4. Day 1 (3)

“Lady Lorona died?!”

Shesam Bellman, the one charged with accounting for the Ruth family, turned deep blue and shouted.

He had served the count family since his grandfather’s generation, and had long managed the family’s fortune on behalf of his military-focused master.

Upon receiving the news, Shesam stood up from his office chair, but he accidentally slipped and stumbled to the floor.

“It’s over… everything’s over…”

He hastily opened a drawer and arranged all the documents on the desk.

They were all documents signed by Lorona.

“…Now that she’s gone, I won’t be able to get any more loans…!”

Screaming, Shesam plunged all the stacks of papers into his bags and dashed out of the office.

“If I don’t inform the count of this plight as soon as possible, the Ruth family will be over!”

Shesam was well aware of the debt the Ruth family was covered in.

The count, who wasn’t interested in managing the family and partook in military affairs, rarely returned to the mansion due to his excursions.

Things were better during the war. He was rewarded for his achievements. They weren’t small tributes as were given to other aristocrats either.

Ironically, after Count Ruth had brought peace to the nation, the Ruth family became poor.

It would not had been a problem if they had a business like normal aristocrats and lived humble lives.

Along with those large bounties from the war, it should had been possible to prosper for a long time as a family that had given birth to the future crown princess.

However.

“I don’t know anything… They don’t know anything…”

Shesam roughly wiped away his overflowing sweat and tears.

“Anyway, it might still be salvageable right now. The death of the young lady might change the count’s mind, so…”

Although his wish probably wouldn’t come true, Shesam raced his horse to the villa the count used for his training.

***T/N: Sounds like Lumina will end up getting nothing, after all. …Nothing but debts.