Considering the situation, there’s no way Lacius would know how much exactly he possessed or had. Schweiden’s wealth had been managed by separate managers for generations, so they were likely to have a better understanding of it.
Since 800 years ago, the House of Renodon has been subordinate to the Archduke of Schweiden and in charge of the estate.
The House of Renodon’s role differed from that of a butler or chamberlain; their first and foremost concern was money.
All Renodons are subservient to Schweidens.
They were in charge of managing each business that bore the Schweiden name, as well as accounting for the profits and losses of those businesses.
Every coin is meticulously accounted for, ensuring a precise balance, and the assets’ inflow and outflow are thoroughly verified.
It was also their responsibility to make the accounting books available to the lord whenever he needed them, as well as to report anything unusual as soon as they noticed it.
Thus, with the summer approaching soon, the Renodons have already prepared the first-quarter financial statement.
Lacius received the documents a few days ago.
Normally, he would have skimmed through it and then set it aside.
This time, however, things were a little different.
He set the inventory aside, even putting off other tasks to see what and how much he had.
Having a lot of money was as natural to him as being born and breathing, so he had never been particularly excited about it.
But if it appealed to Shay, there was no reason not to pay attention.
And so, with the kind of concentration that he only used to skim a statute when faced with a difficult decision in court, Lacius finally found something.
A property that would appeal greatly to Shay. Something she’d want to have. He knew, however, that he had to reveal it subtly; outright bragging about it would be impolite.
Thus, Lacius asked Shay out on a date.
It would be ideal if it were just the two of them, but they hadn’t reached that stage yet.
In that case, he would plant pleasant memories in Shay’s mind, making her want to return.
“Wow, I can see the island now!”
“We’ll be there soon.”
“That island is owned by the Schweiden family, right? That is so cool!”
Shay, who had been looking out the window with bated breath, exclaimed in awe.
With a satisfied expression, Lasius cast his gaze outside. The azure sea. It had a round and smooth island in the center, where the white foam was rising. Teapot Island was the name given to this island because it resembled a teapot.
However, its name would be changed in the future. The legal transfer of ownership of the island had already been completed.
“Wow, we’re getting closer!”
“It looks amazing, doesn’t it?”
“It is! I’m so excited.”
Shay burst into a wide smile, her cheeks flushing.
It had been worth investing five and a half hours of the twenty-four-hour journey to come here.
“Cat, look over there. It’s somewhere we haven’t been before, so it should be fun, right?”
-I can tell there’s plenty to eat.
Cat, who had been sleeping like a log throughout the flight, finally yawned as they approached their destination.
Then, with a look of annoyance, it briefly glanced out the window before tucking its head back between its paws.
“Hey, do you always have to be like that when I talk to you?”
-Someone created me this way.
“… What?”
While the two of them playfully bantered, Lacius prepared to land.
Eventually, the plane landed safely on the landing pad.
By the time the slight tremor from landing subsided, the door opened, and the staircase unfolded.
They had arrived.
As soon as Laicus took a step outside, the scent of the sea enveloped him.
It was a place where the scorching sun descended upon his skin, a small island where the sound of crashing waves eased his mind.
This was the place he was going to use to woo Shay.
* * *
“It’s the sea!”
I ran to the sandy beach with excitement from the top of my head to the tip of my toe.
As soon as I got off the plane, the intense sun shone down on my head. But I wasn’t worried because I had the special sunscreen cream that Theobalt had prepared for me.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to withstand this joy without expressing it.
“It’s been a long time since I last saw the sea!”
As I buried my feet in the warm sand and tilted my head back, I could feel the sun bathing my whole body. Since I was wearing a straw hat, it didn’t dazzle me too much.
I picked up the hem of my dress slightly and spun around.
-Pwe, pwehh!
As a result, sand got all over Cat’s nose and mouth, who had been following me closely.
Cat furrowed its brow in displeasure and made a spitting sound, but due to its rough and scratchy tongue, it ended up only eating grains of sand.
Annoyed, he flicked his tail, which naturally caused more sand to fly and stick to his fur.
It was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh.
It was then.
-Master.
“Yeah— uh, hey!”
Cat kicked sand at me with its huge front paws.
It didn’t take long for my pure white dress to be covered with sand.
“Pweh, Pweh! Look at what you did! This is a new dress!”
-Hmph. Serves you right.
“You just wait and see…”
The sea surrounds the island in all directions.
One day, when he lets his guard down, I’ll splash sea water on him and soak him to the bone.
Cat snorted and turned on its hind legs to run along the beach.
I brushed the sand off my dress and stared out at the end of the azure sea.
The horizon, where the sky meets the sea, stretches as far as the eye can see.
My heart felt light, and I felt like I was being rewarded for all the hardships I had endured until now.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Lacius, this place is truly amazing!”
“It is an island discovered by our ancestors 150 years ago, and some members of the Schweiden family actually lived and died here.”
“I don’t think I’d want to leave here either.”
If I quietly lived here, I wouldn’t get entangled in any troublesome matters.
I could live peacefully every day, in the tranquility where yesterday and today are the same.
How wonderful that would be.
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