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Baltar's surprise wasn't without reason.
When Baron Oldman appointed him as the person in charge of his mine, he also gave him something. A mining map with a specific spot marked.
"He want me to dig here?"
"Yes, that's what he said."
Replied Baron Oldman's representative with a nod.
It was a dead end deep inside the mine. If they broke through the ground there, a new vein of ore would supposedly be found.
Baltar had never even considered the place, it was just a plain, unremarkable patch of floor. There was no way an ore vein could be there… or so he thought.
He had scoffed at the ignorance of someone who only cared about money, but one line in the letter that came with the map caught his attention.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••
Since you possess the skills of the world's greatest blacksmith.
I believe you also know well the paths where ore sleeps.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••
Believe… believe… believe…
Well, if that's the case, then he had no choice but to dig.
What moved Baltar was the boundless trust Baron Oldman had in him.
The dwarves' insular nature was like that of a hedgehog protecting its young, once someone was accepted as one of their own, they could overlook a certain amount of flaws and still embrace them.
The Travel were despicable, blinded by greed for money. Baron Oldman was also blinded by money, but...
Honorable Master Baltar.
A man who respected him.
"Heh-heh! Fine, I'll give it a try!"
Baltar didn't want to disappoint Baron Oldman or more precisely, he didn't want to leave even the smallest blemish on the trust the baron had placed in him.
The iron mine had been left almost abandoned. When ownership transferred from Travel to Baron Oldman, the overseer hired by Travel quit his job. There was no remaining workforce. Since Baltar didn't know any local workers, he had to hire dwarves.
"Really?"
"There?"
To have this as their very first task, the dwarves were puzzled by Baltar's instructions, but began digging at the designated spot nonetheless.
And then—
"Chief! Come quickly!"
"We've found a new ore vein!!"
Baltar shuddered.
That feeling, goosebumps racing up his arms, a surge of electricity shooting straight through to the top of his head!
"…"
"Chief…?"
The dwarves looked at him with concern as he clutched the map, his hands trembling. They still remembered the commotion from before, when they thought his mind had gone and even considered appointing a new chief.
"Oldman…!"
Baltar swallowed his shout before it could escape his mouth.
'Baron Oldman…! Are you going to make my dream come true?!'
A new ore vein. To Baltar, it was a spark of new hope.
The dream he had been chasing for more than half his life… could it be lying within that rock? Was that why it had never been found until now?
Baltar's emotions boiled over.
If there was adamantite inside...
'Then I'll do business with you for the rest of my life, Baron!'
Something had stirred the very heart of the dwarves' passion, and Baltar was the one who had caused it.
Stomping his feet in excitement, he dashed toward the entrance of Crest Mine.
"I'm going in first, you lot!"
***
The appearance of Lucian Alexis left us all stunned.
'Did Dad know about this?'
I followed Lucian with my eyes as he sat across from my dad. Sitting next to him was Mr. Victor, who smiled brightly when our eyes met. My dad's expression remained indifferent, but it was clear he had known Lucian Alexis would be here.
If he hadn't known, Wyndis's gust would have already caused an uproar by now.
"Thirty billion Kona… from Lord Lucian…?"
The shop manager, sitting across from Theon, swallowed hard before speaking.
"Is this an investment from the Alexis ducal family?"
The Alexis Duke of the Kingdom of Edencia was the king's younger brother, well-known as one of the wealthiest families in the realm.
"The family has nothing to do with it. This is a personal investment."
Lucian Alexis replied, shaking his head.
Beside him, Mr. Victor narrowed his eyes with a sly grin.
"I've heard that the Grand Duchess of Alexis recently left Lord Lucian a large inheritance. Seems he's been looking for somewhere to invest that cash."
Nothing shows a grandmother's love like money, Victor said with a smirk.*
Even so, both the shop manager and our designer still looked puzzled and so was I.
Thirty billion Kona. For a clothing business that was still in its early stages, barely known to the public, it was an enormous amount.
"Why would you invest such a huge sum in our business…?"
"I saw great potential."
"M–May I ask… what made you see that potential?"
Our head designer asked cautiously. Even after confirming the identity of the major investor, the only ones at the table still tense were the shop manager and the head designer.
"Ah, this is boring."
"Sit up straight, Jeffrey."
"…."
Jeffrey leaned halfway back in his chair, swinging his legs, until Theon told him off. Dad was sipping his pre-meal wine.
How can they act like this with thirty billion Kona right in front of them…!
'We haven't even signed yet!'
If Lucian found our attitude insincere, he might just pull out of the deal. Until the contract was signed, nothing was certain.
I had to at least show some sincerity!
Straightening my back, I widened my eyes, focusing intently on Lucian as if to say, I'm listening closely. Lucian answered the question.
"If you want the reason… the clothes you sent me a few days ago left quite an impression."
"Ah…!"
The head designer and shop manager let out impressed gasps. It had looked good on him, the outfit Dad had chosen.
Within hours, the look had gone viral under the nickname "Lucian Alexis' release outfit." Telegrams and visitors flooded Trang Boutique with custom order requests, so many that even regular customers couldn't get in. The shop had temporarily closed to focus solely on the children's clothing line.
"On the day the newspaper was published, the head of the Blue Trading Company contacted me. He asked whether I would be interested in investing in a children's clothing business that Master Reytan is starting together with Trang Boutique."
"I snagged the investor right away. Anyone who tries it on can see its value, after all."
Mr. Victor, keeping his business smile, shot Dad a look meant to show off his accomplishment. Dad just snorted, even wrinkling his brow.
'Ack.'
Hidden by the table, I nudged my foot forward until the round tip of my shoe tapped Dad's leg.
He leaned toward me, covering his mouth with his palm, and whispered in my ear.
"Why?"
Thanks to him, our attempt to whisper privately had been completely obvious to the massive investor sitting across from us.
Ugh. Dad clearly isn't planning to get this investment today.
'What if Lucian Alexis sees him as the kind of man who goofs around with his daughter in such an important meeting?!'
I quickly pulled Dad's hand down and traced 30 on his palm with my finger.
"…."
His eyes looked even less interested, but when my shoe tapped his leg again, he silently straightened up.
Lucian, noticing us, met my gaze and smiled. In settings like this, the polite response was to return the smile.
When I did, Lucian finally spoke.
"I trust the judgment of the Blue Trading Company's head. As I said before, I'll be investing."
"…!"
The shop manager and head designer's faces lit up instantly. Sitting beside me, Theon and Jeffrey whispered to each other.
"Her lips went up."
"Yeah."
Whatever they were saying about my reaction didn't matter, my mind was consumed by just one thought: Thirty billion Kona!
'Hooray!'
The business fund that had been minus two billion Kona turned into twenty-eight billion in just a few weeks-!
Though I was just a child sitting among adults at a business meeting, I couldn't hold back a comment.
Beaming at Lucian, I said.
"Thank you, Uncle Lucian!"
"……"
At my words, Lucian's expression flickered strangely for a moment before settling back into a smile. He kept the awkward grin on his face, then turned his gaze away and continued his conversation with Mr. Victor.
Meanwhile, my dad fell into an even heavier silence. Holding Wyndis with his other hand, he leaned toward me again and whispered in my ear.
"Berry, what did you just say…?"
Covering my mouth with my hand, I whispered back to him.
"Curious what I did?"
He nodded. I giggled.
"A dirty trick."
***
That night.
At the afterparty arranged by Victor Stings, circumstances somehow led to Reytan and Lucian being left alone, drinking together.
Lucian Alexis, holding a glass of whiskey, suddenly choked up with emotion.
"Berry… she… to me…"
"Enough."
"But… brother-in-law…"
🍓; *Grandmother expressed her love not with affection, words, or care but by leaving a large sum of money as inheritance.
*허튼 수작 literally means a cheap/dirty trick, underhanded move, sly ploy. Depending on tone, it can be softened to 'a little scheme' or kept sharp as 'a dirty trick.'
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