Chapter 283
Chapter 283
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 287
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"2,000 gold. How about it?"
"How long do you plan to keep spouting that nonsense?"
"Hmm... You know, that's a good question. How long should we keep this up? I'm pretty curious myself."
"Hah?"
It was an utterly ridiculous conversation.
What I was saying was weird enough, but the Rose family's situation was far more absurd.
On top of that, Christina, who had no idea she was about to be abandoned by the Count.
It was... just too funny not to laugh.
"By the way, Aunt Christina, you're working really hard. At this point, wouldn't it be better to just sell off the family quickly?"
"There's no reason for me to sell the family to a rat like you."
"Pffft, true enough. But the territory's people are getting angrier by the day. Don't you think it's time to do something about that?"
"......."
That said, everyone knew there was no easy solution.
After all, the reason the territory's people were so furious was that long-accumulated resentment had finally exploded.
Long before Christina had stepped up, the current Count and his predecessor had botched everything—and now it was all coming to light.
It was only natural.
"You're really working hard."
The sight was hilarious.
She couldn't recognize everything surrounding her, yet she was stubbornly holding on in that situation.
It was all laughable.
But funny or not, I had no intention of helping.
There was zero reason to.
Even knowing how much Rozalin had suffered, I had no reason to help the woman who had tormented her the most.
"Pffft."
She was the one desperately trying to protect the territory, the family, and her own position—yet she had persecuted Rozalin so viciously.
Just because Rozalin was illegitimate, she had bullied her relentlessly before she even entered the Academy.
No, even after entering the Academy, and even afterward.
She had even sold Rozalin, right before she came of age, to some vulgar nouveau riche with a massive gut protruding from his belly.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Hah?"
"I'm really... really looking forward to it."
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
"Pffft, who knows."
What kind of face would she make if she learned that the family and territory she was so obsessed with were collapsing?
And if she realized that all her obsession and effort were in vain, that she had been discarded?
It was... impossible not to anticipate.
*
It came faster than I expected.
Much faster than I had imagined.
It was during a meal with some members of the Rose family—of course, Rozalin and my people weren't there.
"The meat today seems especially high quality. It's the best since I arrived at the Roses."
"Hoho, is that so?"
"Yes."
Seated at the table were the Rose Count, the Countess, and his two daughters.
Christina still looked at me with distaste, while Alexandra paid me no attention at all.
And the Count was eyeing me with quite an intriguing gaze.
With that, I was certain.
Today was the day.
Of course, aside from realizing it, I held back my laughter as much as possible and maintained a calm demeanor.
But unlike me, the others at the meal hadn't noticed a thing.
What a... stupid family.
Well, Alexandra wasn't particularly close to the Rose Count anyway, and I hadn't said anything.
It was only natural.
"Christina."
"Yes, Father."
"I've heard things have been noisy outside lately. Is everything going well?"
"It's progressing smoothly. It's just... hasn't shown results yet. I'm planning to lower taxes gradually, and I'm preparing to replace the riffraff in the Knight Order with new people..."
"I see."
"Don't worry, Father. Just rest easy. In a few months... it'll all be resolved."
The fact was, it wouldn't.
Not that I hated Christina—in the current state of the territory, it was impossible.
Even if they slightly lowered taxes right now, it would still be an exorbitant amount.
Just looking at how little the territory's people spent in the shopping district made it obvious.
From a business perspective, it was clear they couldn't afford proper consumption because they were paying far more in taxes than expected.
They didn't have overwhelming capital either.
And their relationship with the territory's people was far from good.
There was no way to resolve it easily in such a situation.
It wasn't just me who knew—the Rose Count surely knew, and so did Christina Rose.
But since they never properly discussed it...
In the end, they were family, but they couldn't act like one.
If I were in their shoes,
I would have talked it out in detail with Rozalin or William to resolve the situation.
But these people...
"Yes, I'm sure it'll all work out."
"Yes."
"...Pffft."
It was a more pathetic relationship than mine with William.
I couldn't hold back the laughter.
The meal continued.
Not quite to the level of cheerful chatter with ha-has and ho-hos, but it proceeded in a somewhat ordinary, everyday manner.
Of course, I wasn't enjoying it, but watching the foolish father and daughter made the time pass decently enough.
A seat where I was the only outsider amid the Rose family's mealtime.
As we reached dessert,
"Christina, Alexandra."
"Yes, Father."
The Count called his daughters.
I was still seated, nibbling on the remaining dessert in small bites.
"You two should leave the table now."
"Yes?"
"I have some business to discuss briefly. Go on ahead."
"...What do you mean, Father? Why are you sending us away to talk with that... no, Leonhardt?"
The Count's words.
And naturally, Christina reacted the most strongly.
Since I'd been negotiating with her so much lately, it was only natural for her to feel puzzled—and a sense of crisis—in this situation.
Though, it was already too late.
"I'm not planning anything major. Just a short conversation. It'd be best if you two head back."
"Understood, Father. Enjoy the rest of the dessert."
"Yes."
Alexandra rose from her seat without a fuss.
She glanced at me roughly, her eyes saying something like, 'This is your doing again, isn't it?'
But I just smiled and let it pass.
Unlike the docile Alexandra, Christina...
"I'm staying here."
"Hoh... You will, will you?"
"Yes. You're not planning to say anything I can't hear, are you?"
She said it while glancing at me.
On top of that, she stubbornly refused to leave her seat.
Well, it didn't matter to me at all.
If anything, I was looking forward to what the Rose Count would say next—and Christina Rose's reaction after hearing it.
With Alexandra gone, Christina, the Count, the Countess remained seated, and I sat across from them at the far end.
"Camellia Leonhardt."
"Yes, Count."
The Rose Count spoke first.
It was natural—he saw himself as the one in control here.
Though that was far from the truth.
As long as the negotiation went smoothly, it didn't matter to me.
"How's the villa in the east?"
"I've already managed it perfectly. I haven't been there recently, but up until a few years ago, I visited often. I send servants every year to maintain it."
"Ohooo... That's very good news."
"...Hah?"
"Even if you went there right now, Count, it would be in such great shape that there'd be no issues at all."
"Hoho... What a clever girl."
"Pffft..."
They're so fucking stupid.
Do they not get why I'm being this accommodating?
Anyone could see this was a trap.
Even just Karen would understand a situation like this.
"Then prepare the carriage."
"Yes, I'll do that."
"And sign this contract."
"Oh my?"
She reacted with an innocently clueless face.
Hiding expressions and acting had been one of my specialties since childhood.
Of course, it was hard to hold back around my lovers.
But in a situation like this, it was all too easy.
"...Father?"
"I don't want to sign a bunch of annoying documents one by one. I've already signed it, so just you do it, and we're done."
"Oh dear..."
Idiot.
A complete fucking idiot.
It was so idiotic that I had to laugh.
To summarize the contract...
[I, the idiot moron runt handing over the entire Count family with one contract sheet! With this one paper, I give everything of the Count family! Praise me for being such a moron!]
Something on that level.
"Hahaha..."
"Father, what in the world is this?!"
"Why get so angry? I'm just handing the rights to someone far more 'suitable.' The capable should hold power—it's only natural, isn't it?"
"No. To this rat right now!"
"Rat? Watch your words."
"Pffft..."
Christina Rose slammed the table and stood up.
Ignoring her, the Count sipped his tea calmly.
No, at this point, I could just call him an idiot outright.
Separate from Christina lacking real business talent... he hadn't done anything this idiotic before.
But this father of hers was... truly...
An idiot.
"I'll prepare the carriage as quickly as possible."
Now, I was ready to end it completely.
Tormenting the Roses, who were doomed to collapse in ten years anyway, was less appealing than what I really wanted to do.
And once the plan was complete... I'd never have to see these bastards again.
"What the hell..."
"Pffft..."
In an instant.
In a conversation that lasted less than five minutes, Christina Rose had everything stripped away—her face was quite the sight.
Not particularly pretty, though.
And as for the doddering idiot next to her, pretending to be benevolent, sipping tea like some wise sage with a serene expression... he was just baffling.