The Great Earth Spirit (1)
The Count of Arient clutched at his thinning hair with both hands, strands falling like autumn leaves. "Father! The debt collectors are here causing an uproar! They're demanding to know if we can even repay the investment, and why the interest hasn't been paid!"
"Tell them I'm not here! Damn it, how am I supposed to pay without any money?"
The Count's empty hands raked across his scalp. Where was the money supposed to come from? Once the road was completed, he had planned to receive imperial subsidies, pay off the interest first, then gradually repay the principal with tolls. But now that completion had vanished into an endless fog, he was on the verge of losing his mind.
Two hundred billion larks were already tied up in that cursed road. Add the unpaid wages, damaged equipment, and interest, and the total approached three hundred billion. With the family on the brink of collapse, no one would lend such an enormous sum.
"Damn it. Should I just declare it complete as it is? Even if it's still just dirt...?"
"His Imperial Majesty is said to be the first to use the road upon completion..."
"Aaaaargh!"
He was trapped. Was there any way to get his hands on a large sum of money? By the time the desk was buried under fallen hair, a servant burst in.
"My lord! Aslan Belmont has arrived!"
"Damn it, more debt collectors? Just get rid of him! Belmont's investment has no interest, and the deadline hasn't come yet!"
"It's not that. He says he has a profitable proposal..."
"What? Bring him here at once—ah! No, this place is too filthy. Escort him to the reception room!"
The Count shot to his feet, eyes wide. Aslan Belmont's first words were blunt.
"Declare the construction abandoned."
What was this madman saying? A great spirit powerful enough to make even a spirit mage flee was blocking the way, yet he spoke as if the construction rights were trivial.
"Abandoning it won't solve anything—"
"If you do, I'll draw up a new contract. One that extends the deposit period for the investment funds indefinitely."
"In-indefinitely!?"
The Count's mouth fell open. Belmont had invested a full hundred billion larks. That alone would cover the interest for the other investors with plenty left over. Without selling off family assets, he would have the means to repay the principal within ten years.
"The condition is seventy percent interest."
"Pardon?"
"Do you not clean your ears? I said seventy percent."
"S-seventy percent would make even a loan shark's tongue hang out..."
"Where in this world is there a loan shark willing to hand over a hundred billion larks without hesitation? If you don't like it, forget it. You could sell your territory and your title and just barely manage to pay it off."
"W-wait! At least lower it to fifty percent!"
Aslan stood up, visibly annoyed. The Count rushed over and grabbed his collar. A hundred billion larks naturally warranted high interest, but seventy percent was still excessive.
"If you're going to squeeze me that hard, then forget it. Do I look like I have money to waste? Shall I start collecting properly now?"
"Y-you can take something else as well! How about my daughter? My youngest is twenty-five this year—doesn't that suit you?"
Twenty-five? She was already past her prime and rotting. Aslan's face twisted.
"I'm sorry! That was a slip of the tongue! Anything! If there's something you want, just name it!"
"You did just say 'anything,' didn't you?"
A chill ran down the Count's spine. He froze in place.
"Then I'll be taking a portion of your territory."
"W-where?"
"There's wasteland north of the city center, isn't there? I'll take the entire area. On the condition that you raise no objections no matter what happens there."
"Fine! Take it!"
It was useless land where not even farming was possible. He could give away that much without a second thought. Did this mean the contract could proceed?
"Then the investment deposit period will be unlimited. The monthly interest rate will be changed to four percent. Additionally, the contract will be written as a sale of the northern wasteland of Arient territory to Belmont."
"M-my seal! Where did my seal go!?"
Aslan smiled and held out the contract. The Count stamped it in a panic, terrified that Aslan might change his mind. Aslan left with a satisfied expression. Alone in the reception room, the Count of Arient let out a sigh of relief and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! I did it! I pulled it off!!!"
He was saved! The family was saved! With Belmont's investment, he could pay off the other investors first. If he paid fifty percent interest every year, month by month—wait. Didn't that mean fifty billion larks would be leaving as interest alone each year? The average profit per construction job was less than five hundred million, so he would need to complete more than ten jobs a year just to pay the interest. When would he ever repay the principal?
"Aaaaaagh!!!"
Reducing the interest from seventy to fifty percent didn't make it any less of a slave contract. Realizing this too late, the Count of Arient wailed.
Evil God 'Kali' is very satisfied with your actions.
The hundred billion larks obtained from wiping out Leon's gang had been put to good use. Four percent monthly interest meant forty-eight billion larks flowing in for free every year. After just two years, the interest would equal the principal. Since the condition was that the principal must be repaid in full as a lump sum, gradual repayment was impossible. In reality, Arient would never be able to repay that principal unless a gold mine appeared in his territory. That was why the deposit period had been made unlimited. Only then would Arient avoid bankruptcy and continue paying tribute—no, interest—on time. A parasite never wants its host to die early. Of course, that didn't mean I was a parasite. It was just an analogy. Just an analogy.
"It's your turn soon, Julia."
"Huu. Huuaa. I'm so nervous. A great spirit... and they said it's enormous. Even that amazing spirit mage ran away..."
Julia was rambling on, visibly tense. Was it the pressure of having to face the great spirit? Unlike her usual calm self, she was stomping her feet and trembling.
"Don't worry. The worst that can happen is that the long-awaited project connecting the capital directly to Belmont territory falls through."
"That's incredibly serious! It only makes me more nervous!!!"
"Then shall I give you some courage?"
"I don't need it! Your encouragement or whatever—"
"Since this road project was made possible by both Charlotte and you, I'll give each of you zero point one percent of the annual toll revenue."
"What...!?"
Julia's eyes widened into perfect circles, her enthusiasm instantly reignited. This road project truly would have been impossible without Charlotte and Julia. Thanks to Charlotte breaking through the mountain, construction could begin. Now, if Julia could just persuade the great spirit, the road paving could be finished and operations could start. So some form of reward was necessary. It would motivate them. For girls whose dream was to save up a billion larks and escape from me as quickly as possible, it was an irresistibly sweet offer.
'Zero point one percent would only be about ten million larks, though...'
Even if the road operation became a massive success, it would take them a hundred years to save up a billion larks. Of course, there was no need to tell them that.
"I'll do it! I'll definitely do it! I even helped a scary ghost pass on, so what's so scary about a great spirit...!"
"Come here for a moment."
I called Julia back just as she was burning with passion. Today was the day Julia would debut as a necromancer—no, a spirit mage—in front of others. I had specifically instructed the maids to dress her properly. Yet somehow, her knee socks were a complete mess.
"Who on earth crumpled your knee socks like that before putting them on?"
"Huh? Knee socks? They were too long, so I just wore them like this..."
"Didn't the maids say anything?"
"I didn't hear anything like that?"
"I heard them! The maids were giggling and saying that if they dressed her like that, the mister would really like it!"
"..."
Very well. Every single maid would have their pay docked when we returned. I let out a deep sigh and tapped the desk. Julia tilted her head, not understanding the signal.
"Get up here and sit."
"Here? Why? Aah...!?"
There was no time to waste. Since she hesitated, I lifted Julia onto the desk. Then I yanked off the crumpled, bunched-up knee socks. They were even inside out. I could never allow such low-class fashion in my presence. Knee socks must always cover the legs smoothly and completely without a single wrinkle. Even while covering the skin, they should accentuate the contours of the legs—that was their true strength. A sigh escaped me.
"Stay still."
"B-but it tickles too much...! Kyaa!?"
I flipped the socks right-side out and pulled them over Julia's ankles. The moment my hands touched her, she hiccuped. Julia clamped her own mouth shut.
"Huuu!?"
I aligned the heels properly and pulled them up without creating wrinkles. Julia's legs trembled. I told her to stay still.
"There. That's how you wear them. Fix the other side yourself and come out."
"Y-you...!"
Her face bright red, Julia glared at me with eyes full of hostility. I fled the room as if escaping. If I pointed out her fashion sense one more time, I might actually be killed. Kids these days...