CH 52

Chapter 52: Adopted

After talking with Lex, I move to the room.

“Madam.”

In the hallway, I heard Hilka’s voice following from behind. I turned around.

“Something?”

Swordmaster’s Youngest Son Chapte...

“Your feet are swaying and it’s dangerous… Also, try to fix your expression with a smile. Did you notice that Senni was looking at you twice when you passed by earlier?”

Oh, I’m not good. I made my expression stiff and calmly walked to the room.

And after confirming that the room door was closed by Hilka, I threw myself onto the sofa with a sigh.

“Aah…”

My feet move flap, flap.

“Come on, stop making a mess.”

I answer while embracing the cushion.

“My husband is so wonderful, isn’t he!”

“That’s good to hear.”

Hilka’s reply is a flat voice.

“Lex is too cool.”

“Amazingly simple.”

I get up with a flourish.

“Wait a minute!”

“Actually, I think it turned out wonderful.”

Yes! How could I be so simple!

“It’s not, you know? I wouldn’t say that he looks the best physically.”

“But for Madam, that is the best, isn’t it?”

Ugh, Hilka seems to be having fun. The relationship as a maidservant has been long and now that we can live together without reservations, it seems that way.

“Well, generally speaking, if you just look at appearances, Elias would definitely be better, wouldn’t he?”

“He also has power, right?”

“But, what’s important is the inside, after all!”

“Yes, that’s true. I am glad to see that Vilhelmina-sama seems much happier now than when she was next to the crown prince without any substance.”

I nod with a smug look.

Then, Hilka clears her throat and speaks in a low voice.

“Well, “We are a married couple and family” after all.’

“Kyaa!”

“…So simple.”

***

Father looks at the letter he received from the housekeeper and crumples it up.

“Those damn idiots! I don’t know which territory or adventurers you got the magic stones from, but you can’t get it without buying it from us!”

It seems that the contract with the major magic tool workshop, Cyclatron, which we had been negotiating recently, has fallen apart.

The Duke Periknen family has been a wholesaler and customer of magic stone for many years, but now they are breaking that contract.

“If you want to buy it later, I won’t sell it to you!”

Father is angry.

“Father. Isn’t it still tough to try to raise the wholesale price of magic stones?”

Father is trying to raise the price of the magic stones. The standard price of magic stone is set by the country, and there is some margin there.

For example, in the case of a monster stampede occurring in the dungeon, the miners have to be evacuated from the dungeon. At that time, the market price of magic stones will rise.

Conversely, if the suppression is successful, the price will go down because many magic stones can be mined from the demon beasts.

“It’s within the range of the national standard price. You have no right to be criticized for this!”

No, there probably is. In fact, isn’t that why the other side has broken the contract?

“If there is a valid reason for the rise in the price of magic stone, they would have bought it even if it was higher. Isn’t that why they thought it wasn’t this time?”

“The Duke family is going to cost a lot of money from now on, but merchants don’t understand that. To celebrate when the Duke family becomes the father-in-law of the next king, it is common to happily give money.

The words of my father are arrogant, but I understand them. To adopt Miss Ina Madetoya as Ina Periknen, and to make her marry into the royal family.

There is no doubt that it will cost money, and if Prince Elias takes her as his wife, the Duke Periknen family will hold further power as the king’s family.

That trend should not be unknown to merchants. But there are also several merchants besides the Cyclatron who are saying they will stop doing business with the Duke family.

There are two possible reasons. One is a rumor that Ina is not being well-educated and is not recognized as the crown princess. The other is the possibility that they have obtained a cheaper source of magic stones.

Dungeons have been found in some territories or neighboring countries, or they may be hidden.

“Well, Jurremi. Let’s go and welcome Ina as a family member.”

Father heads for the entrance with the family orderly in tow. His wife and my half sister are probably already there.

Today is the day to welcome Miss Ina as the adopted daughter of the household.

We have to welcome her and her biological parents of the Madetoya family in the carriage coming from the royal castle.

I followed Father a little later.

Looking out the window, I can see the carriage decorated with the royal emblem entering the property in the bright weather.

“Is this my big sister’s scheme?”

I don’t know. How can my big sister be involved if a dungeon was found?

“Jurremi!”

I can hear Father’s voice calling from downstairs.

That’s right, I have to welcome the woman who kicked Big Sister out of this house.