I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 99

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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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Michael had disappeared somewhere, and Rahela sent the kids off to play on their own—though from my perspective, they looked exhausted.
Worried that Yuri might feel uncomfortable, I sent her to her room first.
So I ended up in an unavoidable one-on-one conversation with Reina.
‘Hmm, something looks off about this. Why is she acting like that?’
The answer to my question didn’t take long to reveal itself.
Reina’s left hand was adorned with no fewer than three diamond rings.
‘She’s holding her hand up for so long, proudly showing them off.’
Normally, stroking one’s hair takes only a second or two, doesn’t it?
I counted, and it took exactly nine seconds for her to brush her bangs to the side.
‘She’s just as transparent as ever.’
Noticing that my gaze lingered on her hand, Reina laughed with a giggle.
“I knew the Princess’s eye for quality couldn’t be deceived!”
“…Pardon?”
“These are diamonds refined using the Yurmiel Family’s secret traditional methods. Hehe!”
“Refining is when metal is heated in fire and…”
“Pardon?”
“No, never mind. They’re beautiful.”
She probably didn’t know what refining meant. She must have picked up the word because it sounded impressive.
“Right? Obtaining a diamond ring made by the Yurmiel Family normally takes three years. But I received mine in just three months.”
I could feel her emphasizing the name “Yurmiel Family” with particular pride.
Well, the Yurmiel Family was renowned as a family of master craftsmen, so I suppose it was possible.
In truth, I felt little excitement about it.
I preferred tteokbokki to jewels, after all.
“You received them quickly. Congratulations.”
“It’s because my father’s abilities are remarkable.”
“…”
It was as if she were saying, ‘My dad is the best!’
And I almost blurted out, ‘Well, my dad is even better!’
This was oddly irritating… perhaps it was because I had the body of an eight-year-old?
“Should you ever need diamonds, please just say the word. Our Rosilde maintains a very close relationship with the Yurmiel Family, so we can easily obtain top-grade diamonds.”
“That does sound impressive.”
I was bored.
Listening to talk about subjects that didn’t interest me was truly tiresome.
I would have enjoyed it far more if she’d discussed the mineralogical properties of diamonds, or how carbon atoms bond in a tetrahedral structure to create such hardness, or how diamonds have a Mohs hardness of ten—things like that would have been much more enjoyable.
“Moreover, these diamonds have a subtle blue hue. This is because when the diamonds were formed, they received the blessing of Nella, the goddess of the blue wind.”
“…It’s just because they contain boron…”
Reina tilted her head in confusion.
“Is boron another name for the goddess Nella’s blessing? It doesn’t sound very romantic.”
“…”
Fine, interpret it however you like. Let’s just leave it at that.
I had grown tired of conversing with Reina.
I had always known it, but now I understood it more clearly. Reina and I were fundamentally incompatible.
Then, at that very moment, someone came rushing toward me at full speed.
“Your Highness!”
It was Narmore, arriving far sooner than I had expected.
* * *
A day earlier, Narmore felt somewhat wronged.
‘My heart is devoted to the Princess, just as theirs is.’
Yet this time, he could not shake the feeling of defeat. After all, Yuri had been accompanying the Princess from the very beginning of her journey.
He felt aggrieved, as though he were falling behind.
‘I need to wrap things up quickly and get there.’
After swiftly handling the affairs of Narmore Corporation, he sought out the Yurmiel Family.
When Narmore arrived, Marco, the patriarch of the Yurmiel Family and the continent’s finest appraiser, rushed out to greet him.
“Yes, yes indeed. I’ve set aside all the highest-grade diamonds separately.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you? We should be thanking you.”
Narmore Corporation was a consortium granted full authority by Princess Isabel. Thus, it also held authority over the diamonds that gushed forth from the Princess’s “Engagement Stone.”
Narmore and Marco concluded a contract.
[1. Ownership of premium-grade diamonds belongs to Isabel—or to whoever has been granted full authority.
2. Diamonds of superior grade and below shall belong to the Yurmiel Family.
3. However, in all matters pertaining to diamonds, the Yurmiel Family shall actively cooperate with Isabel and Narmore Corporation. Active cooperation means placing it as the first priority.]
Completing and maintaining the Isabel Chain technology required premium-grade diamonds with absolutely no impurities and the techniques to process them.
From Narmore’s perspective, he could obtain such things, and from the Yurmiel Family’s perspective, they could supply themselves with a considerable quantity of high-quality diamonds.
It was mutually beneficial.
“You seem terribly busy. Is there some urgent matter?”
“Yes. I must hurry to the Kingdom of Jirdel. I have no idea what that troublesome woman might be whispering in the Princess’s ear.”
“Troublesome woman?”
“Yuri. Well, it’s nothing. Never mind.”
Narmore hastened toward the Kingdom of Jirdel.
Thanks to his swift journey, he was able to arrive without being too late.
‘The Princess!’
Narmore felt immensely delighted.
The reunion was all the more satisfying because that troublesome woman was nowhere to be seen.
‘Huh?’
Oops!
Narmore’s feet tangled beneath him, and he tumbled to the ground.
‘Aagh!’
The leather pouch he had been holding fell to the earth, and its contents came spilling out.
They were premium-grade diamonds provided by the Yurmiel Family.
* * *
Isabel rushed over and helped Narmore to his feet.
“Are you alright?”
“I’ve shown quite the disgraceful display.”
Narmore rose with embarrassment and gathered up the diamonds that had scattered.
Reina couldn’t believe her eyes.
‘Diamonds?’
She had always been deeply interested in gemstones.
Because of this, she could tell at a glance that what the man had dropped were diamonds of an extraordinarily high grade.
‘That can’t be right!’
How could barbarians like those from Villorian possibly possess such jewels?
These must certainly be counterfeits.
With that thought, her mind eased.
‘Of course. Since they’re fakes, that’s why he can carry them around so carelessly.’
If they were real diamonds, one could never carry them about so loosely. That was Reina’s understanding.
‘No matter how lacking the Imperial support may be, carrying around such counterfeits is unacceptable. What would become of the Imperial dignity?’
Confidence filled her steps.
She spoke with her voice slightly raised.
“For synthetic diamonds, they do emit quite a lustrous light.”
Narmore tilted his head in confusion.
“Synthetic diamonds? What do you mean by that?”
For a moment, Narmore nearly became angry.
Had the Yurmiel Family deceived me? Did they give me fake diamonds?
However, Narmore quickly grasped the full context of the situation.
‘Now that I think about it, isn’t this girl the only daughter of the Rosild Duchy? Ah, I nearly lost my temper.’
Narmore had been meeting with numerous nobles recently.
Thanks to this, he had become accustomed to the world of the nobility.
He could tell at a glance what was happening.
‘Nine seconds spent sweeping back her bangs.’
She undoubtedly wanted to show off her ring.
‘It was as if she were asserting that our classes were worlds apart.’
‘This little thing was definitely trying to put on airs in front of the Princess!’
The seasoned operator Narmore spoke to Isabel as though he knew nothing of the matter.
“First, I shall make a report.”
…Suddenly?
Isabel was somewhat taken aback, but she simply remained silent.
“Just before arriving here, I had a meeting with the head of the Yurmiel Family. As I mentioned previously, I received a tribute of premium-grade diamonds enhanced with exquisite craftsmanship.”
…Mentioned previously?
Had she agreed to receive premium-grade diamonds enhanced with exquisite craftsmanship?
…When?
“Ah yes, and as you commanded, Your Highness, I have granted permission for the Yurmiel Family members to use the lower-grade stones.”
…Did I issue such an order?
“Thanks to that, they were able to supply diamonds of quite decent quality to several families. Apparently, what originally took about three years was reduced to about three months. This is all thanks to the Princess’s grace, haha!”
Narmore’s gaze turned toward Reina.
“There are rumors that some foolish people boast about how impressive their family’s influence is. Quite amusing, isn’t it?”
Reina’s face flushed deeply.
“Hmph!”
She turned away irritably and distanced herself from Isabel.
* * *
Returning to her room, Rahela tilted her head in confusion.
‘That coachman… something about him seems suspicious.’
She wasn’t entirely sure, but the coachman’s magical power seemed enormous.
His presence was like a sharp, refined blade—certainly not the kind of aura an ordinary coachman would emit.
Isabel had recognized it at a glance, but Rahela hadn’t discerned the coachman’s true identity.
‘He must be some high-ranking Imperial Palace official.’
Isabel was undoubtedly a political strategic asset of the Imperial Palace. That’s why they must have assigned her such an extraordinary coachman.
‘Isabel seemed to know something…’
* * *
A few hours later.
Having dinner with Isabel, Rahela finally couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked.
“Hey, Isabel. About that coachman.”
“Yes?”
“What’s his true identity?”
Isabel smiled brightly.
‘It seems the roleplay hasn’t ended yet.’
I had decided to stay committed to this daddy-bus scenario.
In truth, Rahela genuinely hadn’t figured out the coachman’s identity, but I hadn’t considered that possibility.
Since I had grasped it so easily, I assumed Rahela would have as well.
I still understood it as the worldview where ‘we all know Father’s true identity but have agreed to pretend we don’t (the daddy-bus).’
‘Let me play dumb!’
“His true identity? I’m not sure… I don’t really know.”
“Your smile seems suspicious.”
“Su-suspicious? Not suspicious at all, not one bit, n-nothing strange about it…”
This won’t do! My acting must have seemed awkward…
I don’t want this roleplay to end! I have to prevent the worldview from collapsing!
My desperation was evident in my expression, and Rahela read it clearly.
‘Still, being a child, it’s inevitable that it shows. For now, I should pretend not to know.’
Rahela could be certain.
That mysterious coachman was undoubtedly a secret official dispatched from the Imperial Palace with some special purpose.
It was confirmed once again that Isabel was a political strategic asset of the Imperial Family.

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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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