Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1468: Chapter 46: Finch the Blabbermouth

Helena frowned in dissatisfaction: ”I don’t have time for your riddles! What’s going on?”

Finch glanced at the Countess, who was on the brink of exploding, and gave Count Stelter a look in the air that seemed sympathetic but was actually full of provocation: ”Ah, the reason why this flower mutated is because someone has been watering it with Silk Spider poison for years on end.

Clearly, there was no poison detected before! It turns out that it only becomes problematic when combined with this material.

Tsk~”

Count Stelter’s face darkened: ”Helena only started raising Silk Spiders after I returned.”

”This earth started mutating more than a decade ago,” Finch floated to one corner, ”The soil here is clearly more polluted, even the stone path five meters away from the bottom has become dirty.”

Helena sneered coldly: ”There used to be a pavilion there, I liked to work there when I was pregnant with Lind.

Later... I had to take people to defend by the harbor, suffered serious injuries, and almost died during difficult labor; the Priest saved me but also advised me to avoid rooms.

And then... someone ordered it to be dismantled.

Right, dear, that should be, your mother’s last command before her accidental death.

Because~ hmm~ she got injured from a fall in that pavilion?”

Count Stelter pressed his fingers forcefully against his brow: ”In other words, my mother discovered the truth here.

But what she knew certainly wasn’t the truth, she only guessed that someone had harmed you in this pavilion.

Otherwise... Helena, you don’t need to look at me like that.

You should also understand, my mother was dissatisfied with you, but she always cared for the three children.”

”No, I’m looking at you, expecting you to clarify,” Helena sneered, ”She knew in advance that the flower fragrance might make me uncomfortable during pregnancy, and wouldn’t affect the children much.

But after discovering that I almost died because of it, she questioned the person who gave her the information when things felt wrong, leading to her attention being drawn to the pavilion.”

Count Stelter smiled wryly: ”Considering my mother’s unfortunate end, don’t hate her anymore, Helena.”

”The suffering I’ve endured over the years, I can dismiss it because of my love for you,” Helena’s eyes glimmered with a wave, ”But what about Lind?

After this incident, Ditte and Ellie might no longer care for this little brother even if they have no resentment.

There’s a world of difference between jealousy and truly acting with malice; you can’t possibly be unaware!”

Count Stelter glanced at Finch hovering in the air, completely unafraid to avoid them, and said humbly: ”Doesn’t Lind always think he’s extraordinarily capable?

Let’s see where relying on himself can take him!

If he truly can’t make it, Ellie and Ditte couldn’t possibly just watch him meet a bad end.”

Otherwise, Ellie wouldn’t be thrilled to the point of forgetting secrecy after knowing Lind was influenced by external forces.”

”You, who have no brothers, understand nothing!” Helena said expressionlessly, ”Parents will grow distant as they have their own little families, not to mention siblings.

Forget it, talking to you about this is meaningless, let’s focus on correcting Lind’s personality first!”

Seeing their argument come to a halt, Finch leisurely said, ”And later, when your Silk Spiders started having problems, it’s probably because they were fed this orchid juice.”

”What do you mean?” Helena suddenly raised her head.

”Thus, we need to take a look at your Silk Spider cave now!” Finch said with a chuckle, ”If I’m correct, the reason your webs are having issues is also because they were fed this orchid juice.

Isn’t it fascinating... can they actually complement each other?

Do you know where your mother got these orchids from, Count Stelter?”

”Elf Forest.” Count Stelter squeezed out the words stiffly.

”Hmm?” Finch pondered aloud, ”Perhaps, I know what’s causing the Silk Spider poison to produce substances that mutate the orchids... Crystal Fruit.

But, though Silk Spiders are large, their venom sacs are small, it takes more than a bit of venom to mutate an orchid.

It can’t have been brought from outside; the Stelter guards aren’t that useless, to let so much liquid be brought in without realizing.

Yet, Silk Spiders require a very clean habitat... it can’t be bred in the nearby mountains; besides, if so many people were involved, and you felt nothing... Count Stelter couldn’t possibly have returned alive from the desert bandits.

Unless someone raised a small Silk Spider in their room, feeding it Crystal Fruit daily to grow.

But Crystal Fruit can only be preserved sealed!

Once it’s exposed to air, that uniquely fragrant scent can’t be hidden, even if someone manages to make it into juice, it’s the same.

Similarly, your family isn’t that useless, having the house filled with fragrance daily without anyone knowing.”

Count Stelter’s face couldn’t help but twitch... this guy, taking advantage of his inability to speak much, keeps calling his family useless, saying they’re worthless.

If it’s truly because the family had loopholes, allowing themselves to be deceived to this extent, all the blame would fall on him!

```

”Damn Finch.”

”Most importantly, Count Stelter, neither the former nor the current one is worth deploying something as expensive as a Crystal Fruit against.

A small fruit is worth 1,000 Gold Coins, and to achieve this level, if it were a Silk Spider, it would require at least a few hundred! Right?

The Stelter Family might not be worthless, but they are not that great either.” Helena raised her head abruptly, speaking in an icy tone, ”I remember the steward telling me that, for some unknown reason, after feeding our Silk Spiders for three years, some of the young spiders grew deformed and only reached two-thirds of the normal size of Silk Spiders.

Though they still spun silk, the quantity was significantly less.

He’s been searching for the reason... Guessing if we did something wrong that caused such a severe breeding issue.

But if they were fed with mutated orchid juice, and this caused the issue, is it possible that the Silk Spiders growing up eating Crystal Fruits would become even smaller?

Targeting us specifically seems unlikely, but using Silk Spiders cultivated by others is quite normal.

Moreover, the Second Prince’s maternal family is famed for their craftsmanship, isn’t it?”

Finch frowned: ”I understand; I will thoroughly investigate this.”

Then he glanced at Count Stelter: ”Count Stelter, if possible, could you go find Great Sage Belfran to exchange for some Crystal Fruits?

I think, since he can grow a small tree, he surely has the fruits as well.”

It’s quite normal for a Great Sage to have something to preserve and keep fresh.

Count Stelter took a deep breath: ”Could you refrain from acting as if you know so much about my family’s matters?”

”Huh...” Finch hesitated before slowly speaking, ”But, I would rather hope you’re too embarrassed to see that Great Sage, or that they tire of your family’s mess soon and even kick out your daughter!”

”Why... Do you dislike Ellie so much?” Count Stelter questioned with a frown.

”Why pretend to be ignorant?” Finch chuckled, ”Ever since the day your Stelter Family crawled at the King’s feet for your own interests and suppressed our Mage Family, I hold no goodwill towards anyone named Stelter.

Not taking action is because I cannot, not because I don’t want to.”

”Swearing loyalty to the King is a vow from the heart for every Knight upon their promotion.” Count Stelter gazed at him intently, ”Each Knight who ascends to a High Level would never betray their liege lord!

Faith in the heart is the only truth by which we can advance.”

”You’re absolutely right.” Finch nodded in agreement, ”But does that have anything to do with me?

If the King wants us to back down, must we comply?

Ha, think again.

If capable, he can seize; if not... he will remain like the current one — struggling aimlessly like a trapped beast.

Then, you loyal subjects shall all be ruined by those power-hungry princes... What a wonderful ending!”

”Although I don’t really want to face the current situation.

Yet, Mr. Finch, your words are so biting, and right in front of so many ears... I can’t remain silent!

After all, I still have to return to the Royal Capital and face people!

So, please, take back your words!

The King may not be as capable as the late King, but it’s just less military action!

If he truly were as you said, Sage Finch wouldn’t be so concerned with Basia City, even sending his most competent son among his own, wouldn’t he?

Otherwise, shouldn’t you be staying in the Royal Capital, competing for power with the several vice-chairs?

Ha ha~ Like that silk inventor.”

A brown-haired youth wearing a soft cotton-linen shirt with trousers and draped in a simple grey silk robe slowly walked into the garden.

His appearance was quite ordinary; though his amiable face could be grudgingly praised as handsome, it lacked any distinctive features.

”Prince Alexis.” Count Stelter unwillingly greeted him with a bow.

Countess Stelter merely turned her face to the side, entirely unwilling to look at him.

”Ah... truly.” Alexis said with some embarrassment, ”I didn’t really want to step out; after all, this is all my fault.

So sorry...”

”What has that got to do with you?” Finch laughed cheerily, ”Seeing that trouble-prone little guy standing alone in the garden, looking pensive, who wouldn’t seize the chance to chat?”

Prince Alexis couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth: ”You seem especially talkative today.”

Finch suddenly alerted: ”Ah~ hold on, is this orchid scent... Am I being affected?”