Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Rift (2)
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A vast hill covered in blue meadows stretched out wide.
A single carriage raced down the avenue lined with snow-white pear blossoms in full bloom.
Moments later, as the carriage arrived at the lone mansion atop the hill, its owner came rushing out breathlessly to greet his guest.
His name was Albero Faro.
The true landowner of Delico Farm and the noble whose name was listed as the whistleblower against Francis.
"Welcome, Lian! You must be tired from the long journey!"
"Lord Albero, have you been well? I'm at a loss for how to repay such a warm reception."
"Haha, no need for that. I should have gone to you myself, but I feel bad for dragging a busy friend all the way here."
Even for a royal visit, it was customary in noble society to receive guests in the drawing room.
This tradition carried the meaning of respecting the host's authority.
In contrast, rushing out to the entrance like this meant, 'I set aside everything to welcome you.'
It was a reaction usually seen only when a far-married daughter brought her grandchild to meet the family for the first time.
"You must be hungry after the long trip. I've told the servants a precious guest is coming today, so they're putting in extra effort!"
"Oh, a precious guest? Was someone else expected besides me?"
"Huh? What...? Haha! You cheeky fellow with the jokes! Come on in!"
Lian followed Albero into the mansion.
From the outside, it looked like a picturesque countryside villa straight out of a painting.
But the interior felt somewhat desolate.
'Even for a rural noble, this is remarkably modest...'
Only worn-out furniture was in sight.
There were no expensive decorations one would expect in a noble's home.
It wasn't that Albero was frugal by nature.
He had simply been forced to sell off what he had due to his dire financial straits.
"This way to the dining room."
"The delicious aroma is wafting all the way here. I'm looking forward to it."
Albero, perhaps self-conscious of his poverty, hurried Lian to the dining room without giving him time to look around.
A feast had already been laid out in the dining room for Lian.
Along with it, people who appeared to be Albero's family waited with tense faces.
"This is my wife and my sons and daughters."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Lian of the Lapis Lazuli Merchant House."
"Nice to meet you. You're even more handsome than the rumors said."
"You're a magic hunter, right? Does that mean you can use magic too, big brother?"
"You idiot! If he could use magic, he'd be a mage!"
"Now, now, everyone. No more idle chatter to our guest. Sit here, Lian."
Lian was led to the center seat opposite Albero at the table.
Naturally, his two sons ended up seated on either side of him.
"Children, staring at a guest like that is rude."
"Yes, Mother...!"
"But Sis can't take her eyes off his face either."
"......!! You!"
"Hahaha! Carlota! The boy's face is artistically handsome, sure. But he's a married man, so don't stare so openly!"
Albero's eldest daughter, Carlota, flushed beet red and bowed her head.
Yet she kept stealing glances at Lian's handsome features.
"What a harmonious family. It's heartwarming to see."
"Heh heh. My family is my most precious treasure."
That was why, as the head of the household, he so desperately wanted to protect this happiness.
Lian read Albero's inner thoughts and smiled faintly.
"Let's eat before the food gets cold!"
"Then I'll dig in gratefully."
Lian scanned the table.
It lacked extravagance but brimmed with abundance.
As he scooped some appetizer onto his side plate, all eyes focused on him.
They seemed to have forgotten the etiquette lesson given to the boys earlier.
They all knew why Lian had been invited here.
Clink-clink-
Only the sound of cutlery clinking filled the air for a long while, with no conversation.
Even then, Albero and his family merely picked at their food while watching Lian's expression.
'Feels like I'm on a judging panel.'
Strictly speaking, it wasn't wrong.
But unlike their intentions, the food wasn't all that important to Lian.
"So... how's the food?"
"The ingredients are all so fresh and flavorful. Are they from your land, my lord?"
"Exactly! Everything on this table comes from my land—except the dishes, of course. Haha!"
Albero laughed brightly but soon cautiously gauged Lian's reaction again.
"And now that I've reclaimed the land, if I start growing these in earnest..."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
Lian knew it was rude but cut Albero off bluntly.
Albero didn't seem offended, only more flustered as he watched Lian carefully.
"No, why...?"
"I still believe we should rebuild the ranch there."
"I-is that so? But ranching requires more startup capital than farming..."
"That's exactly why I'm here, isn't it?"
The reason Albero had welcomed Lian so effusively wasn't just gratitude.
For destroying the Rajur family, forgiving his massive debts, and restoring his seized lands.
To resolve his family's financial woes, he desperately needed an investor.
"I guarantee it: farming that land will just mean wrestling with weeds and growing nothing worthwhile."
"But... after losing herds to mass die-offs a few times, I can't bring myself to try that business again."
"Pardon?"
Lian's expression turned peculiar.
He hadn't expected such a response.
"Don't worry about that. The reason the sheep were dying en masse is gone now."
"Hm? What...? You don't mean...?"
Lian gave a wry smile and slowly nodded.
"Hah...? Ha... so that's what it was..."
While his ranch sheep died mysteriously and even the ones bought on debt perished.
He never once suspected an external cause.
The man wasn't bad, but rationally, he wasn't someone Lian wanted as a business partner.
"Anyway, our merchant house will invest aggressively, so no worries about funds."
"R-really?"
"Of course, if you meet a few conditions."
But since Lian had other goals, he had no intention of discarding Albero harshly.
"Name them! What do I need to do?"
"Would you look over this proposal?"
As Lian pulled out a cylindrical case holding documents, Albero summoned a servant to fetch them.
Soon, bewilderment spread across Albero's face as he reviewed the proposal.
"An o-orphanage? And for the children from that farm...?"
"Yes. And have them work the ranch. Of course, pay them proper wages to help them become independent later."
This was, in Lian's view, the best solution for those children.
Of course, he wasn't planning to be a philanthropist; he'd calculated the profitability properly.
"It's not a bad idea... but are those kids really up to it?"
"They're from Bordia. They'd have learned to tend livestock before they could walk."
"No, I mean..."
Still, Albero seemed uneasy about actually taking them in.
His eyes darted up and down, re-reading the already-scanned proposal multiple times.
"The magic in their bodies has been completely removed, so no issues there."
Tap-tap-tap-
Lian quietly drummed his fingers on the table, urging a response.
"Father! This big brother's a magic hunter. It'll be fine, right?"
"He knows more about magic than anyone here. Let's do what Representative Lian says!"
"Ahem. You're right."
In the end, Albero had a servant bring a pen and signed at the bottom of the proposal.
"Wise decision."
Lian smiled and took back the signed document.
He planned to expand into textiles later based on this, but that wasn't Albero's concern, so he kept quiet.
Above all, the man wasn't all that reliable as a partner...
"By the way, Lord Albero, did you attend Lord Leon's succession ceremony?"
"Haha, what face would I have to show up there?"
"I see."
"Though I was pardoned as a reward for whistleblowing, my involvement in Francis's crimes hasn't vanished."
Albero solemnly bowed his head.
In truth, he was as much a victim of that incident, but knowing the truth now filled him with a heavy sense of responsibility.
"The other families see me as a traitor anyway, so I'd rather skip such awkward gatherings."
"So you haven't been in touch with them lately?"
"Ahem. This incident made me realize I should strengthen ties with South Harbor from now on."
"I see..."
Lian recalled the scene from the succession ceremony he'd glimpsed with magic.
'Leon definitely tampered with those drinks somehow.'
Of course, no mass poisoning occurred.
It had only been a few days, and there were no reports from above.
"Lian? Is something wrong?"
"No, just curious."
"Well, the new lord's position isn't all that stable, so it's understandable to wonder."
"More importantly, I'd like to inspect the farm again. Need to figure out how to handle those flowers..."
The flowers there were all magical catalysts.
Dangerous for ordinary people to approach carelessly.
"Ah! The lord already took care of that."
"What? Lord Leon?"
"Since the farm itself was tied to Francis's crimes, he cleared it all out not long ago."
"Makes sense. With a court mage's help, he'd manage."
Those were practically his disciple's research data, so the court mage would want to collect them.
So they'd likely cooperate closely on this matter...
'But why at this timing?'
Something nagged at Lian.
With Francis sentenced and the lordship inherited, Leon had no further reason to bother with the farm.
"Want to go inspect it anyway? I've only heard reports and haven't seen it myself. Some unsettling rumors too."
"Yes, let's."
And above all.
Since handing the Delico Matron over to the security force, he hadn't heard about her disposition yet.
After finishing lunch at the Faro estate.
As they prepared to inspect Delico Farm as planned, Lian ran into an unexpected obstacle.
"The carriage can't make it there?"
"Ahem. Since the farm was established, we haven't gone that way much, so the road's been neglected for years..."
Albero trailed off, looking embarrassed.
The real reason for abandoning road maintenance was probably lack of funds.
"We have to walk all the way?"
"N-no, of course not! You'd be stuck overnight!"
"Then?"
"A horse should have no problem, even if the carriage can't."
"...I see."
"Of course, bringing your escorts would be tough, but the path itself isn't dangerous."
Albero hurriedly ordered a servant to prepare a saddle.
But his proposed solution had a serious flaw.
"Lord Albero."
"Yes? What?"
"Sorry, but I don't know how to ride a horse."
"Huh? I must have misheard."
"I said I don't know how to ride."
Albero, doubting his ears, was left speechless.
He'd heard correctly.
"...Why?"
"Because I've never ridden one."
Lian wanted to ask in return.
Why assume he could?
Albero probably thought, as a noble, he'd learned basic horsemanship.
Shouldn't he have asked at least once?
"Ah! Does your homeland ride deer instead of horses?"
"They ride regular horses there too. I just never had the chance to ride far."
"Ahem. I see..."
Albero looked at Lian with pitying eyes.
As if gazing at someone starved of parental love.
Which was true, in a way.
"I-it's fine! My sons haven't learned to ride yet either!"
Those two were still too young to ride alone anyway.
"Ah, does your daughter know how?"
"...Let's drop this."
"Ahem. Sorry."
An awkward silence hung between them.