~Chapter 8~
I spun around to face everyone and gave a silly little smile.
“Please come back in an hour. Right now, I honestly don’t know anything. I don’t even know how much money my brother had……”
Heidi quickly helped me up.
“That’s all for now.”
Since I’d told them we’d meet again in an hour, nobody tried to stop us on the way back to my room.
Once inside, I sat down and started thinking.
“Remember this. There’s no such thing as a ‘probationary spot’ in this house.”
Roystan had been right. There was no trial position here.
If I wanted to survive, I couldn’t just be a probationary guest—I had to be Rosy Noart, the girl who had competed with her relatives since childhood.
Yulian didn’t know anything, and I had no foundation here in this mansion.
The relatives would definitely try to push us out.
At this rate, we won’t last long in the count’s estate.
If they start banding together, there’s no way we can win.
I clenched my fists.
Grandfather has to come back soon.
He was the only one who could protect Julian and me—the true master of House Noart.
But Grandfather was abroad for business right now.
He’d probably already heard about Yulian’s accident and was rushing back to the Empire.
Still, the distance was so great it would take quite some time.
And I remembered something Zahid had once told me:
“On his way back to the Empire, the Count of Noart gets caught in a landslide. Because of that, he’s delayed for ages and only returns long after Yulian has already died.”
I don’t have the luxury of waiting that long.
Grandfather adored yulian.
He was the only one I could rely on.
In my previous life, Brother grew incredibly strong in just five years.
So if he starts over now, he can still do it.
Even if his injuries keep him from becoming as powerful as before, at the very least, he can become the heir again.
But for that, we first had to survive in this house until then.
I have to find a way… I’ll make Grandfather come back sooner.
In my past life, I’d avoided Grandfather at all costs, hiding away in the annex.
But now I couldn’t afford to cower like that.
Instead of leaving just because I think my brother can’t protect me, I’ll make my own place here.
I had to catch Grandfather’s eye.
I had to raise my influence in this family.
Just like Yulian had done before.
Roystan was getting chewed out.
“I’m sorry, Father! I really didn’t know! I never dreamed all that money would actually end up with that probationary brat……”
“You useless fool!”
When Roystan started to sniffle, Murlock only shouted louder.
“What are you crying for, huh? You should be ashamed!”
Caliban Noart’s eldest son, Murlock, was furious, pounding his chest in frustration.
“You pathetic idiot—losing such a fortune in just a few careless words?”
Rosy had even said she’d originally planned to entrust everything to her uncle.
Just thinking about it made Murlock’s stomach burn.
“I don’t know the exact figure, but it has to be over a hundred billion gold at least…… Argh, I can’t even stand to look at you! Get out!”
Roystan backed away, sobbing, and disappeared.
Murlock kicked a chair over and over, raging as usual.
His underlings didn’t dare stop him.
“Damn it, it was all within reach! Damn it all!”
The family head, Count Caliban Noart, was still away.
He was already on his way back after hearing of Yulian’s accident, but it would take a long time before he arrived.
Good thing, too—because everything needed to be taken care of before then.
“Ugh, what a waste……”
Murlock wasn’t the only one who wanted to seize Yulian’s fortune as soon as he woke up.
His younger brother Felide and younger sister Monica were also scrambling for it.
The way they hovered around like rivals drove him insane.
But the biggest threat was Yulian.
“Who knew that damned Valleria would stab me in the back through her own son……”
When they first heard Yulian had lost his memories, the three siblings of House Noart had practically cheered.
It would’ve been better if he had just died, but still, this was the next best thing.
“If we handle this right, our problems are solved.”
Their reckless investments and business expansions had drained their funds.
But just a slice of Yulian’s wealth could fix everything at once.
“Before anyone else gets their hands on it… before Father gets back…”
Fortunately, Felide and Monica’s followers had come back empty-handed.
“I’m sorry… I’m still not used to reading. Please give me a little more time.”
Rosy was so slow she took forever to get through a single page.
She said she’d never learned to read at the temple and was still studying now.
Even if someone read aloud to her, it didn’t help much—she didn’t know half the words.
“Ha, she really looks the part of an uneducated probationary brat. The butcher gave her a whole team of tutors for over a year and she still can’t read a single sentence?”
Still, no matter how frustrating Rosy was, nobody dared give up.
“Yes, I think Brother mentioned something… like he invested in something really big… Was it this? Or that? I can’t remember, so maybe it’d be best if I just invested everything in the first thing I vaguely remember……”
Rosy had announced she’d throw all the fortune into “something she couldn’t quite remember.”
So they had no choice but to wait, grinding their teeth in patience, then leave quietly.
“Starting tomorrow, you go to her too. Just say it was a misunderstanding, smooth it over somehow. Bring her some sweets or fancy presents kids go crazy for.”
Murlock barked orders at his men.
“Sweet-talk that clueless little brat no matter what! Oh, and one more thing.”
His jaw tightened with frustration, his face darkening.
“Delay Father’s return at all costs. Break the bridges, wreck the carriages, cause accidents! And if something happens to him along the way, even better!”
He knew that once the Count returned, not even the Duke behind them could interfere.
***
The next morning.
As usual, the newspaper was delivered with breakfast.
I popped a tomato into my mouth and unfolded the front page.
The Never-Ending Tragedy of House Diphenril
I knew it.
Fourth broken engagement, and yet more marriage proposals flooding in—the miserable fate of a young duke.
There was even a black-and-white photo.
It showed a boy around my age, handsome but wary, hugging a huge wolf.
The caption explained he was the young heir who had inherited House Diphenril.
Zahid… so this is what you looked like as a kid.
In the photo, the boy’s expression was full of suspicion and weariness.
Just looking at it, I could tell how much he had suffered.
It must be really tough for you right now, huh? Just wait a little longer.
I swallowed the tomato and stared at the picture.
This time, I’ll come find you.
This time, I’ll be the one to save you.
