episode_0305

“You heard from both Claire and Flora?”

“Yeah. I’ve never done anything like this before. Do you think I’ll get in trouble if I mess up and prepare it by myself?”

Karsine confesses that he surprisingly asked for help honestly.

He rested his chin on his hand with a blank expression.

“Claire probably knows the ways of the nobles. She must have hosted various events, and she must be familiar with the boutiques and salons with famous brands that she uses to entertain VIPs. Also, the age range is diverse this time. Even if you know the elderly somehow, you can’t understand the hearts of children. That’s why I asked Flora.”

“…”

It’s a reasonable judgment.

Claire is used to dealing with nobles, having frequent contact with the dignitaries of the Peselos royal family.

Also, the age range is wider than other events. If you don’t keep up with the trends of the time like Flora, you may get complaints from people of that age.

‘Considering those two things, I asked for help from both of them.’

But this answer doesn’t go far enough to resolve another question.

“It must have cost quite a lot of money.”

Yes, it is money.

To the Duke’s family, she may be a mother, but as it was a banquet for the Duchess, and not someone else, a considerable amount of money had to be spent to display her high status and influence.

Although Chatren and Rusmeyer are prospering, they are only two fiefdoms at best.

I have never heard of any reports of Karsin developing any business beyond that, so it was never something he could do with the money he had on hand.

“Oh. I heard it a lot.”

At this, Karsain snorted and answered as if it was obvious.

“So I borrowed it from Claire.”

“…To Claire?”

“Then how can I solve it with my own money? I don’t even get an allowance. No, it’s not an expense that can be solved with an allowance. You know better than me about this, right?”

“That much could be paid with the Duke’s money.”

Karsine pulls out his arm, looking dumbfounded.

He added, picking up the file folder right next to him and noticing it.

“You told me not to tell the Duchess. But what if I spend the Duchess’ money and get caught? That’s why I have no choice but to borrow it from Claire.”

What if you ask where this money is going?

They might find out that you’re preparing a birthday party.

So I had to borrow money from Claire.

The link fits like that.

“You could have just told me that in advance. I won’t get caught for it anyway, but what’s so hard about hiding it?”

“Where is the time to talk? I’m so busy asking all sorts of questions.”

“Hmm. I guess so.”

Yeah, it’s not exactly a wrong judgment.

I made it a priority not to let it reach my mother’s ears.

Now, I had no intention of pointing out the issue of how the money was obtained.

“Okay. I’ll make sure to tell Claire about the money I spent and make up for it. Well, I’m not the type of person to struggle with that.”

“Then I’ll go now?”

“Okay. You worked hard. Take a rest now.”

Karsine gets up from his seat, organizes his documents, and goes outside.

The door closed with a click.

As Karcein disappears, Arina looks at the documents he left behind.

This year’s birthday party was said to have been the best in terms of preparation and completion.

As such, it was a considerable amount of work to see it in person.

I wonder if I could have prepared by the day if no one had helped me.

Of course, it’s fortunate that Claire and Flora helped me out appropriately.

“At this level…”

The prevailing view is that it was a group effort.

Arina sighs faintly and puts down the documents.

“Really, how foolish. You could have just asked me for help.”

Those mutterings never reached Carcein.

***

A carriage entering the duke’s residence.

Two girls hurriedly got out of the carriage.

“Miss Claire? Even the youngest lady…”

Butler Heron tilts his head as he watches the Duke’s carriage return much earlier.

Claire asked Heron directly.

“Heron, where is Carcein now?”

“Master Karsain? Uh… yes. He doesn’t have any plans for today.”

“Are you in the mansion now? Or is it the training ground?”

“I’ll be at the mansion. As usual.”

“Sister!”

“Okay. Let’s go!”

The two sisters quickly enter the duke’s mansion.

Looking at Flora and Claire, Heron had a vague idea.

‘It’s a birthday party.’

The old butler with a bitter expression followed the two masters.

It didn’t take long for the sisters who moved first and the butler who followed them to discover Carcein.

“What? What’s so important that you want to talk to me in this room?”

Karsine, who suddenly came face to face in the room, reacts calmly.

On the other hand, the faces of the two sisters are frozen hard.

“Carcein. Tell me honestly. Okay?”

“That’s right! You have to be honest!”

“What are you… saying. Speak up.”

Claire swallows hard and asks.

“Did you ever help your sister at her birthday party? I, I don’t doubt it! No matter how I look at it, there’s just too much work to do…”

“Do you have money too? You received support from your sister, right?”

Heron closes his eyes tightly in response to the two sisters’ questions.

Because he already knows.

I was always alone.

He prepared the Duchess’ birthday party all by himself.

Nicely positioned lighting.

Balanced table and seating arrangements.

Appropriate allocation of free space and time.

I have never asked for help with anything.

That wasn’t all.

-Hmm? The young master just gave me orders to do what was necessary.

-Didn’t you ever borrow books or ask questions about anything? Uh… no?

-You just told me what to do in shifts.

I have never asked for such help from other ladies, let alone from those who are mere subordinates.

-He gave me a list of ingredients I needed to order and the exact amount.

-Oh, those cookies? I think Lord Karsain bought them himself. He also told me to be careful when storing them.

-The decorations were the same. I saw people ordering the ones for the banquet separately and paying for them themselves.

Even the money spent on that banquet.

He prepared the birthday party purely with his own efforts.

Heron, unable to bring himself to say those words, had no choice but to bite his lips.

“That’s right. Arina helped me.”

A very dark line was drawn.

Between the Duke and him.

There’s no way I would have done that.

Why are you preparing on your own when you don’t know anything?

Would the birthday party have been properly prepared if there had been no one to help?

lie.

lie.

Another lie.

The blatant lies continued endlessly.

But there is no time to even notice it.

“I thought you were taking care of everything by yourself!”

“I didn’t think so… Thank goodness…”

“Anyway, I’m really glad that my older sister helped me.”

Claire and Flora felt relieved and a great burden was lifted from their hearts.

After that, the two sisters and Karsane chatted for a bit more, but Karsane refused and the conversation ended.

Of course, Heron was conscious of being there.

The gaze of consciousness went back and forth several times during the process.

But Heron answered with silence.

I have no intention of ever revealing this fact.

So Carcein quietly passes Heron by.

“…”

Heron, who was looking at the back of Karsain’s head with a look of regret, muttered quietly in the room where he was left alone.

“I guess I should get ready soon.”

There are many people in the Duke’s household who have benefited from his kindness.

However, there are probably few who know the inside story, let alone repay the favor.

I have complicated feelings, but I can’t break their resolve.

No. You shouldn’t break it.

Heron’s job is to count people.

So that I can leave him with at least one final farewell.

***

Meaningless, tasteless times.

Through those times, each day passed endlessly.

The family never found out until the end.

The birthday party was solidified by telling credible lies to both sides.

Thanks to this, all suspicions regarding the funds were covered up.

The fact that you are saving money. How you are saving money. And the reason why you are saving money.

There was just one catch though…

He had no intention of disturbing me.

So no one knows.

No one can even guess.

So, hiding everything about myself, I got here again.

-Tiring!

▶You have chosen as the method of obtaining funds for .◀

▶This is a 5-step condition. The amount of funds you need to hold has increased!◀

▶Your funds have reached the required level.◀

[Currently held funds: 300 million pesels (100%)]

Gather, gather, gather all night long.

The money collected in this way reached the required amount.

Ironically, as the calculations fit perfectly, starting today.

▶With Another Plan Clear, the dead trigger that occurs when you fail to perform within the period will completely disappear.◀

▶From now on, it is possible to escape from the Duke’s house.◀

▶If you successfully escape, Chapter 3 will be cleared regardless of the episode.◀

“After.”

When I saw that phrase, all my old worries were washed away.

A grace period for the implementation of Another Plan.

Dead Trigger in Episode XII.

A choice to make.

All those things disappeared from my mind.

There’s only one thing on my mind right now.

It was a feeling of elation ahead of liberation.

I can finally get out of here.

Just like my reality, I can escape from this annoying dukedom.

Freedom, gained.

I achieved it. With my own strength.

“Now, this is really the last one. I just need to finish this.”

-Tiring!

▶Episode XI. The end of the year begins.◀

▶Go outside and see your family off.◀

Perhaps, this will be the last episode.

Today is a day when the Bagrand Dukes have a group schedule outside, but Karsain is not affected.

That is, the outing schedule excluding me.

It was the perfect opportunity to pack everything up and leave.

So, more specifically.

Let’s handle it without any trouble.

“What, why are you wearing those clothes?”

As we came out to see him off, Claire asked in a mocking tone.

Well, that’s not really strange.

What I’m wearing now isn’t the noble clothes I usually wear.

“I have to go out to inspect the territory later.”

“Inspection of the territory? Is that what it looks like?”

“That’s weird! Why are you dressed like that! Dress up a little.”

Arina also joined in the commotion.

Flora also looks at me with strange eyes.

Lastly, this Sabella also has a very creepy look.

“Oh my. There might be people doing things I can’t see.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it. If there’s someone who works properly in front of the lord but is scheming behind his back, wouldn’t he be fooled if he went like this?”

“Aha?”

When I explained that it was a stomach inspection, everyone was convinced and their doubts were put aside.

“I wish you could come with me. Things have turned out this way, so…”

“There’s nothing I can do, Mother.”

“That’s right. This is something we have to do among ourselves!”

“Hmm. Just because you’re alone doesn’t mean you should feel lonely?”

I don’t know what it is, but it seems like there’s something there.

I don’t care either way.

They got on the carriage one by one.

Finally, it was Isabella’s turn to go up.

“There will be good news when you come back. Carcein.”

That concludes it all.

It’s all over.

The sound of the carriage fades away.

A progress window appeared as the carriage moved away.

-Tiring!

▶The family’s farewell is over.◀

▶Free action time is determined.◀

Free action time.

I’ve already decided what to do.

I went straight back to my room.

-Clang.

A huge pile of cash and bills. And then came the envelopes to put them in.

“I paid it all off with this.”

Just as it is written in the notebook.

I started pricing everything and putting it into individual bags.