[Rosso]
I had heard the rumors. It all started when I heard that the fourth son of the Marquis Fertio family was granted a title right before the war with the Yellenetta Kingdom was about to begin.
It is said that Van Nei Fertio is a child prodigy. From a young age, his brilliance was evident, but due to a lack of aptitude for magic, he was sent to a remote area of the marquisate.
However, Van flourished there. Though it seems exaggerated, he developed a village with a few subordinates and about a hundred villagers, even managing to defeat a full-fledged dragon. There are rumors that His Majesty personally confirmed this, and it has been verified as true. Following his promotion and conversations with nobles who fought in the war, it became clear that Van’s genius lay in production magic and strategies that seemed to foresee the future.
The idea and courage to build a temporary fortress in the Wolfsburg mountain range, a place deemed impossible for fortress construction, right in front of the Yellenetta Kingdom’s camp—it was no simple feat, even for seasoned warriors. The stories of Van’s accomplishments in other battlefields felt as if I were hearing the tale of a hero passed down through generations.
That Van himself visited my domain. Even though the reason was to observe and investigate the large ship from the Fiesta Kingdom, I was genuinely pleased by his visit. When I met him, he seemed like such a young child, but still...
Now, what kind of impression would this boy have after inspecting the ships of an unknown country?
I was thinking this when...
“...This was unexpected.”
Looking at the precise blueprints laid out before me, I could only mutter that. Everything surpassed my expectations. I was completely overwhelmed by the documents, which clearly didn’t seem like something a child could have prepared.
“Viscount Van, based on these, is it possible to begin prototyping a ship? Tran will likely be heading back in about one to two weeks. We could secretly construct it and float a prototype ship on the sea.”
When I said that, Van showed a brief moment of thought. The adults with titles, including myself, waited silently for Van’s response. This silence could be seen as a sign of acknowledging Van as a full-fledged noble head of a household. Even Panamera, who would usually tease her younger brother, remained completely quiet and didn’t disturb Van’s contemplation.
It must have been a few seconds. After silently thinking, Van finally opened his mouth. I could tell that everyone was focused, waiting for his first words.
In that moment, Van calmly stated his opinion, as if it were nothing.
“Would it be possible to try making a ship and have Tran see it?”
“…What?”
I asked back, not understanding the meaning of Van’s suggestion. However, the others seemed to understand.
“…Boy. Wouldn’t that make Tran, and the Fiesta Kingdom, unnecessarily wary?”
Panamera said this, and Targa lowered his chin and spoke up.
“That’s right. If possible, I believe it’s best to avoid showing Viscount Van’s magic until it’s absolutely necessary.”
Even Targa, who had just recently become a baron, understood what Van had said and answered. Indeed, if one simply took Van’s words at face value, their concerns were natural. However, the true issue here was the construction of a large ship capable of floating on the sea—a task that was likely a first for this country. I couldn’t imagine we would manage to complete it while Tran was still here.
“...Viscount Van. Isn’t this a different matter from building a fortress? It’s not something so easily…”
“Oh, of course, I’m not saying we’ll create a finished product right away. For now, it’s just a prototype. It might take a while to even get it afloat.”
“W-Well, that’s true…”
As Van casually explained, I responded in confusion, but Panamera crossed her arms and groaned.
“…Your Excellency. What would you think if Viscount Van could build a ship in just a few days? Should we show it to Tran?”
Given this strange question, I hesitated but nodded.
“Honestly, I don’t think it would be something so simple. But, if he were able to build a ship, then… Fiesta Kingdom has already sent ships to other countries, they say. Eventually, Viscount Van’s abilities and achievements will become known. In that case, it might be better to deliberately give away part of the information from the start. The two main advantages would be gaining Fiesta Kingdom’s trust and controlling the flow of information about Viscount Van’s abilities, limiting it deliberately.”
After I answered, Panamera nodded deeply.
“...Understood. Then, let’s think of a way to mislead others about Viscount Van’s abilities. Once that’s decided, we can begin prototyping the ship immediately.”
“Immediately, huh. Alright, then I’ll officially grant permission. Normally, I’d want to confirm with His Majesty, but judging by Viscount Van’s expression, it seems you want to make the ship while Tran is still here, so you can show him, right?”
I replied with a wry smile, and Van nodded with a childlike grin.
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