Favored by the Family That Will Become the Strongest! - Chapter 66
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The bait had been taken.
‘House Castleton.’
Diena had been waiting for contact from her as well. Among the five great noble houses, it was the only one that might stand with House Cardian.
In her past life, it had also been entangled in a fateful conflict with House Rothwell.
‘House Cardian always needed allies.’
The Castleton Duke said she wanted to purchase Side Effect Suppressants from the Magic Tower, but Diena had no intention of selling them to her.
‘This isn’t the sort of problem a suppressant can solve.’
The Castleton Duke was likely dealing with quite a troublesome situation right now. Diena checked the calendar.
‘Today is January tenth.’
A few days to manufacture suppressants for sale as quickly as possible, and roughly ten days for ‘that person’ to arrive.
She composed a careful reply to the Castleton Duke and handed it to a maid, saying:
“Deliver it as fast as you can.”
She drummed her fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
‘I’ll need permission to leave.’
As the house’s dedicated healer, she needed approval from either Sevar or Barcan to step away.
‘Who should I ask?’
After a moment’s consideration, Diena rose from her seat.
* * *
Shortly after.
Diena regarded Barcan before her with a tense expression.
“What is it?”
“I’d like to go out for a few days.”
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Barcan’s face at her words.
“You’re free to come and go as you please. Just report it to Jordik. But… well, every time you’re away, Bianca gets into the most extraordinary trouble.”
Then he suddenly looked troubled.
Bianca had been refraining from going out recently when Diena wasn’t around. She had no choice—people followed her everywhere she went, and—
‘Her control has become clumsy again.’
The sudden attention had caused her to start causing accidents. He’d heard that not long ago she broke Young-sik’s arm when he approached her.
“It wasn’t on purpose. Because he was someone who used to look down on me when I was a Non-Ability User, my body just… acted on its own without my realizing it.”
Bianca’s face wore a bright smile, but there wasn’t a shred of sincerity in it.
Rather, the sincerity lay in what she said next.
“Besides, he was the one who called Rosy a low-level Ability User and looked down on her. Helping a charming lady in distress is only natural, isn’t it?”
So these days, there was practically a Bianca alert circulating among the nobility. Those who had once disdained her no longer dared appear before her.
‘Nearly all the nobility in the Northern Region are keeping their distance now.’
That was why Barcan looked so troubled. When Diena was at her side, Bianca showed some restraint, but alone, she always caused some incident.
“I’m worried she might lose control and cause serious damage.”
“That probably won’t happen. Bianca only loses control of her strength when she’s helping someone else.”
“That’s true enough. The fact that she’s only recently awakened has turned out to be a perfect excuse.”
Barcan propped his chin in his hand and studied Diena. Then he asked in a measured voice:
“So, what’s the reason? Is someone else pestering you?”
Recently, Bianca wasn’t the only one drawing close to people. Many nobles were trying to approach Diena as well.
So he and Bianca had both become sharp-eyed. There were far too many among them with ulterior motives.
Bianca’s habit of hanging around and causing incidents while near Diena also served that purpose—to clear away those with bad intentions before they got too close. Of course, this all happened with Barcan’s tacit approval.
“I received correspondence from the Castleton Duke.”
Barcan released a soft sigh. The Castleton Duke was not someone he could simply turn away. Her intentions, after all, differed from those of the others.
“Now that you mention it, she did ask me the same thing at the council—to sell her Side Effect Suppressants. And now she’s sent you a personal letter. She’s certainly eager.”
“Is the need for suppressants because of Rudrick Castleton?”
“How did you know that? Yes, it is.”
Rudrick Castleton, heir to House Castleton. He had been sickly since childhood. And at the winter gathering this season, when he should have appeared to have his Esper Ability measured, he did not attend. His condition had deteriorated significantly of late.
“I thought as much. I can provide the suppressants. But I’d like to visit in person.”
Barcan regarded Diena quietly. He could sense a firm resolve in her to visit House Castleton.
‘She has some purpose in mind.’
He recalled something Malacar had said to him not long ago.
“When Diena asks you for something, grant it most of the time.”
“…?”
“Have you ever suffered a loss by heeding her words?”
Now that he thought about it, he never had.
“So just grant her request, as long as it’s not completely absurd. Actually, you might as well grant it even if it is. Take this very situation, for example.”
Malacar had hesitated before continuing.
“Even if someone had predicted such circumstances, who would have brought Side Effect Suppressants to the gathering itself? The Imperial Palace keeps its own supply, and no one would have imagined the Rothwell Duke would go to such lengths.”
When Barcan offered no response, Malacar sighed and shook his head.
“How could she have thought of that? The mind of a genius works in ways ordinary people simply cannot fathom. How could you understand what Diena is thinking?”
“I’ve been called a genius myself, you know.”
“Not compared to our Diena!”
Barcan wasn’t sure how “our Diena” had slipped out, but he had to agree with Malacar. Following Diena’s counsel had never led to anything but good.
“Go, then.”
“Really?”
At his answer, Diena nodded with a bright expression.
“Then I’ll head out right away.”
The moment Diena tried to rise, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Their eyes met.
“Cough, cough!”
Diena pressed her hand to her lips urgently. Barcan quickly produced a handkerchief and moved toward her. Diena stared at him in shock as he wiped away the blood.
“You… carry a handkerchief around?”
“I do. Though I don’t usually carry it for this.”
She hadn’t planned on letting Barcan see her physical condition. Diena was trying hard not to show her alarm, though her distress was evident.
“Go see Alfonso at once.”
“No, I’m fine. There’s nothing Alfonso can do about this. There’s no point—it’ll just worry him.”
“Do you know why you’re coughing up blood?”
“Well… it’s nothing serious. I just need a little rest.”
“You’re coughing up blood and a little rest will fix it?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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