BKSF 02

Chapter 02

Just because you reincarnate into a novel doesn’t mean your life suddenly becomes dramatic.

The Harbel family she was born into was a minor viscount family barely mentioned in the novel, and Ponia herself didn’t appear at all.

But, so what? I’m a noble!

Unlike the modern world, where you have to work to earn money, the life of a noble—receiving taxes and managing estates—was immensely satisfying.

Especially for someone who had once lived as a university student under naïve parents who were constantly scammed, carrying the family’s debts, juggling five part-time jobs just to pay off student loans—this was paradise.

“Bankruptcy.”

Bankruptcy?

A flat, monotonous voice echoed in her ears. It was so casual, like saying “Good morning,” that Ponia didn’t even react at first.

As if issuing the verdict again to the clueless, the Harbel viscount’s butler, Kerstin, delivered a more precise statement.

“Correction. It’s a bankruptcy crisis.”
“……”
“If 20,000 gold aren’t repaid within six months, the viscountcy will go bankrupt.”

What’s different from before?

“Sir, is this a dream?”
“Do you have a habit of calling me ‘sir’ in your dreams?”

Ah… cruel reality.

Instead of asking Kerstin for further explanation, Ponia turned around.

She noticed someone standing awkwardly, looking unusually tense.

“My viscount?”

Startled, the man’s entire demeanor screamed that he was directly related to the situation.

“Can you explain?”
“I think the most accurate details will come from Kerstin…”
“My viscount.”
“My dear daughter… Don’t call me ‘viscount’ coldly. Call me father.”

Her patience plummeted at his attempts to elongate his words and sneak away.

Ponia took a deep breath, storing enough strength. Then she shouted:

“Yes, Father! Where have you gone and gotten scammed this time?!”
“G-Gordon! Gordon brought such a brilliant business idea! Even I thought it might succeed this time!”
“And yet you ruined it!”
“Ah! No, no, I promised to double the investment and return it.”

I swear, he probably ran off with all that money.

Oh right… the family is on the brink of bankruptcy? Then I’ll stake my name. Wait… that’s going too.

“Gordon, that blasted Gordon!”

Gordon, the second son of Baron Rambo, had been conniving with her father since their teenage years. Claiming grand business ventures, he always ended up scamming her father.

Living in a completely different world than her past life, some things hadn’t changed:

A gullible father who kept getting conned—and her, cleaning up the mess.

I could do without that part.

“Listen! There were really revolutionary ideas!”
“Oh, I see.”

Seeing Ponia’s lukewarm reaction, the viscount hurriedly pulled a red egg from his pocket.

“From the treacherous northern mountains, a dragon’s egg, they say. Keep it in your arms for a hundred days, and…”
“That’s just an egg…”

And there’s a red stain on his hands.

“Th-then, it’ll turn water into gold…?”
“Mad alchemy!”

Iron or copper turning into gold might be believable. But water? Really?

No effort to even seem convincing!

“Ponia, how can a young noble lady shout like that?”
“Mother, stay out of this!”
“You’re really too much. Your father only meant well…”
“You’re dead!”

Albio, who had innocently intervened, immediately recoiled.

“Everyone’s just defending Father without realizing the severity!”

“It’s all over…”

Ponia collapsed onto the floor. There was no one there who could understand her feelings.

“Miss, please calm down.”

A shadow fell above her. Looking up, she saw a man with a calm expression staring down at her.

“…Kerstin?”

Kerstin bent his knees to her level and took her hand to help her stand.

Three years ago, he had joined the family as a young butler. He had expelled the previous butler, who was secretly siphoning funds, and had been personally chosen by Ponia.

With her father’s lack of practical skills, Kerstin had managed much of the family’s administrative work. He wasn’t hired elsewhere initially because he was too young.

“Do you want to take over our family?”
“No. This family is a broken pot—I’d rather just pour water into it.”

Maybe he wasn’t chosen because of his nasty temperament.

“Do not speak so weakly. Not everything is over yet.”

Positive words? Unheard of.

From that stoic face, he usually only delivered bad news. Ponia had even avoided him at times just seeing his dark hair.

Yet, over three years, despite the family’s countless mistakes, Kerstin had stayed and helped manage them.

Yes… with Kerstin, maybe she could survive this bankruptcy crisis too.

“First, I’ll repay a tiny portion with the 1,000 gold I have saved…”

Tap.

“Hm?”

Papers pressed into her hand held by Kerstin.

“A dress invoice sent from the tailor.”

For a moment, she frowned at the tightly packed text—but a bold number at the bottom stood out:

1,000 gold

Naturally, she looked up. Kerstin just pressed his weary eyes shut.

“So, not everything is over…”
“It means the money matters aren’t resolved yet. Your mother bought the dresses on credit and wants immediate payment.”
“…Why didn’t I know?”

She had assumed her mother’s visits to the tailor would have prompted a message.

“Perhaps the young master secretly withheld the letters from you, miss.”

Her head creaked like a stiff puppet, turning toward her family.

One by one, they began speaking, as if seeing a ghost:

“I just felt sorry for mother, who lives so frugally…”

Who said you live frugally…?

“This time only, I really won’t buy anything for a while!”

How many times has she heard that?

“If we help each other, it all comes back.”

When exactly?

Albio finally added a comment, seeing her silent frustration:

“You weren’t like this before, sister!”
“……”
“Years ago, you trusted Father, enjoyed shopping with Mother, and were kind to me.”
“……”
“I honestly think back then was better!”
“Albio, that’s no way to talk to your sister.”

Mother immediately corrected his manners, but her expression betrayed some empathy. Even Father’s face reflected it.

Snap.

Something inside her broke.

Why am I like this right now…

“I’m not doing it.”
“Ponia?”
“I’m not doing it!.”

Her roar echoed through the hall. Familiar fear settled in her family’s eyes.

“Fine! Let’s all go bankrupt together!”
“Si-sister…”
“Shut up! Don’t follow me!”

Bang!

The storm swept the hall in an instant.

Some held onto pillars, some shivered, some backed away. Only Kerstin remained steady.

He had already put rubber plugs in his ears before Ponia could even respond.

As he was about to leave, the viscount grabbed his arm.

“Kerstin. Ponia seems really angry this time…”
“Who wouldn’t be after hearing the word bankruptcy? Except, perhaps, this family. Seems no one here is normal besides the miss.”

Bold words, but the viscount, who had long lost much of his authority in the family, didn’t take offense.

“…Ponia will come back, right?”

This time, the viscount seemed genuinely shocked.

Kerstin removed the viscount’s hand from his shoulder. His main duty was managing the family’s administration and finances—not the feeble-minded viscount’s mental care.

If he were part of this family, he would have left long ago, especially after the viscount lost two-thirds of their wealth two years ago.

“Miss will return. She never gives up on her family, no matter what.”

“Then just wait quietly, and don’t cause more trouble. Please.”

In a family that seemed to live in a world of flowers, the only one struggling was the young lady herself.

Leaving his advice, Kerstin went upstairs.

His job was simple: work for the pay he received.

“We’re doomed…”

Kerstin’s prediction proved accurate.

Ponia stormed out of the mansion and had been staring at the job board in the square for thirty minutes.

“I wish there were more transcription jobs like before.”

Whenever she needed money, she borrowed a servant’s outfit and looked for work in the village—daily sales, medical assistant, inn cleaning—nothing was off-limits.

With memories of her past life and a renewed sense of reality, Ponia soon realized the serious financial issues of the viscountcy, and how her parents had been wasting money.

“That’s how my life’s hardships began.”

Thanks to that, her plan to confess in three years was abandoned.

She was scanning decent job postings when a loud announcement rang out in the center of the square:

“Extra! Extra! Shocking news about Prince Devenham!”