Chapter 82

TLS : Shenks

I stared at Clerivan, wondering if I had misheard him.

"When I stopped by the mansion today, I heard them talk about it."

"From whom exactly did you hear it?"

"The top merchant of Lombardy... I heard it from him"

Lombardy's top merchant, Clerivan's father, Romassie Dillard.

That is absolutely not the type of man to talk nonsense to his son.

Then it must be true that Lombardy heard rumors about the Lira mine.

I recalled my memories and began to go over them meticulously again.

However, no matter how hard I try to recall my memories it was true that the highest bid was 2000 gold.

"Lombardy will spare no money just to maintain an iron monopoly. So you may have to prepare more than what you think, my lady."

Advised Clerivan with a serious look.

He's right

If Lombardy knew about iron ore, there was a good chance he'd call in around 5,000 gold right away and win the bid.

Did I possibly cause a butterfly effect from one of my actions suddenly causing Lombardy to participate in the auction?

However, the jewel buried underneath is worth buying even if it costs 5,000 gold.

If I start to move now, it's not impossible to prepare 5000 gold on the day of the auction.

And a thought suddenly raised in my head.

What if Lombardy actually joined the auction in the past?

I felt like I was tangled up in my head and my worries grew deeper and deeper.

* * *

Tuk

There's something on my head.

"......What?"

When I touched my head, I felt something light and soft.

I'm seriously thinking about something, what is this?

I was a little annoyed and took off the object on my head, and it was a flower crown made of white wildflowers.

"What is..."

"I made it!"

The child's unique soft voice reached my ears.

"It really suits Tia!"

Crane shouted with a big smile on his freckled face.1

Ah, right

Right now I'm flower viewing.

I was out of my mind for a moment, recalling a conversation at the Pellet's office a few days ago.

That's right, Flower viewing.

It's hard to be an 11-year-old too.

"Yes! It really looks good on Tia!"

Larane smiled when she brushed off Crane's filthy hands, which were green and grassy.

We were now out in a field inside Lombardy's mansion.

At this time of the year, small flowers bloom filling the fields. The children would then make flower crowns and rings with it.

It was one of the ways of playing for children in this era where there was not much to do.

"Ah, this is hard..."

Being a child.

Right now in my head, the Lira coal mine, the Angenas, and Lombardy are all messed up.

2000 gold or 5000 gold, it's too complicated to calculate.

In reality, I just want to sit here in the grass and play.

My worries and reality has a great disparity

"You look good with yellow flowers too!"

"I really think so too"

"It's because Tia is pretty!"

Crane puts another flower crown on my head and compliments me again.

"All of them looks good on you!"

"Crane really likes Tia"

Larane says while she pats Crane's red hair.

"Yes! I will marry Tia!"5

"What?"

Larane looked at me with big, smiling eyes.

Now, how do you want me to react to that?

Haaa.

I thought all the wildflowers here would lose their will to live and wither themselves and lie down.

Sigh.

I need to protect his innocence.

I replied with a slightly mechanical voice even when I heard it.

"Wow, I'm glad"

But the excited Crane doesn't know anything and runs around the field again to make a ring for me.

"Tia, what's wrong?"

Larane asked, pulling a small grass off my cheek.

I'm still doing what an 11-year-old would do, but Larane was purely taking care of me and Crane and playing with me.

The kind-hearted Larane.

"Hmmm? Nothing. There's nothing wrong"

"You don't look so good for the past few days. If you have any concerns... Though I'm not much of any help."

Larane smiled beautifully.

Then, the wind blew like in the field from a distance, fluttering Larane's long coveted brown hair.

Even though her finely combed hair is tangled, her smiling face turns to the direction of the wind.

Yes, Larane is this kind of person.

My heart aches thinking about Larane at that time when she lay still and came back with a flower on her chest.

I smiled when I said to Larane.

"No, right now I'm fine. But if I have any worries I hope you would listen Larane."

"I will, anytime"

Larane's was pleased with my words.

"Tia! Tia!"

Crane's blushing face ran coming from somewhere far away.

"Let's give flower crowns to Gilliu and Mayron too!"

"You made one for the twins too! you're so kind Crane. Their sword training should be done by now should we go back too?"

"Yes!"

Fortunately, the place where Shananet and the twins live is not far from here.

I stood up after Larane and Crane.