The Baby Villain Dreams of Conquering the World

Chapter 44

Episode 44

At her vigorous nod, a smile bloomed on Elena's lips.

Flora speared a small piece with a fork and held it out to Basilian.

"Here, Basi, eat too."

"It's fine. I'll eat mine."

"Ah, hurry up!"

Flora made a stern face while waving the fork, but she wasn't threatening at all. Still, if the tart flew off, she would clearly become sullen.

'I shouldn't keep indulging her like this.'

Thinking that, Basilian still obediently accepted and ate the tart.

"How is it?"

Her eyes sparkled brightly, full of anticipation to hear him say it was delicious.

He was completely reflected in her golden eyes, which seemed ready to swallow him whole.

Somehow, that fact felt very satisfying, and Basilian smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, it's delicious."

"Eat a lot. Basi has to eat a lot."

"If it's about training, meals at the ducal residence are provided properly."

"Ah, if I say eat a lot, then eat a lot!"

She was clearly a 5-year-old kid, but her sincere determination to feed him something reminded him of the kind-hearted bakery owners he'd seen on the streets.

"Alright."

It was strangely incongruous, but the feeling of being cared for wasn't bad.

Basilian smiled happily despite the wind blowing colder than a few days ago.

"Oh, right! Dad got the permit today."

Flora, who had been silent for a while, focused on eating, finally brought up the main point of today's walk.

It was clearly news to be happy about, but his first reaction was doubt.

"...They acted like they'd never give it?"

"That's right! They're weird people!"

She snorted and scoffed, but Basilian's eyes sharpened.

"Where did you learn words like that?"

The atmosphere suggested he might scold her any moment, so Flora firmly closed her mouth.

"I should ask the mercenaries to be more careful with their language."

At Elena's words, Flora quickly lifted her head and started making excuses.

"I, I didn't learn it from the mercenary ajeossis! I, I knew those words before! There were lots of jerks in the village!"

"Jerks...?"

But as even rougher words poured out, Elena was shocked.

"How can a Young Lady who should be raised delicately use such language..."

"W, well. Haha."

Seeing Flora's awkward expression, Basilian looked like he had a lot to say but then let out a small sigh.

"It's fortunate the permit came through, but managing it probably won't be easy."

Back to the main topic, Flora tilted her head.

"Why?"

"To establish a guild, you need to pay an establishment fee. And I heard that fee isn't small."

"...Is that so?"

"Yeah, and besides the establishment fee, there will be considerable ongoing costs. They need to construct a guild building, and that cost will be significant too. I think they're planning to build several new houses from scratch."

She had just thrown out the idea and paid no attention, so she hadn't known such discussions were happening behind the scenes.

"And?"

"There are many mercenaries. But to provide lodging for all of them, one or two buildings won't be enough. You'd have to think of it as almost creating a new village. If that's the case, the initial costs will probably be beyond imagination..."

Basilian, about to continue, saw Flora's expression, which had quickly turned sullen unlike before, and was startled into silence.

"...So that's why."

"What is?"

"They probably gave permission because they know our family has no money."

She felt wronged.

Extremely wronged.

"They probably thought, 'Since they'll fail anyway if they try, let them.'"

It was even saddening.

She thought they were scared because of Athanas's threat, but it seemed they granted permission as if it were charity, knowing it would fail anyway!

'Who do they think wants to be poor?'

The Imperial Capital and the other ducal houses joined hands, colluded with each other, and made Lucifer an outcast, forcing her to live this difficult life! So she couldn't help but be even angrier.

Even Chief God Beshart is indifferent.

If I had to be born into an enemy family, why couldn't I have been born into a rich one!

'Sigh, if the big bear knew I thought this, he'd be hurt.'

Knowing he was pushing this business venture so hard because of her own exclamation about being poor made her feel both sorry and frustrated.

Flora downed the remaining juice and stood up.

"We just started resting. Where are you going?"

"To Dad."

"Suddenly, why...?"

"I have to tell Dad not to do the Mercenary Guild."

"Wait, why are you going there? We just need the establishment fee for now. A guild can start small and expand slowly. The mercenaries probably don't expect perfect conditions from the start either."

At his voice full of questions, Flora let out a big sigh.

"...Basi doesn't know anything."

"What?"

"You'll understand if you go."

Leaving behind those cryptic words, Flora ended the short walk and went back inside.

Basilian quickly followed the dejected Flora.

And only upon arriving at the Duke's office did he understand the meaning of Flora's words.

"Even if we get a loan from the bank, the money will be insufficient. So I will take on requests and go on monster subjugations."

"No, Flora needs family by her side. So I will go."

The two Lucifers were arguing over who would go earn the money.

Basilian unconsciously rolled his eyes and glanced at Flora's reaction.

Sure enough, Flora's shoulders were already trembling.

'Didn't they promise, even crossing their hearts, that they wouldn't go on monster subjugations for a while?'

It seemed that if a situation requiring money arose, they would immediately rush out to overwork themselves, forgetting all about the Ducal House's dignity!

'I knew it! They're making plans like this the moment I turn my back!'

What's the big deal about money, about business? They're discussing it so busily, not even realizing the door is open!

"Both of you, stop!"

Flora shouted, filled with anger.

"Flora?"

"When did you get here?"

Regardless of the flustered father and son, Flora snorted fiercely, stomped her small feet loudly, and approached the two.

She didn't know why she kept feeling this way, but her chest felt stuffy.

She didn't want to see those two overworking themselves, even though she knew she shouldn't care.

"You said you'd stay with me this winter!"

"That was the plan, but..."

She had no intention of listening to excuses.

Flora covered her ears with both hands, refusing to listen.

"Absolutely not! I'd rather you not do the business! It's fine if you don't do it! Just stay with me!"

Flora usually pretended to listen when coaxed appropriately, but this time she completely blocked her ears.

Seeing her bury her face in Elena's leg, turn her back, and tremble while refusing to listen to anything, Isaac, who had been silent, spoke up pityingly.

"It seems the Young Lady was very frightened by the monster she saw that time. That's why she's stopping you like this."

At those words, a heavy silence swept through the room.

Flora, who lived in a peaceful village, must have seen a monster for the first time during the last subjugation and nearly lost her life to it.

So it was only natural that just remembering it would make her tremble so fearfully.

"Young Lady..."

Elena tried to detach Flora and soothe her, but the child clung tightly to her leg and wouldn't move.

Flora had to struggle to contain the anger surging up inside her.

Why on earth was she so angry?

'Is it because the little bear is stepping forward first to go on monster subjugations? Or because the big bear, who already has so much work he has no time for walks with me, is trying to shoulder it all alone and solve it himself?'

No, it's because these two are trying to break their promise to her and secretly go on subjugation missions again.

They're trying to deceive her twice, that's why she's angry. It's because these mere Lucifers keep irritating her nerves like this.

"I don't want Dad or Oppa to get hurt."

That was clear, so why were the only words coming out something like an excuse?

She knew well from watching from the side many times that the Lucifer bloodline was strong.

She had even been amazed by their tremendous stamina and monstrous recovery ability.

Moreover, they had lived like this since their distant ancestors and would continue to live by subjugating monsters, so she knew it was useless to stop them.

"I don't need a guild or anything. It's fine if we're poor. Just stay by my side."

If they could earn money through monster subjugation and use it to establish a guild and start a mercenary business, she should be happy.

If the business succeeded and a lot of money came in, Flora would obviously be happy too.

But what if the business failed?