Chapter 7
If it hadn’t been for that incident, I would never have known what happened inside the Dukedom of Dicatherion.
Slowly, I retraced my memories.
In her past life, Renoch had chosen the wrong rat too late.
When people saw the severed head hanging on the gate for all to see, they immediately understood its message.
“We know who’s behind this. We’ll overlook it this time out of generosity. But if you dare to act recklessly again, the price will be your life—or worse.”
Perhaps that was why there were no significant retaliations afterward.
However, the damage was substantial enough to give Duke Elionne a headache, even if it wasn’t enough to put a dent in the immense wealth of the Grand Duke of Dicatherion.
For a head of household, even small nuisances were bothersome, so Renoch willingly accepting the proposal was essentially Sertia giving him a little gift.
At some point, Sertia’s gaze met Renoch’s, who had been watching her closely.
“Have you figured it out to some extent?”
“Thanks to you.”
His calm gaze settled on her.
He wasn’t asking how she had come to know this information. That suggested he intended to feign ignorance, even if he was aware. Although she had prepared an excuse just in case, she felt a bit relieved.
“Back to the main point—about that land. I can give it to you. Moreover, I can also help you easily extract and distinguish the different types of magic stones.”
Renoch laced his fingers together, his expression still unreadable.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but this is something I can’t take lightly.”
It was natural to be suspicious of someone he had just met. She was already grateful he didn’t dismiss her words as nonsense.
“To prove I’m telling the truth, I’ll need some magic stone ore. Would there be any in the mansion?”
A brief silence followed.
Renoch, who had been quietly observing her, wordlessly summoned the chief butler.
They relocated to the drawing room at Sertia’s request.
“My lord, as you commanded, I’ve brought the magic stone ore,” the chief butler reported in a low voice.
Renoch nodded with his arms crossed, and servants entered in sync, placing the ore on the table before silently exiting.
The unprocessed ores varied in size and were pitch black like coal, lacking any discernible color.
But soon…
Soon, they would be reborn in her hands and radiate light.
Lifting her half-lowered eyelids, Sertia asked, “Shall I begin?”
Renoch gestured to the chief butler with his eyes, seemingly intending to dismiss him to avoid making her uncomfortable.
But Sertia had other plans.
The more witnesses there were to her abilities, the stronger the contract would become.
“Wait a moment.”
“What is it?” Renoch tilted his head, curious.
“If it’s alright with you, I think the chief butler should stay and watch.”
She masked her true intentions with a calm tone, and Renoch’s heavy gaze landed on her.
“Is that acceptable?”
“Yes, I’m fine with it. Though I do worry I might be overstepping.”
The chief butler, looking deeply moved, fixed his gaze on Sertia. Feeling the weight of his stare, she turned her head away uncomfortably.
“Thank you for allowing it, Tia,” Renoch said softly.
Sertia offered a small smile and adjusted her posture.
“Then, I’ll begin.”
A hush fell over the drawing room.
The two men watched her every move in silence.
Buoyed by their attention, Sertia poured more magic into the ore—but soon furrowed her brows.
No matter how much magic she injected, something felt off.
One of the ores—unlike the others with jagged edges—was oddly smooth and round, catching her eye.
After a while, the sensation became undeniable. Without hesitation, she spoke up.
“This… I don’t think this is just ore. It feels more like a living creature.”
Renoch’s eyes widened slightly.
“Could it be a magical beast?”
“Hmm… Yes. But I can’t tell what kind.”
“That’s fine.”
Renoch extended his hand, and the chief butler promptly retrieved a sword from the wall and handed it to him.
Sertia swallowed dryly, keeping her guard up.
“I’ll try channeling magic into it again.”
Taking a deep breath, she extended her hand and concentrated her power.
Golden light split into several streams, flowing rapidly into the magic stone ore.
The unexpected sight left both Renoch and the chief butler visibly unsettled.
It seemed they found her effortless manipulation of magic remarkable.
As Sertia felt a small sense of pride—
The ores began to reveal their true colors.
Red, black, green, yellow—each stone emitted a unique hue, affirming its magical properties.
But one stood out above all.
“This must be the one I mentioned.”
“Yes. It doesn’t seem to be ore—it’s more like an egg.”
Renoch examined it closely.
“Can it hatch immediately?”
“If I keep infusing magic, it should hatch faster. Should I try?”
“As long as it doesn’t harm you, please do.”
Sertia scratched her cheek awkwardly, feeling a bit flustered.
Noticing her reaction, Renoch’s gaze softened with amusement, while the chief butler let out a weary sigh.
It was then—
A strange crying sound pierced her ears.
—Hic… hic.
She looked around, but there was no one else present.
Yet the faint, mournful cries continued.
—Huuu…
“R-Renoch.”
“Yes, Tia?”
“Do you… hear crying?”
Renoch didn’t respond, his silence indicating that he heard nothing.
Sertia paled, drawing back from the table.
At that moment, the egg began to shake violently, cracks spidering across its surface.
“Sertia!”
A burst of blue light enveloped her.
Renoch reached out, alarmed—but just as the energy spread throughout the drawing room, the egg suddenly shot up into the air and landed in Sertia’s arms.
What is happening?
Dazed by the unexpected turn of events, she quickly regained her composure and looked down at the egg in her hands.
Meanwhile, the chief butler was on the verge of fainting.
“…Hello?”
She blurted out an awkward greeting—
And, amusingly, the shell cracked in response.
“A fox?”
A tiny blue fox emerged.
And—to her shock—it spoke.
“I’m sleepy!”
Renoch, unfazed, leaned closer to inspect the creature.
“I’ve never seen a blue fox before.”
“Neither have I. I’ve only heard of them in stories.”
“And one that talks, no less. Fascinating.”
“But… it keeps crying.”
Pondering, Sertia gazed into the fox’s eyes.
“Are you hurt?”
The fox shook its head.
“Are you angry because I woke you up?”
Again, the fox shook its head.
Her gaze shifted to Renoch.
“…Are you scared?”
At that, the fox nodded.
Renoch’s expression soured.
Sertia tried to soothe the fox.
“It’s okay, don’t cry. It’s bad for your health if you cry too much.”
Miraculously, the fox stopped crying.
With a clear, sweet voice, it whimpered, “I’m scared.”
And Sertia clutched her chest, struck by its overwhelming cuteness.
NOTE
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