"Grandfather, by reading my letter and taking the sea route, you avoided the landslide and saved a great deal of time."
I smiled slightly as I spoke.
Because this was truly the answer I had prepared.
"As you said, Grandfather, your time is extremely valuable. By that measure, wouldn’t this be a more than satisfactory compensation?"
Grandfather didn’t respond. He simply stared at me in silence.
I held his gaze and spoke with sincerity.
"Either way, I’m just relieved that you returned safely, Grandfather."
Then, I fell silent and waited.
I had nothing more to say.
The "marriage proposal with the Dyfenril Ducal House" had been nothing more than bait. Because at the end of the day, a proposal was just a proposal—it was unlikely to be finalized.
Of course, I’ll make sure it goes through one way or another, but no one else knows that...
No one could predict a natural disaster. So Grandfather would naturally assume my answer was mere improvisation.
Since he doesn’t like the compensation I prepared, he’ll think I’m simply making the best of the situation.
But the thing Grandfather valued most was the ability to handle crises.
The Noart Count Family had always lived on the edge, constantly at odds with the Temple.
Sure enough, Grandfather slowly started to laugh.
Then, clap, clap, clap—he applauded at a leisurely pace, muttering under his breath.
"Hahahahahaha! That rascal Julian... Turns out he had a real powerhouse hiding behind him all this time."
Julian tilted his head in confusion. "Me?"
I quietly whispered, "Not you, idiot."
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, the relatives exchanged glances.
Murloc, noticing the softened look in Grandfather’s eyes, quickly seized the moment.
"But, Father! This child invested all 1.37 trillion gold into mana stones! Can you believe that? She squandered a fortune!"
Grandfather raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"1.37 trillion gold? It wasn’t Rosie’s, so it must have been Julian’s wealth?"
"Yes! Either way, it was Noart property, and she threw it all away!"
Murloc practically spat as he shouted. Then, as if expecting backup, he jabbed his son Roystan with his elbow.
Roystan shot up from his seat, eager to contribute.
"Yes, Grandfather! Honestly, Rosie... she’s from the Temple, isn’t she? She even possesses divine power! How can we trust her?"
Murloc had a clear reason for making Roystan speak.
After all, he was still her uncle. It wouldn’t look good for him to openly attack his own niece’s origins.
Roystan, catching on, ruthlessly tore into my background.
"She could be a Temple spy!"
Dressed in the latest fashionable attire, Roystan looked positively delighted.
"Losing 1.37 trillion gold means indirectly aiding the Temple!"
At that, Julian immediately snapped.
"1.37 trillion gold? How the hell is that Noart property? It was mine to begin with! I gave it to my little squirt!"
Roystan’s face lit up as he turned his accusations toward Julian as well. He was practically giddy with excitement.
"And Julian helped a Temple spy!"
Roystan then picked up a wooden fragment from the floor—the very piece from Julian’s slingshot shot earlier—and held it high.
"With violence, no less!"
It was the very shard Julian had fired earlier.
"Who’s to say this isn’t some secret weapon provided by the Temple?!"
"Wow, what a load of bullsh—"
Julian shot up, his glare murderous.
"Temple-issued weapons, my ass. What kind of fresh insanity is this?"
Hmm. So now they were using my origins as ammunition, huh?
And they were even dragging Julian into it.
Murloc, Monica, and Felide all smirked as they exchanged glances.
They were openly pleased with Roystan’s performance, even encouraging him with nods.
So that’s why Julian kept me hidden in the annex and shielded me back then.
At the same time, I thought of the 19-year-old Julian who had been trampled by these very people.
How much must he have suffered, standing alone with no support? He had shielded me from these people to the point where he never even introduced me to them.
But... I will survive here.
Just like Julian survived and crushed them all, I will do the same.
Perhaps my true battle to survive in the Noart Family had only just begun.
Now that Grandfather had returned and I was exposed to the family, the real game was starting.
I need to stay sharp and plan every move carefully from now on.
It was an exhausting burden for a twelve-year-old.
Julian had kept me in the annex precisely because he didn’t want me to live this kind of life.
But I had already spent ten years locked up.
Being able to think my way through problems ... I was grateful for that.
At the very least, it meant I could take control of my own actions.
I slowly opened my mouth.
"We have no connection to the Temple. Please trust me. If you look closely, you’ll see for yourself."
Then, turning to Roystan, who was still holding the wooden fragment, I spoke.
"Roystan, show that piece of wood to Grandfather directly."
Roystan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Tilting my head, I asked innocently,
"Oh... don’t tell me you’re too scared to bring it to him yourself? You made such a big deal out of it, yet you don’t even have the guts to hand it over?"
"What are you talking about?! Who’s scared?!"
Roystan exploded at me, then, as if proving a point, strode across the room to Grandfather.
All eyes followed him.
His finely tailored clothes shimmered under the lighting with each step he took.
"Here it is, Grandfather."
Roystan confidently presented the wooden fragment with both hands, his voice smooth and respectful.
"As you know, anything related to the Temple cannot be trusted."
Grandfather’s sharp gaze bore down on the piece in Roystan’s hand.
"Even if nothing seems off right now, if you give it to me, I can investigate—"
Grandfather, who had been scrutinizing the piece of wood, suddenly grabbed it and flung it to the floor.
Roystan flinched in shock, his entire body trembling.
Grandfather’s voice thundered through the hall.
"You dare stand before me, wearing clothes made of Etton fabric, and slander the Temple?!"
Roystan’s face turned completely pale.
Grandfather sneered and tossed aside the hem of Roystan’s coat in disgust.
"Tell me, who here is actually supporting the Temple?! Huh?!"
Roystan, you idiot. I warned you already.
The last time we met, I had made it perfectly clear.
"I couldn’t tell from a distance, but up close, I see you’re wearing Etton fabric. That’s quite the high-end material—one of the Temple’s biggest sources of income."
"Etton fabric. You haven’t been keeping up with the news, have you? It was in today’s paper. Hm, maybe you don’t belong in the Noart estate after all."
Etton fabric was subtle from a distance, but up close, it was easy to recognize.
And Roystan, with his love for luxury, had been wearing Etton fabric nonstop. Because, of course, it was the latest fashion trend.
I knew Grandfather would be furious when he saw it.
If Grandfather had arrived as planned, Roystan would have been careful.
But he hadn’t expected him today.
And because I provoked him, he completely forgot what he was wearing.
And so, Roystan had walked straight into Grandfather’s wrath.
He immediately collapsed onto the floor, shaking uncontrollably.
Remember this, Roystan.
I gazed down at him coldly.
From now on, I won’t let anyone who touches us go unpunished.