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nTranslator: Latte Editor: BakaReem Proofreader: Adulldoll

nA wave of unrestrained laughter echoed inside the room.

nDwayne also turned his head pretending to look away, but his shoulders were shaking uncontrollably.

nShe saw that he was desperately holding back his laughter.

n‘What’s so funny?’

nAria looked at the cards again but found nothing unusual.

nThe forest was filled with actual parasitic worms that could threaten one’s life.

n“She means that those idiots suffered from parasites,” the grand duke said, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

nAria’s words really surprised him. She caught him off guard as he wasn’t ready to laugh this hard.

n“If what she says is correct, then we can roughly predict the situation. How amusing.”

nThe Duchy of Valentine was known for its abundant natural resources. Among them, was the Diamante Mine.

n‘The mine has ores that can be turned into mana stones.’

nAlthough mines were found all around the world, most minerals didn’t have the same hardness, streak, and luster as those in the Diamante Mine. Thus, the price of minerals and ores from the Diamante Mine was far higher than those from other mines.

nViscount Cavendish also tried to obtain the rights to trade from the Diamante Mine. However, he unfortunately failed, and upon being restrained, the viscount shamelessly retaliated and tried extorting large sums of money from the grand duchy.

n‘The problem is that the duchy is rich in natural resources.’

nThe living beings that resided in the grand duchy were strong as well.

nBoth humans and animals.

n‘…Even the parasites.’

nOnce, Viscount Cavendish’s vassals accidentally found a peculiar snake.

nThe snake’s scales shone like a rainbow with vivid luster. It was considered a sacred creature and without having second thoughts, the vassals cooked and ate it on the spot.

nThe results were, of course, disastrous.

nSome of them got paralyzed. Their whole body hardened like stone and they lost their sight forever.

nIn the end, they all died a gruesome death.

nThese were all words spoken by the viscount when he was spending his leisure time inside Count Cortez’s salon.

n‘Ah, I see why they laughed.’

nThey invaded another man’s land without permission, carelessly ate wild animals, and now, they were fighting between life and death. On top of that, they even asked for compensation when in fact, their misfortunes were all due to their own negligent acts.

nIt was so ridiculous that you could only laugh.

n“I heard that outsiders will suffer from stomach aches if they don’t boil the forest’s water before drinking it. Apparently, they also deem all living creatures in this land as monsters,” the grand duke explained as he shifted his gaze towards Aria.

n“But how did you know that?”

nDiana said that I am weak because I am from outside the border. Betty said that if I eat raw food, I will get infected.

n“I am amazed. Did you deduce that conclusion after hearing that there was a forest fire?” The grand duke asked in admiration.

n‘That’s not it… ’

nAria felt like she was internally stabbed, so she hugged the wolf tightly as it licked her cheeks.

n“Dwayne.”

n“Yes, Your Grace.”

n“Give this message to the viscount. They can get rid of the parasitic worms in their stomach with vermicides manufactured by the grand duchy. So tell them to pay the corresponding price for the cure.”

n“Understood.”

n“And they have to pay monetary compensation for trespassing into the Ingo Mountains without my permission. The amount is… ”

nHe tapped his finger on the desk while in thought.

nHe seemed to be contemplating over the amount the viscount should pay.

nTo help him make a decision, Aria stretched out her arm and pointed exactly to the money that Viscount Cavendish requested, written at the end of the documents.

n‘1 billion zahr.’

nThe grand duke moved his gaze along the direction of her hand, then stared at her again.

nThe viscount finally reaped what he sowed.

n“You are wise indeed.”

nAt that time, a smile rose around the grand duke’s lips. Though it was a devilish smile that undoubtedly made Aria’s spine shudder.

nThis was what happened when someone dared to belittle the Grand Duke of Valentine.

nIn fact, the grand duke might be imagining Viscount Cavendish crawling under his feet and begging for mercy right at this moment.

n‘He’s scary… at least… I would have thought so in the past.’

nAria’s train of thought was different from back then.

nShe had no mercy for those who violate and trample on other people’s rights in an unjust manner, all to satisfy their own greed.

n‘Only when they’ve experienced it for themselves will people realize how their greed can cause miserable pain to the victims.’

nAria looked at the grand duke with respect.

nShe thought she should learn about the demonic grand duke’s personal principles in which he enacted his revenge ten times harsher than what he received.

nDwayne, who was watching her while standing next to him the whole time, finally coughed.

nThen he whispered into Tristan’s ear, with a trembling smile.

n“Your Grace.”

n“What.”

n“Well, please watch your expressions. It seems that the young lady is still afraid.”

n‘What? How did he reach such a misunderstanding?’

nAria overheard Dwayne and quickly pulled out another card.

nShe quickly wrote down the words she wanted to say.

nFather is cool.

n“……”

n‘What is she thinking?’

nDwayne seriously wondered if something was wrong with the child. In particular, she seemed to have lost her sense of fear.

n“She says I’m cool.”

nAfter reading the card, the grand duke took it from her hands too.

n‘Again?’

nAria looked down at her empty hand as a question mark appeared in her head.

n“Turns out, I am surprisingly talented in caring for my child.”

nDwayne let out an exasperated sigh as he thought badly about his master.

nWhether or not his aide viewed him respectfully, the grand duke chose to not care and continued to ask Aria.

n“You have helped me, so I’ll have to repay you. Is there anything you want?”

nA reward.

nTruthfully, Aria had a wish.

nThat wish was for her to not be kicked out.

n‘Because Lloyd told her to leave when he’s gone.’

nHowever, even if she asked him not to banish her, there was a possibility of her getting no response at all. Furthermore, just surviving and living in the palace was not enough. If she was not accepted as part of the family, then Aria would not be able to get involved in anything until the day of the massacre came.

nShe needed to get close to the grand duchess as soon as possible.

n‘It would be better to get her to my side.’

nHer help would lead Aria to a greater opportunity.

nAria contemplated for a moment, then blinked before smiling widely.

nI want to meet and play with my father every day.

nAs she lifted her head upwards, the rabbit ears also bounced along.

nThe scene was lovely.

nIt was so adorable that everyone’s heart tightened, but…

nWith a serious look on his face, Dwayne whispered into the grand duke’s ear.

n“This makes it clear. She has never been cared for by a decent adult.”

n“Huh. So?”

n“So, among many of the other adults, I have no choice but to rely on Your Gra—Argh!”

nDwayne, the grand duke’s trusted aide who had always said whatever he wanted even with a blade at his throat, was finally punished today as he rolled on the floor.

nAria had no idea what and how he was beaten by the grand duke as he just suddenly fell.

nHowever, the sound of his groaning seemed painful, so she looked down at him pitifully and started patting him in comfort.

n‘Ah, my lady. What an angel…’

nBut before Dwayne could thank her, the grand duke grabbed Aria and lifted her up.

n“Na-ah. Don’t touch him, he’s dirty,” Tristan said as he treated his aide like a germ.

n“……”

n“You can directly come to me. Or… if you come with my hounds like today, you’ll be able to find me wherever you are,” he said while taking another card from Aria’s grasp.

nUnexpectedly, the grand duke had allowed her to visit again.

n* * *

n“If you come with my hounds like today, you’ll be able to find me wherever you are,” is what the grand duke said. So, Aria rode on top of the wolf without much thought.

nHowever, Aria was mortified.

nContrary to her expectations, the wolf ran to the opposite side of his office.

n‘This road leads to the mountain range.’

nThis was the road to the Ingo mountains that Aria had passed through to get to the palace.

nAria brooded on whether she should stop the wolf or not.

nShe wondered what the grand duke was doing in the mountains.

n‘He told me to come and see him in person whenever I wanted, so he shouldn’t be in a dangerous place.’

nThe wolf finally stopped in front of a familiar mansion.

nThe mansion was built in the forest near the borders of the grand duchy. It was the place where the grand duke had first bought Aria.

n‘So this is the place where they inspect the outsiders.’

nThere were knights in black armors guarding the entrance of the mansion.

nThey were the 1st Order of Knights called the Black Falcon. They were considered as elite soldiers of the Valentine’s knights and their armors were engraved with the insignia of a black falcon.

n‘Everyone in the empire knew that insignia. If people saw the Black Falcons in the capital, the streets would be buzzing in astonishment at the sight of them.’

nFurthermore, due to Valentine’s reputation, the Black Falcons were also known as a symbol of evil and ominousness throughout the empire.

nSuddenly, one of the knights reached out to Aria.

n“Oh, young miss… ”

nShh.

nAria held her index finger over her lips, gesturing for him to be quiet.

nThen she put her ear on the door and heard a sound from the inside.

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