Ch.230230. A Wish in the Snowy Winter (4)

‘I think I’ve lost them all by now, haven’t I?’

Renias wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead as she glanced behind her.

‘Yep, no one following! I must have lost them all!’

She grinned with satisfaction.

Though she was a bit out of breath from running so hard, her mind felt lighter now that there wasn’t a crowd of people swarming around her like before.

Now, the next step. Having reduced the competition, it was time to fulfill Senia’s instructions, even if just a little.

She still needed to collect 7 stickers. She had missed a couple of opportunities, but there was still time to make up for it. Seven sticker chances remained, and she could look for similar opportunities during breaks. That should be plenty!

“Senior, Senior! Where are we going next? I’m so excited!”

“Huh? Oh. Just wait a moment.”

However, Junon, holding the pamphlet, was lagging behind, unlike Renias who was eagerly urging him on.

Renias didn’t miss this subtle difference and seized upon it.

“Let’s see. If we walk straight from here…”

“Senior.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Did something happen there?”

Anyone else would have completely missed it.

Would even those who had grown close to Junon have noticed? No. They would have dismissed it, seeing his seemingly composed expression.

Even if Senia, the most insightful member of the Tembris party, were present, she wouldn’t have sensed the discomfort as Renias did.

But this tiny flaw was immediately apparent to Renias’s eyes.

“What do you mean by ‘something happened’…”

“Senior, you always move according to a meticulous plan. By now, you should have memorized that pamphlet without even looking at it.”

“Ah…”

Her observation was so sharp that Junon was left speechless.

Renias grabbed Junon’s hand again, suggesting they take a break, and sat him down on a bench.

“Come on, tell me. What happened that’s bothering you?”

“It’s nothing… really. I just stepped in when I saw some nobleman bullying people, that’s all.”

“Is that really all? Hmm. I don’t think so. Look into my eyes.”

“…!”

Once again, Renias unconsciously closed the distance between their faces.

Junon’s face was firmly held by his junior’s hands, forcing him to meet her gaze.

This distance is… not good.

He needed to say something to stop Renias’s sudden action.

“Ahem. You’re too close. Are you going to do this every time?”

But unlike usual, Renias didn’t get embarrassed or jump back like lightning.

She just narrowed her eyes and stared intently at his face.

“Senioooor? Hmph.”

“…”

Perhaps she had developed some immunity.

Puffing her cheeks, she gripped his face firmly, preventing him from escaping the topic.

Under Renias’s meaningful gaze, he couldn’t say anything.

He needed to open his mouth and say something.

As he was racking his brain, Renias released her hands first.

“How disappointing. If you keep not telling me things, I’m going to be upset.”

It wasn’t the kind of disappointment where she felt left out for not being told. It wasn’t about pouting with her lips sticking out.

She was probably frustrated. She might bring up how he was worrying alone or how he had promised not to lie to her.

Yes. It might go back to how things were at the hospital.

Since it was impossible to explain about the past and future, Junon carefully began to speak.

“I have a plan. But… it’s not going very well.”

***

“Let’s see. If we walk straight from here…”

“Senior.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Did something happen there?”

“What do you mean by ‘something happened’…”

“Senior, you always move according to a meticulous plan. By now, you should have memorized that pamphlet without even looking at it.”

“Ah…”

Senior Junon, I get it now. Something happened again, didn’t it?

Let’s put aside playing for a moment. I need to make sure he can’t escape, so I’ll sit him down… and as a double measure, I’ll hold his hands tight.

Got it!

“Come on, tell me. What happened that’s bothering you?”

“It’s nothing… really. I just stepped in when I saw some nobleman bullying people, that’s all.”

“Is that really all? Hmm. I don’t think so. Look into my eyes.”

“…!”

Every time I teased him, he would look flustered.

But this is different. It’s a subtle difference, but this isn’t the look of someone troubled by a joke.

It’s that complicated expression, just like before. So this must be an important concern for him.

“Ahem. You’re too close. Are you going to do this every time?”

Oh… I guess I was too close.

But wait!

Did you think I’d fall for that, clearing your throat and trying to change the subject?

Hmph.

“Senioooor? Hmph.”

“…”

My cheeks puffed up automatically.

It’s a bit embarrassing to act this way with him, but right now getting a clear answer is more important than feeling shy.

If I need to hold him tight so he can’t escape, this is how I’ll do it.

So I grabbed his face firmly with both hands.

With my cheeks puffed, I kept giving him an insistent look, asking for an answer. His eyelids started blinking faster, and his black pupils dropped downward.

Senior fell silent, entering a period of contemplation.

‘Good, I think he’s going to tell me! Hehe.’

If he wanted to break free, he could easily push me away with force.

Of course, knowing his personality, I don’t think he would just push me away like that, and as expected, he didn’t. With his head lowered, he seemed to be choosing his words.

But as his warm breath touched me from so close, I suddenly came to my senses.

‘Oh no, maybe I went too far?’

Somehow I ended up being forceful…?

‘Hmm…’

Now I feel bad. Maybe Senior has his reasons for not telling me…?

Then, in my mind, a rabbit wearing my clothes with two goat horns on its head appeared and said:

-No! If you stop now, you won’t find out anything! If you don’t get it all out now, he’ll change the subject like he did at the hospital. Hurry up and ask! You need to know everything about Senior if you want to capture him or whatever!

C-capture him?! That last part seems a bit too self-serving… but the rest does make sense.

After pushing this far, it would be pointless if I got no results.

Just as I was thinking I should ask,

-No, Renias. If you do that, who will protect Senior Junon’s privacy? What he needs right now is someone to listen, not someone to force him.

This time, a rabbit wearing my clothes with a halo above its head appeared and said that.

This also makes sense when I think about it. What if I touch on something that makes him really sad!

After that, the two rabbits started arguing with each other, presenting their opinions, and somehow I ended up having to find a middle ground…!

I erased the white blank page in my mind to get rid of the two figures and tried to think as quickly as possible.

‘Umm… my choice is…’

Looking at Senior Junon’s contemplative face, I chose:

“How disappointing. If you keep not telling me things, I’m going to be upset.”

In the end, I didn’t want to force him.

Deep down, I wanted to shout “Tell me exactly what happened!” but it didn’t feel right to demand answers like I did at the hospital… so I just expressed my disappointment.

But as before, I shouldn’t force him. I let go of his hands and maintained an appropriate distance on the bench as I waited for his answer.

I had decided to give him plenty of time, but…

“I have a plan. But… it’s not going very well.”

“A plan…?”

I didn’t expect this kind of answer.

***

A plan? What kind of plan could be troubling Senior?

It’s unexpected, but… not entirely strange.

After all, he’s already carried out several plans without anyone knowing.

Like during the victory banquet at Moras Wetlands, when he was my partner for the end-of-term evaluation, and when we rescued Sister Adel.

And now this time too.

Even in dealing with Defornice III, Senior chose to overlook explanations and join forces with the Lakan tribe.

‘I want to help with that!’

I don’t want to leave him to solve it alone; I want to help even with the smallest things. And if he gets hurt in the process, I naturally want to comfort him!

Senior Junon always values information. Let me approach this from his perspective.

“What kind of plan is it?”

“Well. It’s a bit difficult to explain directly, so let me give you an example. You know how mana stone prices rise at the beginning of each semester, right?”

“I know that better than anyone! People from the provinces come to the capital to do business, right? And there’s a festival-like atmosphere to celebrate and encourage students! Plus, mana stones are needed to maintain the night markets full of food and entertainment!”

As I answered enthusiastically with my hand raised, Senior smiled warmly.

“So the uses for mana stones increase dramatically during that time. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“Yes. And my plan starts from there. I know about materials that will suddenly become necessary soon, like mana stones. To avoid misunderstanding, let me say this is based on my subjective analysis.”

“Wow. Then it would be good to buy them in advance. They could be useful later.”

“Exactly. There are many benefits to be gained. But… if I buy them, it creates a problem.”

“Huh? Why?”

Senior paused for a moment, saying, “That part is…”

But soon he opened his mouth again to share his honest opinion.

“The commercial rights in the Ardelion Duchy are mostly held by high-ranking nobles. And when it comes to land ownership, there’s hardly anything that hasn’t been touched by the nobles.”

“So… if you buy it, the nobles will follow and buy it too?”

“Probably.”

Considering how high-ranking nobles have influenced the duchy so far, this was definitely a concern.

Senior Junon worked hard to figure this out, but someone else could just throw money at it and take priority? That’s almost like stealing!

After hearing the whole story, it was clear the conditions were quite complicated.

The commercial rights of the duchy and the high-ranking nobles. The minerals that would soon see a price surge were Badelite and Elcherium, all tangled up with land ownership issues.

Hmm. This definitely wasn’t something I could ignore!

A new use for minerals that were previously only used for decoration—that was certainly newsworthy.

But unfortunately, I didn’t know much about it.

‘But… sigh. How can I help? I don’t know much about economics.’

I should have learned more about that when I had the time! Renias lamented inwardly as she tapped the ground twice with her shoe.

“Even if I don’t buy it myself, I need someone who can buy it for me… but as I said, the conditions are so tricky that I can’t find the right person.”

“What about that junior Charlotte you mentioned?”

“If I entrust it to any merchant group, rumors will spread and reach the nobles’ ears.”

“I see…”

I ended up saying something unhelpful.

But then.

When Junon repeated that statement, a light bulb went off in Renias’s head.

“Senior. Why don’t I buy it for you?”

“Hm?”

Senior looked puzzled, as if wanting to say, “You?”

Hmm, I guess he doesn’t know, so I need to explain a bit more.

“I don’t mean to brag, but my family is known as the Purple Lantana even in the Artena Empire. You still don’t get it?”

“Ah?”

With this explanation, his face finally lit up.

“It’s not strange at all for a noble to purchase minerals, right?”

My name is Renias Posterior von Lantana.

I’m a member of the Lantana Ducal family, known as the Purple Lantana.

It’s not strange at all for a noble to buy minerals that could be used as jewels.