Published at 4th of February 2022 12:01:22 PM

* * *

a black-and-yellow central treatment house

"Oh, my grandson! You still haven't woken up! Hey, when does your grandson wake up? It's not like you can't get up forever, is it?

"The pulse and body temperature are very stable, my lord. I'm sure he'll wake up soon, so don't worry."

"Dante, Dante! My grandson, how sick have you been...!

Dante continued to pretend to be unconscious, not knowing that Ron knew about his fake illness and was keeping up with his rhythm.

"My heart is torn......! This old man will be right back. When you wake up, let's go eat the Dragon King soup of our grandson's favorite royal family. Emperor, no. I'll tell Your Majesty to have a special chef on standby."

While Ron was sniffling, Dante felt a strange pleasure with a thrilling heart and guilt for deceiving his grandfather.

Ron managed to hold back his laughter as he saw through his grandson.

a squeaking sound

About ten minutes after Ron left, Jean entered the treatment room. At the same time, Dante sounded sick as if he had woken up.

"Uh..."

"Dear Soju, do you come to your senses?"

"It's been a long time since I've had a fit...How long have I been lying down?

"About 30 minutes."

"I'm glad it's not long. Oh, Paul Gray Mick. You didn't look good. You guys go out for a while. I have something to talk to you about with this friend."

As soon as the doctors were away, Dante was full of laughter.

"Did you fall for it, too?"

"No."

"As expected, you can't be fooled. Jean! How was my acting? Wasn't that great? Haha, I'm sure my grandfather knows how much I care about you, and he has promised me 300 million gold coins. No, you would have given me 500 million!"

To Dante, who is so excited that he raises his voice.

"I was worried inside. I was wondering if my grandfather would appreciate the fact that Heiran and Looncandel were friends. But in the end, my grandfather is on my side. If I want to do it for you, my grandfather also does it for you...

Dante, who said that far, looked at Jean's expression.

Jean had a blank stare, half soulless, with a clear color on her face.

"Gee, Jean? You. What happened?"

"It's all robbed. ....

"Mu, what?"

"It's all robbed, your grandfather."

"Really?"

"Really."

Dante heard it in person, but he couldn't believe it.

What do you mean this devilish friend is robbed of everything he has? No matter how great my grandfather was, I couldn't imagine how Jin was being beaten.

"Uh, um, uh...... Hmm, I'm sorry. I didn't expect this to happen. My grandfather isn't the kind of man."

"No, you don't have to be sorry. That's what I used to do. Hoo, you have a good grandfather."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Then Jean gave a giggles.

"In fact, it's not just lost. In addition to pottery, I even wrote a memorandum to hand over some of the ancient permanent railways, but...... I know how much information the Highlands have."

The task of assassinating the knight was a top secret.

Knowing even what rewards Jin had received after completing the mission meant that there was a person with ties to Ron among the riders.

'Whoever it was, it wouldn't have betrayed Looncandel. Perhaps someone who's ever been in debt to Lord Ron has told you. It is likely to be a one-time information provision. Sir Ron wouldn't have been so proud if he had planted a spy.'

I thought it was better.

The decision was to find out who the rider passed the information to Ron and use it.

I also learned what kind of person Ron Heilan is.

An example of a housekeeper who does not let his guard down under any circumstances and does not give up his own interests.

But a kind and warm grandfather who can give more than life for his grandson.

'In that sense, Lord Ron is no different from having my greatest weakness already.'

Just the fact that Dante is his most precious friend, Ron could not treat Jean recklessly in the future. Now that I have seen Dante trying to save Jean by throwing himself right away.

Taking pottery and the fountain is a warning. I warn you not to dream about using Dante in the future."

In Jean's perception, it wasn't a 'stronger' warning.

Rather, it felt closer to bluffing from the position of one-sidedly mortgaged what was precious. It didn't occur to me that I lost much after being beaten by Ron.

'You can get back as much as you want from Lord Ron today. The problem is, we lost a cash cow right now.'

I thought I'd have to sell more than I expected to get money.

"Jin, I'll try to make the most of the money, as far as I can get without your grandfather's permission. Far from helping, it seems to be harmful, so I can't hide my disappointment.

"It's all right, leave the money alone. We can get it somewhere else.

"Is it possible?"

"You can make it possible. More than that, I met Veradin on the mission."

"......in Ventica, the disputed territory of the Mila Kingdom, where Looncandel and Zipple faced off?"

Dante's expression grew darker. The only thing the two, Jean and Veradin, will meet on their mission is to kill each other.

"Yes."

"How was Lord Veradin?"

Dante had never seen Veradin since Jin fled the West Sea.

"You weren't at the top. Beyond memory manipulation, his mind was no longer intact at all. He didn't seem to recognize me, and he attacked me."

Jean explained to Dante about the day for a while. Throughout the story, Dante could not hide his bitterness.

"......I can't imagine how much the Lord Veradin's heart would be broken when his spirit was intact."

"Maybe he's not in such a state of war every day. It was often described in the newsletter that he would normally perform outside activities such as banquets."

"I want to save you."

"I agree. But we have to wait for the right time. Until a more certain moment comes."

"Jin."

"Why?"

As if to bring out difficult words, Dante hesitated and looked alternately at the camp and the earth.

"If the ball of Veradin is in an irreversible situation. If you can't come back to him then, and you can only live as a doll for the Gipple......what will you do?

I did ask.

I didn't expect an answer. If it's Jean, then I'll give it up, or if it's for Veradine to kill...I thought I'd answer like that.

Nevertheless, I asked him because I wanted to check. Maybe Jean has the same mind as herself.

"Find a way."

Dante looked up at Jean's answer.

"Really?!?"

"Then it's really fake. If I give him up, I'll get nothing. We're friends."

"Jin! This body is very moving!"

"So tell Lord Ron, I'm not as clever as you think."

"Now that my grandfather has come to know about you and me about today, I will talk about you a little more comfortably."

"Yes, yes. I'm going to have to work.

"Already? Why don't we have dinner together, have a drink?"

"With someone who was just dying of anemia?

"That was all acting."

"That's enough. Call me later when you have a banquet. Just in case, send an invitation to Veradin."

"Okay!"

* * *

That night, as soon as I got back to Tikan.

Jin once again realized how much Ron Heiran cares about his "only" grandson (but Dante also has a brother).

"Confucian, Duke of Qin! What kind of magic did you do?

Tikan, which had been in the mood of the portrait until this morning, had the opposite festive mood.

"Sir Kashmir?"

"Confucian is also our lucky Tikan. Except for the royal family, almost all the fighters in Beemont are rushing in with money and goods.

Jin, who was listening in a daze, smiled.

'Dante, you lucky bastard.'

Ron was evaluating Jean that way.

A fighter kid who always takes more than one when he loses one.

No doubt Ron's favorite and most recognizable thing in the world is his grandson, but apart from that.

I thought Jin was by far the best of my grandson's contemporaries. Force, insight, ruse, guts, and magic.

Therefore, it is judged that touching the wings in a clumsy manner is not good for the grandson.

It was really a calculation only for grandchildren to the bone.

"It's a bolt from the blue! Rather, it's like we're replacing more solid accounts!"

Kashmir was ready to dance.

'Seron, indeed, has made an excellent judgment. He didn't pay me, he solved a more fundamental problem.'

That, except for the imperial family, almost all of Beemont's fighters want to do business with Tikan.

It wasn't the end of the boom just by reviving Tikan's economy.

It meant that when Jin and Kashmir run Tikan in the future, they don't have to be wary of Runkandel like this.

Instead, there was clearly a point where autonomy was undermined to some extent, as we had to pay attention to Ron and Hylan, not to Looncandel.

But from Qin's point of view, if he has to fight either of the two forces, namely, Looncandel and Hairan, for the full independence of Tikan in the future.

Naturally the latter was less burdensome. The Looncandel is obviously a stronger family than the Highlands.

"If only today's prices are confirmed to be accounts, we won't have to ask for any more money."

Jean shook her head at the horse.

"But the more money, the better?"

"Of course! I've been told off already. Confucius' guests will arrive soon. Oh! Hey, I think Jet's bringing him in.

I looked out the window and saw a giant following Jet.

He was approaching the mansion with a strangely out-of-the-way gait, wearing a robe and a hood over him.

"Come on! I've got him!"

Jet opened the door cheerfully.

Closer I looked, the giant in the robe looked much bigger. The strange skeleton made it seem like no man.

Jean shrugged her shoulders as she looked at her shiny gold eyes under the hood.

"You guys, you're making me look like I'm going to wear other people's makeup. Was this really the best?"

"Why, isn't this pretty good enough?!

Hanging!

When the lobes came off, the hairs that seemed to barely touch Jean's waist were revealed. The identity of the giant was the "four people united like one human being."

"Uh, it's not great. Long time no see, Fang."

"Oh, that's it. You're going to be shabby? We're not the poor in that cave anymore. Call me the top one line of gold, Lord Jean Looncandel, the 12th flag of the Looncandel."