“This is the Count’s mansion. As you know, our mansion has a very old value-”
“I have many mansions like that.”
“Then why don’t you just use the casino building itself as collateral?”
“Speaking of collateral. Instead of a building, how about using people?”
Under imperial law, it was possible to take people as collateral rather than things, since slavery still existed in the empire.
Penniless people would borrow money using their bodies as collateral, that is, promising to become 'slaves' if they could not repay the debt.
However, there was no way that 'Sion Kleist' would do that. No one did not know how hard this man had worked in the noble council to change the imperial law.
“Haha, that’s a really funny joke.”
So the Count also dismissed his remark as a joke.
“...I am serious, Count Albrecht.”
Sion said this with a hint of intimidation, deliberately, so that it would be obvious that he was sincere.
“If you can’t pay me back, what do you think about giving me your daughter?”
“I, I never imagined putting my daughter up as collateral.”
The Count spoke, his hands trembling as he held the teacup.
“Of course. That’s what only beasts who value money more than their daughters do.”
A Count with a decent mansion in the upper ranks had no reason to take his daughter as collateral.
Even more so considering his public reputation as a doting father.
“Then that’s fine. Kleist Bank will just not invest in your business.”
But Sion knew the Count's true face. When Sion stood up from his seat without any hesitation, he grabbed Sion urgently.
“Wait, Your Grace!”
Sion has been anticipated for some time now.
What kind of expression will the woman who was sold in place of her father's debt have?
Will she be angry with her shining eyes like last time? With that intense vitality that seems ready to explode?
“Your Grace.”
“Count, I will interpret this as consent.”
“...I did agree, but, Your Grace. It’s not because I don’t love my daughter-”
That's an excuse not worth hearing.
“I’ll tell you more about it later, at the hunting grounds. About why I took collateral. I’m busy right now.”
Sion shook off his hunting clothes as if they were stained with something unclean and went out into the back greenhouse garden.
"Your Grace."
“Yes. I'll go alone.”
Sion only accepted the umbrella from Max, who tried to hold it over his head.
“Oh, Albrecht, if any idiots are investing in casinos, add them all to our bank’s blacklist. Those low-IQ guys are polluting the air inside the bank.”
After finishing his instructions, Sion walked slowly in the direction Odette had gone.
'Didn't you set off with a woman called Mrs. Becker?'
The maid who had followed her out had gone, and the woman was standing alone in the middle of the garden.
When he saw that indifferent look, he felt a sense of self-loathing.
'What am I doing? What am I going to do by taking that woman's debt?'
Sion was very impulsive just now. It would have been useless to take Odette as collateral.
The Imperial Family will not allow the sole Purifier of the Empire to be enslaved, and they are not at all pleased if Odette were to actually be reduced to a slave.
So what he just did was nothing more or less than throwing money on the ground.
Of course, he didn't regret spending the money.
The Margrave Kleist had secretly amassed more money than the imperial family, and no matter how much Count Albrecht asked for, it would only amount to a cupful of seawater.
The problem was that even Sion did not understand his own actions.
The woman was staring at her fingertips with calm eyes.
'Ah. Butterfly.'
Only after realizing that, did the butterfly that had seemed like a background begin to look like a living thing. Only when he saw that the woman was carefully examining a butterfly sitting on her fingertips.
It seemed that several white butterflies had escaped from the greenhouse garden into the open air. Most of them were hiding under the flower petals in the garden.
Odette carefully placed her umbrella over the petals where the butterflies were gathered.
The woman with her platinum hair fluttering in the middle of the garden looked like a white butterfly to Sion.
“It’s pretty.”
He blurted it out without realizing it.
Until a few days ago, even such exclamations would have surprised him. But now, Sion acknowledged it.
After seeing Odette resist brainwashing, after seeing her hold back tears and then burst out. And after the day when he felt dirty after seeing her dance with Johan.
Because he had this dream of her and himself getting more and more messy every day.
He was vaguely guessing about his feelings for her.
Possessiveness. Animalistic lust. Something that could never be love. The trashy feelings his father had for his mother.
'It seems like I have the same blood as my father. I never intended to have such disgusting feelings in my life-.'
His mother had said that love was the most noble and pure emotion. Sion had never experienced love, but he had read quite a few classics and was able to find the definition of love.
Unwavering respect, perfect consideration. An ideal relationship that fosters mutual growth.
On the other hand, Sion's feelings towards that woman were the exact opposite.
Sion becomes impulsive, childish, and pathetic in front of her. Even the slightest sense of reason disappears. So this is definitely not love-
It was at that moment.
“I have many mansions like that.”
“Then why don’t you just use the casino building itself as collateral?”
“Speaking of collateral. Instead of a building, how about using people?”
Under imperial law, it was possible to take people as collateral rather than things, since slavery still existed in the empire.
Penniless people would borrow money using their bodies as collateral, that is, promising to become 'slaves' if they could not repay the debt.
However, there was no way that 'Sion Kleist' would do that. No one did not know how hard this man had worked in the noble council to change the imperial law.
“Haha, that’s a really funny joke.”
So the Count also dismissed his remark as a joke.
“...I am serious, Count Albrecht.”
Sion said this with a hint of intimidation, deliberately, so that it would be obvious that he was sincere.
“If you can’t pay me back, what do you think about giving me your daughter?”
“I, I never imagined putting my daughter up as collateral.”
The Count spoke, his hands trembling as he held the teacup.
“Of course. That’s what only beasts who value money more than their daughters do.”
A Count with a decent mansion in the upper ranks had no reason to take his daughter as collateral.
Even more so considering his public reputation as a doting father.
“Then that’s fine. Kleist Bank will just not invest in your business.”
But Sion knew the Count's true face. When Sion stood up from his seat without any hesitation, he grabbed Sion urgently.
“Wait, Your Grace!”
Sion has been anticipated for some time now.
What kind of expression will the woman who was sold in place of her father's debt have?
Will she be angry with her shining eyes like last time? With that intense vitality that seems ready to explode?
“Your Grace.”
“Count, I will interpret this as consent.”
“...I did agree, but, Your Grace. It’s not because I don’t love my daughter-”
That's an excuse not worth hearing.
“I’ll tell you more about it later, at the hunting grounds. About why I took collateral. I’m busy right now.”
Sion shook off his hunting clothes as if they were stained with something unclean and went out into the back greenhouse garden.
"Your Grace."
“Yes. I'll go alone.”
Sion only accepted the umbrella from Max, who tried to hold it over his head.
“Oh, Albrecht, if any idiots are investing in casinos, add them all to our bank’s blacklist. Those low-IQ guys are polluting the air inside the bank.”
After finishing his instructions, Sion walked slowly in the direction Odette had gone.
'Didn't you set off with a woman called Mrs. Becker?'
The maid who had followed her out had gone, and the woman was standing alone in the middle of the garden.
When he saw that indifferent look, he felt a sense of self-loathing.
'What am I doing? What am I going to do by taking that woman's debt?'
Sion was very impulsive just now. It would have been useless to take Odette as collateral.
The Imperial Family will not allow the sole Purifier of the Empire to be enslaved, and they are not at all pleased if Odette were to actually be reduced to a slave.
So what he just did was nothing more or less than throwing money on the ground.
Of course, he didn't regret spending the money.
The Margrave Kleist had secretly amassed more money than the imperial family, and no matter how much Count Albrecht asked for, it would only amount to a cupful of seawater.
The problem was that even Sion did not understand his own actions.
The woman was staring at her fingertips with calm eyes.
'Ah. Butterfly.'
Only after realizing that, did the butterfly that had seemed like a background begin to look like a living thing. Only when he saw that the woman was carefully examining a butterfly sitting on her fingertips.
It seemed that several white butterflies had escaped from the greenhouse garden into the open air. Most of them were hiding under the flower petals in the garden.
Odette carefully placed her umbrella over the petals where the butterflies were gathered.
The woman with her platinum hair fluttering in the middle of the garden looked like a white butterfly to Sion.
“It’s pretty.”
He blurted it out without realizing it.
Until a few days ago, even such exclamations would have surprised him. But now, Sion acknowledged it.
After seeing Odette resist brainwashing, after seeing her hold back tears and then burst out. And after the day when he felt dirty after seeing her dance with Johan.
Because he had this dream of her and himself getting more and more messy every day.
He was vaguely guessing about his feelings for her.
Possessiveness. Animalistic lust. Something that could never be love. The trashy feelings his father had for his mother.
'It seems like I have the same blood as my father. I never intended to have such disgusting feelings in my life-.'
His mother had said that love was the most noble and pure emotion. Sion had never experienced love, but he had read quite a few classics and was able to find the definition of love.
Unwavering respect, perfect consideration. An ideal relationship that fosters mutual growth.
On the other hand, Sion's feelings towards that woman were the exact opposite.
Sion becomes impulsive, childish, and pathetic in front of her. Even the slightest sense of reason disappears. So this is definitely not love-
It was at that moment.
Sararak,
The woman who had tucked her hair behind her ear with a light gesture, turned around to look at him.
For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. The sound of the rain, the commotion of birds filling the garden, and even the sound of raindrops falling on the umbrella disappeared all at once.
"...Your Grace."
The calm, turquoise eyes frown slightly.
'As expected. A smile suits you better than that expression. It's more... appealing.'
Sion thought he was possessed. Then he realized. After he got hold of that woman, what he wanted to do was make that woman smile.
"Ha..."
While Sion was astonished, a woman who had been fluttering freely like a white butterfly politely lifted her skirt and greeted him.
And then, as soon as she finished saying hello, she turned around and tried to go back to the greenhouse.
In that attitude, he felt like there was a wall behind her that said she didn't want to be with him.
Sion swallowed his discomfort and quickly walked towards Odette, grabbing her wrist. The woman caught under his umbrella looked like a stuffed butterfly.
Yeah. What's with the smiling face? Sion started to feel really upset.
'It's like a dog. Why is that Sion guy here again?'
Just as she was trying to shake off Mrs. Becker, something worse came along.
'Why did this kid have to show up when I was going to meet Karl?'
After going through all sorts of troubles with Damian, she managed to get Karl into Athena Island.
Now the only thing left is to free Karl.
...Of course, the problem of feeling intimidated remained.
"However, Miss. It was extremely uncomfortable and difficult to spend time with the human you sent me."
"Miss Odette, I object to using the name Karl. We were only in the carriage together for a short time, and the pressure made me feel like vomiting. I see no reason for you to use such a repulsive name."
Report on the 'intimidation' brought up by Gisela and Goetz.
“How can you face that and take care of it, young lady?”
Besides, even Lize said the same thing.
I'm already worried because if the pressure problem isn't resolved, today's plan will be useless...
If you are so crazy, you will meet this fucking baby here.
“Let go.”
Odette spoke to Sion, who was tilting his umbrella towards her.
He had a well-proportioned body and wore clothes with flair. He looked sharp from a distance, but when she stood up close like this, she realized how big he was.
'It's like an ignorantly large rice cake.'
“What about the maid who came with you?”
“...Why do you ask that, Your Grace?”
Of course, Odette told her to get out and not watch her. Mrs. Becker was already in the palm of her hand.
At the point when Mrs. Becker colluded with her to share the power of appointment, she had a weakness. Mrs. Becker, who was aiming to become the Count's wife, would never be able to tell the Count about their collusion.
But, there's no reason for me to report that to Sion, right?
“Aren’t you going to leave your umbrella over there? Then wouldn’t it be better to share it with me? You’re going to get wet.”
“That’s kind of true, huh?”
“Insects can’t get wet in the rain, can you?”
“Butterflies are fragile.”
“You don’t look that different to me.”
A slight smile appeared on Sion's lips.
'What an annoying person anyway.'
After their last scuffle, Odette was really sick of that guy.
“It’s better to get rained on than to share an umbrella with Your Grace.”
She said that and smiled politely. Sion's eyebrows rose at her words.
"Yes?"
As Sion said that, he released the hand that was holding her wrist.
Then he stretched out his hand in one motion to the bush where the butterflies were. In an instant, one of the butterflies Odette had just covered with her umbrella was caught in his hand.
Of all things, it was the one that had just been sitting on her finger. It was bothering her that the tip of its wing was torn.
“What the-”
For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. The sound of the rain, the commotion of birds filling the garden, and even the sound of raindrops falling on the umbrella disappeared all at once.
"...Your Grace."
The calm, turquoise eyes frown slightly.
'As expected. A smile suits you better than that expression. It's more... appealing.'
Sion thought he was possessed. Then he realized. After he got hold of that woman, what he wanted to do was make that woman smile.
"Ha..."
While Sion was astonished, a woman who had been fluttering freely like a white butterfly politely lifted her skirt and greeted him.
And then, as soon as she finished saying hello, she turned around and tried to go back to the greenhouse.
In that attitude, he felt like there was a wall behind her that said she didn't want to be with him.
Sion swallowed his discomfort and quickly walked towards Odette, grabbing her wrist. The woman caught under his umbrella looked like a stuffed butterfly.
Yeah. What's with the smiling face? Sion started to feel really upset.
***
'It's like a dog. Why is that Sion guy here again?'
Just as she was trying to shake off Mrs. Becker, something worse came along.
'Why did this kid have to show up when I was going to meet Karl?'
After going through all sorts of troubles with Damian, she managed to get Karl into Athena Island.
Now the only thing left is to free Karl.
...Of course, the problem of feeling intimidated remained.
"However, Miss. It was extremely uncomfortable and difficult to spend time with the human you sent me."
"Miss Odette, I object to using the name Karl. We were only in the carriage together for a short time, and the pressure made me feel like vomiting. I see no reason for you to use such a repulsive name."
Report on the 'intimidation' brought up by Gisela and Goetz.
“How can you face that and take care of it, young lady?”
Besides, even Lize said the same thing.
I'm already worried because if the pressure problem isn't resolved, today's plan will be useless...
If you are so crazy, you will meet this fucking baby here.
“Let go.”
Odette spoke to Sion, who was tilting his umbrella towards her.
He had a well-proportioned body and wore clothes with flair. He looked sharp from a distance, but when she stood up close like this, she realized how big he was.
'It's like an ignorantly large rice cake.'
“What about the maid who came with you?”
“...Why do you ask that, Your Grace?”
Of course, Odette told her to get out and not watch her. Mrs. Becker was already in the palm of her hand.
At the point when Mrs. Becker colluded with her to share the power of appointment, she had a weakness. Mrs. Becker, who was aiming to become the Count's wife, would never be able to tell the Count about their collusion.
But, there's no reason for me to report that to Sion, right?
“Aren’t you going to leave your umbrella over there? Then wouldn’t it be better to share it with me? You’re going to get wet.”
“That’s kind of true, huh?”
“Insects can’t get wet in the rain, can you?”
“Butterflies are fragile.”
“You don’t look that different to me.”
A slight smile appeared on Sion's lips.
'What an annoying person anyway.'
After their last scuffle, Odette was really sick of that guy.
“It’s better to get rained on than to share an umbrella with Your Grace.”
She said that and smiled politely. Sion's eyebrows rose at her words.
"Yes?"
As Sion said that, he released the hand that was holding her wrist.
Then he stretched out his hand in one motion to the bush where the butterflies were. In an instant, one of the butterflies Odette had just covered with her umbrella was caught in his hand.
Of all things, it was the one that had just been sitting on her finger. It was bothering her that the tip of its wing was torn.
“What the-”
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