After the prosperous Harvest Festival concluded smoothly, Ryu occasionally traveled back and forth to Viscountess Mamire’s territory, where he had established an entrance to the Dimension Corridor.
This was for the economic restructuring of Viscountess Mamire’s territory, and things were going well. The harvest season, their main source of income, was relatively abundant this year, promising unprecedented tax revenues.
This wasn’t due to a sudden increase in harvest rates but rather the proper assessment of fields and lands, which eliminated any discrepancies in tax collection. Investigations uncovered embezzlement and other frauds, leading to their disposal, and the removal of unnecessary departments reduced expenditures, normalizing their income.
Compared to last year’s records, the difference was clear, and even Sebastian, who oversaw these changes, was pleased with the results.
The issue lay with Viscount Bunarn, who Ryu hadn’t visited. After all, he was the mastermind behind the attempt to kill them and seize their collateral.
Ryu had heard that Farza had exerted pressure on the faction leader under Marquis Sugoella to whom Viscount Bunarn belonged.
However, outwardly, nothing seemed to have happened, and Ryu wasn’t naive enough to venture directly into such a dangerous wolf’s den to collect interest.
Thus, he arranged for people from Viscountess Mamire’s side to go and collect the payments scheduled for this harvest season.
Two days later, when he visited Viscountess Mamire’s mansion, she immediately reported to Ryu that the interest had been successfully collected from Viscount Bunarn.
Surprisingly, Viscount Bunarn had complied readily with paying the interest. It seemed he had been severely reprimanded by the faction leader and was genuinely behaving.
When Ryu reported this to his father Farza.
“If he’s not careful, he might be held accountable for his crimes, which could affect the Bunarn family’s survival.”
He said, seeming to know something, but he didn’t elaborate to Ryu.
A year later, when Viscount Bunarn retired and handed over his title to his newly adult son, Ryu recalled Farza’s cryptic words.
Around the time of the annual harvesting of Coffee beans, Ryu and Leanne were actively studying for their exams.
The Cocoa beans’ harvest had also begun, and it was a busy period with merchants visiting Landmark Territory for procurement, but now they spent their days studying.
“Wouldn’t it be better to practice magic practically too?”
Leanne suggested, seeming to probe his mother Cecile while watching them study all day.
“With your age, Leanne, your magical skills are more than competent compared to myself in the past. Look, you’ve got this problem wrong. Here, try again.”
However, the suggestion backfired as Cecile added another sheet of problems for Leanne, causing her to slump her shoulders.
Ryu had hoped for Leanne’s suggestion but seeing it backfire, he silently stared at the problems again.
“Ryu, say something!”
Leanne whispered to Ryu in a low voice to break the situation.
“If I say something, she’ll just add more problems to the sheet!”
Ryu firmly refused in a hushed voice, but…
“It’s unfair to only say that to girls. It’s embarrassing for boys not to say anything, right?”
Cecile pointed out and added another sheet of problems to Ryu’s desk as a punishment.
“That’s unreasonable, Mom!”
Ryu groaned, but he could easily imagine that complaining further would only lead to more sheets of problems.
So, he gritted his teeth and accepted the additional sheet of problems.
“Both of you, I know studying is tough, but remember, you’re aiming for the top-ranked Royal Academy. There’s no such thing as studying too much. When the new year comes, you’ll have to go to the capital for the exams, so this is the crucial time.”
Indeed, that was true.
The school in the capital naturally attracted top talents from all over the country.
If they managed to enroll and graduate safely, their future would be assured.
Given that, Ryu and Leanne might also fail their exams.
If, in case only one of them passed, they had agreed to refuse enrollment and apply for the school in the capital of Marquis Sugoella’s territory.
Leanne had said she wouldn’t go if she wasn’t with Ryu.
However, if Ryu passed, Leanne said she would stay as a servant, but the capital’s school had dormitories.
Servants couldn’t usually accompany them, so Ryu refused this.
“You two get along well, huh. Well then, I’ll also arrange for the exam procedures in the capital, but your main goal should still be to aim for the Royal Academy,”
“”Yeah!””
The two energetically responded, renewing their determination.
Cecile nodded to their motivation and mercilessly added another sheet of problems.
“Oh, Mom!”
“Cecile-chan!”
Once again, the two screamed at Cecile’s unyielding attitude.
