Chapter 49
From behind, the sound of Emil sharply drawing in his breath could be heard.
3,000 gold.
That was six times the usual price of a magic stone, which had always been 500.
But unlike the astonished Emil, Denok and Kyle had eyes only for each other.
“A magic stone can only hold one spell per stone. And even then, if you want to contain higher-grade magic, you need the finest stones.”
Denok nodded, agreeing.
That was why the use of magic stones had always been simple.
In a grand estate, a low-grade stone might be used to produce light instead of a lamp.
Stones of higher grade would be attached to weapons or magical tools for battle.
And those alone were expensive enough to be called priceless.
Kyle unstrapped the shield slung across his back and brought it forward.
“Your Highness. Allow me to show you something curious. Would you strike this shield with your sword?”
“……”
Both Emil, peering curiously from behind, and Vernon, quietly standing off to the side, could not hide their momentary confusion.
Strike it with a sword? Out of nowhere?
But Denok didn’t hesitate. At once, he rose from his seat and borrowed a sword from a knight who had been standing guard with Gerald.
As Denok approached, Kyle tightened his grip on the shield and extended his arm.
“Please—strike it with all your strength!”
Denok set his stance, raising the sword high.
The sharp, straight blade descended toward the shield.
And in that instant, the shield vibrated so minutely that it was almost invisible.
Then—
Wuuuuum!
Clang!
The sword suddenly lost its direction and bounced away. Denok bent his knees halfway to absorb the impact. The sword nearly slipped from his grip, and he had to forcefully hold it down.
The jolt—like a blade being deflected—shot up through his fingertips. His elbow tingled from the force, and his eyes narrowed.
“This… it uses vibration.”
He muttered low, only for laughter to burst out in reply.
“Hah! As expected, you recognized it instantly. My life’s masterpiece—the Echo Shield.”
Kyle stroked the shield with reverence before slinging it naturally back across his shoulders. His broad frame seemed even more imposing.
“I engraved a vibration spell into a low-grade magic stone and fused it with this shield. As you felt just now, power is extremely delicate. With just the slightest imbalance, force veers off course.”
Denok flexed his stinging hand.
“Indeed. It nearly forced my strike off in an uncontrollable direction.”
“Exactly. It doesn’t merely reflect impact—it distorts the opponent’s stance by redirecting the rebound. And in battle… one slip is enough to cost a life.”
Which meant—
“For the one holding the shield, it saves their life.”
Kyle smiled, squinting at the memory.
“It has saved mine many times. This fellow here.”
Denok studied him in silence for a while before nodding slowly.
Yes, this was indeed a treasure worth coveting.
Kyle chuckled as if remembering something.
“Of course, crafting this isn’t cheap. I nearly bankrupted myself just making this one.”
“You said… 3,000 gold?”
Denok asked directly.
Kyle didn’t answer with words, only smiled and nodded.
At that, Denok turned back to the desk. He lifted the blank cheque he had displayed earlier in front of everyone.
‘3000G’
The quill scratched swiftly across the paper. Below it, a concise signature. A final period punctuated the end, and Denok lifted his pen, holding the cheque out toward Kyle.
“The formal contract will be drawn up after the trial ends. Until then, this will hold.”
“Truly magnificent of you!”
Kyle grinned and clasped Denok’s hand. The two exchanged a firm handshake.
Perhaps it was because both men had such large builds, but the sight of them together looked strangely fitting.
One like a tiger… The other like a black panther…
Emil gazed at them in a daze, that thought flashing in his mind.
And then—
“Well then… Emil! You’re the only one left! Hah!”
Startled, Emil snapped upright at Kyle’s booming call.
“Ah, yes!”
His voice rang loud, but the tremor in his eyes and the stiffness of his fingers betrayed nerves he could not conceal.
No. Don’t shake.
He remembered the quiet conversation with Chelsea the night before.
“Emil, what kind of aide do you want to become for him? Just show your genuine heart. That’s enough.”
Taking one deep breath, he let it out slowly as he stepped forward. Hesitant, yes—but not stopping.
Standing before Denok, Emil carefully presented the magic stone in his hand.
The faintly warm blue gem—warmed by his own heat—was held up into Denok’s view.
“Your Highness.”
His voice was small but resolute.
Emil supported the stone with both hands, meeting Denok’s eyes with unwavering determination.
And he made his offer.
“If you purchase this magic stone… you will have me as well.”
In the most unusual of ways.
“……”
“……”
The air in the room seemed to ripple.
The heavy tension born of Denok and Kyle’s clash melted away in an instant.
Kyle drew in a sharp breath, slapping his hand over his mouth, though the twitching corners of his lips betrayed him.
Even Vernon, usually expressionless in the corner, lifted his head in surprise to stare at Emil in disbelief.
Denok alone watched him without expression.
Though Emil sensed the atmosphere going oddly astray, he pressed on, firmly.
“I thought about what sort of aide Your Highness might need.”
He recalled yesterday in the portrait hall, when Lucien had clicked his tongue at him. He had seen, firsthand, how others viewed the Luciano family.
And he remembered, too, that in the fire some time ago, even the family’s long-serving aide had perished.
If I were the one living in this house now…
He had thought about it.
Mocked and belittled from the outside, while within the household there was no one truly trustworthy.
What such a person would need was someone truly theirs. Above all else, loyal—someone who placed their master before all else.
“What Your Highness requires is a faithful aide. And a person’s heart—its value cannot be measured in gold.”
Denok’s gaze shifted faintly, touched with something different.
“If Your Highness chooses to purchase this stone, then in return, I shall give you my loyalty.”
Emil spoke with grave conviction, then bent one knee before Denok, raising the hand that held the stone.
As if offering up his very heart.
“And for that… the price will be for Your Highness to decide.”
That night.
“…He really said that?”
I covered my lips with my hand as Denok told me the story.
It wasn’t so much trying to stifle laughter as it was sheer astonishment.
Because—well—finding someone so pure and loyal was no easy task.
I hugged the bedding gently, eyes flickering with rising curiosity.
Hearing it like this, I couldn’t help but wonder.
“…So then?”
I lifted my gaze toward him.
The room was dim, lit only by soft lamplight. Shadows draped across Denok’s face.
At my question, he slowly turned to meet my eyes.
“What price did you set?”
After all—between the two, who had received the greater value?
