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“What has you so captivated? Here, take this!”

Dione, completely serious about their business, gave Kleio a heavy paper bag with a gleam in her eyes. She was projecting an atmosphere that pushed him back.

“This book… Is it that touching?”

“Isberg, a land of ice, living in a desolate castle in the middle of a far-off plateau. A woman who was offered as a sacrifice comes to him…”

“And the two start falling in love.”

“Right! Arsenie, the cold-blooded lord who drains the blood of the living, and Luminita, the beautiful girl, their love cannot be achieved…! I cried loudly when the final book came out last year, but this extra book about their childhood is even more…!”

If left to her own devices, they would talk about the novel all afternoon. Kleio took the paper bag and cut off Dione.

“I’ll read it myself later. It’s not fun to hear about it.”

“You have to read it and tell me your impressions! I’ve read countless novels in my life, but this is the greatest masterpiece!”

“It must be really impressive.”

Dione, her eyes growing wet again, blotted at her eyes with her violet-embroidered handkerchief. Kleio felt an embarrassment he never had before while attending to Dione. Looking around, the road was under construction on both sides, so everything was dug up and covered with dirt. Sunday was the day the workers had off, but there were employees guarding the site as Kleio and Dione walked between the scaffolding around the de Neju Hotel’s future location. The employees let them in with a smile upon recognizing Dione’s face. However, the duo with serious expressions wasn’t talking about business or real estate development as they walked around.

“You can laugh that I cry while talking about novels even though you’re over twenty. But if you only see the main characters heading for catastrophe, ah- you can’t help but be restless!”

“Reading is a good hobby, so why would I laugh at it?”

While speaking, Dione’s complexion gradually recovered as she calmed down. She stowed the handkerchief back, her tears dried up. Suddenly, they were in front of the foundation work for the de Neju hotel. It seemed to be the start of a very beautiful stone building already, even to an outsider.

“It’s said the hotel will open by next year’s social season. I looked at the hall blueprints, and if it’s completed, they could even hold debut banquets. In five years, you will be able to acquire a much higher rent.”

“Oh, I’m really looking forward to it.”

“But why does the royal advisory lawyer wish to see you?”

“Royal lawyer?!”

“It is said there is some discussion needed for patent-related issues for the mining bureau. When I received the papers, the patent application was already completed. Even the applicant’s representative was Sir Lawrence Kinnear, the highest-ranking royal counsel.”

“The highest… That must be a great person, right?”

“He’s a man who has been using the law as an instrument and has been beside the side of the king for twenty-five years. They say he knows all the precedents in the world — a nobleman of the law.”

“Then it means this is treated as a royal affair rather than a matter of the mining bureau.”

“That makes it even more of a mystery. Why is that person applying for your patent? I scheduled a meeting for this afternoon. Now, it’s time to explain what happened to me.”

“!!!”

If it were for the mining bureau, it could only be about one thing.

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“Permanently ether-activating tiplaum?”

Dione had a distant look in her eyes.

“Hah, that’s why the documents are only marked as ‘official’ because of the confidentiality clause! Do you want me to believe that you discovered that magical formula by chance while on a field trip?”

“But it’s true. It was possible thanks to the unique prediction skill.”

“Let’s find a more heartfelt story. How about a setting where you’re the hidden child of the goddess Mnemosyne, or that you learned it in return for saving the spirits of the King’s forest?”

Like a true book fanatic, fantastical excuses.

‘If Fran were a spirit, would he be the spirit of revolution?’

“Lady Dione, trust me.”

“Alright. When would you tell me anyway?”

As the courier approached to take their order, Dione had a refreshed expression. They were currently meeting in the tea room of the historic Leyton Hotel. All the seats were divided into compartments, making it good to have a secret conversation, but even sitting behind the partitions, Dione was a prominent figure. She ordered ginger milk tea for Kleio without asking and a cup for herself before giving the main points.

“Patent usage fees vary widely depending on the period, method, and scope. The mining bureau has been trying to transfer authority altogether. The amount to be called was huge…”

Kleio quickly cut off her words, fearing his heart might shake if he heard how much money it was.

“No matter how much they offer, we don’t transfer authority. A monopoly is inevitable, as the tiplaum mine is Albion’s. But say the license will be limited to five years… If there is a need for an extension, then we will discuss it again.”

“Why?”

“The Dubris mine belongs to the royal family, right? The royal lawyer also wanted to meet us on the weekend, in a place other than the mining bureau. If so, the contractor belongs to Melchior.”

“It is. Because he is the present deputy of the king and the only one with authority to deal with matters of royal property.”

“Yes.”

Kleio’s voice lowered.

“It’s not a wise move for me to bring him the whole tiplaum formula.”

Dione, her fan-folded halfway, had a shine in her eyes.

“You’re convinced that the person you chose will be the one who causes the eclipse, and you act as such.”

She spoke carefully as it was a public place, but Kleio understood her intent. All kings of Albion caused a solar eclipse at the moment of their coronation, but the person Kleio chose was Arthur, not Melchior.

‘Strictly speaking, he was chosen by the author, not me…’

How would he get around it when things went wrong after he handed over all the processing rights for the new material that would change the future of the continent to Melchior?

“Yes. After the eclipse has occurred, we will resign the contract. Until then, please negotiate in the direction of receiving a fee. Rather than settling the production rate, it would be better to receive an advance payment even if the amount decreases.”

Tiplaum was a major strategic resource. When war would break out, it would grow difficult to collect patent rights properly.

‘Rather, at this point, it’s wise to gather money from Melchior’s pocket in advance. It won’t damage the country.’

“You have great faith. Does that partner know of this?”

“No. What would he do if he did? The time isn’t right yet.”

“Haha, you’re fair to everyone. I’m relieved to know that it’s not just me.”

He had made excuses to tell her later many times, so her words resonated with him. Kleio pretended not to notice anything and returned to the topic of their original business.

“Lady Dione, and the fee for this case…”

“Hmm, this is decorating some papers. Just 1%. It’s a complete service, right?”

He looked at Dione suspiciously.

“Thank you, but what is it?”

“I can’t believe it! There is a bookstore in the Orails district. That small three-story building.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s mine. After you gave me the information, I bought it. After that, the building was repaired. Still, it became pretty good.”

Dione’s building was across the street from the site Kleio was building.

“… You’re a keeper, Lady Dione. I’m grateful for you.”

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He tried to calm down, but Kleio’s eyes wouldn’t stop shaking.

‘7.8 million dinars. They can afford that…?’

In the last manuscript, Fran had triumphantly cried out that his formula would be the best scientific achievement of the century, after all. However, Kleio, who couldn’t explain how he did it, fell behind the scenes after accepting the enormous amount of signed bills.

‘No, of course, I’ll still take it.’

He saw it himself, but he still couldn’t believe Dione’s negotiation skills. Dione, confronted by the old gentleman with a white beard and sharp eyes, succeeded in establishing that amount with a magical fee for five years. Kleio hadn’t the time for a word in edgewise.

“As I’ve heard, Lady Dione is terribly intelligent. Talents like you should’ve been brought to Melory Inn, not stolen by wizards.”

Melory Inn was the best law school in Albion, and only after graduating from there was one trained in order to receive a lawyer’s qualification.

“Lawrence Kinnear, if you generously find a lawyer’s office for me to practice in, I will still enter Melory Inn.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind. Then, we’ll finish the confirmation. Sir Swain is here.”

He disappeared, probably to report the negotiations to Melchior, while Swain Temple, the sturdy knight who accompanied the older gentleman, greeted Kleio. He became quite familiar with Swain during the summer vacation and met him again in the demon case and also when dealing with the door of Mnemosyne.

“I heard your health hadn’t recovered yet. Is it alright for you to be out like this?”

“Ether depletion isn’t some fatal disease.”

“Sir Kleio is so different from me…”

Swain was a strong and muscular man that anyone would envy. He grew quiet, not knowing what to say about Kleio’s poor physique that could break if he fell. Dione, drinking the last of the tea, laughed as she noticed it.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”

“Is that true?”

“Is there any reason why it wouldn’t be?”

“But I heard…”

Hesitating, the honest knight looked to Dione and Kleio. Dione, quick to notice, moved to the powder room for a while.

“…The second prince has ordered an investigation into Sir Kleio. You have to be careful.”

“If that’s the case, it’s probably news that the whole social world knows. What will happen to me?”

Though he wondered what was new about that, he answered sincerely because he couldn’t ignore this person who was genuinely worried.

‘Can you really call that an investigation? Is he going around asking what I’m doing with a loudspeaker?’

“It’s not something to consider lightly. My contact is a colleague who trained with the second prince as a child… This isn’t a well-known story…”

He was a villain sending assassins to kill his younger brother.

“He’s a bloody freak?”

“When he was young, he killed several small animals, and after growing up a little, his horse died. It was said to be an accident, but the horses of the royal family aren’t so weak.”

Kleio’s face crumbled in astonishment.

‘They say serial killers start by killing small animals when they’re young. It’s like the target of their killing gradually develops.’

“After coming of age and starting to gain fame as a knight, there is no longer any talk of that… Anyone who once fed innocent blood to their sword can’t stop doing so.”

“Thank you for telling me something so difficult… I will be careful.”

“Hoo… I’m worried I’ve burdened your heart by saying useless words.”

“Not at all.”

The lawyer returned as the two-faced each other with serious expressions. Dione returned a beat later, and the contract proceeded quickly. After completing all the procedures, Lawrence, who packed away the documents, handed over a business card.

“Then, I will retire. You can call me if you have anything to say or have any questions for Melchior.”

After his name, there was a phone number.

“Okay, thank you.”

“I’m happy; such a pleasant contract is rare. I have to pop some champagne with you.”

“I asked the courier for a bottle of Ecarat Rose Champagne. I hope you enjoy it.”

“I’m glad that Lord Kinnear is so gracious.”

While Dione and Kinnear shared polite greetings, Kleio was already thinking of other things.

‘Isn’t it unreasonable to make the prince a serial killer? Aslan is Arthur’s enemy, but does he have his own cause and purpose?’