episode_0056

“Gasp…!!”

Monday dawn, Emma, tormented by a nightmare, painfully opened her eyes as searing pain engulfed her entire body.

Outside, it was still dark, and Lizley was sleeping, emitting peaceful, gentle snores.

Emma couldn’t even bring herself to wipe away the cold sweat drenching her body and quietly pondered yesterday’s hellish encounter.

The chill that constricted her chest and seemed to freeze her heart, the heat that felt like it would completely burn and melt her soul.

The Orca she had experienced yesterday pressed down and squeezed her as if he were a human forged from hell.

It was a short time, but enough to make her want to die from resentment towards herself for dreaming of a foolish romance with him.

‘Of all people… why did I get entangled with a human with such a past…!’

Orca had even told her that he was falsely accused of rape by a woman identical to Emma in the past, and that was how his life at rock bottom began.

His grudge was so deep that he even turned his blade on Emma herself, who had no connection to it… Thinking back to that moment still made Emma dizzy.

Trembling with fear, she was kicked out and returned to the dormitory.

She didn’t even think about fixing her ruined makeup or disheveled clothes; she just pulled the blanket over herself and hid.

She had thought there was nothing scarier in the world than the cold and cruel side Lizley had shown her, but Orca’s rage and resentment easily surpassed Lizley’s anger.

And so… midnight passed emptily in terror… and Emma had now truly become a debtor.

‘What do I do…? The interest… already has 7 added today. That makes it 21 Talentum gold coins…’

The interest she had checked multiple times in fear was a whopping 7 Talentum gold coins per day, half of the principal amount.

An utterly absurd structure where 7 Talentum gold coins were newly added as interest every other day, attaching to the principal.

In fact, if you just hear “7 gold coins,” you might think, ‘That’s not so harsh, is it?’ But in reality, that’s not the case at all.

Talentum gold coins are not typically used by individuals; they are high-value currency used by merchants in commercial transactions.

They are 50 times more valuable than Adria gold coins, the common currency in Sephir, so Emma’s interest, 350 common gold coins per day, was indeed incredibly harsh.

Around 21 Talentum gold coins, and even the children of decent noble families would find it too much to cover with their allowance.

There was no way Emma could cover an amount of money that even Lizley, whose personal finances were much better than Emma’s, couldn’t cover all at once.

“Emma. Did you solve the private loan issue well? No… your debt isn’t the problem right now, how was Lergo? Did he stubbornly hold his head high and claim he did nothing wrong?”

Meanwhile, Lizley began badgering Emma, who looked terribly unwell, from Monday morning.

I don’t know what she did with Leon, but she, who had looked unwell recently, regained her beauty and composure after the weekend trip.

It seemed Leon had cared for her as if tending an orchid during the weekend trip, making sure his amusing toy and limb didn’t break.

“N-No… I went to see him… but he just gave me money and sent me back. He said he had nothing to discuss with a mere minion like you…”

“Well… you are a mere minion. So he can say something right, that stupid black magic user.”

In the end, Emma could only lie to Lizley with vacant eyes and a dazed tone.

She couldn’t tell Lizley that Lergo had died miserably, nor that she herself had become a real debtor.

***

The main gate of Leone Academy.

Visitors to the school must first stop at the guardhouse at the main gate and obtain a permit.

Our loan shark thugs, or rather, our back-alley thugs, could not just enter the sacred academy in broad daylight.

But if their owner and boss was Ras Etgard, who knew the back-alley ecosystem well, the story changed a little.

“Hmm… debt collection agents sent by the Gamini Merchant Guild… names are Marukl, Ellen… However, excessive noise or commotion will not be permitted.”

“Oh! Of course!!! We are conscientious debt collectors. After all, it’s our guild master’s money, not ours. Why would we be harsh on a young student?”

I nodded contentedly as I watched the two men and women at the main gate, filling out their visitor permits with puppy-dog eyes, acting innocent.

Leaving a connection to Etgard for my subordinates’ entry is something only a novice would do.

One must always consider when things go wrong, so it is always beneficial to cut off the tail as much as possible.

Incidentally, the Gamini Merchant Guild was the name of a guild that existed in Sephir, but unfortunately, it became a ghost guild without even being able to file for bankruptcy.

According to Pisces, the black magic user Valdes had completely devoured that guild whole and occasionally sold items in the black market or auctions, posing as the Gamini Merchant Guild.

Anyway, since the Black Rose Thicket is mine now, I can use all the Gamini Merchant Guild’s items that Valdes swallowed, including their seals and whatnot, as well as their name.

‘Hehe, do we look like educated people to you, boss?’

‘It’s a school!! I’m entering a school!!! And Leone at that!! I’ve been to other schools, but not this one!!! Yay!!’

Although their puppy-dog eyes, which seemed to be saying such things, were a little annoying, they were certainly smart guys, as Pisces had personally selected and sent them.

They spoke well, could write, and were quite gentlemanly and ladylike elites.

I gave a casual nod, motioning them to do what I had prepared.

And so, those guys… began their silent debt collection show in the plaza in front of the fountain, where most students passed on their way to school.

[To Lady Agnelli, Viscountess’s daughter. Debt is a sin. Daddy, I’m hungry!! Our child is starving because we can’t get paid.]

[How did she get into such huge debt? The shocking dark truth and her private life.]

[The small debt you haven’t paid makes our small and precious guild hurt!]

One carried a large picket sign, and the other wore one around their neck, both cleverly donning steel helmets to conceal their faces as they performed a silent dance.

Marukl was a towering figure, nearly 2 meters tall with a very imposing physique, and his partner, Ellen, was also a muscular woman even taller than me.

With these bulky thugs wearing helmets and elegantly waving provocative picket signs with strange messages, attention was bound to be drawn.

Naturally, passing students, regardless of grade, started whispering when they saw it.

“Hey, it looks like Lady Agnelli is in debt. ‘Dark truth and private life?’”

“I think I know something. Did you know there are rumors that she’s been messing around a bit? Some people have seen her coming out of some high-class bars before, right?”

“Last time I went to a meeting with the academy in Bern, I was surprised to see Emma there! How could she, while dating Senior Garett…”

Listening closely, it seemed Emma had indeed revealed herself in various places.

The children, watching the picket signs and my subordinates’ flamboyant dance moves, were letting their imaginations run wild on their own.

In fact, they should be grateful it ended with such shallow speculation.

If “black magic” connections were mentioned, they’d be immediately apprehended by the Imperial Special Forces.

No, more than that, they could be summarily executed by an academy enforcement professor like Professor Isera.

Anyway, I had intentionally placed my subordinates on the path Lizley and Emma took to school every day, so I expected a bite soon.

“…..?????”

Lizley stared at my subordinates, who were holding picket signs and dancing bizarrely, then immediately turned pale and rushed towards them.

I don’t know if they were in a cold war or something… Emma was unfortunately not with Lizley. It seemed Emma’s mental state had shattered, causing her to drag her feet on her way to school.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you, ma’am? Are you perhaps Lady Agnelli herself??”

Marukl, without removing his helmet, spoke with good-natured cheek.

“Huff… Emma is my vassal. What is this about? Are you the loan sharks Emma borrowed money from?”

“Loan sharks? We’re from a merchant guild. We belong to the Gamini Merchant Guild in Sephir. The lady who’s your vassal has borrowed so much money… she seems to have a severe spending problem.”

“That can’t… be… Emma isn’t exactly frugal, but she wouldn’t spend so carelessly as to get into debt…”

To Lizley, who looked skeptical, Ellen now spoke in a very intimidating voice.

“Listen. If we’ve spoken enough, try to understand. You’re terribly unobservant… As a Gracia, you must be a child of a family that pulled in all sorts of private loans back in the day. Have you completely lost your feel for how this world works…?”

“….!!!”

The terror of loan sharks, which had dominated her adolescence, enveloped Lizley, and she could only stare at the menacing helmeted warriors with trembling eyes.

This was a clear threat used by loan sharks to intimidate those around the debtor, meaning, ‘If you don’t want to get involved, pretend you don’t know and get lost.’

“Anyway, if that woman can’t pay, we’ll soon go to your lady’s house too. So why did she recklessly take out private loans, whose blood hasn’t even dried on her heads yet [a derogatory phrase implying immaturity or inexperience]?”

“Listen. If you employ such a half-witted idiot as a vassal, she’ll stab you repeatedly in the stomach… without you even realizing it, you know? You shouldn’t employ foolish subordinates.”

Pisces must have held them captive and taught them with such fervor, as Marukl and Ellen put on such a brilliant performance they’d make old loan sharks look like amateurs.

Lizley seemed dazed by the fantastic barrage of words and went on her way without saying another word.

And shortly after, when Emma appeared…

Emma’s legs simply gave out, and she collapsed.

“Y-You… what are you…? And what are those picket signs…?”

“Hehehe. We are a ‘legal’ debt collection team from the Gamini Merchant Guild. So, charming the boss didn’t go so well, huh?”

Marukl chuckled, badgering Emma, who tried to get up from where she collapsed but ended up landing flat on her rear again.

“Today, twenty-one. Tomorrow, twenty-eight. The day after tomorrow, thirty-five. Hehehe… truly a goose that lays golden eggs [a metaphor for a source of great wealth]. If you don’t pay within this week, a bill will fly to your family, runt.”

Marukl, talking excitedly with a boisterous voice, truly seemed like a subordinate of a demon risen from the depths of hell.

I should probably give them a raise…

I discreetly moved towards that scene of devastation.

“Emma? What are you doing here? And who are these helmeted people? ‘To Lady Agnelli… debt is a sin…’ Did you get into debt or something??”

I asked innocently, as if I knew nothing, and the girl looked at me with eyes brimming with tears and resentment.

‘What do you want…? It has nothing to do with you. No… it’s all your fault….’

She couldn’t actually utter those words, but she conveyed them with her eyes. Even this much made me think Emma had matured a lot.

Indeed, it seems the only way to deal with people who can’t understand words is to treat them harshly like this.

“Who are you? Unless you’re going to pay off her debt, go on your way. Do you have a lot of money??”

Ellen threatened me with a dry and intimidating voice (though there was quite a bit of fear underlying her tone).

“Hmm… I do have a lot of money. So, how much is the debt?”

“Twenty-one Talentum gold coins. You look like a rich young master, but you can assume it’s nowhere near what kids get as allowance.”

Emma looked at me with desperate eyes.

She knew I would never pay it back, but perhaps… a one in ten thousand chance I might help, a tiny sliver of hope.

I had an obligation to live up to her expectations.

“Hmm… it’s not that big of a deal, is it? It doesn’t seem like money important enough to come to a school where people pass by, holding picket signs, wearing strange helmets, and even dancing. Right, Emma?”

“What…?! This brat, he doesn’t know what money is! Are you some noble lord or something?”

A slight atmosphere formed, as if I was about to step in, fight with these people, and rescue her.

Passing students murmured, focusing on the scene, and Emma was only squirming with a look that wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

However… she seemed to harbor a futile fragment of hope that I, who appeared suddenly, might act like a Prince on a White Horse.

“I’m not a noble lord, just a son of a rich family. But our Emma is also the daughter of a great noble family, so she can probably pay back a few dozen Talentum gold coins in one go, right? Anyway, Emma, fighting!!”

“Hey…!! Ras, wait a minute…!!!”

The girl whose last futile hope had shattered desperately called out to me, but what could I do… I’d spotted our Teacher-nim Rosalie, so I didn’t have time to play with her.

And why would I save you anyway? As my subordinate said, salvation is only for those who deserve it.

You just keep getting humiliated a bit more. I’ve set the stage. After all, it’s not money that will bring about your downfall.

I quickly averted my gaze from the debtor, Emma, whose face had likely been recognized by half the student body, and playfully charmed our lovely Teacher-nim.

“Teacher-niiim!!”

“Oh my! Ras, I just came out for a walk and ‘coincidentally’ ran into you? Since we met, I can check your condition briefly. How’s your fever these days?”

“Oh my…! I actually had a fever and was sick and miserable over the weekend… I was so sad….”

“Oh dear!!! Next time, if you’re sick even on the weekend, you can always come find me. Anyway, let’s go to the infirmary quickly. I’ll tell Professor-nim Tiria I’ll send you after homeroom.”

Feeling Teacher-nim Rosalie’s lovely and gentle touch, I sent a telepathic message to my subordinates to stop for today and return.

The commendable guys, without flustering, tidied up their spot as neatly as possible, then…

“Then we’ll see you ‘again’ tomorrow, Emma Agnelli. By the way, tomorrow it’ll be twenty-eight.”

They left, leaving behind that after-sales service line.

I couldn’t help but think that I should open an acting academy for my subordinates later.

As I was thinking happily, a cute, yet rather sulky, voice tickled my ear as it pressed me.

“Tsk! Ras, you shouldn’t be thinking about other women when you’re with Teacher-nim~? Of course, Pisces is cute, but if you keep doing that, I’ll get a little sulky, okay?”

No…!! Even Teacher-nim Rosalie…!

The women who will become my lovers have such keen intuition.