Chapter 3
A grand mansion rising over five floors.
From the beautiful garden visible through the windows to the antique walls and main gate, everything is utterly magnificent.
The empire’s academy’s finest dormitory, existing only for the top 10%, where only those who have proven their great qualifications and dignity may enter.
Rabidus (La vie douce) Hall.
As if proving it is the pride of the Imperial Academy, it is endlessly splendid and dignified.
Luina Berchev sat in exactly the same spot where she had been stood up yesterday.
‘Fernyan Fallenberg.’
She chewed over her anger toward him.
‘He must be trying to crush my spirit.’
The fact that she was in debt meant she was the one in need. What was even more frustrating was that she couldn’t really deny it.
The enormous debt the Berchev family owed to the Fallenberg family.
The once-brilliant family had collapsed in a single incident, losing all their glory.
They had to sell everything to survive, and even that wasn’t enough, forcing them into debt.
“Sorry I’m late.”
Just then, the door opened. A man entered with a maid.
Hair black as obsidian and red eyes. The eldest son of the Fallenberg family, Fernyan Fallenberg.
His neat attire always exuded refinement and nobility. The perfect picture of a high-ranking aristocrat.
“Young Master Fernyan, here’s your coffee.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. Please call if you need anything.”
The maid disappeared. Only the two of them remained alone in the sealed reception room.
“I apologize for yesterday. I was so busy I forgot our appointment.”
“There were people who saw you leave Rabidus Hall right before our appointment time.”
“……”
“It’s fine. The one in need always has to endure unreasonableness.”
“That’s not what I meant at all.”
“Yes, then I’ll consider it wasn’t.”
Click
Luina elegantly lifted her teacup.
“I don’t mean consider it… Never mind.”
Sigh
Fernyan let out a short breath. The more he tried to make excuses, the more pathetic he appeared.
“So what’s the reason you wanted to meet me?”
“Ahem, Magical Survival Techniques. Combat, War and Magic. Monster and Creature Research Studies. Do you know what these three subjects have in common?”
“They’re lectures centered on practical application.”
“And?”
“The Knight Department has similar subjects too…”
Luina’s aquamarine-like blue eyes looked directly at Fernyan.
“From the second year, there are frequent joint classes between the Knight Department and the Magic Department. Is that your purpose?”
“There’s one more thing.”
“More?”
“The most important part. They’re all worth 5 credits each.”
“……”
“Why that expression? Isn’t it more important to you, since you’re precariously close to losing your top position and absolutely need to win a scholarship?”
“I won’t deny it. Then you must know what my answer is.”
“You don’t want to partner with me?”
The three subjects emphasized cooperation and experience between knights and mages starting from the second year.
Therefore, who you partnered with was a very important matter.
“Yes. You’re 10th in the Magic Department. And I’m second in the Knight Department. Is there a reason I should partner with you?”
2nd place and 10th place. There was quite a significant gap.
“I’ve already received several offers. They’re all better choices than you.”
“Naturally, as the runner-up, you’d have plenty of better choices than 10th place.”
But reality wasn’t that simple.
“If you partner with me consistently for three years, I’ll waive all the interest accumulated so far.”
“……!”
The Berchev Count family, who had served as frontier counts for generations, was a strong family that protected the northern empire.
The reason for using past tense was that an unexpectedly large-scale monster wave had broken through their fortress and devastated their territory. The damage was indescribably massive.
Even after receiving support from neighboring nobles and selling off their precious Golden Bull rights, it wasn’t enough, forcing them to borrow from the Fallenberg family.
The interest generated annually by that enormous debt was itself a great burden.
“…I understand that such matters cannot be decided by you alone.”
“I am Fernyan Fallenberg.”
“But you are not His Grace the Duke of Fallenberg.”
“Trust me. I never lie. I’ll even write up a contract if you want.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, but there’s one additional condition.”
Of course there is, Luina’s expression hardened instantly.
“Of course it wouldn’t be all good for me. What is it?”
“I want to sponsor you.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. I personally want to sponsor you.”
“I receive a full scholarship as the academy’s runner-up.”
“Everyone except the new students are aware that you send most of it to your family, leaving you living more poorly than most commoners except for your dormitory.”
“……”
Luina fell silent. She couldn’t understand Fernyan’s intention.
Her mouth went dry. She wanted to eat sweet chocolate.
“…What’s your intention?”
“A merchant sponsors someone for only one reason. You can be pleased to hear it. You’re talented.”
“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m the eldest daughter of Berchev.”
“Being from a noble family doesn’t prevent you from receiving sponsorship.”
“Most aren’t from families of equal standing.”
“Maybe in the past, but aren’t both our families in the same situation now?”
“…Are you planning to insult me?”
Luina’s face hardened like stone. The coldness felt from her pupils was beyond imagination.
But Fernyan was confident that Luina Berchev would accept this proposal, confident he could make her accept it.
‘Sorry, but Luina Berchev. You are not Aint Armian.’
While her family’s honor might be high, it couldn’t compare to the former imperial family, and unlike the imperial family, there were things directly binding her.
“I originally held Almon Donertz in higher regard than you.”
Almon Donertz. The top student of the Knight Department’s second year, whom Luina Berchev had never once defeated.
“However, I happened to see your swordsmanship recently. It was incredibly beautiful, elegant, dignified, and righteous.”
“Praise won’t make me fall for this.”
“I’m not a knight, but I’m a merchant with an eye for people. You were a more valuable gem than any knight I’ve ever seen. More than someone like Almon.”
Fernyan closed his eyes.
“That sword dance you performed under the moonlight that night—I still can’t forget it.”
More precisely, it was Aint who had seen it.
And that was in the future.
“…Under the moonlight? I haven’t gone out at night to swing my sword recently…”
Haven’t they met yet? Well, Aint hasn’t even enrolled yet. Anyway, that’s even better.
“I never said recently.”
“You said not long ago.”
“A year ago is also not long ago to me.”
“…So you’re saying you spied on my sword dance.”
“Is that important?”
“You spied on someone’s sword dance and say it’s not important?”
At Luina’s intense reaction, frowning and getting angry, Fernyan took a step back.
“…I’m sorry about that, but isn’t that beside the point of our conversation? If you want, I can even keep the sponsorship itself secret.”
“…Why go that far? What exactly do you gain from this?”
“You, as a talent.”
Somehow, contempt slowly appeared in Luina’s eyes.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Purely as a knight.”
“…Do you want me, as a person of Berchev, to be loyal to you?”
“I don’t hope for that much. Just be my partner during our time at the academy.”
Very little gain compared to the money invested. It was being too much of a pushover, but this was the best approach.
Luina was an idiot who revered chivalry and justice and valued faith like her life—utterly useless things in Fernyan’s view.
That’s why he needed to bind her with the shackles of goodwill and friendliness, not coercion.
“Even so…”
Of course.
“The empire’s interest rates went up recently.”
He didn’t just throw carrots. Pushover. There was no word a merchant should be more wary and afraid of.
“…Are you threatening me now?”
“I’m a tender-hearted merchant who gets hurt when kindness is ignored.”
“…Tender-hearted? You?”
“Instead, although I’m only 10th place, I’ll prove I won’t be a burden to you.”
“Prove?”
“You’ll find out soon. Now, choose.”
In the end, Luina had no choice but to accept.
That’s how it always is. An excellent merchant never makes an offer that can be refused.
Whether it’s filled with goodwill or full of malice, it’s the same.
***
“You’re back, Miss.”
“Nanny.”
When she returned to her lodgings, the nanny who had followed Luina from the family estate greeted her.
“How did the conversation go…? What did that money demon who stood you up have to say?”
“Watch your words, Nanny. He’s the Grand Duke’s heir of Fallenberg.”
“Yes. What did that Grand Duke’s heir bastard have to say?”
“I want to lie down for a bit.”
Luina threw herself onto the bed. Even though she hadn’t swung her sword or trained, she felt completely drained as if exhausted.
That meant she had expended a lot of mental energy.
“He said he saw potential in my swordsmanship.”
The nanny reacted to her quiet murmur.
“What did he see in Miss’s swordsmanship?”
“Potential.”
“I’m having trouble understanding easily…”
“He said my swordsmanship was incredibly elegant and beautiful. So he saw potential.”
“So that bastard dared to spy on Miss’s training? And then tried to woo Miss with that? He does have some sense at least! He didn’t threaten you with the debt, did he?”
Luina chuckled at the subtle anger she felt.
“Don’t worry, Nanny. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Then what? Don’t be so frustrating and tell me everything at once.”
“Nanny, you know there are many cooperative classes between the Knight Department and Magic Department when you become a second-year, right?”
“Yes. I’m also an academy graduate. Wait, don’t tell me?”
“That’s right. He asked me to partner with him.”
At her composed words spoken with closed eyes, the nanny jumped up from her seat.
“As expected! That bastard fell for Miss and is pulling dirty tricks!”
“It didn’t seem that way to me.”
“Where in that proposal didn’t it seem that way?”
“He said if I partner with him, he won’t collect interest for the duration of my academy attendance.”
Hesitation, the nanny’s angry voice suddenly subsided.
“If it’s Fernyan Fallenberg, he might not be too lacking as Miss’s partner… He’s rich, handsome…”
“Isn’t your attitude changing too quickly?”
“…I couldn’t help myself.”
Ahem
Clearing her throat and avoiding Luina’s gaze, the nanny asked.
“I got sidetracked for a moment, but it’s still suspicious. Who was it that interfered with imperial support and caused the debt in the first place?”
“It would be going too far to say he did this for this occasion, wouldn’t it?”
“Planning for almost 8 years in advance for a partnership with Miss? Absolutely not. It’s definitely about the secret sword techniques.”
For whatever reason he had suddenly changed course, that much was certain.
“…Anyway, I couldn’t refuse.”
Three years of interest waiver and sponsorship. Along with a clause that the sponsorship details wouldn’t be revealed externally, and a treaty that the contract would automatically terminate upon graduation.
“The conditions were too good to refuse.”
Luina handed over the contract. The nanny carefully checked the contract and nodded.
“There really aren’t any toxic clauses. Everything is too favorable to Miss. Why on earth would Fernyan Fallenberg make such a contract? Really because he fell for Miss?”
“I told you. He said he saw potential in me.”
“Because of spying on your sword dance?”
“He said as a merchant, he’s confident in his eye for people.”
“Considering Fernyan Fallenberg’s reputation, it doesn’t seem like a lie, but there are quite a few things that bother me. Especially the fact that Fallenberg suddenly gave up their secret sword techniques is hard to believe.”
“I think the same, Nanny.”
Nevertheless.
“But you’ll do it, right?”
The nanny asked with confidence.
“The conditions are too good. I just need to endure three years as partners. Three years of interest waiver will be a great help to the family. And I’ve already signed.”
The moment she signed the contract, Luina had made up her mind.
“Honestly, I want to discourage you, but if Miss has already decided, I’ll follow. However, what I’m immediately worried about is Miss’s grades. 10th place isn’t insufficient, but compared to Miss, isn’t it quite lacking…”
“He said he’d prove he’s not lacking.”
“Prove? How?”
“I don’t know that.”
“What scheme is that money-crazed money demon planning…”
“I’m curious about that too.”
What was his reason for sponsoring her and making her his partner while giving up such a massive amount of money?
‘Do I really have that level of talent?’
She had never felt lacking in talent, but except for her parents and family members, this was the first time someone had praised her so highly.
More than anything, if he was willing to take this level of risk, couldn’t he have wooed even the top student Almon?
“……”
Whatever his true intentions, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t happy about being recognized.
“Nanny.”
“Yes.”
“I need to write a letter to Father.”
“He’ll be sad. That Miss is sacrificing herself for the family.”
“This level isn’t even a sacrifice. It’s natural.”
“Still, just in case, it might be better to leave out the sponsorship contract story.”
“Yes.”
“But what could the proof be?”
“I wonder.”
Surely he’s not planning to spar with her.
That can’t be it. His skill level is nowhere near hers.
Luina shook her head.
***
“Young Master, will you be alright?”
It was a question with many implications.
The scheme targeting Berchev was directly planned by Duke Fallenberg. Fallenberg was a great family, but unlike magic, they lacked expertise in swordsmanship.
They wanted excellent secret sword techniques, and the secret sword techniques of the Berchev frontier count, who had long protected the empire’s north, seemed irresistibly sweet.
Berchev fell at the perfect timing, and they set up the board accordingly. And it was just about to bear fruit.
‘I personally overturned that board.’
Excellent secret sword techniques and a person certain to become a Royal Knight.
If the Fallenberg ducal family was one that lived and died by swordsmanship alone, it might be different, but swordsmanship was secondary—Fallenberg had many possessions.
There was no need to risk their lives to lose the goodwill of a future Royal Knight.
Moreover, his wastrel behavior.
The problem was that only he knew this fact, and there was no way to explain it.
“I’ll write a letter to Father soon.”
“What will you write?”
“…I’ll have to write something.”
“Since you’ve already done it, I won’t say more, but I wish you luck. I hope I can serve you again alive…”
“…Get out.”
“Yes.”
The attendant disappeared.
“What should I say?”
No matter how well he wrote it, he’d be beaten to death.
He could clearly see his father clutching the back of his neck and collapsing after seeing the contract terms, saying he’d suffered a tremendous loss.
If he had a child and that child did such a thing, he would have thrown them out, calling them someone who’d sell the family for a woman.
“…I don’t know. I’ll think about it after sleeping.”
Holding his throbbing head, Fernyan lay down on the bed and chose the comfortable path of avoidance for now.
