TCMGF 81

Episode 81

“‘The joy presented by the state. Test your luck now.’”

“‘The road to becoming a sudden millionaire of fate, Lotto?’”

The people who learned about how to buy lotto tickets and how the drawing worked were thrilled.

“What?! If you win this jackpot, you’ll be a billionaire overnight!”

“With just a few gold coins, you could get nearly a whole urk’s worth of money!”

Everyone eagerly threw their money into the new system, and the total pool grew exponentially.

Even if you lost, it was usually just a small amount. You could just shrug it off as a donation.

“The donation aspect definitely helps reduce people’s resistance.”

Michele, wearing small reading glasses, skimmed through the report. These days, she was unusually passionate about how the lotto system was being carried out.

“Just from ticket sales, we’ve already collected more than the annual donation fund.”

“We can’t spend it all ourselves. The money coming into the lotto system needs to pile up way more than a normal donation drive.”

Sorry to throw cold water, but only a small percentage of this money goes to the vulnerable. The rest gets paid out as prize money.

So lotto tickets had to sell in huge numbers.

“If you can, promote this to your friends—say that Betra is running a public project like this. For now, it’s limited to the Duchy of Betra where we have administrative rights, but if Her Highness the Crown Princess accepts the proposal, we’re thinking of expanding it nationwide.”

“Nationwide…”

“Of course, before that, we need to prove it works successfully within our territory.”

“That’s true.”

Michele looked troubled. It didn’t seem like she was only worried about the territory.

What’s with her? I didn’t pay much mind and instead laid out my bigger plan.

“When a lot of money gathers, there’s something I absolutely want to do.”

I said it with a bright smile, and oddly, Michele flinched.

“You’re not planning to start another business with it, are you?”

When she looked at me with concern, I smiled again.

“With that money, I’m going to build a children’s hospital.”

At my answer, my niece opened her mouth slightly, then shut it again.

A hospital for kids? Her face spelled the question out clearly, so I kindly explained further.

“There’s a public hospital in Betra for adults, but no children’s hospital. Kids might look similar to adults, but they’re different. They get sick in different ways.”

For newborns, even their bodies are structured differently. Something minor for an adult could quickly become fatal if neglected in an infant.

“Building a hospital will help the city in the long run. What should we name it? Maybe Betra Children’s Hospital?”

“If it were Uncle, you’d probably name it Viola Hospital…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Still, I’m kind of surprised. Aunt actually had a wholesome idea.”

I shot Michele a glare.

“What kind of person am I in your head?”

“A calm swamp of ambition. A person who only ever thinks about work.”

That was enough listening. Now I understood why Ezekiel often got hurt by my niece’s sharp tongue.

She’s gotten too comfortable with me. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken her to the capital when she was a lady-in-waiting.

‘Only work in my head, huh?’

Well… it wasn’t entirely wrong, but was that really such a problem?

“We will now announce the results of the very first lotto drawing! Numbers: 5, 14, 21, 47, 55, 59!”

“Woooooah!”

The glory went to just one person.

A dockworker near the harbor. Someone who carried cargo for merchant ships. On a whim, he bought a single ticket—and it changed his life.

“I want to buy a nice house in Betra City. My wife will be so happy!”

This uplifting story soon spread beyond the duchy and became the talk of the entire empire.

When news followed that he’d also bought another building and officially become a landlord, the public’s interest exploded.

[Your duchy has shaken the whole Piemonti Empire. I’d like to know more details about this lotto project.]

As expected, a letter arrived from Her Highness, Crown Princess Giovanna.

[I disguised myself and walked the capital’s streets. Everyone was talking about nothing but the lotto.]

After all, what excites people more than a windfall story? I felt proud, thinking this might be the turning point for nationwide expansion.

Even those around me helped passionately. Ezekiel, too, gave input as he observed the project.

“What about making the lotto revenues for the vulnerable groups public? If people clearly see which organizations or individuals benefit, trust would rise even more, don’t you think?”

It was a reasonable suggestion. So we posted notices every time, stating exactly where the funds were spent.

Some citizens even double-checked if the money truly went there. After confirming, they spread word of their satisfaction. That transparency boosted the lotto’s credibility.

And once trust was established, even more people bought tickets.

“This week, we have two winners!”

“If no one wins in a week, we’ll roll it over and pick winners the following week!”

The administrators of Betra handled the lotto, with Ollie and others working hard.

“Yes! I hit the jackpot!”

“Please come to this window to claim your prize money.”

“Hahaha! I’m the winner this week!”

Before long, people got used to the weekly drawing system.

Other territories began imitating the project little by little. Even the proud Marquis and Marchioness of Millini came to learn from our duchy’s example.

“Wanting to govern well is something we all share, don’t you agree?”

Sure, it was a little irritating remembering how they used to look down on me, but they weren’t bad people. Besides, it’s better to get along now and in the future, so I readily shared our methods.

Anyway, they already seemed humbled, so I didn’t even need to scold them.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess has sent word. Newly appointed imperial officials will visit our duchy for training.”

When I heard she had pushed this through despite resistance from the imperial elders, I could guess what happened.

The officials from the capital were courteous. I handed them a condensed introduction to the lotto project for training purposes.

Thanks to the lotto, Betra’s dull winter became lively.

It wasn’t as busy as holiday season, but with more visitors coming to learn about governance, merchants earned a tidy profit.

So winter passed, and March arrived with warmer weather.

And just as spring was coming, another piece of delightful news shook the entire nation.

“Saintess Monica is dating Mr. Lorenzo Spinelli!”

A weekly magazine splashed a big black-and-white photo across its front page, showing the two strolling in a carriage near the cathedral.

So you finally did it, Monica Conte. You too broke the formula of this world and chose the new person you wanted.

“Look at them smiling. Even in a photo, it’s obvious they adore each other.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture.

“It’s spring.”

That was Ezekiel’s short comment. Just as he said, it was the season when everything became fresh and green again.

Since our duchy was in the south, the weather was already warm by March, and flowers that usually bloomed in high spring were already budding.

Looking at the pink blossoms filled me with excitement.

Our marriage contract was signed at the end of March, so less than twenty days remained before it expired.

And this month, another big event awaited.

“Michele’s birthday is coming, isn’t it? We need to prepare a party!”

On March 3rd, Michele would finally turn thirteen—old enough to qualify as a designated heir.

“Time has flown so quickly.”

We sat around the outdoor garden table to talk about it, enjoying the spring weather. The fresh joy of a spring outing was delightful.

As we sipped fragrant tea, we went over the last clause of our contract.

“The heir competition must be held.”