Chapter 23
Chapter 23
BOOM!
I gazed with satisfaction at the waiver relinquishing his body, stamped with Linden’s seal.
Now, if I settled Linden’s debt, he would be my slave… no, my graduate student.
“By the way, what did you do with stocks to end up in so much debt?”
Linden had accumulated no less than 100,000 Pena in debt.
Since 2,000 Pena was enough to cover a commoner family’s living expenses for a year, that meant he owed the equivalent of roughly one billion won in Korea.
“…Well… I got into futures and options. I borrowed a ton of money to do it, and then I made the mistake of taking a short position…”
“…Why did you take such a reckless risk?”
“W-Well… I wanted to make a fortune in one shot and become rich.”
Linden answered hesitantly, and I let out another sigh.
The more I learned about him, the more pathetic he seemed!
‘So the future Ten Demon, Linden, was a freeloader who wanted to coast through life. No, could it be that a greedy bastard like this was exactly the sort of person who could eventually become the Devouring Emperor?’
Hans, standing beside me, asked cautiously,
“Young Master, are you all right? Y-You don’t have much money right now either, do you?”
He had a point.
I didn’t have 100,000 Pena in my pocket—not even 500.
‘I did win some money betting against Balik at Dien a while back, but I blew all of it on the deposit for my lodging this time. Damn the cost of living in the Free City.’
“It’s fine. I’m not going to pay it back with my own money anyway.”
“Surely you don’t mean… my money?! N-No, you can’t! Of course, my loyalty to you, Young Master, reaches the heavens, but…! I was saving that money to use for you someday…!”
“…I never said I was after your money, so stop making such a fuss.”
Hans let out a sigh of relief.
“Then what are you going to do? Ask the Ecclesia Ducal House for help?”
“No. I can’t do that.”
If I asked my family for help, they’d give me the money.
The problem was, I’d have to pay it back.
That damn family didn’t believe in freebies.
‘No matter how much I want Linden, I can’t do something that leaves me at a loss.’
There was only one way.
“I need to find an ‘angel’ who’ll pay off his debt for him, for free.”
“…I don’t think anyone like that exists.”
“There is.”
Tap.
I set the documents down on the shabby table.
They were the loan papers for all the debts Linden had incurred so far.
The name of the creditor who had lent him the money was written there:
—Arines Trading Company.
It was a famous trading company.
An affiliate of the Rapalt Ducal House.
“The Rapalt Ducal House will pay off this bastard’s debt for him.”
I had to turn the Rapalt Ducal House into a sucker… no, an ‘angel’ who’d look after me again.
There were countless villains, masterminds, and villainous organizations in Hero Academy.
The Rapalt Ducal House was one of them.
The main antagonist in the early part of the Rubines Scenario.
‘It’d be best not to get involved with them if I can help it.’
I shook my head.
‘That’s impossible. It’s already too late.’
They were on a different level from the other antagonist in the Rubines Scenario, the ‘Director.’
I planned to avoid clashing with the Director at all costs and maintain as amicable a relationship as possible.
But there was no way I could do that with the Rapalt Ducal House.
‘Even if I try to keep my head down, the Rapalt Ducal House won’t leave me alone.’
If that was the case, there was no need to watch my step.
“You’re here to see the company head?”
A stern-looking man whose name I didn’t know frowned.
“Pardon me, but what business does Young Master Ban of the Ecclesia family have with our company head?”
His attitude was hardly friendly.
That was only natural.
The Four Great Ducal Houses had never gotten along with one another in the first place.
The Ecclesias, associated with ‘politics,’ and the Raphalts, associated with ‘commerce,’ were especially bitter enemies.
On top of that, I’d once been engaged to a member of the Raphalt family, and not long ago, I’d sullied the Rapalt Ducal House’s honor over the incident with Balik.
‘…Our relationship is already ruined beyond repair, so there’s no point in being cautious.’
In other words, the Rapalt Ducal House and I were like rival companies.
I came on strong.
“I’m here to get compensation.”
“…What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Your debt-collection efforts caused my student, Linden, considerable harm. As compensation, you’ll forgive his debt of 100,000 Pena.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
The man raised his voice in disbelief.
“This is not a matter to discuss with a low-ranking employee like you. I’ll speak to the company head directly, so show me the way.”
“Ha! What?!”
Just then—
“That’s enough. I’ll deal with him myself. Send him up.”
“C-Company Head?”
Her voice was cold.
I looked up the stairs and saw a beautiful woman with an expression as cold as her voice, gazing down at me.
For a moment, I felt caught off guard.
‘This wasn’t part of the plan.’
I knew that face.
“It’s been a while, Ban.”
The woman continued, her expressionless face unchanged.
“I’m glad to see you. I actually have something I wanted to talk to you about, too.”
Emily Raphalt.
She was ‘Ban’s’ former fiancée.
‘Of all the people who could be the company head, it had to be this body’s former fiancée.’
I felt like I’d just swallowed shit.
I’d wanted to avoid seeing her forever, but my plan had gone wrong right from the start.
Emily offered me tea.
“It’s been a while. Hmm. It’s awkward, talking face-to-face like this. How have you been?”
“I’ve been well. I’m glad to see you’ve been well, too.”
Emily looked slightly surprised.
“You seem different from before. I mean, um… I thought you’d resent me a lot when we met. We broke off our engagement because of my misunderstanding.”
“Not really. You were a victim, too, so don’t worry about it.”
I did my best to give her the most inoffensive answer I could.
‘Being cold to her here would be the worst move.’
Isn’t there a saying?
The opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s indifference.
There was no need to act mean and make her dislike me. If I accidentally set off a flag or something, I’d be in trouble.
“I’m glad. Actually, I asked to see you because there’s one more thing I have to say, and it won’t be pleasant.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll be blunt. I don’t want to get back together with you.”
“……”
Emily looked straight at me.
“As you know, I’d originally intended to remain unmarried and devote my life to my family. Then you came along, making one outrageous demand after another, and I had no choice but to get engaged to you.”
Ban and Emily had both attended Rubiness Academy.
Emily was two years ahead of Ban.
Apparently, Ban had fallen for his senior, Emily, at first sight, then imposed on her in every way imaginable until he finally succeeded in getting engaged to her.
Perhaps because of that, Emily’s eyes were filled with deep weariness toward “Ban.”
“I’m telling you this clearly in advance in case you were hoping we’d get back together. I have absolutely no intention of getting back together with you…”
“Neither do I.”
‘What a stroke of luck!’
I silently rejoiced.
This was exactly what I’d been hoping to hear.
“Is that true? You’re not scheming something again, are you?”
Perhaps Ban had put her through one too many ordeals in the past; Emily frowned.
“Don’t worry. Nothing you’re concerned about is going to happen.”
“Remember this. We’re strangers now.”
Emily said it firmly, as if driving the point home.
I felt relieved.
If Emily hated Ban this much, then I didn’t think I had to worry about triggering any flags.
More importantly—
‘Now I have nothing to feel guilty about.’
For a moment, I’d worried.
If Emily had wanted to make peace over what happened in the past and get along, that would have been a problem.
I would’ve felt bad about carrying out the “plan” I had in mind.
‘We’re strangers with nothing to do with each other, so I can fleece her without a second thought.’
That was right.
What I was about to do was swindle the person sitting before me.
“Enough pointless talk. Let’s get to the point. Forgive Linden’s debt.”
“Why should we?”
This was the important part.
I deliberately crossed my legs, putting on an arrogant air.
“Otherwise, your trading company will suffer enormous losses. Enough to drive it into bankruptcy, perhaps.”
“!!”
Emily looked at me in disbelief.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Altran.”
Emily didn’t understand what I meant.
“Altran? You mean the debt collection agency that collects debts on our behalf? What about it?”
A trading company under the Rapalt Ducal House wouldn’t personally pursue petty debtors for what they owed.
It outsourced that work to professional collection agencies.
“Are you managing them properly?”
“Yes, of course.”
“You’re saying there’s nothing wrong with Altran Company, the collection agency under contract with your trading company?”
“That’s right.”
“Really? Are you absolutely certain?”
“!!”
Emily frowned.
“Yes. Don’t underestimate our trading company. My direct subordinates thoroughly vetted them before we signed the contract.”
I drove the point home.
“Then if the collection agency has done anything wrong, your trading company is responsible.”
“…That’s…”
“You said you were confident, but you can’t give me a definite answer. Balik was like that, too. It seems the Rapalt Ducal House is all talk.”
“!!”
Emily’s expression hardened.
“Take that back.”
“If you’re willing to stand by your words, I will. Can you stake your trading company on Altran Company having done nothing wrong?”
“…Yes.”
Good.
At my gesture, a short man who had been quietly following beside me like a shadow suddenly stepped forward.
He had been tagging along pretending to be a servant, so no one had paid him any attention.
“Lady Emily, did you just say you would take responsibility if the debt collection agency, Altran Company, had committed any illegal acts?!”
“…Who are you?”
“Hehe, I’m a reporter for Gossip Daily! Young Master Ban told me he’d give me a scoop if I followed him! I recorded everything you just said, my lady, with a recording magic device!”
Emily frowned.
She looked at me as if to ask what on earth I was doing.
“You. What are you trying to pull?”
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m only trying to reveal the truth.”
Before leaving,
the Black Flame Dragon tossed out one last remark.
“Some unpleasant news will reach you soon… Don’t take it personally. Like you said, we’re strangers now.”
What a tiresome man.
That was how Emily felt about Ban.
After their reunion just now, she’d added one more word to that description.
Crazy.
‘What? Unpleasant news? There’s no way anything could be wrong with Altran Company…’
In that instant, Emily felt a chill in her chest.
‘…Is there really nothing wrong?’
—Are you certain?
Ban had seemed different than before.
An ominous unease began to well up inside her.
That was when it happened.
“Lady Emily, we have a serious problem! Young Master Ban has gone to Altran Company and is causing a scene!”
“What?”
Emily scowled.
‘Of course. As if he’d changed!’
She remembered how Ban used to act like a child throwing a tantrum.
This time, too, he must have gone to Altran Company and started making unreasonable demands, just to pick a fight.
“I’ll go there myself.”
When she entered the company building, an unexpected scene unfolded before her.
The Guard had arrived.
And not just any guards—knights.
“Why are the Guard’s knights here?”
“Well… Young Master Ban reported that there was a black mage in this building.”
“…What did you say?”
Emily stared at him in disbelief.
Unable to find anything else to nitpick, he’d accused someone of being a black mage?!
Even Ban, worthless as he was, had gone too far this time.
“Ban, are you insane?!”
She cried out in a sudden burst of anger.
But instead of showing remorse, Ban proceeded to do something even more insane.
“It’s this man.”
“…What?”
He raised a finger and pointed to someone.
The owner of Altran Company, no less.
“This man is a black mage.”
“!!”
Everyone gave a disbelieving laugh.
The silver-haired owner, who looked like a kindly man, was as far removed from a black mage as heaven was from earth.
“L-Lady Emily? What is Young Master Ban the Trash talking about? He’s calling me a black mage?”
Emily’s eyebrows trembled.
She had thought there was no way she could be any more disappointed in Ban.
But she was wrong.
There was no telling just how low Ban’s patheticness could sink.
“Ban, how long are you going to keep living like an idiot? How much more pathetic do I have to think you are?”