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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Perpetual Snow Ducks
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The Frigus region was infamous as the coldest place in the Drameno Empire.
Follow the towering Eternal Snow Mountains that rose there, and you'd reach the North Sea.
The perpetual snow ducks lived along that frigid coastline.
"Someone's been targeting the ducks that live there nonstop."
"Lubeo got the news too. We might have trouble sourcing high-end coats made from their feathers."
The feathers of the perpetual snow duck had the best insulation of any known material.
There was only one way to obtain them.
By picking them one by one from the nests.
Feathers pulled from live ducks or taken from dead ones lost much of their insulating power.
On top of that, perpetual snow ducks were so rare that the Drameno Empire had designated them a specially protected species.
State researchers even lived by the North Sea to help them breed—they were that precious.
Seletrina leaned casually against her desk.
"Rumor has it it's connected to the Petra merchant house."
"Mm, the letter from our informant says the same thing."
"Guess Lubeo's intelligence network isn't half bad, huh?"
Seletrina flashed a grin, but it wasn't a situation to celebrate.
"Word is the Petra merchant house started another venture."
"They have the spare cash for that right now...?"
Kaleo glanced at his secretary.
The secretary met his eyes and nodded silently.
"No. Absolutely not."
Those in the know were well aware.
The Petra merchant house had poured a fortune into a magic stone mining operation in the Kingdom of Prok.
Rumor even had it they weren't just investing—they'd leveraged it.
Leveraged investing meant borrowing money on top of your own funds to pour into a venture.
Win big if it succeeded, but crash to rock bottom if it failed—a double-edged sword.
"The secretary from the Petra house I met recently was real cagey when the topic came up."
The Petra family's next heir hadn't been decided yet.
People were betting on the young lady who'd launched that new insurance product.
But nothing was set in stone.
The final call rested with Viscount Petra.
"...Then."
Seletrina muttered as if to herself.
"What did the Petra merchant house borrow against?"
"Who knows."
Kaleo replied without much interest.
"Real estate's the easiest bet, isn't it?"
"Duck?"
"Tasty!"
Nibelria answered brightly.
Solles held back a laugh and gave the right answer.
"Ducks go quack quack."
"Right, quack quack!"
"We're doing animal sounds right now, so food ratings later."
"Do you like ducks, big brother? Think they're tasty?"
"Yeah. I think they're tasty."
It was a peaceful afternoon one day.
A week had passed since the Perea Merchant Company had headed west to Latro.
The sweltering heat had eased, ushering in early autumn.
The little chrysanthemums planted by the Dayamor estate gardeners had already formed buds.
The gardeners said they'd bloom earlier than usual.
"Pigs go oink oink, wolves go woof woof..."
Nibelria pursed her lips, focusing hard on her notes.
The pencil in her hand was already blunt from her gripping it so tight while writing.
Solles, watching over his little sister's kindergarten homework, asked,
"Don't wolves go awooo, long and drawn out?"
"Nope."
Nibelria answered firmly.
"Wolves go woof woof. Just a little deeper than dogs! Awooo is only for calling packmates. Don't you even know that, big brother?"
"I might not."
"Oh."
Once homework was done, Nibelria headed to the annex with Solles.
Arep was there, training in swordsmanship under Ardores. He practiced diligently every day after kindergarten.
"......"
Nibelria peeked out from behind Solles's back.
"Scared of wooden swords too?"
Solles whispered softly.
"Just... a little..."
Nibelria was afraid of swords.
Even wooden ones. Seeing Arep swing it so seriously gave her chills.
Because she'd died stabbed by a sword.
Back when she was a cat.
Solles gently patted the back of her hand.
"Want to wait here a bit then? Arep's probably almost done."
"Do you learn swordsmanship, big brother? Have you learned?"
"I train at dawn. Or when you're at kindergarten."
"Not scared?"
"If you're scared, you can't do anything."
"But I am scared..."
Just then, Arep finished training and came running over.
Ardores held Arep's wooden sword. For Nibelria's sake, hiding behind Solles, he took it away so as not to frighten her.
"I'm done."
Arep's face was flushed from the workout.
Nibelria offered him the towel she'd brought. He took it and wiped his dripping sweat.
"Better wash up quick."
At Solles's words, Arep hurried off to clean up.
While they waited, Ardores played with his grandkids.
"Grandpa! Letty coming today?"
"Yeah, I heard."
Viscount Preto was finally arriving in the capital.
That afternoon, he planned to visit the Dayamor estate with his daughter.
The kids were excited to play with Letitia after so long.
"Got a present for Letty too. Curious?"
Nibelria clung to Ardores's arm and asked.
"Say you're curious."
Ardores nodded, bracing his foot in case she slipped.
"I'm curious. What'd you prepare as a gift?"
"Hee hee! Secret!"
"Now I'm even more curious."
"Kyaa! No tickles! Big brother, help!"
"Nini, hide behind me quick!"
Arep joined the tickle fight after washing up.
In the end, Ardores lost, caught by the kids.
"Grandpa doesn't get tickled?"
Nibelria targeted his side intently. But he showed no reaction.
"Never really felt it since way back."
"Grandma's super ticklish though. She laughs at the slightest touch."
"That's what makes teasing her fun."
"She'd hate it if you teased her."
Nibelria said it like she was sharing some vital secret.
"...She likes it, though."
Ardores's mouth curved up, remembering a secret all his own.
"Viscount Preto's young lady has arrived."
Dether brought the news they'd been waiting for.
The kids rushed to the drawing room.
"Letty!"
Nibelria burst in first, arms flung wide.
"Nini!"
The girl with long navy-blue hair beamed brightly.
Nibelria dove into Letitia's embrace.
"Letty's here! I missed you!"
"I missed you too, Nini. Been good?"
Letitia Preto.
Daughter of a true loyal house that had shared the Dayamor family's rise and fall, Viscount Preto's third daughter.
With her navy-blue hair tied back by a yellow ribbon, she had a calm air belying her six years.
'Her eyes...'
Arep was startled by Letitia's eyes.
They were the same red as his.
'Ah, that's why.'
That's why no one in this house thought his eyes were weird.
As Arep thought that, Letitia's eyes met his.
The two shades of red rounded in surprise.
"...You're Arep, right?"
Letitia greeted him first.
"You know me?"
"Yeah. Solles wrote about you in his letter. Said he got a little brother, and it was you. Nice to meet you."
She offered her hand, saying let's get along.
Arep shook it and greeted back.
"I'm Arep. Nice to meet you too."
"You have red eyes too? Mine are red."
"N-no one's teased you?"
"Of course they have."
Red eyes weren't common. Not anymore, but they'd once been shunned as blood-like, a shameful history.
Now they were a common trait among noble houses.
The Degladis Duke Family alone had the duke and his eldest son with red eyes.
"Sometimes boys tease me, but I just grab whatever's nearby and smash it on their heads."
They shut up quick after that.
Letitia smiled softly.
"......"
Arep vowed silently not to get on her bad side.
"How've you been, Solles?"
"Kinda missed you. You been good? No hurts or illnesses? I was a little worried hearing you fought with your little sister..."
"We made up right away. But your little sister was mean, right? She ate all my favorite strawberry jam pie without leaving any..."
"Your little sister was wrong."
Solles and Letitia's reunion chat went on for a good while.
"......"
"......"
Nibelria and Arep watched them with odd looks.
Especially...
'Big brother's acting weird?'
Nibelria's instincts prickled.
Solles was always kind and gentle.
Nothing seemed different now, but Nibelria spotted the change.
His voice was a tad lower, his movements more careful. His vibe and expression felt off too.
'Why?'
Nibelria pondered with a groan.
Then reached a conclusion.
'I want chocolate cookies!'
Her interest shifted in an instant, and she asked Letitia,
"Want cookies? Chocolate ones?"
"Sure. Dipped in milk?"
"Letty gets it!"
The kids moved to Nibelria's room.
Gathered around the round table, they munched on chocolate cookies and milk snacks.
"How much did you miss me, Nini?"
Letitia asked.
"A lot."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Nibelria dunked her cookie in milk and answered halfheartedly.
Letitia pouted a bit, so Solles grinned and chimed in.
"He forgot Al and Rubens after just a few months, but remembered your name right away."
