Chapter 180
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: An Unbelievable Letter
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The third prince of Alfrsen, with his platinum-blond hair and blue eyes. A second-year in the Magic Department, a talented mage ranked sixth in his class.
Aint gazed at the back of Daniel, who was focused on the lecture.
“Traces of the Vile Breed have been found in the Kingdom of Alfrsen. A great disaster will soon strike the nation.”
Pernyan’s words came to mind. He wouldn’t lie about something like this, so it was safe to assume it was true.
- Making contact with that guy means ensuring he’ll ask you for help when trouble brews in Alfrsen.
- As I said, if the Vile Breed's machinations are revealed in Alfrsen, you'll be the first person to come to mind.
‘This is difficult. I know you're right, but this is the first time I've approached someone with a specific goal in mind.’
- What’s so difficult about it? This academy is a gathering place for that very purpose.
Of course, getting a proper education was a significant reason as well.
But if you took ‘connections’ out of the academy, it would never have flourished as it has.
- This is where the most renowned people on the continent gather. Nine out of ten who enroll in the academy come to build connections with such individuals.
And the connections forged in youth did indeed spread like a spider’s web, influencing the entire continent.
- More importantly, you’re no longer the ‘eldest son of the declining Armian family,’ but the ‘hero’ who defeated the Vile Breed. If anything, he’ll be the one wanting to get close to you.
‘I know what you mean. And it’s not that I can’t do it.’
It was just awkward because he had never done it before.
‘I've really lived a comfortable life.’
When he thought about it, even his current connections were practically handed to him by Pernyan.
Without him, he wondered how he would have managed his academy life or fought the Vile Breed.
The same went for the money to raise his family’s status.
‘I can’t rely on him forever.’
It wasn't that his only friends at the academy were Aria, Verian, and Barus.
It was just that their friendships weren't deep enough to fight demons together.
Taking a small, deep breath, Aint stood up.
“Why are you suddenly getting up?”
“I just have something to say to someone.”
Aint vaguely answered Aria, who was beside him, and sat down next to Daniel.
“Hello, Daniel.”
“Aint?”
Daniel’s blue eyes widened.
“Do you need something from me…?”
“No, nothing in particular. It’s just that we’ve been at the academy together for a year and a half now, but I don’t think we’ve exchanged more than a few words.”
Ah, he’s a prince. Should I not be speaking so casually?
- That would be sarcastic, Aint.
‘What? I’m genuinely asking. How is that sarcastic?’
- It's your first time properly talking to him, isn't it?
Fortunately, Daniel didn’t seem to take it to heart.
“No, please don’t. It just makes things awkward.”
“What’s this, Aint? What’s going on with Daniel?”
Just then, someone approached.
“Barus?”
It was a face Aint recognized.
“Oh, it’s nothing. We were just talking. What about you?”
“Temporary pairs. As you know, quite a few students from Esrin didn’t return to the academy this time.”
“Aha, so you two are paired up for now?”
Well, look at that.
Aint’s expression relaxed, and he started chatting again.
“What are you all talking about?”
Aria joined them a moment later.
* * *
Although he had just instructed Aint to approach Daniel, Pernyan’s expression was grim.
“There’s no time.”
According to the Prophecy Book, the flood would occur just before the harvest, which was only a few days away.
The prophecy had come to him too late, leaving no time to prepare a proper response.
“The flooding of the food supply is now inevitable. We must mitigate the chaos that will follow.”
“Will that be possible?”
“The merchant guild has been buying up massive amounts of food because of the Esrin civil war, correct?”
War was a behemoth that devoured everything, consuming not only weapons but also vast quantities of food.
“If we divert all of it to Alfrsen, we stand to make a great deal of money.”
“Money, sir?”
“And we can reduce the chaos in Alfrsen at the same time.”
“The problem is how to persuade His Grace, the Duke.”
The area around the Hopen Plains hadn't seen enough rain to cause a flood in hundreds of years.
Who would believe that a sudden, record-breaking downpour would cause a flood there, ruining the harvest and necessitating a diversion of grain?
“Can’t you just tell him you see the future?”
“My father would probably want to dissect my head.”
“You cannot keep it a secret forever. The scope of what you can achieve, young master, depends heavily on whether His Grace knows or not.”
Hyde was right.
If he could just convince his father that he could see the Prophecy Book, he would be able to get full cooperation for everything, unlike now, where he had to concoct reasons for his actions.
“But will he believe me?”
“I eventually came to believe you.”
“It’s different from when I told you. The future has already diverged quite a bit from the contents of the Prophecy Book. I can’t say it to my father with confidence.”
“But you believe this event will happen for certain, do you not?”
“…”
After a moment of thought, Pernyan took out a piece of paper and a pen.
Hyde, who was always by his side, understood. His father would surely believe him too, after some initial commotion, if presented with reasonable evidence.
As Hyde said, if his father was aware of the truth, future actions would be much smoother.
“While I’m at it, I should write another one.”
“To His Grace?”
“No. To the Crown Prince of Alfrsen.”
There was no connection whatsoever between the Crown Prince of Alfrsen and Pernyan.
No matter how many connections Pernyan had built with various nobles or how much he traveled as a member of the merchant guild, his activities were mostly confined to the Empire.
He was too young, and foreign trade ventures were planned for after his graduation from the academy.
“He’ll wonder what this sudden letter is about.”
“But he won’t just throw it away.”
Not when it came from a Fallenberg. No madman in this world would discard a letter bearing the Fallenberg seal just because they didn’t know the sender.
“There isn’t much time until the flood. Going through Daniel is too slow.”
“Then what do you plan to write?”
“Something unexpected.”
But it would be content that would strike the Crown Prince’s heart with unerring accuracy.
The answer lay within the Prophecy Book.
‘My apologies, Professor.’
I'm going to have to use your name.
Please understand it as my right as an investor.
* * *
The massive vault of the main Fallenberg estate.
Duke Ivon sat before a mountain-like pile of gold coins, picking them up one by one.
“712, 713…”
Countless gold coins moved from the Duke’s left to his right.
“So this is why you were busy?”
Someone entered with the clicking of heels. Duke Ivon slowly and familiarly raised his head.
Few people could confidently enter the vault he had forbidden others from entering so carelessly.
“…My wife.”
A gentle hand caressed the Duke’s cheek and chin.
“Why are you in here like this?”
The Duke silently counted a few more gold coins.
“Who is it? Who has thrown you into such turmoil?”
A faint light glowed in her red pupils, which contrasted with her dark, navy-blue hair.
“…It was Pernyan.”
“What trouble has that child caused now?”
“Pernyan is not a child who causes trouble. If anything, he brings in money; he’s not one to lose it.”
Duke Ivon shook his head firmly. All the while, the pile of gold coins moving from left to right grew.
“He was always a capable child, but since entering the academy, he’s become even more of a pride to me.”
He had thought his son had gone mad when he suddenly proposed waiving the Bercefe family’s interest for three years.
But he saw his will through, even handing over a massive mana stone mine. And now, the Bercefes had become their most steadfast allies.
“It’s as if he knows when and where the Vile Breed will appear, preparing for it flawlessly…”
Then he suddenly became the top student.
“The matter with the Friediens was the same. He scoured that stone mountain range, which was so unprofitable I thought he’d been scammed by the elves, and what does he do? He finds a dwarven city.”
And that wasn't all. He made the dwarves citizens of the Fallenberg domain. The profits from that were immeasurably vast.
“Still, this is something I just can’t believe.”
“What is it?”
“Read this.”
The Duke picked up a letter that had been tossed onto a corner of the floor.
“I always told Pernyan to predict the future. But this isn’t prediction, it’s prophecy…”
After quickly reading the letter, Helena Fallenberg wore an inscrutable expression.
“It seems Pernyan has taken up gambling and lost all his money. He’s clearly not in his right mind.”
“I thought so too. But the problem isn’t that he’s my son, but that he has no reason to spout such nonsense.”
“Perhaps he saw an amusing play and got too caught up in it.”
“Pernyan is not the type to get engrossed in something like a play. Unless he was paid every time he watched.”
The Duchess read her son’s letter once more, carefully.
“Even so, a Prophecy Book… I would sooner believe he had discovered a mountain of gold.”
“I had the same thought. That is more plausible.”
Sometimes, people could lose their minds from overwhelming joy.
But that couldn't be it.
“The funny thing is, since he entered the academy, there have been times his actions were incomprehensible. But they always turned out to be beneficial in the end.”
If the ‘Prophecy Book’ Pernyan mentioned in his letter was real, it would explain everything perfectly.
And that was what confused Duke Ivon even more. He couldn’t fully believe it, nor could he completely deny it.
“How about summoning Pernyan for a proper conversation?”
“I intend to. But before that…”
“Your Grace! Urgent news!”
Just then, the butler rushed in.
He was another person permitted to enter the vault in case of an emergency.
“Has it arrived?”
“Yes! The Alfrsen branch has sent an urgent reply to the order you sent, Your Grace.”
“Give it to me at once.”
The Duke practically snatched the letter from the butler’s hand. He ripped open the envelope and unfolded the letter.
“What is it?”
“Immediately after receiving Pernyan’s letter, I sent a message to the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild in Alfrsen. I asked about the weather in the north and the Hopen Plains. Whether it was raining, or if there were any signs of rain.”
“And the answer?”
The Duke lowered the letter.
“…It says it’s raining all across the north. And it has been for three days straight.”
Focus returned to the Duke’s dazed eyes.
“…One thousand.”
The hand that had been ceaselessly counting gold coins had just finished stacking the thousandth one.
He rose from his seat.
“What are you planning to do?”
“I was wavering because I couldn’t believe the fact itself, but if it is true, the course of action is obvious, isn’t it?”
The Duke’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“It seems the heavens wish for the Fallenberg family to buy the entire continent, so I have no choice but to grant that wish.”
Hundreds of repercussions and outcomes stemming from the prophecy flashed through his mind.
Even the most trivial thing, if it was the future, would be of astronomical value.
This was no different from the heavens granting wings to the Fallenberg family.
“Divert all grain and foodstuffs bound for Esrin to Alfrsen immediately.”
A golden castle that no one could dare to challenge would be built.
And no one would be able to stop it.