Chapter 109
“Oppa, can I really trust you on this?”
“When have I ever done something to make you not trust me?”
“Morally… or legally?”
“Morality changes with time and people. And it’s not illegal until you get caught.”
He said something terrifying so casually!
Benen smiled like a mischievous boy.
Well, even if he talks like that, he’s a lot more decent than in the original story… so I guess I can trust him?
“Anyway, give me some time. You said Count and Countess Tillen, right? I’ll investigate what kind of people they are first.”
“Don’t overdo it. You must already be busy.”
“…Sol, do you even know what you’re saying?”
“Huh?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
Then Benen leaned close, grinning slyly.
“Every time you tell me not to overdo it, it makes me want to overdo it to death.”
“What are you, some kind of frog that does the opposite?”
“Frog? You really say the weirdest things sometimes. But sure, if that’s what you want, I can be a frog too.”
“Anyway—!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Benen stepped back.
The teasing smile faded away.
And somehow… the expression on his face as he looked at me right now was very brotherly.
“My little sister came to me for help for the first time in two years. There’s no way I’m letting this precious opportunity go to waste.”
“Ahaha… it’s not a troublesome chore, but a precious opportunity, huh?”
“Of course. You try to handle too many things by yourself.”
“You’re one to talk. If I were you, I’d have ditched the whole Flogel Territory and run away by now.”
“You would never do that. Anyway, I’ll head back now. Anything you want to say before I go? Info, gossip, anything’s fine.”
“Nope.”
“You’re so strict. Do you have to go straight to class?”
“No. It’s a class I can skip and still catch up easily.”
“Really? …Then can I stay a bit longer?”
Benen brushed my hair back. His hand grazed my cheek—like he wanted to caress it but held himself back.
“Honestly, even if we stay together, I don’t know what to do. We’ve hardly ever spent time like this.”
“Talking about Flogel is fine. Or you can tell me about yourself.”
“I’m not good with words.”
“I’m not asking for that. I just… want to spend time with you.”
“…Ahaha!”
Benen laughed. Just like the boy from six years ago.
The dark, secretive adult vanished for a moment, replaced by the playful boy with a bright grin. He smelled faintly of sunlight and the polished wood of his office.
“Before that, can your childish big brother play with your hair a bit?”
“I don’t mind, but if we’re too close like this, the staff will yell, ‘Hey, you two!’”
“And who’s going to do that?”
“Um, excuse me.”
“…Huh?”
Benen slowly turned his head toward where I was pointing.
And there stood Eugene-oppa, who had quietly approached and was now looming over us.
…And what followed was, of course, the inevitable chaos.
“W-wait, Ignatz-hyung? You being here—well, I guess it makes sense, but—”
“Sir, that’s not the point. Were you just trying to harass my student?”
“My wrist—ease up on my wrist! Unlike you, I can’t lift anything heavier than a book!”
“I don’t recall having a shameless little brother who bullies his sister.”
“Oh, but the shameless brother who bullied me is right here! Remember when you tied me to a saddle saying you’d teach me to ride and hit the horse’s rump?”
“…”
So Ignatz used to be that kind of brother.
While his lips snapped shut—and Eugene-oppa, realizing the situation, wisely stayed silent—Benen began unleashing years of pent-up grievances.
“You said we’d sneak off to the festival together, then used me as bait and ran off alone!”
“…”
“You told me you’d show me the secret passage in the Duke’s mansion, then sent me underground and ate all my share of the cake!”
“W-wait. I get that you’ve got a lot bottled up, but—”
“And you said you’d do my homework for me, but slipped in a love letter written in my name! That was the worst! My tutor saw it and burst out laughing!”
“…Sorry. But, uh, if you’re going to keep talking, shouldn’t Sol sit down? Her legs might get tired, right? And she has to go back to class, too.”
Don’t drag me into this.
Ignatz looked at me desperately.
Hmm, but I can already imagine what expression Eugene-oppa’s making—probably the same as mine.
I smiled brightly.
“I’ve got plenty of time. Why don’t we sit down and chat?”
“SOOOOOOL!”
Ignatz wailed, but who cares? Hearing brothers expose their hidden stories is so entertaining!
* * *
The next weekend, I headed to the Tillen County estate. Seraphina couldn’t come—she was busy preparing for the summer solstice ceremony at the temple.
“Sol, if my parents try to drag you into business talk, just refuse right away. Sometimes they make unreasonable requests of people around them.”
“Don’t worry. …I’ll make sure your parents stay here in the capital, devoutly reciting prayers.”
“…Even just hearing that makes me feel better.”
Seraphina smiled weakly.
Maybe it was because this was about her family, but seeing that complicated expression on her face made my chest ache.
Anyway, the carriage rattled to a stop before the Count’s mansion. Apparently, the Count and Countess had been waiting, because they came rushing out of the parlor to greet us.
“Oh my! We’ve been waiting, Lady Schley… And, um, who’s the gentleman behind you?”
“Good afternoon.”
Ignatz, who had accompanied me, bowed his head. Though even with that, he still stood half a head taller than most men. The Count and Countess flinched as if they’d just seen a golem.
“I’m Ignatz, a knight of the Temple Order.”
“Ah, no wonder you have such an impressive presence… But what brings you here?”
“Miss Seraphina asked me. She said her friend was visiting today, but since she’s busy, she wanted someone to keep her friend company so she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.”
“…”
The Tillens looked extremely uncomfortable as they eyed Ignatz. His frame filled the entire corridor.
But since it was their daughter’s request, they couldn’t very well send him away. Eventually, they seated us in the parlor.
On the table were three weak-looking cups of tea.
The Countess fetched an empty cup, poured small portions from the others to fill it, and placed it before my brother—without even giving him a saucer.
A pretty blatant gesture of disdain.
Ignatz didn’t even blink as he accepted the cup.
“It has a fine aroma. As expected of Lady Seraphina’s parents—such integrity in even your tea!”
“…”
“I’m only here as Lady Schleyger’s shield today, so please, speak freely.”
The Countess, looking flustered, coughed several times before turning to me.
“Miss Sol, have you spoken with your father?”
“Yes. He said that as long as I can learn to handle finances before marriage, I’m free to make my own decisions.”
“Oh my, really? Anything at all?”
“Yes. He didn’t even ask what kind of business it was.”
“How bold of him. …Well then, as I mentioned before, it’s about furniture sales—”
Oh, so they want to use this chance to reel in some easy money, maybe expand into something else too? But unfortunately for them, I’ve brought a guard dog.
Ignatz set down his cup, eyes gleaming.
“‘As mentioned before’? Are you about to change your story in front of a student?”
“O-oh no, of course not! Anyway, you said not to mind you—”
“Yes, don’t mind me. I’ll just be the one paying close attention.”
“…”
My brother sure knows how to talk nonsense with a straight face.
The Countess, speechless, was saved by her husband standing up and striding toward Ignatz. Oh? So he doesn’t care much about his daughter, but he does care about his wife?
But that bold march didn’t last long.
The moment Ignatz stood up, the Count found himself staring up at a man much taller than expected and quickly turned away. He’d looked ready to grab Ignatz by the collar—but instead, he made a sharp detour to the kitchen and soon returned with a small tray of cookies.
“…Ahem! Please, stay seated, sir. Allow me to bring some refreshments.”
“Thank you.”
So he decided to stuff my brother’s mouth instead of confronting him.
Then the Count and Countess turned back to me.
“Our main business is acquiring and restoring antique furniture to sell to collectors. Finding quality pieces, hiring skilled artisans, and satisfying discerning clients—it’s not an easy job.”
“Oh my, that must be difficult.”
“But the thrill of it makes it worthwhile! Discovering buried treasures and returning them to their rightful owners—it brings us such joy!”
The Count’s eyes gleamed.
He sounded almost professional.
But Benen had already told me about this guy’s background.
“He calls himself a businessman, but hardly ever does the work himself. He mostly freeloads off other people’s projects.”
“For example, he’ll say, ‘My partner and I import fine teas—would you like to invest?’ But in reality, he only ever worked with an importer once.”
“He’s got an eye for luxury goods thanks to his wasteful lifestyle, but that’s not enough to live on.”
“He’s scammed a few investors, claiming his ventures failed, and backed out. But it looks like he’s hitting his limit now—he’s deep in debt.”
And this time, I guess he’s finally cornered.
“Anyway, would you take my business card?”
The Count handed me a pristine white card. It had no company name—just his name and the word “Count” in fancy print.
It looked exactly like a conman’s card.
“Thank you. I wish I had something to offer in return, but I don’t have anything suitable.”
“Haha, that’s fine. Just showing your face at one of our meetings someday would be enough.”
He was already convinced I’d help him.
Well, he wasn’t exactly wrong—just not in the way he thought.
“Actually, after hearing about your business, I had another idea. Rather than investing in your current trade, I’d like to commission something from you for the temple.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Their faces stiffened immediately.
“What would business people like us need at the temple? And you’re just a student. The most you could do there is volunteer work.”
“Oh my, do you really think I’m just an ordinary student? And who was it that came begging such a student for investment?”
“That’s…”
“Don’t underestimate me. I was personally trained by Lord Schleyger himself. If you don’t believe me, we can test it right now.”
“A test?”
“Yes. Among the furniture in this room, let’s see which piece is more valuable. Pick a few for comparison.”
“…”
The Count frowned and pointed at three items—the wall clock, the large mirror, and the drawer cabinet.
“Which one looks the most valuable to you?”
“It’s—”
<Ah, I can already see where this is going.>
