Although Charlotte had long wanted to find an opportunity to tell her father about this, she still stiffened when he exposed it outright. The gold coins rolling through her mind vanished in an instant, leaving only surprise.
The baron sighed and explained:
"I could tell from the way you held that box full of gold coins without any effort."
The gold coins currently circulating in the Intis Kingdom, worth 24 Verl D'Or apiece, were also known as "Gold Louis" because they bore a profile of King Louis VI. They weighed 7.6 grams, while the "Double Gold Louis," worth 48 Verl D'Or, happened to be exactly twice their size and weight.
Thus, the box full of gold coins in Charlotte's arms weighed over seven kilograms. Even if an ordinary young noblewoman could lift it, she would not be able to maintain the same position with ease. Charlotte had even closed the lid with one hand just now, unmistakably revealing that she was a Beyonder.
Seeing her remain silent, Raoul shook his head and continued:
"Did you use a Beyonder ability when you reprimanded the maid just now? I could sense that supremely confident, commanding air. That certainly didn't belong to my daughter."
"I was only trying it out, because the potion is called..."
Charlotte admitted it honestly. She was about to explain the potion's abilities without violating the rules of confidentiality when her father forced a faint smile and interrupted her:
"All right. I know there are things you can't tell me, and I have no intention of delving into the supernatural world and bringing trouble upon myself."
Charlotte quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Glancing down at the wooden box in her arms, she deliberately adopted a light tone:
"So, is this a dowry you prepared in advance? Now that I've become a Beyonder, have you finally decided to throw your disobedient daughter out of the house, Father?"
Raoul glared at her:
"This is money I saved separately from our household expenses. I thought becoming a Beyonder might bring you quite a few additional expenses, so I intended to give it to you on your birthday."
So Father didn't spend all the family's money. He saved some of it... If he hadn't caught me using a Beyonder ability for acting just now, I probably would have had to wait another two weeks to become rich... Looking at the neatly stacked gold coins in the box, Charlotte felt much of her long-standing resentment over the family's finances fade.
Raoul continued:
"As for everything else belonging to the Sauron family, it will all be yours in the end, no matter whom you marry.
"Once you come of age, we'll need to visit Trier and have an audience with His Majesty at the White Maple Palace, to register and confirm you as the adult heir of a branch of the Sauron family."
Whom I marry... Charlotte's heart tightened. The social etiquette she had just learned flashed through her mind, along with the image of herself dancing with a man.
"Visiting the White Maple Palace is merely a formality. There's no need to be nervous," the baron said, noticing her reaction but guessing the wrong cause. "Of course, before then, you'd better learn not to let your mind wander at important moments, or casually climb over the wall to leave home."
Charlotte's expression stiffened a little as she wondered whether her father knew something, but Raoul soon changed the subject:
"Since you've already taken the potion, there's nothing I can do to stop you. But you'd best stop here and not advance any further."
"Why?"
Charlotte asked reflexively.
She had only just grasped the knack of "acting" and was secretly delighted by the feedback each correct action brought her. Yet Raoul's words were like a bucket of cold water poured straight over her heart.
"Because it's far too dangerous... Do you think those dukes and earls, those important figures who truly control land and industries, don't know the Beyonder world exists? That they don't know potions can grant power beyond that of ordinary people?"
Raoul stared closely at his daughter's face as he spoke, his expression grave.
"Most of them never take potions themselves, because they can hire Beyonders, donate to the Church and ask official Beyonders for protection, or even nurture gifted members of their family's branches. With all those options, why must they personally bear the risk of losing control and going mad?"
Her father's words slowly cooled the excitement in Charlotte's heart.
She had always felt that the Beyonder world lay hidden beneath everyday life, known only to the few people drawn into its affairs. But thinking it over carefully, how could the truly great nobles possibly know nothing of it?
A "Solar High Priest" like Viève could handle an entire squad of ordinary soldiers alone under the right conditions, while an "Assassin" like Henriette, who could turn invisible and manipulate unseen threads, could slip into most mansions at will as though no one were there.
If the great nobles had no defenses against such powers, their vaults would have been emptied long ago, and even their own safety could not be guaranteed.
Earl Foulis of Sushit was an obvious example. He could cooperate with the "Purification-ers" and help official Beyonders conceal traces of their operations. Even if he was not a Beyonder himself, he surely had such people around him.
"I understand," she answered softly, with a little more sincerity this time.
Raoul watched her, his expression easing somewhat:
"I'm not telling you to abandon this path or distance yourself from the Church. But don't think you're special or lucky just because you gained power easily. Many Beyonders thought they were unique, the protagonists of this world, right up until they died."
And just now I was thinking I could advance within a year... Charlotte thought guiltily. The confidence that had swelled excessively with her progress in acting diminished a little.
But she soon lowered her gaze to the wooden box in her arms again. The thousand gleaming Gold Louis were enough to brighten her mood once more, despite her father's recent admonishment.
Watching his daughter fail to suppress the corners of her mouth no matter how hard she tried, Raoul's face also showed a hint of a smile.
Another weekend arrived, and several partners of the Sushit Weekly gathered once again in Morvan Durand's workshop.
The lawyer, who took a keen interest in history, removed the covering cloth. His gray-blue eyes visibly lit up at the sight of the oddly shaped candlestick. He put on cloth gloves and picked it up, examining its asymmetrical supports, inverted base, and the patterns of corrosion on its surface. After a moment, he offered his assessment:
"It's in the style of the Tudor Empire period. It was most likely used in the residence of some great noble, and it's exceptionally well preserved. Apart from the oxidation of the metal itself, there's almost no other damage."
"So it's genuine?" Charlotte asked cautiously.
"At least judging by its appearance, it looks very much like a genuine piece." Morvan did not commit himself entirely. "But if it really dates from the Fourth Epoch, it probably wasn't excavated. It was more likely removed from some old castle or ancient residence."
At this point, he suddenly looked up at Charlotte, then glanced at Roselle and asked:
"Have either of you touched it for an extended period? Have you felt unwell or experienced anything unusual?"
Unusual? Does killing a Cultist right after buying it count...? Charlotte muttered inwardly and shook her head. She looked at Roselle and found that, after a little thought, he did the same before asking:
"To be honest, I'm not particularly interested in antiques from the Fourth Epoch. I prefer advanced machinery to an upside-down candlestick like this... Mr. Morvan, is there something wrong with it?"
Morvan explained solemnly:
"Some objects left over from the Fourth Epoch do possess strange powers. There are rumors of someone suffering terrible misfortune and the decline of his family after coming into contact with a mural. Others acquired an ancient gold coin, only for their friends and relatives to suffer one calamity after another, with no escape for themselves either. Objects connected to the great nobles of the Solomon, Tudor, or Trunsoest Empires in particular are often believed to carry powerful curses."
The workshop fell silent for a moment.
Green's polite smile stiffened slightly, while Charlotte and Roselle recalled the mysticism they had learned recently, considering how much truth such rumors might hold.
In the end, Green was the first to laugh, breaking the silence:
"Mr. Durand's extensive knowledge could certainly be put to use in our weekly. Besides serious news and accurate information, readers also need interesting stories like these to discuss at the dinner table."
Morvan glanced at him and nodded:
"I do have an idea, though it isn't fully developed yet. For instance, I could write a story about a prince from the ancient Balam Empire in the Southern Continent who ends up in the Northern Continent, cursed to die and be reborn repeatedly, living his lives under different identities. If I write a little each issue and leave some suspense, perhaps readers will be willing to keep buying the next copy of the weekly."
Roselle's eyes lit up at once, and he agreed:
"That's a good idea. A very good idea. A regular serial that leaves readers in suspense, making them keep buying so they can see what happens in the next issue... Mr. Durand, this will become one of the Sushit Weekly's most important features."
A serialized novel? That really is an effective way to attract newspaper readers. This world has very little entertainment, and Morvan's story sounds interesting... Charlotte considered the idea and quite approved of it. But rather than enthusiastically discussing more details with Morvan as Roselle and Green did, she remained preoccupied with his earlier warning.
When he had asked about contact with the candlestick and whether anything unusual had happened, he had looked at Charlotte and Roselle, ignoring Green entirely. Of course, that could be explained by the candlestick having passed through their hands while Green was merely a bystander. Yet having participated in the capture of a Cultist and read about investigating clues in Viève's booklet, Charlotte could not help feeling that something was off.
Would an ordinary history enthusiast so naturally assume that Fourth Epoch artifacts might possess magical powers and curses?
Was he reminding Roselle and me to be careful when handling such objects, or was he warning us in our other capacity-as Beyonders?
Should I report him to the Purification-ers and have them investigate this lawyer...? Just as the thought arose in Charlotte's mind, Morvan looked over.
There was still a smile on his face, but not a trace of amusement in his gray-blue eyes.
A chill ran down Charlotte's back, and she immediately realized how irrational her idea was.
If Morvan was merely an ordinary history enthusiast, those few remarks would cause neither trouble nor harm. Reporting him would only turn him into a suspect and draw the Inquisition's attention. And if he truly was a Beyonder, one powerful enough to recognize Charlotte and Roselle for what they were, her recklessness would instead bring even greater trouble.
I'll wait and see... She reined in her thoughts and returned a properly polite smile.
The coldness in Morvan's eyes faded as well, as though that fleeting scrutiny had never existed.