—Tap —Tap —Tap
The sound of footsteps reverberated throughout the surrounding area as the white-haired boy ascended the stairs.
Following the end of the written test, Ferdinand contacted him, relaying the news of Duke Florence's visit.
This prompted him to hastily return to his dormitory.
Although Adrian had no idea about Andarc's intention for visiting him today, he fervently hoped it was not related to the rumor about him having a romantic relationship with his daughter.
Wouldn't it be ridiculously funny if he came all the way here just to inquire about something so trivial?
As Adrian approached his room, Ferdinand, who was standing outside, immediately opened the door and greeted him.
"Welcome back, Your Highness."
Adrian nodded in acknowledgment and asked.
"Where is Duke Florance?"
"Duke Florance currently waiting in the drawing room."
"I see."
The boy made his way toward the drawing room and Ferdinand opened the door for him.
Entering the room, Adrian's attention was drawn to the lilac-haired man who stood up hastily and bowed respectfully.
"I greet His Highness the Second Prince of the Empire."
"You may rise."
As he approached him, Duke Florance smiled and greeted him.
"Your Highness, it's been a while."
"It has, Duke Florance."
They settled down, and Ferdinand poured cups of tea for both of them before discreetly leaving the room to give them some privacy.
Adrian lifted his teacup and took a sip, savoring the fragrant aroma and relishing the exquisite richness of the tea.
'Oh, please, I just arrived here, let me enjoy my tea first. Andarc can wait.'
After feeling satisfied, Adrian eventually placed his teacup down, and Duke Andarc did the same.
"Duke Florance, is there anything I can help you with?"
Adrian initiated the conversation, and Andarc cleared his throat before carefully formulating his words.
"Ahem. Firstly, I would like to personally express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Highness for saving my daughter."
He slightly inclined his back forward and continued.
"I am immensely grateful to Your Highness for rescuing my daughter."
He was indeed able to locate Leticia using the tracking system, but he was primarily grateful that his daughter had been safe in the company of the Prince.
Because if Adrian had not been with her, he had no idea what would happen to his daughter.
Like... what if his daughter turned into one of those monsters—
Andarc quickly shook his head, dismissing the dreadful thought.
Additionally, he just learned that the Second Prince not only helped his daughter once, but twice.
"You're most welcome, Duke Florance. I am also deeply grateful for your invaluable assistance back in Syna."
A warm smile graced Andarc's face as he replied.
"Your Highness, it is my duty to serve the Imperial Family in any way I can."
Soon, the man retrieved a blue folder from his Telesphere and placed it on the table in front of Adrian.
"Your Highness, may I kindly request your attention to these documents?"
Since the folder had no title, Adrian was left clueless about its contents.
Without much thought, he decided to proceed regardless.
Adrian took the folder and began to skim through its contents.
As he perused the document, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Raising his gaze to meet Andarc's, Adrian inquired.
"May I ask why you are showing me this?"
The folder contained none other than a collective certificate of ownership for Duke Florance's mines scattered across the region.
Andarc's smile remained gentle and elaborated further.
"Your Highness, as a gesture of my gratitude, I humbly present to you the option to select any mine that captivates your interest."
Closing the document, Adrian stared intently at the man, his face filled with skepticism.
'What the hell was this man thinking?'
While many people might have thought that this was something normal, in the world of politics, his 'gesture of gratitude' could potentially cause a rift in the power balance.
"I appreciate your generosity, Duke Florance, but what about your faction? Won't they perceive this as favoritism towards me?"
Adrian voiced his concern, his tone tinged with caution.
The power struggle between Delacroix and Lancaster had already been a headache for him; he certainly did not need another party to complicate this matter any further.
"Your Highness, fear not. I have discussed this matter with my faction, and they understand and support my reasoning."
"...I see."
If the neutral faction was in agreement, then their goal must have been a one-time gesture of appreciation, which did not necessarily imply a long-term alliance or ongoing support.
Shortly, Andarc began again, his voice laced with sincerity.
"If Your Highness declines, I will be forever indebted to you. I sincerely hope that Your Highness could reconsider your decision."
Adrian's gaze shifted to the blue folder in his hand, his mind racing with possibilities.
Now that he thought about it, wouldn't this pave his way to becoming a dirt-rich transmigrator?
'That's right. Let's surpass that regressor bastard's wealth!'
He had no idea, but somehow his competitive spirit surged within him.
After a brief silence, Adrian finally broke his contemplation and met Andarc's gaze.
"…very well."
Andarc's face lit up with relief, gratitude shining in his eyes, and offered him a genuine smile.
"Thank you so much for your consideration."
Adrian nodded and redirected his attention to the document, opening it to carefully inspect its contents.
"I can pick whatever mine I want, that's correct?"
"That's right, Your Highness."
Adrian nodded in understanding and proceeded to flip through the pages.
Andarc patiently waited, knowing the importance of this decision.
However, a nagging thought tugged at him, and he couldn't resist voicing it.
"Your Highness, may I ask something?"
Adrian, still engrossed in the document, nodded absentmindedly.
"Sure, go ahead."
"That's—I've heard a rumor that Your Highness is involved in a romantic relationship with my daughter."
Adrian's hand, which was about to turn the page, froze in mid-air.
He turned his gaze from the document to meet Andarc's eyes.
Initially, he didn't give a fuck about the rumor, but as more and more people incessantly asked the same question, it gradually started to grate on his nerves, reaching a point where it truly irked him.
In an effort to alleviate his anger, Adrian let out a weary sigh before spitting his mind.
"Duke Florance, please be reassured that the rumors are unfounded. I want to make it unequivocally clear that I have no romantic involvement with your daughter. Additionally, I want to emphasize that I have absolutely no interest in pursuing a relationship with her, not even in the slightest sense."
Adrian was astounded by his own words; it seemed to be the longest sentence he had ever uttered since his arrival in this world.
But whatever.
Sensing the annoyance in Adrian's tone, Andarc realized that the prince must also be struggling with the persistent rumor.
Although he empathized with Adrian's frustration, a sense of catharsis washed over him upon hearing the prince's denial.
"I apologize for bringing it up, Your Highness. However, it is crucial to clarify such matters, particularly when they have the potential to impact one's reputation."
His concern was valid, particularly considering Andarc's role as the head of the neutral faction.
This rumor could potentially put him in a difficult position.
Soon, he continued.
"Your Highness, you can rest assured. I will make every effort to quell any further speculation regarding this rumor."
Adrian nodded, appreciating Andarc's willingness to address the issue.
"Thank you, Duke Florance. I appreciate your support in this matter."
With the tension diffused, he refocused his attention on the document, flipping through the pages once again.
Honestly speaking, there was nothing that caught Adrian's eye, he was looking for—
'Ho?'
Wasting no more time, he turned the document towards Andarc, pointing to a specific page.
"I pick this one."
Upon seeing it, Andarc couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows in confusion.
There were dozens of diamond mines, emerald mines, and many more, yet, why did the Prince pick a colliery?
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶