The Apple Tree Mansion, which I visited after a long time, was livelier than before.
I had no idea what Amy was up to, but there were now warehouses and various items scattered around the place.
And numerous people were coming and going, moving those goods around. It seemed that it was somehow related to what Amy had been doing lately.
"Welcome, Lord Cromwell."
Lupin, a butler employed in the mansion, greeted me warmly.
I nodded my head and gestured towards the warehouse-like building.
"I haven't seen this building before."
"Miss Amy used the money you sent to build it. It seems she's trying to start a small business."
Amy was starting a business.
It was so unexpected that I decided to hear the details directly from her.
However, since Amy was away, I ended up sitting in the study and receiving a cup of tea from Lupin. During that time, I listened to the stories that had been going on.
"Has Lord Wellington visited lately?"
"After you visited last time, he came twice. Once when Miss Amy wasn't here, he left without seeing her, and then he came back a week later to have a cup of tea and left."
It had been quite some time since I last visited the mansion, so it seemed like he hadn't come that often. Perhaps the Emperor's interest in me wasn't as great as I thought.
"Oppa?"
After about an hour of chatting, Amy finally returned.
She was holding something in both hands and looked at me with a surprised expression when she suddenly entered.
"I'm here."
"Why did you come without contacting me? You startled me."
Amy quickly sorted out the things she was holding and sat across from me.
Once she sat down, I asked her the question that had been on my mind.
"What's that stuff outside?"
"I'm trying to start a business."
"That's good, but isn't it a bit sudden?"
Amy hesitated for a moment at my question, then spoke.
"I want to reclaim our territory."
"Our territory? Are you talking about the Cromwell Territory?"
Currently, it was a land belonging to the Empire, governed by the Emperor's direct command.
Frankly, it was amusing that we were still using the name Cromwell. If Bart or Singclaire hadn't intervened during the nobles' dispute, I would have been demoted and fallen completely.
"Things aren't that great right now."
The problem wasn't just last time; being a Fallen Noble meant that ruin was inevitable unless I had a territory or held a position in the capital.
To avoid becoming a Fallen Noble, I needed to have a territory or a high-ranking position. But now, I was just a student.
In many ways, preventing a demotion was a difficult situation.
"I also want to achieve something with my own hands. And if possible, I want to do something that can help you, bring pride to our family, and earn money."
"The Cromwell Territory is a County. It's not a small sum, you know?"
"Still, I don't want to just live off the money you send. I want to do something. If things work out well, it will be something good."
Well, she was different from others in that she had a lot of vitality.
I wondered how we could be so different despite being siblings.
Even as she talked, Amy seemed concerned about my reaction. It was a cautious gaze as if she was worried about what I might say. After all, since I was sending her money, she considered this whole endeavor a business venture supported by my funds.
"Alright, do as you like. Since it's not like we have territory and we don't have any place to spend money. In the end, it's your money you're using, and it's practically my support for your business."
Honestly, with the appearance of strengthening attributes, money had become important. But Amy's happiness was even more important to me.
"Really? Aren't you upset?"
"Why would I be upset? Isn't the business doing well? How's it going?"
"Just wait a moment."
Amy got up from her seat and went upstairs.
She returned after a short while, carrying a ledger in her hands, and handed it to me.
"Take a look."
"You're confident, huh? Judging by the way you're handing this over so confidently."
Seeing Amy smile in response to my comment, I felt a slight sense of anticipation.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but what was making her so confident?
I glanced through the ledger that Amy handed me. Initially, it started with modest numbers, but as I went through it, I could see that the amounts were increasing more than I expected, and she was doing better in terms of sales.
"The profit isn't huge, but you're steadily growing."
Amy, who had never done anything like this before, was achieving such results. It wasn't an exaggeration to say she had talent. Moreover, her decision to boldly invest in growth rather than just seeking immediate profit was impressive.
'But if things go wrong, it could be a huge setback.'
I had some concerns, but looking at Amy's sparkling eyes, I didn't want to say anything negative. Besides, Amy had me as a cheat code.
I picked up a pen from the ledger and made a note in a corner.
"What are you doing, Oppa?"
"Just jotting down some notes for future reference."
It was a rough prediction of what might happen in the future.
As if advising on what might happen, I scribbled down some notes. How things might turn out, what products might sell well or not – I couldn't know for sure.
"Can I read it now?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
The notes were quite extensive, so it took a bit of time to go through.
The storylines from when I had met Mynus Mohaim overlapped quite a bit, but I had tidied them up and rearranged them more coherently this time.
Amy quickly read through the notes.
Unexpectedly, she looked darker and more serious as she read. Eventually, without finishing reading everything, she raised her head to look at me and said:
"Is this real? Where did you get this information?"
At first, Amy had been reading casually, but as she went on, her expression became progressively more serious. In the end, she raised her head to look at me, her expression now grave. In response, I shrugged my shoulders and said:
"It's my guess. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Think it over and use what you want."
"...As expected, my big brother is a genius."
Amy looked at the notes I had written once more and muttered to herself.
It seemed like the content I had written wasn't just about predicting future events; I had also inferred results based on known causes. Given that even Duke Mynus was astonished by what I said, it was a fairly credible document.
"For example, the upcoming territorial disputes in the northwest territories. The catalyst will be the recent drought. Normally, the canals would be functional with an adequate amount of rainfall. However, this year, that's not the case. As a result, conflicts between lords with stakes in the canals have escalated. This isn't just a matter between lords; the peasants are directly affected, and it will eventually escalate into territorial conflicts centered around the canals."
As of now, it was still at the level of minor disputes among the peasants, but in a few months, it would escalate into significant territorial conflicts.
I had organized and presented these events as if I had analyzed them in advance and predicted future occurrences. From the perspective of a reader, it would seem quite plausible. If events unfolded as I had described, it would likely be even more astonishing.
Among the information I had gathered, there were quite a few such incidents. Having played the game dozens of times, I was familiar with almost all the events and incidents that occurred within the Rodren Empire.
From that wealth of information, I had selected details that could be useful for Amy's business.
Of course, I had no idea how she would turn these predictions into profit.
"Don't rely on this too blindly. Use your judgment to make the best use of it."
"Thank you, Oppa."
Since I knew Amy would be pursuing upper-tier businesses, I thought it might be a good idea to ask Everlast Guild for assistance. If Everlast Guild lent their aid to Amy's fledgling business, it would likely accelerate her growth significantly.
'Now, I'll return for now, but when I visit next time, I'll casually bring up the topic.'
Although I had unexpectedly learned about Amy's business, I surprisingly felt good about it.
Just the sight of Amy being happy was enough satisfaction for me. Seeing her passionate and enthusiastic gaze, I felt a sense of pride for some reason.
.
.
.
.
Although I returned to the mansion after a long absence, I had to leave shortly afterward. I had initially planned to stay for a few days, but Amy was busy analyzing the information I had provided, and I had nothing to do, so I had no choice but to leave early.
'And I also need to visit Hollington as soon as possible.'
Since I had already decided to help Amy, I needed to do it properly.
Amy had given up many things she wanted in her life for me, so now that she was pursuing her own goals, I wanted to support her as much as possible.
'It's going to be quite a journey from now on.'
Facing the Grandis Kingdom, which bordered the Great Forest of Vayatra, was a challenge. As one of the strongest military nations on the continent, the Grandis Kingdom maintained a considerable army. However, considering its status as a military power, the available forces weren't as numerous as one might expect.
Most soldiers were stationed in border areas facing the Great Forest, defending against the monsters and creatures that emerged from there every day. I had often visited those areas while playing as a mercenary character, so I knew them well.
For now, I could use a train to travel to the Grandis Kingdom, so I wasn't particularly worried.
After a journey of about four days on the train, I finally arrived at the Grandis Kingdom.
"It's been a while."
The Grandis Kingdom was known for being a military powerhouse, with 80% of its citizens having combat experience. It was also referred to as the "land of opportunity" for mercenaries and wandering knights due to its reputation for paying promised rewards regardless of status.
"There's no change over there."
As I had mentioned before, although it was my first time physically visiting this place, it felt familiar due to my interactions with various mercenary characters in the game.
Among these places, the first to greet my arrival was the city of Heyar. It looked just as I had imagined it while riding the train.
Seeing the inn that I had often visited in the game, I naturally made my way there. After all, I had come to unwind and relax after the train journey and planned to depart for the Great Forest the next day.
"Adrias Cromwell!"
Suddenly hearing my name, I reflexively turned my head.
Who was it? Did someone in the Grandis Kingdom actually know me?
"I found you, hehe."
As I confirmed the face of the person speaking, I couldn't help but freeze.
The person who called me was an unexpected intruder.
"I was so bored just sticking around the academy all the time. Now you have to make things interesting for me, got it?"
"Luna."
The Enchantress of the Third Moon, Luna, also known as the Madwoman.
And the worst, yet most powerful necromancer.
Luna Pendragon was approaching me with a bright smile on her face.
The three moons behind her seemed even brighter today.