Chapter 134

Chapter 134:  Mad Dog (1)

The day after a man had met with three women—

Upon returning to the mansion, Echina took part in the regular family meeting.

"Ahem."

She tried her best to pull herself together, hiding any trace that she had drunk the night before.

Because today’s topic was far more serious than in other meetings.

It was about improving the Nord Mountain trade route, which the Grand Duke of the North would now oversee.

With the Empire reaching its golden age, trade was expected to thrive as well.

The Grand Duke of the North intended to develop the barren northern trade routes to make the most of this timing.

『Starting this year and continuing into next, we’ll carve a path through the mountain range.』

At the head seat of the long table—

The elderly giant seated there opened his mouth.

『Each branch will contribute 30 billion gold. The more you send, the more share of the profit you'll receive.』

Grand Duke of the North, Baylis Luton.

His golden eyes glowed brilliantly beneath the heavy shadows of his brow.

Whenever he spotted a lucrative opportunity, he displayed even fiercer determination than the younger generation.

"……"

However, the children seated on either side of the Grand Duke couldn't agree so easily.

No, they couldn’t agree at all from the start.

They didn’t have 30 billion gold on hand.

『Why is no one answering? This could be a great opportunity for all of you.』

The continent’s second-in-command spoke with an expression of growing frustration.

Then, the first to speak was the daughter he cherished most, Freya.

"I'm sorry, Father. As you know, right now I……."

『…Yes, I suppose I already know even without you saying it.』

The Grand Duke remembered how she had suffered a major loss during the marble incident.

That suffocating blunder resurfaced in his mind, and he let out a short sigh.

"Father, I think it’ll be difficult for me as well. My funds are still tied up in the mining business…"

With the eldest daughter taking the first blow, now it was the second son Edward who raised his hand.

He forced a relaxed expression and tried to explain his way out.

『Even aside from that money, you’re saying you don’t even have 30 billion?』

"Well… wouldn’t it be better to finish development quickly if I want to free up those funds?"

Edward awkwardly stroked his mustache as he spoke.

Then, he flinched as a beastly roar struck him out of nowhere.

『You call that an answer?』

"Father…, didn’t you always say that setting priorities was important? So I tried to resolve the biggest matter right in front of me first…"

The Grand Duke of the North’s brows twisted in a chilling frown.

As if he was truly furious at his son for completely misunderstanding his point.

『You’ve set the wrong priorities, and now you're pouring everything into solving that mistake? You think that’s the right thing to do?』

"Father, the mine development isn’t even finished yet. I’ll prove myself with results."

Edward bowed his head deeply and pleaded for another chance.

「Haa.」

The Grand Duke let out an even deeper sigh at the sight of his son, who had already fastened the first button all wrong.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he said he understood.

There was no point in harshly scolding him here anyway.

His son was already a grown man, and he himself was growing old.

「Eric, what about you?」

“Our side should be able to prepare up to 20 billion.”

The silver-haired archduke calmly expressed his stance.

He then added a valid reason.

「Is it because of the newspaper you’ve been working on lately?」

“……!”

The Grand Duke immediately saw through the reason why his eldest son lacked funds.

Eric momentarily faltered but quickly recovered, maintaining a smooth, bright smile.

“Yes. We plan to bring ‘Daily Times,’ currently ranked second in the media industry, entirely over to our side.”

「You can’t control media outlets with just money. You’ll need a firmer leash.」

Duke Luton warned his son with a cold voice.

No matter how much he might have seemed like he was playing around with princes, he was still his child.

“Yes, that’s why I plan to get engaged to the youngest daughter of that family.”

「Engaged?」

The Grand Duke tilted his head slightly, curious about what he meant by that.

“That’s right. We’ve already had plenty of discussions about the marriage.”

Eric Luton, the silver-haired eldest son.

His appearance definitely leaned toward the extremely handsome side.

All of the Duke’s children, from the very beginning, were well-known for their striking looks.

Thanks to that, there had been many marriage proposals from various places.

Among them, Eric had chosen the Lockheed family—a distant royal bloodline and head of the Daily Times.

「For once, you've made a decent choice.」

“Indeed. Because of that, a portion of the funds was momentarily left out, but I’ll send the remaining 10 billion as soon as we secure it.”

Eric bowed his head humbly.

In response, Duke Luton quietly acknowledged it and took a sip of water.

「Lockheed… That’s a solid family. Though they're sixth cousins of the Emperor, they’re a thoroughly independent faction.」

“That’s right. Although they’ve recently been feeling pressure from Gold Morning’s rapid growth, their legacy and loyalty run much deeper. They won’t be giving up second place so easily.”

The Grand Duke of the North set down his glass.

Then, as if giving his approval, he said:

「Very well. Next time, bring the young lady to see me.」

“Understood.”

Eric, the first of the children to receive a positive evaluation.

Seeing this, Freya frowned with displeasure, and Edward, who followed Eric, kept a neutral expression.

And finally, it was Echina’s turn.

「Echina, what about you? I suppose 30 billion would be difficult for you as well?」

The Grand Duke of the North didn’t seem to hold high expectations for her.

He assumed she was already struggling to manage the factory and shopping complex she had just acquired.

However—

“No, Father. I’ll make the preparations right away.”

What unfolded next was a situation entirely different from what he and his children had expected.

As soon as she heard the Grand Duke’s words, Echina accepted the proposal with a clear and resolute gaze.

“If there's anything more you need, please let me know. I’ll do my best to prepare it.”

The Grand Duke of the North stared at his second daughter for a moment.

Until now, he had thought all she knew how to do was wield a sword, yet now—her gaze mirrored the one he used to have in his youth.

“I believe this project could become a very important source of income for our family.”

And then—

Even the face of his lively and cheerful late wife came to mind.

“By chance, our Luton Textiles recently developed a new winter fabric. I’d like to take this opportunity to distribute it to the workers and also demonstrate its performance.”

「Very well. I’ll consider it positively.」

Duke Luton showed a rare trace of warmth in his eyes.

He glanced at Debier, who was standing nearby, and lightly gestured to him.

「Chief Secretary, if Luton Textiles sends clothing support, make sure they’re properly compensated.」

“Understood, Your Grace.”

The Grand Duke of the North rose from the leather chair.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he brought the meeting to a calm end.

「That will be all for today’s meeting. I believe everything has been said.」

“Thank you for your hard work, Your Grace.”

All of his children bowed their heads in unison, showing proper respect to their father.

However, none of them—except Echina—could easily lift their heads again.

“……”

They were all deeply unsettled by their younger sister’s words.

30 billion gold.

Of course, from their perspective, it wasn’t an unimaginable amount of money.

But for their younger sister—who had just recently entered the family business—to pledge such a sum without a moment’s hesitation?

That meant the funds in her possession had far surpassed that amount.

And all of this… had happened in just a few months.

――――――

After the meeting ended, Freya was the first to look toward Echina.

She casually asked her younger sister,

“Echina, have you been doing well in business lately?”

“Just… well, the textile business has been good recently.”

The Northern Grand Duke’s daughter responded briefly and firmly to her older sister’s question.

“Really? Still, coming up with 30 billion just like that couldn’t have been easy…?”

“I’m not only doing textiles. I’ve got a few side businesses as well.”

Echina kept her usual cold, expressionless face.

But Freya—who was looking right at her—could feel it.

Something about her had clearly changed.

In the past, her little sister had just seemed like a clueless kid who swung a sword and somehow ended up involved in the family business by accident.

But now—this Echina…

Her atmosphere had shifted dramatically.

It was as if she had found a distinct goal, and like a black lion, she was fixated solely on that target.

She had the gaze of someone worthy of the Grand Duke of the North’s lineage.

“I’ll get going. I have work to do.”

“All right, take care on your way.”

Freya watched her younger sister’s retreating figure with a gentle smile.

Then, once the sound of Echina’s military boots had completely disappeared—

She returned to her usual eerie, expressionless face and stared at Eric and Edward.

“A side business, huh? So our little Echina knows how to lie now?”

At her murmured words, Edward snorted.

With their father gone, he crossed his legs and casually threw out a remark.

“Side business, my ass. That must all be money from him.”

Everyone present knew exactly who he was.

None other than Julius Roger, the current head of the most successful foundation.

“If we leave her alone like this, Echina might actually climb up using that guy’s back and even aim for the position of next Grand Duke.”

Freya spoke in a cold, cynical voice as she picked up her teacup.

She silently drank the dark tea that looked bitter at a glance.

“She’s still far from that point, but… she’s becoming a nuisance.”

Eric felt the same displeasure.

That someone who had only just entered the family business dared to act ahead of everyone else in front of their father.

And in his eyes, the capital she had amassed recently was nothing more than a product of pure luck and coincidence.

“You got a plan?”

His younger brother asked him in a low voice.

Eric let out a quiet chuckle, then narrowed his eyes sharply—just like a dominant predator.

“I do. Of course I do.”

Throughout the entire long meeting, Eric hadn’t touched even a single sip of water.

Because what irritated him more than thirst or hunger… were those who dared to go against him.

“Do you think it’s normal for someone to make that kind of money in such a short time?”

“Of course not.”

Freya and Edward agreed without hesitation.

In response, Eric leaned back in his chair and lifted his chin high.

“She must’ve pulled some trick together with that Roger bastard.”

The Archduke of the North rose from his seat.

He clasped his hands behind his back, mimicking their father’s posture, and rested one hand on the chair at the head of the table.

“Whatever that trick was, let’s take this opportunity to shake it all out.”

Shake it out.

Understanding the meaning behind those words, faint smiles appeared on the lips of his two siblings.

The reason why Eric was the most terrifying of them all—

It was because, aside from his ties with the princes, he had another special weapon.

“There’s no company in the world that doesn’t kick up a little dust when shaken.”

He pulled out a sheet of paper from the Grand Duke’s desk.

And with a quill pen made from the Duke’s own feather, he displayed his elegant penmanship.

The recipient: a prosecutor from the Nord court—

Inspector Tabor Tade.

“But are you sure about this? If we suddenly attack Echina at a time like this, Father will know right away who’s behind it.”

Freya asked, folding her arms.

Eric responded with a sly chuckle and shook his head.

“It’s fine. This inspector’s nickname is Mad Dog.”

The eldest son curled his lips into a chilling smile, as if he already had the leash in his hand.

“He’s the kind of man who wouldn’t raise suspicion no matter who he suddenly goes after. ‘Oh, if Tabor’s sniffing around, there must’ve been something shady—’ That kind of atmosphere, you know?”

He casually slipped the used paper into the inner pocket of his suit.

He was the kind of meticulous man who sent carrier pigeons only from his own personal loft.

“Besides, it’s obvious to everyone that Echina’s rise is abnormally fast. The prosecutors have every reason to find it suspicious.”

“Well… yeah. It’d definitely look strange to outsiders.”

When Edward chimed in, Eric headed confidently toward the meeting room door, his eyes full of certainty.

But he suddenly stopped at Freya’s question.

“By the way, Eric, how exactly did you win him over?”

Her intelligent gaze struck him in the back like a blade.

Freya already knew.

“Mad Dog never extended favors to people with dirty laundry.”

“……”

At her sharp question, Eric turned around briefly.

Then he replied with a gloomy smile.

“He has a sick daughter.”

The eldest son spoke of another man’s misfortune as if it were nothing.

He raised one finger and said in a cheerful tone,

“You know I’m kind of close with our family’s physician, right? I just made an introduction.”

Freya let out a short, scoffing laugh at the surprisingly simple answer.

Well, either way—if Echina were to stumble, it would be good news for her, too.

That was the Northern Grand Duke’s house.

――――――

The very next day after the meeting.

In front of the Erian Hotel, a man appeared.

He was the one who made countless nobles and businessmen in the North tremble—

The Mad Dog of Nord.

“This is the place.”

A prosecutor with black hair and piercing red eyes.

Dressed in a pitch-black suit and carrying a lifeless-looking briefcase, he stepped into the hotel.

And he silently surveyed the old-fashioned lobby.

“Welcome, sir! You’re at the Erian Hotel!!”

The hotel staff approached him with smiles.

However, even these seasoned employees—who had dealt with countless guests—flinched for a moment.

In the Empire, prosecutors were the kind of people who could silence a crying newborn with their mere presence.

“…?”

While sipping coffee and groaning softly in the hotel lobby, I recognized him instantly.

And with a sly smile, I signaled to Yuria.

To bring Anna—the lawyer currently staying at our hotel…

And Tabor’s junior.

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