"Hah... how on earth am I supposed to raise this child..."

Lucas's face was full of worry as he watched Nella lying on the floor.

Lucas, who had chased after Nella at the sudden feeling of a strong spirit's aura, had seen an amazing sight before his eyes.

He had encountered it a few times even during the past 5,000 years he had lived as a dragon.

Just by watching from a distance, an enormous aura that was hard for his human body to endure rushed in.

The King of Water Spirits. Ellaim.

It was a good thing that he had suppressed most of his aura; if he had let out even a little more, Nella would not have just fainted.

"Ellaim..."

His appearance, which he had encountered after a long time, was the same as before.

The great one who had existed since the beginning of time. The Spirit King who governed all of nature.

Among them, the King of Water Spirits, Ellaim, who was known to be skilled in both offense and defense.

The contract with the lower spirit, Naiad, which he had directly ordered, had turned the girl into a spirit master in an instant.

Lower spirits were something that any elf with a high affinity for nature could handle, but humans rarely had a high innate affinity for nature.

That was why they were treated well if they could just summon a lower spirit.

And if it was a water spirit with healing powers, they would be welcomed in any country.

Of course, it would be difficult to expect wealth and fame with just a lower spirit.

But the level of the spirit summoned by a ten-year-old child was not important now.

A genius. A once-in-a-century genius was right in front of him.

A 1st-circle mage and a spirit master who had contracted with a Naiad.

She was a lucky charm if there ever was one. But Lucas was worried first.

He wondered if the Count's family, which had not yet established its foundation, could protect the child until the end, and even if they did, Nella could be taken away by the king or the Magic Tower.

Since the Count and Countess were people who could love the child for who she was, not for her abilities, he didn't want anyone to take their beloved stepdaughter away from them.

'I'll have to raise her well.'

Raising her well was a problem, but now he also had to keep in mind protecting the child.

Both the Count's family and himself had to grow stronger. The strength to protect the child.

Lucas, who had nodded his head once as if he had decided something, left the room.

***

"Ho-oh, a spirit? And Ellaim himself?"

"Right. I was surprised too."

Aman, who had come to see Lucas, widened his eyes at the unexpected story.

It was surprising that the King of Water Spirits, Ellaim, had come himself, but to help a human's contract? It was a story that was hard to believe even after hearing it.

"What on earth is Ellaim thinking? No, not a dragon, but to help a mere human's contract?"

"That's what I'm wondering too. What on earth did Ellaim like about Nella to do such a thing..."

"Right? What did he like? No, I'm sure she's a likable human, but... was her affinity for nature that high?"

They were walking for a long time after leaving the Count's mansion, avoiding people's eyes. Because they knew that if Aman was known to have visited the Count's mansion, they would never be able to shake off Cibie's lavish hospitality and the children's attention.

"But is that appearance okay?"

"What?"

"Ahem... ah, no."

"You silly fool."

What Aman was asking was about Lucas's polymorphed appearance.

Before leaving the Count's mansion, they, who had decided to look around Citata once, were in a polymorphed state to prevent people from recognizing them.

Aman had only kept his blue hair and eyes, but had transformed into a completely different person.

And Lucas also had his black hair and black eyes as they were, but on the outside, he had the appearance of a very pretty (?) adult.

If Lucas had known that appearance, he would have been furious, but he had not yet seen his own appearance.

"Lord, you look very beautiful today."

Aman, who found the situation funny, was treating him as if he were a lady.

"You crazy fool. It's creepy, so get away from me."

The only saving grace was that the rest of Lucas's appearance, except for his face, was that of a full-fledged man.

"Oh, have you been there?"

Lucas, who had seen the place Aman was pointing at, shook his head slightly.

"A cheerful pub? Hah, I've never left the Count's mansion while I was in Citata. I've been there once or twice in the old days... but that was just passing by."

"Then let's go there!"

"...You crazy fool."

He was a truly bright and cheerful dragon. To think he would choose a pub with a cheerful sign that said 'Cheerful Pub'? And the pubs in Citata would surely only have bad-quality whiskey or beer made from dregs.

"Hurry up!"

But despite Lucas's reaction, Aman dragged him to the pub.

-Tinkle!

"Welcome!"

As he opened the door of the pub, a cheerful bell rang, announcing the arrival of a customer, and the owner's greeting was heard.

'There are quite a lot of people. A place where there are no people...'

Contrary to his thought that it would be quiet, the pub was bustling with people, and Lucas was about to turn his eyes and move his steps to find a place where there were no people.

"Let's go there!"

But Lucas's steps were blocked by Aman's hand.

"Do we have to?"

The place Aman had chosen was a table in the middle of the most crowded place. It was already incomprehensible why he had chosen such a complicated seat, but Aman was even nodding his head vigorously, his eyes shining.

"Hah..."

For some reason, it was hard for Lucas to refuse when Aman had those eyes. It was probably because he was reminded of Aman's hatchling days, which he had seen during his time as a lord.

"Right, let's go."

He also thought that it would be okay for one day to be in the middle of a crowded place.

'There will be a big change in the future, so it wouldn't be bad to see the situation in advance.'

As they headed to the table, people's eyes followed them.

The fact that they were strangers they had never seen before aroused curiosity, but their rare and outstanding appearance also played a part.

"Whew!"

A whistling sound was even heard from a distance. The whistle, which was blown just by looking at his pretty appearance, was extremely vulgar.

Lucas's brow narrowed slightly, but he soon relaxed his expression and sat down.

"Now, what would you like?"

"Give me whatever you want, owner. We're new here."

"Khaha! Let's do that. Do you two drink?"

The owner laughed heartily as Aman winked.

"I'm fine with alcohol. Just give me a glass of water instead of alcohol."

"Haha! You have a taste as pretty as your pretty face, don't you? Water! I'll look for it, but I don't know if I have any!"

As the owner, who had taken the order, left, the surrounding sounds began to be heard.

"A stranger?"

"It seems so. As soon as the news of the mana stone mine being discovered was heard, they came running, didn't they?"

"Khat! Them? Can the pretty sons of some noble family even touch business?"

The tone of the men, who were glancing at the table and continuing their words, was full of ridicule.

"Don't mind them. What's the use of minding what humans say?"

Aman, who was worried about Lucas's bad expression, added.

"Hmph. I don't mind."

In fact, it wasn't that he didn't mind. But Lucas's mentality was not weak enough to be swayed by their words.

"Now, now. Everyone, be careful with your words! What are you going to do if they really are some high-ranking nobles? Let's just drink!"

As he didn't even give them a glance, the conversation soon began to find another topic.

"Ah, but what about your farmland rental this time?"

"Kheu~ good. What farmland? Ah, that? I decided to do it."

"Hmm... since it's something the Noru Trading Company is doing... I'm wondering if I should do it too. But for some reason, I feel uneasy?"

"What's so uneasy? We don't have any crops to plant on the farmland anyway. And if we rent out the farmland this time, won't they let us work in the mine!"

Lucas and Aman pricked up their ears at the interesting conversation topic.

"But still... and why did the Count entrust all the personnel rights of the mine to the Noru Trading Company! So aren't they threatening us with the farmland as a pretext...!"

The man cautiously lowered his voice at the word 'threaten'.

"Don't say that! Huh? No, how much has the Noru Trading Company done for the Count? From the very beginning when he came from the capital. Don't you know how much the residents resent the change of landowners?"

He was right. The land granted by the country frequently changed owners like this.

It was common for nobles who had committed a crime or had fallen out of favor to have their land and property confiscated and to be kicked out.

The residents would show hostility every time. It was because a bloody wind would often blow on the land where the owner had changed.

"But huh? Isn't it the same as the Noru Trading Company establishing the Count's position! Isn't it the Noru Trading Company that praised the Count, who didn't bring a single thing to eat, as 'Lord, Lord'! And didn't the emperor permanently grant this Citata to the Rodrigo family?"

"Ahem... that's also true, but..."

"So how can the Rodrigo Count's family turn a blind eye to the Noru Trading Company! Even a mere beast repays a favor, so the Count Cibie wouldn't not know that."

"I see, I see, so calm down. Really... why does this friend get so furious whenever the Noru Trading Company is mentioned..."

Lucas's expression changed from moment to moment as he quietly listened to their words.

'Noru Trading Company?'

It was a name he had never heard of. And they had entrusted all the personnel rights of the mine to them?

'Taking the farmland in exchange for the personnel rights...'

Lucas's expression darkened sharply. His father, Count Cibie, was not a person who did not repay a favor. But to take the residents' farmland in exchange for a favor done out of a good heart?

'Does the Count know about this?'

Lucas's mind became complicated. What if Cibie was condoning this even after knowing all the facts?

And what was the reason for renting the farmland, which was not even good for farming?

The more he thought about it, the more strange things there were.

"Ah, let's leave the farmland aside. What are you going to do about the tribute this month?"

"Hah... I also want to pay the tribute quickly, but there's no way."

"It's the same for me. The deer hide I caught last time is not even finished being processed. It's hard to make ends meet with the money from selling the meat..."

His anger began to well up. Count Cibie was not even collecting taxes, considering the residents' financial difficulties.

The only place that collected taxes was the mercenary guild. And even that was a tax collected from outside mercenaries who took on requests.

But a tribute collected by a trading company? It was absurd.

"Did you know?"

Aman's head slowly nodded at Lucas's question.

The reason why Aman had suddenly come and had asked to go out and talk, and the reason why he had even polymorphed and had led him to this pub, was all because of this.

"Hah..."

"I think an investigation is needed. I looked into it a little before I came... and it seems that this is not all they are doing."

"What is that..."

It was when Lucas's expression was rapidly hardening.

"Here! The owner's special you ordered! And a glass of water I barely found."

-Tak!

The menu, which he had put down with force, called the owner's special, was none other than french fries and a strange-looking soup.

"...Can I eat this?"

"Well, it doesn't seem to be poisoned."

"Let's just get this over with and go. We can't just leave those things, whether they're deer or roe deer."

"Yes, Lord."

(End of Chapter)