Don't Put in a Melodrama
I once wondered what kind of novel this world had come from.
After all, when you spend every day lazing around in such a peaceful place, all sorts of thoughts tend to cross your mind. One of them was that very question. Peace. Looking at an era where war or demons seemed completely out of the picture, I had guessed it might be a romance fantasy. Of course, there was always the chance the genre could drift somewhere else. If you considered every possibility, it wouldn’t be strange for it to turn into dark fantasy. Or maybe even sci-fi. In any case, the highest probability pointed to romance fantasy.
And then I met Serena. When I heard the family name Floverhart. When I learned that her parents were addicted to gambling. A certain novel suddenly came to mind, but I quietly tucked that thought away. The original story wasn’t all that important. I still had no intention of getting involved with the protagonist Serena, and eventually she was supposed to leave with some impressive male lead anyway.
Still. No matter what happened. If this was a romance fantasy, at the very least, don’t put in a melodrama. Actually, it’s fine if you do. I do enjoy watching that kind of drama… but.
“That’s enough.”
Don’t turn it into reality right in front of me. It’s annoying.
The situation is more severe than anticipated. This report covers only a portion of the total damage.
The baron couple has exhausted the family’s entire fortune as well as the territory’s operating funds through gambling. In addition, they have taken out illegal loans from underground gambling dens.
Marquis Helios, seated at the desk in his study, finished reading the report to the end and removed the glasses he rarely wore, placing them on the table.
“It’s worse than expected.”
“…Yes, my lord. In my opinion, this is only part of the problem.”
“They’ve gambled away the entire family fortune and the funds for running the territory… and on top of that, they’re using illegal loans from gambling houses.”
What’s more surprising is that this isn’t even the end of it. The Floverhart Baron family had once belonged to the rather wealthy class. They hadn’t earned their barony through merit; they had bought the title with money during the War Era. Because of that, it was safe to say they had more money than most other territories. If they had squandered all that wealth and still resorted to illegal loans… then it was fair to say they had already gone as far as they could go.
“Um… My lord.”
“What is it?”
“Is it truly right to send the second young master there…? For the young master, it seems too…”
Valek trailed off, his eyes trembling with unease. To him, Kallion was still a boy who lacked so much. The marquis slowly shook his head, thinking it was only natural for the old butler to feel that way.
“He is my son, but…”
“He really is quite lazy. He has no motivation, no ambition to do anything.”
That was exactly the kind of child Kallion was. After briefly touching a sword and magic in his very early years, he had shown no real enthusiasm for anything. Like an old man who had already seen the world, he preferred to lie back, watch the passing clouds, and enjoy his leisure.
“You’ve seen it for yourself, so you already know.”
What the marquis had witnessed, Valek had seen as well. The family’s good-for-nothing. The shame of the elite Helios Marquisate. Kallion lived under that stigma without batting an eye. That didn’t mean the marquis or the rest of the family hated or disliked him, as the gossipmongers claimed. Unlike the term “good-for-nothing” suggested, he never harmed others. He might find things bothersome, but he was never cruel. If the mansion’s servants truly despised him, his blankets wouldn’t always be kept clean and fluffy, and the coat he always spread out in the garden wouldn’t stay as spotless as new. Everyone cherished him. Everyone loved him.
“However, there is something even you haven’t noticed.”
There are things only a parent’s eyes can see.
“That child is lazy and indolent, but he knows when he must step forward.”
“He acts as if everything is a hassle and would ignore injustice, yet surprisingly, he doesn’t tolerate such things.”
“……”
“And this isn’t just a father boasting about his son, but…”
The marquis, who had been staring intently at the report, slightly curled the corner of his mouth and murmured.
“That child is remarkably clever.”
“…Well.”
After muttering that, the marquis seemed to recall something and clicked his tongue with a slightly sour expression.
“Though he usually doesn’t use his head much.”
The Floverhart Baronry wasn’t far from the Helios Marquisate. About two hours by carriage. …In a fantasy world, that was practically next door, so yes, it was close.
Our territory really is in a good location.
It was nice that you didn’t have to travel long to reach anywhere. Thanks to Serena, who had grown noticeably quieter, I spent the ride looking out the window. Flowers in full bloom, wide green meadows stretching out, dense forests, and clear blue rivers flowing swiftly by. As we passed through the colorful landscape, I fell deep into thought.
Come to think of it, the Helios Marquisate was located close to the capital. And the Floverhart Baronry, not far from it, also had quite a decent position. For a barony, possessing such a good territory meant they had once been quite wealthy. Or rather, they had been in that position.
I rested my chin on my hand, staring blankly out the window, then casually shifted my gaze to Serena.
“We seem to be almost there.”
Serena, who had been looking out the carriage window at the same time, turned her eyes toward me and spoke.
“…How long have you been watching?”
“Just now. The timing was perfect, that’s all.”
“Hmm, you don’t have to be so embarrassed, you know?”
“…It’s true.”
Her playful tone, as if she had never been downcast, completely drained my energy. It was like she had never been wilted at all.
“It’s quite a large territory.”
“Yes, I heard our ancestors bought it with money. They say during the War Era, money could buy anything.”
The War Era. About a hundred and fifty years ago, a bloody conflict between the empire and the surrounding kingdoms. The empire’s war to expand its territory and the kingdoms’ struggle to keep their lands ended with the kingdoms submitting to the empire’s overwhelming power. But because the war had dragged on for decades, the empire itself had suffered considerable damage. It was during that time that titles could be purchased with money. Of course, nothing above the rank of count was possible.
Still, they probably thought being a noble was better than being looked down on as a commoner.
It wasn’t exactly wrong. A rich commoner was still a commoner, but a rich noble received treatment as nobility. Over time, the Floverharts had come to be fully recognized as nobles.
“…Though now they don’t even have money to run the territory.”
I understood. When people who only spent money they hadn’t earned themselves fell into gambling, the result was painfully obvious.
“Father will handle it well.”
After all, the contract between Serena and my father wasn’t marriage, but an engagement. Now that the engagement was set, it was Serena’s turn to get what she wanted. Of course, before that…
They’ll have to completely remove the baron couple from management.
How does he plan to do that part? Has he already discussed it with Serena? Financial support was practically meaningless. What the Floverhart Baronry needed most was money, but ironically, having money wouldn’t help. The baron couple would just gamble it all away again immediately. Before providing funds, they needed a way to drive out the baron couple…
But why am I even worrying about this?
They’ll figure it out. Not only my father, but Serena sitting in front of me was far more capable and clever than I was. There was no way my rusty brain could come up with anything better than what they had already thought of.
“……”
Serena remained silent for a moment at my words. I simply shrugged and continued in a sly tone.
“Our family has plenty of money. Take as much as you can squeeze out.”
“Pfft…! What is that supposed to mean…!”
“I’m being serious.”
Anyway, the Helios Marquisate’s money wasn’t mine. Even if I became the family head, using that money completely freely would be nearly impossible. The Floverharts were an unusual case for having gambled away even their territory’s operating funds, but it wasn’t that strange. Besides, the Helios Marquisate’s financial power wasn’t weak enough to be shaken by something like this.
Serena stared at me for a long time before abruptly turning her head with a soft huff to look out the carriage window. She murmured quietly.
“Thank you.”
“I don’t think I did anything worth thanking me for.”
“Kallion, you really aren’t honest at all.”
At the faint smile on Serena’s profile, I slowly blinked. Well, if I were honest, you’d just run and tattle to Father again. Hiding that inner thought, I turned my gaze to the scenery Serena was looking at. It was a lively market filled with the smell of real people—merchants selling goods, customers buying or browsing, the noisy bustle of everyday life. Children running around, people trading, passersby on the street—all of their faces seemed free of worry or anxiety.
That alone showed just how hard Serena had been working for this territory. Which was why, from now on, her choices would matter even more.