Ch.102102. In the Wild

The Edenhar Marquis family is one of the most prestigious houses in the Empire. Most of their bloodline resides in the Imperial Capital—Elysium. Though only a small number of branch family members remain in Edenhar, that doesn’t mean the main house lacks value.

Charlotte von Edenhar. Wherever she is becomes the center of Edenhar.

The marquis estate always received many visitors. Not everyone could meet Charlotte directly. After reviewing various factors such as the visitor’s rank and purpose, only those who received final approval from Allen, the head butler, could eventually see Charlotte.

And today, the moment Allen saw the face of the visitor, he guided them to the office without a moment’s hesitation.

In the end, that judgment was correct.

“Please call if you need anything.”

Even as he said this, Allen thought he wouldn’t be called. After bowing politely, he slowly closed the door.

Thud.

“Allen is still as stiff as ever. Though that’s his charm.”

Charlotte didn’t respond, staring out the window with an expressionless face. The playful voice continued.

“I offered a sum that would tempt even the most distinguished merchants, but he never gave in. That made me want him even more. It’s rare for me not to get something once I’ve decided to make it mine. Charlotte, if it weren’t for your people—”

“Why are you here?”

Seeing how chatty the visitor was, Charlotte interrupted with a deep sigh, knowing they would keep talking endlessly otherwise. Being able to approach anyone without hesitation and quickly become familiar was certainly a strength. But knowing what lay behind that smile, Charlotte couldn’t welcome her guest gladly.

“Vivienne.”

Charlotte turned around. The woman leaning back in the plush chair pouted and grumbled.

“Is that all the reaction I get after five years?”

“If I had my way, I’d never have seen you again.”

“That hurts my feelings. I’ve been wanting to see you all this time, you know?”

“If it’s a simple matter, couldn’t you have handled it by letter?”

Charlotte frowned, glaring at the woman.

“Is it important enough to make you abandon your beloved money-making and come all the way here? The Church’s financial power must be diminished with you away.”

While it’s impossible to rank the Apostles by their combat abilities, when it comes to wealth, there is an undeniable pinnacle that no one can dispute.

The Golden Apostle, Vivienne.

She is the wealthiest woman not just among the Sanctified, but among all humans. From basic assets like money to land, treasures, and even people—even the Imperial Family, called the masters of the continent, cannot surpass Vivienne’s fortune.

“Are you worried about me right now?”

Vivienne asked with wide eyes. Seeing that expression made irritation boil up inside Charlotte, who replied in a disinterested tone.

“If you have no business here, get out.”

She didn’t think her response was too harsh. From the beginning, Charlotte had disliked Vivienne. Ignorant fools might be deceived by that bright smile and quickly give their hearts away, not knowing how that smile could flip like the back of a hand.

“How cold. I’m a guest, after all. Aren’t you going to offer me anything?”

“If you’re hungry, you can eat your own food.”

“I wanted to taste Allen’s tea after so long. Oh well.”

Vivienne snapped her fingers. Space itself split open. A teacup gently fell onto the table through the gap, followed by a plate of refreshments. Crunch. Vivienne bit into a snack and spoke.

“Anyway, it’s fine that you worried. My recent business ventures have entered a stable phase, so they can run without me being there now. Even if that weren’t the case, I would have made at least minimal time.”

“Stop beating around the bush and be clear. I asked why you came to Edenhar.”

The grinning smile abruptly stopped. Shink. In an instant, sharp blades appeared from all directions, pointing at Vivienne. They weren’t fired. If anything, this was a silent demonstration—a warning to stop the pointless wordplay.

Vivienne understood that. After all, she had deliberately provoked Charlotte. Reactions are always so entertaining. If things had gone as expected, Charlotte would have exploded much earlier, so she must have shown considerable restraint. Had she developed patience during their time apart? Vivienne looked at Charlotte with her violet eyes.

“I thought you might have forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?”

“The princess’s birthday. It’s three months away.”

“Of course I remember that.”

“You didn’t come last year, or the year before that, or ever, so I thought you’d forgotten.”

“Needless worry. For an ordinary birthday, there’s no need for me to visit, but this year the princess turns fifteen. I was already planning to go in time.”

Charlotte answered in an indifferent voice. Even for an imperial birthday, she couldn’t be moved at someone else’s whim. There are many imperial family members, and birthdays repeat every year. It’s impossible to travel to the distant capital for each one.

But fifteen is different.

It’s the age of adulthood. Even in quiet villages, coming-of-age ceremonies are always celebrated. Naturally, an imperial coming-of-age ceremony invites all manner of high officials and nobles, hosting a magnificent banquet unlike any other.

Currently, there is only one princess. The Emperor cherishes his only daughter, born late in his life, and is paying great attention to her coming-of-age ceremony.

“If I miss it, the Emperor will be upset. He’s so narrow-minded that he’d whine about it not for years but for decades. I can’t stand that sight.”

Vivienne chuckled at Charlotte’s muttering. Charlotte glared at her with narrowed eyes and continued.

“So, is that your only purpose?”

“No.”

Vivienne shook her head. Papers fluttered through the air toward Charlotte.

“This is actually the main point.”

“This is…”

“The information you asked me to investigate. I’ve been sending it regularly, but since you never replied, I reviewed and checked it personally this time. What do you think?”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she scanned the documents. She might dislike Vivienne, but her abilities were real. It’s the way of the world that information flows to those with financial power. Vivienne is not only the continent’s wealthiest person but also a black market dealer handling all information in this world.

What Charlotte had asked her for was—

“I’ve compiled a list of rising talents that might meet your standards. Most already belong to organizations, so it would be difficult to bring them into the Church.”

“…Is this all?”

“Hmm? Yes. Not satisfied? You should lower your standards a bit. Your criteria are exceptionally high. Well, if words could convince you, you wouldn’t have rejected candidates for the past ten years.”

Vivienne seemed to be misunderstanding something, but Charlotte didn’t correct her. Instead, she focused on scanning the names listed in the document.

Flying Snow Ivella. Water Church affiliation. Three thousand.

Light Sword Celeb. Light Church affiliation. Seven thousand.

Heavy Strike Daros. Unaffiliated. Two thousand.

Misty Extension Lindel. Mercy Church affiliation. Five thousand.

Demon Spear Malik. Death Church affiliation. Ten thousand.

…

The list continued at length. The titles preceding the names were a kind of epithet given to promising talents with bright futures. They indirectly indicated what weapons they used and what blessings and abilities they wielded. Usually, these names were given by others rather than self-proclaimed, and rarely became known in other regions.

The fact that these names had reached Vivienne’s ears meant that those listed in the document possessed exceptional skills.

Vivienne’s blessing allowed her to assign a value to anything in the world, and the numbers that followed were the conclusions she had drawn.

“As you requested, I limited the age. The oldest is Misty Extension Lindel, and the youngest is Flying Snow Ivella. I selected only those under thirty-five who have at least reached the beginning stages of Sacred Flame. Do you like it?”

“No.”

Charlotte answered immediately as she put down the document. Contrary to her words, a pleased smile played on her face. Vivienne tilted her head and complained.

“I figured. No matter how much they’re praised as geniuses, they can’t compare to when we were young. Still, they’re quite talented in their own right. They seem like the best candidates for disciples.”

“I never intended to take on disciples in the first place.”

“Then?”

“I was merely curious about the level of the current generation. Just at the beginning of Sacred Flame? How disappointing.”

“As I said, there are no better talents than those listed here. I searched the entire continent to find them. Want to bet on it?”

Charlotte burst into laughter with irrepressible delight. The Vivienne she knew never made bets she might lose. That meant she was completely confident in her assessment.

But was she right? Looking out the window, Charlotte recalled someone.

“A bet? Very well.”

“…What?”

“It wouldn’t be bad to enjoy some entertainment for once. If we’re betting, what will you wager?”

“Did I hear correctly? You’re suggesting a bet with me? Is that what you just said?”

Vivienne asked with a puzzled expression. Charlotte nodded, twisting her lips. The sight of Vivienne’s furrowed brow was truly gratifying. But only for a moment—as if nothing had happened, Vivienne smiled and blurted out:

“I’ll give you the Fire Spirit.”

“You’re wagering the blacksmith god’s divine object? How generous.”

“Conversely, it means you must bet something of comparable value.”

“I have many treasures in my collection, but none that compare to the Fire Spirit.”

“I know. Instead of an object, I want the right to use your power freely. Five times is… too many, three times seems appropriate. What do you think?”

“Agreed.”

At this immediate response, Vivienne’s eyes widened. She knew she had made an excessive demand. Commanding an Apostle at will? No matter how valuable the Fire Spirit was as a divine object, the two values couldn’t be compared. A divine object doesn’t immediately grant the power to destroy mountains just by holding it. But an Apostle can accomplish far more than that.

She hadn’t expected such a ready agreement.

‘…This is strange.’

An uneasy feeling arose. Was Charlotte a fool? Impossible. Though she appeared hot-tempered and difficult on the surface, she wasn’t incapable of judgment. Rather, she simply didn’t crave power, but her intelligence exceeded that of most nobles.

Charlotte never avoided worthy opponents.

But she did avoid fights that were hopeless from the start. Just as Vivienne never made bets she was bound to lose.

“Nervous? Afraid that you’re wrong and I’m right?”

Charlotte smirked mockingly. Vivienne calmly shook her head.

“Not at all. It’s certainly surprising that you accepted the bet. But it works out well for me. It’s an opportunity to boss around an Apostle who’s always growling at me. Three times, huh? Maybe I’ll make you be my maid for a whole week once.”

“Save your fantasies for after the bet is settled. So, how shall we set the conditions?”

“Your claim is that there’s someone more talented than those listed in the document I showed you. Under thirty-five years old. Either bring them before my eyes or tell me their location. That should work. I’ll give you plenty of time. Would three years be enough?”

“No.”

“Any longer would be problematic. You might just grab someone and train them yourself.”

“Needless concern.”

Charlotte shrugged and moved toward the door.

“I’ll show you right now.”

Vivienne stared at Charlotte with a dubious expression. Right now? Before that question could continue, Charlotte rang a bell.

“You called, my lady.”

Allen opened the door and entered. Charlotte raised the corners of her mouth and said:

“Bring Rex here.”