CH 97

One chance is enough. Twice at most. 

I doubted it once, but three times were mostly unavoidable. 

Even though I could understand Gilbert and peanut somehow, I couldn’t think it was a mistake until this time.

It wasn’t hard to figure out that Gilbert and the Count were teaming up.

When I realized that he was joining hands with Gilbert, I thought a little about what to do. 

Because it was difficult to deal with the man guarding the North.

Although this man struggles with food shortages, he is currently the most powerful person in the North.

The Count wouldn’t have done this if the whole north wasn’t starving.

‘If I can’t touch it….’

Isn’t it enough to make him on my side?

I’m upset about peanuts or what happened today, but I’m not putting emotions into the business.

And Michelle agreed with that.

The problem is that Gilbert and this guy are joining hands—.

And that hand—.

‘I can cut it off.’

It’s not difficult.

If he’s not an idiot, I can easily come up with an answer if he wants to compare Savlin’s influence to that of Gilbert.

‘No matter what, there is no way to grow special products.’

Even if Savlin doesn’t tell him, Gilbert will hand it over.

It was nothing since Gilbert stole it in the first place.

It wasn’t any different from the first time Gilbert stole it.

“Did Gilbert offer to the Count that if he took the merchant, he would take care of this northern part?”

“….” 

“But what about it? Unfortunately, if the Baron dies, Gilbert won’t get the merchant. We were going to go back to the capital and announce it, because the Baron plans to establish a successor for the future.”

“…successor?”

“Of course, the Baron is not old enough to have a successor. But she said she didn’t want to go to Gilbert no matter what.” 

The Count seemed perplexed.

I thought, savoring the moderately cold tea.

It’s a lie, but do you believe it?

Well, that would be enough to shake Gilbert and his alliance.

“I know what you are concerned about. But the merchant values credit.”

“….” 

“It is not a lie to provide the Count with the methods of growing special products and the conditions necessary for the North.”

Although the successor is a lie.

However, the Count couldn’t have known the meaning.

“We, Savlin, always keep our promises. At all cost.”

“….” 

“I told you this after discussing it with the Baron in advance.”

The Count didn’t say anything as if he was lost in thought.

“I don’t think I need to say anything else. The rest is the Count’s choice.”

“….” 

“I hope you will think carefully about whether Gilbert will be able to provide more support than the current Savlin.”

I got up from my seat.

The answer is obvious anyway, but there is no need to rush right now.

I left the room without hesitation.

‘It’s already night.’

Time passes so quickly.

No, is it because a lot happened today?

It would be good to finish today’s schedule at this point and go back to the room.

That’s how I walk.

“Ugh…” 

A low moan was heard from somewhere.

Then I headed toward the sound of pain.

It was the worst mistake because I found Richard moaning in pain under the tree. 

I feel sorry, but there’s nothing I can do for him, so let’s go back before I get caught.

I turned around coldly.

But then.

Tuk.

Something rolls off the floor and hits the front of my round shoe.

What is this?

I reflexively picked up the bottle that had fallen in front of me.

It was a bottle of clear liquid.

“Could you give it to me?”

It was rough, unlike the soft voice before.

It wasn’t like a man who wore a mask and tried to be nice. 

His eyes, which had been dazzlingly friendly even in a pretense, gleamed like a beast.

“I dropped it by mistake.”

Richard’s complexion was pale, like someone who wasn’t feeling well.

His normally calm face was white with cold sweat, and he vomited a rough breath. 

“Come on, Miss Shabrina.”

He sounded impatient, so I tried to give him the bottle quickly. 

If I hadn’t had the thought that was going through my mind at the time.

Don’t tell me, this guy—. 

“Miss Shabrina?” 

I pulled back the hand that was about to pass the bottle to Richard.

“Come and take it yourself.”

“….” 

There’s something I need to check before I give it to him.

I looked carefully at Richards approaching me.

When Richard approached me like that, I meekly tried to hand the bottle to him.

At the same time, I placed my palm over his hand to confirm one thing.

Then, Richard’s body trembled.

He looked at me curiously.

I looked into his blue eyes for a while.

…Ah, don’t tell me. 

I felt like I was going to laugh.

“Here you are. You look sick. Are you okay?”

“….I’m okay.” 

“I see. If you are sick, you should go to a doctor.” 

I left the words and turned around without hesitation.

If it wasn’t for how he felt, Richard’s condition was caused by his mana. 

<It doesn’t hurt when I smell it.>

Three years ago, Richard certainly told me that.

But why—.

I turned and looked at Richard.

Richard opened the bottle cap and drank the medicine inside.

Soon his condition seemed to have improved as well as his complexion.

‘Did I lose that power?’

It can only be interpreted that way.

So what if Richard didn’t recognize me right away? What if contact with me doesn’t improve his condition?

…That’s a pretty plausible hypothesis.

Or maybe Richard can’t smell my scent anymore.

I don’t know what it is, but what is certain is that my power no longer works on Richard.

‘Then I will now…’

It’s possible that the Transcendents no longer care? 

Without realizing it, I laughed out loud.

Is this the end of this tiresome worry that I’ve been holding on for three years?

Ah, what should I do?

It’s so good. 

* * *

“What do you mean?”

“Yes, it is. Because there is an empty part in here—” 

Gilbert couldn’t believe the information he had just heard.

But it was a lot more than just pleasant information.

He had finally found a way to throw Shabrina into the mud without killing her.

Even though it was not as good as tearing her to pieces, he was overjoyed at the thought that b*tch was rolling around in the mud.

“So, the identity of that b*tch is—” 

Gilbert thought, muttering. He can’t stand still like this.

A pink-haired maid who appeared in Savlin three years ago.

The same pink-haired maid who ran away after causing trouble in Evantes three years ago.

He could say it’s just a coincidence, but—.

Shabrina. What if that’s a fake identity?

“Send a letter to Evantes immediately.”

Gilbert immediately wrote and sent a letter to Evantes.

“I must go to the Count right now.”

Gilbert hurried out on the road.

Then he saw Shabrina on his way to the Count’s drawing room.

Normally, he would have felt upset, but not now.

Rather, he felt happy about this meeting now.

Gilbert nodded and walked over to Shabrina.

“Anything you want to say to me?”

Arrogant thing. 

How could she stick to Michelle and hit him in the back of the head without knowing how much grace he had given her?

But Gilbert smiled broadly.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while, but what the hell is that?”

Gilbert pointed out Shabrina’s appearance.

He couldn’t understand how she was wearing a mask in her brown wig.

“It has nothing to do with Sir Gilbert.” 

“Do you really think so?”

“What do you want to say?”

“Shabrina.”

Shabrina reacted when Gilbert suddenly called her name.

“Is that really your name?”

“….” 

The words from Gilbert surprised Shabrina for a moment.

…As expected. 

“If that’s not my name, what’s my name?”

“…Hm, yeah.” 

Gilbert checked Shabrina’s agitation and walked past her with satisfaction.

“The Count!”

“…Gilbert? What happened all of a sudden?”

After a day or two of this disrespect, the Count gave up rebuking and looked at Gilbert.

“I have a way.”

“Way?”

“A way to bring Shabrina down without killing her.”

At Gilbert’s words, the Count remained silent for a while.

He seemed quite surprised.

“Don’t worry, Count. Even if I take care of Shabrina on my own, I’ll teach you how to grow the special product as promised.”

Maybe that’s what he’s afraid of.

He’s afraid that if he took care of Shabrina and Michelle, he wouldn’t be able to guarantee the things he promised.

But Gilbert was determined to keep his promise.

It’s not because he’s a guy who values ​​trust.

He thought about putting the Count in front of him under him because he was the real power in the north.

Gilbert smiled pleasantly, recalling the future.

At that time, the Count put his fingers together on the desk, and smiled significantly at Gilbert.

“Then sit down instead of standing, Gilbert.”

“….” 

“Tell me calmly how to bring down Shabrina.”