Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: 4. The Most Conscientious Orphan Dealer
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Calm down. First, count primes.
Primes are lonely numbers divisible only by one and themselves. They bring me peace.
So calm down... my ass.
'A return?'
The product didn't request a return itself, but the customer is returning it!
And a return means...
'I have to spit the money back out! I have to give a refund!'
No way. No. Karen was a 4-Star Orphan, so the payment I received was beyond imagination. And now they want me to give it back?
I can't do that. It's a fortune that guarantees my retirement anyway, so just running off like this...
'...would make building this business up to this point all for nothing. Moreover.'
I have a deal lined up right now. Selling Laila to the Beril Count Family.
Even if I run, I need to complete that deal first. My wealth would double—how could I run and miss out on that?
But business runs on trust. If they returned Karen due to a customer complaint, I obviously have to refund them. Otherwise, the Beril Count Family could refuse to buy Laila too.
So I have to give the money back. I do.
'Ah, right!'
"...For now, welcome back, Karen. But can you tell me the details?"
"Of course, Father."
Karen nodded, her face brightening for some reason. The circumstances—that was the most important thing.
A return due to customer complaint? That can happen. Business involves mistakes sometimes, and running into unreasonable customers.
However, for such returns, there was a universal truth across East and West, ancient and modern.
'Returns due to simple change of heart are not eligible for refunds!'
An eternal truth. Simple change of heart? Bu-sim change of hee-yart?? No way I'm refunding for something like that.
So I prayed it was that. That those unreasonable bastards wanted a refund because they didn't like the color of our 4-Star product, or the parts assembly was off, or something!
"The head of the Cornell Viscount Family, where I was adopted, passed away."
"...Huh? What?"
"Because of that, the eldest son, the young master, had to suddenly inherit the family, and with the viscountcy in disarray, they apologized for not having the means to care for me right after adopting me and sent me back."
Wait, so...
The unreasonable... no, the customer died?
"T-Tell me more details. The head of the Cornell Viscount Family died!?"
"Yes, Father. And this is a letter from the young master."
"A letter?"
"Even if it was only briefly, I became family, so he said he had to apologize to you."
Karen said that with a smile. There was no sign of lying.
And the contents of the letter I received from her were the same.
'Sudden death of the family head... not even a body left behind... chaotic situation in the viscountcy... deepest apologies as we return the product.........No need to return the money?'
Huh? Wait.
What?
'No refund needed?'
Huh? For real?
Well then.
"There was a bit of an unfortunate incident, but welcome back, Karen."
I got a little excited, but the outcome is good, so no problem, right? As the most conscientious orphan dealer, I take pride in my products, so that must be it.
The customer—er, unreasonable one—had unavoidable circumstances too. No bad reviews from this, so it's fine.
"Yes! Father! It was truly the best birthday present!"
...Birthday present? Why bring that up?
Ah, even if briefly, she joined the viscountcy, so I kept my promise to make her a noble? That's fine. I'll make her a noble again.
'It is a product returned for somewhat unfortunate reasons.'
I'm not some scumbag selling flooded used cars in the secondhand market.
Karen's practically new, not used. Of course she is.
'The only thing nagging at me is that not even a body was left behind.'
No body, yet they call it death? Wouldn't it usually be missing?
Come to think of it, I've seen cases a few times where no body was left. Not from my adventurer days, but after starting the business.
And those were...
"Father? What's wrong?"
"...Nothing, dear."
It was with the Happy Orphanage executives.
I briefly suspected Karen, but soon smiled. She hasn't even awakened to her lineage affinity—what could she do? The Cornell Viscount Family is a mage lineage with strong direct descendants, and even a 4-Star Orphan like Karen couldn't manage that.
Saying she killed him is like saying he died from sleeping with a fan on at night. Ridiculous.
Why would Karen kill Viscount Cornell anyway?
'Don't think nonsense.'
Anyway, the important thing now is no refund needed—that's it!
So my next move was clear.
"Karen, wait with your friends. I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?"
"To see a friend."
Business partners are friends too.
No way one return makes me give up selling 4-Star Orphans.
'I need to look for other customers.'
First things first.
Time to squeeze Heinkel again.
"Have a safe trip, Father!"
Karen waved to Yujin. Yujin waved back with a kindly smile.
From that, Karen was certain. She had grasped Father's true intentions and handled the matter perfectly.
Karen quietly recalled the events from a month ago.
After leaving the orphanage, when she first arrived at the Cornell Viscount Family.
Unbefitting her status as an adopted daughter, it wasn't Viscount Cornell himself or the young master who greeted her, but the head butler.
"Welcome to the Cornell Viscount Family, Miss Karen."
"...Yes."
But Karen wasn't flustered, disappointed, or depressed. Not because she had no expectations, but because she already knew.
Karen had been adopted into the Cornell Viscount Family and become one of its members. She was a noble now.
However, that didn't prove she was a 'real' noble.
"The family elders are waiting. Please follow me."
"Yes."
The Cornell Viscount Family adopts orphans with magic talent every year. Not because their direct line suddenly died out, but to secure talent.
Children born into mage families often have magic talent, but more mages are always better.
Thus, the Cornell Viscount Family adopts magic-talented orphans and pits them against each other.
'In the end, only the child who wins all competitions joins the direct line; the rest go to branch families or become family mages.'
Of course, since magic-talented orphans are rare, they don't kick them out, but depending on talent, they might be treated as little more than servants despite being called family members.
But this isn't some secret of the Cornell Viscount Family. It's done openly.
They adopt and raise talented orphans. Even if demoted to branch or treated as servants, it's far better than street life or orphanage drudgery.
The Cornell Viscount Family's darkness lay elsewhere.
To learn it in detail...
"Please enter."
"...Yes."
First, she had to prove her value.
The room she entered wasn't large. It was enclosed on all sides. But to Karen, with her Director-verified 4-Star talent, it was clear.
Beyond the magic-made walls, countless gazes watched her arrogantly from their seats.
"Just place your hand on the central crystal orb."
"Yes."
They were probably the direct line and core members of the Cornell Viscount Family. Here, they'd measure her talent and value, deciding her treatment.
So even feigning composure, Karen felt a twinge of anxiety.
'Father said I have special talent.'
But was it truly exceptional? Her former teacher Hella called her a genius. Karen trusted Father and the Hella he hired.
However, Karen hadn't seen other mages besides her. Specifically, none her age.
Maybe she wasn't that outstanding. What if she disappointed them here and failed to join the direct line?
Honestly, that didn't matter much. Home was the orphanage, not the Cornell Viscount Family.
What worried her more was...
'Father...'
Would he be disappointed in her?
It might be overthinking. She'd fallen into such doubts many times, and Laila had scolded her for it.
But 'Father' meant that much to her.
Because of the contemptuous gazes treating her like scum, useless, an annoyance—gazes she'd endured after her mother's death, seeking her real father.
Those humiliations and criminal-like stares were still embedded deep within her.
Thus───
'I'm not believing in myself.'
Magic or whatever, she was just an orphan.
Like Laila said, a crybaby orphan weeping over her mother's death.
A bastard child who could do nothing but shut her heart away.
But.
'I believe in Father.'
And because she was Yujin's daughter.
With resolve, Karen drew up her mana. She didn't reveal [Curse]. She followed Hella's advice to thoroughly hide her lineage affinity.
Just like always, she manifested [Fireball]—the one that stopped growing after awakening her affinity—and poured the mana needed into the crystal orb.
'What will happen.'
Cast aside the doubts. Believe. Not in herself, but in Father.
In Father───
Crash!
"...Huh?"
"Impossible! The mana resonance orb shattered!?"
"It withstood even the family head's mana...!!"
"And that fireball she just made—it's an unprecedented size! Even the Mage Tower heir couldn't do that at her age!"
"A genius! An unbelievable monster has arrived!"
"At that level, she'll surely master it!"
Even through the magic walls, gasps, admiration, and shock rang out uncontrollably.
According to Laila's info, the Cornell Viscount Family wasn't top-tier, but they had a few affinity-awakened mages. Viscount Cornell himself was highly rated at the Mage Tower.
Not empire-renowned, but respected anywhere as a mage family—and there, Viscount Cornell and the elders were all floored.
Receiving all that cheers and surprise, Karen instead tilted her head.
'Not yet...'
She hadn't even done it properly...?