9
Episode 9
* * *
The Blanche family's notary and lawyer, who had gone missing.
Even without looking into it separately, if I quietly held my breath in the room, I could occasionally hear the servants gossiping about him.
"If only the notary with the will is found, the title will belong to the young master."
"You never know. You haven't worked here long enough to know, but if you only consider the bloodline, Miss Belinda is actually..."
"Shh! Are you trying to get fired?"
"Anyway, she's a Blanche, so even if she's not the heir, her inheritance won't be small, right? I'm so jealous."
"Stop paying attention to irrelevant things and clean."
That inheritance, I'm very interested in it too.
I immediately rummaged through legal books, but my expectations only lowered.
As far as I knew, according to the kingdom's law, an unmarried daughter who was not the head of the family could not inherit property beyond a certain amount.
But even if a rich family falls, three generations can still live well.
Wouldn't the amount of 'a little' that a gold spoon thinks of be different from the amount of 'a little' that a salaryman thinks of?
With such expectations, I was heading to the drawing-room.
Through the window, I could see carriages lined up in front of the mansion.
Among them, what caught my eye was a carriage that was entirely black, from the wheels to the frame, and even the horses.
To be more precise, it was the coat of arms of a shield with white vines intertwined on the carriage.
'Where have I seen that before?'
As an Nth-round player of <Hirome>, I pride myself on knowing most of the settings.
If I can't remember it to this extent, it probably isn't important information.
Still, just in case, I was retracing my memories when I opened the door to the drawing-room.
The noise that had been coming from beyond the door suddenly stopped, and the gazes of countless people were fixed on me like arrows.
'It's just revealing a will, why are there so many onlookers?'
I tried my best to act as if nothing was wrong, straightened my back, and tried to go to the less crowded back.
"Bel, you came. It feels like it's been a while since I've seen your face."
If it weren't for the hand that Schwebel extended to me, offering to escort me.
Schwebel, dressed neatly, had a sad and tired look on his face, as befitting a child who had lost his father.
"I heard you're getting along well with the new servant. I'm glad."
As for me, as soon as I saw Schwebel's face, I was struggling to hold back the urge to punch him.
It was this guy who pushed Leo onto me as my servant.
'He probably intended to use Leo to damage Belinda's reputation.'
Given Belinda's personality, there was no way she would have accepted a boy with no education as her personal servant.
In the game, she actually tormented the protagonist, and as a result, her reputation was damaged, and she was firmly marked by the Patrons.
'Even if we don't get along, is it okay to use a child to harass me?'
"You don't look well, are you feeling sick?"
I struck Schwebel's hand with my fan as hard as I could.
"Ugh."
Schwebel groaned, covering the back of his hand, but no, I'm not falling for it.
What does reputation matter now? I'll just raise my Synchronization rate with this opportunity.
Belinda tended to curse as soon as she saw Schwebel, she hated him so much.
Such an attitude did not help Belinda in the end. And it didn't seem to affect Schwebel much either.
I wasn't going to be swayed by the translator like last time. This time, I had to use the translator.
Like the real Belinda, aristocratic and elegant.
Swish.
After covering my lower face with the gently unfolded fan, I looked at Schwebel with eyes full of contempt.
The maids gossiped about Schwebel's bloodline and worried that he would not become the head of the family.
The only weakness of Schwebel that I know of at the moment.
I trusted the translator and spoke of his weakness.
"How dare a lowly half-breed try to touch anyone. Are you trying to taint them with your dirty blood?"
Swish.
In the room that had become so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, a cheerful bell rang only for me.
Synchronization rate +1.
At that moment, Schwebel's face turned red, and a terrifying expression appeared as if a mask had been peeled off.
I instinctively realized.
That I had touched his sore spot.
Also, the hidden circumstances of this messed-up family.
'So this is why the employees were worried that I might become the head of the family.'
Insufficient legitimacy.
It seemed that there was some problem with the bloodline of Schwebel or Uncle.
I fanned myself gently, savoring Schwebel's flushed face.
After a brief commotion, the atmosphere in the drawing-room became solemn, and an elderly man with a pale complexion entered.
He seemed to be the Blanche family's notary that people had been searching for so desperately.
The notary immediately took out a rolled-up, luxurious scroll from his pocket.
And after swearing to tell only the truth, he finally unfolded the will.
After reading a long introduction mixed with legal terms, he coughed a few times,
"...Therefore, the Marquess title of the Blanche family is passed on to Schwebel Blanche, according to the will."
He wiped his forehead as if he had finished the long explanation.
Because of the occasion, everyone did not raise their voices, but a deep excitement covered the drawing-room.
Well, it's a natural result.
'Schwebel is the Marquess's biological son, after all.'
Not very surprised, I yawned indifferently.
I don't care whether Schwebel becomes the head of the family or not. From the beginning, the position of the head of a noble family with heavy duties and responsibilities was outside my interest.
What's important to me now is only my share of the inheritance!
Soon, the notary continued.
"To Belinda Blanche, 100,000 gold in cash and the east annex of the Blanche mansion in the royal capital are left as inheritance."
I quickly turned my head.
Let's see, if the prices are the same as in the game, the monthly living expenses of an average commoner are about 30 gold...
After finishing the calculation in my head, my hands trembled.
Immediately, laughter was heard from behind.
"Pfft. Serves her right."
"If it's the east annex, isn't that the hideous abandoned house?"
"100,000 gold. It'll be lucky if she lasts a year."
These people, aren't they underestimating me too much? This is the trembling of joy!
'An inheritance that allows me not to worry about money for 277 years.'
Cough, you're so generous, Marquess. Rest in peace!
"Also, three townhouses on Melbet Street in the northeast of the royal capital, the ownership of Shaver Forest, a famous tourist destination in the eastern Marshan territory, and part of Solichi Beach in the southern Gortan territory."
100,000 gold is enough to live comfortably and prosperously in the countryside.
"The ownership of the Herrington Mine in the northern Valuashten territory and all the contents of the personal vault that the previous head of the family owned."
Oh, oh, wait a minute. If it's this much, can I buy a house?
Yes, it's money that I can use for 277 years. Of course, I can buy a house.
Jackpot. Money to buy a house just appeared. Gold spoon jackpot!
"...The following assets are inherited as Belinda Blanche's marriage dowry."
A life of a rich unemployed person. It's like a dream. If I sell all of Belinda's jewelry...
'But why is the atmosphere like this here?'
The drawing-room had become frozen silent.
I, who had been obsessed with 100,000 gold, realized the meaning of the silence a little later than others.
* * *
Bang.
Belinda was the one who opened the tightly closed door of the drawing-room as if to break it.
The employees exchanged glances at her triumphant expression.
'What, what's with that expression?'
'Could it be that the young lady inherited the position of head of the family?'
The noise inside the drawing-room reached the ears of those who were trembling with anxiety.
People were gathering around Schwebel, congratulating him. Somehow, everyone's expression looked a bit awkward.
At that time, Belinda's shoes stopped in front of an employee.
"Hey, Potato Peeler."
"Y-yes? M-me?"
Toma froze stiffly.
"Yes, you. Immediately move all the furniture and luggage from my room to the biggest and best room in the annex. If any items are damaged or lost, it will be deducted from your salary, so you must treat them more precious than your life."
The employees' expressions changed strangely at the word annex.
They thought that justice had finally been served and that this nasty young lady was being chased out to the annex.
It was a complete misfire.
Toma, swept away by the surrounding atmosphere, forgot his past fears and opened his mouth boldly.
"S-sorry, sorry, but that's the young master's order, no, now the h-head of the family, right? The head of the family's order..."
His voice was terribly shaky, but it was enough to provoke Belinda.
However, Toma's words were crushed as soon as the sound of a fan unfolding was heard.
Waving the fan gracefully, Belinda smiled elegantly like a poisonous flower.
"Did I just tell you to bark, you wretch?"
