ISVDM | Chapter 50

Episode 50

‘I need to get Dad’s cooperation now.’

It was a given.

From the beginning, it wasn’t me attending the conference—it was Dad.

‘But to get Dad’s help, I need to give him a heads-up that the divine beast issue is going to be exposed at the Four Dukes’ meeting, right?’

The problem was how to let him know this without revealing that I could see the future.

Fortunately, I happened to overhear during the maids’ break that ‘a few staff from the North’ would be coming.

It was because the scale of the conference had grown larger than expected, and Wintervalt didn’t hire temporary staff.

It was a stroke of luck for me.

“Hm. A personal favor during official working hours, huh.”

“Gasp, is that not allowed?”

Well. Because of Dad’s mistrust of people, Ruska was handling all the work alone without any other aides.

I was just starting to consider whether I should at least give him part of a maid’s salary, when Ruska suddenly leaned down and met my gaze.

“Around 1,000 requests are acceptable. For you only, Lady Lirin. What is it?”

“Wow.”

I smiled brightly and said,

“It’s nothing major, I just want to plant a few things in my garden.”

“Huh? Besides Mintmary… is there something else you need?”

I nodded my head eagerly.

“Yes. What I need are crops that grow in the North.”

“Hm.”

“I read about it in a book, what was it called… Snowmeril? The white flower buds looked so pretty.”

Ruska quietly pushed up his glasses with a pensive expression. I gently tugged at the hem of his robe.

“I read that it’s a plant not found in the capital. I just really want to see it. Would it… be difficult?”

Say yes, say yes please!

“If it’s too hard, that’s okay too!”

No, it’s absolutely not okay!

Ruska stared at me for a moment and pushed up his glasses again.

“Well… it’s not exactly a difficult request. And since some people are already coming from the North for the conference, I can just have them bring it….”

“Waaaah! Secretary Ruska, you’re the best!”

I got so excited I spun around in circles, and Ruska smiled just a little.

‘Nice.’

I said goodbye to Ruska and stepped onto the wooden board.

“Then I’m off to work! Have a great day, Secretary!”

“May you work little and earn much today, Lady Lirin.”

“You too, Secretary!”

“That may only be possible in my next life…”

Mumbling. Leaving behind Ruska scribbling at his report with a gloomy face, I headed to my garden.

Everyone in the mansion knew that I liked gardening.

‘So saying I want to plant a northern crop I saw in a book isn’t suspicious at all!’

I chuckled softly, covering my mouth.

‘Northern plant, come to my garden soon!’

A few days later.

The Mintmary herb sprouted its first leaves and was accelerating its growth.

“Lady Lirin? There you are. The plant you asked for has arrived.”

“Gasp!”

The news I’d been waiting for!

I immediately jumped up, leaving Theo behind.

“As you said, it’s been placed in your bedroom for now. Later, ask the servants to move it to your garden. You want to plant it yourself, right?”

“Yeeees!”

I grabbed Ruska’s hand and bounced excitedly.

“Secretary, you’re amazing! A powerhouse! The best secretary! Number one secretary! Thank you so, so much!”

At that, Ruska’s usually calm eyebrows lifted slightly.

“…Do you cheer the maids on like this every day, too?”

“The sisters? Yeah. Something like that?”

They pick out my clothes every day, feed me, give me snacks, bathe me, and even play with me.

“That’s unfair. I’m a one-man department.”

Ruska suddenly muttered.

“Huh?”

“As it happens, I was just thinking I could use a junior.”

He met my gaze and gently tapped my cheek.

“How about changing jobs?”

“Eh, I like the maid sisters.”

“I’ll double your pay.”

“Hoooh.”

“Triple.”

“Hoohoho!”

“…Five times?”

“Hoohohoho!”

You think I’ll fall for this?

“Ahem, you can even do both.”

Cra. Zy.

The next day.

I was sitting on the front steps of the lobby when I jumped up.

The door to the carriage carrying Dad had swung open.

“Welcome back!”

I rushed over to greet the returning head of the household. Dad gave a curt nod.

“Mm.”

And with it, a big hand stretched out toward me.

I giggled and grabbed it tightly.

He must’ve gotten used to my greetings over the past few days.

He didn’t spin me around like a windmill as he did in the village of Lepi, but now he held my hand like this.

“tsk, what’s with your hands?”

“Oh. I was playing in the garden.”

“How long has it been since your wounds healed, and you’re already covered in dirt again…”

I skillfully ignored his nagging and wiped the dirt off on my clothes.

Dad gave me a look like ‘is that really okay?’ but who cares?

“Um, but…”

“You little rascal, get to the bath now. Want to eat bread with dirt on it or something?”

“Waaah, wait a sec!”

Dad lifted me up by the scruff of my neck.

As our eyes met up close, I brought my hands to his ear and whispered.

His shoulders flinched slightly in surprise.

“I have a secret to tell.”

His handsome face scrunched slightly at my whisper.

“…What is it?”

“You heard about the plant I planted from the North, right?”

Dad casually replied while walking.

“Yeah. Sorry to say it, but northern crops aren’t likely to survive in the capital’s environment…”

My grinning face reflected in his blue eyes. He seemed to realize something, and a low sigh escaped his well-shaped lips.

“…Right. With your ability, it might be possible.”

Dad turned me around this way and that, like flipping something with a spatula.

I realized a bit late that he was checking to see if I’d hurt myself using my powers.

“I’m not hurt! More importantly…”

“What is it? You’ve been going on.”

“I got friendly with the plant, and it told me something. Do you know what this means, Your Grace?”

“…”

“I’m not sure, but… ‘The Garden of Eternal Winter’?”

Stop.

His steps halted as if on cue.

It was the reaction I expected, so I kept going.

“They said someone was lurking around there, secretly observing the magic. I don’t really know what that means!”

Of course, this was all made up in my head.

‘…Huh? Made up?’

What was that again?

Anyway, it just meant it was all information from my imagination.

The Snowmeril that Secretary Ruska brought me was too young to say anything yet.

“…”

“They were holding something like a magic meter? I think. Maybe not.”

I could feel his gaze staring at me. I looked at Dad with the most innocent face I could make.

“I don’t really know!”

Dad, who had been deep in thought, asked in a low voice.

“…What was the name of the flower from the North?”

“Snowmeril! That I remember well! I saw it in a book and it was so mysterious I wanted to grow it.”

A flower that blooms in the Garden of Eternal Winter, where Wintervalt’s divine beast resides!

Of course, I didn’t add that part.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to take a bath and eat on your own.”

“Okayyy.”

Dad carefully set me down in the lobby. I took Kate’s hand as she approached and headed toward the bath.

Behind me, I heard Dad’s stern voice ordering a servant.

“Call for Ruska.”

Hmm, going smoothly.

“To dare spy on the divine beast…”

Kalec quietly seethed with rage.

Ruska rubbed the back of his neck at the chill running down his spine.

The garden where the family’s divine beast resided was off-limits to just anyone. Of course, using magic to measure power without the head’s permission was strictly forbidden.

And someone had the audacity to do that?

‘Did they confirm that there’s a problem with the divine beast?’

Deep in thought, Ruska spoke with a serious face.

“There’s no way they weren’t caught by the knights guarding the Garden of Eternal Winter. Plus, Sir Geoffrey is back from his pilgrimage and is guarding the area, isn’t he?”

“Don’t expect much from that fool.”

Kalec replied cynically.

“More importantly, Your Grace. Who did you hear this intel from?”

“…Do I have to report every little thing to you?”

“That’s not it, but depending on the source, the reliability changes.”

“There’s no room for doubt, so stop questioning it.”

Kalec clenched the sheath of his sword tightly.

‘The timing is the worst.’

He had been gathering all sorts of old texts and foreign magical books to solve the divine beast issue.

Just when he thought he was getting impatient with no answers, the divine beast problem ended up holding him back.

But of course…

There wasn’t no solution at all.