23 - Adopted by the Villainous Noble Family

Nobelpia - A World of Dreams Through Web Novels! - Adopted by a Shady Family A Street in the Empire I took a deep breath as people bustled about on this lively street from early morning. “So this is the Empire…” The stark difference in wealth between this place and Binhel Village was something I could physically sense. Unlike the shabby and crude Binhel Village, the Empire’s streets were lined with sophisticated buildings. There were pastry shops emanating sweet aromas and boutiques selling clothes adorned with colorful gems that I had never seen before. Just exploring this place could easily take all day. But that wasn’t possible. I was here as a merchant today. The spot where I stood was a street densely packed with small stalls partitioned by tents. People walking by glanced with interest at each stall as they passed. This street was managed by the Ergon Trading House. Anyone who wanted to conduct business could rent a small section from the Ergon Trading House for a certain fee. Although the space was barely large enough for an adult man to stretch out his arms, it was sufficient for laying out goods. The fee was 30 runes per hour. It was not a small amount, but neither was it exorbitantly high. If I could sell all the herbs I prepared, I would make a decent profit. “Please take care of me, Sienna.” I bowed my head to the tall beauty standing beside me. “Please take care of me, my lady.” She, with her short white hair, bowed back with a stoic expression. She was an exclusive maid assigned to me by Rozelia. Seeing the dagger firmly strapped to her waist, it was clear she wasn’t just any maid. Perhaps she was a member of the secret organization headed by Rozelia. ‘It was the Dark Blood Gang, wasn’t it?’ A group working in the shadows of the enormous Count’s family. Rozelia had established this group personally to deal with the death of the Archbishop. ‘Let’s not worry about it too much.’ It was a world that didn’t suit me. After all, my dreams went in the opposite direction of Rozelia’s. “Alright.” I lifted the sack I brought onto the table. I spread out a red cloth over the table and neatly arranged the prepared bundles of herbs on top. Then, I took out the sign I had prepared to hang. The sign advertised a product that aids in sleep. But I was soon met with an unexpected obstacle. I couldn’t reach the spot where I needed to hang the sign due to my height. I stood on my tiptoes and reached out, but my fingers still couldn’t reach the sign’s destination. “Allow me to help.” Sienna took the sign from me and hung it up in my place. “Oh… thank you.” “You’re welcome.” Thanks to her help, the preparations for business were quickly completed. Lastly, I hung a black cloth beside the stall. This was a kind of signal indicating I was open for business. I had ten bundles of herbs ready. I set the price at 50 runes each. Someday, if word spread and people trusted in the effectiveness, I planned to gradually raise the price. Though it was ten times the price I sold them for in Binhel Village, considering that swindler merchant resold them at 500 runes, this price wasn’t unreasonable. Charging 500 runes just because of a touch of power instilled in the common ingredients weighed on my conscience. For now, 50 runes felt right. “What book is that?” Sienna pointed at a thick book placed in the corner. It was a volume I had brought separately. “Oh, this? It’s a basic book on magic.” “Magic?” “Yes. I borrowed it from the Count’s library.” I had, of course, paid the rightful price for borrowing it. Rozelia had granted me free access to the library, but accepting such generosity without reciprocation didn’t sit well with me. “Are you interested in magic?” “Yes, I am.” Honestly, I still hadn’t let go of the romantic allure of magic. More than that, I wanted to bring down Camilla, who had looked down on me. I was determined to read every book in the Count’s library until I could ignite flames with my own hands. And in any case, selling the herb bundles would likely take some time. This wasn’t Binhel Village. It was the most bustling commercial district in the Empire, a street where nothing was lacking. Incense that aids in sleep would be commonly sold, and there would be plenty of products packaged much more luxuriously than mine. It was sure to be quite competitive. But I could confidently say that the efficacy of my herbs wouldn’t lose to anyone. This because I had the power of ability. ‘Haha, even Rozelia was impressed by its effectiveness.’ I began waiting for my first customer with a confident smile. Sitting down proudly, I opened the first page of the magic book. ※ As the bright sunlight gradually faded, a crimson sunset began to paint the streets, bringing an early evening glow. With the sun setting, the once bustling merchant street grew noticeably quieter. “Sienna, do you know how many hours have passed?” I asked. “It's been five hours, my lady.” I slowly gazed at the bundles of herbs atop the table. I had prepared ten. And ten bundles still remained on the table, untouched. Five hours had passed, and not a single bundle had sold. ‘Was the price too high?’ I had planned to start at 50 runes and gradually raise the price as word spread. But instead of reaching 50 runes, I found myself deeply considering whether I should lower the price. I was confident that the efficacy was second to none... Yet, people merely glanced at the herbs and walked away without interest. ‘Maybe I should try packaging them more attractively…?’ Of course, I didn’t expect them to sell as easily as they did in Binhel Village. Still, I hadn’t anticipated not selling a single bundle. The space fee for today was 150 runes. For someone whose daily earnings were vital, this was a painful loss. “Why don’t we head back now, my lady?” Sienna suggested. It was disappointing to retreat like this, but there was no point in being stubborn after the sun had set. “Yes… let's go back.” Moving sluggishly, I began to pick up the bundles of herbs laid out on the table. As I did, Sienna, who was assisting with the cleanup, naturally directed her gaze at the magic book resting on the wooden plank. “…Did you only manage to read two pages in six hours?” Startled by her comment, I hastily closed the book and shoved it into my bag. “I thought you were deeply engrossed.” While Sienna remained expressionless, I felt my face heat up slightly. “I—It’s hard to understand…” “Should I ask the Countess to arrange for a magic tutor?” “No, no! I want to try on my own. Besides, I’m not that serious about magic.” “You sure seemed to be reading intently.” “Ahaha… Oh, right!” In an effort to change the topic quickly, I pulled out some runes from my pocket and handed them to Sienna. “This is for your efforts today. Thank you for your hard work.” “What?” Sienna looked at the money in confusion, not comprehending my gesture. “You protected me today, didn’t you? Please accept it.” “I was merely fulfilling my duty. Besides, I already receive payment from the family for my work.” “Even so, I personally owe you. Please accept it.” “It’s okay.” “Please, take it… won’t you?” Sienna seemed a bit taken aback by my insistence. For a while, the two of us quietly engaged in a tug-of-war over whether she would accept the money. In the end, after my persistent coaxing, Sienna let out a sigh and held out her hand. “…Ah, thank you.” “I should be the one thanking you. I look forward to your help again tomorrow.” Had Sienna refused till the end, I would have felt unsettled all day. “In return, if you have any questions about magic, feel free to ask.” Her unexpected offer made my eyes widen as I looked at her. “Sienna, do you know how to use magic?” “Yes, to some extent.” “Then… can you, perhaps, make fire appear in your hand?” Sienna silently nodded and extended her palm in front of me. A faint wisp of smoke appeared, followed by a subtle flame kindling in her hand. “Wow… how did you do that?” “This level of magic is possible once you’ve grasped the basics of mana manipulation and elemental control.” “Do you think I could… do that too?” I felt a mix of fear and a flicker of hope at her response. “Even a person with ordinary mana can achieve this.” Her reply was surprisingly positive. It was a response so uplifting that it instantly whisked away my disappointment of not having sold a single herb. “Yes, could you stretch your hand out for a moment?” “Ah, are you going to… touch it?” “Yes, I’d like to give you some tips on mana manipulation.” Despite her cautious answer, I hesitated momentarily. Though her intent to help was clear, the idea of direct contact still made me uneasy. Yet, this might be my chance to take a step closer to mastering magic. [Unnecessary pride is never good, sister.] I bit my lip at the sudden remembrance of Camilla’s voice. “...Here.” With careful deliberation, I timidly extended my clenched fist toward Sienna. “In that case, if you’ll allow me...” Sienna carefully enclosed her palm over my hand. My entire body felt on edge, and a wave of nausea slowly began to build. “Ugh…” My breathing grew ragged from the stifling sensation, as if something was pressing down on my chest. I started to tremble slowly. “Are you alright, my lady?” Sienna asked, her voice laced with concern at my strange behavior. “I-I’m fine… just hurry…” Sienna closed her eyes, appearing to focus deeply. A tingling sensation began at my fingertips, quickly followed by an overpowering sensation that made my insides churn. Unable to bear it, I instinctively pulled my hand away. Sienna opened her eyes and quietly observed me after my sudden movement. “I’m sorry… I just felt strange all of a sudden…” Sienna remained silent. Was it just my imagination? Her eyes seemed to dim slightly. “How do you feel?” The awkward silence stretched on, making me uneasy. Sienna bit her lip lightly before finally speaking. “It might be best to give up on magic.” “What?” “I tried to draw out your internal mana gently, but there was no response, as if it hit a wall.” “What do you mean?” “You are naturally unable to discharge mana. It’s a condition that happens occasionally, so there’s no need to worry too much, but…” Sienna continued speaking calmly, though there was an inevitable sympathy in her eyes. It couldn’t be helped. If I couldn’t release mana, I couldn’t create even a flicker of flame, no matter how hard I tried. Camilla had been right. She had known all along. “Well, that’s disappointing. I did want to try using magic at least once.” With a bright smile, I closed the magic book and tucked it into my bag. I rifled through my pocket and handed Sienna a few runes. “Thank you for telling me. It’s a small amount, but please accept it as a token of appreciation.” “No, my lady. It’s alright.” Sienna shook her head, looking shocked. “Please accept it. I insist.” Persistent as ever, I pushed the money towards her. Eventually, Sienna reluctantly accepted the small pouch, her face a picture of bewilderment. Offering her even a small token eased my troubled heart somewhat. Only then could I finally move on from the little stall. “I didn’t make any sales today, but tomorrow I will for sure.” “I’ll be by your side.” “Hehe, I’m counting on you.” As I fiddled with the magic book in my bag, I turned my steps back to Laheltin. --- Author's Note Tomorrow is Monday. But a holiday break is coming soon, so hang in there until then! I'm thinking of binge-watching a drama during this break. 😊 Read the Next Chapter