THHAAWMF

Chapter 78

***

"Crazy boy."

That was what Count Essit said to him every time he saw him these days.

Duval himself admitted it. He had been crazy for a while.

If he could, he would have chewed the deal. He had been deceived by Gerald's words and had written down an unreasonable amount of money, which was a disaster.

"Duke Absulekti. I think he's going to use about 800 billion."

"It seems that he wants to take this opportunity to properly mark his fiancée since they're soon to be engaged."

"If they are joined, the Lavirins will be richer than the Essits.''

Riches.

That was the only thing the Essits were better at being than the Lavirins.

However, even that was about to disappear now.

In the end, his anger at the uncertain future was compounded by his inferiority complex toward Duke Absulekti.

Duval spent over 800 billion gold in anger. The result is what was see now. As soon as he got home, he made an excuse to his father.

"This is all Gerald's fault! He said unnecessary things-"

"Did Gerald put a knife to your neck and threaten you to spend $800 billion on an abandoned mine?"

Of course, the seeds didn't work either.

He couldn't go on like this. He had to prove himself somehow. If he did poorly, he would be kicked out of even the position of Minor Count.

Fortunately, he had the gem rubina, which the jeweler had praised so highly. He had paid an expensive price for it and had to make up for it somehow.

Just as well, he would also have a successful accessory store, thanks to which the process of processing the gemstone in the rough was already prepared.

"Hurry up! As fast as you can!"

Duval urged his workers to mine the rubina as quickly as possible.

It was embarrassing to call it "actual mining." They only had to pick up the rough crystals that were lying here and there.

He sent them to a gemstone processor in Essit. Soon, accessories using rubina began to spread, especially among high-class aristocrats.

***

For some time from the day I traded the abandoned mine, I was stuck in the house.

It was to deal with a mountain of family affairs again.

Meanwhile, time has flown by. Before I knew it, there were only about two months left until the Winter Ruby Moon Festival.

Thinking that I should hold a celebration as Little Marquis before it gets even colder, I went to Salon Rema, which is only open to high-ranking nobles, to manage my contacts.

And I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Oh, my lady! It's been a long time. Is this the first time since the Ruby Moon Festival? Why have you been so absent during that time?"

"I heard you had a hard time. Are you alright?"

"I heard you became a minor marquis. Congratulations."

The nobles, who until a few months ago had been incapacitated, approached and greeted me first.

It meant that Lavirins reputation was not as rock bottom as it used to be, but it was not a time for rejoicing.