TMRM 6

Chapter: 6

I quickly turned my head toward the sound.

I’d been so distracted by the dragon that I hadn’t even noticed anyone else’s presence. There hadn’t been the slightest hint of him being there.

He was nearly 190 centimeters tall, with dark skin.
His white hair was braided into a single long plait, and his clothes were buttoned all the way up to his throat.

He didn’t say a word, but the cold aura surrounding him—and the vertically slit pupils like a snake’s—made me instinctively realize that this man was the dragon standing before me.

With an expressionless face, he looked at me and asked,

“How did you get here?”

His emotionless eyes swept over me.

The eerie sensation was like watching a perfectly crafted doll come to life, sending chills down my spine.

“I’m the one who wants to ask. Where is this place? I was definitely in the castle….”

“The castle? You mean Valfruga Castle?”

A flicker of interest appeared in his blue eyes.

“That’s right. Did you bring me here?”

“It might have been me. Or it might not.”

That voice—
It sounds exactly like you.

I swallowed the words rising to my throat.
It wouldn’t be wise to provoke him unnecessarily.

He strode toward me.

I wanted to retreat, but the massive body of the dragon blocked my path, leaving me nowhere to escape.

When he reached me, he bent down to meet my gaze.

Even his breath carried a biting chill.

His eyes searched me like the flick of a serpent’s tongue.

“What’s your name?”

“Felia Foldvish. No—since I’m married now, Valfruga.”

“That name hasn’t been used long enough to truly be called yours. Isn’t there another name you’ve gone by for much longer?”

I looked at his face, but still couldn’t read any expression.

Does he know I’ve possessed this body?

Just who are you?

I took an unconscious step back, but stumbled. He caught my arm before I could fall.

“That’s fine. If that’s the name you wish to be called from now on.”

Then he turned halfway around, gently moving me away from the dragon.

It was only for a brief moment, but the cold he left behind on my arm made my entire body tremble.

He stepped back, as if he had no intention of harming me, and put some distance between us.

Then, stroking the dragon’s enormous, mountain-like body, he said,

“Give me a name.”

“What? Your name?”

“Hurry. There isn’t much time.”

This situation hadn’t existed in the original story, and I was utterly confused.

I couldn’t even tell whether this was a dream or reality.

So I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

Back when I was young, after I’d first raised a black puppy at the orphanage, every animal there had ended up with the same name.

“Then… Kkamangi?”
(Blackie.)

“What? Wait—!”

For the first time, an expression appeared on the man’s face.

But in that very moment, just like when I’d been dragged here, my consciousness blurred.

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on my bed in my room.

“Sister!”

The moment I woke up, Rus threw himself into my arms, his eyes brimming with tears.

Seeing his face instantly put me at ease.

It really had been a strange dream.

“You suddenly collapsed. I was so worried. The doctor said you were just asleep, but… have you been overworking yourself lately?”

“It’s not like that, so don’t worry.”

I patted him to reassure him, but he seemed so anxious that he refused to leave my side.

“More importantly, Rus. What time is it now? How long was I asleep?”

Rus hesitated, carefully watching my expression.

“Rus?”

“…It’s already been a full day since you fell asleep.”

“I see… wait, what?”

“The time limit is almost up, Sister.”

Damn it.
I’d wanted to check one last time to see if Pflug had secretly moved the jewels.

Clinging close to my side, Rus whispered,

“Pflug didn’t do anything.”

How does he know that?

Because I’d just had such a bizarre dream, I found myself looking at him suspiciously.

“That’s what you were worried about, right?”

But his innocent smile was the same as always.

Of course.
Our Rus is smart enough to be the male lead, and he knows my entire plan.

“Alright. Then all that’s left is to put the plan into action.”

I grabbed Rus’s hand and grinned.

“You trust me, right?”

Rus nodded.

Rus and I headed toward the office.

Pflug had spread the word so enthusiastically that the castle was now teeming with people.

“Madam, are you feeling well?”

“Our madam is so delicate—what are we to do?”

“Should we burn more firewood?”

“But we don’t have money to buy any.”

Amid the chatter, Pflug alone wore a smug expression.

“Now then, Madam. Time’s almost up. Have you prepared the ten million marks?”

He was clearly convinced that I couldn’t have possibly raised the money.

Well, it was probably common knowledge throughout the castle that I’d been lazing around all week.

I slowly shook my head.

“Not yet. But I can earn about one million marks right away.”

“How could anyone entrust household finances to a girl like this! Did you hear that, everyone? She says she can earn a million marks just like that!”

Pflug shouted theatrically, glancing around at the crowd.

I didn’t waver and calmly turned around.

“If you’re curious, I’ll show you exactly how to make one million marks right now. Everyone, follow me.”

My confidence stirred murmurs among the people as they followed behind me.

“Madam, where are you going?”

“You can really earn a million marks inside the castle?”

“There’s less than thirty minutes left until the deadline!”

I led them straight to Pflug’s room.

At first, Pflug scoffed at me, but his face gradually stiffened. When he realized I was headed for his room, all color drained from his face.

As I reached for the doorknob, he turned pale and blocked my way with his entire body.

“Wait! What do you think you’re doing?! No matter who you are, you can’t just barge into my room!”

That was when Rus spoke.

“Pflug. Move aside.”

“Your Grace!”

“Are you disobeying me? Move. Now.”

“I—I can’t! This bet was something the madam agreed to in the first place! What does my room have to do with it?!”

As Pflug’s resistance grew fiercer, the people who had been watching me with puzzled expressions began turning their gazes toward him instead.

“What could he possibly be hiding in there?”

“But why is the madam going to Pflug’s room in the first place?”

“Still… isn’t his reaction a bit strange? There’s no reason to guard it like that.”

Hearing the murmurs, Pflug finally realized his mistake.

After glaring at me for a long moment, he slowly stepped aside.

“…I was only trying to protect my privacy. I hope no one jumps to unnecessary conclusions. And once you’re inside, please refrain from touching things recklessly.”

He shot me a warning look.

“Don’t worry.”

There wasn’t anything worth rummaging through anyway.

Pflug’s room was just as filthy as ever.

When my skirt brushed against a mess of scattered papers, Pflug made a huge fuss.

“Wait! Be careful! This is my room—!”

“Quiet.”

I shoved him aside and flipped up the carpet.

The people were puzzled by my sudden actions, but Pflug looked like he might faint at any moment.

“Please wait! That’s—!”

He tried to stop me, but Rus had someone seize Pflug first.

“No! Stop! That’s mine! You orphan brat, how dare you touch my things!”

Ignoring Pflug’s screams, I lifted the wooden board.

“No—!”

Beneath it was a small box hidden in the empty space. When I opened it, brilliant jewels spilled their dazzling light before everyone’s eyes.

A collective gasp—somewhere between awe and shock—rose from the crowd.

“That’s my property! An inheritance I received privately! How dare a woman like you—!”

Pflug babbled frantically, turning to the people.

I rummaged through the box and pulled out a ring.

“Is this part of your ‘inheritance’ too?”

Anyone loyal to the Valfruga family would recognize it at once.

The ring bearing the family seal—proof that it belonged to the ruling duke.

“That’s the previous duke’s…!”

“I heard it went missing after the duke died in an accident. Why does Pflug have it?”

“Wh-what is going on?”

“Th-this…!”

Pflug elbowed the person holding him and lunged toward the crowd, still in shock.

“Don’t let Pflug escape!”

At my shout, people instinctively grabbed him.

He struggled and screamed, but as people regained their senses, they restrained him more tightly.

In the end, Pflug was forced to his knees before Rus and me.

His mouth was gagged with cloth as he glared at me with eyes full of hatred.

Ignoring his stare, I handed the small box to Rus.

“This isn’t something Pflug inherited. It’s meant for you.”

Only then did people seem to understand what had happened.

“W-wait! Then does that mean Pflug stole the duke’s belongings?!”

“That’s the only explanation! Why else would he hide them?”

“Then what are all those jewels?!”

The answer came from Rus.

“He secretly siphoned off the family’s assets. And the one who uncovered it was my wife, Felia.”

“The new madam found it?!”

“So he was hoarding wealth while we couldn’t even afford proper meals?!”

“If we sell just those jewels, we won’t go hungry anymore!”

“Exactly! That’s right!”

“She’s a blessing…!”

Someone said it aloud.

“T-the madam is a blessing! A blessing to this entire castle!”

“That’s right!”

“If it weren’t for the madam, we’d still be completely fooled by that frog of a man!”

Suddenly, someone raised both hands high.

“Long live our blessed madam!”

“Long live our blessed madam!”

Overcome with joy, people lifted me up and tossed me into the air.

“W-wait…!”

“Three cheers for the madam!”

“Long live the madam! Long live the madam! Long live the madam!”

I tried to stop them, but it was useless.

How could words possibly express the joy of people who could finally eat—thanks to the wealth hidden by one of the causes of their long-standing poverty?

Still, watching them hug one another in celebration warmed my heart.

A few days later, an official investigation into Pflug began, and evidence of his crimes surfaced one after another.

Imprisoned, Pflug initially denied everything, but eventually confessed.

In exchange for his life, he was stripped of everything and exiled.

He would never be able to return to this territory again.

From a window, I watched his pitiful back as he left the castle alone.

And then—

Two days after officially taking charge of the castle’s finances,

I found myself staring down the need to repay a debt of one billion marks immediately.