The visitor to the temple was not only Adeline. There was a guest who arrived two days earlier than Adeline.

Edward stared at the high priest with a coldly hardened gaze. For someone overseeing the North, he was a man who had not a shred of piety, filling his plump belly entirely with greed.

“…So, Your Grace. The current cold in the North will all be resolved if we pray earnestly to the god Sudelai. It seems Your Grace is worrying too much. I will resolve this matter. I will collect prayer taxes from the residents of the North to hold the ceremony. It would be helpful if the Vincent family also pays the prayer tax.”

Crazy bastard.

Edward muttered softly.

“Pardon?”

High Priest Tammers tilted his head, opening his tiny mouse-like eyes wide.

“It’s nothing.”

Edward’s aide quickly spoke on his behalf. Before Edward could express his temper without restraint, Royce wrapped up the situation.

“The Duke seems tired, so we’ll take our leave now.”

“Please do.”

Royce pulled on Edward’s arm. Edward, pretending to give in, was dragged out and gritted his teeth.

“People are dying of starvation with nothing to eat. Yet they talk of collecting prayer taxes. I don’t know if it’s the gods who are shameless or these people.”

“Well…”

Royce laughed awkwardly. The harsh cold that had come once in 100 years was squeezing the North. People were freezing to death, starving to death, struggling just to survive, and now prayer taxes?

When they were all excited about discussing ways to overcome this cold by joining forces between the Duke Vincent family, Duke Andres family, and the temple, this is what they come up with – prayer taxes. Moreover, the Duke Andres family had completely backed out.

Apparently, the Duke Andres family’s financial situation wasn’t good either.

“In the end, Vincent gets stuck with everything,” Royce said in a voice mixed with a sigh.

“Even procuring fur is difficult as animals are becoming scarce.”

Edward’s eyes sank. Even if Vincent used up all the fur they had, it wouldn’t be enough.

To save this North from the cold, more fur and more grain were needed. The problem was that goods were not being supplied rather than money.

“No one’s being helpful.”

“Won’t there be aid from the imperial capital? His Highness the Crown Prince won’t ignore the crisis in the North.”

That’s true.

But even the Crown Prince doesn’t have the funds to keep feeding the North indefinitely. There were limits to opposing the Empress who was eyeing the Crown Prince like a wolf.

Edward leaned on the window. His handsome face was lost in thought. His silver hair, which seemed to brightly illuminate the North, and his clear red eyes were overflowing with vitality.

The bridge of his nose and jawline, which were clearly carved with great care by the gods, flowed smoothly.

Delicate yet strong.

Reverence settled in Royce’s eyes.

“Relying on the Crown Prince is not enough. We need to find a way for the North to sustain itself. What about what I mentioned before?”

“Not yet.”

“Huh. Hurry up. We need to do something before everyone freezes to death.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The veins on Edward’s hand stood out.

*

At that moment, Adeline, who had gotten off the carriage, was seeing Jayden off.

He had been chattering all the way here about worrying about me, that I should take my medicine well, and to come back soon. Even after getting off the carriage, he talked for 10 more minutes before leaving.

His feelings for Adeline were touching to the point of being admirable.

Whether he was acting well, or Esme hadn’t told Jayden anything. Adeline had said she didn’t know either.

He talks too much. He should have left quickly.

After clicking her tongue briefly, she entered the temple.

“You’ve come from Wesley.”

“I received the message. I’ll be assisting you, Lady, for the three days you’ll be praying. My name is Daisy.”

“I’ll be in your care for a while, Daisy. By the way, could you find me an errand boy who can run errands for me? Someone quick on their feet and tight-lipped will do.”

She handed Daisy a gold coin. One gold coin is what an ordinary commoner can earn in a month. Even if Daisy was receiving a salary from the temple, it was an amount that couldn’t help but tempt her.

Daisy’s eyes widened.

“Yes, yes! I know a good child! Should I call him right away?”

“That would be good.”

“Yes, Lady!”

Daisy, who had become a bit friendlier than before, smiled brightly and ran outside. Having visited the temple once a week since her parents passed away, she knew the interior well.

With no intention of going to the prayer room, she was looking around inside the temple. She had neatly organized in her head what to do at the temple for three days.

It’s too wasteful to be satisfied with just finding one maid for three days. She had no intention of immediately taking the trading company out of Esme’s hands now.

Rather than doing that, it would be faster to rebuild under her what Esme had lost and thrown away.

What’s the use of taking over a failing trading company anyway.

It’s faster to make a new one than to fix what’s ruined.

Before entering this body, she had thoroughly searched through Adeline, the trading company, and the family. In fact, being a ghost was convenient for snooping around without being caught or noticed by others.

There was one hope I had discovered in Wesley, but to use it, I needed the power of the temple. And I needed to approach Duke Vincent, but what should I say to the Duke…

“Huh.”

I blurted out without realizing.

“Edward?”

Why is he here.

A laugh escaped me. Had the gods suddenly become aware or something? Edward Vincent was in the temple. Still flaunting his beauty.

As if he had heard my voice, Edward Vincent turned his head towards where I was. Even back in the academy days, he had made many cry with that face.

The silver hair that the female students loved so much fluttered in the wind. It was a delicate and beautiful face that was no less than his brilliant hair.

His thick eyebrows twitched slightly.

His red eyes turned towards me.

“Do you know me?”

I know you very well. If the gods have given me such an opportunity, I’d be a complete fool to miss it. The unfortunate thing is that Edward might know Leira, but he doesn’t know Adeline.

If I were Leira, I would have tried to approach using our brief acquaintance from the past. I licked the inside of my mouth with my tongue. Hmm, but if Edward hasn’t changed, he’ll definitely be interested in what I have to say.

Adeline and Edward are strangers. Would Edward like it if I treated him like Adeline would? Considering how well he got along with me back in the academy days, he might.

“Hello, Your Grace.”

I quickly bent my knee.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Adeline of the Wesley Viscounty. I had hoped to meet Your Grace, but I’ve committed a rudeness by meeting you like this. Please forgive me.”

“His Grace is not someone who can meet just anyone. If you formally request…”

“Your Grace, I have a way to overcome this cold in the North.”

I cut off the aide’s words and interjected. If it’s Edward, he surely won’t ignore the crisis in the North.

Although Edward might appear fierce and cold on the outside, he was not someone who would neglect his responsibilities and duties. That was the value and meaning of Vincent’s existence as the ruler of the North.

It was also the reason why Edward Vincent couldn’t help but be loved.

If Edward hasn’t changed, surely…

“Let’s hear it then. Royce, arrange a place.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

I pulled up my lips. You haven’t changed, have you?

*

Edward gazed at Adeline with a strange look.

“The Wesley Viscounty has fur that cannot be used. It’s fur that has use, but cannot be used. It’s the fur of magical beasts.”

The bones of magical beasts had already been recognized for their usefulness and were being processed into weapons after purification rituals at the temple. The Wesley Viscounty had also laid the foundation for their trading company by selling the bones of magical beasts.

However, an alternative called alloy appeared.

The temple welcomed this alloy. They reversed their position, saying that humans using body parts of magical beasts was an act of betraying the gods. The old-fashioned established nobles sided with the temple to sell expensive alloys.

Although the use of magical beast bones wasn’t prohibited, when the temple turned its back, it began to be shunned. As a result, only knights were using expensive alloy weapons, albeit reluctantly.

However, mercenaries and solo swordsmen all carried weapons made from magical beast bones.

Thanks to this, magical beast bones were still actively traded in the black market. But for fur, the general practice was to burn it all.

The fur of magical beasts stands out anywhere. Unlike animal fur, it has a strange opal sheen and is several times thicker. If one possessed it, it would inevitably catch the eye.

When I had ordered Royce to search for the fur of magical beasts, he couldn’t find anything. But now it appears as if it had been waiting.

“The fur of magical beasts is thicker and stronger than that of ordinary animals. It’s also sturdy enough that not even wind can penetrate. I think we need the fur of magical beasts to overcome this cold.”

That thought exactly matched Edward’s thinking.

More precisely, it matched the thoughts of Edward and Leira.