IWTTSMD Chapter 101

101

It was a strong whiskey—56 degrees.*

Lucian wasn't someone who particularly enjoyed drinking, but tonight, he wanted to rely on the intoxication to manage his emotions.

The strong liquor quickly lifted his spirits. As heat spread through his body, even his head felt flushed with it.

In truth, Lucian believed the feelings he had toward Berry were a sense of debt.

Lucian was the right hand of Princess Bellesa. So, he thought he ought to repay the wrongs Bellesa had done to Berry. After all, the same blood that flowed through that child ran in his own veins.

"Lord Lucian, I have a good investment opportunity I'd like to introduce to you-"

At a conveniently timed moment, Victor Stings made an investment proposal to him.

Lucian decided to invest the inheritance he had received from his grandmother into Reytan Quartz Travel's business. Someday, that money would eventually go to Berry, his child.

When Lucian offered the amount, 30 billion, even the master of the Blue Trading Company was taken aback. Oddly enough, seeing that reaction brought Lucian a sense of relief. It felt like he had finally repaid his debt.

He thought that was as far as his responsibility went...

"Uncle Lucian!"

Just hearing Berry call him Uncle nearly brought tears to his eyes.

Only later did he realize, from Reytan's explanation right there, that it was actually a term Berry used casually for any of Reytan's close male acquaintances.

Still, for those few minutes, Lucian's mind ran wild with imagination.

'I'm Berry's uncle…'

He pictured going to an amusement park together, or visiting the island he'd recently bought to play by the water, or taking a ride in a hot air balloon run by an eagle beastman.

The House of Duke Alexis was a warm, harmonious family, and Lucian had grown up accustomed to that warmth. He was the kind of man who could feel familial affection even toward someone he barely knew, so long as they shared the same blood.

Lucian and Reytan sat facing each other across the wide corner of the table. Quite some time had passed since they'd opened the first bottle. Maybe tonight would finally be the chance for them to grow closer.

Perhaps the gods of Aubawth themselves had arranged this meeting, because tonight, the words seemed to flow effortlessly from his mouth.

"I…"

Lucian began, his head still hazy from drink. He thought he was speaking rationally, but to anyone else, he simply looked like a drunken man.

Reytan humored him with polite responses while sipping his drink.

He still didn't feel comfortable about receiving 30 billion in investment for his family business, especially since that money came from Lucian Alexis.

But after noticing Marian's suspicious movements, he had no other choice.

After Lucian's article had been published, there were reports of shady figures lingering near Trang Boutique. So, he had Victor investigate their identities.

"It seems Lady Marian is planning to get rid of the Trang Boutique. Apparently, some people have been approaching the landowner lately."

Though the boutique had gained some popularity recently, it was still just a small clothing shop with a single branch in Hispoth Town.

If Marian truly wanted to, she could make that little boutique disappear without even much effort.

In truth, the reason Reytan had paid special attention to Trang Boutique and continued to use their services was because he saw in them the same qualities his late brother had, people with talent and passion, working diligently without deceit to build something of their own.

And besides, those people were now deeply intertwined with him. He couldn't simply stand by while Marian tried to meddle with his business partners.

"I'll take care of that matter myself. As for Lucian Alexis's investment proposal, I'm going to decline it."

Reytan concluded firmly.

But then, Victor Stings, with that snake-like tongue of his, spoke up.

"Master Reytan, do you know how small things manage to survive?"

"……"

"They grow bigger. Big enough that no one even dares to swallow them."

"…So what are you getting at?"

"Feed Trang Boutique with that 30 billion kona investment. Then, I'll make sure in this annex competition that you end up at the very bottom of the rankings. All you need is to have the lowest performance result, right?"

To grow larger, yet still make his performance look poor.

It was an absurd proposal meant to tempt him, but if Marian was truly trying to uproot Trang Boutique, then there was some sense in expanding their scale. This probably wouldn't be the last attempt, after all.

Predators had a natural instinct to eliminate whatever small, weak thing they found bothersome.

"……"

Still, what Victor Stings said about "keeping him in last place" wasn't entirely impossible.

In the annex competition, the results were based on half of each business's net profit.

Since Trang Boutique and Reytan's children's clothing business were technically separate entities, the total sales would be divided first, and then his own company's net profit would be calculated.

'If I earn that much, I can just spend even more.'

Reytan knew well how to lower his performance numbers. There were many ways to reduce one's results in the annex competition, not just through business means.

"Honestly… that's true. Childhood affection, or whatever you call it…"

Across the table from Reytan, Lucian Alexis was still drunkenly rambling. Reytan glanced toward the shop's entrance.

The shop, which Victor Stings had proudly claimed to have rented out entirely, was now occupied by only the two of them, Reytan and Lucian.

Their drinking session had stretched past midnight, and the shop owner, after handing the keys to Victor, had gone home. The others had all rushed off to the Blue Trading Company, saying they were going to fetch Victor's prized liquor collection from there.

"Berry… she… to me…"

There was no one else around to listen, but even so, hearing Lucian mention his daughter's name made Reytan's mood sour.

Earlier, when Berry had called Lucian uncle, Reytan had nearly lost control, if not for Wyndis holding him back, no one knew what might have happened.

Reytan finally said to Lucian.

"Enough."

"But… brother-in-law…"

Clatter!

"We're back! Here it is-! Victor's-"

CRAAAAASH!

"…pr… prized… hic."

The head designer, face flushed from drink, stood frozen in place as he entered the shop, holding up a bottle proudly.

When he lifted his head, as if in a daze, half the store was gone, spiraling upward into the night sky.

As the building drifted farther from the city, the designer muttered blankly.

"A dream… is this a dream…?"

"Does that look like a dream to you…?"

Thud. Crack.

Debris from the torn structure fell from what was left of the boundary wall, as if searching for its missing half.

Through the newly made opening, Victor stepped back into the shop, his face twitching as he tried to smile at the perfectly calm Reytan sitting there.

"Are you… already working on lowering your performance results…?"

Since the accident had been caused by Reytan, if the shop filed a damage report to the Travel family, they'd be compensated, but, of course, Reytan's business score would drop accordingly.

"……"

Reytan merely shrugged, while Lucian pressed his lips together, staring at the half-destroyed shop.

He silently vowed, never again would he call that man brother-in-law.

Compared to this, the three trees that Bellesa had conjured at the grand banquet felt laughably trivial.

"…My apologies."

***

19. A New Vein and the Holder of the Key

After the 30 billion kona investment was finalized, a series of welcome news followed.

Chief Baltar had reportedly opened a new ore vein in the Crest Mine.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

From the place Baron Oldman mentioned, we've discovered a new vein of ore.

We'll soon gather the workforce to build a road. I look forward to the day we meet in person.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

'Meet in person?'

I couldn't quite understand that last line.

Meet in person? There's no way Baron Oldman would show himself outside. Where did that kind of talk even come from?

I should probably ask Jena about it later.

"Anyway~"

Still, I was glad the result was good.

It was something my other self had done during the field trip. I had compared the mine map I saw there with the current one, found a discrepancy, and marked it. Then, Chief Baltar had managed to strike a new vein all at once!

[Little Quartz!]

"Hm?"

I was just on my way to the the Room of Reflection to put away Chief Baltar's letter when Aqum burst into the room, flapping about noisily after returning from its little outing outside the Stone House.

[You know, that thing! The one we found last time!]

"Last time?"

I tilted my head.

What did we find last time?

Aqum stomped its feet on the floor impatiently.

[The key from the crow's nest!]

"Oh!"

It was the key we'd found inside the nest while searching for the pearl earring.

Aqum urged me on, its eyes gleaming.

[We need to take it somewhere! I found something that belonged to Julia!]

"Huh?"

Grandma's belongings?