I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 121

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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 121

I even asked Baltar about the fair market value for the anticipated sales, but there was no iron ore on the market with quality comparable to what our mines produced.
Since there was no basis for comparison, he quoted roughly three times the standard rate—
‘Thirty million Cona?! Not three million Cona?!’
I nearly stopped writing the contract in shock.
“You have no regrets about this?”
I asked in a composed voice, though my pen was already inscribing the line: “Per ton, the price is set at thirty million Cona.”
Since it wasn’t an official contract, it held no legal weight, but it served as evidence should the other party later claim different terms—a common practice to prevent contract amendments.
The only thing that nagged at me was the uncomfortable feeling that I was overcharging Uncle Lucian.
“That’s thirty times the market rate.”
I confessed my conscience in a casual tone, but Uncle Lucian’s response remained consistent.
“I’m quite pleased, actually.”
A memory suddenly flickered through my mind.
I’d heard similar words before in Bonwell Village—women who said everything Father proposed was wonderful…!
“You haven’t fallen for me at first sight, have you?”
Cough.
Uncle Lucian sputtered in embarrassment. I let out a small sigh.
“Even if you had, I’d understand.”

About an hour earlier, I was inside an unused building in Hisport Town registered under Grandfather’s name.
I was in the midst of examining the appearance of the hair’s owner for the first time using a mirror, utterly astonished.

“Goodness. She’s absolutely beautiful.”

Such a striking beauty was rare to behold.
My standard for beauty had been Father and Theon Phil Igselona, with Zena Chaser added to that list. Yet this woman’s appearance was equally impressive.
‘I should have told Grandfather I preferred Baron Oldman to be a middle-aged man!’
I resented my past self for not being more specific with Grandfather, though at the time my only concern had been that this person wouldn’t cross paths with relatives.

“What should I do? If I introduce this beautiful woman to Uncle Lucian as Baron Oldman, I’ll have to keep transforming into her appearance.”

A sigh escaped me unbidden, but there was neither time nor leisure to fret over acquiring new hair.
The potion’s effect lasted twenty-four hours.
Father had a one-night, two-day engagement away from the Trabel Estate—the plan had been timed to exploit his absence, and the execution date could not be postponed.
While Zena Chaser, who had consumed a separate potion, remained at the Trabel Estate wearing my face, I needed to complete my own affairs.
Yet I never imagined Uncle Lucian would take such a liking to this face—
“No.”
“Yes.”
I answered with lingering suspicion, my tone reluctant.
“However, there is a condition.”
At my reaction, Uncle Lucian hastily opened his mouth to explain the reason he had so readily accepted the sum.
“A condition?”
“Should you subsequently sell iron ore of similar quality from the Crest Mine to other buyers, I would prefer the price not fall below this amount.”
“You’re asking me to set a price floor in the contract?”
Ah, how intriguing. My eyes brightened at the prospect.
By establishing a minimum price in the contract, I would have justification to present that same price to other customers. Thirty million cona per ton—what might have seemed an exorbitant fee now gained legitimacy. Of course, the choice remained the customer’s, but—
‘There are complications that come with it, though.’
Uncle Lucian likely understood as much. I furrowed my brow slightly as I spoke with apparent difficulty.
“Hmm. In that case, we must impose a condition as well. Diplomat Lucian, you’ll need to commit to a minimum purchase volume. After all, your condition was predicated on monopolizing our highest-grade iron ore, wasn’t it?”
Fortunately, it appeared Uncle Lucian had taken a fancy not to the hair’s owner, but to the iron ore from the Crest Mine.
Because iron ore, no matter how superior its quality, could never command prices comparable to gemstones, consumer price resistance was pronounced. Plenty of people would balk at three hundred thousand cona, let alone thirty million.
‘At that price, only Uncle Lucian would purchase it—it’s practically a monopoly!’
Uncle Lucian nodded at my words. I finished signing the paper on the table and slid it toward him.
“I’ll contact the mine manager, and once you’re satisfied with the quality analysis results, please discuss it between yourselves and inform me of an appropriate quantity. I’ll offer my opinion after hearing yours.”
“I’ll discuss it as an exclusivity fee and inform you of the details.”
Uncle Lucian accepted the pen I offered. As he prepared to sign the paper, I posed one final confirmatory question.
“Good. The Alexis Duchy won’t raise objections, will they? Complaining it’s too expensive?”
Uncle Lucian smiled, his lips curving upward as though my concern were beneath consideration.
“That much I can cover from my personal funds.”

***

“Berry, sis! Tonight we’re having hamburger steak!”
“…Wow.”
“What? Your reaction’s pretty weak today?”
Jeffrey, who had rushed all the way to the Education Hall to share the evening menu he’d heard from Anne, tilted his head in confusion. Berry’s response today seemed unusually listless.
Normally when a delicious menu was announced, she would cheer along with him. But now she merely raised both arms awkwardly halfway, letting out a single deflated exclamation like air escaping from a punctured ball.
“What’s wrong?”
Sniff sniff. Jeffrey leaned close to Berry and smelled her sleeve. The scent clinging to her clothes carried her familiar fragrance. Nothing seemed different, yet why was she so listless?
Now that he thought about it, Berry had said yesterday that she needed to go to bed early.
‘Two whole hours earlier than usual!’
Could that be related?!
“Are you sick?!”
“I’m not… sick.”
This response too lacked her usual vigor.
‘Sister Berry must be sick!’
Hadn’t Marshall Grandmother—not that she was a demon hag or anything—said that Sister Berry had been frequently ill since she was a baby?
Jeffrey pressed his palm against Berry’s forehead.
“…What are you doing?”
She didn’t have a fever now, but she might develop one soon. Already in Jeffrey’s eyes, Berry appeared to be languishing with illness.
“Wait! I’ll ask Anne and Sherry to make something even more delicious for dinner!”
“Jeffrey, wait a moment—”
Before Zena, wearing Berry’s form, could even reach out to grab him, he bolted off like an arrow toward the direction of Stone House.
‘This is difficult.’
I had mustered every ounce of energy I could manage, but it still seemed insufficient.
Zena exhaled a somewhat heavy breath, watching the direction Jeffrey had disappeared. Then Theon appeared before her.
He had followed Jeffrey to the Education Hall under the pretense of informing Berry about the evening menu.
Jeffrey was already gone, but Theon didn’t mind. Following Jeffrey had merely been an excuse; Theon’s true purpose was Berry.
Zena, seeing Theon standing before her, smiled brightly and greeted him. With slightly more energy than before.
“Theon, hello!”
To perfectly impersonate her superior, Zena had spent several days disguised as one of the servants of the Trabel Estate, observing Berry and her surroundings.
Theon Phil Voltman.
The way he addressed his superior was ‘Berry’.
“….”
But today, Theon had not called her Berry even once.
To Zena’s greeting, Theon nodded with an expression that seemed somewhat disappointed.
“Hello.”
He seemed listless. I had tried my best, but something felt off again.

“I’ll trust only you, Zena!”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”

I didn’t want to disappoint my adorable superior. Zena felt as though her rabbit ears were drooping down in shame—though of course, they weren’t visible now that she’d transformed into Berry’s appearance.
There was one other person in this place who felt a body part that shouldn’t exist drooping down.
‘Berry….’
From frequently witnessing Jeffrey’s tail lowering, Theon felt as though his own nonexistent tail was sagging heavily.
It was when he’d spotted Berry dashing excitedly toward the Hunting Grounds at dawn and followed her. As he searched after she vanished, the winds revealed her location. There was a secret passage there—one that seemed to connect to the outside of the Trabel Estate.

“Wow! I’m completely like you!”
“You do seem quite similar.”

What he saw from the middle of the passage was two Berrys standing face to face, conversing.
Berry was asking the other Berry to impersonate her until tomorrow, when she would return after leaving the Trabel Estate.
Theon had exited the passage before the two parted ways and pretended to have seen nothing.
Even though Berry had disappeared with another person as her substitute.
“You know…”
“Hm?”
Since Berry hadn’t told me what this was about, I could only pretend not to know.
“…it’s nothing.”
Theon, who had addressed Zena, shook his head.
At that response, Zena thought perhaps she’d answered incorrectly again. The eyes that had briefly gleamed with effort to shine like a superior’s returned to their original state.
Sigh. Sigh.
Both Theon and Zena exhaled softly.

***

The Aubaut Temple, located closest to the Trabel Estate.
Since it was a place ordinary believers could visit, dozens of visitors came to the temple today as well.
And before the temple stood one luxurious carriage with an eagle emblem carved upon it.
As the Attendant opened the carriage door, an elegant and resplendent noblewoman emerged from within. She was Mariane Cornelian Trabel, the eldest daughter of Count Trabel.
“The surroundings are quite noisy.”
“It’s fine. It happens all the time anyway.”
Mariane spoke to the Attendant while waving the fan in her hand.
People stirring at her appearance was routine. She was an object of admiration and longing. Outside the Trabel Estate, Mariane was such a presence. She moved with aristocratic grace that seemed to have stepped straight from an etiquette manual, heading toward the temple’s main entrance.
Everyone revering her—
“Baron Oldman? Where are you from?”
Thud.
Mariane’s shoe stopped abruptly.

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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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