Chapter 77
“Ugh… ugh…”
In the deep shadow beneath the massive body of the monster, a grown man was bent over, sobbing uncontrollably.
Was it because he was sad? No.
Was it because he was scared? No.
“I… I did it… sob… Father, I, I succeeded.”
Though his pronunciation cracked with sobs, Count Vitora’s face was lit with ecstatic joy.
“What’s going on? Why is he like that?”
Flora, wondering if he had gone mad from fear, looked puzzled. But Janet quickly explained why he was acting that way.
“Master, the author is holding a Shalia fruit extract. It seems the monster is not attacking after sensing it.”
“Oh?”
As Janet carefully landed on the ground, Flora immediately jumped down as well. Then, in her slightly awkward but earnest state, she ran toward Count Vitora, who was still lost in his ecstatic delight.
“Gasp… Your Highness?”
Startled by Flora’s sudden appearance from the darkness, Count Vitora fell backward in surprise.
At the same time, the orb he had been holding slipped from his hands and rolled to the ground.
Craaaack!
As the orb rolled away, the strange aura vanished, and the monster lunged at Count Vitora again.
“Ahhh!”
Startled, Count Vitora scrambled to his feet and instinctively pulled Flora close into his arms.
He braced for the pain he expected, eyes tightly shut, yet even after a long moment, the agonizing tearing pain he had imagined never came.
“Count, what’s wrong?”
“Huh? Well… obviously the monster attacked… but… huh? Where did it go?”
Though Janet had already scattered magic to drive it away, Count Vitora scratched his head in bewilderment.
Relief washed over his face, leaving him looking rather dazed—but not in an unpleasant way.
“You fool.”
Just moments ago, he had been kidnapped by strange creatures, abandoned among monsters, and faced mortal danger—but instead of worrying about his own life, he extended his concern to others.
‘Doesn’t even realize how much trouble he’s in.’
Even trembling in fear, his instinctive act of shielding Flora revealed his character.
‘Still, it was worth coming to find him.’
Not only did he confirm that he hadn’t betrayed or run away, but he also saved a useful subordinate’s life. The monster incident, triggered in a fit of nocturnal rage, had turned out to be a profitable endeavor.
“Your Highness! I succeeded! I crystallized the Shaloa extract into this orb, and the monster sensed it and didn’t attack! It seemed completely averse to approaching!”
“Really?”
“Yes! This could greatly aid our business! If you let me handle its commercialization, I will devote myself completely! I swear loyalty!”
“Do you think I’d hand it over to someone else?”
Despite being told not to speak foolishly, Count Vitora chuckled happily.
Then, noticing something strange, his smile abruptly faded.
“But… Your Highness, why are you here?”
“Well… I came to rescue the count who was about to be kidnapped.”
“Alone?”
Count Vitora looked around in panic. His expression showed disbelief, yet sadly, she really had come alone.
“I came with my bird.”
“A bird?”
Barely had the words left her mouth when Janet, hovering above, descended swiftly and landed gently in front of Flora.
“…Your Highness, you have another companion bird?”
“I only tell the count, but my companion bird is special.”
Flora lightly tapped Janet’s head, and the massive hawk shimmered briefly before shrinking down.
As Janet returned to her original form, a small white and gray sparrow, the count’s eyes widened.
“Ah… no?”
“Unique, right? Only the count should know.”
“Is… is it a monster?”
At those words, the sparrow’s cute little face scrunched up. Being compared to a great demon as a mere monster was understandably offensive.
Janet flapped its wings fiercely, swooped upward, and quickly pecked at the forehead of the dazed Count Vitora.
“Ouch, ouch… sorry, sorry! I… it was blasphemy! Forgive me!”
Satisfied after pecking the count’s forehead, Janet flew back to Flora and perched on the child’s shoulder.
“It’s not a monster. It’s just a special bird. Like me.”
“Oh, I understand now.”
Though she had explained lazily, he seemed to grasp it well.
“This one’s name is Janet. She found the count.”
“Indeed? Truly a special bird.”
Seeing his unhesitant comment, Flora squinted suspiciously, thinking he might be joking, but his expression was serious.
“The count didn’t show up at the meeting place, so I came to fetch him.”
“Oh… that was unavoidable for me as well.”
“Starting with excuses is not a good habit, you know?”
“My apologies.”
“Good.”
Flora made it clear that apologies should come before excuses, and Count Vitora obeyed perfectly.
Flora folded her arms and smiled satisfactorily, then shook her head realizing this wasn’t the main point.
“Anyway… what happened?”
“Actually…”
Count Vitora let out a deep sigh and recounted everything that had happened to him.
The suspicious Marquess Slrode he met on his way to see Flora, the suddenly friendly but suspicious Marquess, the despicable Marquess who drugged and kidnapped him…
After the long story about Marquess Slrode, came the spectacular escape tale.
Three assassins in suspicious attire tried to kill him, he ran with all his strength, a monster appeared, and he barely escaped—a tale so tear-inducing it could not be heard without emotion.
And thanks to the self-defense sample made from the Shaloa fruit, he had survived.
After recounting a half-day’s long ordeal, tears welled up in Count Vitora’s eyes again.
“After saying all this, I really feel that I survived.”
“Mm, you did well, very well.”
‘Praise must be given generously.’
Unlike Lucifer, Isaac, or even Flora herself, Count Vitora was weak and could not protect himself. Until Flora arrived, he had endured, so praise was deserved.
Flora continued to gently stroke the still-sitting count’s head with her small hands.
“So, all this was caused by Marquess Slrode?”
“I believe so.”
Though she did not wish to humiliate the North’s top vassal, considering what he endured, reporting the marquess was the right thing.
“Someone greedy for power wouldn’t want to see Lucipher’s affairs improve. He’s a despicable old man—perhaps this is the time to remove him.”
“And seat him in that position?”
“You’re brilliant.”
Now, his flattery toward Flora was very natural.
Though praising her intelligence didn’t have a major effect, this incident allowed her to establish the count firmly within her sphere of influence.
“I’ll consider it.”
“Thank you. I swear my life in loyalty.”
“Loyalty starts with your head first.”
“…My head?”
Confused by her words, he grabbed his neck with a pitiful expression.
“Are you going to abandon me the moment I offer it?”
“Don’t think foolishly. This could be commercialized, right?”
“Ah!”
Showing him the orb made from the Shalia fruit that Janet had retrieved, he nodded confidently.
‘Then the contest should be fine. Now I just have to deal with Marquess Slrode.’
How dare the North’s top vassal think to collaborate with a Southern duke? He would not be allowed to get away with it.
‘I need to set an example.’
The descendants of those cursed heroes, the duke families who discriminated against Lucipher, and even Duke Desimo, who tried to steal her business idea—all were problems. But the marquess, who had been swayed, was the root cause.
‘If I handle this correctly, there won’t be a repeat next time.’
No matter how much she disliked Lucipher or resented his success, he had done something unforgivable and must be punished.
‘By now, the marquess is probably celebrating thinking the count is dead.’
Wait. Thinking about it, if it weren’t for Marquess Slrode, none of this nighttime ordeal would have happened.
There would have been no reason for rage, no need to unleash Northern monsters, and no need for Northern knights, her father, and brother to rush out at night.
Of course, Flora caused the monsters to rampage, but the true source of anger was Marquess Slrode.
Flora concluded she bore no fault.
‘If someone ruins a cake just before it’s done, who wouldn’t be angry?’
The punishment should let him experience what it feels like for a plan to fall apart just before success.
“No one is more pathetic than one caught off guard. Count, act a little for me.”
Flora smiled.
Though she looked like a sweet young girl, there was an odd chill in her expression.
Count Vitora, quietly observing, resolved never to provoke her when she smiled like that, brushing the goosebumps from his arms.
“Yes! I will do anything within my power!”
Of course, he did not forget to maintain the professional composure of not showing it outwardly.
He was well-suited to being Flora’s subordinate.
