The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 216

Count London’s world was about to fall apart. Just a week ago, he received news that could destroy his kingdom.

“…The Golden Bank has issued an ultimatum. If we do not repay 100,000 gold coins within a fortnight, they will exercise their rights as creditors and formally protest this matter. What are we to do? As you know, the royal treasury of Redford is in no position to repay such a debt. With even next year’s operating expenses needing to be covered from external sources, if we were to pay 100,000 gold, the country would collapse.”

100,000 gold.

It was certainly a vast sum, but not an amount that would typically cause a nation’s collapse.

The problem lay in Redford’s circumstances.

Due to the King’s reckless spending – stories were whispered of jewels thrown into fountains and feasts that cost more than entire villages earned in a year – the national treasury had been drying up day by day, and now an unmanageable debt had accumulated.

They had belatedly tried to control the King with great effort.

But by the time they realized the reality, the debt, which had initially been no more than a snowball, had triggered an avalanche, engulfing the kingdom.

Count London spoke.

“Can’t we talk to them? Can’t we ask for more time?”

“No. The Golden Bank has made it clear that they will not allow even the slightest concession.”

“…Hoo.”

He sighed deeply.

Over the past few years, Count London had been rushing around to save the country.

In the process, he had squandered a significant portion of his own wealth, but there were still many problems the country had to solve.

A debt of 100,000 gold. In his current state, there was no way to repay it.

To be precise, even if he liquidated all his assets to repay it, Redford would repeat the same situation with the problems that would arise afterward.

He felt helpless.

The Golden Bank was feared across the land. If you didn’t pay, they didn’t just send soldiers. They were cleverer than that. They would spread gold coins among the poor, whispering that the King was to blame for their hunger. Riots would start, and chaos would follow. They were even known to fund the enemies of debtor nations, turning kingdoms against each other.

“What does His Majesty the King say?”

“It’s always the same. His Majesty the King is no longer the person we knew. He spends every day indulging in alcohol and women, and heads to the gambling table whenever he gets the chance. We have placed restrictions to prevent him from further depleting the national treasury, but even so, we have no way to control the mountains of debt stamped with the royal seal.”

“There are forces outside that are encouraging His Majesty the King’s excesses. As long as they remain intact, the problem will inevitably repeat itself.”

Redford.

The country was collapsing.

The general public was not yet aware of the severity of the situation, but Count London knew that the collapse was imminent.

The national treasury was drying up.

If a riot broke out, the meaning of the country would be lost.

Knowing that this was the goal the Empire desired, Count London desperately scraped together money.

In the process, he had thought of rebellion countless times.

But according to the information he had gathered, the King’s excesses were the result of external forces.

They wanted those who cared about the country’s safety, like themselves, to revolt, and would surely use the moment they raised troops as a pretext for a purge.

It was a dead end.

In a situation where choices were limited, all he could do was support the pillars of the collapsing country.

The person who came to see him was the treasurer.

The fact that a person who should be reporting to the King had secretly come to see Count London signified the reality of the country.

‘Is there really no way?’

At the edge of the desk was a photo with his father.

The photo, taken with magic during his lifetime, showed a man who looked exactly like Count London, wearing a hearty smile.

In fact, people remembered his father more than Count London himself.

He was a man of great patriotism, respected by all, and until the moment he died in an unexpected accident, he never stopped worrying about the country.

After he died, people criticized the new heir of the London family.

Unlike his father, he was a piece of trash who plundered people and only cared about money, which was the general public’s opinion of him.

Count London said.

“Redford is rushing towards a cliff. Even knowing that this country will fall off the cliff and be shattered to pieces someday, we cannot abandon this country and run away. We must compile a list of forces that can help us. First, we must resolve the Golden Bank’s debt so that Redford can be safe.”

“Understood.”

The treasurer bowed his head.

Count London leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling.

Count London looked up at the dark gray ceiling. Dust motes danced in the faint light from the window, making it seem even gloomier. It felt like the weight of the kingdom was pressing down on him, heavy and gray, just like that ceiling.

He didn’t seek out Dimitri from the beginning.

He first visited the forces he had been friendly with, but they all expressed their difficulties.

“Count London, in this business, the rumor is spreading that we should no longer lend money to the Kingdom of Redford, or to you. No matter how high the interest rate you promise, if you collapse before we can get it back, we will only suffer losses. I’m sorry. We have to be realistic now.”

Ten meetings. Ten rejections.

Count London’s feet were blistered.

He walked long distances himself and pleaded earnestly, but most showed such a cold reaction that they even refused to meet him.

Then he thought of the Dimitri family.

Although they were not usually friendly, he thought that those who were hostile to the Chronos Empire and were called great tycoons might be able to help.

A glimmer of possibility. It was like grasping at straws.

He had heard stories about Roman Dimitri. Some said he was a hero, others a ruthless businessman. Count London didn’t know what to expect, but he knew Dimitri was his last hope.

He visited Roman Dimitri, and he swallowed hard at the sight of the man opening the door and entering.

‘Roman Dimitri. The greatest talent on the continent, who defeated the commander of the Gustavo Knights in one blow. According to rumors, Roman Dimitri is a truly cold-blooded person with a clear line. If he knows Redford’s situation well, the possibility of lending money is slim.’

He also knew the reality.

But there was no other choice.

The rumor was spreading that Roman Dimitri was practically leading the family instead of Duke Romero, and for that reason, he visited Roman Dimitri.

Roman Dimitri sat opposite him. After briefly introducing each other, he immediately got to the point.

“I apologize for asking such a favor at our first meeting, but please lend us only 100,000 gold. Of course, I am well aware that this is an unreasonable request. We have no prior relationship, and even if we borrow the money, we are not in a situation where we can repay it quickly.”

He revealed his weaknesses.

Instead of borrowing money with plausible words, he honestly stated what the situation was.

London and Dimitri. Both were families with the blood of merchants flowing through them.

It was clear that clumsy excuses would not work, and in the first place, even though it was a large sum of 100,000 gold, there was no benefit for the Dimitri family to gain.

The existence of interest was meaningless.

If Redford and London were to perish, the party to receive the interest would disappear, and the money would also evaporate.

“If we fail to repay the Golden Bank’s debt as it is, Redford will inevitably collapse. I want to prevent that at least. Roman Dimitri, you know the importance of Redford. The Kingdom Alliance is barely maintaining its existence as it is, and if Redford collapses, the Kingdom Alliance will lose the power to stop the Chronos Empire. So please lend us a little help. Redford has no power to withstand without the help of other countries.”

This deal. He reversed the situation.

Instead of simply a relationship of profit, he appealed to Dimitri, who was at odds with Chronos, about the importance of Redford.

Count London. He was a clever man.

He spoke honestly, but made Redford’s problems everyone’s problems.

In a series of situations, Roman Dimitri, who had been listening to the other party’s words calmly, asked in a voice without inflection while drinking tea.

“I have heard rumors about Count London. The great tycoon of Redford. A person who plunders the wealth of those around him and amasses a vast fortune through cruel business acumen. People call you a piece of trash, or a heartless miser. But the Count London I am facing seems to be a different person from the rumors.”

The public’s reputation. It was different from the appearance in front of him.

At least the people of Redford did not think of Count London as a patriot.

“Explain it to me. Why are you, with such a reputation, working so hard for Redford? In fact, people with money have enough ways to survive if they abandon patriotism, don’t they?”

Roman’s words. He fell into silence.

Count London silently looked at the other party.

The public’s assessment. He also knew.

People cursed him as trash, watching Count London expand his business and seize the wealth of those around him even as the country was collapsing.

And he didn’t spend a penny for others.

Count London was outwardly seen as clinging to his money until the end, even as people pointed fingers at him.

The reality was different.

Most of the money he had worked so hard to earn had been used to solve Redford’s problems.

Count London said.

“…Until just a few years ago, I was not very interested in the affairs of this country. My goal was to inherit my father’s business and become the best merchant on the continent. But you see, when you amass a vast fortune, you see truths that people don’t know. The excesses of His Majesty the King of Redford. People say that His Majesty the King is making the country’s situation difficult, but those who know the truth know that the process is abnormal. I am convinced that the Chronos Empire is behind this.”

The King. He was drawn into the gambling scene by someone.

At first, he was delighted to earn a large sum of money, but in less than a year, he became an addict steeped in gambling.

A gambling scene where the tycoons of the continent gathered. How did the King get into that position in the first place?

Questions arose, and Count London learned that the forces behind the scenes were leading Redford’s collapse.

“The great tycoon of Redford. How do you think our family would be seen by the traitors who are trying to bring down the country? My father’s death was no coincidence. They must have thought that a person with patriotism and wealth would be a major obstacle to their plans. So I turned my back on the public’s reputation. I trampled on other people’s businesses, seized their assets, and received criticism from people, but I don’t regret it at all. The beings I destroyed. They are all guys who were involved in treason. I have only recovered the assets of such people and returned them to the state.”

Beyond memory. The Count London, who first inherited the family, was not actually a patriot who would dedicate everything so much.

However, as time passed, something solid formed in his heart.

Watching the series of events in which Redford was collapsing along with his father’s death, Count London could not leave the situation as Chronos intended.

So now he has dedicated his life to Redford.

How people evaluate him was not a very important issue for him.

A single purpose. In order to protect this country, which his father and ancestors had built, he didn’t care what happened to his reputation.

Count London said.

“I have no intention of making you bear all the responsibility for the 100,000 gold. As collateral for this transaction, I will offer not only the land of London, but also the family heirloom as compensation. Even if the situation spirals to the worst, Dimitri will not suffer much loss. And if Redford solves the problem and returns to its original state, the London family, furthermore, Redford will never forget this grace for the rest of their lives.”

When he finished speaking, Count London sensed it.

‘They will refuse again this time.’

Dimitri. If it was a family of merchants who had risen to their current position by selling steel, there was no reason to accept this offer.

A long story? Relationship with Chronos? It’s not a problem they face.

The fire that fell on another person’s feet could not be known for its danger until it spread to oneself.

But then.

“I understand. I will accept your offer.”

Relief washed over Count London, so strong it almost made his knees buckle. But even as hope flickered, a new worry sparked in his mind. Why had Roman Dimitri, a man known for his cold logic, agreed so easily?