The fairy tea party gradually turned into a "Warmly Watching the Snow Bear" gathering.

The snow bear toddled as it walked and plopped down when it sat.

The children were utterly captivated, staring at the snow bear.

“But what does it eat?”

I looked at Joshua and asked.

He pulled out a small notebook from his pocket.

“It eats tree berries. Its favorite is wild grapes.”

“Wild grapes grow in autumn, right?”

“Do they have any stored up?”

The children chimed in one by one.

One servant suddenly raised a hand and said,

“I think I saw some in the food storage!”

“Bring it!”

“Hurry!”

The children excitedly squealed, their cheeks flushed.

The servant dashed to the food storage and brought out some wild grapes.

I crouched in the greenhouse and plucked one to give to the snow bear.

As the snow bear tried to eat the grape, it bit my hand with a snap.

“How dare you!”

“This—!”

“Erilot.”

My father and the twins who were watching widened their eyes, and I shot them a sharp look.

“Don’t be pathetic.”

“But it bit you.”

“It doesn’t hurt at all.”

Its teeth were weak, probably not fully grown, like a puppy.

‘It really is just a baby.’

The snow bear wasn’t satisfied with just one grape.

It wriggled into my arms, grabbed a bunch of wild grapes in my hand, and munched on them eagerly.

Its fluffy white muzzle soon stained purple.

“So cute!”

The children burst into delighted laughter again.

.

.

For about an hour, I played with the snow bear in the greenhouse.

I stared gloomily at the snow bear, now being held by a servant.

“Are you really going to send it away?”

“...Yes.”

The snow bear was a critically endangered species.

It wasn’t like a dog or cat.

No one even knew what to do if it got sick, or how an owner should care for it to grow well.

‘Plus, it’s incredibly fragile.’

So I closed my eyes tightly and decided to send the snow bear to a place where it could live happily.

‘How could I watch such a cute thing suffer?’

“Then I will take it to the Endangered Species Management Bureau.”

I would never send it back to its original owner.

He was an animal hoarder who made taxidermy mounts when bored.

‘I’m sure the bureau chief will take good care of it.’

She was famous even in Bing. Heuk. Son.

People called her the “Animal Witch.”

“Ahhh... so cute... I will make you happy with my technical grooming.”

She claimed she was born to make animals happy.

‘Though she never really succeeded.’

Even though she had excellent skills.

The twins looked very disappointed.

But they shook their heads firmly, resigned.

The children at the tea party watched the snow bear leave with teary eyes.

“Goodbye, cutie. I’ll never forget you. Ah, the sorrow of parting—it inspires poetry...”

The twins looked at the black flame dragon cousin as if she were crazy.

The twins, under Erilot’s command, promised to take the snow bear safely to the Endangered Species Management Bureau.

Erilot was still playing with the other children at the tea party.

Daymond stood at a distance, watching his daughter.

“Since you got to hold the snow bear, you can hold the teddy bear our dad bought for a while.”

Riantin lifted her chin and said to Erilot.

Erilot hugged the teddy bear once.

Other children came over to hold the bear one by one.

“My dad rescued it from a distant foreign country.”

“My dad rescued one from far away, too. Thanks for feeding the snow bear.”

Erilot was sociable.

Watching Erilot get along well with the kids, something felt off.

Something was different.

Something was stuck.

Other kids said,

“My dad...”

“My dad said...”

“My dad told me...”

Erilot said,

“Abami? (Father?)”

Why... do I say ‘Abami’?

I asked Enzo.

“Do children that age usually call their father ‘Abami’?”

“In the past, they were taught strictly, so many did. But nowadays, it’s different.”

Enzo’s older brother, who once thought the world would collapse if he left the table before his parents, now hears ‘Dad’ from his kids.

The tea party ended happily after many ups and downs.

Erilot held Daymond’s hand and trotted down the hallway.

“So, Dionera unni, Riantin unni—”

The child didn’t seem uncomfortable.

She talked well, smiled well, and clung well.

“Abami gave me grapes. I already ate them all.”

“...Erilot.”

“Yes!”

“The other kids call their fathers differently, not ‘Abami’.”

“...?”

“They say Dad.”

Erilot tilted her head.

Daymond bent his knees to meet her eyes.

“You can call me whatever you like.”

“But...”

“Yes.”

“Abami calls Grandpa Duke.”

“...”

For a moment, he was lost for words.

“Because I dislike that old man.”

But he didn’t say it.

Such things weren’t good for education.

Daymond chose his words carefully but couldn’t come up with anything.

“Alright. Let’s go inside and rest.”

“Abami, going now?”

“Yes.”

“Going to get melons again?”

“The melons are done. Blueberries come next.”

Erilot frowned, raising her eyebrows.

“Why that face?”

“I don’t like blueberries.”

He hugged his daughter tightly.

“I want to give you a bigger world.”

“...”

“So that your talent doesn’t fade because of my laziness, and no one can hurt you.”

Daymond’s smiling face was reflected in Erilot’s large eyes.

Daymond gently stroked her cheek.

“I promise, Erilot.”

“...”

“I will be the next Duke Astra.”

The child blinked and gazed into space, as if thinking, then said,

“Abami, do you want to be duke?”

“Yes.”

“What?!”

Erilot frowned deeply.

Then she sighed deeply, like an old man.

“Then you should say so!”

“...What?”

“I know.”

“...?”

“Then Abami has to bring blueberries, huh. Hoo... good night.”

“Erilot?”

Erilot waved her hand and went straight into the room.

Daymond was left alone at the door.

He stared blankly at the back of the child disappearing into the room.

Back in my room, I was waiting for someone.

Knock knock.

I hurried and opened the door.

Han Jihyuk stood there.

“Why call me at night?”

“I’m moving the blessings in the underground storage.”

I quickly pulled Han Jihyuk inside.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“I need real money now.”

“What?”

“I’m going to make Abami a duke.”

Han Jihyuk furrowed his brow.

“Wasn’t this because Daymond didn’t care about the dukedom, so you worked hard?”

I had been working hard to create a way to survive in the future.

Now that I was recognized and had an easier life, it would be different after grandfather died.

If a second generation duke with bad relations with father comes to power—

‘Daymond’s domain is over.’

It was a matter of life and death.

So I was fiercely building skills and a survival path.

“But Abami has decided.”

“Is that so? Well... good. I was hoping so.”

Whoever becomes duke, Daymond’s domain would have to survive by depending on that power.

They had to obey any unfair orders from the duke.

But if father became duke, it would be different.

‘The safest path.’

“So? What do you need to move?”

“All the low-grade blessing stones.”

“All?”

“Yes. I’ll sell them to make capital.”

“You’re not short on money anymore, right? You even got half of Balderic’s domain.”

“That money is public. I need secret funds.”

Having learned society’s dirty ways, I knew

money was power’s closest friend.

‘Especially black money.’

Han Jihyuk and I went down to the underground storage.

I carefully separated and collected all the low-grade stones into a sack.

“Low-grade stones are useless, but some pay a high price for them.”

Han Jihyuk shook his head, diligently gathering the stones.

“Just sell them on the black market like always. Hide the money at home.”

“No, I’ll buy a building in Hwangdo as soon as I make money.”

“A building?”

“Yes.”

I gave Han Jihyuk instructions for the next plan.

The next day, he got a long leave from the butler.

During that leave, he secretly moved the blessing stones outside.

He returned six days later, holding the deed to a building.

[231-31 Kabelen Street]

Imperial Consort Ocelia gently traced the rim of her ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) teacup.

Lady Gonallong, who had been sent to Astra, returned.

Her expression brightened as she saw the consort.

“Congratulations, Your Highness.”

“Congratulations...? Did I do something to be congratulated for?”

“The issue that troubled Your Highness for so long has been completely resolved, so congratulations are in order.”

Consort Ocelia stared at Lady Gonallong.

“So, you found the child?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he? Was it really Astra?”

“Yes. He was staying in Daymond’s domain in Astra. A remote place, perfect for hiding.”

“So where is he now?”

“The child is dead.”

“...Dead?”

“Yes. There was a wildfire in Daymond’s domain last year. The fire spread to the villages, and over twenty people died.”

“You mean the child was among them?”

Lady Gonallong smiled faintly.

“Yes.”

“Do you have proof of death?”

Lady Gonallong handed documents to the consort.

They bore the official seal of Daymond’s domain.

The list of the dead included an unidentified child of similar age and build to the hidden prince.

“Is this the child?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We confirmed it multiple times.”

Consort Ocelia gave Lady Gonallong a piercing look.

“May I review the documents myself?”

Lady Gonallong’s grip tightened.

She expected this but still felt a chill.

“You intend to claim the prince died in Daymond’s domain?”

“Yes.”

“The forged documents will be found out quickly.”

“Don’t worry about that. We have a very capable person at our estate.”

The man who made the palace clerks unable to find any evidence for three months and ten days—

Michelan.

‘They seemed so confident, so it should be fine.’

Lady Gonallong smiled confidently.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Only then did a smile return to the consort’s face.

“You’ve done well.”

“I cannot express how much joy it is to assist Your Highness.”

Then,

Knock knock.

“The noble ladies have gathered, Your Highness.”

Today was the consort’s monthly salon event.

She rose.

“Will you be attending?”

“Yes.”

Lady Gonallong swallowed nervously as they moved.

She recalled the conversation with Erilot.

“What? Spread rumors at the salon? Wasn’t our deal just to report the prince dead and arrange a meeting with the Empress Dowager?”

“But we also forged the documents for you, right?”

“That was obviously necessary...!”

“There is no such thing as something obvious in this world.”

“...!”

“If you help, it will benefit you as well. Trust me.”

‘She’s crazy.’

Why did she hold hands with a three-year-old?

Three-year-olds are usually no match for most noblewomen.

Walking, recalling the talks with Erilot, they soon arrived at the salon.

The noble ladies warmly welcomed Consort Ocelia and Lady Gonallong.

Once seated, various conversations began.

“You must be tired traveling all the way to distant Astra for ten days.”

“Only Consort Ocelia cares for the empire.”

Lady Gonallong’s remark brought a smile to the consort’s face.

“You went to Astra and honed your speech, I see.”

“I suppose being with a smart child has improved your eloquence.”

“A smart child?”

“Yes. Erilot Astra, daughter of Daymond Astra.”

Lady Gonallong spoke quietly.

“The child was unusually smart. She has the blessing to read the ancient language.”

“Ancient language...?”

“When we coaxed her to talk, she told us the ancient history books contain many mysterious things. Like the ‘Blessed Land.’”

“If it’s the Blessed Land...”

“A sacred place that increases magic power just by staying there.”

“Hmm...”

Magic power was the energy source that created blessings.

If magic power increased, so would the blessing’s strength.

“She told me the conditions of the Blessed Land.”

Lady Gonallong whispered, and the noble ladies’ eyes widened.

The giants of high society would never let such information slip.

As soon as they left the salon, they found the place that met the conditions of the Blessed Land.

[231-31 Kabelen Street]

Near the slums, the cheapest land in the imperial capital was suddenly skyrocketing in price.