Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 245

☆ 245 ☆

The Saintess Inauguration Ceremony was packed with central nobles, regional lords, and even heads of minor families or nobles with single-rank titles—everyone who could attend, did.

‘And when this many people gather, there’s bound to be someone short-sighted who blurts out whatever comes to mind,’ I thought.

Sure enough.

“Wait a minute! So, you just gave away all that expensive black gold for free? For nothing?”

A man, wiping the glistening grease from his face with a handkerchief, questioned sharply.

Seeing as I don’t recognize him, he’s definitely someone I’ve never been involved with before, and will never be involved with in the future.

‘Especially since he’s saying such things so openly.’

Other nobles couldn’t hide their disdain as they looked at the man.

“‘Just gave away’? Lady Luatisha used her own money to perform a virtuous act, comforting the victims of the recent accident,” one noble retorted.

“Either way, isn’t it the same thing! If you could give it all away like that, why did you raise the price?!”

The nobles widened their eyes but didn’t particularly stop the man.

Well, they’d be curious about why I raised the price.

But they probably didn’t dare to ask, fearing they’d incur my displeasure.

‘Actually, I wanted them to ask.’

So, I’m very thankful to this clueless guy.

“I understand your surprise. The price increase wasn’t planned by me either, to be honest.”

“Huh?! Then, why did you raise it!”

“There was someone who enlightened me. Thanks to that person, I realized that simply selling at a reasonable price isn’t always the best approach.”

“What kind of… person gave you such enlightenment!”

“Who else could it be?”

I turned around with a gentle smile.

Liriel, who received my gaze, froze.

“It’s our Saintess, Liriel.”

Luatisha slightly narrowed her eyes and smiled brightly.

* * *

‘What kind of trick is she trying to pull now!’

Liriel glared at Luatisha with fierce eyes.

“S, Saintess Luatisha told you to raise the price?!”

“No, why…?”

She could feel people looking at her with bewildered expressions.

Among them were nobles who followed Liriel.

Many of the nobles who had sided with her were burdened by the price of black gold.

Not long ago, they had been fighting among themselves, complaining that the price was too high, or questioning if others were so financially strained that they couldn’t afford it.

‘This is bad.’

She couldn’t believe they would be swayed by such ridiculous nonsense.

Liriel hurriedly opened her mouth.

“L—.”

“As everyone knows, Liriel is truly thoughtful and has a wonderful character.”

Luatisha very naturally cut off Liriel’s words and smiled kindly.

“Liriel, you told me about the good deeds you did in the South, right?”

Luatisha held Liriel’s hand tightly.

“You said that if the strong think of the weak, and those who have more give to those who don’t, the world will move in a beneficial direction.”

Liriel bit her lip.

She had said such things before.

In a situation where she hadn’t been recognized as a Saintess by the temple, she had to win the favor of the nobles with the reputation she had built in the South.

‘But she’s using that against me like this?’

“It’s embarrassing to say this myself, but I’m quite good at profit and calculation. But I realized that I’m still lacking in seeing the people beyond the numbers after listening to your words.”

Luatisha was speaking modestly, but her true intentions were anything but.

‘I only thought about setting a reasonable price, but I didn’t think about looking at the purchasing class and extracting more from them. How is that different from exploitation in essence?’

“The buyers of black gold are all rich nobles. Ordinary people are still using mana stones.”

Claudia, who had a quick mind, smiled and quickly chimed in.

“Ah, you’ve created a structure where those who have more can give, according to the Saintess’s words. For the sake of the people beyond the reasonable price.”

“Yes, that’s right. All the increased amount will be donated.”

Luatisha smiled brightly and shook Liriel’s hand that she was holding.

“Liriel, thank you so much. I’ve only been donating with my own money until now, but with this method, more people can indirectly participate in donations. As Liriel said, the world is moving in a beneficial direction, right?”

The nobles’ expressions soured.

Who would like to be forced to donate by others when they could have donated themselves?

Wouldn’t they think, ‘Donating is good, but why are you donating with my money?’

‘And that arrow will be directed at me, not Luatisha, who directly decided on the price increase and donation.’

A series of situations, from the day the price increase was announced to today’s conversation, had created that.

And this situation is definitely not a coincidence.

It’s all Luatisha’s calculation.

‘That cunning thing.’

Liriel hurriedly opened her mouth to change the direction of the arrow.

“Lulu, I know what you mean, but the method is wrong. Helping others should come from the heart, and doing it forcibly like this isn’t good for each other.”

“Huh?”

Luatisha tilted her head with wide eyes.

“It’s one of the methods you used to do in the South. Donating a portion of the profits. Have you told many people and forgotten, not just me?”

“That’s different from this—.”

“Please stop, Saintess.”

Liriel’s words were cut off.

The person who interrupted was not Luatisha.

A noblewoman who had been watching opened her mouth.

“I understand the Saintess’s intentions well. Of course, it’s good to live generously. The Saintess said that’s a good direction.”

“I also remember what the Saintess said before. You said it to give a good influence, and Lady Phaerahton was influenced by it, right? But why are you saying that now? Or was it just bragging?”

“Thank you. Thanks to the Saintess, I’ll be donating every time I use black gold now. I hold a charity party every quarter and donate, but now I might just buy black gold instead.”

The noblewomen nodded at Liriel and turned away.

A cold wind blew from them.

Of course, other people were no different.

‘So, the price of black gold has doubled because of the Saintess?’

‘Was it you? The culprit of this.’

‘It’s good to pretend to be nice, but you should do it moderately.’

The thoughts contained in the gazes directed at Liriel were clear.

It was an atmosphere where anything she said would be frowned upon.

Today was her Saintess Inauguration Ceremony, not any other day.

On the day she could rise the highest, why was she suffering such humiliation without even properly spreading her wings?

No, she knew the reason.

Liriel raised her head.

‘Luatisha Phaerahton! You did it again!’

Incredibly, Luatisha was looking at her with innocent eyes, blinking at this very moment.

And people flocked to Luatisha’s side.

“So, Lady Luatisha, when would you be free?”

“How about spending your vacation in our territory? I’ll prepare everything!”

“Oh my, if it’s a vacation, it’s Caribarin. I have a coastal villa in Caribarin; how about it? Please give me the opportunity to serve you, Lady Luatisha.”

Luatisha didn’t bother to answer.

The more she didn’t, the more anxious people became.

However, those who were anxious were not the only ones.

“The youngest will be with me.”

“Doesn’t your wife have a son about the same age as my younger sister? Why are you inviting my younger sister to your place?”

“Hey, you stay away. You’re uglier than me; how dare you come close to anyone. You’ll hurt her cotton candy eyes.”

“Luatisha, if there’s a vacation spot you want, this grandpa will just buy you land or a castle. So, let’s spend time together, okay?”

“Lulu.”

The Duke of Phaerahton stood firmly next to his youngest daughter.

At his imposing and powerful appearance, people involuntarily took a step back.

‘Ugh…….’

I finally met the Anseur Merchant Guild leader, but there were five walls bigger than the walls of the Phaerahton ducal residence standing next to him.

People gnashed their teeth and waited for an opportunity like hyenas.

In their eyes, Liriel, the protagonist of today, was already forgotten.

* * *

I avoided the constantly approaching people and took refuge in the lounge for a while.

As I washed my hands, someone’s figure was reflected in the mirror.

I wasn’t surprised and turned around with a bright smile.

“Liriel, I thought you had left, but you’re still here?”

‘I thought you were gone since I didn’t see you at the center of the party.’

Liriel frowned, realizing my true intentions.

“Have you forgotten that this is the after-party of my inauguration ceremony?”

“Oh, I was just worried that you might be tired from the inauguration ceremony.”

‘Wouldn’t it be reasonable to use being tired as an excuse to turn tail and leave?’

A crooked smile appeared on Liriel’s lips.

“Lulu, I didn’t know you would be so deeply moved by my words that you would raise the price of black gold. I never thought that Lady Phaerahton, of all people, would follow my advice so much.”

“Really?”

Such sarcastic words didn’t even tickle me.

I shrugged nonchalantly.

Then, Liriel’s eyes narrowed even more.

“But, that’s not really it, is it? It seems like you raised the price to make people realize who’s holding the reins.”

Hmm?

“Black gold is almost a necessity for nobles. If you raise the price drastically, they’ll initially feel resistance, but if they can’t get it anywhere else—you’re telling them that they’re the ones who will lose out if their relationship with you is cut off, right? I think that’s more like your personality.”

‘Did you only realize that now?’

From the beginning, there were so many powerful people who noticed my intentions that they just watched silently without saying anything.

Thanks to that, it was easy.

“Oh my! What are you saying, Liriel? That’s too much. Is that how you see me?”

“Giving black gold to people. I clearly heard that you did it during my inauguration ceremony.”

“Ah, I guess you misunderstood because the person who delivered it supported the victims of the explosion accident. I definitely announced that giving it to people in commemoration of your Saintess Inauguration Ceremony would be after the inauguration ceremony was over.”

“You didn’t deliberately let false information get into my ears, did you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I really tried hard for you, Liriel. I’ll be very sad if you do this.”

I smiled and patted Liriel’s shoulder.

“You said before that you wanted to be close to me.”

As I brought my lips close to Liriel’s ear, her golden eyes glared at me as if to devour me.

“How is it?”

“……”

“Don’t you think we’re a really good match? I suddenly feel that way today. We helped each other. You taught me a new way to donate, and I covered up an unfortunate incident on your inauguration day.”

I smiled deeply and stepped back.

Liriel’s cheeks trembled.

I patted Liriel’s shoulder again and then passed her by leisurely.

It was the moment I grabbed the doorknob.

“……What would people say if it became known that you deliberately caused the mana stone explosion to screw me over?”

“Pfft……!”

I burst out laughing without realizing it.

When I turned around, bewilderment was evident in Liriel’s eyes, which were glaring at me.

“The level of your thinking. Liriel, I’m not you. That explosion accident was real.”

“Don’t lie! An accident at that timing! Okay, I can concede that one thing could be a coincidence. But all those things were a coincidence?! Even using the black gold to divert the crowds under the pretext of the accident, so smoothly—.”

“Liriel, there are plenty of other reasons to distribute black gold.”

‘I actually made them.’

A better opportunity just came along.

“Why do you think Sid didn’t attend the Saintess Inauguration Ceremony?”

“……!”

Yes, that’s right.

Sid was preparing something else.

‘I didn’t get to use it because of the mana stone explosion accident, though.’

“Ah, and by the way, stop hitting on Sid so much.”

“What?”

“Sid says you’re stalking him? A Saintess who hears such things seems very… cheap.”

I shook my head slightly and left the lounge as it was.

Thud, after closing the door, 1, 2, 3 seconds.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Smash!

I chuckled at the sound that could be heard outside, even though it wasn’t a room with poor soundproofing.

‘She’s smashing it so satisfyingly.’

She’s been pretending to be relaxed, but she really can’t stand it today?

What should I do? The more she does that, the more fun I have.

‘The price for touching my family is still a long way off.’

Jeon has become disheartened, even though he doesn’t act like it.

I walked down the hallway with light steps.

* * *

“As expected of Lady Phaerahton!”

The citizens of the Empire generally had great affection for Luatisha.

When she was young, she developed a cure for the Black Death and saved many people, and through her younger brother Laura, she became the pride of the citizens of the Empire.

When you think about it, wasn’t Luatisha the one who allowed commoners to use magical tools?

And above all—.

‘She has spread the gospel of Chicken God in this land.’

‘The Saintess is our Lady Luatisha after all. Chi-men [a play on “Amen,” but referencing chicken].’

‘I can’t resist chicken.’

……That is so.

“This explosion accident could have caused casualties, but thanks to the Phaerahton ducal family, it ended with minor injuries.”

“Ah, I heard that they suppressed the explosion using magic. I only thought of magic as a terrifying power, but it can also save people……. By the way, you saw it directly, right? What was it like?”

“Of course, I felt awe, but maybe it’s because they protected me? It wasn’t scary at all, but rather reassuring.”

“I don’t know why I was afraid of the Phaerahton ducal family before. They say there’s no place as good to live as the Phaerahton territory.”

“Well, looking at Lady Luatisha’s character, it’s understandable that it’s a good place to live. It’s so grateful that she gave black gold to the victims of the accident who had nothing to do with her, and she even gave it to other people.”

“Thanks to that, I won’t have to buy mana stones for several years.”

“But I heard that the reason she gave it out was to celebrate the Saintess’s inauguration? We should also thank the Saintess—.”

“What are you talking about! Lady Luatisha is generous, so she celebrated it on a large scale. What did the Saintess do there!”

“Why are you so angry?”

“Don’t I work in Idium [a city in the Empire]? So, I know the news of the nobles a little better, but I heard that the Saintess stole the jewels that were going to our Lady Luatisha before! That’s why the faithless Fascis fell.”

“Such a thing……! But to take away the jewels, could it be that our Lady Luatisha is being oppressed because she’s the Saintess who appeared for the first time in hundreds of years?!”

“We have to protect her!”

“Chi-men!”

After the unprecedented event of the Saintess Inauguration Ceremony, trust and loyalty to the temple should have soared into the sky, and admiration for the newly born Saintess should have swept the Empire.

But this time it was completely different.

Luatisha put down the information report compiled by SSS [likely a secret intelligence organization] and raised her head.

Against the backdrop of the sparkling waterway, Sidrian sat leaning against the gazebo with his long legs crossed.

‘That guy. He’s really grown up well.’

His height was admirable every time I saw him.

Just reading the newspaper makes him look like a painting.

Luatisha slowly approached Sidrian.

‘What is he looking at so intently? Is there an issue in international politics? Or an economic problem within the Empire?’

He looks kind of cool.

Feeling strangely excited, I leaned my head out next to Sidrian, who was reading the newspaper.

‘……Huh?’

Luatisha’s eyes widened.

Sidrian was looking at neither international politics nor the economic problems within the Empire.

‘It’s me?’

Luatisha’s appearance, directing and managing the explosion accident site, and attending the Saintess Inauguration Ceremony party, was featured prominently.

‘……Laura probably took it.’

She even took it like a pictorial.

I was a little embarrassed, but when I saw Liriel’s appearance in the corner of the bottom, I thought it was a relief.

But relief is relief, and I was embarrassed when I thought of Sidrian, who was staring at the newspaper without blinking an eye.

‘That means he was looking at me like that.’

“I was wondering what you were looking at so intently; were you looking at this? Stop now一.”

Luatisha’s lips stopped as she turned her head towards Sidrian.

From when, Sidrian, who I thought was looking at the newspaper, was looking at me.

So close that I could feel his breath.