‘Is there anyone this good as a trading partner?’

After checking all the parts she wanted to verify in the ledger,

Edith sat down at the tea table with Isagel and Viktor.

Edith opened her mouth as the servant went to get the next snacks.

“I have a proposal for the two of you.”

Viktor sensed that Edith did not speak lightly.

“A proposal? What kind of……”

“Send someone to the capital and call a wizard who can use highlevel magic. And please grant my request.”

“……!”

The Carcass couple had no choice but to be astonished by the calmly uttered words.

“Ma’am, do you know how much those level of wizards ask for their fees? Recently, as they don’t want to get involved in political fights, almost no wizards take private requests, so calling them is expensive.”

But Edith desperately needed a wizard.

‘The chance of not finding the spell to release the bond between Walter and me is greater.’

Summoning a wizard who could break the binding spell more quickly and certainly was the most surefire way to escape the mansion.

“I’ve read about it in books, so I know roughly. It’s tens of gold at the base, and if the magic required is difficult, they might take hundreds of gold.”

“You know it…… I’m sorry, but I think it will be difficult to provide such help.”

Viktor spoke softly, but firmly.

It was clear that Edith did not have money in this situation. So, the deal would ultimately be to pay the wizard’s fee on her behalf.

Since it would be an unfair trade that would only result in a loss if it went through, the Carcass company’s principle was to refuse, so Viktor had no choice but to say no.

But Edith seemed to have anticipated the refusal, remaining composed.

“Of course, what I’m asking you is to pay the wizard’s fee on my behalf. I don’t have the money right now.”

Edith was so confident in asking for the money that Isagel could not help but doubt her ears.

‘I never thought she’d say something like this.’

Was there some reason she had to call a wizard?

In place of his confused daughter, Viktor was about to say something, but Edith, smiling as if she knew exactly what he was thinking, opened her mouth again.

“Viktor. Do you think merchants only trade in tangible goods?”

“That’s not exactly the case……”

Indeed, commerce did not end with exchanging goods for goods, money for goods.

Whether this year’s harvest will be bountiful or poor. Whether there will be a high or low demand for a particular fabric during the social season.

Buying cheaply and selling expensively what people want, not just goods and money, but also desires and foresight.

Intuition at that moment determined the rise and fall of a company.

What on earth was the countess in front of him thinking to bring up this topic?

Viktor naturally waited for Edith’s next words.

“Then, as the head of the Carcass family, who signs contracts for the purchase of grain even before sowing the seeds, please consider my proposal.”

Edith took another sip of tea and continued her words.

“If you grant my request, if the count were to pass away, I will withdraw my hand from the inheritance that the wives will equally share. It won’t be a lossmaking deal for you two.”

“……!”
Isagel and Victor couldn’t help but be surprised at Edith’s bombshell statement.

The difference between dividing the estate set for the countesses into four parts, including Edith, and dividing it into three parts, excluding Edith, was enormous.

No matter how much Portrion was stained with Nicholas’s wrong choices and embezzlement cases, it wasn’t enough to squander all the wealth that the predecessors had accumulated.

“Unfair trade is unacceptable, but if I benefit from it……!”

Victor started to quickly roll his abacus beads in his head.

To him, Edith casually added,

“If we’re lucky, Sophia will also be excluded from the inheritance. I’m proposing the deal with the intention of blocking her inheritance.”

“The, then the inheritance is one out of two?!”

Victor was so surprised that he blurted out his thoughts.

Unlike his father, who was preoccupied with quickly calculating, Isagel’s nose twitched, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.

As Victor quickly calculated, Isagel sneakily looked at Edith.

‘I thought she was only kind, but she’s plotting something.’

What kind of picture is she trying to paint by pulling down Sophia, who hasn’t noticed the accounting fraud even after giving up her own inheritance?

Isagel became a little curious about what result Edith was trying to achieve.

“It’s a deal that benefits us too much. There’s no reason to refuse.”

Victor also nodded his head, as if he fully agreed with his daughter’s words.

As the reaction of the Carcass mother and daughter flowed as expected, Edith swallowed a sigh of relief.

“Summoning the magician may be a bit tricky, but the other requests will be a bit easier.”

Edith explained to them the second trade condition, which was as important as summoning the magician.