Favored by the Family That Will Become the Strongest! - Chapter 79

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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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‘Ever since Castellon Castle fell into our hands, House Rothwell’s military strength has grown several times over.’
These were treasures beyond measure for Ability Users—artifacts of genuine power. Yet Barcan stood among them as though the priceless goods before him were beneath notice, his mind elsewhere entirely.
“Castellon certainly seems to have deep pockets, I’ll grant them that.”
Diena watched Barcan sweep his cautious gaze across the vault, unable to suppress a smile. She asked him directly.
“They really do. Barcan, we nearly lost this whole thing to pure wealth, didn’t we?”
“Hmm. Well, not anymore, thanks to you. Having exclusive distribution rights to Castellon’s artifacts is no small matter. I’ll make sure you receive your share of the royalties later.”
Barcan was a man of conscience, a dependable contractor. Diena nodded her assent.
“I won’t refuse.”
“You won’t find an employer as fair as I am, will you?”
“No, I suppose you’re right about that.”
Barcan fixed his gaze on Diena, and without bothering to hide his displeasure, he spoke bluntly.
“That said… I don’t care much for that fellow.”
“…Who?”
“Rudrik Castellon.”
At this unexpected remark, Diena’s eyes widened. Why would he dislike someone he’d only just met today?
“Why do you say that? He seemed like a good person to me.”
“He stares at people too directly.”
It was an entirely baseless complaint. Rudrik had looked at her, yes, but that was natural enough in conversation. Besides—
“But you do the same thing, don’t you?”
“I do?”
Barcan’s eyes widened noticeably. Then, just as quickly, a flush crept up the back of his neck. He’d only now realized what he himself had been doing.
Diena tilted her head slowly.
This attitude of Barcan’s reminded her strangely of how he’d been before her regression.
That version of him had often picked petty quarrels in precisely this manner.
“That fellow—what’s his name, Rudrik—something about him rubs me the wrong way. Why does he give you flowers specifically? It feels off.”
“What?”
“He stares at you too directly. It bothers me.”
“But you do the exact same thing. Should I start getting bothered too?”
“…Did I really do that?”
His words were eerily similar to what he’d said before, even down to the specific phrasing. Of course, Diena had never let such complaints trouble her—she’d simply done as she pleased. Barcan had likely known that and complained all the more deliberately as a result.
Diena felt a curious emotion stir within her as she gazed directly at his face.
“What… why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, just… I’ve heard someone say almost the exact same thing before.”
“Someone else has said the same things I have?”
“Yes.”
“That person probably shouldn’t be trusted either, then.”
That person was you.
Suppressing her laughter, Diena replied with calculated seriousness.
“I’m trying to keep my distance, actually, but it’s proving harder than I expected.”
At this, Barcan’s eyes narrowed as he regarded her. Who on earth would have said such a thing to Diena? A single name suddenly surfaced in his mind.
‘Cassian Volkov.’
The mere thought that it might be him drew a sharp, twisted remark from his lips.
“Are you still seeing each other? Then try even harder from now on.”
“Right, I understand.”
Diena gave a small, stifled laugh in response, but then Barcan’s expression hardened and he opened his mouth once more.
“More importantly, let’s finish the conversation we started earlier.”
“Which conversation?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t follow. There’s no way you missed the context.”
Barcan was right. Diena immediately understood what he wanted to discuss.
“You mean why I didn’t tell you anything?”
“Exactly. You knew Rudrik’s situation was because of Cain Rothwell, and you planned to face him alone without saying a word to me.”
As he spoke, Barcan’s brow furrowed deeply as he fought to contain his anger. Diena averted her gaze and answered softly.
“I thought it wouldn’t make a difference either way.”
If she’d told him, he would have tried to stop her. Just as with Helio’s Sleep Magic—she’d intended to enter Rudrik’s dream alone, but Barcan had insisted on coming along despite her objections.
She disliked it when variables were introduced into her plans. In the end, things had worked out well regardless.
But Barcan’s thoughts were clearly different.
“This won’t do.”
“What won’t?”
“From now on, I’m going to follow you everywhere.”
At his words, Diena raised her eyebrows. He was looking at her as though she were a troublemaker he’d come to keep an eye on.
‘In my past life or now, I’ve never been looked at quite like this before.’
Regardless of Diena’s bewilderment, Barcan continued.
“Of course, I can’t force you to go anywhere. Wherever you go is your choice. But you always seem drawn to dangerous places, and that bothers me.”
He could be perceptive when it mattered.
“That might not be true.”
“Just don’t object if I decide to follow you then.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Diena deliberately changed the subject, and while keeping her eyes from his, she scanned the vault.
‘I need to find the artifact and get out of here quickly.’
Then something familiar caught her eye—a mirror.
‘Here it is.’
The artifact her uncle Balthasar had seized first from Castellon Castle. The Mirror of Bloodline.
‘Once, that’s all. An artifact that shows the location of whoever the user wishes to find.’
But it could only reveal the whereabouts of those bound to the user by blood.
In her past life, her uncle had used this mirror to track her down after she’d fled. That was how he’d found Diena hiding with the Cardian Mercenary Company.
In truth, the artifact wasn’t particularly necessary for Diena now. Yet she wanted to remove something that might trouble her in the future.
‘Since Rudrik mentioned wanting to give me something in return anyway.’
It was unlikely her uncle’s hands would ever touch the Mirror of Bloodline again, but one could never be too careful.
If there came a day when she needed to flee, she wanted to ensure he couldn’t use this artifact to hunt her down.
Diena slowly reached toward the mirror.
“You’re choosing that? It’s just an ordinary mirror, isn’t it?”
“No. It’s a mirror that shows the location of blood relatives the user wishes to see.”
“How do you know such a thing?”
“Well, at House Rothwell we had to study the artifacts each noble house possessed. So I’m familiar with most treasures of note.”
Barcan nodded with interest, then a thought seemed to occur to him, and he asked.
“Your blood relatives—so it would show the location of House Rothwell members?”
“Presumably. I could see what the people of House Rothwell are doing right now. And if I’m lucky, I might even catch wind of whatever schemes they’re plotting.”
With those words, Diena grasped the mirror. The moment her hand made contact, the surface began to emit light.
Soon a man’s figure appeared within it.
A figure draped entirely in a black robe, with menacing-looking attendants following in his wake.
Barcan tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
“Didn’t you say it shows your blood relatives? This isn’t anyone from House Rothwell, though?”
The man in the mirror wielded a blade, cutting down countless demon beasts as he moved. The extraordinary Martial Prowess he displayed drew an exclamation from Barcan.

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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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