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Chapter 23
Liz beamed and brought me a drink. Sometimes her pranks went a little too far, but when she was this quick and efficient, I just couldn’t bring myself to turn her away—really.
While I cooled down and caught my breath with the refreshing drink, there was a knock at the door. I nodded, and Liz opened it.
“Come in.”
“I greet the Empire’s glorious little star, Princess Celestia. I am Maric Tolkié.”
“Count Tolkié, you must have been surprised, but thank you for coming to see me like this.”
At my grown-up-sounding response, Count Tolkié’s graying eyebrows twitched in surprise. Well, that was to be expected. I paid it no mind and smiled brightly, inviting him to sit. While the staff entered to place down warm tea, I stayed silent, only speaking once I was sure the door was firmly shut.
“Aren’t you curious why I called you here?”
“I’m just grateful that Your Highness would acknowledge an old man with no power.”
“As expected… Count Tolkié, you’re humble. Full marks for character.”
At my words, Count Tolkié chuckled heartily. Compared to the palace people who were still tiptoeing around me, not knowing when I might “go back to my old self,” he seemed certain that I had truly changed. Maybe that was thanks to Killian. Either way, I liked that he was waiting with a gentle smile for me to speak, rather than trying to read my mood.
“I called you here because I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh! Is that so? I hope it’s something I can grant.”
“Of course you can, Count. I’d like to supply some goods to your trading company.”
“Supply… you say?”
“Yes. I want you to sell my goods for me. Oh! But secretly. Under a different name. I’ll give you part of the profit as a commission.”
“Your Highness…”
“Hm? You can’t? We can negotiate—ah, no, discuss the contract details from now. I’ll accommodate as much as I can.”
“When did Your Highness learn such difficult words? I must say, I’m quite shocked right now. Hahaha!”
…Oops.
Was I acting too knowledgeable for a seven-year-old?
Well, whatever happens, happens. If I can impress him like this, all the better.
Count Tolkié was described in the original story as a kind and good man, but extremely meticulous when it came to business. So instead of acting like a clueless kid, it might be better to look like I actually knew what I was talking about.
“I suddenly got a bit smarter, right? I am still a princess—of course I’ve learned a thing or two. Hahahaha!”
“Yes, naturally. Very impressive, Your Highness. So, may I ask what goods you want to supply? I don’t know if you’re aware, but our trading company’s products are rather limited.”
“Yes, of course. I know you deal in salt, sugar, pepper, and other high-grade spices.”
“How honored I am that Your Highness knows. I shall work even harder.”
“Good. That’s the spirit.”
The harder he worked, the more I’d get in return. Ahem.
Swallowing my unspoken thoughts, I continued.
“For my seventh birthday, I was gifted the land of Dearc. And there, I happened to discover rock salt!”
“Rock salt, you say?”
“Yes. It’s buried underground, and what’s more—it’s golden. I tasted it, and it’s wonderfully salty and delicious.”
“Oh… is that so. Dearc… They’ve called it a land blessed by the gods since ancient times. I never knew there was rock salt there.”
“Right? I found out purely by chance. So, here’s the thing—I want to sell that Dearc rock salt. I’ll give you the mining rights and exclusive distribution rights. Could your trading company handle it?”
“Hahaha, well now…”
Count Tolkié laughed. If he thought I couldn’t see the keen insight hidden behind that genial smile, he was mistaken. I held his gaze without looking away. I couldn’t lose this battle of wills. This was all for Killian, after all. Even if my short legs were dangling in the air, my momentum wasn’t cute at all. I kept up a constant stream of self-hypnosis.
“I never expected our conversation to go like this, Your Highness. This old man is quite taken aback. However…”
He suddenly sounded like Kim Sang-joong.
“First, I’d need to see this rock salt before I can give you an answer, Your Highness. I may be the trading company’s head, but I don’t decide our products alone, and we’d have to verify the item’s value through multiple tests.”
“Of course, Count. That’s why I mean to entrust the mining, distribution, and sale entirely to you. If it turns out it has no value, then too bad—but I’m not asking you to sell it blindly.”
But you will end up selling it.
In fact, you’ll probably beg to keep selling it.
Once you see what Dearc rock salt is like. In the original work, it was even described as a panacea, so its value was undeniable.
“May I see a sample of the rock salt?”
Perfect. If he doesn’t see it, fine—but once he does, it’s game over. I nodded at Liz, and she brought out the pouch I’d prepared and set it neatly before him.
“It’s in there. It’s been a while since it was mined, but it’s salt, so it won’t have spoiled.”
“Then, excuse me for a moment.”
Count Tolkié pulled the rock salt from the pouch. Even now, gleaming under the light, it looked like a lump of gold.
“Oh… What a curious appearance.”
“I touched it to my tongue—definitely salty. It’s salt. Liz tasted it too, right, Liz?”
“Yes. It wasn’t just salty—it was too salty.”
Liz pursed her lips like a wrinkled dumpling, shaking her head at the memory.
“Just seeing it here probably isn’t enough, so feel free to take it with you for testing, Count.”
“Yes, Your Highness. If you permit, I’ll do that. I’ll have it analyzed at the lab.”
“But you must keep its source and my involvement a secret. Can you do that?”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
Count Tolkié smiled kindly again, nodding. His hands, carefully tucking the rock salt back into the pouch, were trembling with excitement. That was enough for me.
“Count, I have business to attend to, so I should be going. If you think it’s worth selling, send me a letter—discreetly. Oh! It’d be even better if you sent it through Killian.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll do that.”
As I rose from my seat, I paused to ask him something. If he was trusted enough to act as the Duke of Märchen’s proxy, he might know something about the duchy’s affairs.
“The Duke of Märchen hasn’t returned yet, has he?”
“No. I expect he’ll return next week.”
About a month and a half in total. Subtracting travel time to and from the duchy, that left about twenty days spent there. What had Noten been doing all that time? What was so urgent that he had to go? I didn’t know, but honestly, I wished he’d stay away longer. Thinking about how Killian would shrink back once Noten returned made my heart ache.
“I see… Then Killian will have a hard time again from next week, sigh…”
Letting a hint of my unease slip into my voice, I saw Count Tolkié naturally pick up the thread.
“Still, thanks to Your Highness, the young master looks truly happy these days.”
“Really? He does? Killian looks happy?”
“Yes. Indeed. He even looks like a child his own age now.”
Oh, my poor favorite. What kind of life have you been living…
No—I know. Of course I know. How could I not? I knew exactly what kind of life Killian led. His “heir training” must have been harsh: no lunch during the day, no sleep at night, constant gaslighting whenever he opened his mouth, subtle abuse designed to strip away any thought or will of his own until he was like a robot. Just thinking about it made my fists clench tight.
“Please, stay by the young master’s side as you are now, Your Highness. I know it’s presumptuous, but this is my personal request as someone who cares for him—so I hope you won’t take offense.”
This was why I liked Count Tolkié. I could feel that his care for Killian was genuine. I smiled brightly and nodded.
“Of course. Killian is my favorite—no, my friend. I’ll stay close to him, so Count, you keep looking after him too. It won’t be easy, but… Consider that my personal request.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will.”
For just a moment, a flicker of heaviness passed through his eyes at my words before it vanished.
“I’ll wait for your reply, Count. Thank you for making the time.”
“It was my honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
Count Tolkié rose from his seat and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees. Wow… Seeing that head full of white hair made my casual tone feel almost criminal. Like I was being disrespectful to an elder. But no—I couldn’t break character. I waved my hand enthusiastically and left first.
“Your Highness, there’s something I’m really curious about.”
Liz whispered to me, now that I had my cape back on and hood pulled low.
“Do you, by any chance… have two lives—no, two bodies?”
“I reincarnated.”
“Whaaat? Really?”
As if.
In truth, I transmigrated.
