The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Chapter 98 Episode 98: Wherever the Attention Blows (VIII)

“By the way, you think Viscount Diaclen is aware of you?”

[I think so.]

Eristella nodded as she recalled what had happened yesterday.

[I’m not sure if he noticed my true identity. But it was clear that he was conscious of me.]

“Then at least, it’s not impossible. Viscount Diaclen… He definitely bothers me.”

Externally, Viscount Diaclen was a young businessman.

There was no information anywhere if he was a wizard.

“You should keep in mind the possibility that he is hiding the fact that he is a wizard.”

You could see many benefits just from the very fact that you were a wizard.

Therefore, it was very rare for one to hide it.

Still, that was not to say there hadn’t been a single case like that so far.

“And there are parts that make it hard to think that the business of Viscount Diaclen is being done by someone who has no knowledge of magic.”

There were two reasons why Heinricion cared about Viscount Diaclen.

The first was because Eristella was concerned about him.

The second was because of his business.

“Is there anything strange about it?”

Eristella did not know much about Viscount Diaclen’s business.

“I’m looking into Viscount Diaclen’s business, but it’s not easy because the security is so tight.”

Whether he was really involved in black magic or not, it was a new business using a novel technology. Thus, it was natural to ensure that information was not leaked out so that no competitors would be created.

“How is Viscount Diaclen, whom you met separately?”

“He’s definitely out of the ordinary.”

Heinricion could feel the composure and experience that came from age from Viscount Diaclen, as if he had already experienced everything.

And it was the same as what Eristella felt from Declen.

The Grand Duchy of Adelasia had long been a family that produced wizards.

Applied magic items were the main business of the grand duchy. They constantly researched so that ordinary people could enjoy the convenience of magic.

However, Viscount Diaclen’s business overlapped with that of the Grand Duchy of Adelasia.

—New and mysterious items that had never been seen before, which ordinary people could also use.

At the last donation event, Viscount Diaclen showed a cherry blossom glass sphere and fascinated people, and since then, many similar items have appeared.

By putting out ornamental objects that were just beautiful without practicality, it stimulated people to pour money.

It was still unknown where and how it was made.

However, unless magic was the basic ingredient, it seemed impossible no matter how one looked at it.

“It doesn’t matter as long as it’s made the right way.”

It wasn’t that Heinricion was bothered by Viscount Diaclen getting in the way of his business and becoming a competitor.

In the long history of the Grand Duchy of Adelasia, it was not something that had merely happened once or twice.

Rather, there were countless similar instances.

Still, up to this day, the Grand Duchy of Adelasia was in a unique position for a good reason.

Until now, most businesses that had even briefly competed with the Grand Duchy of Adelasia had exploited young wizards for research.

Each time, the empire was overturned, and multiple new laws were created in the name of protecting wizards who were helpful to national power.

“In addition, we have to consider a worse and more dangerous possibility.”

Black magic.

What if the viscount’s objects were created using black magic?

Prolonged usage of objects with black magic could negatively affect people.

“In that case, we have to retrieve everything. It’s too dangerous.”

They had to check if it was true.

*******

The next day, Heinricion and Eristella (in the form of a fox) went out into the streets and wandered through the shops.

To check how many places the Diaclen family’s products were currently sold and what the atmosphere was like.

However, they couldn’t tell for sure just by looking around.

They needed advice from someone with knowledge and experience.

And that was Charlotte, who knew best about what was trending.

[Doesn’t Charlotte have a performance today?]

“You want to go to the theater?”

The opera house was not far away.

Coincidentally, Charlotte was preparing for the performance.

Her eyebrows went up in surprise as Heinricion and Eristella entered the waiting room. She had been warming up her voice.

“You couldn’t have come because of how much you missed me. What happened?”

‘Haha. You saw through us.’

Eristella scratched her ear with her back foot. Making excuses would never work.

[I want to ask you about this item that’s trending these days.]

She asked Charlotte about the general public’s reaction to the glass sphere which contained flowers. Charlotte, who checked the item, nodding meaninglessly and said,

“I know it well. There are more people who have one these days than people who don’t have one.”

[Do you have it too?]

“I don’t have one.”

[Why?]

“I do not have any interest in the things everyone has.”

Eristella laughed at Charlotte’s straightforward answer, wondering if she should call this a relief.

[I’m looking into this stuff.]

“Any problem?”

[I need to make sure this item has nothing to do with magic. There are more types than I thought, so I want to ask you if you know anyone who can make contact with them.]

Charlotte pondered for a while before asking,

“Are you only looking at what nobles usually buy?”

“What do you mean?”

“Among the nobles, luxury items are in vogue. But that’s not all of the things distributed by the Viscount Diaclen.”

This point was not even in Rowen’s report.

“Things used by commoners will often be left out of the investigation.”

Charlotte continued speaking with a knowing expression.

“Some items from Viscount Diaclen are used by the commoners, not nobles. Rather, it’s more popular among them.”

No way.

Items with magic were always rare, so the class of use was clear.

This was how the commoners were overlooked.

Charlotte told Eristella and Heinricion a few of the things that the commoners often purchased.

“An item that makes laundry easier as it produces bubbles just by putting it in the water, and a device like an alarm that goes off at a fixed time. These are the things that people who are always pressed for time need.”

“But there must be a price. For the commoners to buy it just because they need it…?”

“It’s different from selling to aristocrats, so it’s at a very reasonable price. A lot of people are using it because of that.”

It was only natural that people were looking for it. Why have they completely missed this…

“Where are those things sold?”

“Every store sells them. It would be rather difficult to find a place that doesn’t sell it.”

Charlotte easily answered Heinricion’s question.

Heinricion and Eristella hurriedly rose from their seats.

“Considering that you’ve come this far, I wish you could watch the performance, but I think it will be difficult. Please come see me next time.”

“I am sorry for today.”

[I will definitely watch you next time.]

Charlotte left first, heading for the stage. Following this, when Eristella and Heinricion were about to leave…

Eristella noticed something lying at where Charlotte had been sitting.

‘The Hero’s Savior…? It’s a title I’ve never seen before, but it looks like a premiere.’

‘Perhaps it’s one of Charlotte’s gigs.’

While making a mental note that she must come see Charlotte next time, Eristella hastened her steps.

And after checking, it was as Charlotte said. The daily necessities that the commoners were the main customers of differed from the luxury items of the nobles in the scale of sales.

*******

In an instant, Heinricion and Eristella collected all the items distributed by Viscount Diaclen by type.

And they began to investigate whether black magic was mixed in or not.

It was not an easy task because it required sharp senses and power, but it had to be done.

Eristella and Heinricion worked hard, staying up all night.

Eventually, they sat down and murmured.

“There isn’t.”

“I couldn’t find any traces of dark magic either.”

It wasn’t just that. Even simple magic could not be felt, let alone black magic.

“Anyway, there’s no evidence, and there’s nothing wrong with when we checked.”

“Yes.”

“Then there is nothing we can do to stop it.”