Chapter 159
A piece of land that currently sits empty and nothing, but if developed, would surely grow into a major city.
“This is the land Simon kept holding onto even though I told him to sell it.”
“Um, uh…”
“I’m going to build a city here, daughter.”
“A city?”
“Yes, a city named after you.”
Her dad smirked.
“…”
She thought he’d give her jewelry, or something rare, at most.
A city for her birthday?
She didn’t know what to say to this unexpected surprise.
No, of course, she’d been asked before what she wanted for her birthday, and without thinking.
“A house and land.”
She said, but that was…
It was an answer based on the most worldly and universal desire that she didn’t think would ever come true!
“I planned the city. Since our lord has no aptitude for such things, I’m going to try to make it a commercial city in conjunction with Sperom, do you mind?”
“Uh, yeah…”
“The scenery is quite nice over here, so we’re going to build a large residential district, and Arel’s mansion will be here.”
“My mansion?”
“Yes, there’s someone who wants to give Arellin a home.”
Mehen pointed at Ludwig. Ludwig made eye contact with Arellin and said bluntly.
“I will build her the most beautiful mansion.”
“Ah.”
“I’d give you more if you were a Pythal…”
No, that’s too much.
‘What is the scale of these people? I’m scared.’
Whether she was scared or not, Mehen continued.
“This street will house the branches of Sperom’s top people and the bank. The car headquarters will be here, and we’re going to build a big logistics warehouse over there.”
Mehen patted her on the head as he continued to explain the direction of development, the main industries to be attracted, the budget, and other things she hadn’t heard of.
“So we’ve named the city ‘Elin’, do you like it?”
It was such a blatant name. It’s her city!
She looked at the three men waiting for her to say something, in that ambiguous feeling that was both nerve-wracking and good, and she couldn’t help but smirk.
“Can I change the name of the city?”
“City name?”
Dad’s eyebrows wiggled, but her intentions were firm.
“I want to name it.”
“It’s your gift, so do as you please.”
She scribbled the name she’d come up with on the map land he’d circled.
El Sione.
A simple sentence that meant “in honor of Sione,” in an ancient, now-defunct language widely used during the Age of Faith.
“…”
Her dad’s expression and her godfather’s changed at the same time.
“Arel, this is…”
“In memory.”
She smirked, and Mehen fumbled with the letters, then laughed.
“Mom, you’re not sad, are you?”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
She giggled at the almost proud look in his eyes.
“But I have a question, Mehen, what did you give her?”
“My labor.”
“…?”
He slapped her with his body!
She blinked in surprise, and Mehen burst out laughing.
“Happy birthday, Arel.”
“You’re making fun of me!”
“See, it’s because you’re so cute, Arel.”
Mehen handed her a fountain pen, a fine line with her name, Arelin, embossed on it.
“Wow.”
As she fiddled with it in open admiration, her dad grumbled through clenched teeth.
“Why do you seem to like Mehen’s gift more than mine?”
‘It’s your mood, dad.’
***
Coincidentally, Arellin birthday and Pession’s were only three days apart.
“Happy birthday, Your Highness!”
“Congratulations!”
Pession’s birthday party.
Compared to Arellin’s own birthday party, which was ‘modest’ and only invited people he knew, it was a world of difference.
“This is the imperial family’s ‘unpretentiousness’?”
Arellin was fooled again.
“Your Highness, you’re popular~!”
“It’s nice, isn’t it?”
The twins were the first to offer their congratulations and gifts to Pession, then clung tightly to her side.
“But why is Aaron here?”
“Isn’t he supposed to be next to you?”
“…”
Aaron gave her a disapproving look.
Oh, that look!
“The look that says there are too many people and I don’t dare go near them!”
She nodded.
“Huh!”
It was the correct answer.
“What? Arel, can you read Aaron’s expression?”
“How did you do it?”
“Whoo-hoo-hoo. See, kids, this is my power!”
“…?”
The twins asked, demanding more facial expressions from Aaron.
“The look that says, ‘Why are you making me do this?”
“Wow, Aaron, that’s too much!”
“I’m not…”
After a couple more guesses, their eyes locked with Pession, who was looking this way.
“…”
Peshion’s eyes are filled with frustration.
“…?”
Why does he look so weird?
“Your Highness wants to play with us.”
“But he can’t come here, can he?”
“You’re the star of the show today!”
They looked at him pleadingly, but there was nothing they could do.
She doesn’t know if Pession would have been alone, but the entire imperial family was there, from Empress Ageni to Princess Shirua to Prince Therion, with the exception of Emperor Edward.
It was a completely different atmosphere from her birthday party, where they were able to play alone!
“Huh?”
She bumped into the only familiar face in the crowd.
“!”
“Oh, Arellin!”
A solid voice called out to her, different from the others from the beginning. A dapper, handsome man who looked like something you’d see on the news beamed at her.
“My bluebird!”
“…?”
She asked, surely there was some mistake?
Duke Idikels grabbed her with both hands and thanked her over and over again.
“Thank you, it’s all because of you. Thank you so much!”
With The Regent coming to her house, the confrontation with Halbern officially stopped.
The Southern Empire, which had been a magic bomb waiting to go off at any moment, had returned to neutrality, and Duke Idikels’ mission was over.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you so much!”
She felt sorry for Duke Idikels, who said it was so nice to see his wife after all these years.
“So you’re going on vacation now?”
“Yes. For the time being, I don’t intend to come back even if His Majesty summons me.”
Duke Idikels smirked, his face even plumper and gaunt than it had been at Locke Castle.
“Well, since we haven’t seen each other in a long time, why don’t we do a likebility test?”
-Duke Idikels, who hadn’t forgotten the giddy memories of 50, asked, and she laughed and complied.
She wondered how much this time.
[♡ 5 vigilance]
“Kk…”
Duke Idikels squealed with delight.
This is ridiculous.
“You like it that much?”
“Of course I do! The thrill of getting someone who distrusted me to trust me, the pleasure of getting someone who didn’t like me to like me! I could spend the rest of my life chasing this pleasure. Always new! It’s exhilarating!”
What the hell, this guy is weird.
“Next time we meet, I’ll make you like me even more.”
“That’s a bit misleading.”
As if on cue, Dad, who had been forced to attend by Mehen, appeared with a murderous aura.
“Terrence, what are you going to do?”
“… Valar, you’re mistaken.”
There was a bit of a back-and-forth, but it worked out in the end. After explaining to her dad, Duke Idikels held out an item to her, as if he had expected to see her today.
“This is what I promised you.”
“Why do you say that?”
She stared at him nervously, feeling like she was in the middle of a backroom deal, and Duke Idikels, whose tension was skyrocketing at being freed from the Southern Empire, shrugged.
“This is the thrill, isn’t it?”
Still, the ‘promised object’ he handed over piqued her curiosity greatly.
“A likability scanner!”
The culmination of Matap’s research and the desire of many who coveted Idikels’ abilities.
“Unfortunately, it has a margin of error and a limited number of uses, but it’s a useful item.”
Only about 10 of these items are produced per year, and one of them was in her hand.
“Here, you’re registered as an owner. You should be able to use it about a hundred times without any problems.”
“Wow, that’s a lot!”
Even though she could only scan the favorability she felt toward the object and the favorability the object felt toward her, this was good enough for her.
“Can I scan you, too?”
“Of course!”
Yay!
The scanner glowed and Arellin scanned Duke Idikels for a moment.
Immediately, the result popped up.
[♥ 49 enthusiastic favors]
“Oh…”
Suddenly she felt like such a scumbag for putting -50 on her first encounter.
