CH 64

‘Why does his voice ever sound so sweet?’

Just listening to the low voice seemed to let out a faint sound. Frey’s head was full of thoughts of trying to figure out what he meant.

‘Daniel Prause, who approaches recklessly without speaking. I’ve imagined it once in a while, but it’s nice to hear it now.’

Looking at the man in front of her with 185% more attractive, she temporarily let go of reason.

On the other hand, Daniel, who was always polite and respectful, watched Frey’s reaction happily.

[“Frey. Let’s forget about our contract and start over again.”]

Like someone who knows his voice echoes in Frey’s head.

“If I knew you liked talking so much, I would have done it a long time ago.”

“Well, since it sounds good, consider continuing to say that.”

“Shall I?”

His eyes seemed a little dangerous, so Frey squeezed her voice.

“Daniel, that…What does it mean?”

“Are you going to forget the contract?”

He nodded, and Daniel intertwined his fingers between Frey’s hands, which he was holding lightly.

“Because my wife sees our relationship only as a contractual one.”

“….”

“Even if it is a relationship that started as a contract, I think there is a possibility that it will develop in a different direction. What do you think?”

He didn’t even speak to her ear, but her ears were burning. It was the first time Frey had experienced anything like this in her past and present life, so she hurriedly untied her fingers.

“Yes, yes…Any relationship has potential.”

Unusually, Frey stammered at her words, perhaps because she was nervous.

Daniel had a satisfied expression on his face as if he liked Frey’s answer. It was a face that looked like it would be mesmerized and talk nonsense if Frey looked at it. A siren went off in her head.

“Ha, I remember the promise I made with Baron Holt, so I’ll be away for a while.”

She creaked like a wooden doll and got out of her seat.

* * *

When Frey left.

Daniel pulled his tie loose and unbuttoned a couple of buttons. It was not known whether this hotness was due to familiarity with the cool climate of the north, or to Frey’s answer.

[“Any relationship has potential.”]

It was clear that she had spat out words without thinking to escape as if she were running away.

‘Nevertheless, is it because of a reaction that I feel good for no reason?’

‘It was only yesterday that she told me not to worry because she would definitely divorce me, but looking at the reaction today, it seems that progress has been made.’

‘Is my wife not leaving the North now?’

In the glimpsed future, it was Frey who pushed himself away and left miserably.

However, when Daniel left the words and asked the question, she showed a reaction that Daniel hadn’t seen before.

flushed cheeks. Ruby-like eyes that have lost their place to go.

For some reason, every reaction Frey showed caught Daniel’s attention. It is natural that she responds more cutely than when she studies jewelry and receives orders for costumes from the capital while reducing sleep.

‘It’s a cute reaction.’

Daniel laughed at himself for thinking that way.

Just in time, Luke found his master alone on the balcony and approached with a glass full of ice.

“Your face is red.”

“What!?”

“yes. Is His Highness also hot? The northern and capital climates are very different.”

“…”

Daniel turned his head and cooled his face quietly.

Luke munching on the ice without knowing the grand Duke’s insides.

On the other hand, Frey was also complicated.

‘no. Is this the same man who looked away in embarrassment when he talked about the first night in the carriage?’

Her mind was complicated.

If she heard this a few days ago,

‘Does forgetting the contract in a contractual relationship mean asking for a divorce right away?’

Frey might have misunderstood. But when Frey thought about what Daniel had just said, it was clear that he was not telling her to leave the North.

[“Of course, I liked the conditions at first. But now… I hope my wife likes me.”]

then… ‘Are you considering a relationship with me that’s more than just a business partner?’

Come to think of it, he had said something similar before.

[“I won’t push you any further. I will withdraw the words that I hate when it comes to love, only for my wife.”]

‘Daniel likes me… If I say that, I’m going too far ahead.’

‘I didn’t intend to think of the words he liked me or loved me just because I had barely heard those words.’

But it was clear that Daniel was giving her space.

‘Because you told me that you wanted me to like you, not conditions.’

‘Did the man who used to reject love start seeing me as the opposite sex?’

This was a reasonable conclusion.

He must have thought Frey was not as bad as the rumors. since he had watched her work hard at the upper ranks and take care of the children.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to change.

Even when the lady of Count Vliette openly flirted with him, it was a bit surprising that a person who had been unresponsive changed His mind.

‘Since when?’

Frey couldn’t ignore the question marks popping up from the depths of her heart.

Baron Holt, who had come by just in time, spotted Frey, who seemed to be thinking a lot.

‘To say that she looks pensive because of her business, but his face is blushing.’

Before departing for the capital, she seemed somewhat excited about sending a letter saying, ‘We have to meet at the New Year’s festival and do something important.’

Judging by the merchant’s excellent intuition, it seemed that Frey was having a good time with Grand Duke Prause.

The baron deliberately made a sign so that Frey would not be embarrassed.

“Ekhmm, hmm. Her Highness the Grand Duchess. It has been a while since we last met.”

“Ah…Welcome, Baron Holt.”

As his partner approached, Frey’s thought, which had been away, barely returned.

It was because She remembered that at the birthday banquet, she had to sow seeds for later.

[“Baron Holt. Drop it like you’re going to have an important business conversation at a birthday party. So that the Gelon side can be monitored.”]

[“Something interesting will happen if people over there overheard our conversation.”]

Frey lightly lifted the cocktail glass that Baron Holt held out.

It was a gesture that seemed to appreciate the subtle color of the drink, but in fact, it was to see the surroundings reflected in the glass.

‘At least three of them are trying to eavesdrop on our conversation.’

‘Baron Holt did a good job.’

Among them was Duke Gelon.

Duke Gelon, who had been talking with his sister, the empress, kept glancing at Frey.

‘Duke Gelon might have put a wiretapping spell on Baron Holt. I would appreciate it if you could eavesdrop on it in high quality.’

Frey began to move her mouth, which had been covered with a beautiful smile.

“Thank you, Baron Holt, for a job well done. Thanks to that, I think the takeover of the guild of the group will go smoothly.”

As she began to speak in a relieved tone, Baron Holt responded as agreed beforehand.

“Thanks to Her Highness’ divine power, it won’t be difficult to take over the Vliette guild, which is linked to the Fog of Fall. but-“

The baron opened his round eyes as fiercely as he could.

“It’s business! It’s not that easy. If we can’t come up with a breakthrough yet high-margin product, we will be left out of the market.”

“Ah, if that’s the case, I have something roughly in mind.”

“Hmmm, I will evaluate it once.”

Although he acted as he had planned, Baron Holt felt uncomfortable yelling at Frey because she was the owner of a company and was about to die.

He felt like Grand Duke Prause was glaring at him from behind, and he felt chills running down His spine.

‘I think I just saw the vertical pupil that the dragon only sees when chasing its prey…’

However, Frey continued acting regardless.

Tuk-

“It’s still in the research phase, but if you process this raw topaz stone, I think you’ll be able to fully capture the divine and magical powers.”

Surprised, the Baron carefully examined the jewel Frey had given him.

“Rose quartz has also become a great gem through grand duchess hands, so it must be the same with topaz.”

“I will send someone as soon as the research is finished. It’s a good idea to buy rough stones in bulk when they are relatively cheap.”

“I will.”

“The main production areas are listed on this note, so please refer to them.”

Purchasing large quantities of rough topaz with poor luster and hardness.

If anyone who knew even a little about gemstones heard it, it would be a flagship sound.

However, the one who brought up the word was Frey Obellir, who had made a jaw-dropping feat by putting divine power into jewels.

‘Golden topaz gemstone? If you process that garbage, you can put in divine power and magical energy?’

As Frey expected, Duke Gelon, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation using eavesdropping magic, quickly called his subordinates.

Gelon did not yet know how to put magic or divine power into something other than a scroll.

However, with Gelon’s financial power, it was possible to wipe out all the gemstones, making Frey in trouble.

“I want you to buy the golden topaz gemstone right now.”

“yes? But why do we buy it…?”

“Sooner or later, the price will rise significantly. Gold, no, buy all the other colored topaz stones.”

Duke Gelon smiled viciously.

Frey was lucky and somehow managed to process rose quartz first, but that’s just luck.

If Gelon’s financial power and the intelligence of the scholars belonging to the Mage Tower are mobilized, it will be a matter of time before they catch up. 

‘If you need divine power for jewel processing, you can steal one or two scrolls from the temple.’

The Duke smiled with a winner’s smile.

Baron Holt glanced at the Duke of Gelon in the reflection in the glass, then turned his gaze to the distant sky.

‘As expected, Her Highness’ strategy worked. Well, I’ll be tricked too.’

The baron had heard beforehand. Topaz has the lowest processing performance among all gemstones in the world.