Chapter 46
He downed the beer in the large glass in one gulp without even taking a breath. The perceptive waiter, without being asked, immediately brought another glass of beer.
“Thanks.”
The man forced a smile and expressed his gratitude.
It was then.
Suddenly, everyone in the tavern turned toward the entrance, murmuring among themselves. Since the man had been sitting facing the entrance, it didn’t take long for him to understand why.
The source of the commotion was two middle-aged men and a young man. They glanced around the room and then made their way to empty seats.
As if accustomed to the stares of others, they ordered a few things and began conversing among themselves.
Although he couldn’t hear them clearly from a distance, the man could tell who they were. The men at the neighboring table had started talking about them.
“That bearded guy over there is Bilson, the one who won first place, and across from him is… what was it? The second-place winner?”
“You mean that assistant cook?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Apparently, that young man doesn’t have a father. Since they won the lottery together, they’ve kept in touch and today they came here together.”
“Do you know who that bald guy is?”
“Hmm, probably a friend?”
The man shrugged and swallowed his beer, showing no interest in anyone who hadn’t won the lottery.
“Anyway, I’m so jealous. With that money, you could live for years without your wife nagging.”
“Who says? With that money, you could drink every day and still hold your own with your wife.”
“I guess I’ll try that lottery thing too. You just have to visit the Callista Bank, right?”
“Not sure exactly. I heard the system changed a bit. Before, you could just visit the bank for consultation, but now I think you need to open an account to receive the prize. The jackpot has doubled, and they’re selecting a few more for second and third place.”
“Wow, so that increases your chance of winning, right?”
“Nah, it doesn’t work that way. People like us aren’t exactly rare.”
“True…”
The man’s excitement deflated, and he sadly picked at a chicken drumstick.
“By the way, isn’t Callista Bank amazing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they give loans without collateral and hold lotteries for ordinary people. How much money do they have to just give it away like that? I just don’t get it.”
“Well, I heard they don’t give to just anyone, but still, many people have gotten loans. Interest rates are ridiculously low compared to other banks. Maybe they just have too much money to handle.”
“If they have that much, they should just give me some.”
“Exactly. My lifelong wish is to drink without worrying about money.”
Before he knew it, the two men’s conversation had turned into a lament.
Quietly listening, the man now held his third beer but didn’t touch it, deep in thought.
“Callista Bank…”
After some time, he finally gulped down the now flat beer and stood up.
There was no reason not to visit, given that he had already come this far.
His steps led him toward the Callista Bank’s Hwangdo branch, where Lian had likely arrived earlier.
Claude had arranged a mansion for Lian, which was architecturally unique while exuding a high-class feel.
However, some areas needed maintenance, and a few gardeners would need to be hired. Still, thanks to thorough cleaning, living there immediately posed no problem.
As in any city, where you lived in Hwangdo depended on wealth and status, and Lian’s mansion was slightly away from the area crowded with nobles.
After the long journey, Owen and Regina were completely exhausted. Although Lian had secretly cast fatigue recovery magic on them, the journey had still been tough.
In contrast, Lian was full of energy. Unlike the two who rushed straight to the bathroom, he headed directly to Callista Bank.
In truth, the place Lian had wanted to visit upon arriving in Hwangdo was the bank, not the mansion. After spending nearly twenty days in the carriage, he hadn’t been updated on anything that had happened.
Most of all, he wanted to see the bank with his own eyes—to check the atmosphere, the customers’ reactions, the staff’s working conditions, and more.
Accompanying him in the carriage were Lian, Rakia, Asa, and Scott.
Although the friend Claude had come along to see him, Lian knew Scott’s true reason. Claude wasn’t the only one assigned to Hwangdo.
At his own request, Johanna had also been assigned to Hwangdo to work with Claude.
As a result, Scott hadn’t seen Johanna for months. Naturally, he was anxious.
When Scott heard Lian would go to the bank, he hurriedly jumped into the carriage, barely eating his meal.
Lian was half worried, half excited about when Scott’s unwavering devotion might bear fruit. In his previous life, the two had never gotten together.
Strictly speaking, even now, Scott’s feelings were one-sided. While he was bold in other ways, he hadn’t confessed to Johanna yet.
“Wow! My lord, look at that! How many floors does it even have?”
The boyish excitement from seeing a tall building replaced his earlier tension over Johanna. In some ways, Scott was really something.
“One, two, three, four…”
Determined to count, Scott began his challenging attempt, despite his poor math skills.
Could he finish?
No—thanks to winding roads, the carriage took successive turns.
Scott frowned briefly but soon moved on to something else.
“You’re really noisy, aren’t you?”
Rakia remarked to Scott, who had been fidgeting.
The view of Hwangdo had changed little since three years ago.
‘I wonder what the Emperor is doing right now. He must have grown a lot since then.’
Lian quietly gazed outside, but Scott kept disrupting the mood. He was always noisy, but today it seemed worse.
“Hehe, it’s my first time in Hwangdo.”
Scott grinned at Rakia, unfazed by her sharp tone. Having recently joined the Dragon Knights with his own skill, he was one of the few unflinching in front of Rakia.
“Captain, aren’t you amazed by Hwangdo?”
“Not really.”
“What? How can you not be amazed by such a huge city? When will we get a chance to come here again?”
“I’ve lived here.”
“Eh?”
“I said I’ve lived here.”
Scott’s respect for Rakia grew, seemingly almost worshipful, just because she had lived in Hwangdo.
On the opposite window, Asa was absorbed in the scenery, almost hanging from her seat. Her curiosity was so intense that she wouldn’t even notice if someone carried her away.
“We’ve arrived. Please get out.”
The carriage finally stopped. Through the window, the sign reading Callista Bank was clearly visible.
Seeing it in person made a stronger impression than imagined. The beautifully written letters stirred a quiet emotion in Lian’s heart. Now it truly felt like the bank had begun.
“My lord, please get down.”
The familiar voice belonged to Powatier, who had come to meet Lian at the carriage.
“Have you been well?”
Lian greeted warmly and stepped down. Outside were Claude, Purcell, and many other staff waiting.
The staff, lined up neatly, all bowed as Lian descended. Surprised, Lian smiled at each of them. Her sculpted face and gentle smile drew admiring gasps, mostly from female staff. Their loyalty rivaled that of Almal.
“Claude, have you been well?”
“Scott!”
Claude spotted his friend and ran toward him. They embraced as if they hadn’t met in ten years.
“But where’s Johanna?”
Scott immediately asked about Johanna, causing Claude’s smile to fade as he pushed Scott away.
“So that’s why. You came to see Johanna?”
“Wouldn’t I want to see her? Is she inside?”
“Good grief, you’re hopeless. You can’t confess yet, but you sure know how to search.”
As usual, Claude shook his head, clicking his tongue, pointing inside. It was a silent invitation.
“Good to see you, my friend!”
Scott grinned, lightly tapped Claude’s shoulder, and dashed inside.
Following Powatier’s suggestion, Lian held Asa and moved inside.
But then…
Suddenly, Lian felt a sharp gaze. Rakia, walking beside him, stopped and glared at someone.
A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat was staring intently at Lian.
Though his eyes were hidden, Lian could feel the gaze.
It wasn’t hostile, but neither was it friendly.
Lian tilted his head at the strange stare.
“Do you know him?”
As always, Rakia asked politely in the presence of others. Lian watched the man carefully, then answered:
“No.”
“What should we do?”
“Hmm…”
Lian hesitated—should they just pass, or approach first?
Then, the man suddenly strode toward Lian with apparent resolve.
Though staff surrounded Lian, Rakia stepped forward to block him.
“What’s going on?”
Without asking the man’s identity, Rakia spoke informally, her tone and posture very threatening.
Fortunately, the man stopped without resistance and spoke his purpose. Being close, Lian heard him clearly.
“I’ve come to see the owner of Callista Bank. I believe the person I’m looking for is you. Am I mistaken?”
“…A guest looking for the bank’s owner?”
“Yes, for now. I’d like to speak with your master. Will you step aside?”
Though his face was hidden, his tone suggested he was no ordinary person. The atmosphere suggested he had an important reason to seek Lian.
Rakia glanced at Lian, asking what to do.
After a moment, Lian nodded slightly. Though his approach was unusual, he didn’t seem like a bad person.
