Chapter 28 (1/2)

The corners of Kynemeia’s lips rose in satisfaction as she fully unfolded the letter.

‘I did it—!’

Stupid! Idiot! Little did you know that mithril is tucked away in that dungeon!

“Fufufufu, fufufufufufufu!”

And while she was cackling with evil laughter—

“And this. Count Duron Harv sent you another letter.”

“Again?”

She pouted.

‘I should grow up into an adult who knows to concede and admit defeat,’ she thought, accepting the letter with both hands.

“But what kind of letters have you been exchanging with Count Duron Harv, Young Lady?”

Nanny Vanessa asked.

She most likely found it odd that two such characters who had nothing in common would exchange letters for this long.

‘If you ask what kind of letters they were…’ Recalling the (BEEP—) or (BEEP———) that Count Harv sent her, she smirked.

“I found out by chance that the Count enjoys composing poems. I let him know that I’d found his poem exquisite, so he continued sending me poems as an expression of gratitude, and we’ve been keeping in touch ever since.”

She twisted the truth a little since Vanessa was liable to keel over on the spot if she ever found out the actual contents of their correspondence.

‘I can’t make Vanessa worry.’

“Oh my! What a romantic person he is!”

Vanessa beamed, taking the girl’s excuse on trust, then turned around. Kynemeia watched her absentmindedly as she opened the envelope.

CLANK!

Something shiny and silver tumbled to the ground. On examining the object, her features drew into a scowl. It was a razor blade.

“Oh my, Young Lady. Did something drop just now?”

“No, I didn’t hear a sound?”

Her foot settled on the razor blade and slid it aside, out of her nanny’s sight. With a shake of her head, she added another star to Duron Harv’s level of resentment.

[ Duron Harv ]

Resentment level: 9/10☆

Danger level: 10/10☆

Oh well, if she could obtain mithril just at the cost of adding one star, then she’d gladly hand it out anytime!

“Oh, Young Lady.”

“Hm?”

Vanessa softly suggested to the girl wearing a wicked smile,

“Since he has taken to penning you such verses, why don’t you send Count Harv some flowers in a show of your appreciation?”

“Yeah! That’s a capital idea!”

Flowers would be good. She made up her mind to send white chrysanthemums to the count. That loud-mouthed, uselessly bullheaded brute.

‘Ha!’

And in an instant, she realised a certain truth. That the cursed Lyonne blood’s willingness to let resentment fester to achieve their desires was also flowing in her.

‘But it’s exhilarating!’

‘It makes no difference how often I earn money. It feels invigorating every time!’

‘No matter how much money I make, it’s not enough!’

A thrall to money to her very bones, she began twirling around in happiness, the letter from the Dungeon Bureau in one hand.

“Hm hm hmm, my mithril, my magic stones—”

Vanessa was lost in contemplation as she observed Kynemeia’s seemingly celebratory spirits.

‘Should I replace her dance instructor…’

The current one must be no good. There was no way her dear child’s innate poor dancing was incurable. She concluded that she first need to talk it out. She smiled and asked,

“Young Lady, shall I set to preparing your refreshments?”

“Mhm!”

At Kynemeia’s affirmative response, Vanessa quietly vacated the room.

‘Just how has the instructor been tutoring her these many years that she’s still so stiff?’

She had yet to be presented to high society, but nonetheless…

‘Who knows what might happen in the future.’

Vanessa went over all the instructors who would personally come knocking at Lyonne’s door in her mind as she walked down the corridor when suddenly, her eyes flew up to the windows where a black butterfly was fluttering about outside.

‘A butterfly?’

The creature looked decidedly incongruous flying among the bare trees in the chilly winter winds.

‘Why is there a butterfly in this weather…’

How peculiar. She stood in front of the window and kept a watch on it.

Story 8 Kshan Law

‘Just like Nanny said, it’s really difficult to find a guild.’

Holding onto a lotus-shaped board in the spacious bath, Kynemeia let out a groan and splashed the water with her feet.

Splash, splash—