I tilted my head with a puzzled expression.

‘What’s this? Did Count Yoter’s side already make a move?’

There were several people in front of the building where the Sheriff Guild was located.

But the guild’s signboard had fallen down.

Despite my noisy exit from the carriage, no one paid attention.

‘Could it be they’ve closed down?’

I could see a white X mark on the guild’s door. I looked around anxiously.

One of the men in front of the guild cursed while biting his lip.

“Damn it…!”

He must be a nobleman, given his manner.

There was even a man rolling on the ground, pounding it while cursing. I looked away from those people and stared at a woman standing nearby, blankly gazing at the sky.

“It’s all over…”

The tall elder sister next to her wasn’t crying either, but she was staring at the fallen signboard with a dazed expression.

“We only had to inject mana…”

“It was the last step.”

“If we had known they would suddenly take all our research results, we should have encrypted it.”

The kind faces of those gathered at the building entrance contorted with tears.

“Legally, that’s how it is. We’re finished now.”

“How much money we invested, damn it. We were almost at the end!”

Eavesdropping on their conversation, it seemed Count Yoter’s side had indeed made a move.

I stared at them and shook my head inwardly.

‘No, it’s not over yet.’

I clenched my fists and trembled.

The elder sister maids cautiously said to me as I shook.

“Those people look dangerous. Shall we come back another time?”

“No.”

Without a smile on my face, I walked up to them seriously. Things I couldn’t see from afar became visible.

Kit wrappers rolling around on the ground, empty square boxes.

I frowned at the scene that looked like a desolate ruin in many ways.

‘After all their effort, to have their achievements snatched away by Count Yoter, how unfortunate.’

Feeling inexplicably sorry for them, I tilted my head and looked at them.

“Hello.”

They looked at me at my clear pronunciation.

Their expressions were bewildered.

But I had to say something impressive.

“I will invest in you all.”

After smoothly taking off my scarf and flinging off my sunglasses, I straightened my shoulders proudly.

A magnificent and impressive figure that anyone would see as…

“…Who, who are you?”

…a 10-year-old.

The guild people’s gazes at me became strange. They soon stared at me with sharp eyes.

“You look like a noble, are you Count Yoter’s daughter? Have you come to mock us again?”

Judging by their glaring eyes, they seemed to have quite a lot built up against Count Yoter’s side.

I shook my head.

I, Sien Mirmode, am even more against the temple than you are!

But they seemed very sensitive to the mention of Count Yoter.

Before I could open my mouth to answer after shaking my head, a woman who had been lying face down on the dirt with fish eyes roughly got up.

“Count Yoter, you say?”

She glared at me with sharp eyes but then paused.

“Oh.”

She seemed to notice I wasn’t from the temple, though she was about to refute. I leisurely folded my arms across my chest and waited.

Soon after, I heard the voice I had been expecting.

“Count Yoter doesn’t have a daughter this young. I heard all his children are grown.”

“Hmm, you’re smart.”

Looking at their bewildered faces, I shook my head vigorously.

Now it’s my turn to speak!

“I really hate Count Yoter!”

They asked back, still not erasing the wariness from their faces.

“Then which family does the young lady belong to…?”

It seemed they wouldn’t believe me unless I properly proved my identity. I pondered gravely. Should I reveal my identity here, or should I speak properly?

But they beat me to it.

“Did you perhaps see the our guild used to put up, young lady?”

Hmm, judging from the context of the conversation, they seem to think I’m some nouveau riche who came to invest after being dazzled by the promotional material.

It’s not bad that they think that way.

I nodded my head vigorously and replied.

“Yup!”

At that, their gazes dropped downward.

“We’re sorry, but… we’d like you to leave.”

I tilted my head.

‘Do they dislike having a lot of money?’

But they soon answered my question. With a deep sigh.

“Even if it were the imperial palace, we couldn’t do anything. We’ve been designated as political opponents by none other than the imperial palace, little miss.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We were labeled a disloyal organization just for making kits. If you associate with us, your guild will suffer too. Leave while you have the chance.”

I nodded.

The corners of their trembling mouths drooped again.

Thinking I, their last bastion, was about to leave, they looked on the verge of tears.

But looking at their expressions, I thought.

My goodness, these people… they’re smart and honest too.

What a world of difference from the stupid and deceitful princess.

Therefore…

“You pass.”

Seeing their bewildered expressions, I waved my hand.

“Guide me inside!”

“E-excuse me, but I can’t believe it!”

I pouted at those words spoken with eyes tightly shut.

“Why can’t you believe me?”

“How can we believe that a young lady who suddenly appeared is the baby of the great Mirmode family! There’s no way she would suddenly appear to save us like this!”

It’s been several hours since I was invited into the messy guild. This is already the tenth time they’ve said this. I gave a quick glance to my maid elder sisters and stretched my shoulders.

The maid elder sisters then showed their burly muscles and presented my identification to them.

“It’s the young miss’s identity token.”

“It… it’s not a for-forgery…”

“Of course not. Who would dare forge the Imperial Emperor’s seal?”

I could see the Sheriff Guild people exchanging glances with each other.

I calmly observed the situation with my arms folded.

They rolled their eyes, gulped, and then spoke.

“Th-then you’re really Lady Sien? But why would such an esteemed person come to such a humble place, no, no. Why would such an esteemed person come to such a lowly place…?”

“That’s right! I’m Sien Mirmode. The reason I came here is simple. Elder sisters, elder brothers. You were running a business, right?”

“That’s… correct, but.”

“Then how about making paternity test kits with me now?”

At my spirited words, they smiled blankly.

“Haha… well.”

“Why?”

They shook their heads and sighed.

“…It’s already over. The most essential ingredient for making the kits is the Maroa bulb. But Count Yoter’s side found that out and is drying up the Maroa bulb seeds. All the kits have long since been trampled and destroyed.”

Come to think of it, I did see the remains of broken kits in front of the guild earlier.

‘Count Yoter, you cruel bastard!’

But there’s no such thing as giving up in Sien Mirmode’s dictionary!

I looked at them with a sharp expression and said.

“So Count Yoter’s side already knows how to make proper paternity test kits? Not just how to make fake kits?”

This would be a big problem if that were the case.

But fortunately, they opened their mouths.

“No. Only our manufacturers know the core technology. The problem is, our guild’s core kit manufacturer has gone into exile. They only know that the Maroa bulb is the most essential ingredient for kit production, so it seems they’re preventing us from making real paternity test kits…”

One mountain after another.

But I don’t give up. They may not know, but I know these people.

Their character, intelligence, and efforts. All of it.

“You say the core manufacturer has gone into exile?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Would they come back if our family declares protection for them?”

“…Well.”

“…What if we offer not just personal protection but help with all aspects of kit production?”

They hesitated before blurting out.

“Since he’s a friend with a desire for honor, it’s possible. However, getting him to return and mass-producing the kits again… it will take some time. We really don’t know where that friend has gone.”

I let out a deep sigh.

To bring down Count Yoter and the evil princess and crown prince, the paternity test needed to be done as quickly as possible.

But the fact that it would take a long time just to find the exiled kit manufacturer was a huge red flag.

‘Time is money. We need to start production as soon as possible.’

I decided to recharge on sugar by sipping the apple juice that had barely survived in the messy building.

Bringing back the manufacturer, finding Maroa bulbs again, and starting the production of paternity test kits.

Time was woefully short.

But thinking there might be a way, I kept revisiting .

Then suddenly, one hypothesis came to mind.

‘That method might work?’

Being a person of action, I clenched my fist and tried to get up.

But just then.

“Um, but.”

“Hmm?”

My concentration broke for a moment.

I looked at them.

These people might have something important to say business-wise.

My gaze towards them sharpened slightly. The guild people exchanged glances and then prostrated themselves.

“There’s something we haven’t told you yet.”

“Something you haven’t told me?”

One man spoke as quickly as a sparrow.

“Yes! You, you’re so cute, just once…”

“Hmm?”

“If we could just touch your cheek once…”

“Th-that’s impertinent! But it’s true!”

Can I trust these technicians who are talking about how cute I am at such a crucial time?

But seeing their trembling hands, I narrowed my eyes.

Perhaps I could captivate their hearts with this cuteness.

Since technicians are important, I could spare my cheeks for a moment.

I narrowed my eyes and whispered to them.

“Hmm, then…”

Their eyes sparkled. At the same time, my heart melted.

Actually, I felt sorry for these elder sisters and brothers who had lost both their home and guild…

“I’ll allow you to touch my cheek once.”

I shrugged and raised my chin. I heard the maids beside me mutter, ‘It’s the highest reward.’

Their trembling hands approached me.

“Ri-rice cake…”

They muttered with difficulty while gently rubbing my cheek. But I mercilessly grabbed their hands.

“That’s enough!”

“I-it’s over…”

Seeing their expressions full of lingering attachment, I raised an eyebrow.

“If things go well, I’ll let you do it again.”

“Huh…? A-again?”

They clasped their hands in front of them, their eyes sparkling.

These people were so foolish that it was hard to believe they had made such a great invention as the paternity test kit. I shook my head and said.

“I’ve had a good idea, so everyone focus!”