"……!"
Theorban wanted to explode in anger.
But he knew it was time to back off.
"Ah, yes, that's right……. I should leave now."
'Damn brat.'
Theorban glared at Navia as if he wanted to tear her apart and then strode away.
His determination to not let things be was palpably clear.
'I actually prefer people who show their hostility like that.'
People who are difficult to deal with are those whose intentions you can't understand.
Like Lark Eseled.
Navia watched Lark's retreating figure and then opened her mouth.
"Thank you for your help, Duke Eseled."
Upon hearing her thanks, Lark turned around slowly.
Then, he looked down at Navia with an indifferent gaze.
Navia bowed formally.
"My name is Navia. I am the foster daughter of Duke Nikan Agnes."
As she finished speaking, Lark's expression twisted strangely.
He brushed his bangs aside with his fingers, revealing a frown and intensifying his stern demeanor.
"That's a name I haven't heard before."
At that, Navia felt a sense of déjà vu.
"And a face I haven't seen before."
'Right. Even before I fainted.'
A face never seen before.
A name never heard before.
From those words, Navia felt a strange sensation.
It was as if his words held a meaning beyond just meeting for the first time, almost questioning the very reason for her existence.
'I've never left the mansion, so it's natural he wouldn't know about me.'
But why then?
His words almost sounded like he believed there was no one he didn't know.
'Is it just my imagination?'
Nevertheless, this place held many secrets.
'It's not impossible to deal with.'
Managing a household always required money.
And Eseled was short of it, while she had a solution to that problem.
Navia didn't miss the chance to interact with Lark.
"And thank you for saving me. If it weren't for you, Duke, I would have been killed by Wood Oraboni……."
Navia said gloomily with a self-deprecating smile.
"It must have been confusing for you, suddenly being caught up in all this chaos. Wood Oraboni hiring an assassin……."
"Enough."
Lark cut her off with a bored and irritated expression.
"Drop the petty act in front of me."
Navia blinked her large eyes, lips sealed.
Lark anticipated her next reaction.
A child. She would either sob or panic, turning pale.
But Navia just smiled slightly.
"Then I'll do as you say."
Her voice sounded almost pleased.
Lark raised an eyebrow in surprise at her unexpected response.
"Wood Agnes tried to make it look like he hired an assassin to attack Duke Eseled's manor, to frame me and make me a slave."
As she spoke of her dire situation, Navia showed no sign of sorrow. She simply stated the facts calmly.
"But that plan spectacularly failed, and a great pretext was provided to the House of Eseled. The pretext that Agnes had launched a surprise attack."
At this point, anyone could guess what was coming next.
The conversation about compensation.
"This is a clear violation of imperial law. And it was an accident not intended by Duke Agnes himself. He will present me as a scapegoat and promise a large compensation."
This was a natural and expected turn of events.
Navia spoke of her fate as if she had seen the future.
And she presented Lark with a choice.
"You could dispose of me as they wish, take the compensation, and end the matter."
The Agnes family was wealthy enough to offer a substantial sum to ensure silence.
But settling for just the compensation would be shortsighted.
"However, the compensation won't be enough to maintain private soldiers."
At the mention of private soldiers, Lark tilted his head to the other side.
"I heard that the knight order stationed abroad will soon return. Feeding, housing, training, and paying them will deplete the compensation quickly."
No, Theorban would find every excuse to cut off their living expenses.
As far as Navia knew, all of Eseled's businesses had been transferred to the Count Alvin House.
'Soon, the private soldiers will be disbanded, and Theorban will buy them off.'
Navia looked at Lark with clear eyes and said, "I have a proposal for you, Duke."
Lark, with his arms crossed, still tilted his head askew.
Navia, interpreting his lack of interference as permission, continued, "Please raise me."
Lark closed his mouth for a moment.
The child in front of him had made a noisy appearance since morning, suddenly asking to be saved, and now was asking to be raised. And by him, no less.
'What kind of thing is she going to say?'
Ha.
"Unbelievable."
Lark's eyes grew intense.
Taking the child into his house was a distinctly impulsive decision.
'Because of that hair.'
His gaze had already settled on Navia's radiant silver hair.
Originally, he had planned to just keep her alive because of her terribly beautiful silver hair and then send her away.
But that thought solidified when he saw her dealing with Theorban.
This child was very cunning.
Also, her ability to instantly hide her guard with a certain craftiness was striking.
He had never intended to bring such a troublesome thing into his house.
Lark asked coldly, "Why should I do that?"
Despite his cold response, Navia answered clearly, "Because it's profitable."
Navia explained why she was profitable.
"I've heard that the magic of the Eseled dukedom is decades ahead of the empire's magic studies."
This was evident even from their own legion of magicians trained in Eseled's unique magical studies.
"From a place coveted for its weapon, you, Duke, are still unmarried and without children. While you may marry in the future to have heirs, I don't think you will."
Navia didn't know Lark well, but she knew the future that would unfold.
Lark had never married in any of his eight lifetimes.
"Even if you seem to find me somewhat endearing for some reason and keep me by your side, those around will speculate on the possibilities."
"To take you in as my foster daughter, is that the possibility you're talking about?"
Navia nodded.
"Doing so would mean the Eseled family gets a successor through marriage, and Agnes and the royal family would covet that opportunity. They've been eyeing the magic here."
Wouldn't it be great if the plans of Nikan and the royal family to swallow Eseled through marriage were thwarted, only to find a new way opened? Wood and Prince Ares were still young.
So was Navia.
There was plenty of time to hatch new schemes.
They would eagerly process the paperwork to make her a foster daughter.
"As a reward for your kindness, you, Duke, can receive fair compensation from Agnes and the royal family."
"Are you suggesting I take you in as my foster daughter just for such a benefit?"
"I'll take care of Count Theorban Alvin for you."
At these words, Lark closed his mouth.
Instead, his eyes narrowed.
It was not something a non-magician, a mere eight-year-old, could say with such decisiveness.
"How?"
Navia quietly smiled.
"If I tell you, it wouldn't be my weapon anymore, would it?"
Lark let out a shallow, incredulous laugh through his teeth.
"What a presumptuous kid."
Navia, as if hearing a pleasant compliment, slightly bowed her head and then said lastly, "I don't intend to remain your foster daughter forever. Under imperial law, a child's marriage and independence are possible from the age of fifteen. Once that time comes, I'll immediately seek marriage and independence."
With that, Navia waited for the other's reaction.
Lark slowly nodded his head.
"That certainly makes sense."
At that moment, the intimidating aura that had seemed to have subsided suddenly grew stronger.
"But," Lark reached out and grabbed her hair without warning, making her flinch involuntarily, "I don't like people who play games in front of me. You know why?"
"..."
"People who play games can be a real nuisance if they betray you."
His gaze was fixated on her silver hair, and Navia couldn't help but feel an eerie chill in it.
"Especially those with silver hair."
Lark's gaze, chillingly indifferent, looked down on her as if she were nothing more than a speck of dust.
