TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 168
Late in the evening, I sat at my desk, flipping through a thick household ledger while clicking a ballpoint pen.
-Click.
Watching the pen tip go in and out repeatedly, I let out a deep sigh as I fell into thought.
“What should I do about this?”
All I could do was sigh.
“There’s just too much money.”
A sigh of success, that is.
A happy dilemma I couldn’t have imagined just a year ago. Having forgotten the miserable past when I agonized over whether to sell my fortuitous encounter, I opened the household ledger with a smug smile.
[Total Assets: 1.2 Million Gold]
This Month’s Expenses: 10,000 Gold
[Details]
Food Expenses: 7,000 Gold
Taxes: Tax Evasion
Leisure Activities: 1,000 Gold
Miscellaneous: 2,000 Gold
“Is this what the troubles of the wealthy feel like…? It’s hard. So hard.”
It had been a long time since the entries in the household ledger stopped tracking down to the smallest coin.
Though food expenses took up the largest share, I couldn’t help but smile at my now much fuller wallet compared to before, and I muttered to myself.
“If I save up well, I might be able to buy a house in the capital city. No, building a mansion with an ocean view doesn’t sound too bad either.”
As life became more comfortable, my way of thinking changed. The Butler who once worried about starving to death now found himself pleased with constructive thoughts about preparing for retirement.
I used to write in the household ledger while letting out endless sighs. These days, writing in it had become enjoyable.
After all, money doesn’t lie.
The Proprietress said she’d handle the taxes, and even if any issue arose, there was a tax evasion expert at the estate, so there was no need to worry.
-I’m good at money laundering.
-It’s not about adding water and spinning it.
-It’s not?
-No.
-I know that! Anyway, I’m good at it, so ask me if you don’t know something.
Since she’s confident about it, I figured I could count on her if a problem arose. Even though the Young Lady had adapted to an unemployed lifestyle, there were times when she displayed a sharp intellect. Deciding to trust her, I nodded.
“Should I start giving her an allowance from next month?”
Though she wouldn’t have much to spend it on, I thought it necessary to instill a proper sense of financial responsibility. Smiling, I wrote ‘Allowance’ in next month’s expense column.
‘She’ll probably like it….’
To the Young Lady, money still didn’t hold much significance.
For some, money is the strength that sustains life; for others, it becomes a shackle that binds them. But for the Young Lady, money likely wouldn’t carry such weight.
Not because she didn’t need money—that would be absurd—but because the Young Lady never had to worry about it.
That was my and Darbav’s fault.
The Young Lady had never earned money herself and didn’t know how. The only things she understood were related to taxes and business, and she never bothered with the finer details.
Last time, she even decided to work a part-time job sewing eyes onto a teddy bear without checking the pay.
We had become her warm ATMs.
-Father, give me money.
-How much do you need? A million?
-Yes.
Naturally, we made the Young Lady view money as trivial. Even when she was expelled from the household, I became her financial sponsor, just like Darbav, so I thought there wasn’t much difference.
That’s why I decided to slowly teach her the value of money. Seeing her talent for slipping platinum coins unnoticed, I thought it might be okay to give her an allowance.
As I tapped my forehead, pondering how much to give her for her first allowance.
-Ricardo!
A familiar voice called out from the next room.
The Young Lady, calling me in a loud voice. I wondered what was going on today. Hearing her call so loudly that the estate’s roof might fall, I chuckled and closed the household ledger spread out on the desk.
“I’m coming.”
I wondered what she wanted this time.
Perhaps it was because of a cockroach or the fear of a ghost. Though the reasons varied, the Young Lady often called me late at night, usually for nightmares or ghostly fears. Predicting the reason, I grabbed a fairy tale book from the bookshelf.
[My Glass Slipper is 3 Million Gold.]
Not a fairy tale book from another world, but one from my previous life, rewritten with plenty of provocative content just for the Young Lady.
Tucking the book under my arm, I left the room. Filled with hope that she’d enjoy the hot new release, my steps were light.
-Tiptoe.
Walking quietly on my toes, I soon stopped in front of a door with a small sign hanging on it.
[The Prettiest Villainess’s Room.]
A sign I had secretly placed in front of the Young Lady’s room. Stifling a laugh, I gently knocked on the door.
-Knock knock.
“Young Lady. It’s me.”
There was no response.
Had she fallen asleep in just three minutes? Feeling puzzled by the silence beyond the door, I knocked again.
-Knock knock knock.
What is this? Is she ignoring me because it’s boring?
A gentlemanly Butler wouldn’t open a Lady’s door without permission, so I cleared my throat and spoke softly toward the Young Lady beyond the door.
-Knock knock knock knock!
“Ahem, Young Lady? Would you like to make bath bombs with me?”
“…”
Receiving no response from the Young Lady, I drooped my shoulders and lowered my head in disappointment.
It seemed the Butler wasn’t needed.
“Okay, bye…”
But leaving just like this felt unsatisfying. I had come all the way here, and leaving without seeing the Young Lady’s face would be akin to neglecting my duty.
Quickly making up my mind, I turned back and walked toward the Young Lady’s room door.
-Clatter.
“Young Lady!”
With a bright smile, I entered, holding out the plagiarized fairy tale book, ‘My Glass Slipper is 3 Million Gold.’
Slowly, the dim interior of the Young Lady’s dark room came into view. As always, the chilly air from the wide-open window filled the room, and I awkwardly smiled while nagging.
“I told you not to sleep with the window open… Huh?”
On the bed was a giant dumpling. Not an actual dumpling, but the dumpling-like silhouette of the Young Lady wrapped in a blanket up to her head.
“Hic…”
For a moment, her curled-up figure looked so much like a well-made dumpling that I tilted my head in confusion and approached her. Gently peeling back the blanket, I spoke in a gentle voice.
“What’s wrong? Did a bug appear?”
When she saw my face, the Young Lady, with tearful eyes, began rummaging through a drawer.
In her hurried search, shiny coins glinted in the drawer. It seemed she had pulled off a heist without my knowledge. As expected, no one could rival her talent of the underbelly.
After rummaging for a while, the Young Lady pulled out a platinum coin and, with trembling hands, held it out to me.
“Take this!”
“Pardon?”
“Just take it.”
“Why, though?”
“Just…! Take it!”
What is this?
Though I didn’t understand, the warm gesture of the allowance made my heart feel full, and I smiled as I accepted the coin she handed over.
Indeed, money is the best.
Resolving not to spend the first allowance I’d received from the Young Lady, I placed the coin in my pocket.
“Thank…”
Before I could finish, the Young Lady threw herself into my arms without even fixing her disheveled appearance. Even a villainess seemed to feel the burden of conscience.
Feeling her trembling breath, I smiled and patted her back.
“It’s okay.”
And Olivia whispered.
‘I’m relieved….’
Looking at the fading Blue Window, I let out a sigh of relief.
-You have failed the Quest.
*
Olivia, who was hugging Ricardo, felt her racing heart and exhaled a sigh of relief.
It was because she feared the suddenly appearing Blue Window might show something terrifying.
Olivia tightly closed her eyes, breathing heavily, as she looked at the Blue Window over Ricardo’s shoulder.
‘This time, I won’t look.’
Truly.
-You have failed the Quest.
-As a Penalty, you will view a portion (5%) of the 66th Side Story, “The Weight of an Unpayable Debt.”
*
Ten minutes earlier.
A Blue Window had appeared in Olivia’s view as she lay on the bed.
Even when she hid her face in the pillow or shook her head while burying her face in it, the Blue Window wouldn’t disappear. Clenching her fist, Olivia slowly lifted her head.
[Q. The Weight of an Unpayable Debt.]
There is a debt caused by your mistake. A debt of 1 Million Gold, which a Commoner couldn’t even dream of touching.
Unable to move, you couldn’t repay the debt, and naturally, it became a source of worry for the Butler.
Do you remember? One month after using Dark Magic. The sheet of paper that the Butler handed you.
The Butler, smiling as he said, “You can repay the debt,” and “Don’t worry,” had a smile laced with concern because he knew it was impossible to repay.
At the time, you hated the Butler so much that you tore the paper without even looking at it. But if you had casually answered, “Fine, do as you wish,” the story might have turned out differently.
The current you.
The past you.
The debt was repaid.
Of course, it was thanks to Ricardo’s help.
(!) Discover the efforts Ricardo made without your knowledge.
1. Secretly collect three Platinum Coins from Ricardo. (1/3)
2. Steal a glance at Ricardo’s Ledger. (0/1)
Reward: You will gain access to view the 66th Side Story, “The Weight of an Unpayable Debt.”
In case of failure: You will only view the latter portion (5%) of the Side Story.