“Speak freely.”

“…I heard that the Grand Duke’s herb garden has many precious herbs. May I request two bundles of laccarine grass?”

“It seems the young lady’s health is weak. Laccarine is a good herb for nourishing the body. I will send some other herbs as well.”

“Thank you.”

Usually, one bundle is enough. The same goes for making the antidote for the Second Prince.

‘I still don’t know why the Grand Duke specifically asked for laccarine grass and why two bundles, but I’ll find out in due time.’

A graceful smile spread across Arne’s lips. Calon’s gaze toward Arne changed slightly.

“Young lady, you don’t have to force a smile. You said your mana surges are frequent too, right?”

The Grand Duke looked at her as if she were a tragic young lady smiling brightly despite being in pain. He silently patted the back of Arne’s hand. His wrinkled eyes showed pity.

‘That’s not the case.’

It was an awkward situation to explain, so she just nodded slightly. Cedric’s expression changed.

“Is your health not good? To the point where you need more herbs?”

“Well…”

“Where? Didn’t I tell you to speak if you’re not well?”

As the troubled Arne was about to open her mouth, the banquet hall door opened, and someone entered. Arne turned her head, grateful to the person she didn’t recognize.

“I was late because I finished treatment, but luckily I’m not too late.”

It was Cedric’s father, Samuel.

“Samuel, what brings you here? You said you wouldn’t dine with me.”

“I came to see Lady Ronia, not you, Grand Duke Calon.”

Samuel, who answered even more dryly than Cedric, took a seat next to Arne. With the Grand Duke in the middle, the two men sat next to Arne, creating an awkward arrangement. But Samuel and Cedric seemed perfectly at ease.

“I was worried because you got hurt because of me. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine now.”

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

Unlike the voice he used with the Grand Duke, his voice was soft and gentle. Perhaps because they were father and son, Samuel’s smile was quite similar to Cedric’s gentle expression.

“But I heard the young lady’s health is not good? Is that why you look so pale?”

“It’s just that my frequent mana surges have made me tired, but I’m fine now. Besides, I’m grateful that the Grand Duke is giving me herbs to nourish my body.”

“Oh dear, have some more.”

Even Samuel kept offering dishes to Arne, filling her space with food. As the three men waited for her to empty her plate, Arne awkwardly smiled at the mountain of dishes.

It was an amount Arne could never finish. Refusing it would imply that leaving food at the first banquet was rude and meant she didn’t want to associate with them.

‘Is it a trait of this family to be so eager to feed me, or is it a trait of Northerners?’

When Arne picked up a piece of bread, the Grand Duke watched with curiosity, Samuel looked on with satisfaction, and Cedric observed with a subtle expression.

“People from the capital really do have small appetites. That’s just one bite.”

Unlike Arne, who took a small bite, the Grand Duke ate the bread whole. Regardless of the Grand Duke’s actions, Samuel sliced the bread into bite-sized pieces for Arne.

And Cedric devoured all those pieces.

“Cedric!”

“Cedric!”

“Staring like that will make the young lady lose her appetite. Besides, I’m hungry.”

Despite the scolding from the Grand Duke and Samuel, Cedric quickly devoured the food in front of Arne.

“What is the young lady supposed to eat?”

“I didn’t cut it for you to eat.”

“I know.”

Seeing Arne still nibbling on the first piece of bread, Cedric let out a small chuckle. He subtly left only a salad plate in front of Arne. It gave a strange sense of déjà vu. The first dish she shared with Cedric was also a salad.

“How long will you just eat the appetizers? That’s also impolite.”

“Right.”

As the displeased Grand Duke gestured to the attendant, the glasses were changed. It meant the main course was about to begin.

‘It’s about time to get to the main point.’

Arne broached the subject with the Grand Duke.

“I heard that Grand Duke Calon is doing business with the Leverun family in the capital.”

“Has word of the Renigrad business already spread? I didn’t expect the young lady to be interested in business.”

“How about partnering with me instead of the Leverun family?”

The Grand Duke’s expression changed with interest.

“Why?”

“I heard you were interested in the land route rights of the Leverun family. But what’s even better is the water route rights of the Xenon Duchy, which I can use entirely.”

Arne held out the invitation from Duke Xenon. A faint smile broke out on the Grand Duke’s lips as he read the invitation.

When had his intuition ever been wrong? It was indeed quite a useful look.

‘How did she obtain the water route rights that were rejected even when I proposed?’

“Honestly, it’s impressive. How did you get the water route rights?”

“That’s a trade secret.”

“Ha.”

The Grand Duke stroked his chin. The more he looked, the more interesting the child became. She was bold in dealing with the Grand Duke, but that was as far as it went. Business was a different matter.

“It’s an interesting proposal, but I’ll have to decline. I chose the Leverun family not just for their land route rights. As a newly emerging bourgeois family, they’re the most capable Marquis family in the empire. Whereas…”

The Grand Duke shrugged his shoulders. Arne had never run a trading company, so she had no proven track record to guarantee. The Renigrad business was too large in scale to indulge in a noble lady’s playacting.

It was a typical and rational judgment.

‘I see why Cedric said it wouldn’t be easy, even with Lady Judith’s letter. He strictly separates public and private matters. He tends to believe in results he’s seen with his own eyes rather than potential.’

“I understand.”

Arne withdrew cleanly. The Grand Duke was the type of person who would only change his mind after proceeding with the alcohol business with Leverun and failing.

It would be presumptuous for her to add anything more to the Grand Duke, and he would only consider Arne once the Mercedes Trading Company thrived with the tea business.

Since it was bound to happen anyway, it just needed time. The argument that Arne was better than the Leverun family would only work then.

As the Grand Duke rang the bell, trolleys loaded with main dishes entered in a line.

“Since I’ve received a precious gift in return, please enjoy the banquet. I’ve instructed the chef to pay special attention, so it should be quite exquisite.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

As if to prove those words true, the lavish dishes immediately captivated both sight and smell.

The servant had just placed a steak with a pleasantly wafting butter aroma in front of Arne.

‘This servant’s scent…’

The servant who momentarily met Arne’s eyes quickly turned away. He returned with a bottle of reta from the trolley to fill the Grand Duke’s glass.

Arne’s gaze didn’t leave the servant as he poured the reta. She quietly put down her fork and adjusted her grip on the steak knife.

It happened in an instant. Cedric pulled Arne into his arms while drawing his sword, and a short scream from the servant rang out. Hot red liquid flowed over Arne’s face.

The steak knife that had been aimed at the Grand Duke’s neck fell limply from the servant’s hand. Blood gushed from under the fork that the Grand Duke had stabbed into his neck. An assassin targeted the Grand Duke of Renigrad.

“Tsk.”

“Ugh.”

As the Grand Duke lightly shook off his hand, the servant collapsed with a thud. At the sound of dishes clattering, Arne turned her head to see Samuel, Cedric’s father, covering his mouth, seemingly feeling nauseous.

“Are you alright?”

“Ramona, Ramona…”

Samuel’s retching worsened as his eyes met Arne’s.

“Tsk. How weak. Even the young lady is standing properly like that.”

At that moment, red mana swirled around the Grand Duke’s arm. Cedric immediately grabbed the Grand Duke’s arm and the mana flared over to Cedric.

“Let’s stabilize it. The young lady is here too.”

“Ha. When did that guy…!”

While the two were conversing, Arne examined the fallen servant’s body.

‘There was definitely a faint smell of gunpowder along with the paralyzing scent.’

Clatter.

At the unsettling sound, Arne slowly opened the servant’s mouth.

‘A suicide magic bomb!’

It was an unmistakable bomb. Duke Ronia had also given one to Arne to use if she failed her mission. Its power could blow up an entire room.

‘…But the safety pin has been pulled.’

Seeing the safety pin at the tip of the servant’s tongue, Arne immediately shouted.

“Everyone, get down!”

Before Arne could complete the magic barrier she was forming, her mana core ached. At that moment, her upper body was pulled by a large hand, and vast red mana spread out in front of Arne.

Arne could hear Cedric breathing heavily next to her ear.

“How can this happen the moment I take my eyes off you.”

The sparks and explosives that burst forth all melted into the red mana that had spread like a barrier. The red mana continued to flow from the Grand Duke’s fingertips.

I’ve never seen such intense power.

Entranced, Arne unknowingly reached out to the red mana. Although Cedric hurriedly grabbed Arne’s hand to pull it back, the Grand Duke’s red mana still dissipated at Arne’s fingertips.