Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 231

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 231

The Blanche Family’s financial power is well-renowned even in the North.

However, there was a world of difference between vaguely hearing rumors that the family had a lot of money and witnessing with one’s own eyes a treasure vault filled with mountains of gold coins.

Two days later, the jaws of the retainers dropped when they discovered the procession of merchant caravans lined up entering Baluashten Castle.

To them, all those carriages must have looked like treasure vaults packed with gold coins.

Terry, who remained in the Royal Capital to serve as a bridge between the North and the capital, had performed his duties admirably – all the goods were flawless, top-quality items.

Originally, moving this scale of supplies all the way to the distant North would cost enormous distribution fees.

However, I was able to receive the goods quickly and safely at an extremely affordable price.

“Marquess, this shipment should settle all debts, correct? The merchant leader insisted I get a definitive answer.”

“Of course. I’ve long forgotten about how the Aide of Eliza Trading Company, who claims to uphold the principle of quality over quantity, hired a Mage from the adventurer’s guild for cost-effectiveness over quality and nearly set fire to the Residential Area.”

“You… you really have forgotten, right?”

“Of course, of course. Tell the merchant leader that I appreciate all the mental anguish they’ve endured.”

Acknowledging the hard work of the Eliza Trading Company employee whose face had turned black, I approached the Elder who was examining the quality of goods with a disgruntled expression.

“How is it? Is this sufficient as war supplies?”

“Well, certainly… Even if war broke out immediately, we could hold out for half a year.”

The Elder who had called me a mere woman in the great conference room cleared his throat and admitted defeat, though it was far too late.

As if hearing welcome news, I nodded my head.

“Though I may be a mere woman who knows little about war, fortunately I’m quite sharp when it comes to business.”

“Business?”

“Yes, business. Surely you didn’t think I was providing these precious supplies for free?”

“Ahem, well, that’s not…”

The North wasn’t poor, so the lords could certainly obtain supplies if they wanted to.

The only problem was time. Whatever it was, reaching this barren North would take at least three to four months.

Eventually realizing they had no other options, the lords asked me about the price of the goods.

Since war with demons could break out tomorrow, whatever price I named would be set as the value.

But since I wasn’t a ruthless merchant leader, I didn’t seek excessive profits.

Except for one person.

“What, what! Why are you charging me double the price!”

“What would an Elder who has only handled swords on battlefields his whole life know about business? This is a reasonable price.”

“So why is this reasonable price only applied differently to me!”

“Oh my. It just went from double to triple.”

“What!”

“Oh my. It just went from triple to…!”

“I’ll buy it! I’ll purchase it at triple the price!”

Satisfied with the decent pocket money, I generously concluded the deal with the Elder.

Once supplies were secured, war clouds began to gather in earnest throughout the North.

Forces from other territories gathered one by one near The Forest barrier.

The sight of Northern knights, called worth a hundred men each, marching in formation while armed was so reassuring that the estate residents, who had been trembling with anxiety, sent cheers intoxicated with vague elation and sense of victory.

However, the situation wasn’t very hopeful. The number of demons was overwhelmingly greater compared to the Northern forces.

Moreover, from the massive gate said to exist somewhere in the far northern lands, demons were probably flowing in one by one even at this very moment.

In contrast, the number of Northern knights was limited, and we hadn’t even received a reply from the Crown Prince we had requested support from.

Lastly…

“What do you think the Ascetic wants, Protagonist?”

Ophelia, who hadn’t shown herself, fueled anxiety.

Even as magical light lingered and disappeared in Chaser’s eyes as he looked down at The Forest from the top of the spire, I couldn’t give any answer to his question.

I could guess that Ophelia was trying to prevent the prophesied disaster by raising the Demon King with her abilities.

But what then? What would Ophelia move for now?

I couldn’t see the future Ophelia might be drawing.

Much later, Chaser, who had placed barriers around the withered Forest barrier as a temporary measure, turned to look at me.

“Remember when I stayed in the west for several weeks last winter?”

Of course I remembered.

When I returned from Sahra Dungeon, Chaser had gone on a business trip to the west.

I learned later that Chaser, the Magister, had moved personally because an incident related to ‘Those Who Lift the Veil of the World’ had occurred.

A Village where people had disappeared as if evaporated.

There, Chaser discovered an Orphan Boy who was the sole survivor and had become a test subject for dark magic.

The Orphan Boy was in deep sleep like some fairy tale protagonist, wearing a faint smile.

However, no magic could wake the Orphan Boy from his slumber.

The Child wasn’t even injured by any attacks, and like growth had stopped, even his hair and nails didn’t grow.

Chaser had called it the end result of incomplete immortality, just like with the Red Mage Tower Master.

“Back then, I thought the Ascetic wanted immortality. The completeness of immortality was far superior to the Red Mage Tower Master’s case. But in the end, it was just failed magic. What use is unconscious immortality?”

Soon, anxiety appeared for the first time in Chaser’s eyes as he looked at me.

“But now I can’t be certain. Somehow I feel like all of this is part of the Ascetic’s plan.”

Again, I could neither affirm nor deny Chaser’s words.

Over the following days, countless messenger birds and Hawks came and went to Baluashten Castle.

I used the ‘Twin Migratory Birds’ Nest’ to receive real-time reports about the Royal Capital situation from Terry while waiting for a reply from Mikhail.

However, the next day, what awaited me was pessimistic news.

“What happened to His Highness?”

-The Crown Prince cannot take a single step out of the Crown Prince’s Palace. It’s practically confinement. There was a royal command not to let the Crown Prince leave the Palace.

My head went numb at the news Terry conveyed.

-Crown Prince advised the King that troops should be sent after hearing about the North’s situation, but the long-lived King refused, saying this was all the North’s scheme. He claimed we were aiming for rebellion after emptying the Royal Palace. It seems our sending supplies to the North aroused the King’s suspicion.

Only then did I understand why I hadn’t received a reply from Mikhail.

He too was in a state of having his hands and feet cut off. To the extent that he couldn’t even send a single messenger bird.

While worrying about Mikhail’s well-being, another piece of news visited the Castle.

“A Dark Mage’s messenger beast?”

It was news brought by a messenger beast that appeared from The Forest.

Ophelia’s demands, showing movement for the first time, were simple.

“I request negotiations. However, since I want to proceed with negotiations with someone I can communicate with, I ask to sit across from Marquess Blanche at the negotiation table. I will only allow one companion.”

When the raccoon-shaped messenger beast conveyed Ophelia’s words, I had an intuition.

That this would be the last chance to have an honest conversation with Ophelia.

* * *

The negotiation table was set up in the center between The Forest barrier and the Castle.

With the table sitting alone in the desolate clearing between us, I was able to face Ophelia for the first time in over two years.

“Belinda, I’ve been waiting for you to return.”

She smiled at me with a face that showed no trace of malice, just like two years ago.

Ridiculously, I could clearly tell that her welcoming feeling wasn’t a fabricated emotion.

I ignored her greeting and cast my gaze behind her.

Just as I had come with Cheri, Giuseppe was a few steps behind her. His face wasn’t clearly visible as it was covered with a veil.

As soon as I took my seat, I asked directly.

“What do you want?”

“Getting straight to the point? I wanted to catch up since we’re meeting after so long.”

When I showed no reaction to those words either, Ophelia sighed deeply and extended her hand toward Giuseppe.

For a moment, both Cheri and I were on guard, but what Ophelia took out and spread on the table was an old continental map.

With a face still unbelievably innocent, she whispered to me.

“Belinda, is there any country among these that you have a connection with? A place you’d think, ‘I hope this country at least doesn’t perish’?”

Not understanding the meaning of those words, I lightly furrowed my brow and examined the map.

The map already had several countries marked with circles.

The Kingdom of Jenos, the Holy Empire, and several unknown small nations.

As I was examining what kind of connection might exist between them, Ophelia’s voice pierced my ears.

“The countries marked on that map won’t be invaded by demonic beasts. So you could say they’re sanctuaries safe from the prophecy of destruction.”

Only then did I look away from the map and meet Ophelia’s eyes.

“I’m not going to save every country on the continent from destruction.”

She smiled brightly as she finally revealed her true purpose.

“Since I want to look good to you, I’ll give you a chance. Choose, Belinda. The country you want to save from destruction.”

At those words, my gaze turned to Giuseppe.

Now I thought I understood what kind of deal had been made between them.

What expression was he listening to these words with right now?

I couldn’t see his expression beneath the visor, but…

“This is what I think is the way to prevent complete destruction.”

Ophelia’s words must have sounded incredibly sweet to him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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