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IBP 69
His eyes widened.
I looked at him and spoke again.
Since I couldn't tell him that I had seen it in the future, I mixed in a little lie.
I told him that while I was helping my teacher, I saw a bird carrying a mana crystal in the Loki mine. When I asked the bird what it was, it explained that it was a mana crystal.
“My goodness, not only the light ability, but you can even converse freely with animals... It wasn't just simple animal affinity.”
...Oops, I've been found out.
‘Wh-what should I do?’
Leaving his awe-struck gaze behind, I blinked my eyes.
“...Yes. I guess it's already a famous story among the birds!”
My conscience pricked me for lying, but my teacher couldn't understand the language of birds anyway.
After using the power-nullifying stone, my teacher had become unable to understand animal speech.
I flung the window wide open.
Crossing the window, Agent Jack flew in and perched on my shoulder.
Then, with a little pop, he spat a stone out of his beak.
“This is it.”
“It really looks like a mana crystal.”
“Yes. I think so.”
“Among mana crystals, ones that look l-like this are extremely rare...”
He continued to marvel as he attempted to appraise it.
“Is it true that this mana crystal exists in the Loki mine?”
“Yes!”
I confidently puffed out my round belly.
“Then it will take some time to dig up the mana crystals embedded near the mountain range.”
“But I think the animals have already dug them all up in advance!”
“What?”
“Look. There's almost no dirt on the bird's beak, and there's no dirt inside the wings either. Seeing as he brought the mana crystal so easily, wouldn't it be because they've already been dug up? It's also something all the birds know about!”
At my words, he rummaged through the inside of a drawer.
“Let us head to the Loki mine immediately.”
My teacher's eyes sparkled.
“...The guide bird should come along too!”
* * *
Even after using the teleportation stone, we walked along a winding mountain path and arrived beneath a small thicket.
Agent Jack chirped, ‘It's a path I know by heart, so it's a bit embarrassing to pretend to be a guide.’
“This doesn't seem like a mine...”
Of course it wasn't.
“The animal friends probably dug them up and just gathered them because the mana crystals are pretty!”
“What a fascinating thing.”
“If we track the animals' movements, wouldn't we be able to find the location of the mine?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Just then, Belief glanced at me suspiciously.
“...Coco, it is a bit suspicious that you know all of this so well.”
I flinched, but...
“Well, regardless, it's as if a bundle of luck has rolled into our ducal house. Ho ho.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
Then, what I have to do now is—immediately!
“You know! How about we use the mana crystals within the family, and if there are any left, sell them outside at a high price?”
In a way, it was the typical route for mine development.
“I heard today that Lady Melomande does that!”
Belief wore a thoughtful expression before answering.
“Yes, that sounds good. Usually, mana crystals have a one-year expiration date after excavation, so if the amount is more than the family's talents can use, it would be best to sell them.”
“Are you going to establish a merchant guild?”
“If we are to sell them, then yes. It would be best to do it as quickly as possible.”
I cheered inwardly.
‘Dahlia, just you wait!’
But it was right then.
“Coco, for now, let's go back today and write a contract first.”
“Huh?”
“You and your animal friends excavated the mana crystals and I'm just riding your coattails; it would make me a bad adult if I stole them without a contract.”
[Coco: A portion of mana crystals and 50% royalty payment]
[Animal Friends: A lump of cheese, a glass of wine, rice, etc.]
“And, one more thing!”
“Hmm?”
“Can you keep my abilities a complete secret?”
Because I didn't want to be found out by others and die like I did in the future.
Belief smiled, his eyes curving.
“...Alright.”
And so, I stamped the document with a loud thump.
Following Belief's urging, the paw prints of the animal friends were also stamped next to the contract.
* * *
The problem was that, unlike me, Belief was an adult.
And that adult ended up summoning an even bigger adult.
Duke Ardos scooped me up in a hug and spoke.
“Lately, you've been subtly trying to avoid having breakfast together. Or even if you do eat, you're nodding off, eh?”
...Seeing him express his disappointment, I felt like I should do something.
“Um, you'll be really excited if you hear this!”
Belief, who was beside me, chimed in.
“Yes, Brother. I have brought wonderful news.”
“What is it? I'm not easily surprised. I've been through everything—land, sea, and air.”
“I discovered mana crystals near the cottage where I was staying.”
Duke Ardos stopped just as he was about to pick his ear.
“...What?”
“Y-you're saying mana crystals appeared in o-our territory, which doesn't have a single natural resource?”
“Yes, Brother. What's even more surprising is that the effect is more than double that of the mana crystals currently in circulation. The Loki mine I possessed was a mana crystal mine.”
Duke Ardos wore a blank expression for a moment, then smiled sinisterly.
“Duke Berlan, that rascal... just you wait. Now, how did you discover the mine?”
“Coco did almost all of it.”
“Hah...”
“My, a five-year-old little thing! Yes. Well done to both of you. You ambitious little rascals!”
And the bigger adult, Duke Ardos, was overjoyed.
“Should I contribute to all the daily newspapers immediately? That a mana crystal mine has been discovered?”
I nodded vigorously.
I was incredibly excited to see how Dahlia would react.
“Ah, no. Now that I've adopted her, I should show my daughter to His Majesty.”
Duke Ardos suddenly dropped a bombshell.
“Since things have turned out this way, let's announce the mana crystal mine at the Imperial Palace while showing my daughter to His Majesty. What do you think?”
“Gasp, the Imperial Palace...”
“...B-Brother?”
“Well, I'd like to keep her tucked away within the family... but I can't hide her forever, can I?”
“...”
“Besides, it's the social season, so an Imperial Palace ball for all the nobles will be held soon. You've returned, and the time has come to show that the people of our house are forging such a bond.”
I can't believe it. Things have escalated this much.
Dahlia announced hers at a tiny social party...
‘Whoa, is this truly the power of money and authority?’
I came to a clear realization of the hierarchy of power among humans.
And...
‘It'll be a bit difficult to say that Big Sister discovered it, right? But with a scale difference like this, Dahlia is going to be absolutely furious!’
Thump, thump.
Finally, tomorrow.
My heart trembled with the anticipation that the wicked Dahlia would be taught a lesson.
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