Oriharcon's Miracle
"As you all know, the only things that can hold mana are magic stones. But even in our north, aren't magic stones precious gems?"
The other nobles who'd invested in the Oriharcon business were staring at me, eyes wide.
"So the Magic Tower has been conducting experiments to see if other metals could serve as substitutes."
"Surely you're not saying Oriharcon can replace magic stones?"
"Not quite. But while mithril shatters when mana is infused into it, Oriharcon holds up well. And in the process, it underwent a strange transformation."
The conference hall fell into utter silence. Everyone was hanging on my every word.
I flashed a bright smile and shared the astonishing fact with them.
"Its strength stayed exactly the same, but it became a material as light as mithril."
"Such a thing!"
"Impossible!"
The hall erupted into chaos, nobles shouting in excitement.
"The Magic Tower Master told me this himself. There's no falsehood here."
As I spoke with finality, the nobles who'd been eyeing me with suspicion fell silent.
Oriharcon becoming as light as mithril while retaining its strength—this was monumental. If we partnered with the Magic Tower to advance the research, the north's gains would be unimaginable.
"What they want are minerals to replace magic stones, not metals surpassing mithril. It's an experiment unrelated to the Magic Tower's interests."
Mages pursued their own gains with ruthless focus. And for them, the top priority wasn't money—it was magic. There was no profit to be had from altering metals.
"Convincing them will take time."
"Hmm..."
The nobles nodded in agreement.
"But the Tower Master trusts me, so I could help arrange a joint research effort with the Magic Tower. What do you say, Count Riksa?"
"...You, my lady?"
Count Riksa sounded skeptical as he asked.
"Yes. In fact, he showed interest in the Oriharcon business. Mana-altered Oriharcon would become the pinnacle among super-metals."
As a shrewd businessman, he grasped my meaning immediately.
A super-metal born from the Magic Tower's research. This unnamed new alloy would revolutionize the entire continent. If we joined forces with the Tower to keep producing them, the Oriharcon venture could reach new heights.
And the one who could facilitate that research with the Magic Tower? None other than me.
Count Riksa was capable, but he was just a northern noble with no ties to the Tower Master. The same went for the other vassals.
"What do you think? If it's not to your liking, we can pretend this conversation never happened."
I smiled sweetly, and the nobles' faces drained of color. Count Riksa and the others who'd invested in his Oriharcon project fidgeted, desperate to speak.
I watched them with a beaming smile.
It wasn't long before Count Riksa raised the white flag.
"My lady—no..."
He hesitated, changing how he addressed me.
"Thank you for your grace, Little Duchess."
I smiled in satisfaction as he bowed his head.
This was no mere business deal. It was a chance to etch their family names into the development of a revolutionary new material.
And once that material was successfully developed, the profits? The nobles' minds raced.
As expected, they began fawning over me.
"A brilliant business proposal, Little Duchess."
"To gain the Magic Tower Master's trust at such a young age and push this forward—truly astute."
Suddenly, no one in the room looked at me with discomfort anymore.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just what I ought to do for the north."
The mood in the hall shifted in an instant. With no one decrying me, an atmosphere of acceptance took hold naturally.
In the end, the few dissenting voices were ignored, and the meeting concluded with the vassals formally acknowledging me as heir.
"...How did you learn all that?"
The duke asked me once everyone else had left. His face showed genuine surprise.
No matter how much the vassals objected, he'd probably thought a few more meetings would convince them.
But I'd anticipated their furious backlash. In the original novel, their tempers were no joke.
Unlike the relatively mild southerners, northerners threw fits at the slightest dissatisfaction. Having endured the harsh north, their stubbornness and fiery natures were legendary.
I even remembered episodes where the crown prince struggled against northern nobles in the story.
That's why I'd prepared in advance.
"Well, Count Riksa's Oriharcon flop is infamous. And when I mentioned it to Lord Benjamin, he surprisingly spilled the details easily."
"I see. Thanks to him, this tiresome meeting wrapped up nicely."
In truth, it was Ren who'd told me, not Benjamin. After informing me of Marquis Ater's murder, Benjamin had gone radio silent, likely busy rooting out traitors and cleaning up.
Still, if I brought up magic stones, he'd perk up. I could push then.
"You did well today. Get some rest."
"Yes, Father."
I bid the duke farewell and returned to my room. After changing out of my uniform and having a light meal, I dismissed all the maids.
Then I activated the magic communicator.
[Hello? What brings you, my lady?]
Betty's cheerful voice rang out. I chuckled and replied.
"Thanks to you, it all went smoothly."
[Oh, really? Was the info I gave helpful?]
"Perfectly."
[Ahaha, glad to hear it.]
Betty laughed brightly, boasting of her exploits.
[Those mages at the Magic Festival? A few drinks and they spilled everything. Only chance to gather Tower intel, so I hustled. It was tough on me too~]
Luckily, Betty had seduced a senior mage's assistant at a tavern. Drunk, he'd blabbed all sorts to her—including the Oriharcon experiments.
Ren confirmed it when I asked, so I knew it'd shut Count Riksa up.
[So, so? What about the other info? Did you use it all?]
"Not yet. Saving it for blackmail if needed."
[Whoa, you sound like a total villain!]
"Quiet."
Good thing the nobles were distracted by Oriharcon today. Otherwise, I'd have used Betty's dirt to threaten them.
I knew a few of the vassals' dark secrets. But to keep good relations, better to hold them as hidden cards.
"Betty, if anyone else wants to buy info from you in the future, tell me right away."
[Huh? Why?]
"I'll buy it at double the price."
Betty burst into hearty laughter.
[Hahaha! Got it! Love a client who's got the guts!]
It felt like her invisible hand was slapping my back.
I smiled slyly. Betty would prove a huge asset going forward.
Running into her at the night market had been a stroke of pure luck.
With proper management, she'd turn her 'ant nest' into something surpassing any info guild.
"Did you look into the Serus family by any chance?"
[Oh, that?]
I lowered my voice in case Annie outside might hear.
Betty groaned before speaking.
[Fine, consider it part of the upfront payment. You're special, after all.]
"Thanks."
I listened to the Serus family history and clicked my tongue. As before, they were barons who'd lost their title selling it off after business failures piled up debts. Annie worked as a maid in the ducal house, while her parents and siblings had vanished.
In the ten years she'd served here, her parents never once visited.
"Where are Annie's family now?"
[They left the city, but the family head, Norman Serus, showed up for the festival, borrowing money left and right?]
"Borrowing money?"
I chuckled in disbelief.
Knowing Annie's parents were hopeless, I pondered. I'd planned to help her reunite, but in their state, it wouldn't help her. She probably wouldn't even want to see them.
But her siblings?
I recalled Annie's young brother and sister, whom I hadn't considered.
"What about the rest? Where are her siblings?"
[Probably outside the city. Need more digging.]
Code for: pay up.
Though she couldn't see, I nodded out of habit.
"Fine. I'll send extra. Investigate."
[Yessir!]
I cut the connection and tugged the bell cord to summon a maid.
"Miss, do you need something?"
"Oh, Annie."
It was Annie who'd entered. I had her sit and explained everything.
Her eyes wavered.
"It's been ages since you saw your family. Don't you want to meet them?"
"I..."
Annie bowed her head.
During the Magic Festival, I'd given the maids time off. The others went home, leaving only May, who had no family, by my side. Yet Annie, whose family was scattered and untraceable, accepted the holiday without a word.
Betty mentioned seeing Annie at an info guild while investigating the Serus family. She was searching for them too.
"Miss, how did you know I was looking for my family?"
Annie asked in a startled voice.