I Seducing the Black-Hearted Duke Wasn't Me - Chapter 33

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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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Chapter 33
“No, why on earth haven’t you mentioned such a remarkable thing until now?”
“It wasn’t something I received—it’s something I’m about to receive. And it’s not free, either…….”
“It’s an engagement gift I’m giving to my fiancée. Ah, of course, this is only a tiny fraction of what I’ll be able to give her going forward.”
“Gracious heavens! I offer my sincere congratulations on your engagement, sir. Or rather, what is an engagement? I say you might as well marry her right away instead, I do.”
Marquis. You should move into your husband’s house today.
Jang, whose eyes had turned the color of gold coins, made the suggestion while rubbing his hands together eagerly.
“The people of Zahrerete seem quite cheerful. More than anything, we seem to get along exceedingly well.”
“You mean I’m stingy, don’t you? I won’t argue the point.”
One had to wonder—would another agent ever exist who would sell off a house master for the sake of a trading company’s profit, rather than his own enterprise?
Though, to be fair, the terms of the sale were extraordinarily favorable.
“In any case, I’ve been considering various approaches, and fortunately, we haven’t simply sat idle. Luck has been on our side as well.”
“You found a solution?”
“Yes. In fact, I’ve been searching for something to resolve this problem for quite some time.”
I smiled wryly as I spoke.
“Have you ever heard of a Scroll?”
“A Scroll?”
At my words, Leon nodded lightly.
“Of course I know of them. They’re magical formulae imbued with unique magic, aren’t they? A legacy left behind by the mages of ages past.”
“Exactly right.”
I continued slowly.
“It’s said that up until several centuries ago, there were people called mages who could cast magic without Scrolls, but that’s no longer the case. As the Magical Power inherent in humans dwindled with each generation, they lost the ability to use magic altogether.”
And yet magic still existed.
Through the Scrolls left behind by those mages—that is, magic formulae.
“But I understand most of them are kept in the Royal Court’s custody. Isn’t it illegal for a commoner to possess a Scroll?”
“That’s right. It’s dangerous for ordinary people to own Scrolls of intermediate grade or higher.”
Scrolls were divided into several types.
Some were imbued with powerful magic, and if such objects fell into the hands of commoners, they would pose a considerable threat—which was why the Royal Court kept all intermediate-grade Scrolls and above in its custody.
However, there was an exception to this rule.
“Scrolls of lower grade—those of somewhat inferior quality—can be owned by individuals, provided they’ve received approval from the Royal Court.”
High-grade formulae had to be reported immediately upon discovery, but lower grades did not.
For instance, Warmth Preservation Magic, which keeps one’s body warm through a harsh winter, was classified as intermediate-grade and therefore reportable, whereas a magic that summons a cool, gentle breeze for a moment on a hot day was classified as low-grade.
‘But if you search carefully, you can find quite useful ones among those as well.’
In fact, such modest Scrolls were in practical use in daily life.
‘And they fetch considerable prices, too.’
Since they could no longer be produced and their numbers were limited, and since each Scroll bore a different magic inscribed upon it, there were nobles among the collectors who specialized exclusively in gathering them.
As a result, Scrolls themselves commanded sky-high prices, and yet there was considerable demand.
But then again.
‘Zahrerete’s financial resources yield to no one.’
Through persistent inquiry, the people Jang employed had managed to identify the owner of the Scroll I’d been searching for, and as fortune would have it, before it could be sent to auction, Zahrerete had made the connection.
“And the item is supposed to arrive today, then.”
“Yes. We purchased it for double the amount the auction house quoted. It should arrive before midday.”
So that’s how it had come to be, Leon nodded in acknowledgment.
“Come to think of it, doesn’t Zahrerete have a Scroll as well? One passed down through your family line?”
“Yes, I’ve heard there is one.”
I answered Leon’s question.
At the founding of Orden, five noble families had aided the First Emperor in establishing the empire.
The First Emperor, a powerful mage himself, granted each of his subordinates a Scroll imbued with a magic of their choosing.
Zahrerete was one of them.
“But now I have no idea where it is. Not just Zahrerete, but the Scrolls held by the other families have also disappeared without a trace. As time passed, people’s memories of them faded, and frankly, there’s not even a record of anyone having laid eyes on one.”
“Then you don’t even know what magic is contained in Zahrerete’s Scroll?”
“I don’t. Neither does my father, the previous Marquis, nor my grandfather. None of them have ever seen it. If it were truly something so extraordinary, it would have come to light by now.”
So it was surely just a fairy tale concocted by ancestors desperate to elevate their house’s standing, I said with a dismissive wave.
“So then, what magic is contained in this Scroll you’ve been searching for all this time?”
“Ah, well, that’s the thing.”
Good question, I smiled to myself.
And I handed him the advertisement lying before me.
Within it were a photograph of the aged parchment that was to be put up for auction and a brief description.
Yes, the magic I had gone to such lengths to acquire. It was none other than…….
“What? Magic that preserves flowers in a vase for an extended period?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“A very long time ago, some mage created this spell to comfort a noblewoman afflicted with illness. She couldn’t rise from her sickbed, you see, and he wanted her to gaze upon fresh flowers for as long as possible.”
“How romantic.”
“Well, that romance is about to work miracles for the Roar Trading Company.”
It was absolutely perfect.
“But why this one specifically? There must be more useful spells.”
“As I mentioned, Scrolls are finicky to handle. Of course, I’ve heard rumors that other spellscrolls exist—ones that accelerate plant growth, boost harvests, or inhibit growth. But obtaining Royal Court approval for those would be nearly impossible, wouldn’t it?”
“Ah. I see your point.”
“Yes. So we needed something vague enough to slip through licensing with minimal scrutiny.”
And what we’d settled on was precisely this—a Scroll containing magic to preserve cut flowers in a vase for an extended period.
“Preservation, strictly speaking, just keeps them looking fresh in their current state. The maximum duration is roughly two months. But two months is more than sufficient for the Roar Trading Company. We won’t need to rely on the shortest routes anymore.”
Once the tea leaves lost the spell’s power, they’d begin to wilt, effectively extending the actual shelf life well beyond two months.
Having finished my explanation of the Scroll, I clapped my hands together.
Now, then.
“Shall we begin our counterattack?”
* * *
Several days later, at the club Eclipse.
Among the usual crowd gathered in search of late-night leisure and indulgence, a familiar face stood out.
At a table positioned not far from the poker tables. A man sat alone in the spacious booth, tilting a glass of whisky to his lips.
Count Valentine, Gerard Valentine, swirled his whisky with a self-satisfied smirk playing at his mouth.
In his other hand lay a newspaper, fresh off the press today—specifically, the edition trumpeting how Valentine had dealt Zahrerete a stunning blow.
‘Arrogant little thing…… acting above her station like that. Tsk tsk. She should’ve known better than to strut about.’
Even the Creban Incident, which the young woman had triggered upon becoming heir, was mere luck, Gerard Valentine thought to himself.
‘And the fools all trembled before her, not knowing any better. Tch tch…… Well, this time I’ve given her a proper lesson. She won’t be showing off like that again.’
The toll business had been a masterstroke, even against someone of Zahrerete’s standing.
True, it was only a single parcel of land, but the ripples this move would generate in the future were substantial.
‘I had the newspapers pick up the story. Soon enough, the other lords will be taking notice. Unless they’re complete idiots, they won’t just sit by while someone quintuples their take right before their eyes.’
Pfah! The half-drunk count burst into a ridiculous laugh.
Still, his mind was working well enough—and that meant the Marquis now had only one option left.
To request negotiations with him again.
She might have blustered through her intermediary, but that bravado wouldn’t last long.
“So quick to say yes, thinking you can crawl over me…… Tsk. Just wait. I won’t end this with just one round!”
The land doesn’t move, after all.
So after this negotiation concluded, he’d loosen his grip for a time, then squeeze again in the same manner—strangling the Marquis bit by bit.
Again and again.
This land would become Zahrerete’s leash.
And the one holding that leash would be him—Gerard Valentine himself!
He was sitting there laughing with vile satisfaction, as though he’d already conquered Zahrerete.
“Well, well! Who do we have here!”

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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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