Brrr...
Ran trembled.
"Are you cold?"
Ran shook her head at Eustaf's question. Ross said, "It's mid-summer," but glanced toward the fireplace to check the fire.
"No, I got goosebumps all of a sudden. Lord Ross, even in the middle of summer, Lazia....is a Lazia."
"That's a relief."
Ross said so and patted his armor lightly. Well, Ran nodded. This weather is perfect for soldiers in uniforms and armor that come up to their necks.
'I don't know too.'
Wearing a petticoat full of lace, this weather is fine. Of course, if you move to the social world during the social season, you'll be able to dress up in a tight and flamboyant manner.
'I think we can make hot air and cold air with magic items. That's right! Winter electric pad!'
"We need some cleaning."
When Ran muttered out of the blue, Eustaf asked, wetting his pen in ink.
"Magic tax work?"
"Yeah, I can't bring a wizard, but I can do the laundry, right? I want to supply the goods made by the Duchy cheaply within the territory. At least I don't want anyone to freeze to death in winter."
"But wouldn't it be possible for someone to take it and dig it up if we provided a cheap mana stone within the duchy?"
"Yes," Ran said after frowning at Eustaf.
"If you go outside the Duchy, you're not going to be able to use your power?"
"Is it possible?"
"I'm going to ask the tax office."
At Ran's words, Eustaf nodded, "I really need to recruit him."
'It's amazing when you think about it.'
Ran recalled a car. All power sources that are the main culprits of environmental pollution can be replaced by mana stones.
That is, eco-friendly.
The possibilities are endless, without disturbing the atmosphere at all.
'But there will be an end to the reserves.'
That's not my problem right now, is it? Hoho.
With that thought, Ran smiled and signed the document. Mining was now starting in earnest.
However, he has not yet informed the deities. Although some of the mansions knew, they were still keeping it a secret.
-It's hard for creditors to put pressure on this rate distribution to be a percentage.
Doing was an external reason suggested by Ran.
'But I'm glad I can trust you in arms.'
It was fortunate that Lord Blaine, the Knight Commander, was a loyal man. It's really hard when a person with force has a different mind.
'But I'm glad I set it up as a loyal knight.'
It was a tool to destroy everything and give Male Lead damage.
'No, not now, though.'
Thinking so, Ran smiled at Ross. Ross turned his head slightly to her smile.
"By next week, the first shipment required by Golden Rose will be finished."
"Yes, it's a lot, so I think it's going to be that much just the part that's been revealed."
"Nice."
There were frequent calls from the top of Golden Rose. It was comfortable to talk in real time through the magic communication machine that Levery gave and went to.
"The sorcerers are in a frenzy because they want to come to the Duchy of Lazia."
Eustaf said, handing over a document to Ran, and Ran laughed.
"No, he can't. I didn't tell him not to come."
"That's right."
It was crazy for wizards.
When Levery, the first Golden Rose owner, showed ice crystal, the wizard at the top, naturally informed the Wizard Association of the fact.
The Wizard's Association pressured Levery to get ice modification - in fact, Levery slipped over, but she opened her mouth after seeing the amount of mana contained there. Members of the Wizards' association flocked to the top of the Golden Rose. When I showed the sample, saying that Levery had a mana stone as big as his forearm, everyone said they would take it and look at it, but there seemed to be a fight.
In the end, when Levery said she would split it into 12 joules - because all the members of the circle are 12 - it was a mess again.
Everyone seems to have been angry, saying, "Don't you know the value of this?" and flared up at Levery.
Finally, the president of the round table took over the sample gemstone with a pleased and happy face, and Levery sent it back, saying he would ask the Duke of Lazia to see if he could get the rest of the gemstones.
When Levery told the news, Ran happily sent the remaining 11 pieces. Wizards were not beings who moved by power or money. It was a perfect bribe to win the favor of those people - it's about to break through the magic route.
"Even if it's shipped, the demonstration should be in December anyway."
At Ran's words, Eustaf nodded and sighed.
"It's uncomfortable that you can't enter the social season unless you're an adult."
"That's right. It would be helpful if Eustaf were with me."
Social season.
It was a season when a majority of all the noble families - nothing special - gathered in the capital. The peak of the season, which began in December and lasted until August, was in May, June and July.
At that time, there was no day when the ball was not held.
The capital's townhouses are crowded, and the cedar path (Boutique Street in the capital) is filled with wagons. Of course, the same is true of summer tree parks and of course of Jeremiah parks.
By the age of nineteen, they will be eligible to participate in the social season after the ceremony.
'And there's no better billboard than society.'
Neither she nor Levery intended to take the Mana Stone out.
It was intended to create and demonstrate a magical work that has never been seen before, which can be made with this mana stone. And of course, the demonstration hall will be a social season for the aristocracy.
Among them, there will be no more suitable demonstration hall than a large-scale ball held at the Golden Swan Palace, the imperial palace.
'Anyway, it's an aristocrat at any rate.'
It would be a great pleasure if the royal family became the first buyer.
'Okay, we'd better give it to the Empress.' Ran thought so and bit her lips lightly.
'Wait, come to think of it, there's a man in the palace who's like the final boss.'
It's not the final boss, but should I say it's the second-class?
'Eu - Let's think about this then.'
Ran shook her head. It's a problem that won't be solved now if you think about it anyway.
By the way, I don't get used to this system.
It is fortunate that the Duchess of Lazia was alone, but if she had not been tied up, it would have been a bigger problem than now.
How alone the Duchess of Lazia was, when Ran became a temporary patriarch and had to take over the title of duke, she sent a letter saying, "Please go there and forgive me for not being granted the honor." Then he replied, "Then admit it temporarily."
'Of course, it could be sarcastic.'
Temporary recognition was enough.
'I just need two years from now.'
But first of all, if we go down to the capital during the social season.
'We need to find the Sub Male Lead, second Male Lead...!'
If Male Lead rolled aristocratically, the second Male Lead rolled into a lower life.
'Lumie.'
That's the name.
I couldn't find a slave by that name because it was so extensive. The setting itself was a bit awkward.
"Noonim?"
Eustaf called her to Ran's senses.
"Huh? Yeah. Sorry, I didn't hear you."
"Why don't you go in and rest?"
"No, it's okay. If I drink a strong cup of tea, I can get back to work soon. Don't worry."
Ran grinned and called her servant to order a strong tea. Drinking strong tea, Ran continued to work. The candle burned out, and the work was over.
'But it's much better to be two people.'
Ran thanked Eustaf and went back to her room, while still thinking.
When I came out of the evening bath, the maid was standing with the strange medicine again. Ran took medicine and drank water with a feeling of swallowing tears.
'Huh...····?'
I'm suddenly really sleepy.
It was hard to open my eyelids because they were heavy.
'But I should go bed and sleep...'
Then she fell to the floor, losing strength from her knees. I suddenly came to my senses.
No, part of the mind rang the alarm.
This is weird.
And it's strange.
But I couldn't do anything more than think that it's strange. No, I need to call someone--
I managed to reach there, and Ran tried to break it somehow, but failed. The floor was right in front of me and it was over.
*******
Flare.
Blue flames filled the view. The flame was not hot, and I felt a pleasant warmth.
- Eastarif.
A woman's voice, which seemed to be whispering, was heard in several layers.
- Eastarif.
One more time.
"Eastarif."
When Ran called her name as if she were responding, the flame burst into flames and formed a shape. The upper body is a woman, the lower body is a lion, and the head is a burning blue flame.
Her eyes looked like a star sapphire, not an ordinary pupil. Normally, she'd be embarrassed and disgusted, but strangely enough, it looked good on her.
"You finally heard my voice, didn't you?"
Eastarif's voice was husky. It was a voice that seemed to burn flames.
"Eastarif?"
When Ran asked back, Eastarif said, "Yes."
"Blue flame?"
When asked for the second time, Eastarif's lips drew a dark line.
"Yes, that's what the Duke of Lazia calls me. No one knows my name. How did you know my name?"
"Why are you here ······? Where the hell are we?"
In embarrassment, Ran looked around. It is a white space filled with fog. That's all I could think of.
'I mean, I fell down after taking medicine, so....'
Is it Eustaf?
'But why would you kill me? I thought you'd hold it in until the coming of age.'
Ran's thought of death was after Eustaf became the Patriarch, but she didn't think she would die before then.
'My uncle?'
However, there were no reports of his uncle's movements.
'But now I have to think about it.'
Ran kicked her tongue lightly. Looking at Eustaf, it was both realistic and unrealistic. I saw his wounded face, so I thought let's cheer up for him.
But still, was there no sense of reality? Or is it because I'm dead that I can't feel the reality?
At that time, Eastarif stretched her neck and pushed her face in front of Ran's nose. Ran stepped back in confusion.
"Kikikiki."
Eastarif twisted her neck once and smiled strangely and lowered her neck again to a normal length.
"What-What's that?"
I spoke in honorifics by myself. Eastarif swept back the shaking blue flame hair and said, "Because I'm so into thinking alone."
Listening to Eastarif, Ran pressed her chest. I was so surprised that I felt my heart beating fast. A cold sweat broke out.
'But if it's the afterlife, why is Eastarif here?'
Confused and Ran asked Eastarif.
"Am I dead?"
"No"
Ran blinked at her words.
"Then what happened?"
"You fell asleep. This is the mental world."
"I just fell asleep?"
"Yes"
In Eastarif's answer, Ran rubbed the temples. So, I'm just too tired to fall down?
"That can't be true. ····."
Regardless of Ran's worries, Eastarif continued.
"The mental world is where you connect when you have a very deep dream. Well, I'm better off here."
"Even though I know your name?"
When Ran glared and, Eastarif looked upset.
"So, how did you know my name?"
"I won't tell you."
Gathering courage, Ran said. This is actually the world I created, so I didn't have any intention of doing it. Even more if you're a spirit that doesn't know where your opponent will be.
"Hahaha..."
Then I heard a cheerful laugh. And this time, a man appeared after scrambling through the fog. The upper body was a human male, and the lower body was a snake.
'Oh, my God.'
Are all the spirits here half-man? Did I set that up? I don't think so.
The man was tying his black hair neatly. Two rows of black snake scales from shoulders to arms are revealed as if they were tattoos.
He grinned.
"I don't mean to bother you. But I'm just curious. The body that died once, who was in it."
You seemed to speak kindly, but the content was bitter.
Ran was a disgrace. Eastarif squinted her mouth.
"Yeah, and how do you know my name. You stay out of this."
I'm so honored.
Only then did Ran know who the man was. The other, Usla of the rose, was a spirit there.
Black-colored spear. And the name-