just their handful of approved guards.

Of course, the other side couldn't declare their own training either. Approvals were notoriously hard to get, and if one house already had permission, no other house could conduct training. It was to prevent rebellion.

"Especially since a kid like me holds all the power right now. They have even more reason to be terrified. They think children aren't rational."

"That's one worry off my chest, then. So, what about the source water? Are you really planning to hand it over to the Emperor?"

"As if."

I smirked at the attendant, curling up one corner of my mouth.

"I said I found source water. I never said I'd refine it for him. Unrefined source water is just worthless pebbles, right?"

The attendant, who'd heard about the mine, let out a chuckle.

"The Emperor would never imagine only nymphs can refine it. But it's strange."

"What is?"

"In your previous life, didn't the Nodeli family distribute source water? How did they refine the stones from the Eston Mine into source water?"

"Probably thanks to Tesla."

"The hero, Tesla?"

"The nymphs said so. Tesla made fake source water. If Nodeli and Marsch found Tesla's recipe for fakes, it would explain it. But get this—why did Marsch specifically partner with Marquis Nodeli for the source water business?"

The attendant furrowed his brow in thought, then suddenly looked up.

"Don't tell me Nodeli has the fake source water recipe? How can you be sure?"

"That's why we check. I'll find real source water and shove it in Marquis Nodeli's face."

If the fake recipe became useless, Marquis Nodeli would have no choice but to talk.

I clenched and unclenched my fist repeatedly.

'Can I summon a devil like this?'

I'd barely rested after Yohan's mess blew up the moment I returned, so I hadn't recovered enough divine power to hit my target.

I gripped the hem of my skirt tightly.

My heart felt urgent. Henri and Ishak were surrounded by nymphs, Yohan still wasn't free, I hadn't checked on Dad at the front lines, and Linda...

[So, Linda, what I'm saying is I'll take you to the palace... to the palace...]

[I'll go. Please send me off.]

[Think calmly. I'm not forcing you. What if I can't bring you back—]

[To think I'd just wait for you to come fetch me. Is there anything easier or more thrilling?]

I gazed anxiously out the window of the carriage.

Back at the manor, my aunt was waiting.

After Yohan was arrested, she'd done her part to help free him in her own way.

Aunt had a title, but as a branch of Duvered, she couldn't attend the great nobles' council while the family head—Dad—was alive. All she could do was reach out to social leaders.

"Leblain."

"Aunt. I need to head back to the mine right now."

"You—"

"Henri and Ishak!"

In my haste, I cut her off mid-sentence and flinched, shoulders hunching.

"Sorry. But my brothers are waiting. Surrounded by nymphs—they could be in danger any moment...!"

I stamped my feet as I spoke, and Aunt gripped my shoulders, narrowing her brow.

"Calm down."

"......"

"You have a habit of trying to handle everything alone. I know it's from your orphanage days. But Leblain."

"......"

"This isn't an orphanage. You have people to lean on."

Nos and Lea, along with Viscount Dubos and the other retainers, stepped forward behind her.

Aunt spoke in a steady voice.

"Tell us the situation. We can help you."

Seeing her resolute gaze, I bit my lip.

'I'm such an idiot.'

Why did I keep trying to do everything by myself? We might bicker over small things internally, but we were each other's pillars and staunchest allies.

"Eugene Nos."

"Yes, my lady."

"Nos, send the territory army to the Eston Mine immediately. The nymphs there are so powerful even Iris struggles against them. And..."

I took the seal Dad had given me and hung it around Aunt's neck.

"Aunt, lead the capital forces with Lea. I've gotten military training approval from His Majesty the Emperor. Also, Viscount Dubos, the moment Yohan is released, pull strings so he can attend the council meetings in Dad's place."

Viscount Dubos nodded.

"Yes, my lady."

I looked around at the Duvered retainers.

"I'm declaring an emergency edict. Until the head of House Duvered returns, we protect our world."

"We obey the lady's command."

Aunt knelt first, and everyone in the manor followed suit, bowing deeply.

"We obey!"

I nodded and returned to my room with the attendant.

As I packed supplies needed before heading back to meet the nymphs, I turned to him.

"While I'm gone, support Aunt... Why are you looking at me like that?"

The attendant was smiling faintly. As I tilted my head, he spoke in an amused tone.

"Do you know?"

"Know what?"

"The people of Duvered no longer call you 'Little One'."

"Oh..."

The title 'Little One' had become so familiar to me. Even after I was no longer a baby, they called me that because it meant 'Child of Destiny'.

The Duvered household called me 'lady' now. To them, I wasn't just the Child of Destiny—I was the duke's daughter.

"I didn't mind being called 'Little One' by the Duvered people."

To others, it felt like mockery—a fake being given an overly grand title.

But the Duvered folk said it with affection.

They always called me so tenderly, as if I really were a baby.

"I know. But 'miss' suits you better now."

"Does it?"

"You're more the protector than the protected."

"......You sure know how to say embarrassing things."

Flustered, I grumbled, and the attendant knelt before me, pressing his lips to the back of my hand.

"Return safely, miss."

"I will."

I slung the bulging bag over my shoulder with a hearty "Hup!" and grinned energetically as I pulled out the teleport card.

Riiip.

With the sound of the card tearing, I opened my eyes to find myself back at the Eston Mine.

"Kiddo!"

"Leblain."

"Ad, adventurer."

I strode confidently up to the elder nymph.

"Let's make a deal. I'll summon your master. In exchange, give me source water."

"O, our kind doesn't, doesn't trade sacred tears!"

The nymphs shouted in outrage.

"Same as second adventurer, bad adventurer!"

"Ignores god's revelation. Puts greed first. Trash!"

"Trash!"

The elder nymph's eyes rippled black.

"Corrupted adventurer, not god's servant. Human not god's servant—we won't send back!"

Caaaaw—!!

As the elder bared sharp fangs, I stood on tiptoes and grabbed his collar. Dragged toward me in an instant, he bent at the waist and his eyes went wide.

"Right. I'm bad. Corrupted. And I'm great at threatening with my life."

"Our kind strong. Much stronger than adventurer thinks. Adventurer can't kill our kind!"

I released his collar and drew the dagger at my waist.

Aimed at my own throat.

"Hand over the source water, or I die right here!"

"......!"

The elder nymph panicked.

"Ad, adventurer crazy?"

The other nymphs fluttered in confusion at the bizarre sight of me threatening my own life.

"Who'll summon your master if I die? It's been a thousand years since Tesla—your first adventurer in ages. The next one might take even longer."

Of course, I had zero intention of dying. But it'd work on the nymphs.

The elder flinched.

I grinned slyly and added,

"But if you give me source water, I'll summon your master—and—"

I upended the bag I'd brought, spilling its contents everywhere as I declared,

"—peanuts too!"

Henri, Ishak, Zachary, and Seto stared at me in stunned disbelief.

"No matter how hopeless they are, they won't fall for peanuts. Kid, put the knife down first. What if you cut yourself? Aim it at me instead!"

"Leblain, calm down—"

But then.

The elder nymph's eyes bulged.

"Pea, peanuts!"

"Peanuts!"

"Peanuts!"

The nymphs came swarming. The young ones were fastest.

"And that's not all. I can give even better."

The elder clutched peanuts in both hands, shocked, so I declared arrogantly,

"Almonds too."

"......!"

The nymphs erupted in commotion.

Ishak nodded, muttering, "Hopeless idiots after all," while Henri let out a hollow chuckle, as if all his past struggles felt pointless.

'They must be starving bad.'

Even the young nymphs ate massive amounts. But the Eston Mine had been so ravaged by mining that there was no food left. No mountain beasts in sight was proof.

Good thing I'd brought peanuts just in case.

The elder stared at me with trembling eyes, then swallowed dryly.

"M, master first."

I nodded at his words.

Then I gripped the chalcedony the nymphs had given me. I channeled a bit of divine power into it.

That was when.

Boooom—!!

A massive rumble shook the mine violently. Along with it came a splitting headache.

'Oh no. Not enough divine power...!'

As I panicked and tried to cut off the flow,