Chapter 30

“…what?”

Nikan made a face as if he couldn’t understand because it was an unrealistic story. Then his eyes slowly widened.

“Is that true?!”

Edward nodded seriously.

“It is true. I came here after treating my little sister.”

“Oh, my God…!”

Nikan’s hand trembled at the unbelievable situation.

With his disorganized emotions, he covered his mouth and wiped his dry face. He managed to calm down with a deep breath. His eyes were red with blood.

“How is that possible?”

“The method is simple. A high-ranking wizard pulls out the mana from the patient’s body and puts them in a temporary vacuum state, then the wizard instills mana.”

Nikan retorted nervously.

“However, wouldn’t there be a flood if all the mana is pulled out?”

A patient with mana reflux disease was not a wizard, but an explosion could occur if the mana was let go of. In fact, similar experiments had been conducted, and patients with mana reflux disease had caused explosions and had died.

“It’s not a problem if the controlling wizard continues to carry the patient’s mana.”

And it was Edward’s specialty because mind-dominating wizards were particularly outstanding. Nikan urgently asked,

“My daughter, save my daughter Vivian!”

“It won’t take long, so let’s go to Princess Vivian together.”

The decision was quick and the action was even faster. The fact that mana reflux disease was a disease, which didn’t not have any premonitory symptoms and the day of death, made it so.

And…

“It is a success!”

The treatment was successful.

Vivian’s mana flowed like its original flow.

A wizard can read the flow of mana, so of course, Nikan could see it.

His eyes turned red. His daughter, who had always been sick, recovered from her illness.

Even if she were lucky, Vivian, who was expected to leave for heaven before reaching adulthood, became healthy.

(T/N: You sure about heaven?)

He held his daughter tightly in his arms. All the skepticism from yesterday evaporated.

Vivian, in Nikan’s arms, asked innocently,

“Daddy, is Vivi all better now?”

“Yes… You’re all better. Vivi is very healthy now.”

Vivian smiled lovingly.

“Hehe, good! Vivi is healthy!”

Nikan smiled softly and stroked her pink hair, which was as fine as flower petals.

This child will be the Empress.

‘As I thought, I don’t fail.’

“Vivi, Dad will go to the palace for work. I’ll buy a pretty teddy bear as a celebration for Vivi on my way back.”

“Wow! Daddy is the best!”

Nikan let go of his daughter from his arms and left Vivian’s room with Edward. This great discovery should be reported immediately to the Emperor.

He spoke first favorably to Edward, before offering him a carriage to the Imperial Palace with him.

“Thank you very much. You saved my daughter.”

“I just did what I had to do.”

Nikan had a high opinion of Edward’s not-so-business manner early on.

But Edward’s appearance of keeping his composure at such a moment increased his favorability.

‘Such a competent man deserves to be mine.’

As Nikan recalled some kind of plan, Edward briefly swept the ring under his glove with his fingers and spoke,

“What will you do with Miss Navia now?”

“Ah, Navia…”

Nikan had intended to engage Navia to Ares until just now. But it was originally Vivian’s seat, so it was total nonsense now.

‘Should I just kill her now?’

Wood hated her so much, so he thought it was unwise to keep Navia.

Then Edward suggested,

“Why don’t you send Miss Navia to Duke Eseled as a successor?”

Nikan looked up at the idea he had never thought of.

“Duke Agnes is the richest man in the Empire. But it is certainly a shame when it comes to power.”

Nikan clenched his teeth for a moment.

Agnes had enough money to hire many mercenaries, and they have also produced powerful water wizards for generations, but to the Duffman Imperial family, where they can draft soldiers, it was incomparable.

But even such a royal house faltered in front of Eseled.

That was the power of knowledge.

Magic could be strengthened through research.

Eseled used all kinds of knowledge to create a new level of power, which soon let to the cultivation of a powerful military group.

“There is no one who can follow Eseled in magic. It is said that they are 100 years ahead in the whole Empire.”

Deep jealously rose in Nikan’s eyes.

With the most powerful force among the three Duke’s, Eseled was the most dangerous place out of any family.

Edward lowered his voice.

“However, look at Eseled now. They’ve fallen.”

Eseled, who had been making brilliant achievements, began to falter at some point and was declining completely as a great family.

Still, it was undeniable that their troops were strong.

“Theorban Alvin, as you know, is acting as the head of House Eseled.”

The count in the Empire who was foolish enough to follow him.

“To think he takes the Head’s place… can’t you guess Eseled’s condition?”

“That’s true.”

“The other vassals in Eseled’s household have also lost a lot of influence.”

Edward informed him of the exact plan.

“If Miss Navia and Young Master Wood get married, you will naturally have the power of their family in your grasp.”

All of Edward’s whisperings were fascinating.

Nikan calculated quickly in his head.

‘It’s a good idea to keep Navia away until Wood’s condition is stable. When Wood is a little older, he will understand how useful Navia is.’

If it worked out like that, it would be perfect, but there remained a problem.

“That really is idealistic, but there are two problems.”

It was something Edward had already predicted.

“Yes, whether Eseled will accept this or not, and the risk that the Empress will take the same aim and strap in Miss Navia.”

“It’s not hard to send Navia to Eseled. If His Majesty offers to cover up the disloyalty that the Eseled House has committed, it will be difficult for them to reject.”

“You are right.”

“But if the royal family covets Navia. That’s definitely a problem.”

Edward smiled calmly and brought out Nikan’s true inner feelings.

“Do you really think that is a threat to Agnes?”

Nikan quietly closed his lips and drew a smile.

As Edward said, he didn’t think he would lose.

No, he couldn’t lose.

‘Since Navia is the chess piece I raised.’

And Edward could be his vassal managing Navia. It was already his win.

It’s not safe to be the king.

He took countless risks and won.

It would be like that again.

“Haha, really. I’m being terribly scolded for saying something I didn’t say.”

“That’s just how great Agnes is.”

Nikan smiled satisfactorily.

“Just in time. I had to go to the palace today, you should go with me. If I tell the Emperor of this great achievement, he will give you a title.”

Edward lowered his head slightly.

The treatment was not a happy tribute for him because it was Navia’s discovery, not his.

“If that happens, Sir Spencer, won’t you be a vassal of Agnes?”

It was a sudden promotion, so if it was not too long ago, he would have accepted it.

Edward couldn’t say he would.

Strangely, he hesitated.

Therefore, he showed humility for now.

“That seat is too much for me.”

“No, no. How could it be too good for someone like you? I’ll give you the best possible conditions, so think about it.”

“Thank you.”

At that time, a servant prepared a carriage so they could leave at anytime.

The servant made an additional report.

“Ah, and Lady Navia just woke up.”

Edward was not in a hurry, but he spoke quickly.

“Then I will check on Princess Navia’s condition before leaving for the Palace.”

Nikan quickly nodded when he understood that checking her condition was about brainwashing.

“Yes, do that.”

Edward headed to Navia’s bedroom under the guidance of a servant.

The ring on his index finger had already disappeared.