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“Hm… Are you talking about the Red Moon?” Yulis questioned.
“The Red Moon? Big Brother, isn’t that a jewel that noblewomen wear as jewelry?” Winley looked at Davey in puzzlement.
“I was wondering if I would be able to get it since I need it,” Davey replied.
The most important material, the Red Moon, was a bright red jewel. Well, it was only known as a beautiful jewel, but it had a hidden function as an essential component for refining magic stones.
“Why are you asking Sir Yulis when you’re looking for the Red Moon? Shouldn’t you ask us ladies over here about a jewel used in jewelry?” Illyna smirked as she was sitting elegantly on her chair and sipping her tea. Then, with a hint of curiosity, she asked Yulis, “Why? Did you find someone to gift jewelry to?”
Winley’s face instantly turned pale. “N… No!”
“Hm?” Davey stared at Winley.
“I… It’s nothing!” Winley shouted urgently as she lowered her head in shock. It was like she had seen a ghost or something.
“It’s not a big deal, but I’m thinking of making magic stones.”
“Making…magic stones? That…isn’t a big deal?” Yulis could not hide his bafflement. Perhaps it was inevitable for him to respond that way, since he was a mage who knew how valuable magic stones were.
“Yes. I’ve thought about it long and hard, but nothing else would be able to provide that much energy right now. I had no difficulty gathering the other materials, but…”
“It is said that magic stones are normally made from the merging of hundreds of mana stones by an unknown, natural power. Because they are extremely rare, that is why each one is so valuable.”
Yulis mumbled in thought, “But you are going to make that yourself?”
“Crafting it would just be a matter of time if I had the materials.”
At the same time, Yulis’ eyes sparkled with the desire to learn. “Sir Davey! Please! Show me your crafting!”
‘I don’t care if you watch, but you won’t be able to understand it.’
“The problem is that I don’t have the Red Moon, the most important material. Apparently, there aren’t any available.”
“Ah… Makes sense. It’s a jewel that noblewomen also dream of, because it’s so rare.” Illyna explained to Davey with apathy, “It’s going to take you a while to get it, even if you start looking for it now.”
“Is there a way to get it as far as you know?”
Illyna thought in silence, then said, “I don’t know…”
Perhaps even a princess had difficulty in obtaining the Red Moon if it wasn’t available, Illyna’s silence suggested that the jewel was truly difficult to get.
It was also difficult to find any information about the Red Moon even though Davey had gone through the catalog of merchant companies who sold products related to magic or guides for auctions.
“You know, the Red Moon… It’s a jewel formed in a very rare environment by mere coincidence. It’s not easy to find even if you have money. Davey, do you know what kind of social standing someone who has that jewel holds amongst the noblewomen?” Illyna smirked at Davey. “Man, this is nice. You thought money solved everything, didn’t you? You money worshiper.”
“So, you don’t want my help?” Davey raised an eyebrow.
“Hey!” Illyna frowned. “How could you go back on your words like that?! So cheap! You call yourself royalty?”
“Isn’t it better than someone of royalty going around calling people asses? You know, hiding a personality like yours is deceiving all the men on the continent. It’s fraud.”
Davey remembered how worthwhile it was to see Winley and Yulis’ expressions when they saw Illyna lose her temper with him.
‘How dare you provoke me when I’m this worried.’
Like it was something fascinating, Yulis and Winley couldn’t take their eyes off them at Davey and Illyna’s bickering.
“Sometimes, it feels like Lady Illyna and Sir Davey are in a long-term relationship with each other. Hm… The two of you are also good-looking. And how you both are honest to each other…”
“Don’t even say that! Me with a psycho like him…” Illyna refuted with a pale face.
“But doesn’t that personality only come out when you’re with Sir Davey, Lady Illyna?”
“That…”
“Giggle…”
Winley trying to hold in her laughter was what made Illyna completely give up. Illyna muttered, “I’m…royalty… You know, I’m the princess of the Pallan Empire…”
Ignoring Illyna, who was sinking into her chair with a sad face, Davey said with a sigh, “I guess I’m going to have to put this on hold for now.”
He had to complete it when he could be this focused but there was nothing he could do if the materials weren’t available.
“Oh, right. Sir Davey, did you also receive an invitation to the Lyndis Empire’s banquet that is happening?”
It was the first Davey was hearing of it.
“Oh… About that. Only about one or two people attend from a kingdom, and from what I’ve heard, that idiot Carlus is attending from the Rowane Kingdom,” Winley explained.
‘A banquet? That stupid, balding idiot who probably can’t even speak properly?’
“Sigh… I wanted to attend it at least once…” Winley looked disappointed.
“I heard that, for sure. Apparently, the banquet is being held in the Pentagon Hall this time. I have heard that the palace was built by five hundred dwarves for three years, and that its beauty and intricacy of the palace is far superior to any other,” Yulis said.
Winley frowned even more, then said, “Yes… There are a lot of people who want to attend the banquet at the Lyndis Empire among the social circle as well. Maybe that’s why… I saw a lot of young girls doing anything to be the partner of that nasty guy.”
Davey silently listened to Winley.
“Hm? Isn’t this an invitation?” Illyna’s eyes sparkled as she found a neatly wrapped envelope among the pile of documents that had come for Davey. Then, she furrowed her brows. “But..it’s completely crumpled…”
“I can picture it… It was definitely crumpled after he threw it somewhere because he wasn’t interested in it.”
“I know I do whatever I want, but I’m not crazy enough to ignore an empire’s invitation.”
“Anyways, the fact that Davey received a separate invitation…”
“Prince Davey is quite famous.”
Perhaps they sent it to poke around; however, it seemed true that Davey hadn’t noticed the invitation and had covered it with piles of other papers.
“Big Brother!”
Davey was suddenly given something to think about as he stared at Winley’s hopeful, sparkling eyes. To be honest, it was awfully bothersome. But looking at those eager eyes, they made him think about how he could spare Winley this much time as her older brother; Davey was conflicting with himself. “Hm…”
“Ah, right. Speaking of the Lyndis Empire, they are opening an auction for precious jewels at the banquet. I heard that all kinds of rare, hard-to-get jewels are going to…”
“Then I have to go. Winley, you said that you wanted to see the palace?” Davey answered without a moment of hesitation, and Illyna looked at him like she didn’t understand him.
* * *
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
It was pretty common for siblings to attend various banquets as partners. As soon as Davey showed his intent to attend the Lyndis Empire’s banquet, Illyna took Winley away. It was as if she had been waiting for it. Illyna quickly said, “I’ll take Lady Winley away for a moment.”
“Where are you going?”
“Davey, do you know the number of things a lady who has been invited to a huge party like that has to prepare?”
Davey sort of understood what Illyna was talking about. He offered, “Take this.”
“A seal? You’re telling me to use the territory’s funds?”
Davey had handed Illyna the seal that was necessary for printing a bill under the seigneur’s name. It meant that he had handed Illyna a company black card, speaking in Earthly terms.
“Since I don’t know anything about things like that. I don’t care how much you use, but just make sure that Winley isn’t outshined.”
“Hm… Isn’t that embezzlement?” Illyna asked in bewilderment.
Davey rose from his seat and shrugged. “Have a problem? I will just earn more money.”
“Wow… I’m just shocked that a territory can actually be run successfully by someone like him…”
To be honest, running a business was not Davey’s strong point. He was just benefiting off of the technology without really trying. However, there was one thing that Illyna had wrong: so much money had already been invested in the territory that there was nothing left to invest on. He knew that he had nothing to gain even if he poured more funds into the territory.
“I can use this seal however I want, right? I’m going to buy things for myself, too.”
“But make Winley as perfect as the amount you spend.”
“Hup… Big Brother! You don’t have to do that for me…”
Illyna shot up from her seat and covered the flustered Winley’s mouth. Illyna declared, “Nonsense! It is an insult to the Creator to not do anything when you have a face as cute as this. Follow me, and I will make you into a fairy.”
Illyna looked like she was determined to spend a lot of money as she pushed Winley, who was bewildered, out the door while gigging; no matter how rich one was, it didn’t change how fun spending money was.
“Are you attending as well, Sir Yulis?”
“Ah… Yes, for now. It has been decided that my partner will be Lady Illyna.”
Davey couldn’t help but sigh when he heard Yulis’ reply. He mumbled, “Winley is going to have a hard time.”
‘Her love rival is too powerful.’
Illyna’s tomboyish personality didn’t change the fact that she looked like a beautiful and elegant woman.
“Pardon?” Yulis asked.
“It’s nothing.”
Click!
“Davey! I’ll join you after I take Lady Winley to my kingdom. Get there by yourself!”
Yulis smiled bitterly, watching Illyna leave after shouting boldly. He said, “I have been acquainted with Lady Illyna since I was young. You don’t have to worry about her. She is very innocent and nice even though she seems that way.”
‘Innocent…’
Davey couldn’t help but smirk.
* * *
Yulis joined the party that was taking Winley to the Pallan Empire. It wasn’t that Davey didn’t trust the two, but he couldn’t help but feel worried about Winley since she brought trouble with her wherever she went. Perhaps he wouldn’t feel this way if he wasn’t this strong… but they needed a safety mechanism if they were going to the Lyndis Empire, a highly populated place that he didn’t know much about.
“When you arrive at the Lyndis Empire, stay by Winley’s side and keep her safe. You may break the arms of anyone who tries to do anything to her.”
“Rinne, question: is that an order?”
“Let’s say that I’m asking for a favor for the little things.”
“Alright. Rinne, very enthusiastic about carrying out favors. Judging self to be very excellent in escorting and finding enemies.”
“Okay okay.”
“And also judging communications to be excellent as well.”
“Um, I don’t know about that.”
There was a definite problem with her communication skills; the way she spoke could be regarded as adorable since she was small and cute, but it still felt off.
“And get rid of that ring on top of your head if you can.”
“Activate non-visualization.”
As soon as Rinne’s eyes shone, the circular ring that was floating on top of her head began fading away. She was a combination of science that even Davey could not understand.
Rinne erased all the strange parts of her body and threw her hand onto the tabletop.