The Grand Dukes' Queue
The line stretched on. Ever since the announcement of the Heat-Responsive Mosquito Net and the Chicken Guardian, Ed’s status had shot up so high it nearly breached the stratosphere. After all, an eighteen-year-old genius engineer had solved the empire’s twin plagues of heat and mosquitoes—problems no one else had been able to crack.
But Ed made sure to credit every last bit of it to the Emperor. Excessive fame and influence were bound to invite jealousy, and if that jealousy came from the imperial family, things would get messy fast. So he slapped the imperial seal on this product too. It let him inflate the price by a clean twenty-five percent, which meant he wasn’t exactly losing out. And who would dare question something officially endorsed by the imperial household?
“Everyone, please line up in an orderly fashion!”
Which was why the current scene inside the grand auditorium was nothing short of spectacular: nobles from every corner of the empire, standing in line like commoners at a butcher’s stall.
To sign a rental contract for the imperial-certified Heat-Sensing Mosquito Net and Chicken Guardian, each person had to enter the contract room one by one for a private meeting.
“One at a time, please. One person only.”
That was why Anthony stood outside the contract room door, playing the role of coordinator. As one of the members of the Sibalsaegi club, he had placed second on the recent written exam and earned the prestigious title of “Contract Guide.” He even wore an armband emblazoned with the imperial crest on his right arm!
When else would the son of a mere baron get to order around counts and marquesses? Swearing loyalty to Edga Fix had clearly been the best decision of his life. Just showing that he belonged to the “Edga Fix Line” had completely changed how the nobles looked at him—and how his own father looked at him.
So when the noble standing right in front of the contract room asked, “Are you close with Edga Fix?” Anthony unconsciously squared his shoulders.
I am, after all, Edga Fix’s second-most loyal retainer.
“Well, we had a bit of a scuffle in the past. But now? I’d say we’re basically best friends.”
Anthony allowed himself a touch of bravado. I’m Edga Fix’s best friend. Of course, the memory of how he used to badmouth Ed every single day pricked at his conscience. Honestly, their relationship was closer to lord and vassal than best friends.
It’s fine. I’ll just stay loyal from now on! Long live Lord Edga Fix!
He had fully repented for his past sins. From worthless garbage lower than food scraps, he had been reborn as Ed’s second-most loyal follower. With that mindset, the contracts proceeded smoothly.
Right up until the four Grand Dukes of the empire appeared.
“······.”
The overwhelming pressure they radiated was enough to choke the entire area. Every noble in the hall froze with stiff expressions, staring at Anthony. Being pinned under the combined gazes of four people who were called Grand Dukes—or even Kings in their own right—made Anthony feel like his entire body was being skewered and torn apart.
How could someone like me possibly decide the order for the rulers of the four cardinal directions?
“Speak. Who should enter first?”
At that moment, Anthony wanted nothing more than to run away. Even the imperial armband that had once made him feel invincible now felt utterly useless.
“U-um… that is… uh…”
Anthony’s shoulders trembled as he looked at the four Grand Dukes standing shoulder to shoulder.
The Grand Duke of the North, Adrian Graham.
The Grand Duke of the South, Illeya Cruel.
The Grand Duke of the West, Byunson Bernhardt.
The Grand Duke of the East, Adela Elmar.
Each of them was an undisputed ruler of their respective region. How was he supposed to choose which one to let in first?
“It’s fine. No need to overthink it. I’ll go first.”
At that moment, Illeya stepped forward with a light smile. The other Grand Dukes’ icy stares bored into him, but he paid them no mind and continued.
“Ed and I are already acquainted. I marked him as my son-in-law first, after all. I hear he’s grown quite close with my daughter lately. I’d like to have a proper talk with him.”
The Sword Saint put special emphasis on the word son-in-law, as if declaring that Ed was already his and the rest of them should stay out of it.
The Grand Duke of the North, Adrian, spoke with an expressionless face.
“Is that so? It seems to me that it’s my daughter who has grown close to him. He even attached my family’s name to the very first invention he created. On top of that, my daughter casually showers him with cold magic, and he was so inspired that he named his creation after our house. That doesn’t sound like an ordinary relationship to me.”
Crack.
A small fissure appeared on Illeya’s forehead. Adrian’s words grated on him. He had already received reports from his subordinates that the relationship between Isabella and Ed was far from ordinary, and he considered the Northern Grand Duke’s daughter the greatest threat.
I cannot hand my son-in-law over to that little she-devil.
“Hahaha. It seems even the esteemed Grand Dukes are getting on in years. To be so worked up over mere baseless rumors.”
But then the Grand Duke of the West, Byunson—who had been quietly standing with his hands behind his back—joined in. As Claire’s father, he needed to dismiss the rumors about Enya and Isabella as nothing but gossip, at least until his own daughter made any progress with Ed. Only then could Claire have a proper justification as a latecomer.
Yes. You three go ahead and tear each other apart.
Meanwhile, one person was calmly watching the three Grand Dukes’ battle of nerves.
The Grand Duke of the East and head of House Elmar—Adela Elmar.
The reason she could watch their squabble with such leisure was simple: marriage alliances with Edga Fix were impossible for her from the start. She only had one child—her son, Lucas Elmar.
If I cannot have him, then no one can.
For her, the best outcome was for none of the Grand Ducal houses to claim Edga Fix. If one of them managed to secure a young man who enjoyed the Emperor’s favor and held influence across the entire empire, a clear second-in-command to the throne would be born. That was something that had to be prevented at all costs.
“Haha, baseless rumors? Everyone who matters already knows the truth.”
“Hehe. Rumors do tend to spread in exaggerated forms, don’t they?”
“On the contrary, I think it is you who is exaggerating. Are you not simply refusing to face reality?”
And so Adela silently observed the bickering Grand Dukes. She cheered them on inwardly, praying they would quietly destroy each other by next year.
“Um…”
In the middle of all that, Anthony carefully slipped between the Grand Dukes. The boy who couldn’t decide who to let in first had quickly run to Ed, asked for the proper order, and returned to deliver the verdict.
“I-I asked Ed directly. I will now guide you in the correct sequence.”
The Grand Dukes, who had been locked in a war of nerves, immediately focused on Anthony’s next words. With the ultimate prize called “Edga Fix” on the line, they weren’t willing to yield even the smallest thing.
“The first person I will escort is… Her Grace Adela of the Elmar Grand Ducal House. Ah, please, come this way…”
The result, however, was completely unexpected. The Elmar family—who had had virtually no contact with Ed until now—had been chosen first.
Even Adela herself hadn’t expected to be picked. Her eyes widened as she pointed at herself.
“…? Are you certain? He truly wished to see me first?”
“Y-yes. Ed definitely… conveyed that wish.”
No matter how many times she asked, the answer remained the same. A faint smile spread across Adela’s face.
“So, out of the four Grand Ducal houses, he chose mine first. Just as the rumors say—you truly are a young man of great insight, culture, and humility. The future of the empire indeed.”
“H-haha… Yes.”
“Very well. Lead the way. I wish to see this future of the empire for myself.”
With those words, Adela stepped in front of the contract room door. Anthony bowed deeply and opened it for her. She walked inside where Ed was waiting.
Illeya stared at her retreating figure with a dazed expression, then muttered in a deflated voice.
“M-my… son-in-law…”
The next day, Ed successfully signed contracts with the majority of the empire’s noble families. He had now planted his products evenly across the entire nation.
Now all that’s left is to station informants.
Ed decided to make full use of this opportunity. Just like how someone regularly came to check the water purifier installed in a house, he would dispatch his own agents under the pretext of inspecting the Heat-Responsive Mosquito Net and Chicken Guardian.
This way, he could monitor the movements of the Demon Cult scattered throughout each region.
Hiring Dream Guardians should work perfectly.
However, Ed had no intention of hiring just anyone as “mosquito net maintenance staff.” Since his inventions had caused Dream Guardians to lose their jobs, he decided to give them priority in hiring to preserve their livelihoods.
Besides, to gather information on the Demon Cult, he needed people who could use at least some mana. Dream Guardians—people willing to risk being bitten by mosquitoes for money and who were already mana users—were the perfect fit.
The results are better than I expected.
Thanks to this project, Ed had reaped multiple benefits. Not only had he gained a legitimate excuse to station informants across the country, but he had also built valuable connections during the contracting process.
To think I’d build personal ties with all four Grand Ducal houses this quickly.
The most remarkable achievement was his new relationship with the four Grand Ducal families. Through various conversations during yesterday’s contracts, all four houses had expressed their desire to build constructive relationships with him.
With that, Ed had successfully laid the groundwork for the “Family Quest” he would eventually have to clear. If he maintained steady contact and built solid relationships, the day would surely come when he could actively intervene in the Grand Ducal houses and complete the quest.
He had accelerated a quest that would normally only be cleared around graduation.
In a dark room with not a single speck of light, Charlotte sat hugging her knees, lost in thought.
Her mind was in turmoil because of the official notice posted on the bulletin board.
[Notice]
We are recruiting administrators to manage the ‘Heat-Responsive Mosquito Net.’
Preference given to: Dream Guardians.
It was a short notice, only two lines long. But Charlotte knew exactly what intention lay hidden within it.
It was Ed’s way of supporting the Dream Guardians who had lost their jobs because of his inventions. That was why it simply stated “Preference given to Dream Guardians” without any other conditions.
But…
Even so, Charlotte still hadn’t applied for what was essentially a honeyed part-time job. She simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Her pride wouldn’t allow it.
“······.”
Of course, if anyone saw her like this, they would probably scoff. What right does a girl like you have to talk about pride? Ed is offering to make money easy for you, yet you’re too stupid to take it and instead sit here wallowing in self-pity. They might criticize her harshly like that.
I don’t want to show him this side of me…
Charlotte didn’t want the person she liked to see her looking so pathetic. She didn’t want to become the miserable girl who walked the rails he had laid down and then begged for a free ride.
She simply wanted to stand before Ed as a fellow academy student who also liked him—on equal footing, always confident and beautiful like Enya or Isabella.
…In the end, I’ll end up relying on Ed’s help again.
Charlotte instinctively knew that no matter how long she agonized over this, she would eventually find herself standing in front of Ed, bowing her head and saying she needed money. That pathetic, pitiful girl had always been her, and her life seemed designed to keep her that way.
Squeeze…
Charlotte clutched the necklace tightly. It was still just a raw gem that had yet to become a diamond.
She still remembered the day Ed had given her this ore with vivid clarity. No—it had been more than vivid. It was a monumental event that had completely changed the course of her life.
This stone was a commemoration that she, too, could become beautiful. That she could be reborn.
That was why Charlotte wanted to become a diamond herself. Even if she looked like a mere pebble right now, someday she wanted to stand before Ed as a sparkling diamond and shout “Ta-da!”
Wasn’t that why she had overcome her fear and thrown herself into the Dream Guardian job in the first place?
Swish.
Charlotte wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes. Gripping the necklace Ed had given her, she made a firm resolution.
I will stand on my own two feet no matter what.
She had always been the one receiving help from Ed. If she took the easy path on the rails he had laid down this time too, she felt like she would never be able to stand as his equal.
No matter what, she had to overcome this crisis by herself.
Gooooooo…
Charlotte began gathering her mana. Inside the dark room, a bluish mana bloomed like flowers. It was the nature-creation spell that only the Verdian family could use.
“Flowers! I’ll sell flowers!”
It was the only way this insignificant girl could make money. Charlotte grasped the beautifully bloomed flowers and began thinking about how to sell them.
Then she set the flowers back down and closed her eyes.
If she wanted to make them into actual products, she needed to create something more special than this. Something like the products Ed had made—things that everyone needed and wanted.
“······.”
Charlotte’s night grew deeper and deeper.