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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Succession Conflict
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“Is that it? The succession dispute from the newspaper?”
Rubens recalled the article that had appeared in the papers a few days ago. Al grinned and nodded.
“Count Petra's been bedridden with illness right now. That’s made the competition for the next heir even fiercer. And the bank’s the biggest point of contention.”
Nibelria and Arep nodded along as they listened to Al’s explanation.
“Hmm, so…”
Arep checked to make sure he’d understood correctly.
“There’s this Count Petra guy, and his kids are fighting over the bank?”
“Yep, that’s right. You’ve got it.”
“Why are they fighting?”
“What do you think?”
Arep pondered Al’s question a little more.
“...The bank handles money, so they’re greedy for it?”
“Not wrong. A bank is money, after all.”
“Whoever gets Petra Bank becomes the heir?”
“Exactly.”
Al, who had just confirmed the right answer, stared straight at Arep.
Smarter than I thought.
He hadn’t had proper schooling at the orphanage, yet he’d pieced it together just from Al and Rubens’s brief talk. Impressive.
“NiNi too! NiNi too!”
Nibelria shot her hand up high.
“Get the bank, and you become the boss! So they’re fighting!”
“Haha! NiNi’s got the most spot-on take!”
Nibelria shrugged proudly at Al’s praise.
The Petra Count family had run the banking business for generations. Their wealth, fame, and title had all been built on that very bank.
In other words, Petra Bank wasn’t just any business.
The one who inherited the bank became the next Count Petra.
But on the very day before they were set to decide the successor, Count Petra suddenly took to his bed.
Rumors pointed to old age, but no one knew the details.
“The Petra family has a daughter and a son. Both are grown, with families of their own.”
Rubens filled in a few more details.
“So they’re both scrambling for noble backing to claim the bank.”
“That’s like… an alliance?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“They shouldn’t fight…”
Nibelria let out a deep sigh.
She’d learned in kindergarten.
Fighting meant you couldn’t voice what you really wanted, and in the end, you’d hurt without even knowing what you truly desired.
And if you hurt someone, it could lead to lawsuits.
Worst case, the whole family could go down.
“Guess the law doesn’t scare them.”
“NiNi’s gotten so smart in the short time I haven’t seen you.”
Al was genuinely impressed by Nibelria’s insight.
“I go to kindergarten. Kids have to learn stuff, right?”
“Hahaha! NiNi’s one amazing kid.”
“Praise me more.”
“Puhahaha!”
Al burst into roaring laughter and rolled on the floor.
And just like that, the talk about Petra Bank wrapped up.
They were about to switch to other toys when Dether brought in cookies and milk, announcing the chocolate cookies were ready.
“Dether, cold milk?”
“It’s lukewarm milk.”
“Hing…”
Nibelria had hoped for something cold since it was such a hot day, and she pouted in disappointment.
“Y’know, milk like this—not too cold—is actually better for cookies. Keeps ’em nice and moist.”
Nibelria broke a cookie in half and offered the bigger piece to Arep.
“Here!”
Arep did the same, breaking his cookie and giving her the bigger half.
Rubens, watching, asked,
“What was that just now?”
“Sharing with each other! Cool, right?”
“You two have gotten so close. Solles might get jealous.”
“Big bro can share too.”
As Nibelria dunked her cookie in the glass, splashing it around, a sudden question popped into her head.
“That kid, uh, you know…”
The boys, who had been blankly watching her dip the cookie, tilted their heads in unison.
“The, Ni-no, Ni-ma, jerk…?”
“Jerk?”
Rubens mimicked her pronunciation.
“You mean Rima?”
“Yes! That’s it!”
Nibelria nodded vigorously.
“Where is she? Dead?”
“She’s not dead. Rima’s being punished, so she can’t leave her room.”
“Who’d she hit?”
Arep caught the crumbly bits of Nibelria’s soggy cookie in his hand as he asked.
Rubens shook his head—it wasn’t that.
“A while back, she went out on an errand, wandered off on her own, then lied and blamed the maid when she got caught.”
“But Arep.”
Al cut in.
“Why’d you assume Rima hit someone?”
“……”
Arep took a big bite of his cookie instead of answering.
Al didn’t press further.
Nibelria chewed on her soggy cookie, staring intently at Arep.
“……”
Rima sighed deeply at the firmly shut door.
She was currently grounded—no outings allowed as punishment.
Finding the information broker had gone fine.
She had no money, but by passing on the intel about the Egg of the Evil Dragon Ater being with the Mercenary King, she’d managed to commission a job.
The trouble came after.
When she stepped out, the Degladis household servants were searching for the missing Rima.
Back at the mansion, she got an earful from the head maid.
“I told you to stick close to the adults and not wander off—how many times do I have to say it!”
“B-but…”
The head maid, who’d always pitied her, yelled for the first time. Feeling wronged in the moment, Rima pinned the blame on the maid she’d gone out with.
“Rima was behaving, but the maid sister suddenly…”
“S-so she dragged me…”
But Rima’s lie fell apart quickly.
The servants searching the plaza had heard the story from multiple witnesses.
Especially the shop clerk and customers—they all testified that Rima had pulled some weird prank and stormed off in a huff by herself.
Rima’s claim of behaving was ruled a lie.
In the end, Duke Kalarop Degladis handed down the harsh punishment of confinement to quarters and no outings.
Too late, Rima begged for forgiveness, but Kalarop’s face grew sterner as he said,
“The first person you should apologize to isn’t me. It’s Komen, who worried about you more than anyone.”
“Ko-Komen…?”
“I thought you were close with the maids, but you can’t even remember the name of the one you went out with?”
“B-but Rima’s only seven…!”
“……”
At that moment, Rima could never forget the look on Kalarop’s face as he stared at her.
Eyes filled with disappointment.
Lips pressed tight in displeasure.
“…This is unfair.”
Rima gnawed at her fingernail.
“In other novels, when a kid goes missing, they all say it’s fine, it’s not your fault. So why am I the only one getting punished? Getting lost in the plaza is supposed to be a must-have plot point!”
The resentment spilled out endlessly.
“That maid was so selfish too. She could’ve just taken the blame. What’s the big deal…”
The image of the maid silently sobbing was infuriating.
“She didn’t speak up to avoid getting chewed out herself. Adults are so sly, using kids as shields to lighten their own punishment. What a cheap trick.”
So she wasn’t even worth being a maid.
They were on completely different levels, Rima concluded alone.
“Once it comes out that I’m the daughter of this house, I’ll make sure they kick her out.”
Right then.
Kyah-!
A child’s bright, clear laughter rang out.
Rima cracked the door open stealthily.
Even under confinement, the door wasn’t locked tight.
The no-outings rule relied on her own conscience for self-reflection.
She could move freely anytime.
Peeking out, Rima’s eyes went wide.
Someone was at the end of the hall.
Black hair caught her eye first. It was Al and Rubens.
And between them, that lone sparkling golden blond.
Re- came to see me!
Rima grinned without thinking.
She hadn’t heard from Re- since she’d gone to the Dayamor mansion.
Asking Al and Rubens only got vague “she’s doing fine” replies.
Has she grown taller since I last saw her? A bit plumper too? Eyes still got that killer vibe, but the babyish charm is kinda cute…
Rima smirked, peeking through the door crack at Re-, but her face slowly hardened.
“……”
Rima’s gaze shifted to the fluttering silver hair.
Fluffy and soft like cotton candy, swaying gently with the laughter.
It was the same laugh she’d heard from her room.
“Do a bounce again!”
“Alright. This time, I’ll bounce it knee to knee, then head it.”
Rubens alternated knee-bumps on the ball, lofted it a bit higher, and topped it with his forehead.
The kids clapped and cheered.
“NiNi wants a turn too!”
The girl reached out, whining for the ball.
After taking it from Rubens, she spun around and suddenly pointed outside.
“Let’s do it out there!”
“Sure. How about a full-on ball game? Split into teams and see who kicks farthest!”
“Then NiNi’s teaming up with Arep!”
“Miss, hold my hand. When going down stairs…”
“Careful, careful! One step, one step, nice and slow!”
“Haha! What song is that?”
“Learned it in kindergarten. Didn’t you go, Al?”
The kids vanished in a flash.
Soon, the door creaked open slowly.
“……”
Rima took in the suddenly quiet hallway.
“Miss Rima.”
Startled, Rima whipped around.
Shh.
The unfamiliar servant pressed a finger to his lips.
“A letter from Lady Della Tura.”
The servant handed Rima a black envelope.
It was the results of her commission.
