I Don’t Trust My Twin Sister

Nearly 80,000 gold coins were placed. The Empire separates the general budget and the military budget separately. If the general budget consisted of about 100,000 gold coins, the military budget was almost 1.5 times the size. Enemies were everywhere, so maintaining a standing army costs a lot of money. But more than half of them were assigned to wizards.

 

“How many essences of fire do you get in a year?”

 

“About ten. I heard that it takes time to make, so the quantity purchased every year is less than that, so they say that the accumulated fire essence is piled up in stock.”

 

“Then how many of the most recent Essence of Fire have you purchased?

 

“Half dozen.”

 

“But the fact that 80,000 gold coins were organized…”

 

Was something not right? Who gave the final approval to this ridiculous budget? Upon closer inspection, the person with the approval authority was the crown prince. Is the prince really stupid? The future of the country…

 

“I heard that the cost of manufacturing and refining it into a weapon is twice as much as the cost of purchasing one essence.”

 

“Ah, then…”

 

“It is said that it takes about 8,000 gold coins to make one.”

 

Certainly, if a dangerous weapon that blows up a city suddenly exploded, it was only the people themselves who were at risk, so was it natural? He nodded his head in understanding.

 

“Huh?”

 

Then, as I raised my head, Ian spit out what just came to mind as if he had read my thoughts.

 

“If the children of the Marquis of Bepis are still alive, how much money will be needed if they inherit this fiery essence as a legacy and produce it? And the cost will not be small. But who can afford that rain?”

 

A fragment passing through my head hits my mouth. fell.

 

“Could it be counterfeit money…?”

 

“That’s it.”

 

Ian tapped the table with the tip of his clenched fist. Concentration naturally rose to the regular ringing sound.

 

“What if a larger amount of counterfeit money than we thought was released, and if that money is circulated in the market and is already being used for normal transactions? They must be 15 or 15 years old. It’s hard to believe that those kids have been running a business for a long time. If so, there is only one conclusion.”

 

Ian grinned.

 

“The Pierrot Merchant Corps has those children. And the children are making bombs by receiving the essence of fire… Wouldn’t it be awkward to think like this?”

 

“Surely…”

 

It fit well enough. But it’s guesswork anyway. It was difficult to confiscate and search the top of the pierrot with only the heart. According to Imperial Law, it was forbidden to press businessmen and nobles with public power or authority without proper grounds. Even if you were the emperor, if I asked Thording openly in front of you if you took the heirs of the Marquis of Bepis and circulated counterfeit money to make a bomb out of the essence of fire, would he answer? It’s good that you don’t get treated like a crazy woman.

 

“Do you have any physical evidence?”

 

“That’s the problem…”

 

Ian crossed his arms and tapped his elbow with his finger. His brow was finely distorted. Did he have a lot of worries? In fact, from Ian’s point of view, it would be quite embarrassing if the rebellious gang with the Essence of Fire were manufacturing bombs. The person who handled the matter in the past was the former Grand Duke of Berdian. He was clearly a reason to hold him accountable. Not only that, but the final authority in charge of the security of the country is the emperor, but the acting commander-in-chief, Ian, is in charge. The Commander-in-Chief serves as a knee-jerk of national defense to prevent foreign threats, and at the same time, is in charge of public order to protect the people from domestic rebels or those with anti-national tendencies. In other words, if there was anything, it was a thousand things to be cursed at. Ian’s worries were understandable to some extent. It was self-evident that his head would hurt if the things his father left behind were not completely dealt with and once again surfaced on the surface. I glanced at his anguished face. He raised the back of his right hand and rubbed his lower lip. For some reason, it felt like an itch. You mean I rubbed my lips against those lips? I made a blank face for a moment, then hurriedly erased it. What was I thinking right now with a person in agony in front of you? I lightly shook my head to clear my thoughts, then opened my mouth.

 

“Let’s make a deal with the Pierrot Merchant.”

 

“A deal?”

 

He went downstairs and stared at the papers, then looked up at me. Why did my face, which I usually see well, feel so itchy from yesterday? I couldn’t avoid it this time, so I forced my lips down and smiled slowly.

 

“Yes. A deal.”

 

“What deal?”

 

When he showed interest, I also took out what I was drawing in my head.

 

“Do you remember what the Pierrot Merchant Company said about the main business?”

 

“Real estate and mining.”

 

I smiled brightly.

 

“One of the main businesses of the Ajtain family is mining, so if I reach out my hand first to make a deal, they’ll be happy and run?”

 

“I guess so…”

 

Ian nodded his head as if he knew. It didn’t look very good. Why? Wasn’t it usually enough to like this? Were his plans different? I looked at his face, feeling that I was losing my confidence for some reason.

 

“……Don’t you like it? Making deals.”

 

“No, it’s not bad. I was thinking about making a deal myself. But…”

 

“But?”

 

He pressed his fingertips against the cracked brow like cracked ground on a dry plain and thought for a moment, then looked at me and sighed deeply. blinked his eyes Why did he sigh after seeing me just now? Am I not trustworthy? So is it like that? He clenched his fist tightly. Was it because the trust in me has fallen because of an incident recently? Then there was nothing to say and nothing to refute. Because there was nothing to say even if you scold the world for fools who gamble with their lives. But still, wasn’t it changed all too quickly, Ian? Give me a chance…

 

“I heard…”

 

“Yes?”

 

He had just said something, but his voice was so quiet that I couldn’t understand him properly. When I questioned him, Ian scratched his head and turned his head slightly.

 

“I heard that the human, that is to say, the top lord named Tording Pierrot, is quite a horny person who reveals women. And besides, there’s no place for it to be sneaky.”

 

“Well… that’s right.”

 

I knew it well because I had been through it too. He blinked his eyes at me again. That’s why. Ian? Looking away, Ian let out a sigh.

 

“Why are you only paying attention to this, Lady Lawrence Ajstain?

 

Suddenly, I pursed my lips wondering why he was using that tone of voice again. Then Ian clicked his tongue low, got up from his seat, came to my desk, and lowered his long arms to support himself. He leaned slightly on his back, making his gaze squarely with mine. His cool scent stung his nostrils. He thought it was a stimulating perfume. I couldn’t even blink his eyes and stared blankly at him, and he laughed gently pushing his lips.

 

“You still don’t know?”

 

“That… what?”

 

He tilted his head. Why was he like this all of a sudden? Did Ian say something important that I didn’t understand? Ian sighed and opened his mouth to me with a rather bitter face.

 

“It means I don’t want to see perverts staring at you slyly.”

 

A woman you care about? Me? Looking at it, Ian lifted his hand slightly in frustration and lifted my chin. The gaze, which had only been directed upward with the pupils, now looked straight up at him with the entire face. Ian opened his mouth again, staring at him strongly and sharply, as if he could pull out light with his red eyes.

 

“So don’t imagine anything strange again and stay by my side.”

 

My saliva was about to go over, but my neck was bent and I couldn’t get over. But his scent was so deadly that I couldn’t even recognize it. My heart pounded as his cool forehead was exposed under his slightly raised bangs.

 

‘Oh my god. Guess I’m a masochist.’

 

I closed my eyes tightly.

 

* * *

 

Ajstain Castle was noisy since daytime. It wasn’t long after breakfast was over, but the servants hurriedly moved, and even those who appeared to be doctors or priests at first glance appeared. Benson, now on his way to his shift, turned his eyes to the bustle of the people.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Although he treated Lawrence, Ercia, and other nobles politely, people still got scared when he spoke incoherently because he couldn’t fix his tone. The maid, who was still young, turned around in fright when he called, and uttered an urgent voice.

 

“Eh, Lady Ersia has a seizure!”

 

“A seizure?”

 

Benson didn’t even have to ask the maid anymore. He turned his body around. He moved quickly and headed towards Ersia’s room at a speed that was not suitable for his huge size. Already in front of her door were full of restless people. Each of them varied from someone who looked like a doctor, to a young priest wearing a blue priestly uniform, to Ersia’s exclusive maid. Among them, he approached Viscount Ajtain, who was expressing the deepest disapproval, and bowed down. People flinched as if surprised by his overwhelming presence, but Viscount Ajstain greeted him skillfully.

 

“Are you here?”

 

“It’s late.”

 

The viscount knocked on the door after showing the palm of his hand to the apologetic Benson.

 

“Ersia, can I go in?

 

No sound could be heard from inside the room. They said she had a seizure but was strangely quiet. Wasn’t it normal to be noisy when something like this usually happens? Benson looked at the door with a puzzled look. Then a quiet voice was heard.

 

“…Please go back.”

 

Viscount Ajstain let out an embarrassing sigh and pressed his forehead tightly. Ersia’s low voice, her helpless whisper, were making her grandfather’s heart ache. Benson quietly called her personal maid. At least she was one of the maids less afraid of Benson.

 

“What happened?”

 

The maid noticed. She seemed to be contemplating whether she should speak or not. But as soon as she remembered that Benson was Ersia’s escort, she slowly opened her mouth.

 

“In the morning, I suddenly heard screaming. I also heard things breaking. I called from outside, but there was no answer. I tried to open the door by force, but it was blocked, as if something had blocked it, and it wouldn’t open.”

 

“What about the window?”

 

“She put up a blackout curtain…”

 

She thought she would tear it apart, Benson sighed. What the hell was going on inside? He heard screams and things breaking? Benson was vaguely aware of Ersia’s disposition. People sympathized with Ersia. She’s a poor little sister. Poor child they should have pity for. Unlike Lawrence, who wasn’t a weak and fragile child, she was seen as a child who was so weak that it was difficult to get around outside.

 

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