RBAR 13

Chapter 13

At my words, he took off his gardening hat and turned around. A handsome man really does look even better under sunlight.

I noted the information indifferently.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Soon, it’ll be publicly announced that I’m the owner of the Gold House.”

“Because of the technology leak incident?”

As expected, there was nothing he didn’t know.

“At this point, I have no choice but to face Duke Adelheit head-on. But Your Highness doesn’t need to make an enemy of the duke because of me.”

“That’s true.”

…Why are you agreeing so quickly?

It would’ve been nice if you at least pretended to be loyal. What an unlikable devil.

I cleared my throat again and continued.

“So I’m planning to announce that Your Highness has withdrawn from my business as well.”

Killian watched me with interest, his eyes gleaming.

Excuse me—why are you looking at me like that?

This might seem trivial to someone, but for me, it’s like being thrown between boiling and freezing water.

He tilted his head slowly, like an elegant swan.

“You truly intend to return this purchase right to me?”

Despite his relaxed demeanor, his question was sharp. My palms grew damp with sweat, but I didn’t show it.

As if I would really just hand it over for free.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t expected the duke to act like this. I had no intention of going down quietly.

Taking a steady breath, I spoke as calmly as possible.

“No. I have no intention of giving it up. However, for the sake of trust between contracting parties, I’d like to temporarily return the purchase rights—and once the lawsuit is safely concluded, take them back again.”

A smile flickered across Killian’s lips, though it clearly wasn’t a positive one.

That’s only natural.

Even though I said I wouldn’t inconvenience him, the mere fact that I would announce myself as the owner of Gold House would negatively affect the benefits he gained from this contract.

“Wasn’t the condition of the purchase right originally that the owner’s identity remain confidential? And the one who requested that… was you, Miss Diel. Are you saying you’ll break that condition?”

“Yes. In return, I’ll revise the contract so that your share of the net profit becomes 20%.”

He was known for never letting go of those who got in his way.

But to escape the duke’s farce, I needed to keep his attention on me—and make it clear that the one obstructing him was not me, but Duke Adelheit.

“You intend to resolve this with money?”

“It’s more reliable than shallow trust.”

Coffee from the Buchanan region.

It was too massive a goldmine to give up.

Even if Killian demanded 50% of the net profit, I would have no choice but to accept it.

After all, I couldn’t deny that Buchanan coffee played a huge role in achieving such revenue.

“And if you lose the lawsuit?”

“…Then I suppose I’ll have to give up the purchase rights.”

If I lost here, it would be extremely difficult for me to recover for a long time.

If the duke found out I was the owner of Gold House, he would undoubtedly demand astronomical damages.

Even if I filed for bankruptcy, it would take ages to rebuild—and I’d end up no different from the original story, where I was cast out with nothing.

So no matter what, I have to win.

And the cheat key to that was right in front of me.

An unpredictable man—but also the best one to overturn the situation.

As if he knew my thoughts, Killian let out a faint chuckle.

“Well then, it seems I won’t be seeing you again, Miss Diel.”

“I haven’t lost yet.”

His certainty that I would lose made my temper flare.

“So you’re confident you’ll win?”

“…No. Honestly, I’m not. At this point, my chances of winning are no different from hoping for a miracle.”

I had no choice but to be honest.

I looked straight at the devilishly handsome man.

He was the hidden antagonist in the original story, and the same devil who had offered Edit a bizarre soul contract. Of course I didn’t want to get involved with someone like that.

…But if I want to defeat Duke Adelheit—

I needed help from someone of equal or greater power.

This world valued profit and interests over useless morality or sentiment. It was something I had learned painfully well in both my past life and this one.

“So I have something else to tell Your Highness. I can guarantee it won’t be a waste of your time.”

At my confident words, Killian glanced at Russ Marty.

Receiving the signal, Russ Marty immediately turned and left the garden.

Killian set down his pruning shears and sat at a nearby table, gesturing for me to sit. I hesitated before taking the seat across from him.

With a faint smile, he said,

“You sound quite certain. People don’t usually say such things in front of me.”

I could roughly guess why.

It probably meant that anyone who had ever bluffed in front of him had met a grim end.

And to say that with such a charming smile… I forced an awkward laugh.

“Haha… I see.”

Damn it. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.

Regret suddenly washed over me. Swallowing dryly, I got to the point.

“I never intended to stop my business here. In fact, it was only just beginning.”

“Then you have another venture in mind?”

He quickly caught on.

“Yes.”

I nodded, and he responded lightly.

“I’m curious. What kind of business?”

“A pharmaceutical venture.”

“Pharmaceutical? What exactly would it treat?”

I exhaled softly before speaking. It was my first time telling someone about this plan, and I felt tense.

“…A treatment for divine power overaccumulation syndrome.”

At my words, Killian raised an eyebrow and, for the first time, looked at me with genuine interest. He set down his teacup.

“I’ve never seen anyone who successfully developed such a treatment. Are you saying you have?”

“It’s not completed yet. I was just about to begin.”

This incurable disease occurred frequently in the Adelheit family, known for producing saints, but occasionally it struck other children as well—taking their lives if they were unlucky.

However, aside from the Adelheit family, cases were extremely rare, making the chances of developing a cure very slim.

Still, among the nobility, parents of afflicted children were willing to spend astronomical sums for a cure.

Edit in the original story also went to the Holy See before being cast out of her family.

But she failed to save Stella, was blamed by her family, and was ultimately expelled.

After being cast out, Edit realized there were others suffering from the same illness and began developing a cure.

But she discovered a major problem.

It required both demonic power and saintly power.

Having read that process, figuring out the method wasn’t difficult for me.

If only I had remembered my past life before Stella died…

I might have been able to save her.

The thought made my chest ache.

Why did my past life only return to me after she was gone?

When my memories came back as if a seal had been lifted, I couldn’t help but resent fate.

Killian slowly rubbed his lips, looking thoughtful.

“You seem quite confident for someone at the initial stage.”

Good.

His interest was a positive sign. He hated wasting time on things that didn’t interest him.

Honestly, failing under him is far scarier than failing under the duke.

So I gathered my courage.

“With the ingredients I know and Your Highness’s assistance, I can complete it.”

“Then can you share part of the formula?”

“That would be difficult.”

I answered firmly. His eyebrow twitched.

“I can’t reveal all my cards without knowing your intentions.”

“If you want to gain something significant, shouldn’t you be willing to take risks?”

“If I fail to earn your trust, then being branded a fraud gives me a better chance of survival than dying outright.”

He closed his lips.

Silence—his form of agreement.

The treatment for divine power overaccumulation syndrome.

Its significance went far beyond curing patients.

It meant curing none other than the emperor’s beloved only daughter—Princess Isabella.

If not for her illness, she would have been named crown princess.

The emperor’s love for his daughter was well known, but she had suffered from the illness since birth.

Despite his efforts, he had no other heir—until just a month ago, when the empress became pregnant.

Even so, the princess’s chances of recovery remained slim.

Unlike the Adelheit family, ordinary people rarely possessed divine power, making it unlikely they could serve as vessels for it.

Many high nobles had attempted to create a cure, but all had failed.

And I already knew something from the original story—

The imperial second child would be a boy.

And the empress isn’t even the princess’s biological mother.

The princess’s real mother had died of postpartum fever after giving birth.

In every sense, the princess stood on the edge of a cliff.

“That’s right. If even a hint of this leaks out, Her Majesty the Empress will have me killed.”

“And if it reaches His Majesty and proves false, you’ll be killed as well.”

He was right.

When I remained silent in agreement, something shifted in Killian’s gaze.

He was finally starting to believe me.

Many wanderers had claimed they could cure the princess—but all had been executed as frauds.

Naturally, no one had stepped forward since.

“This isn’t an investment proposal—it’s a partnership proposal, Your Highness.”

I looked straight at him as I spoke. He met my gaze.

“A cure like that is far too significant to be merely a tool for winning a lawsuit. Doesn’t it require my involvement?”

Correct.

I had no intention of revealing that what I truly needed was demonic power.

“That’s right. I need the help of a great mage.”

That was the safest way to phrase it.

If he finds out I know he’s a demon…

There was no way he’d let me live.

And I valued my life far too much to let that happen.