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Chapter 31

The Exchange was no exception.

The hall, which had been filled with people on the first day, had begun to empty.

In truth, this was only natural. Attending the Exchange took work.

For one’s dignity, they couldn’t wear similar clothes on two separate days, and their clothes obviously had to be flawless.

One also needed to be wary of the words they spoke because they couldn’t know how their words would be relayed.

This wasn’t an easy task. Supposedly, many noblewomen didn’t attend the second day because they were too exhausted from the first.

However, although her body was weak, Lucia succeeded in attending all four days of the Exchange.

There was an unfortunate reason for this.

It wasn’t as if she had enough clothes or jewelry to care about her dress, nor did she have a lengthy conversation with anyone at the Exchange.

Whenever she approached someone to speak with them, the conversation never lasted more than a minute.

“...Fuu.”

Lucia let out a deep sigh as she walked out to the garden.

Even though she’d moved diligently for the past four days, she hadn’t achieved any results.

Her primary goal for this Exchange was the grand masters, but they were barely available.

The one Luan liked, the Instructor of Swords and Blades, was nowhere to be seen, and although the Instructor of Laws and the Instructor of Arts were present...

They tried their best to ignore Lucia.

Especially the Instructor of Laws, they looked displeased that Lucia had even tried to initiate a conversation. She felt humiliated.

As she spaced out while breathing out into the cold air, a deep voice spoke to her from her right.

“The day is cold. Let us go inside for today.”

“...”

His white hair and mustache accompanied by wrinkles signified his long life, but they were contrasted by his healthy body.

When Kayan was standing next to her, she felt as if she was being guarded by an old retired knight.

“Sir, have I told you how thankful I am?”

“Multiple times.”

“And I will say it again. Thank you.”

At that, Kayan gave a small bow with a slightly awkward expression.

Seeing this, Lucia stopped talking.

The Collector of Blood and Iron, Kayan.

No, a former

collector at this point, but regardless...

It was shockingly unbelievable that she was receiving help from such a man.

So unbelievable, in fact, that on the first day of the Exchange, all the tables had been talking about this. At first, Lucia had thought that Kayan had misunderstood something and made a mistake.

But that wasn’t the case.

When she’d asked him for his reason...

He’d said he was doing this to get on Luan’s good side.

Hearing that was so shocking that it had made her heart drop.

Had something happened since she’d left the mansion?

If the Council of Elders saw no future in Luan and ordered a collection...

Then Luan, who was at the mansion right now...

But Kayan firmly dispersed Lucia’s rampant imagination.

“You don’t have to worry about anything, Mistress.”

Although he wouldn’t tell her more than that, he had told her something else.

—Luan is currently on his way to the mansion.

On the order of the Lord of Blood and Iron at that, and for the Second Blessing Ceremony!

Lucia couldn’t help but be overjoyed.

Did the family head perhaps change his mind about that child?

She couldn’t know.

Although she believed herself to be a good judge of character, even she couldn’t fully understand the Lord of Blood and Iron.

Not even after having his child.

However, there was one thing she was sure of.

The Bednicker family head, the Lord of Blood and Iron completely ignored anyone who didn’t interest him even a little bit.

If that man had personally called for Luan to come and attend the Second Blessing Ceremony...

It at least meant he had some interest in the boy, and that meant the worst-case scenario had been avoided.

Lucia’s mood lightened as she thought about how she would be able to see her son for the first time in a while, and at the main house at that.

Although she hadn’t been able to accomplish the small goal she had set for herself for the Exchange, Lucia didn’t feel too down.

Rather than hold the attention of some random rabble, it was more important for her son to be recognized by his father.

Well, that was the case...

“...”

But a day passed, and then another day.

Lucia let out a sigh as she turned to ask Kayan, who stayed by her side even when they were not attending the Exchange.

“How long does it take for someone to get to the Bednicker main house from the mountain range?”

“About a week.”

“...A week,” Lucia mumbled to herself.

“You said it’s been about fifteen days since the Fang Knight Order left the main house.”

“That is correct.”

If that was the case, Luan was late.

Kayan looked at Lucia’s worried expression.

“Please do not worry too much. As the Gem Mountains are one of the forbidden areas of The Empire, it is only natural that they would move quite carefully.”

“...”

“Naturally, the knights who went are experts. If they are taking a longer path, it just means that it must be safer.”

She understood what Kayan was telling her.

Even so, she still found herself feeling uneasy.

The Second Blessing Ceremony would be on the 31st of the 12th month, the last day of the year.

Preparation was a concern as well. He would need to arrive at the main house at least a day—preferably two—before the ceremony.

If he could not, he would miss a heavenly opportunity, and the family would shun him even further.

No matter the reason, it would just be excuses at that point.

Today is the 26th of the 12th month.

If Luan couldn’t get here within four days, his right to attend the Blessing Ceremony would be passed to the next in line.

...No.

In truth, the Blessing Ceremony wasn’t the real problem.

Although her son would not be accepted, there would be no problem in him living his life even if he didn’t receive the blessing.

Luan, you’re safe, right?

Lucia only wished for her son’s safety.

* * * * *

* * * * *

The main house of Bednicker.

Among the many guest rooms, one was particularly dark.

Although it was the middle of the day, the curtains were closed and the room was spookier than one would expect.

“You will be attending this Blessing Ceremony.”

House Garcia.

One of the branch families of House Bednicker.

It was the family head of this house, Reagan, who was speaking.

“There is a chance that, through this opportunity, you may receive the Bednicker name.”

Although an event like a branch family member receiving the name of the main family was normally rare, it was a different story in Bednicker.

This house was completely meritocratic.

Nothing was impossible if one could prove their skill.

However, while listening to his father’s words, Hariba Garcia couldn’t help but question something.

“Doesn’t the last position in this Blessing Ceremony belong to Luan Bednicker?”

Although it hadn’t been officially announced, word had already spread throughout the mansion.

“It was yours to begin with,” Reagan said with a stern voice.

He wasn’t wrong.

The person who had originally been set to receive the last position in this Blessing Ceremony was the eldest son of House Garcia, Hariba.

However, that decision had been quickly reversed with just one word from the only person who could do so—the Lord of Blood and Iron.

The sole person above the House Laws of Bednicker was the Lord of Blood and Iron.

However, for the first time in a while, this order had caused an unpleasant rumor to go around about the family head.

They said that the Lord of Blood and Iron’s obsession with his bloodline had evolved into something undesirable.

After all, Luan Bednicker was a useless person who couldn’t receive a single blessing.

Just hearing of Luan’s misdeeds would make anyone shiver with disgust.

In the end, he became a madman who even sold the sword of the house.

But giving such a failure another chance?

Although none would come out and openly complain about it, no one could understand the family head’s decision.

“And Luan Bednicker will not be able to arrive at the main house in time for the ceremony,” Reagan said as he brushed his mustache.

“Did you arrange some kind of guarantee?”

“Not quite. There is no way to fool the eyes of the Lord of Blood and Iron in this house... I just heard rumors about a plan.”

Hariba became silent.

Reagan was an opportunist.

One of the traits of an opportunist was that no matter how foolproof a plan was, they could never be relaxed with just one plan.

More than that, they could be exceedingly cruel and brutal if the opportunity required it.

Hariban knew this about Reagan.

But “knowing” wasn’t the end of it.

“It seems lacking.”

Hariba possessed an even more brutal outlook than his father.

“What is?”

“The ‘guarantee’ that he won’t arrive before the promised date. That is too lacking.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“We need to make it certain. Even if Luan is somehow alive or arrives at the main house on time, we need to create a situation where he cannot attend the ceremony.”

Reagan silently looked into his son’s eyes.

“How.”

“Isn’t Luan Bednicker’s birth mother in the main house right now?”

“She is.”

“Let’s kill her.”