Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Savior Sien
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I tilted my head with a puzzled expression.
‘What’s going on? Did the Count Yoter side already make their move?’
There were a few people in front of the building where the Sheriff Trading Company was located.
But the company’s sign had fallen straight to the ground.
Even as I noisily climbed down from the carriage, not a single person paid me any attention.
‘Could they have gone out of business?’
On the trading company’s door, I could see a big white X mark. I hurriedly looked around.
One of the men standing in front of the company chewed his lips and spat out curses.
“Damn it……!”
That was the demeanor of a noble.
There was even a man rolling on the ground, pounding the dirt, and cursing. I tore my gaze away from them and stared at the woman standing beside them, staring vacantly at the sky.
“It’s all over…….”
The tall woman next to her wasn’t crying either, but she had a dazed expression as she stared at the fallen sign.
“We only had the mana infusion left…….”
“It was the final step.”
“If we’d known they’d suddenly take all our research results, we should’ve at least encrypted it.”
The kind faces of the people gathered at the building entrance twisted with tears.
“Legally, that’s how it is. We’re done for now.”
“We poured so much money into it, damn it. We were almost at the end!”
From steadily eavesdropping on their conversation, it was clear the Count Yoter side had pulled some strings.
I stared at them blankly while shaking my head inwardly.
‘No, it’s not over yet.’
I clenched my fists, my body trembling.
The maid sisters cautiously spoke to me as I shivered.
“Those people look dangerous. Should we come back next time?”
“No.”
With a serious expression and no smile on my lips, I strode right up to them. Things I hadn’t noticed from a distance came into view.
Like the kit wrappers scattered haphazardly on the ground, or the empty rectangular boxes.
The whole place looked like a desolate ruin in every way, and I furrowed my brow.
‘They worked so hard, only for Count Yoter to snatch away their achievements like this. How tragic.’
For some reason, my heart ached for them, so I tilted my head as I looked at them.
“Hello.”
They turned to look at me at my clear pronunciation.
They looked baffled.
But I had to say it coolly.
“I’ll invest in you all.”
I whipped off my scarf, then flung away my sunglasses, puffing out my chest proudly.
It was an appearance that anyone would see as cool and impressive……
“……Wh-who are you?”
……I was 10 years old.
The gazes of the trading company people looking at me turned strange. Soon, they stared at me with sharp eyes.
“You look like nobility. Are you the Count Yoter’s daughter? Here to mock us some more?”
From the way she glared with axe-like eyes, it seemed she had quite the grudge against Count Yoter’s side.
I shook my head firmly.
I’m Sien Mirmod—no bigger opponent of the temple than me!
But they seemed extremely sensitive about Count Yoter.
Before I could shake my head and open my mouth to reply, the woman who had been lying face-down on the dirt with bulging eyes roughly hauled herself up.
“Count Yoter?”
She glared at me with axe-like eyes, then paused.
“Huh.”
She’d been about to retort, but realized I wasn’t from the temple. I leisurely crossed my arms in front of my chest and waited.
Soon, the voice I’d been expecting came.
“The Count Yoter doesn’t have a daughter this young. I heard all his kids are grown up.”
“Yep, you’re smart.”
Looking at their baffled faces, I nodded vigorously.
Now was the time for me to speak!
“I totally hate Count Yoter!”
They still hadn’t dropped their guarded expressions as they countered.
“Then which family is the young lady from…….”
It looked like they wouldn’t believe me unless I properly proved my identity. I pondered gravely. Should I reveal my status here, or just explain properly?
But they made the first move.
“By any chance, are you a lady who saw our old [Paternity Test Kit promotional material]?”
Hmm, from the context of the conversation, they seemed to think I was some rich fool blinded by the promo and coming to invest.
That wasn’t a bad assumption.
I nodded vigorously in response.
“Yep!”
Then their gazes drooped downward.
“Sorry, but…… please leave.”
I tilted my head.
‘They don’t like rich people?’
But they soon answered my question with a deep sigh.
“Even the imperial palace can’t do anything about it. The empire’s imperial palace side officially declared us enemies of the state, little miss.”
“Really?”
“Yes. We just made the kits, and they branded us a seditious group. If you get too close to us, your own company will suffer. Leave while you can.”
I nodded.
Their trembling lips drooped downward again.
When even I—their last hope—seemed about to leave, they looked ready to burst into tears.
But looking at their expressions, I thought.
Unbelievable—these people…… they’re smart and honest to boot.
The complete opposite of that dumb, lying princess who’s so good at deceit.
Therefore……
“You pass.”
Looking at their baffled faces, I beckoned with my hand.
“Escort me inside!”
***
“Ex-excuse me, but we can’t believe you!”
At the words spoken with eyes squeezed shut, I pouted.
“Why can’t you believe me?”
“How could we believe that a sudden young lady who appeared out of nowhere is the baby of the great Mirmod family! There’s no way she’d suddenly show up to save us?”
It had been hours since I was invited into the disheveled trading company interior. This was already the tenth time they’d said this. I gave a quick glance to the maid sisters, then straightened my shoulders.
The maid sisters promptly flashed their burly muscles and held out identification to them.
“It’s the young miss’s ID.”
“……It’s not, f-fake, right?”
“No. Who would dare forge the imperial emperor’s seal?”
I could see the Sheriff Trading Company people exchanging glances.
I leisurely crossed my arms and observed the situation.
They rolled their eyes, swallowed hard, then spoke.
“Th-then, you’re really Lady Sien? But why would someone so precious come to such a shabby place—no, wait, such a lowly…….”
“Yeah! I’m Sien Mirmod. The reason I came here is simple. You guys were doing some business, right?”
“That’s…… true.”
“Then how about we make paternity test kits together from now on?”
At my spirited words, they chuckled with dazed expressions.
“Haha…… that’s.”
“Why?”
They shook their heads and sighed.
“……It’s already over. The most essential material for making the kits is the Marowa bulb. But Count Yoter’s side found out and is drying up the seeds. The kits were all smashed to pieces long ago.”
Come to think of it, I’d seen the wreckage of broken kits in front of the company.
‘Count Yoter, you ruthless bastard!’
But surrender isn’t in Sien Mirmod’s dictionary!
With a sharp expression, I looked at them and said.
“You’re saying Count Yoter’s side already knows how to make proper paternity test kits? Not just the fakes?”
That would make things seriously troublesome.
But fortunately, they spoke up.
“No. The core technology is known only to our creators. The problem is, our company’s core kit creator defected. They just know that the Marowa bulb is the key material for the kits, so they’re blocking us from making real paternity test kits…….”
One mountain after another.
But I won’t give up. They may not know it, but I know these people.
Their character, intelligence, efforts—all of it.
“The core creator defected?”
“Y-yes.”
“If our family announces protection, will they come back?”
“……That’s.”
“……What if we not only protect them but help with the entire kit production?”
They hesitated, then blurted out.
“He’s the ambitious type, so it’s possible. But getting him back and mass-producing the kits again…… it’ll take time. We don’t even know where he went.”
I let out a deep sigh.
To topple Count Yoter, that wicked princess, and the crown prince, the paternity test needed to happen as soon as possible.
But spending ages just to find the defected kit creator was a huge red flag.
‘Time is gold. We need to start production as fast as possible.’
I slurped on the apple juice that had barely survived amid the messy building to recharge on sugar.
Bringing back the creator, securing Marowa bulbs again, and starting kit production.
Time was woefully short.
But then I thought maybe there was a way, so I kept rummaging through [The Life of Melodia].
Suddenly, one hypothesis occurred to me.
‘If we use that method, it should work?’
The action-oriented me clenched my fist and tried to stand.
But right then.
“Um, by the way.”
“Hm?”
My concentration broke.
I looked at them.
These people might say something important business-wise.
My gaze toward them sharpened slightly. The trading company people exchanged glances, then bowed deeply.
“There’s something we forgot to mention.”
“Forgot to mention?”
One man spoke up quick as a weasel.
“Yes! Y-you’re too cute, so just once…….”
“Hm?”
“If we could touch your cheeks just once…….”
“Th-that’s disrespectful! But he’s right!”
Could I really trust these technicians who were talking about how cute I was at such a crucial time?
But looking at their trembling hands, I narrowed my eyes.
Maybe I could win them over with my cuteness.
Technicians are important, so lending my cheeks for a bit wasn’t out of the question.
I narrowed my eyes and whispered to them.
“Hmm, alright then…….”
Their eyes sparkled. At the same time, my heart softened.
Truth be told, these brother and sister types who’d lost their homes and company were pitiful……
“I’ll let you touch my cheeks once.”
I shrugged and lifted my chin. I heard the maids beside me muttering, ‘The highest reward.’
Their shaking hands approached me.
“St-sticky rice cake…….”
They rubbed my cheeks lightly, murmuring with effort. But I ruthlessly grabbed their hands tight.
“That’s it!”
“E-end…….”
Looking at their lingering, regretful faces, I raised my eyebrows.
“If things go well, I’ll let you do it again.”
“Huh……? A-again?”
Their eyes sparkled as they clasped their hands in front.
They seemed so foolish, it was hard to believe they’d invented something as amazing as the paternity test kit. I shook my head and said.
“I’ve got a great idea, so everyone focus!”