Lark did not raise his voice much, but his tone was clearly that of annoyance.
"That's not the point."
"…Sorry."
Navia was convinced that Lark was as fastidious and fickle as Wood, and disliked her.
Lark continued to look dissatisfied, finally addressing the part that had been bothering him.
"There's nothing to apologize for."
After scolding her thoroughly, he suddenly said there was nothing to apologize for.
'What does that mean?'
Perhaps it meant she shouldn't do anything to be sorry for.
"Ah… Yes, sorry, I mean."
Navia pondered briefly what to say before speaking again.
"Yes."
Lark's eyebrows twitched slightly at her brief response. Annoyed, he brushed his bangs back and said.
"And about the compensation, I told Suleiman to handle it as he likes. Don't ask me."
Navia looked troubled.
"…You ordered me to cease all activities, so I needed your permission."
"Oh."
Lark remembered he had said that in a fit of anger.
'Ah… Why did I do that?'
He wanted to hold his forehead but responded with a nonchalant expression.
"That stops."
"What?"
"You can stop ceasing activities."
"So, I can do whatever I want now?"
"Yes."
Navia, who had come here prepared for a dire situation, was bewildered by how easily things were resolved.
"How should I report the results? Should I discuss it with Count Genegar?"
"Yeah."
Navia hesitated on whether to thank him at his overly brief reply.
She sensed Lark's response wasn't enthusiastic, just indifferent.
Exactly, he seemed like someone who thought all this was meaningless.
Therefore, Navia found it hard to understand.
'If he really wants to protect this place, shouldn’t he actively gather strength and secure wealth and power?'
Especially since in the era Navia was about to live in, 'money' became the most powerful value.
'Magical studies in the Empire suddenly started to develop rapidly from next year.'
Moreover, Navia's early discovery of a treatment for magic reflux disease was going to bring a new change in the Empire's power balance.
'Even commoners could produce stronger offspring through the union of magicians.'
As time went on, this classism would eventually shatter.
Capital would become the key value then.
'But still, many nobles are negative about business.'
That folly brought a stark difference even when Navia was just nineteen.
In that sense, Nikan, holding the resource of magic stones, didn't know how lucky he was.
'There’s even a way to neutralize that.'
While Navia was lost in thought, Lark tilted his head and asked.
"Is that all?"
'What does he mean by all?'
Navia woke from her thoughts and tilted her head in the same direction as Lark, puzzled.
Seeing her, Lark felt a strange mood.
He shook off the sentiment and bluntly asked.
"Is that all you have to say to me?"
"No. Um."
Navia had one more favor to ask, so she cautiously continued.
"Actually, a maid who was in charge of me at the Duke of Agnes's house came to see me. She wants to work here as my personal maid again, is that okay?"
Navia asked with internal worry. She didn't think he would easily accept a new person.
Theorban had forced a maid on her by holding anesthetic grass hostage.
Lark said.
"Go ahead."
He easily granted permission again.
Navia, feeling like she'd overcome a huge hurdle, relaxed her shoulders and exhaled.
'It's good to have Charlotte here. I was also bothered by Margaret taking care of my meals.'
Lark narrowed his eyes seeing Navia relax with a relieved expression.
'Did she see me as a jerk who wouldn't even allow this?'
That thought brought a strange defiance.
"Anything else?"
Navia blinked her large eyes and met his gaze.
'Why is he acting like this suddenly?'
"Um… No."
At that straightforward answer, Lark frowned in dissatisfaction.
"Think it over and respond."
Navia was at a loss. She had nothing more to ask of Lark.
"Really, nothing."
Lark was astonished.
This child had no idea of the significance of the opportunity being offered.
'In my lifetime, I’ve extended such kindness only a handful of times, and to kick away such an opportunity.'
"Unbelievable."
Navia listened to his criticism with a calm expression and thought.
'Isn't it a good thing for the Duke that I'm not being troublesome? What could possibly be bothering him?'
They looked at each other strangely, with half the table in disarray and the other half cleared by Lark’s hand.
Then something sparkling on the black floor caught Navia’s eye.
'What’s that?'
As Navia bent down to check, Lark suddenly snapped his fingers.
Snap!
Lark had moved the objects that fell to the floor and were left carelessly, causing more trouble.
But what Navia found was neither a pearl hairpin nor a letter.
It was a pen, broken in half.
"Was there something?"
Navia realized that his gesture was an act of casting magic.
But what kind of magic was it?
Navia looked around, wondering if something might have changed.
'It doesn't seem like anything’s different.'
Lark pressed his brow and lowered his head slightly when he saw the pen in Navia's hand.
'Damn.'
He had overreacted for nothing.
"It's nothing."
At his curt response, Navia slowly nodded.
"I see."
Lark suddenly became curious about what else she could say if he banned her usual phrases.
"You are now forbidden from saying sorry, okay, I see, and yes."
"…Yes?"
Navia was beyond perplexed and involuntarily furrowed her brow.
Lark was strangely exhilarated to see Navia express her displeasure so transparently.
Is this why it’s fun to tease kids?
That was when he had the thought.
"May I ask why you're giving such orders?"
To Lark’s ears, her question sounded like 'Why are you spouting such nonsensical, unreasonable things?'
"It’s my whim."
Navia muttered with an expression of incomprehension.
"I s… um."
She almost habitually said 'I see,' but stopped herself.
Lark tried to keep a straight face but ended up chuckling at Navia's reaction.
This overly serious eight-year-old girl was surprisingly fun to tease.
Navia realized she was being teased.
…It was truly unbelievable.
"You're teasing me."
She murmured in defeat, and Lark covered his mouth with his hand, unable to stop laughing.
"Hmm."
While he cleared his throat, Navia waited with a calm expression, though slightly pouting.
Lark found it strange and surprising to find himself laughing.
He had thought he would never laugh again before that woman returned.
Even if this child asked to be adopted again, he might now readily respond, "Alright."
Navia spoke once she thought he was done laughing.
"Then, I’ll take note of what the Duke said."
"Hold on. There’s a change."
Lark spoke seriously, but with a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"I’ll have to check your business personally."
In truth, he had no interest in business. Lark had never dealt with business in his entire life.
But he had information from long regressions, so he was willing to provide subtle hints when necessary.
Lark reminded himself not to harbor any unnecessary hopes.
'There’s not much time left in this cycle anyway. So, a little help like this is fine.'
He had always been reluctant to get too involved with the outside world.
'The world is all interconnected.'
Doesn’t touching one domino cause the last to fall? Lark had reasons to protect Eseled and needed to keep it as isolated as possible from outside turmoil.
'I can't leave this place.'
But allowing the small child sitting opposite him to dream for a while seemed not a bad idea.
One year. Yes, just for one year.
"I’ll help you."
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