Chapter 184 The Turbulent Dinner Party Vi
'Growl~~~~'
The silence in the dining room was shattered by a sudden loud noise... which came from a growling stomach.
"Ahh, no! What do I do! That's not what I mean!"
Chloe was seriously flustered. It seemed like the source of the noise was her stomach. Well, it's not like they can blame her, since this happened right in the middle of dinner.
"Sorry, Chloe. I guess you're really hungry, huh?"
"No way! It's not that!"
Chloe was protesting with a fiery passion, while Sara was also feeling hungry. The two of them returned to their seats.
"I guess it's gotten a bit cold, but let's eat anyway."
"Hey Sara, if you're so good at magic, can't you just warm up the food?"
"I don't know. I've never tried it before, so the cooking might be a bit off."
"It's better than eating it cold, right?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
Sara decided to try warming up her meat using magic.
'If I just use fire magic to heat it up, it'll probably just char the surface. And we don't have microwaves in this world, so... didn't people learn that they can heat it up by vibrating the water molecules or something?'
Somehow, that image stuck in her head, so she decided to try using water magic instead.
"Ah, it seems to have worked!"
The aroma of roasted meat filled the dining room. When she cut into it and took a bite, the inside was still hot and juicy, without being too charred. Sara also used the same magic on Chloe's meat.
"How is it?"
"It's delicious. The cooking is perfect too."
"Ugh, I feel like I just created a new magic spell."
"That's not a big deal, is it?"
"It's just water magic that warmed it up."
"Isn't it fire magic? I don't get it at all!"
"Yeah, I guess so..."
As Sara and Chloe started eating their meat, Adam and Christopher asked for it to be warmed up, so they happily obliged. Kids are really adaptable.
'This is some great meat! I have to savor it!'
However, the adults were completely frozen in shock due to the bombshell Sara had just dropped.
"Ah, I don't have any additional information about our previous conversation. Uncle received the funding 2 days ago, and I only found out about it yesterday, so there's not enough time to investigate. I'll have to investigate it later. But if you're worried about the checks being cashed all at once, it's best to keep the cash on hand."
Sara explained while munching on her meat.
"Well, it's not easy to move that amount of cash so quickly. We might be able to manage if we sell some treasures, but it looks like Grandchester is struggling economically."
Even as the Marquis was discussing his concerns, Sara continued to warm up the meat that had been served for dinner. Everyone returned to their seats, and dinner resumed.
"Hmm, I'll take care of the cash."
"How, Sara? Including Edward's funding, it's almost 30,000 Dallas."
"We'll sell this."
Sara swallowed the meat she was chewing and suddenly produced a colorless, transparent magic stone from nowhere. It was a high-purity light-attribute magic stone, of course, with a 100% light attribute since Sara had created it with her cheat.
"A magic stone of this size would be considered a national treasure. Did I go a bit overboard?"
"The royal family would probably buy it, but they'd definitely ask about its origin."
"Well, yeah. I guess I should make it smaller then."
Sara used her magic to crush the magic stone into smaller pieces right before their eyes.
"Wooooo! What are you doing?! It's a national treasure-class magic stone!!"
Edward shouted. The other adults couldn't hide their agitation either.
"Ah, don't worry. I still have plenty more where that came from."
Sara smiled brightly and took out about 5 more magic stones of the same size.
"Are you kidding me? Is this a fake?"
"If you think so, then why don't you try it out?"
Sara swiftly slapped Edward's cheek again.
"Aaahhh!!"
Elizabeth also let out a scream. This was getting old.
"It shouldn't hurt that much since I cut it cleanly. Aunt, can you use that small stone to channel magic and heal Uncle's wound?"
"Me? Use healing magic? I don't think so!"
Sara took out a piece of parchment with a small magic circle drawn on it and placed it in front of Elizabeth.
"That magic stone is imbued with light-attribute magic. If you place the stone in the center of the magic circle and channel the magic, a light-attribute healing spell will be activated around it. If you want to direct the magic in a specific direction, just place your hand on the stone and touch the wound with your other hand."
Elizabeth placed the smallest magic stone on the magic circle, touched the stone with her right hand to channel the magic, and touched her husband's cheek with her left hand. The magic stone shone brightly, and Edward's wound closed up instantly.
"It's healed!"
"I guess anyone can be a saint with this. Wait, would that make a guy a saint too?"
Edward wiped the blood off with a handkerchief, checked to make sure his cheek was okay, and then shouted.
"I don't care if I'm bald anymore! Sara, just who are you anyway!!!"
"Sara is the girl who can untie the wisdom of Kazuya. You, as a direct descendant of Grandchester, should understand the meaning of that, right?"
"Yeah!"
Marquis's explanation left Edward speechless.
"Well, I can understand how you feel. I was the same way before, Ed. That's why I have to say something."
Robert spoke calmly with a gentle smile. And then, in the next instant, he shouted at Edward.
"Edward di Grandchester, if you're truly a descendant of Grandchester, kneel before the one who can wield Zen Seno Kiooku!"
Then, Marquis, Edward, Robert, and for some reason Adam and Christopher, all stood up at once and walked towards Sara, kneeling before her.
'What, what, what is going on?'
"I have committed a great rudeness against the one who can unravel the wisdom of our ancestors."
Edward opened his mouth.
"Why are you all kneeling to me? Please, stand up. Even you, Grandfather!"
"As you wish!"
In the next instant, the men all stood up.
Sara was so shocked that she looked around the room with a bewildered expression. It seemed that the other women were also watching this scene with wide eyes, equally puzzled.
"Um...can anyone explain what's going on?"
Robert smiled at Sara with a sly grin.
"All direct male descendants of Grandchester are taught this from a young age. 'Respect and serve the one who can wield Zense no Kioku (Memories of Past Life) and unravel the wisdom of our ancestors.'."
"Why is it only men?"
"The girls will get married and leave anyway, so it's not like it matters."
'But, Wisdom? Isn't it just ramen and Shogayaki, right?'
Sara's face turns slightly sour.
"Unbelievable! Someone who can actually use Zensen no kioku has appeared!"
Edward looks at her with moist eyes. Remembering his attitude from earlier, she feel a bit uneasy.
"No need to be so formal or serve me, just treat me normally."
"I thought Sara would say something like that, so neither I nor Father have ever bowed down to you. It's about time we made our power dynamics clear, don't you think?"
"But just look at them. The ladies are stunned and left behind."
"That's right. Revi knows the story, but Liz and Chloe are shocked, aren't they?"
Robert chimes in, supporting the ladies.
"I know Ms. Sara isn't an ordinary kid, I've known that for a while. You said I abandoned my kids, but I'm a mom of three, you know. It's impossible for an 8-year-old kid like this."
"She's completely different from when we were in the royal capital. It's obvious that Sara isn't ordinary!"
Sara starts to feel uneasy as she's repeatedly told she's not ordinary.
'I don't want to be told that I'm not ordinary just because I can read ramen and Shogayaki.'
"Adam and Christopher were also educated, huh?"
"Yeah, we've been teaching them since they were kids."
Sara's headache worsens.
"Do men really need to be taught that? Who decided on such an absurd thing?"
"It's the grandson of Kazuya and the second-generation Marquis Grandchester. He must have really respected his grandfather."
"Haa..."
"But isn't it inconvenient for Sara? We have to obey Sara, after all?"
"There's no guarantee you'll obey just because you're taught to, right?"
"That's true. There's no magical binding. Even today, I was half-doubting whether Ed and the others would kneel or not. It's like a fairy tale to us, anyway. Honestly, I thought it was more likely that we'd be laughed at and dismissed. Would those aristocratic snobs really kneel to a commoner girl?"
Then Edward started speaking with a bright smile.
"Well, it's definitely a fairy tale, isn't it? 'A carriage without horses will run, and a ship made of iron will fly in the sky,' they said. I was thrilled to hear it as a kid."
'I got into an accident on my way home from riding that flying iron ship, and I couldn't even say it out loud.'
"Let me make one thing clear: there's no guarantee that only those born in the Grandchester household can master Zensen Koiku. It's extremely dangerous, so it's better to stop teaching it."
"Huh, is that so?"
Edward asked Sara again.
"Yes, that's right."
"Then, wouldn't it be better to add 'but only for those born in the Grandchester household'?"
"Do we really need to follow that teaching?"
"Sara, it's a romance for the Grandchester boys, after all."
"Unquestionably, it's a romance."
Adam and Christopher were also nodding in agreement.
'Only an old man in his thirties would say that with sparkling eyes!'
When Sara saw Edward and Robert looking at her with those peculiarly similar eyes, she suddenly remembered his deceased father's face that Sara had.
"Before my dad passed away, I wonder if my memories came back, would my dad have the same face too..."
Sara muttered to herself, and the adults looked at her with a hint of sadness in their eyes.
"By the way, everyone, please don't kneel before me. It's really uncomfortable. But if you're willing to follow me, please keep my secret."
All the men from the Grandchester family nodded.
"And please, Aunt and Chloe, too."
Both of them nodded.
"But Sara, what would you have done if Edward and the others didn't intend to keep your secret?"
"Isn't it so easy to shut up an insolvent person? Just give them a bag full of money and they'll shut up. If I sell just one of these magic stones, I can give them a good beating, don't you think?"
Edward's pale face twisted as Sara said this.
"Sara, you really have a good character."
"I think so too. But since you're pitiful, I'll help you out just this once."
Elizabeth asked Sara with a sly smile, not hiding her true intentions.
"Don't you think Chloe and I won't keep quiet?"
Then Sara took out a cute little pouch from thin air, with all sorts of things rattling inside.
"This contains samples of cosmetics from the Sophia Merchant Guild. I'll give them to you. This hand cream is meant to be a souvenir for all the ladies who attend the hunting tournament. But..."
"But...?"
"This Face Care Series is only offered to a limited number of people. It gives your skin moisture and brings back its luster. Since production is difficult, we can only make a small quantity. I recommend using it after a bath, so please try it later. However, since it may not suit everyone's skin type, please test it on a less noticeable area like the inside of your elbow first."
"Bringing back luster?!"
Sara smiled deeper than before.
"Please open the box next."
As Elizabeth opened the small box, music started playing. By the way, the song was "Rondo Capriccioso". Sara was playing the violin, and Juliette was playing the piano. This was the smallest music box sold at the merchant guild, and it didn't have a product name yet. Sara felt that calling it a music box was too inaccurate, given its high sound quality.
"What is this?"
"It's a box that plays music. A new magical tool. Isn't it wonderful that you can enjoy music without a musician or orchestra?"
"Indeed, it's wonderful."
"Then, can you open the leather bag inside the box?"
As Elizabeth gently untied the leather bag, a round brilliant-cut light-attribute magic stone, a pair-shaped water-attribute magic stone, and a square-cut wind-attribute magic stone were inside.
"They're all magic stones. They're beautiful when cut, aren't they? These are samples with various cut patterns, so they're all different. Don't you think it would be wonderful to make accessories with these? Of course, since they're magic stones, you can activate magic with them if you have a magic array. However, if you use up all your magical power, the stones will lose their luster."
"Ah, what did you do with these?"
"It's a company secret. At least in Avalon, only my affiliated Sophia Merchant Guild can supply magic stones like these."
Elizabeth gulped and swallowed her saliva.
"It's extremely expensive, isn't it?"
"This magic stone was about the same price as the one light-attribute I broke earlier, before it was cut."
"!"
"Well, magic stones with other attributes might be a bit cheaper, but since they're high-purity, they'll still be quite pricey."
"Yeah, that's true."
'Well, let's get down to business.'
"Depending on the situation, I might even offer some to my aunt. Including cosmetics that can't be obtained elsewhere, this magic stone has the power to influence the social scene. It's sure to make a big impact."
"What do you mean by 'situation'?"
"Of course, it's a secret. And please, don't advertise it. This is a business deal, after all."
"What if I can't keep it a secret?"
"No big deal. It just means that aunt and her associates won't be able to get their hands on Sophia Merchant Guild's products anymore."
"Sara! I want one too!"
Chloe started causing a commotion beside her. It was only natural. Sara had anticipated Chloe's reaction, so she handed her the small light-attribute magic stone with a princess cut, along with the sheepskin paper with the magic circle drawn on it.
"You can have it processed into an accessory later. If someone gets hurt, just place the magic stone on this magic circle and activate the healing magic."
And so, Elizabeth and Chloe fell under Sara's control, becoming convenient pawns who would do her bidding. It goes without saying that Edward, who was bought out with money, would also follow her orders.
Meanwhile, the magic stone that Sara had crushed was taken to multiple shops in the royal capital by Sophia Merchant Guild employees the day after tomorrow. Although the 5 magic stones were smaller than a pinky fingernail, every shop bought them on the same day they were brought in. The total came out to 80,000 Dallas, and 30,000 Dallas of that was used as a loan to the Grandchester household.
With that, the tumultuous dinner party finally came to an end.
But the Young Marquis family didn't know yet that the second round of events was waiting for them in the living room.
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