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“Of course, it’s all perfectly prepared.”

Eve, having returned to her original form, confidently replied to my question about whether she was executing my instructions well.

Soon, Eve began to recount what she had accomplished.

“Producing steel suitable for the tank, blowing out the furnace in accordance with the timing of the revolution, and opening a large-scale workshop with all the workers at that time—it’s all ready.”

Just as she had said, Eve had completed all preparations for the revolution (steel steel).

I praised her meticulous planning.

When I patted her head, she smiled proudly with a beaming face.

“Well then, it’s time to move on to the next step. I’ll go prepare again.”

Having checked the state of the steel mill, I disguised myself as Count Cromwell and returned to his hideout.

Then, I began to plan the heist of the steel from the mill according to the schedule set by Eve.

Since it was a plan that Eve and I were putting together, it wasn’t particularly difficult.

Three days later…

“Thank you for your time. I meet Count Cromwell.”

Vanessa returned.

With her personal guards in tow.

Vanessa introduced Oliver Cromwell as her spiritual pillar and mentor, and the revolutionaries, who had heard my story in advance, expressed their respect towards me.

“Lift your heads, comrades. We are but comrades united to fulfill a historical mission, so there’s no need to bow your heads to me. Instead, I respect you for taking the lead in carrying out the noble duty.”

Thus, I welcomed them with words befitting Oliver Cromwell.

Even those revolutionaries who had looked at me suspiciously regarding my humble demeanor nodded in acknowledgment.

I then began to explain the ‘revolution’ to the 21 members that Vanessa had brought along.

In essence, I gave a brief introduction to the tank and mentioned our plans to create it.

“…As I heard, it’s amazing. If such a weapon can be made, even commoners who cannot use mana…”

“They can find their own rights.”

“…I respect you. Honestly, I doubted the commander’s words at first, but now that I see you in person, my thoughts have changed.”

The revolutionaries were captivated by Oliver Cromwell’s progressive ideas and abilities.

Having gained the trust of the core members, I immediately pushed forward with the revolution.

A week later, I decided to steal the steel during the large-scale workshop hosted by the ‘Fix Territory.’

To prepare for this, I trained the members together with Vanessa, completing our preparations perfectly.

Now, only the real thing was left.

“Let’s go. It’s time to light the beacon of revolution.”

“Yes!”

So, a week later, I set off to my territory.

Unbeknownst to me, I would be facing an unexpected situation.

***

“Workshop? What’s that?”

Enya asked, tilting her head at the mention of Edgar having left for a workshop.

Then, the attendant scratched his head awkwardly and replied.

“Oh, it seems like you’re not familiar with workshops. It’s like a team-building event. An event to foster camaraderie and enhance cooperation among the staff…”

“… .”

Enya bitterly nodded at the attendant’s words.

Seeing Edgar take such good care of his subordinates was quite like him.

He was a true ruler possessing all the qualities and virtues as a lord.

But to think that this Edgar would receive such an insulting proposal from his father, like becoming a ‘male concubine.’

Today, I wanted to apologize to Edgar for that point and had come to see him, but it seemed to be in vain.

“A team-building event… he said?”

It was just then that Isabella next to her muttered with a dark aura.

Unlike her usual cynical self, she was visibly excited.

“Ha… Ha… It’s day 49 today… I’ve endured until today… Just for today…”

With reddened eyes, Isabella muttered incomprehensible words.

Enya frowned and said,

“What’s going on today? Usually, you don’t talk well with Edgar, but today you’re crazily searching for him. Did you really make an appointment to meet?”

About 30 minutes ago, Enya had seen Isabella hesitating to meet Edgar, heading towards the ‘Fix Territory’ portal.

In fact, her visit today was due to chasing after Isabella, who had been gasping ‘hoo-woo’ while heading to Edgar’s territory.

She had repeatedly asked since morning if Enya had seen Edgar, and it worried her to see Isabella going to meet Edgar with such dark circles under her eyes.

“Today… we have to meet… we absolutely have to meet today…”

“… .”

Thus, Enya remained anxious.

What promise did Isabella and Edgar make?

And why was Isabella so obsessed with Edgar?

What if something unimaginable had happened between them?

“…What about you?”

Just then, Enya encountered an unexpected person again.

Her new rival, ‘The Nerdy Girl.’

It was Charlotte Verdian, tilting her head and looking at her.

“Charlotte…?”

“…What are you guys doing here?”

Charlotte questioned Enya, who had come to see Edgar, as if it were odd.

Enya’s eyebrows furrowed.

As if she were Edgar’s girlfriend, she asked, “What’s the occasion?”

“Then why are you here?”

“…Ah, I… I’m…”

Charlotte trailed off in response to Enya’s question.

However, feeling pressured by the two grand duchesses, Charlotte seemed to have made a decision and steeled her wavering gaze.

Then, with a steady voice, she clearly stated each word.

“…Actually, I’m staying here with Edgar. Just the two of us. We have many things to research.”

-Bang!

However, as soon as Charlotte finished speaking, an immense amount of black fog erupted from Isabella’s body.

Isabella, whose eyes had completely turned black, looked at Charlotte and said,

“What did you just say…? I only meet Edgar once every 49 days, but you see him every… every… every day? Every? Every?”

“… .”

Charlotte, terrified at Isabella’s explosive demeanor, stood frozen.

And Enya, seeing Isabella like that, asked, “You only meet once every 49 days? What are they doing? When did they make such a promise?”

Just then, Isabella reached out her hand and said,

“No way… today is mine… Edgar Fix is mine.”

Isabella released an intense possessiveness over Edgar, exuding ‘denial.’

In response, Charlotte quickly put on a mask.

It was the mask that could turn the timid heart of the Verdian family into that of the brutal ‘Witch of the Forest of Death.’

-Swish…

As the purple mist burst forth from the mask and penetrated Charlotte’s bronchial tubes,

the chemical composition of the purple began to stimulate her ‘tonsils,’ blocking out feelings of compassion and fear.

Subsequently, deep dark circles formed around Charlotte’s eyes, turning her previously gentle gaze ferocious.

-Bam!

As Charlotte transformed into a witch of the forest, Isabella’s denial overwhelmed her.

However, Charlotte quickly cast a spell, summoning the poison of ‘ghostly grass’ from the ‘Forest of Ghosts.’

Thus, the ghostly grass, which grew by feeding on negative emotions, began devouring Isabella’s negativity, defending Charlotte.

Charlotte also had deemed Isabella and Enya as her rivals, hence this preparation.

“Hehe… hehe… not bad, huh? But… can this be stopped?”

However, Isabella was still Isabella.

The negativity she emitted just before was mere child’s play.

She unleashed a wave of negativity with a scale that was incomparable to before.

Even the ghostly grass couldn’t stand against that negativity and was on the verge of withering.

“Stop it! What are you doing here at Edgar’s estate!”

Just then, Enya released a sword wave that dispelled Isabella’s negativity.

At the same time, the CS gas and smoke bomb thrown by Charlotte were also blown away.

Drawing her sword, she said,

“I’m the one most furious here. You two have at least gotten to see Edgar, but I…”

Ever since hearing the conversation between Ileia and Edgar, Enya had been seething for the past two months.

Certainly, considering her father’s perspective, it was a reasonable proposal, and Edgar didn’t seem to take it as an insult either.

However, the thought of missing the chance to grow closer to Edgar because of such a proposal from her father lingered in her mind.

Because Edgar always subtly drew a line whenever they got closer.

“Why did he say that back then…?”

Plus, when she questioned her father about the conversation with Edgar, she learned that he had urged her to meet Edgar ‘as friends.’

In short, her father had not wished for her to have feelings beyond friendship for Edgar, and Edgar had thoroughly adhered to her father’s request.

Whenever she tried to approach him as more than a friend, he had definitely drawn a clear line.

“…Ugh.”

So, she was incredibly angry.

She could’ve claimed Edgar before the likes of Isabella or Charlotte stuck to him.

She was the first to get close to Edgar, so why should she let Isabella or Charlotte steal that chance?

This entire situation was infuriating.

It was so infuriating that tears almost welled up in her eyes.

-Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Just then…

A flurry of hurried footsteps resonated from inside the lab where Charlotte had just come out.

Then, with a loud bang, the door burst open, and a swarm of people rushed out.

They were Edgar’s slaves.

“…Lady?”

“You guys…”

They were the former members of a club she had recently quit from her academy.

David, who was leading them, asked Enya why they were here.

When Enya said she had come to see Edgar, David gulped.

“Then can you help us? We’ve got an intruder! Thieves are stealing the steel made by our master!”

“…What?”

The audacity of those thieves to dare seize Edgar’s property.

Fury ignited in the eyes of Isabella, Charlotte, and Enya.

Isabella, releasing the aura of negativity, spoke to David.

“Where are they? Where are those thieves?”

“…Please follow me! I’ll lead the way!”

David said, running ahead with the laboratory members.

Then, the women who had just been in the mood to fight nodded and followed behind them.

***

“Truly, not an ordinary person.”

In the steel mill’s steel warehouse, Vanessa thought as she witnessed the scene of steel being moved through a dimensional portal.

Indeed, thanks to Count Cromwell’s meticulous operation, they managed to infiltrate Edgar Fix’s territory without a single drop of bloodshed.

Could an ordinary person have even thought of such a thing if they weren’t exceptional like Count Cromwell?

Absolutely not.

To think of raiding the warehouse of Edgar Fix, who had risen to power in the Empire with outstanding strategy and abilities, required a heart as brave as a lion.

‘But my lord did it.’

But Count Cromwell had indeed done it.

He had effortlessly looted Edgar Fix, who had risen as a key figure in the Empire, with unparalleled authority.

Leaving such a note would ensure that even Edgar Fix would be reluctant to act hastily.

[To you who knows the secret of the cosmos, consider this the price of cowardice.]

‘…So cool.’

It was exhilarating.

The Count’s provocation towards Edgar Fix, who remained silent while knowing the principles of the universe, was a fine stroke.

And like the Count stated, the fact that Edgar Fix was unable to act rashly due to being caught off guard was also thrilling.

While knowing the secrets of the world, he had certainly remained silent.

-Bang!

But just then, a loud noise erupted from the entrance of the steel mill.

Along with that, a few of the members began to scream and fell down foaming at the mouth.

Vanessa hurriedly ran towards that direction.

‘…Those guys.’

In an instant, three women swiftly subdued the members.

However, Vanessa recognized their faces.

Were they not the love slaves that Edgar Fix had prepared?

Once she had thoroughly investigated to recruit Edgar Fix, she knew about them well.

‘…Foolish.’

Yet, Vanessa’s expression hardened coldly.

To be infatuated with a cowardly hypocrite like Edgar Fix, thereby hindering their great cause—it was evidence of their youth and naivety.

A true man to whom one should devote their heart is a person to be respected, possessing righteous beliefs and character.

For instance, someone like ‘my beloved Count.’

“Stop!”

Thus, Vanessa shouted at the love-struck girls, calling them to a halt.

As the three girls’ gazes settled on her, she released mana while saying,

“No one can obstruct our sacred mission! Silly girls blinded by love.”

Their sacred mission—realizing the world envisioned by my beloved Count.

Now it was time to teach them what true love really meant.

 

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