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A carriage was parked in front of the mansion.

Luckily, it seemed I had just made it in time.

However, there were people heading toward the carriage before me.

One of them walked with a mechanical stride.

It was Count William.

And another person was hurriedly chasing after him.

“Count! Stop right there!”

A man dressed in dignified banquet attire—it was Duke Fred Izakhel.

He grabbed William and stopped him.

“I wasn’t finished speaking, was I?”

“I’ve said all I needed to, Duke Fred.”

“William!”

The emotional display was so unlike the Duke Fred I knew.

“Are you really going to do this? I’ve overlooked your rudeness, but if you act like this, what am I supposed to do?”

“Duke…”

“Tell me. Do you want a territory? I’ll let you monopolize it as Count for the next few years.”

“……”

“So, lend me another 1 billion Kael.”

Fred pleaded.

No, it was less of a plea and more of a threat using his status.

“That amount is pocket change for a Count, isn’t it? Huh?”

Because of this, the young Fred looked utterly weak and despicable.

Something stirred in my chest as I watched.

[Personality Trait-induced erosion has begun.]

[Your current erosion level is 10%.]

What did I even do to make it rise like this?

William was staring at Fred’s face.

His expression was as calm as a still lake.

Though William rarely showed his emotions, I somehow knew.

That he was furious right now.

Finally, William spoke.

“22.5 billion Kael.”

“Huh?”

“That’s the amount you’ve borrowed from me up to today. How do you plan to repay it?”

“That’s…”

“Are you planning to win it back at our family’s casino?”

“Ahem. William… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The casino was one of the Ruelberta Family’s flagship businesses, catering to the Empire’s wealthy.

A playground where billions flowed daily.

Some became overnight millionaires there, but many nobles also fell from grace in a single night.

Duke Fred was the latter.

“Are you pretending not to know? Do you think I wouldn’t recognize the nobles using my casino? You spent the 2 billion Kael I lent you at the beginning of the year there last month.”

“……”

“I’m not a fool, Duke.”

Fred hung his head.

Was he ashamed?

Or was he reflecting on his life and repenting?

But Duke Fred wasn’t the character I thought he was.

“I had no choice. I needed the money… Count, you’d understand if you were in my position. The Duke’s position carries so much responsibility. You wouldn’t understand. Do you know how many nobles come and go from this duchy? If I borrow money from them, I can repay your debt in no time.”

Thump.

My heart raced again.

[Personality Trait-induced erosion has begun.]

[Your current erosion level is 20%.]

I could only helplessly watch as the erosion level rose.

William’s expression changed for the first time as he listened to Duke Fred’s pitiful excuses.

He smiled.

“It seems the Duke knows one thing but not two.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think they’d lend you money?”

“Count, what are you talking about?”

“Viscount Halbis.”

“…?”

William continued.

“Baron Ovean, Count Snevigil, Viscount Blisho…”

He listed the names of numerous nobles.

Duke Fred’s expression darkened as he realized their commonality.

“Are you saying…”

“They’ve all borrowed over 1 billion Kael from me.”

This was why the Ruelberta Family, despite its notorious reputation, couldn’t be openly ignored by anyone.

“And coincidentally, they’re all your close associates. Whether they’ll listen to you or the master holding their leash is up to you to decide.”

“Count!”

“I’m a businessman. So, I only lend money to those who can repay it. Lending money to beggars is charity work, not my business.”

“Be-beggar?! You, you brat!”

Unable to hold back, Duke Fred swung his fist at William.

But William tripped him even faster.

“Ugh!”

Fred fell ungracefully onto the grass.

William brushed the grass off his pants.

“That’ll be 5 million Kael off your debt. Consider it a settlement fee for knocking you down.”

Click.

William took out a pocket watch.

His expression twisted slightly.

“However… since the Duke wasted 5 minutes of my time, another 5 million Kael will be added to your debt.”

As William was about to board the carriage, he looked down at Fred.

As if he were looking at a pebble on the road.

No, to William, Fred probably looked even lower than a pebble.

Utterly worthless.

Fred was so insignificant that he couldn’t even make a ripple in the lake that was William.

Feeling pity, I reached out to help the fallen Duke Fred.

But it was a pointless thought.

“You, you… Don’t get cocky. Who’d give their daughter to a parasite like you? Not until I’m six feet under!”

Even I wouldn’t want someone like that, no matter how pretty they are.

*

Dinner time came again.

Once more, I guessed the quality and price of the fish served.

All thanks to the Personality Traits, ‘Tycoon’ and ‘Calculation.’

Though his personality was trash, Tristan’s eye for value was sharp.

William’s hand, elegantly cutting the fish, paused.

“Tristan.”

“Yes.”

“Listen carefully. Time is money.”

I listened intently to his words.

“And money is magic.”

William wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“With money, you can make any authority kneel. Nobles, dukes, even the Emperor. That’s why money is the greatest magic of all.”

Now I finally understood.

The curse placed on the Ruelberta Family.

From birth, they had no magic power.

While even the lowest slaves in the Empire had magic, the Ruelberta Family had none.

Early on, the Ruelberta Family spent vast sums researching magic.

They collected every magic-related book from around the world.

They built a magic school and had top-tier magicians conduct research.

They even dabbled in forbidden magic from the underworld.

But no method could break the Ruelberta Family’s curse.

The Ruelberta Family’s longing for magic ironically turned into hatred for it.

And William was a man raised in that madness.

A man who stood atop magicians with overwhelming wealth and power.

William ruled and dominated them.

Thus, he made countless nobles his enemies.

William quietly rose from the dining table.

“Dinner is over.”

I checked the clock.

It was just past 5:55 PM.

It was earlier than usual, so I was puzzled.

For William, meal times started and ended with clockwork precision.

The reason soon became clear.

William clicked his tongue and said,

“Scum has arrived.”

As soon as he spoke, all the candles went out.

The dining table was instantly engulfed in darkness.

In the darkness, I heard an unfamiliar voice.

“Are those your last words?”

The voice sent chills down my spine, as if a knife were pressed to my throat.

Only then did I understand the situation.

We were surrounded by assassins.

“Count, I assume you know why we’ve come for you.”

“Hmph… Coming so blatantly right after returning from the duchy is practically begging for attention.”

Oh, damn.

I never imagined Duke Fred would do this.

The seemingly gullible Fred had sent assassins to the Ruelberta Family—it was shocking.

Desperation makes people do the unthinkable.

The assassins surrounding us all seemed highly skilled.

The suffocating killing intent made it hard to even blink.

Yet, even in this hopeless situation, William remained composed.

Was there anything that could fluster this man?

“Attacking us so openly means you’re confident you can kill us.”

“…That’s right.”

The surrounding darkness seethed.

The darkness mocked us.

“I don’t like killing the weak who can’t use magic… but if it’s the job, there’s no choice.”

The countless assassins prepared to tear us apart at any moment.

“Let me make this clear—don’t think you can bribe us with money.”

“Bribe?”

“That’s right. Our loyalty to the duchy can’t be bought with your filthy money—”

“Hah… How ridiculous.”

William cut off the assassin’s words and laughed.

His laughter, standing alone in the darkness, was chilling.

“Who’s bribing whom? Speak clearly. I’m not buying you scum because my money would get dirty. Disgusting vermin.”

“…… So, those will be your last words.”

The assassins’ shadows drew their blades in the darkness.

Their sharp blades aimed for William’s neck.

Even in this dire situation, William remained seated at the dining table.

As if he had already made his peace, he said,

“…Tear them apart.”

“Gladly.”

At that moment, the darkness opened its maw.

It lunged at William’s exposed neck.

Crunch!

Warm liquid splattered on my cheek.

The white tablecloth before me was gradually stained with something.

“…?!”

The candles relit, and I could see the carnage in the darkness.

“……What is this?!”

It was the assassins who were horrified.

Only a short time had passed.

But the surroundings were filled with bodies smashed against the walls and literally torn apart.

That wasn’t the only shocking thing.

“You… Where did you come from…?”

Where the assassin pointed, maids stood beside William and me.

The strange thing was that they were all blindfolded, dressed in black.

One of the assassins recognized them.

“I’ve heard of them… The monsters the Ruelberta Family raised in the underworld.”

The man, who seemed to be the leader of the assassins, groaned as more than half of his comrades were already dead.

“So, it was you? The Ruelberta Family’s dogs……!”

William Ruelberta didn’t respond.

He simply sat there and gave the same command as before.

“Tear them apart.”

 

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