“I will do my best.”
Back in the branch manager’s office.
Victor Stings, who once held the highest pride as the top merchant, had thrown away his dignity and was now pleading with Reytan.
“If you give me just one of the finest healing potions, I will do anything you ask. For a lifetime. Whenever you need.”
“Why should I?”
Reytan firmly responded to Victor, who was nearly kneeling on the floor before him.
“Isn’t that shameless of you? Even a Grand Master can only obtain one of these. Do you think it makes sense for me to use it on someone I just met today?”
Of course, it didn’t.
Even if Reytan had the right to receive two of the finest healing potions, it still wouldn’t justify such a choice.
‘He still enjoys making people desperate.’
Damian clicked his tongue inwardly.
A Grand Master, once chosen by the Holy Sword, is granted ownership of a single top-grade healing potion stored at the Grand Temple. However, since Reytan had been chosen twice by Wyndis, he was entitled to two of them.
From where he stood in the office, Damian turned to the children sitting on the two-person sofa beside him.
“Are you thirsty? Should I bring you some juice?”
“Oh, I’m fine!”
“Me too.”
A faint smile crossed Damian’s face, growing even softer.
Berry no longer looked at him with wary eyes, and in turn, Theon responded well to his words.
‘Was this what they call a leading question?’
No matter how he looked at them, their pure eyes told him they could never have done such a thing.
It was obvious—Reytan must have leaked the information and slyly shifted the blame onto the children.
“Mr. Damian, how long have you been friends with my dad?”
“Let’s see… I think since before Reytan entered the academy. His older brother, Brown, was actually my friend.”
“Uncle Brown was your friend? Wow.”
Berry’s already round eyes grew even rounder with curiosity.
Without realizing it, Damian nearly reached out to pat Berry’s head.
‘Adorable.’
Brown would have loved to see this.
“Do you know Brown?”
“Yes! There was a picture of him in the house where I lived with my dad!”
“Uncle?”
“Yeah. Theon, do you want to see it too? If we go to Stone House, I can show you the picture. Uncle Brown was really kind. He was Grandma Julia’s son.”
The children spoke cheerfully about Brown.
Damian felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
Seven years ago, his best friend had died in a mine collapse.
If only that hadn’t happened…
‘That couldn’t have been an accident.’
It was an abandoned mine owned by the Travel family.
The entrance was supposed to be sealed that day due to safety concerns.
‘He was always so cautious. There’s no way he would have gone into such a dangerous place.’
“Damian Knox, I’m sorry, but I can’t do this for you. It’s too dangerous. Now that Mother has passed away, I’m the only family Reytan has left to rely on.”
“…I didn’t realize peeling an apple was such a life-threatening task.”
“That’s why I’m asking, my friend. What do you think about marriage? If I start a family, wouldn’t that give Reytan a new family as well?”
“Marriage…? Wait, Brown, are you seeing someone?”
After Count Travel’s second wife, Julia Quartz Travel, passed away, Brown had become extremely cautious about his own life.
He knew exactly what Reytan feared the most in the Travel household.
So how could anyone believe that Brown willingly entered the mine, knowing it was about to collapse?
Damian had personally taken charge of investigating Brown’s case, but he had never been able to prove it wasn’t an accident.
Recently, however, he discovered that there had been one witness who had never been interrogated at the time.
“Tracing the source of the funds? Victor Stings of the Blue Trading Company would know more about that. Now that I think about it, weren’t you the investigator on that mine incident? Then you must know firsthand just how much of a snake that man’s tongue is. You were there when witnesses were questioned, weren’t you?”
That was what Marquess Ash had said.
But at the time, Victor Stings had not been on the witness list.
This was a new lead.
‘I need to dig deeper into this.’
Damian looked at Victor, who was now kneeling before Reytan, desperately pleading.
Fortunately, the large desk between them blocked the children’s view.
It was a scene he had witnessed often on the battlefield—one side remaining unmoved while the other begged for mercy.
Victor, seated across from Reytan, urgently asked.
“Then how about this?”
People often called him a snake with a forked tongue, but at this moment, Victor’s words were filled with sincerity.
That’s how desperate he was.
Damian Knox had already received a healing potion.
There were two other Grand Masters, but one was impossible to negotiate with, and the other was difficult to even approach.
The only one who might consider giving him a potion was Reytan.
Reytan had some understanding of his eye condition, however vague, and as the son of a merchant family, he would at least be willing to communicate.
Victor admitted the weakness he least wanted to reveal.
“My eyesight will be completely gone in a few months.”
Even then, Reytan showed no reaction.
But Victor continued without hesitation.
“If that happens, I will have no choice but to rely on Master Hevant’s experimental medicine and follow his orders. But the effects of that new drug are only temporary. The potion you have, Master Reytan, is my true goal.”
“And?”
Reytan finally reacted—perhaps because of Victor’s honesty.
It meant he was willing to listen to the terms of Victor’s deal.
Victor hurriedly spoke before Reytan could change his mind.
“If you give me the healing potion, I will help you become the heir to your family’s estate. Until the day you reach Diamond House, I, Victor Stings, head of the Blue Trading Company, will serve as your right hand. If I fail to uphold my end of the deal, I will sign a contract allowing you to take over the Blue Trading Company.”
“Until I reach Diamond House?”
“Yes. Until then.”
Victor nodded.
Surely, Reytan Quartz Travel must desire the heir’s seat.
If he lacked the ability to claim it himself, Victor could help place him there.
‘It’s not even a lifetime commitment. At most, fifteen years. That’s a long time, but still…’
However, Reytan thought differently.
To him, Diamond House was a place he wouldn’t step into, even if it was handed to him for free.
The corners of his lips curled upward.
A loyal subordinate for life, was it?
‘I can also use him to investigate Brown’s accident. Plus, his guild is already a strong enterprise—it will only grow further.’
A powerful force that would act in his stead.
If he had only one healing potion, this deal wouldn’t be worth it.
But he had two.
“Write the contract.”
Reytan finally rose from his seat.
At the sound, Berry silently cheered to herself.
***
“Good day, sir.”
“Does this look like a good day to you? Sales are at rock bottom.”
Yossel had visited the main branch of his tailor shop in Hispoth Town.
He walked into the office and leaned back into a large chair covered in freshly polished white leather.
“Did we have any customers yesterday?”
“Baroness Oat, one of our regulars, stopped by.”
“And? Who else?”
The clerk hesitated.
“And… uh… no one else…”
Bang!
Yossel slammed his palm onto a thick magazine resting on the desk.
The manager flinched like a turtle retreating into its shell.
“No one else, huh? They all went to Treng instead, didn’t they?”
“It’s not ‘Treng,’ it’s ‘Trang’…”
“Treng, Trang, what does it matter!”
Yossel leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration.
The profits from the tailor shop directly influenced his ranking as an heir to the Travel family.
At this rate, his quarterly performance was going to be in the negatives.
The shop hadn’t earned enough to cover its expansion costs, and unless he covered the loss with his own money—
He let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. I guess I have an errand to run.”
A Staggering 1 Billion
Hevant. That man refused to simply hand over the money and instead demanded Yossel run an errand.
“Go to the Blue Trading Company and bring the company owner here.”
“…Bring him? Personally?”
The more Yossel thought about it, the more absurd it sounded.
The head of the Blue Trading Company was a commoner—no, worse, he was from the slums.
And now, he was expected to personally escort that man?
He, Yossel Cornelian Travel, the third son of Count Travel, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Grand Priest and even the Emperor himself?
His pride bristled.
Frustrated, Yossel kicked the floor with both feet.
“I won’t do it!”
“Sir, we still need to prepare the quarterly financial report—”
Yossel froze mid-kick and stared at the ceiling.
Damn it.
The great Yossel Cornelian Travel… struggling over a mere 1 billion in cash…
“What a life…”
“S-Sir?”
Yossel exhaled deeply.
“Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Wh-what exactly do you have to do? Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“What choice do I have…?”
I’m broke, Yoseol muttered gloomily.
