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Chapter 74
Elia received word from Lapis that Marquis Piorne was willing to sell the mansion.
“So he wants us to name the price?”
—That is correct.
Elia gave a small chuckle.
As expected, Marquis Piorne was not an easy man to deal with.
Having spent decades in the capital’s political circles, he was unlikely to casually sell off his family’s venerable mansion.
He means he won’t sell it to just anyone.
In the past, the mansion had been taken by Duke Javier.
So many people had flocked to buy the mansion when it was put up for sale that the competition had been fierce. In the end, Duke Javier had managed to acquire it.
Later, I found out that the whole thing had been Duke Javier’s scheme, and I regretted it.
It had also been one of the reasons her relationship with her daughter, Brianna, had fallen apart. Because she had lost the mansion due to her incompetent older brother, she had pressured Brianna to marry.
Brianna quit the academy and joined the revolutionary army I led.
Brianna had often said that she would probably regret for the rest of her life that she hadn’t been able to graduate from the academy.
This time, I’ll help you, Brianna.
Brianna had helped her a great deal in the past. So this time, Elia wanted to be the one to help her.
“Offer 50,000 gold.”
That was 15,000 gold more than the price Duke Javier had paid for it in the past.
—Understood.
“And anonymously cover Brianna Piorne’s academy tuition.”
—Her tuition?
“Yes.”
—I will do that.
After ending the communication, Elia headed to the training grounds with a lively expression.
She was going to have another self-defense lesson with Alexis today. He taught her with so much passion and sincerity that she couldn’t bring herself to tell him she wanted to stop.
He looked like he genuinely enjoyed teaching her.
So she decided to learn even harder. She could also watch Noah train while she was at it.
When she arrived at the training grounds, Noah and Dmitry were sparring.
Noah was too busy dodging the ridiculously enormous greatsword Dmitry was swinging around to even have time to greet Elia.
“Ellie, let’s get started.”
Alexis approached her with a bright smile.
With him smiling like that, there was simply no way she could refuse to learn.
“Shall we get into position?”
“Yes.”
Elia diligently learned self-defense from Alexis again today. They say you improve at anything if you keep practicing, and she could feel these techniques gradually becoming natural to her body as she continued.
And the weather was especially beautiful today.
The Adelhaite Imperial Academy was founded by the first emperor as an institution dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
The Imperial Academy was located in the heart of the capital, and the campus itself was enormous.
The academy was broadly divided into the Departments of Medicine, Military Studies, History, and Humanities, and it also housed special research institutes.
The special research institutes conducted research on monsters and demons, and there was also an archive that preserved ancient documents.
Although most students were children of nobles, talented commoners were also given the opportunity to enroll through special examinations.
Furthermore, the academy operated a scholarship system based entirely on merit.
Brianna was a student in the Department of Military Studies.
She was deeply interested in politics and strategy and wanted to become an expert in the field.
However, recently, the academy’s administration had sent her a notice.
[You have failed to pay three months’ worth of tuition. If the outstanding fees are not paid within this month, you will be subject to expulsion proceedings. Please make your payment before the deadline.]
It was an expulsion warning sent to her dormitory.
The monthly tuition at the academy was 50 gold.
On top of that, the dormitory cost an additional 30 gold.
Since she was three months behind, she owed 150 gold in tuition plus 90 gold for the dormitory, for a total of 240 gold.
Brianna holed herself up in her dormitory and tore at her hair.
“Ugh, this is such a headache.”
She had contacted her family about it a month ago.
The response she received had been absolutely ridiculous.
[We’re about to lose even the mansion because of the debts. Take care of your own tuition. Otherwise, you could just quit.]
That was the reply from her father.
“Fucking hell.”
Brianna knew that all of this had happened because of her one and only older brother, Dylan.
That bastard must have caused such a huge disaster that they were now being forced to sell even the mansion.
“An older brother who is absolutely useless!”
She had studied so hard to enter the academy that she’d even gotten nosebleeds. She had entered at sixteen and was now in her second year.
The academy’s program lasted four years in total.
She could graduate in just two more years, yet because of her worthless older brother, she was now in danger of not being able to graduate at all.
Naturally, Brianna couldn’t help but curse.
Yesterday, the dormitory supervisor had personally come to see her and informed her that she would have to vacate her room if she didn’t pay the fees by the end of the month.
She was thoroughly irritated.
Knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked on her door.
Brianna stared at the door nervously.
She wondered if someone from the administration or the dormitory supervisor had come to demand payment again.
After taking a deep breath, Brianna carefully opened the door.
Avoiding the problem wouldn’t make it disappear.
As expected, an administrator from the academy’s administrative office was standing there.
Brianna swallowed nervously and waited to hear what he had to say.
“Miss Brianna, an anonymous benefactor has paid two years’ worth of your tuition, including your outstanding balance. Here is a letter from the benefactor.”
“What? A benefactor?”
Brianna accepted the letter he held out to her with a bewildered expression.
“I’ve delivered it. Then, excuse me.”
The administrator bowed politely before leaving.
Brianna stared blankly at the letter in her hand.
“A benefactor?”
She closed the door, turned around, sat down at her desk, and opened the letter.
[I wish to support your remarkable talent. I hope you graduate safely and achieve what you have set out to accomplish.
—From your anonymous benefactor.]
Brianna pinched her cheek.
“Ow. So this isn’t a dream…”
An anonymous benefactor had suddenly appeared.
“Who is it?”
She was extremely curious.
“Is it someone I know?”
She couldn’t think of anyone.
Knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked on her door again.
When she opened it, it was the dormitory supervisor this time.
He informed her that the same anonymous benefactor had paid two years’ worth of dormitory fees, including her outstanding balance.
Brianna collapsed onto her bed with a thud, let out a sigh of relief, and hugged the letter.
She didn’t know who they were, but she was incredibly grateful.
“Thank you, anonymous benefactor. I’ll definitely graduate safely and repay your kindness.”
What an incredibly grateful person this was.
Someone had recognized her talent and supported her. It was obvious that they wanted her to diligently hone her abilities and use them to help others.
Brianna clenched her fists tightly.
She truly intended to work hard.
For the sake of her kind benefactor.
Elia heard through Lapis that the sponsorship money had been delivered to Brianna.
—I’ve looked into it, and it is quite a substantial sum. Did you invest because you recognized her talent?
“Let’s just say that’s the case.”
—As expected, Guardian, your insight is remarkable.
Elia was satisfied as long as Brianna could achieve what she wanted. She sincerely hoped Brianna would be able to do whatever she wished to do to her heart’s content.
—And, as you instructed, we delivered the offer to Marquis Piorne.
“What did he say?”
—He is asking for 200,000 gold.
“So he wants to negotiate.”
—What should we do?
“Try negotiating at 150,000 gold. Tell him we can’t go any higher.”
With the success of Florence and the Beautiful Line, more than 500,000 gold had accumulated in Elia’s accounts.
Their monthly sales were also steadily increasing.
“And I’m thinking of opening branches of Florence and the Beautiful Line soon. Look into locations in the south or east.”
—You’re already thinking about opening branches?
“There’s an old saying: When the water comes in, row your boat. This is the time when we need to row without stopping.”
—If I may ask, Young Lady, are you really ten years old?
“I am ten.”
—It’s hard to believe when I hear you talk. You sound like someone who has lived in this world for a very long time.
Elia felt a little startled, but it wasn’t exactly wrong.
After all, she had lived through three previous lives.
“I’m different from ordinary people. Just know that.”
—It certainly seems that way. I’ll look into the branch locations and get back to you.
“Yes. Good work.”
She ended the communication.
She stood up from her chair and lay down on the bed.
Her body was ten years old, but the person inside was practically an adult.
She wondered whether it was even fair to call someone like her a child.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“I’m coming in.”
From the voice, it was Noah.
He opened the door and walked inside.
“The Duke told me to bring this to you.”
“What is it?”
Noah placed the plate from the tray on the table.
“Why are there cookies?”
The plate was filled with delicious-looking cookies.
