CH 17

“And, take Rosie too.”

Murloc benevolently added.

“Whether you remember it or not, she is the younger sister that you cherish so much. It moved me so much that I am in tears.”

Except for Julian and Rosie, everyone nodded. They even hurriedly shouted that they agreed.

It was then.

“How pathetic is it!”

Through the open door, deafening screams were heard.

“Since when did everyone start trembling so much at a slingshot!”

Everyone in the meeting room looked at the door again in amazement.

A tall stature, a dignified appearance, sharp and fierce eyes, and scars all over the body like decorations.

An old man whose presence alone was enough to make others feel intimidated.

It was Count Caliburn Noart.

The booming voice rang the meeting room once again.

“Noart’s long-cherished wish is the downfall of the temple! Therefore, we must always risk our lives and prepare for the dangers that may come at any moment!”

Now, the place with the greatest influence in the empire was the temple. Even the imperial family did not dare to stand up against it, not to mention the four ducal families.

However, the count, who was a mere slave, was openly hostile to the temple. So, the temple didn’t like the County of Noart. 

Caliburn yelled in disapproval.

“Isn’t it embarrassing to say that a slingshot used by children is a weapon?”

Except for Rosie, everyone looked like they were struck by lightning. Not to mention, this was much earlier than his original expected arrival date.

They couldn’t even get in touch with Tepan!

“Ah, ah, Fa, Fa, Father?”

Murloc trembled and drew in a shallow breath. It was like seeing a ghost.

“Ugly bastards…”

Caliburn, who clicked his tongue and scanned his family one by one, soon stopped at a girl.

It was Rosie Noart, who was breathing hard beside Julian.

´⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ´

‘Ah…’

My heart thumped.

My grandfather came much sooner than before the regression.

I knew he would be here by now. But when I saw it with my own eyes, I was relieved.

‘To be honest… I was really scared when Julian was told to go to the villa and get some rest.’

This was a situation where I didn’t know when we would die if we left the county.

‘In the past, my brother also died after leaving the county…’

In the meantime, the atmosphere in the meeting hall was frozen cold with the appearance of my grandfather.

Julian, who was running rampant like a thug, didn’t say anything, perhaps trying to grasp the situation.

He just squeezed my hand tightly.

Something warm and fuzzy rose up in my heart.

Actually, I didn’t think that Julian would come here.

He didn’t know anything… Not even the faces of his relatives…

“Oh, shut up and don’t touch this kid anymore. If you want to f*ck someone, f*ck me, since I’m the one who gave her money.” 

He really came here just for me.

‘You don’t know what it is, but with that feeling that you can’t just leave me alone…’

Julian’s palm, which held my hand, was burning red.

Probably because he clumsily got on his crutches and moved too fast and too far.

“Fa, Fa, Fa, Father? There, there was… no contact, uh, uh, h-how…”

Murloc took a step back.

Grandfather glared at him.

“Why, do you not want me to come?”

“Oh, no… Well, it’s just that there is no response from the communication port… And I heard there was a huge landslide in your route…”

At those words, Grandfather burst into anger.

“What? Did you think I’d be trapped in a landslide or something? Huh? I came this far while avoiding natural disasters!”

Hmm.

…He couldn’t avoid it before the regression.

Anyway, after letting out a loud scoff, Grandfather spat out as if to add.

“I got on a boat.”

“…What?”

“It means I came by sea.”

And striding forward, he settled down in the seat of honor where Murloc had been sitting until just now.

‘By sea… indeed.’

Sea routes were much faster for traveling between countries, but nobles did not favor them.

‘Especially if it’s someone like my grandfather who has a lot of business, usually requiring contact from the communication zones.’

There was no communication zone installed on the ship.

Even if the schedule would be delayed, it was more reasonable to move through cities and check the communication zones.

But…

“As a businessman, I have to agree to an interesting first deal.”

My grandfather’s fierce gaze turned to me.

“Rosie.”

Really, the feeling of intimidation was enormous.

I swallowed dry saliva and stood up slowly to answer.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

This was our first conversation.

While everyone’s eyes were focused, Grandfather spoke slowly.

“I have decided to accept your deal.”

Grandfather held out a small envelope. Inside the envelope was a small bracelet made of seashells.

[Please make a bracelet out of seashells on the way back.]

No matter how much of the future I knew, there was no way to prevent a landslide. But I could not leave it at that.

‘The shell bracelet is my grandfather’s first business item. Since I brought it up, he must have thought that it should be made in the same way as back then.’

Picking up shells from the sandy beach and threading them on a fishing line one by one on the way to the boat.

To do so, he had to go to sea. And since he was heading to the sea, he would definitely use the sea route.

It was too much of a waste of time to go back to Solom and use the land route.

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

I walked over and took the envelope containing the shell bracelet from my grandfather’s hand.

“I haven’t been to the sea yet. So I really wanted this shell bracelet.”

“Come on.”

Grandfather looked at me and said,

“This is a bracelet I made myself with sincerity and time. And my time is very expensive.”

Everyone was looking at us with bewildered faces.

Grandfather raised his eyebrows and asked,

“How are you going to pay for this?”

[No matter the price you set, I have prepared something that will satisfy you at once.]

Yes, I knew my grandfather would be curious about the ‘price’. And in the end, because of that ‘curiosity’, he accepted this deal and came by sea.

My grandfather was a businessman, and no matter how young I was, he couldn’t help but react to the words ‘satisfactory payment’.

“And I’ll ask in advance.”

Grandfather’s green eyes shone with interest.

“What are you going to do if I don’t like your payment?”

And I calmly answered.

“You can put a hundred eyes on me, or you can tell me not to come out of a small room. Ah, but at least a little sunlight is needed….”

“Huh.”

“But that won’t happen. First, I will tell you about my payment.”

Looking into Grandfather’s eyes, I confidently revealed.

“A few days ago, I sent an engagement letter to the Duke of Diefenril. I will make sure it happens.”

At that, everyone in the meeting room was taken aback.

The County of Noart was evaluated as having a short history and somewhat inferior among the nobility because of its poor beginnings. If marriage talks with the duchy continued, this was not an ordinary event.

But before I could give a supplementary explanation, Grandfather yelled at me.

“What? Marriage talks? What?”

Grandfather was about to bang his fist on the table, but after a glance at me, he lowered his hand. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t angry.

“I have a 12-year-old granddaughter, but I’m not a scumbag who does marriage business! Did you prepare it as a payment? Huh?”

His anger was so great that everyone in the meeting room flinched.

“If Julian finds his memories, he will faint! How much your brother pampered and raised you… you’re selling yourself out? What?”

Julian quietly muttered, “I’ve already fainted…” Thankfully, he retained some sense and did not say it loudly. 

Without hesitation, I answered right away.

“Ah, if you don’t like it, I’ll cancel.”

Of course, I was saying I would not pay in this way, not that I was canceling the marriage talk.

Intentionally omitting detailed explanations, I immediately continued speaking.

“Then I’ll tell you another payment.”

“Another payment…?”

Grandfather’s brows furrowed in an instant.