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Chapter : 20
I thought the original work had ended, but
“Haah…”
After finishing my exercise for the day, I collapsed by the lakeside and let out a deep sigh. I had already gotten used to working out, but the reason for my sigh was something else.
“Russell, is there any way to make money?”
“Money?”
“Yeah. Like, if gold coins just fell from the sky—”
No sooner had I said that than a single gold coin plopped down from the sky. I jumped up and looked at Russell.
“Where did this come from?”
“From a secret vault of some noble family.”
I swallowed hard and stared at the gold coin in my hand. Spirits really are convenient.
Russell looked at me with a peculiar expression and said:
“…Anyway, the vault is piled full of gold coins, so no one would notice if just a few were missing. And it’s money obtained through, shall we say, unethical means. You could borrow some for about five years and then return it. If you want, I can get more for you.”
“……”
His words made my resolve waver slightly. There was only one coin in my hand, but if I asked, Russell could take far more from the vault.
If I took just a little from each noble family’s vault, I might never get caught. And even if I did, since Russell isn’t human, there’d be no legal consequences in the empire.
“……”
Lost in these thoughts, I finally spoke with determination:
“Never mind. Let’s stop.”
As I steeled myself, Russell’s low, amused voice came from his throat. At the same time, the coin in my hand seemed to vanish, returning to its original place.
“……”
I pursed my lips and watched the scene.
…What a waste. Did I really just back out? Because of some trivial morality, I passed up gold I couldn’t earn in a year with my own body. I wanted to take it back immediately.
“You’re good.”
Whether he noticed my feelings or not, Russell rarely smiled, but this time he gently patted my hair. I let out a sigh and muttered to myself:
“…I guess I have no choice. I’ll have to find a side job.”
Would there be a part-time job sticking doll eyes here? At my thirteen-year-old body, that would be doable.
Russell looked at me curiously.
“Why are you so obsessed with money?”
“…Actually—”
I quickly glanced around to make sure no one was there before speaking.
“I know a way to multiply it a hundredfold in five years…”
“……”
The look in Russell’s eyes, which had been approving moments ago, immediately shifted to that of someone looking at a con artist.
“No, I’m serious.”
I had recently recalled memories of my past life and thought of the best way to make money. Not Bitcoin…
There was a small, undeveloped island in the empire that no one was paying attention to. The underground resources buried there were immense, and for now, I was the only one who knew.
Well, Leopold knew too. I had to buy it before him. Since it was currently unclaimed, it could be purchased cheaply, but soon there would be a bloody fight over it.
“Absolutely! Don’t tell anyone. I’m telling you because it’s you.”
“Okay.”
Even I thought my words sounded like a classic con artist line.
Somehow, I felt like a scammer trying to tempt a pure spirit.
That night, I dreamt of my childhood for the first time in a long while. I was still young, but even younger than now—this was a dream from my past life.
In the dream, I was fifteen, slightly taller and a bit chubbier than now, but still cute in my own way.
The place was the lakeside forest behind the Viscount’s mansion. I think Evelyn had insisted we all go on a picnic there.
I was sitting on a blanket, holding Evelyn, who was about a head shorter than me. Across from me sat Asad, and Leopold sat a little apart, with a seemingly indifferent expression.
Then, suddenly but clearly, we decided to take a moment to compliment each other’s strengths. Evelyn, naturally, was the one to start.
“Um…”
“……”
The first was Asad. Evelyn, sitting in my arms, stared at him with a troubled expression.
“Asad, um… hmm…”
“You don’t have to force it, Evelyn.”
Asad sighed lightly as he looked at Evelyn, who couldn’t bring herself to speak. Evelyn laughed awkwardly and then quickly turned to me, her big green eyes begging silently for help.
“Do you want to go first, Tina?”
“Me?”
“……”
Evelyn suddenly passed the responsibility to me. I looked at Asad in surprise. His indifferent gaze lingered on me for a moment.
At this point, Asad had already lost his memory, and he followed only Evelyn around like a loyal puppy.
“……”
Hearing Evelyn’s words, Leopold, sitting indifferently far away, suddenly glanced at us. He seemed curious what I would say.
Caught off guard, I found myself receiving the attention of all three. As an extra, I wasn’t good at being the center of attention.
Pretending to think, I finally said to Asad:
“I’ll think about it, so wait for a couple of days.”
“……”
Anyway, Asad, who was head over heels for Evelyn, wouldn’t even register my words. Seeing my indifferent answer, Asad frowned silently.
“Then, next is Leo!”
“……”
Asad’s turn passed without result, and it was Leopold’s turn. Evelyn’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him.
She was still in love with Leopold, about a year into her crush, and she had shown it quite clearly.
“I don’t need to.”
“……”
That uncooperative brat. I glared at Leopold.
Seeing Evelyn’s expression immediately drop, I excused myself and got up, approaching Leopold.
“Come on, Leo.”
“……”
Leopold sighed deeply and eventually got up to follow me.
Once Leopold was in front of her, Evelyn, without being told, began listing all his strengths.
“Honestly, if I start, it’ll be endless, but mainly, he pretends to be indifferent but is actually warm inside, and the way he handles politics—…”
“……”
Unlike when trying to find Asad’s strengths, Leopold’s positive traits poured from Evelyn’s mouth effortlessly. I was embarrassed just listening.
Though she was supposedly in love, she had practically already revealed it through this praise.
Yet Leopold said nothing, watching Evelyn calmly as usual. Expressionless. Even after hearing all that, he didn’t blush or react like a normal teenager.
That seemed very Leopold, but still… to hear such an enthusiastic confession and remain unphased? I would have fainted halfway.
“……”
I glanced briefly at Asad, watching him looking slightly sad while Evelyn showered Leopold with praise. I was the only one who noticed.
…As expected, a poor guy. The supporting male lead always ends up losing.
I felt a twinge of sympathy, but it quickly passed. Who was I to pity anyone? An extra.
Suddenly, I felt very out of place.
“Shall we stop here for now?”
Evelyn’s session of praising Leopold, or rather worshipping him, ended about 30 minutes later.
Like following a script, she had poured out words endlessly. But it wasn’t over—she wanted to say more but stopped for time’s sake.
Evelyn had been praising someone else for over 30 minutes, but I found it even more remarkable that Leopold had reacted in no way at all. Stone-cold.
No, maybe inside he was happy? He just didn’t show it.
After exhausting herself with praise, Evelyn, probably thirsty, took a sip of orange juice and suddenly turned her head.
“And Asad?”
“……”
Asad looked at Leopold with an uneasy expression, then shook his head. He couldn’t find any strengths. Expected.
Even before losing his memory, and after, Asad had always disliked Leopold. Now he just didn’t growl outwardly.
Leopold didn’t care. Was mutual dislike instinctual?
“Hmm…”
“……”
Evelyn looked disappointed, but Asad did not utter a word of praise for Leopold.
In fact, he looked more exhausted than I had ever seen him. He seemed ready to go home and rest.
Understandable. Comparing Evelyn’s responses to him and to Leopold, he was basically rejected. Well, he got rejected all the time anyway.
I cast another pitying glance at Asad.
“Tina?”
“Eh? Me?”
“……”
Me? I looked at Leopold. His golden eyes were fixed on me. Since when had he been staring?
…Was I imagining it, or did Leopold seem nervous? He was just waiting for me to speak. I hesitated.
Leopold’s strength… my strength. Honestly, I had nothing to say… Maybe I should just tell her I’d answer later.
“Just for a month—”
As I thought this, I opened my mouth.
“You can’t put it off! You have to say it! It’s meaningless if you don’t say everything!”
“……”
Evelyn looked at me, full of expectation. Since Asad had passed without answering, I had to pick at least one.
I had to find something. Leopold’s strength.
“……”
“……”
This guy’s strength. Surely he has one, but I didn’t really want to find it.
I tried to recall the 1,024 strengths of Leopold Evelyn had just mentioned. Nope. They had gone in one ear and out the other.
After much deliberation, I finally spoke:
“…Your face.”
