TL: Zimming
I walked around in the room, waiting for someone to come. Then I stick my head out the window.
"Little miss."
The voice I had been waiting for came. I rushed out of her door and greeted her.
"Linda!"
Have you been well? I was so surprised to hear you collapsed."
"Are you worried about me more than yourself? Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did you get in trouble? Did you eat well?"
Linda grinned as I asked a question without a break, worried. The other maids that was with us grinned and joked, "You'll be out of breath."
Linda was so relaxed that she even joked.
"I'm fine. The oksa* is comfortable. I even ate well, it wouldn't be bad to live in oksa after picking the collar of a noble that you don't like."
*TL Note: The name of the imperial prison is oksa
Linda murmured, her cheeks wrapped in one hand, and the other maids nodded, "Oh!"
"Is that so? Then, when I retire, I'll...."
"I also have a knack for picking up collars...."
I was flabbergasted.
I forgot that it was Linda, Dubbed's maid, not an ordinary maid.
"So everyone decided to come out clean now...?"
Linda and the maids giggled as I spoke in a worried voice.
"Just kidding."
"My lady, you're cute."
Don't make such a joke!
If someone with a brilliant criminal background says that, I'll be afraid too.
Fortunately, she's fine. But did she really enjoy herself there?
Linda was fine thanks to me, hope mercenary guild, and Dubbled's bribes
'As expected, bribes are the best.'
Well, the biggest reason Linda is safe is because I promised the Emperor Suwon.
"I brought Linda here because the chairman said I had to tell you about the attack on the nobles, but Linda is a very important person to me."
The emperor recognized my innermost thoughts at once and promised that Linda would leave the palace safely.
I traded Linda's safety with the suwon. Even though this could be counted as a bribe as well.
'By the way, Duke Marche is great.'
Even if it were my dad, I wouldn't have gotten Linda out this fast.
Linda returned to the mansion just three days after I gave the fake record to Duke Marche.
'When the skillful Duke Marche comes into my hands....'
He's a living diamond mine!
I giggled, covering my mouth with both hands.
If I have the diamond mine grandpa, I'll say that I won the fourth lottery. When I grinned at the thought of it, the chairman shook his head when he saw me.
***
I went to the Hope Mercenary Guild after a long time.
There were some of the people close to me who knew I was a regressor living my fourth life.
Chairman, Seria, Trigon, Zachary.
I looked at Seria with a grim face.
"Seto…I thought he was the youngest."
"Well, he was the third person who came in."
If she had told me that, or if she had told me that Seto was fifteen, I would have easily known that he was half-nymph.
I sighed and sat down on the chair. I used to be a beggar in my last life, who didn't even have a chance to sit on a chair. This is a remarkable achievement.
"Alright, let's start the meeting. Let's start with Seria."
"While you collapsed, I moved under the direction of the chairman. I was in charge of moving the suwon from the nymph's mine. I made Seto stay in the mine to learn the refining method. We will continue to refine the suwon in the future."
"How many suwon are available right now?"
"Around 2000. Droughts occurring in one or two provinces can be prevented."
"Save the suwon for Dubbled separately. We will save other people but we shouldn't suffer."
"I'll save 1000 pieces for Dubbled."
Then I looked at the chairman.
"How many does the emperor want?"
"He wanted to monopoly suwon, not just a few. Since the public is already seething with the great drought and the atrocities of the lords, you can take this opportunity."
"Hmm...."
"What are you going to do?"
"I tried to give him a fake suwon, but it would be better to take this opportunity to establish a relationship with the imperial family. Discuss with father and settle with the emperor. I give you full powers on this matter."
"Yes."
And then the next one is the Trigon,
"You didn't play and eat while I was away, did you?"
"…I was investigating the suwon."
"How'd it go?"
"I found something interesting."
"What's that?"
"Even if it's not a nymph's mine, we can't use mana where there is a certain amount of suwon. However, it cannot be completely prevented when it is transformed into divine power and magical power. So…"
"But?"
"They weaken it."
I knew it!
'Not only the divine power and magical power, but also aura come out weakened. That's why irie can't beat the nymphs!'
I looked at Zachary quickly.
"Strategy has tremendous use. I can even plan a hundred tactics. Of course, the win rate is 100 percent."
Having monopolized the spinel, we can make the best armor.
Our combat power of aura users in irie is the best in the empire.
Plus, it's possible to create a zone where divine power and magical power can't be used…!
'There will be a huge increase in military capabilities.'
Long live lovely nymphs!
I wrapped my cheeks with a look of delight.
"We will have the most powerful army on the continent...."
"What are you going to do with the most powerful army on the continent?"
"I have to threaten people. The aristocrats who don't let my dad have Vallua, or if they bother me in the future, they will all die."
When I giggled, the chairman, Seria, Trigon and Zachary burst into laughter.
"Well, then there's only one thing left to do."
"Yes."
"Of course."
When the chairman and Seria answered, I laughed.
"Let's go sell the suwon~!"
This is the end of our trip to the mine.
The world I knew collapsed, Linda was taken away, but I got the strongest army on the continent and suwon.
But me and Dubbled's victory was just beginning.
***
One day in the middle of summer, my father and the emperor had a fight.
"I want to make a formal complaint."
"Complaint? What kind of complaint would the Duke of Dubbled have?"
"Capturing my son without giving him a chance to defend himself I should properly put it on the agenda of the aristocratic council and get an apology from the imperial court."
"That was a report, so it should have been investigated. I was just following the procedure."
"Let's be honest. Is it true that you followed the procedure to summon my son just by a report? Didn't you take this opportunity to anger me?"
"You...!"
"Dubbled doesn't avoid fights, and I don't lose battles. I will not leave a single person spared for my son."
The emperor snorted. But the opponent is my father.
He is a stubborn Duke who keeps his word.
He kept his word, as the ones involved in Johann's incident either disappeared, or had their bones broken.
The emperor, of course, thought it was father's fault, but there were so many talented people in Dubbled, the den of criminals, who had a natural talent for destroying evidence.
The emperor had a headache, and eventually....
"What should I do...."
"Give up the suwon."
"I can't!"
"If you do, I'll have no choice but to go all the way"
And that's when I showed up.
I will be the medicine who heals the emperor's wound by father's whip.
"Dad, please! That's what I promised His Majesty. Will my dad make me a bad kid who doesn't keep my promises?"
"What does a nine-year-old child know? Don't join in with the adults matter."
"But, but… … . I was told that the precious things should be presented to His Majesty first."
"Suwon is a different matter. If His Majesty monopolizes Suwon, we cannot protect our territory. At this time of chaos due to the drought, Suwon's monopoly can never happen."
"Then I'll give him some, and shouldn't we have some? So half and half!"
Originally, it was suwon's monopoly that the emperor aimed for. But dad was too stubborn to give it to him. When I thought we couldn't get anything like this, I came up and said I'd give away half of it.
'He'll be happy to have it.'
And the monopoly goal will disappear from his mind forever.
The emperor met our expectations.
He decided to receive only half of suwon, and I achieved my greed.
It was the result of my passionate acting.
While I was coming to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager, the emperor blocked me from going to the Empress Dowager' Palace, said, while rubbing my cheeks as if I was a cute child.
"Oh, child. Come here to visit me often lovely child."
...The emperor began to pamper me like crazy.
'No, what's wrong with him again.'
Can't we just end our relationship here after being scammed?