28
‘Think, Eliza. So, after the heroine appears…….’
Eliza endlessly wrote down everything she knew.
In the original story, Leopold, who failed to end up with the heroine, threw himself into becoming a weapon of war and died.
Death. Just placing Leopold’s name alongside that word made it difficult for her to breathe.
‘That must never happen.’
When one lives while constantly struggling with a frail body, one eventually realizes. How precious it is simply to live, to plant both feet firmly on the ground, take steps, and breathe clean breaths untainted by pain.
That was why Eliza wanted to live. Though she had suffered from a high fever, there had never been a single moment when she wanted to die.
Even if living was not always happiness, sometimes life itself possessed a noble value simply by virtue of being alive.
So she wanted Leopold’s life as well.
“……If possible, I wish it wouldn’t be painful, either.”
She had heard that he was being tormented by the soldiers and treated like a plaything. Eliza couldn’t understand it.
In the original story, Leopold Hagen awakened his power when Eliza was offered as a sacrifice. As a result, he was said to have gained martial prowess that surpassed the limits of human ability.
Since Eliza had not died, he might not have that ‘power’ now, but even so, he was a knight who had been recognized. A talented man who had risen to the position of vice-captain at a young age.
And Eliza knew that even the martial prowess for which Leopold was recognized was actually the level of ability he had displayed while concealing his true strength.
‘Could the bullying really be that severe? Then, if only that gets better, Leopold will be able to display his abilities to the fullest.’
Eliza believed in him. Even without such ‘power,’ he already possessed more than enough remarkable abilities.
Therefore, what she had to do was help Leopold display those abilities.
For his sake, Eliza made plans every night, and now their outline was gradually taking shape.
One of the easiest ways to escape discrimination was to secure a powerful backer.
Eliza decided to make a great deal of money and become his patron.
‘I’ll pour wealth into eliminating the discrimination, and once you begin to demonstrate your abilities, I’ll spread rumors…….’
Eliza’s plan was looking toward the future. Her goal was for him to distinguish himself on the battlefield and be able to return to the capital.
Because the fundamental reason he died was that he failed to end up with the heroine.
‘If you live, and only if you meet her.’
Leopold would fall in love with her without a doubt.
The betrayal she had committed must have wounded him to some extent.
That beautiful and cheerful heroine would soothe his heart and heal his life with love.
The heroine was originally destined to end up with the Crown Prince, but…….
‘I’ll give her to you.’
Eliza made up her mind.
“Leopold, I’ll give you both love and life.”
It was the only atonement she could offer.
Clutching her aching heart, Eliza devoted herself throughout the night to making her plans more concrete.
Her plan to amass wealth so that she could become his patron was steadily progressing.
***
「My dear young lady. Where are you staying today? Although winter has eased a little, the wind is still cold, so please be sure to wear clothes with a high collar.」
Eliza chuckled as she unfolded the letter. Even though she had told Nancy that she only needed to write the important matters, Nancy always sent her such warm greetings.
By the window, a bluebird was frantically pecking at grains. It had been a few weeks since the bluebird arrived to find her, carrying Nancy’s note, and had succeeded in sending her reply to Nancy as well.
「……There is a strange rumor going around. It concerns your whereabouts, young lady.
They say that the Crown Prince is sponsoring you, and that you went abroad to study.
Young lady, is it true? Have you gone to another country far away?
Ah, I’m sorry. You told me not to ask, but I can’t hide my curiosity about where you are.
Still, Count Waluer hasn’t searched for you since that rumor spread. That’s good news, isn’t it?」
Eliza lightly tapped the desk with her fingertips.
In conservative noble society, if a grown daughter ran away from home, she would become an object of ridicule, so she had expected the family to hide her escape.
But she had been anxious because it was obvious they would search for her relentlessly behind the scenes. Fortunately, it seemed she had not been discovered yet, and it was clear that the Crown Prince had helped prevent any further search.
She had not expected this much help. It was a good thing for Eliza, but she could not understand why he had helped her.
「And I took care of what you requested. My hands were trembling so much when I had to handle such a large sum of money.
I delivered the documents to the transport office yesterday.」
The transport office was operated by the Mage Tower to earn funds, and it allowed people to send goods or documents to branches established in each city.
If a customer registered a unique emblem and five words at the location where they would receive the goods, it was possible to send the goods using those symbols without knowing the address.
Although it took longer than hiring someone directly or sending a carrier pigeon, the location where the symbols were registered and the customer’s identity were guaranteed to remain strictly confidential, making it an unparalleled method when security was required.
Moreover, since it also served as a bank if one paid a fee, it was an essential choice for someone like Eliza, who had to conceal her identity.
‘The documents will probably take a week. Well, that side isn’t urgent.’
Eliza glanced at the calendar. When sending the goods to Nancy, she used the symbol she had registered while she was in the capital.
Through it, Eliza disposed of the jewels she had taken from her family, as well as the precious metals the Crown Prince had offered her as the minimum payment.
If she had tried to sell such rare jewels in a small city like this, she would obviously have attracted attention immediately, so she had entrusted them to them despite her worries, and fortunately, it seemed they had handled everything well.
「But can I really have the pouch carried by the bird?
I feel uneasy about sending something this way.
I hope it reaches you safely, young lady…….
I’ll be waiting for your next message. You’ll send word before the violets bloom, won’t you?」
The bird gave a small chirp. Eliza gently tapped its head with her index finger before opening the window.
After the bluebird flew away through it, Eliza opened the pouch it had carried.
Inside were several pieces of ore, their mysterious radiance shimmering within their opaque white bodies.
Mana stones discovered in Saxen Territory. Now that their uselessness had been revealed, they were an item known as ‘Saxen’s Pebbles.’
‘The original novel had been so cursed. Now I should be grateful for it.’
Eliza held the pebbles up to the sunlight. Each time she changed the angle, the halo of light contained within the stones changed into different colors.
They were beautiful to look at, but since they did not possess the same value as jewels, it was not wrong to simply call them pebbles.
Ore that possessed the properties of mana stones yet could not absorb magical power was completely useless.
Those who had invested in the mines of Saxen withdrew after being left with enormous losses, and Eliza purchased the mine cheaply after it lost its value and became so troublesome to dispose of that no one wanted it.
“It’s because they tried to make it absorb magical power.”
A bright smile appeared on her face for the first time in a while.
A new discovery was a good means of seizing new wealth. And this was a substance with properties that had never been discovered even once before.
An object that even the heroine in the original story could only recognize after awakening as a saintess.
‘This is a stone that absorbs divine power.’
A glimmer appeared in Eliza’s eyes as she gazed into the opportunity.
***
“Miss Eli, you’re far too diligent. This work wasn’t even urgent.”
“I’m naturally a little quick with my hands.”
“I know that, but if you keep doing this, they’ll keep moving the deadline forward on their end, too. Goodness, this won’t do. I’ll have to hand this over a week from now.”
Eliza smiled as she watched Jenia tightly bind the manuscript she had handed over.
The inside of Jenia’s newly established office was a little disorderly. But Eliza liked this rough space.
Because it was proof that Jenia’s parents, who had once been mere merchants, had become the owners of a trading company, even if it was a small one.
“Oh, and could you get me some sleeping pills?”
“I think I gave you some last week, too. Have you already taken them all?”
“I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Oh, come on. Even if they’re mild, taking too much isn’t good for your health. My father worries so much about you, too.”
“Mr. Harper?”
“Yes. He talks about Miss Eli every time he opens his mouth. Anyone listening would think Miss Eli was his daughter.”
Jenia pretended to grumble, but the tone beneath her words was one of pleasant teasing. The two who shared that feeling exchanged smiles without saying a word.
That small and warm affection was more precious to Eliza than anything else. That was why Eliza had also helped Jenia’s father, Harper Bennett, establish his trading company.
She needed a new trading company that was not affiliated with anyone for the sake of her plan.
