Torva was an established trading partner who had started as a slave and sought the respect of the common people.
However, it turned out he had been scammed several times before after being caught selling counterfeit goods.
“I’m tense.”
This may have been true, but I couldn't find any comfort in Torva's nervousness.
Torva opened a box that was lying on the floor.
Inside the box was a white tombstone.
“It is the Ancient Language,” Torva spoke in a confident tone.
“It is the Grave Watcher’s Stone!”
Wannous's followers, who were standing next to the Duke, rejoiced greatly.
“The Grave Watcher’s Stone equals the Newt’s Value.”
This was correct.
If the old headstone were proven authentic, the castle would classify it as a treasure.
“But the Ancient Language changes. How can you be sure how old this Grave Watcher’s stone is?”
Torva opened his mouth with a triumphant look.
“I registered the object against similar items in history books, and I verified that it contains a strong Divine Power.”
“Hmm...”
When the followers shook their heads in doubt, Torva curled the corners of his mouth.
“The Ancient Plateau is a harsh place.”
“I was attacked by horrible monsters at the summit, but why did I not back down?”
He then slapped his hands toward the Duke.
“There will surely come a day when this helps in person.”
“So, you cannot give up on the Grave Watcher’s stone!”
The Duke only pressed his temple with a dry expression.
Torva wasn't angry at all.
Instead, he grinned as if he were waiting for a specific word.
“So, if you wish to buy it, I will deal with you for 100 million dollars.”
“What?”
“100 million?”
The only units used for the national budget were in the hundreds of millions.
Wannous's followers almost screamed as they looked at the Duke.
As the Duke looked at the stone plate with a sharp gaze, I raised my hand.
“Let me look closely!”
“This!”
Torva, who was staring at me with gentle eyes, quickly smiled.
“You are the Child of Destiny.”
“It is an honor for me to meet you.”
*I’m playing the lioness,* I thought, feeling embarrassed.
“Ah, Miss Small,” Leah seemed troubled as well.
She seemed worried that if I broke the stone plate like I had done to the Newt, it wouldn't be possible to fix it.
But I had a reason to look closely at that stone plaque.
Torva smiled and nodded.
“You must be interested in this because you are the Child of Destiny.”
“Yes, let us let the examiner take a look.”
“But do not touch it!”
As the followers shouted, “Wait!” I quickly approached Torva.
I squatted on the carpet and looked at the stone plate with a curious face.
“Do you feel it?”
“Do you feel a strong Divine Power?”
The people of Dobald and Torva's associates tried to convince me to change my mind.
“Stop that.”
“What if the child breaks it?”
“She is the Child of Destiny, and she is able to read some of the Ancient words.”
“How is that possible? No one in the Empire can speak the Ancient Language without an interpreter.”
“Of course, I’m just kidding. No one can interpret the Ancient Language, a language which has disappeared—”
“‘Noto, who humiliated his family, Hyatt, sleeps here.’”
“What?”
Torva and the others blinked at the sudden remark.
I smiled brightly and pointed to the stone slab.
“My uncle, do you see?”
“You fool, it is written right here.”
This was just a tombstone.
Moreover, no divine power could be felt at all.
“This fraudster!”
Fortunately, I can read the ancient language.
No one can read it now, but that was because the ancient language only reappeared a decade later.
Mina could read the ancient language as soon as she saw it.
Thanks to her, ancient lines were interpreted, and others were eventually able to learn it.
Of course, the number of people who learned it was very small because it was incredibly difficult.
Only three people could understand the Ancient Language even before my death: the Crown Prince, the eldest son of Duke Dobald, and myself.
I shook my head inwardly and looked at Torva.
It was a lie to say they dug it from the ancient plateau in the first place.
The only ancient country that built memorials to the dead was Caliscus.
Caliscus was a country directly across from the ancient plateau and did not believe in the god of this land.
It was an area where the divine could never descend.
*How simple is this man?*
*He must have thought he would never get caught.*
This man didn't know I could read the ancient language.
The followers rushed toward me.
“Do you really read the Ancient Language?”
“Exactly what is written?”
They surrounded me on both sides.
I nodded.
Torva's face was filled with embarrassment.
“What? Oh, this is nonsense!”
He quickly reached out to the Duke to make excuses.
“No, it is something holy!”
“How could a little girl read the Ancient Language like this?”
Torva, staring at me sharply, pressed on, “The little girl who tells such lies will be punished by Heaven!”
Before I knew it, Nous approached me, dropped to one knee, and asked me to look at him.
“Do you truly know how to read the Ancient Language?”
“Yes.”
“How? Did you learn it?”
I thought he was going to ask me this question, so I prepared an answer.
I tilted my head and said, “I can just see it.”
When Mina was asked how she read ancient languages, she said the same thing.
That was when I learned that the “Child of Destiny” title came with certain perks.
While I was laughing inside, Torva shouted, “She lied!”
He hastily made excuses to the crowd.
“I have a method to prove that this object is real.”
“But you are different.”
“How can you prove that you can read the Ancient Language?”
One of the henchmen, Dubos, sighed.
“I am sure she fabricated it.”
The people didn't believe me easily.
Torva laughed.
“The only person who spoke the Ancient Language was the Founding Emperor.”
At that moment, I extended my index finger and pointed to the ancient embroidered fabric behind the Duke.
“‘Blessed are you, for a man who renews his mission.’”
“...!”
All eyes turned to me.
The room went silent, and the followers gasped.
Even the Duke looked at me with wide eyes.
Then, I delivered the final blow.
“‘Void Aneth Thaiman Thali.’”
When I read the name embroidered at the end of the tapestry, the Duke gripped the armrests of his chair.
“The real name of the Founding Emperor!”
People stared at me in amazement.
“Right?”
“That is the real name of Fred the First!”
It was his middle name, “Shayman,” evidence of the blood of a certain tribe.
That tribe was called the creator of evil spirits, and it is now forbidden to mention them.
The imperial family removed his real name from the register to hide the tainted blood of the founding emperor.
Right now, only the Five Dynasties and a very few people knew his real name.
Those few, of course, included the Duke of Dobald.
*The order is different in the future,* Mina had once mentioned, speaking of the emperor's real name being engraved on the tapestry in public.
Reading the truth embroidered on the tapestry proved that I could truly read the ancient language.
Nous burst out laughing.
“Now, there is no way I can not believe this.”
The followers swallowed hard and clutched their foreheads.
“This idiot.”
“How could you...”
Everyone was in turmoil.
I smiled inwardly and looked at Torva.
*How will you make your excuses now?*
As expected, Torva could not open his mouth easily.
His face turned blue, and his hands began to shake.
*Fool.*
I shook my head and laughed softly.
The Duke looked suspicious, though he hadn't been interested in the stone in the first place.
He got up slowly.
“I think I have been far too nice recently.”
“...”
“Nous.”
At the Duke's call, Nous bowed his head.
“Yes.”
“Bring him to me.”
Astonished, Torva shouted, “Wait, Sir!”
With a cold, bluish face, the Duke looked at him and said dryly.
“Bring him to me so I can get a specific answer about this Grave Watcher’s stone, even if I have to cut it out of him.”
Nous replied grimly, “Yes.”
Torva's face faded to a ghostly pale.