In the first-floor study of the Eseled estate, Suleiman and Margret were deep in thought together.
"It's unusually smooth for a letter from master."
"Indeed."
They pondered over a messily written letter from Lark.
Having received Lark's reply, Navia said, "From today, I'll be working here," startling everyone with her unexpected words.
"…An eight-year-old vassal, how do we handle this?"
"Do I know?"
"Suleiman brother, you're five years older than me, try to give some plausible opinions."
"Ugh, only at times like this, you call me older brother."
They were deep in thought all day about a suitable position for Navia but couldn't figure out what work was appropriate for an eight-year-old vassal, who wasn't even the youngest.
In the midst of their brainstorming that morning.
"Is anyone there!"
A neatly dressed man entered the main building of the estate.
Margret and Suleiman went out to the lobby together.
"Who might you be?"
"I've come to deliver a message from Duke Agnes."
At the mention of Agnes, Suleiman's eyebrows twitched slightly.
'It seems he's set a date to formalize the Surprise Territory War incident.'
As he expected, the letter from the messenger suggested negotiating reparations in front of the Emperor after tomorrow morning's grand council meeting.
"Tell them I understand."
After the messenger left, Suleiman was lost in thought.
'Navia has become our concern, but she's clearly a prisoner of war.'
"What a headache."
At that moment, light footsteps came from upstairs.
"Mr. Suleiman, Ms. Margret."
It was a voice soft and clear yet with a firm core.
Turning their heads, they saw Navia.
"I have something to tell you."
Glancing at the envelope in Suleiman's hand, Navia said,
"It seems a message has come from Agnes to negotiate territory war reparations."
Suleiman marveled at her insight from just one letter.
"Yes, you're right."
Navia, having come to discuss that very issue, brought up her matter.
"What I have to talk about also concerns territory war reparations."
"Hmm?"
Before Navia could start, Minerva appeared between them.
"Ah, Miss!"
She approached happily, clutching a bag.
"I had something for you too… and there's a medical examination…"
Then she cautiously looked around.
"…Were you in the middle of an important discussion?"
Navia reassured her gently.
"It's a conversation we can all hear."
Navia turned to Suleiman.
Now was her turn to convince them of her usefulness, objectively.
'Suleiman may have become friendly towards me, but I can't be a priority over this place.'
She had to show that she wasn't a threat to Eseled but a benefit.
Navia recalled the usual uproar around this time.
It was about the engagement of Prince Ares and the dispute between Nikan and Theorban.
"That idiot is nothing but greedy and vulgar. He wants to place his daughter in Eseled's succession and engage her to Prince Ares? No way!"
Nikan always ranted about Theorban.
If there were no anomalies, it would proceed the same.
'I've even heard Theorban mutter about the letter.'
"Tomorrow, when you go to the palace, Mr. Suleiman, you'll face one certain situation and another highly probable one."
Two scenarios, then.
Suleiman blinked his slightly widened eyes.
"Is it something I will experience?"
"Yes."
Navia nodded once and continued.
"The certain situation is deciding my exact treatment. Duke Agnes will demand I be imprisoned, expelled immediately, or sent to the royal court."
As she spoke, the three adults around Navia fell silent.
"Of course. My existence might become a weakness later, so they'd want to deal with it cleanly."
'Precisely, they want to eliminate the aftermath of my brainwashing breaking and the fact that I'm a commoner from an orphanage.'
Navia continued the serious conversation in a light-hearted manner.
"I have mentioned this yesterday as well, but I am well aware of the dangers that come with harboring me here in Eseled. I fully understand and empathize with your inability to completely trust me."
"…Navia."
"My life may not be of much value, so risking it might seem worthless, but still, I swear on my life. I will not be a burden to Eseled. Never."
"…."
"Count Alvin must have sent a letter to Her Majesty the Empress, intending to establish his daughter as Eseled's heir. I heard him say it was a direct letter."
Upon hearing this, not only Suleiman but also the expressions of others hardened.
"Is that true?"
"Yes. The day I arrived, I heard him muttering about sending a letter if I was a nuisance, so he must have sent it yesterday."
'Theorban, that audacious…!'
Suleiman was already aware that Theorban was targeting Eseled.
He had only thought of absorbing private soldiers but never imagined Theorban would dare to propose adopting his daughter to Lark…!
'But I can't fully believe this yet.'
Conflict arose in Suleiman's heart.
He pressed his forehead with a troubled expression and asked,
"Are you suggesting, Navia, that in exchange for giving them a chance to adopt you as their foster daughter, we should block Theorban's plans?"
"Yes. That way, we can focus his anger on me while avoiding resentment, compared to outright thwarting Count Alvin's intentions."
Navia continued to emphasize her usefulness.
She relentlessly and ruthlessly commodified herself, saying they could use her very effectively.
This was the best alliance strategy Navia knew.
Suleiman shook his head.
In the heyday of Eseled, such a humiliating act was unimaginable.
But the lack of money had led to this situation.
"Sacrifice you for gain? That's dishonorable. It's an evil act."
Navia swallowed a low sigh at this unexpected rebuttal.
It was a problem if Suleiman reacted this way.
'A suspicious Nikan will surely kill me if he deems me not beneficial enough.'
"But this is mutually beneficial…"
Navia started to say more but then stopped herself.
Suleiman's words weren't just his own.
Margaret and Minerva surrounding her also seemed to agree with him.
Sympathy is a cheap emotion.
It's the first thing one can throw away when they themselves are in trouble - a light and weak sentiment.
Navia wanted to secure her position.
For that, she had to be an equal-level partner.
That would reduce the chances of being discarded.
'I can't fail.'
This was her last life after eight returns.
Of course, everyone lives their final life. But for Navia, 'final life' held a special meaning.
It wasn't her first life, and she had experienced too many failures.
Memories of those who had toyed with and killed her were too many and too vivid to not prepare against.
Navia didn't trust the fickle kindness of people.
Lark had responded yesterday, agreeing to take her as a servant, but Suleiman and Margaret had yet to find a suitable position, so it was temporarily on hold.
'In the end, everything is uncertain.'
Navia needed not kindness, but assurance.
'But these people seem to think differently from me.'
The ground she stood on cracked into pieces.
It twisted and churned restlessly.
Her values were broken.
Navia's pupils blurred to the point that her red eyes seemed black.
She had never persuaded such people before….
'Even with these people, being unnecessary means being discarded.'
Navia thought of other reasons why they must accept her.
Her mind raced.
Her lips quivered.
I can't fail.
I must think of a way not to fail.
'How can I persuade them?'
Then Margaret quietly said,
"All you have to do is ask for help."
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