"I need to go to Goldenheim right away."
"You mean now?"
"Yes."
[You've been possessed by a demon.]
The reply from the Duke of Goldenheim was brief and concise. But that made it all the more intense.
Enough to make Gerhard unable to bear not doing something immediately.
"The entrance ceremony you've been waiting for is in two days. Didn't you say you wanted to attend and observe the new students personally?"
"Listen carefully, Hyde. There is a time for everything."
When to buy and sell things, when to earn money and when to spend it. Everything was about timing.
The brief reply. From it, Gerhard could guess.
"If I miss this opportunity, Father might excommunicate me."
"Surely not to that extent..."
The servant who was shaking his head stopped mid-sentence.
"...Come to think of it, it was excessive overstepping. It was essentially in direct opposition to His Grace's wishes."
It could have been dismissed as just a foolish son's overreach. Regardless of what others said, the Goldenheim family had that level of authority.
But it was clear that in the process, the reputation and trustworthiness of Goldenheim would be tarnished.
For a merchant, the breaking of trust was more fatal than anything.
"Honestly, I also didn't expect you to make such a sudden decision unless something had possessed you."
Something did possess him. The fact that it was a prophecy book rather than a demon or evil spirit was the only difference.
"But didn't you make that choice because you had some intention? If you explain that part well to the Duke, wouldn't he understand?"
"..."
He couldn't talk about that part.
What would they say if he said he had obtained a prophecy book?
'At first, he would express curiosity and ask me to bring the prophecy book.'
The Duke of Goldenheim was an open-minded person who was ready to accept anything if it could make money.
However, that required concrete evidence and verification.
'If I say it's in my head, he'll say a merchant has fallen into empty delusions and is trying to ruin the family.'
Of course, he would try to verify it, believing in the slightest possibility.
But the prophecies in Gerhard's head were mostly about Aint Armian and events within the academy, and that alone was far from enough to convince the Duke of Goldenheim.
'The only thing mentioned outside the academy was...'
Gerhard bit his lip.
Content that was mentioned almost in passing. Fortunately, this was a future related to money.
'I have no choice but to gamble.'
That's what investment was all about.
Although investments were made through thorough investigation and verification, nothing in this world was 100% absolute.
It might be wrapped in the nice word "investment," but if you peeled back its essence, it was just a kind of gambling with a slightly higher probability.
"I've thought of a good method."
"May I ask what it is?"
"The pufferfish strategy."
"If it's the pufferfish strategy..."
The pufferfish was a general term for fish of the pufferfish order, and it was a creature with quite deadly poison that inflated its body by swallowing air or water when in danger.
"Are you going to assassinate the Duke with poison? That's crazy..."
"How did you arrive at that conclusion?"
"If not that, then..."
The servant hesitated for a moment.
"Are you going to blackmail the Duke?"
"It's not blackmail."
"Then what?"
"Anyway, it's not that. Just prepare a ship."
Gerhard deliberately avoided the servant's gaze.
***
"The young master has arrived."
"Bring him in immediately."
"Yes."
The butler left.
Scratch, scratch, the hand of the man signing documents stopped. When he turned his head to look out the window, he saw his son getting out of the carriage.
"He looks normal. I thought he might have gone crazy from taking some drug."
That would have been more problematic. It would mean he tried to ruin the family with a clear mind.
"Possessed by a demon, possessed by a demon. It must be a demon killed by the first emperor returning."
Otherwise, there's no way a normal person would behave that way.
Knock knock-
"Your Grace. I've brought Young Master Gerhard."
The butler opened the door while he was briefly lost in thought.
His son, whom he hadn't seen for almost a month, slowly entered. He didn't appear particularly tense. Rather than seeming possessed by a demon, he looked like he had something to rely on.
The butler closed the door and stood at attention.
"I've come because I have something to tell you, Father."
"Explain."
He muttered quietly, still keeping his head buried in the documents.
"All the nobles of the empire know. That if the Border Marquis falls, the northern part of the empire will collapse. Support is still continuing, and Berchef is being rebuilt."
What once felt like pouring water into a bottomless jar was now a thing of the past. The Berchef family was gradually showing progress, and what they needed now was time. That was all.
"To prevent them from having that time, I slightly hindered the empire's support and made Berchef borrow money from us."
The interest was a means to delay Berchef's reconstruction and eventually make them unable to repay the principal. Once it ripened sufficiently, he planned to demand arcane swordsmanship in exchange for the debt.
But his son had overturned that.
"It was the first and last opportunity."
Considering the resilience of Berchef, it was clear that such an opportunity would never come again unless the world ended.
"Why did you do it?"
"I decided to make a better investment."
"What could be better than the arcane swordsmanship of a marquis family that has protected the northern empire for a thousand years?"
"...I cannot tell you that."
"...Gerhard."
The Duke's hand stopped. His brow twitched at the childish, demanding tone.
"This is not a request with kind words. Right now, you're not the eldest son but a criminal, a rogue trying to ruin the family's fortune."
"It will return as a greater profit."
"Can you be confident of that?"
"I can be confident."
But seeing the unwavering gaze, he slightly changed his thoughts.
He knew his son better than anyone. He wasn't the type to act recklessly, and if he did act recklessly, there was a valid reason.
That's how the Duke was, and that's how he had raised his son.
He realized that his son was hiding something.
"Then I'll ask again. What is the source of your confidence? What have you invested in, and what is the source of the faith that made you invest?"
"...I still cannot answer that."
"This is exasperating. I never raised you to be this stubborn."
What could it be? The Duke heightened his aura to pressure him, trying to see inside. He could see his son swallowing a groan.
"Did you really fall for Luina Berchef?"
He casually threw out bait.
"No. I'm not foolish enough to waste money because I'm blinded by love."
"Then why can't you give me a reason for doing such a thing?"
"The Arus Mountains."
"The Arus Mountains?"
"In the west of the Arus Mountains, in the territory of Viscount Donetz, there is an undiscovered magic stone mine. It's quite large in scale, and in the long term, it should be able to cover the losses from the Berchef family to some extent."
"A magic stone mine?"
Magic stones were minerals containing mana, one of the most valued among all minerals. Naturally, they were worth money. A lot of money.
If that statement was true, it was good news. But it wasn't easy to believe.
"You discovered something that even Viscount Donetz couldn't find?"
"You know. I have a personal information network that I operate."
"I don't think it's superior to the family's. Isn't it just child's play at best?"
"Children naturally play by digging in the ground. Thanks to that, they sometimes luckily find buried coins."
His son shrugged. That nonchalant attitude was quite merchant-like.
"Currently, the Donetz Merchant Company, directly operated by Viscount Donetz, has suffered a shipwreck due to a typhoon, and their financial situation is not good. If we exploit that aspect, there's enough room for involvement."
"Are you telling me to stop asking questions and just take it for what it's worth?"
"That's not it..."
"A magic stone mine."
Though his tone was sharp, he was quite satisfied. A trade. It was only right to respond in kind when approached with a merchant's method.
"If what you say is true, it can somewhat make up for the damage you've caused. For now, I'll check if what you say is correct."
"Thank you."
"Since it's a matter that takes time, return to the academy for now and focus on your studies. I'll call you again when the results are in."
"Yes."
"Ah, it's late, so stay overnight today. Let's have dinner together a little later."
"Yes, Father."
His son bowed his head and left. The Duke asked the butler.
"What do you think?"
"Trying to make a deal with you, Your Grace. He has become a proper merchant."
"Have you ever heard rumors about a magic stone mine in the Arus Mountains?"
"No."
"Something that even the Black Turtle couldn't detect, Gerhard knew about?"
This was the decisive reason why the Duke accepted Gerhard's bold proposal.
Despite the extensive intelligence network of the Goldenheim ducal family throughout the empire and even the entire continent, they had never heard of a magic stone mine in the Arus Mountains.
"Indeed... it is unexpected."
"He's not the type to tell an easily exposed lie just to avoid the immediate situation."
"Yes. The young master is certainly not such a person."
"Find out everything about the Golden Pillar as well."
The Golden Pillar was Gerhard Goldenheim's personal information organization that he had started building since childhood.
He thought he knew everything about it, but apparently not.
"I'm pleased with Gerhard but somewhat disappointed in you."
"I apologize. I will reorganize the network."
"Do that. But first, send someone to the Donetz Viscount's territory to check the Arus Mountains area. They must not be detected by the viscount's people."
"Yes."
The butler bowed deeply.
"And find out about Luina Berchef. In detail, how she seduced Gerhard, that wooden block of a boy."
"Are you saying the young master is in love with Luina Berchef?"
"He's the type who won't invest without a valid reason, and if there is a valid reason, there's no reason he wouldn't tell me."
The fact that he made an investment but couldn't explain why meant his attention was diverted elsewhere.
Instead of confessing the truth, he brought up a trade because he was ashamed of himself, and because there was another secret he couldn't reveal.
It wasn't like his son to reveal a magic stone vein just because of embarrassment.
"Young love is reason enough. Looking back, it might not seem like much, but at that time, it feels like the whole world."
"Yes."
"On your way out, call Hyde. I have something to ask him."
Hyde was Gerhard's servant and close aide who served him at his side.
The butler left. The Duke twirled his pen.
"Gerhard has always been obsessed with minerals, knowing they can make big money."
Although he scolded the butler, he didn't think the Black Turtle was at fault.
The continent was vast, and buried veins were numerous. Finding mineral veins was not easy, so even the Black Turtle couldn't identify all of them.
However, his principle was that an organization needed to be kept on edge at every opportunity to be worth its price.
"If he's built an organization that exceeds expectations specifically for mineral veins and stones..."
The Duke's lips twisted at his son's development, which was better than expected.
"As you wish, I won't ask about the secret you're hiding. At least not right now."
That was the deal. If the reward was certain, there was no reason not to let it slide.
Underlying this was the fundamental belief that Gerhard wouldn't harm the family.
"What could it be? What was it that someone who loves money more than I do had to choose instead of money?"
Love likely played a significant role, but that wouldn't be all.
"This is something I must find out as well."
He said he wouldn't ask, but he never said he wouldn't find out himself.
***
"...So it went well for now?"
Gerhard, who had escaped from the Duke's office, let out a sigh of relief.
"The mine is real. Father will eventually accept my deal."
The Duke of Goldenheim was an efficient person. He was not someone who would refuse a pile of money lying in front of him.
"So I've put out the immediate fire..."
It felt like ten years had been shaved off his life.
"Father will surely investigate the Golden Pillar as well."
He probably already knows everything, but this incident will make him wonder if there's an aspect he doesn't know about.
"If I'm going to be discovered, I should at least delay it as much as possible by pretending there's something."
I need to send everything away except the minimum within the academy.
Pretend to be doing various things across the continent.
In the meantime, recall as much of the prophecy book's content as possible and throw out different baits.
'I'll think about family matters gradually, but for now, Aint takes priority. When the semester starts, an important event will occur.'
Gerhard clutched his head and tried to recall the prophecy book.
["Winner! Aint Armian!"
The judge, after checking the condition of the fallen student, raised the flag to end the match.
At his declaration, the spectators roared.
"Aint won!"
"Aint defeated Anto Denern!"]
The part where Aint Armian begins to stand out in earnest.
"I should check this in person."
Hearing rumors after the fact or following behind would be completely different from witnessing it with my own eyes.