Ch.7979. For the Future

I experienced Stage 1 Mana Exhaustion, but Adel was still in the hospital.

More precisely, her discharge had been postponed for some reason. And when I heard that she needed a caregiver, Junon once again found himself heading to the hospital.

Though, I wonder if she really needs a caregiver at all.

“Excuse me.”

“You came quickly. Our child is still in dreamland.”

“…I should lower my voice.”

“What does it matter if she wakes? Besides, yesterday when I opened the door, you had already left. It would have been nice to at least exchange pleasantries.”

“I didn’t want to intrude on a mother-daughter reunion.”

“Even so. How could you not even let us thank you for such help? It’s disappointing.”

“Haha…”

The daughter, resting on her mother’s lap, was sound asleep. Even in her sleep, whenever her mother’s touch reached her, she would nuzzle against it and hold on tight.

It goes without saying how much she must have missed this person.

Last evening when I left them alone, there must have been many tears and long conversations. For that reason, the crusted tear stains were clearly visible around Adel’s eyes.

“After crying herself out, she snuggled into my arms and fell asleep. That’s why you can still see these marks.”

“I don’t find it strange. It’s only natural.”

Rwena said, “Is that so?” and chuckled again.

How long had it been since she met her mother, and with what feelings had Adel been handling the Count’s affairs all this time?

For a girl who had no one to rely on in this world and tried desperately to belong to the Count’s household, this reunion must be beyond words.

So, since I’m here, there’s something I need to say.

“How about disbanding the Rwen Merchant Company and ceasing your activities as its head?”

“…Why would you say such a thing?”

It might sound strange to her.

Now that she has her daughter with her, suggesting to disband the company rather than revitalizing it for a more luxurious life might seem odd.

But there’s already a precedent, so I can’t be careless.

“Adel might be targeted again. That’s why I’m recommending disbandment.”

“Targeted…? But the Count’s family is already gone.”

“The Count’s family isn’t the end of it. They are part of a larger faction.”

It was the Noble Alliance, not the Kutelli County, that overtly tried to prevent the festival.

Therefore, Adel, who is closely connected to their information, would be someone they’d want to remove from sight.

Of course, they wouldn’t directly touch Adel after she had already suffered humiliation once, but now she has her mother Rwena by her side, and with her merchant company, there are plenty of opportunities for them.

“The Rwen Company isn’t a powerful one. Not only does it need to hire external guards, but it’s also not under the protection of any noble with a title. Duke Ardelion might have arranged something, but that’s merely personal protection, not company strength. If they decide to attack… we must consider that what happened at Ripol Gorge could happen again.”

“Ripol Gorge… so you were there too.”

“I won’t deny it. Feel free to ask your executives if you wish.”

I don’t mind if my information is scrutinized. It’s better to prevent an obvious disaster.

For Adel’s sake, for the Rwen Company’s sake, and ultimately for the duchy’s sake.

“Junon. I’m not saying your argument is wrong. But the only weapon I have to protect Adel… isn’t it just the company’s financial power?”

“If there were a family that could provide definite protection, that would be ideal, but if not, mediocre wealth only gets in the way.”

Wealth is the most effective means to shake the value of resources.

The most threatening thing to the foundation that the Noble Alliance has carefully built is capital that doesn’t move according to their will.

What happens when people with wealth appear while they’re creating a foundation for continuous profit?

It’s obvious. As in Ripol Gorge, they’ll try to block it in advance.

Moreover, the Rwen Company, which has no military power and no proper backing, couldn’t possibly resist.

With nothing but weaknesses remaining, the very existence of the company was now just a shackle around the mother and daughter’s ankles.

“Let me ask again. Was there any family in the duchy that would protect the Rwen Company?”

“…”

Silence. What that means is clear enough.

“Alright, Junon. I’ll do as you say.”

True to her merchant nature, it didn’t take her long to calculate.

***

Now I can finally breathe easy.

Unlike the executives who nearly caused trouble, it was fortunate that the madam immediately understood and accepted.

“Ah. Are you two done talking?”

When I came out of the hospital room, Renias was waiting for me.

“If you were here, you could have knocked and come in. How long have you been waiting?”

“Umm… oh, not long!”

Seeing her hesitation, I have a suspicion. When did I start talking with Madam Rwena?

When Silvia was sleeping, it was around 11 minutes… the clock is in about the same position now, so it’s been roughly 50 minutes.

I’m not sure about the minimum, but the maximum seems to be about 50 minutes.

“…You weren’t standing out here waiting for our conversation to end, were you?”

Seeing Renias laugh awkwardly with an “ehehe,” I thought that might really be the case. Especially since there are no chairs nearby.

“Sigh, why would you stand there so foolishly? Your legs must hurt.”

“It felt weird to just walk in. I didn’t think I should interrupt… but I wasn’t eavesdropping! I, I didn’t hear much!”

Rather than listening to her rambling, I should probably have her sit down since she’s been standing.

“S-senior?”

“Stay still. You need to sit down to relieve your stiff legs.”

“I can walk on my own…! You don’t need to carry me like this…”

“Just stay still. If you move, it makes it harder for me.”

After saying that to the squirming Renias, I sat her down in a chair and gently touched her calf with my finger.

“…”

Look at her. Trying to pretend it doesn’t hurt and endure it?

Let’s see if she can stay quiet if I press here.

“Ugh… S-senior! I surrender! I’m sorry!”

“Sigh. Why would you endure it? You must have been standing for at least 30 minutes.”

“Hnnng… but…”

“Never mind, give me your leg. I’ll help loosen it up.”

“Hueeee… that feels goo— oops.”

“…You can just say it feels good. I’m not going to scold you.”

“Ehehe. Okay…”

Being like this reminds me of what Renias looked like when she first encountered exercise in the training room.

She charged in confidently, puffing air through her nose, but soon started panting and then collapsed on the floor, saying she couldn’t go on, sprawled out like a rabbit.

And then she made crying noises because of the cramps.

However, I wasn’t the only one thinking about this.

“Ugh… I always end up showing this side of myself to you, senior…”

Apparently, first impressions are powerful memories, and now her senior is helping loosen her cramped legs just like back then.

It might not seem much different from that time, but she seems to be aware of her embarrassment now, fidgeting with her fingers.

Then, with an awkward expression, she clears her throat and lets out a relaxed “haeh-” sound whenever a tense muscle loosens up.

Really, just like a rabbit.

“So how much did you hear?”

“Wh-what? What do you mean?”

“Standing in such an ambiguous position, you couldn’t have heard everything.”

“Wow… senior, how do you know everything like some kind of ghost?”

She was probably in a very awkward position, wanting to listen but feeling that she shouldn’t.

It’s probably because I’ve always asked her to pretend not to know whenever something happens.

“Your legs should be fine now, so let’s talk as we go. Tell me what I can do for Senior Adel and Madam Rwena.”

“Hmm. So that’s where you heard from.”

The reason I suggested disbanding the Rwen Company, which was their only weapon.

Nevertheless, the best way for the mother and daughter, who are targets of high nobles, to escape their threats.

That key was in Renias’s hands.

***

End-of-term evaluation. Beginning-of-term evaluation. Osoftera Defense Battle. Class placement exam.

He was always present at the scenes of major incidents, and always achieved good results by planning several moves ahead.

If such achievements were known, the higher-ups at the Academy would naturally have noticed that he was no ordinary person and would have kept an eye on him.

However, he remained unknown for several months.

And he was discovered much later. By Duke Ardelion, a man of the highest position.

‘This time there was no way around it.’

Until now, efforts had been made to prevent his activities from spreading, known or unknown, but this time it was futile.

The incident at the Kutelli mansion inevitably required his name to be recorded, no matter what measures were taken.

“This confirms it, Ophelia. Will you make excuses?”

“…No, I won’t.”

What had the Duke wanted all along?

He had prayed for the emergence of those who would lead the way in breaking the notions of the high nobles who put forth ideas of chosen people and superiority.

He hoped for examples that would proclaim that the ideals of freedom and equality were absolutely correct, breaking the wrong customs of the Academy.

He even wished for a comet-like person to come and spread hope throughout the duchy beyond the Academy.

But covering up the existence of a star that was already there was something he could hardly overlook.

“If you had sided with the high nobles, you would have done worse things. But the fact that such things haven’t happened, nor are there any signs of them… I must assume you had some thought behind your actions.”

“…”

“So now tell me in your own words. Why did you bury the achievements of this frontline student so deeply?”

Ophelia had followed the Duke’s will, and it was certainly not her intention to defy her father as the Duke thought.

If anything, she was more committed than the Duke, not less.

She even directly led the Academy’s disciplinary committee to practice the ideals of freedom and equality and to check the Noble Alliance’s conspiracies, so what more needs to be said?

However, Ophelia also had her reasons for acting this way.

“If I answer this… would you be willing to respect my wishes, Father?”

“That’s something I’d have to hear about first. Besides, you know well, don’t you? That this person’s name needs to be continuously known and elevated to gradually pull out the rotten roots of the duchy.”

“I understand that the duchy needs such talent. But…”

Because Junon himself didn’t want to be known, she couldn’t easily continue her words.

That he didn’t want to walk this difficult and arduous path at all.

After carefully observing Ophelia’s reaction, the Duke sighed once and proposed a different opinion.

“How about this? Isn’t this a good compromise?”

“Pardon? But, Father, taking such measures means…”

“You’re still dissatisfied even after I’ve made this concession? That’s a bit troublesome.”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just unexpected…”

“Then that settles it. Consider it done.”

The Duke stepped back and respected Ophelia’s choice.

Without further questioning or arguing, he stated that he would leave all matters related to Junon to Ophelia’s judgment, thus ensuring that Junon’s secrets and activities would not spread.

However, this felt less like a compromise and more like a significant retreat on his part.