Ch.101101. Refund

Naturally, my goal wasn’t the refund itself.

‘I should clean up those who need cleaning up while I have the chance.’

My targets were John Burko and the ghosts of the exchange who followed him.

They had caused a disturbance in front of the summoning circle, but I had released them for now. I only had a few people monitoring them from a distance.

Not out of pity, but to purge them more quickly. If left alone, they would start another gambling operation, so I needed to send them off as swiftly as possible.

I already had a plan in place.

It wasn’t complicated. Just provoke them gently until they make a reckless move, then use that as an excuse to strip them of their titles and territories. That’s all.

‘It would take five days at most. It might even be shorter.’

I couldn’t remain entangled in the Hero gambling forever, so I needed to settle this as quickly as possible.

As quickly as possible…

However, the moment I arrived at the Merchants’ Guild, which served as the gambling hall, my plan vanished into thin air.

‘Why is that person here?’

John Burko, my purge target, was loitering in front of the Merchants’ Guild.

Despite his previous frenzied state (blood vessels burst, even shedding bloody tears) as he struggled, he had arrived in the imperial capital ahead of me. Even though I had released him, it was surprising.

Even more absurd was what he was doing now.

He was currently in the middle of the street, passionately arguing with the head of the Merchants’ Guild.

“What will happen to society when commoners experience a 22.7 times payout…! Everyone will abandon their livelihoods and chase after gambling.”

“Sigh. Count. We’ve already refunded over 80 percent. If we ask people to return their winnings, wouldn’t they burn down the Merchants’ Guild?”

“Don’t just say that! Be a little more flexible!”

“Your second son is the Unicorn party leader, right? From what I’ve heard, he was spotted in the Kingdom of Inel two days ago. Please take care of your son first, I beg you. This is getting serious…!”

“I’ll handle my son myself! Besides, he’s not looking for unicorns now, but Ancient Trents. Their sap is used for elixirs and potion ingredients… Anyway, that’s much more realistic.”

They were having this bizarre conversation.

The nobles following John Burko surrounded the guild head, constantly murmuring and agreeing with him, while the guild head listened to this nonsense with an expression full of skepticism.

‘Can a person become this broken?’

John Burko, probably due to rushing from the Papal State, looked inhuman.

Grimy clothes, bloodshot eyes, and an unkempt face that seemed unwashed for days, let alone unshaven… He looked more like a homeless person than a high noble… yet he didn’t seem to care at all.

Seeing him like this, I suddenly remembered the gaunt expression Saintess Gang Hannah had when mentioning her father.

‘She seemed too embarrassed to even mention him.’

How shameful must one’s appearance be to make even their child feel ashamed? It was probably similar to John Burko’s current state.

Unwashed, oblivious to others’ gazes, and even dismissing his son who wanders the continent seeking a big score.

I decided to deal with John Burko right here. There was no need to spend five days meticulously planning to purge one ruined man.

‘Yes. Let’s send him off.’

I modified my plan on the spot and entered the hall.

“The… It’s Count Hero!”

The guards controlling the crowd naturally made way for me. Around me, people collectively gasped in surprise.

Regardless, I took out my voting ticket and presented it to the Merchants’ Guild staff.

A piece of paper that could earn me a 22.7 times payout.

The guild employee looked up at me nervously, stammering. It was understandable to be surprised when the Hero came to claim a refund.

“This is a winning vote ticket. I’ll take it in cash.”

“Um… You’re not depositing it in the guild treasury, sir?”

“I have somewhere to use it right away.”

“Yes! Understood…! After deducting the 3 percent fee, that’s 2,059,500,000. I’ll prepare it right away!”

The staff quickly prepared the gold.

Soon, 2 billion came into my possession—a sum that could cover the wages of servants and guards for several years in a modest baronial territory on the outskirts.

With the money pouch made of wyvern leather in my hand, I glanced at Count Burko and began walking. I deliberately walked slowly, leading my horse by the reins, knowing he couldn’t catch up if I mounted.

“Hey, Hero…! No, Sir Hero!!”

Since he called out desperately, I pretended to give in and turned my head.

“What is it?”

John Burko and his followers urgently caught up to me with desperate expressions.

Rather than showing hostility toward me, they just seemed to need money. I could tell just by how they kept glancing at the money pouch in my hand.

“Count Burko. If you have something to say, go ahead. First, catch your breath.”

At my warm words, John Burko’s face brightened. He had no idea what I was actually thinking.

***

After a moment of silence, John Burko spoke.

Originally, no one except him could even approach me. Most of them were thoroughly fallen nobles.

To make a comparison, it would be like if Ember’s uncle were still wandering around the imperial capital. They were nobles or quasi-nobles in status only, but essentially beggars.

“…Sir Hero. Did you really have to claim your winnings too? You could have overlooked it just once. After all, you’re already wealthy…”

“Why should I overlook it?”

“Well, you know. A Hero’s duty is to serve, no, to help humanity, and…”

“Let’s say that’s true. So what?”

John Burko took a deep breath and hesitated.

Though he probably wanted to deliver a scathing rebuke to subdue me, unfortunately, what came out of his mouth was far from it.

“Sir Hero. There was… one person who thoroughly ignored the responsibility bestowed by the Goddess and was punished. You know well, don’t you?”

“I killed him. Are you saying I’ll die like Gwon Heejin?”

“No! That’s absolutely not what I…! My point is that the Goddess is watching, so you should show more responsibility. That way, you’ll receive more respect as a Hero.”

John Burko seemed to believe that I had willingly accepted the Hero’s duty.

If he had any interest in me at all, he would know that wasn’t the case. It meant that gambling was the only thing in his mind.

Or more precisely, the only thought was his desire to continue gambling.

Thanks to that misunderstanding, I came up with bait to throw at him.

After a brief pause, I continued with an indifferent expression.

“Lord Burko. I’m sorry to say this, but the Goddess doesn’t care much about us. She might barely glance our way if we cry out desperately. If she had any concern or affection for us, she wouldn’t have sent a degenerate like Gwon Heejin.”

“What did you just say?”

“To be honest, even I, who was given the Hero’s duty, don’t believe in the Goddess. I have no intention of trying to please her.”

“Hmph. Such words from the person who received the greatest blessing from the Goddess…”

Even his anger seemed awkward. He was still staring at my money pouch the whole time.

“Count Burko. Even if I deny the Goddess right here, I won’t lose the Hero’s blessing. I’m certain of that.”

Part of me wished she would take it back, but I decided not to add that comment.

When I closed my mouth, silence fell for a while.

In that silence, the gamblers seemed to be thinking intensely.

They probably thought I had misspoken. They might be hoping to use it as a breakthrough.

After gathering their opinions, the leader, Count Burko, stepped forward confidently again.

“Sir Hero, what you just said.”

“Are you trying to say that if this leaks out, my standing will fall? That seems to be what you’re getting at.”

At this, he flinched and backed away again.

I hadn’t read his mind or anything, just made a guess, but he looked genuinely surprised. Had his addiction to gambling severely diminished his thinking ability? Or was he just uncomfortable confronting the Hero?

‘If he stops here, it means he still has at least a minimal sense of crisis.’

But John Burko, already having gained momentum, didn’t stop.

“Sir Hero. I can endure being scorned and ignored by you. I even smiled and endured when Matthias teased me with his ‘hodl hodl’.”

“You probably endured because you didn’t understand what it meant. Anyway, so what?”

“…But having witnessed you insulting the Goddess, I cannot let it pass.”

“Are you going to report to the church that I cursed the Goddess in private? The church leadership won’t even care. Some might even agree with me.”

“That may be true, but.”

After hesitating for a long time, John Burko finally murmured faintly, “We just want a small opportunity.”

He meant he would keep it quiet if I helped him. He clearly didn’t want to lose even this tiny glimmer of hope he had found.

By now, he would easily take whatever bait I threw.

After pretending to consider, I spoke. Just loud enough for only Burko to hear.

“Fine. If you fulfill one condition, I’ll lend you the money.”

At this proposal, John Burko’s eyes darted around rapidly.

To stimulate him, I gently shook the money pouch.

A heavy pouch containing thousands of grimy gold coins and several high-denomination gold plates. It was so heavy it didn’t even make a jingling sound.

This was more than enough to captivate an addict’s attention.

“I’m serious. If you fulfill one simple condition, I’ll lend you this money at a low interest rate.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. However, if you fail, you must forfeit your title and territory. If you agree, let’s go see His Majesty now and make the contract in front of him.”

It was an extremely unreasonable proposal.

Although he was now a beggar, before Cordana, he had been the head of a wealthy family. Even after losing billions on Cordana, he still aimed for special opportunities in foreign countries. For someone like that, 2 billion was too small an amount to stake his title on.

He should have angrily refused.

But.

“Alright…! I’ll do it.”

He nodded without even hearing what the condition was.

I presented him with the condition for the low-interest loan.

It was a condition as difficult as a non-virgin capturing a unicorn, or even more so, but John Burko readily nodded. He seemed strangely excited, as if it felt like a bet.

That expression showed he didn’t think for a moment that he would fail.

Yes. It was right to send him off at this point.