Park Geon-hyeok.
That was my name. I graduated from an ordinary provincial community college.
After graduation, I worked day and night at a small company.
Why did they keep making me work overtime when they wouldn't even pay me for it?
In the end, I died from overwork.
'Fuck…….'
It felt like such a waste of the 100 million I'd saved by scrimping even on food.
I hadn't even dated anyone once in all 33 years of my life.
Was I really going to die after doing nothing but work hard and save money?
I felt cheated, stifled, and ready to lose my mind.
“……Fuck.”
Especially given my situation now.
“Does a god…… really exist?”
I was in a pitch-dark cave.
A man's corpse lay before me.
Countless memories surfaced in my mind.
“Urgh…….”
The owner of this body had apparently been the only son of a wealthy count's family.
His name was Astan H. Payson.
His parents, the count and countess, had been killed by a band of thieves on their way back from a resort.
Astan had been in his third year at the elementary academy when he inherited the position of head of the family at just ten years old.
Sickened by the relatives who approached him with greed in their eyes, he closed his heart to everyone.
'The only person he opened his heart to was…….'
Cecilia G. Posen, a beautiful woman with golden hair and blue eyes.
She was the third daughter of House Posen, a ducal family with considerable influence even in the Rabadian Empire.
She was also Astan H. Payson's fiancée.
“What a stupid little shit…….”
Geon-hyeok cursed Astan for his foolishness.
Astan had dropped out of the academy and returned to his family estate.
Cecilia, his fiancée, had followed him to House Payson. She took a leave of absence from the academy and devoted herself to caring for him.
Cecilia was an intermediate academy student, five years older than Astan.
She acted maturely, protecting him from his relatives and caring for him like a parent.
The problem was that Astan fell for it.
“Even so…… how could you hand over every bit of the family's business and all the authority of its head to that woman?!”
Cecilia had a secret relationship with the crown prince of the Rabadian Empire.
She had siphoned House Payson's wealth and lands to the crown prince, taken out an enormous loan, and driven the family to ruin.
The treasurer had apparently tried to warn Astan at the time, but…….
[You're trying to take something from me too, aren't you?!]
[I…… I would never! It is only that Lady Cecilia……!]
[Quiet! You're trying to turn Cecilia and me against each other!]
Astan summoned a soldier and had the treasurer thrown out of the mansion.
That day, Cecilia sank to the floor and burst into tears, looking as though she had been wronged.
[Sob, sob…… It seems the treasurer does not trust me. I have worked so hard for House Payson…….]
Seeing her like that, Astan embraced Cecilia and did his best to comfort her.
He had no idea that his family was on the path to ruin.
If only he had listened to the treasurer's warning, he might have been able to turn things around, at least a little.
He might even have recovered the wealth that had been taken.
But Astan was a young ten-year-old…… no, a foolish child.
House Payson imposed high tax rates on its people, borrowed an enormous sum from the Central Bank, and lost all its wealth.
Astan was already twelve by the time he finally learned what Cecilia had done.
And then, a few days ago…….
“Cecilia!”
Astan burst into the office of the Payson count's mansion.
“Wh-what's going on?! How can the family have no money!? And what's this about a loan……?!”
He broke off and stared wide-eyed.
A man was being intimate with Cecilia in his own office.
The man was Laiard E. Rabadian, crown prince of the Rabadian Empire.
He stood an impressive 180 centimeters tall.
He had the same golden hair and blue eyes as Cecilia.
His looks were said to be peerless.
He was a stark contrast to Astan, whose black hair, black eyes, and features were unremarkable.
“It seems you have finally noticed, Count Astan H. Payson.”
Laiard looked at Astan with a nasty smile.
“Pfft……!”
Cecilia burst out laughing at the dazed look on Astan's face.
“Look at that stupid face! He really is stupid and foolish, but…… if he's this stupid, I wonder whether there's something wrong with his mind.”
Astan flinched at the mockery in Cecilia's voice.
Is this…… really happening?
The same Cecilia who had always held him so warmly…….
“Am…… am I dreaming?”
“Oh, do you think this is a dream?”
CLAP!
Cecilia clapped her hands.
“Unfortunately, this is real~”
Astan's thoughts came to a halt.
“Th-that can't be. You're lying, aren't you? The Cecilia I know…….”
Astan slowly approached her.
“Do you know how hard these two years have been? I am no babysitter.……. Still, I should thank you. Because you gave me all the family's authority, I was able to give everything House Payson owned to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“……What?”
Everything House Payson owned?
What is she talking about?
Cecilia grinned and tapped the documents on the desk with a finger.
“I even borrowed as much as I could.”
“Ce…… Cecilia!”
The moment Astan lunged at her…….
“How insolent!”
The crown prince raised his leg and kicked Astan in the stomach.
THWACK—!
“Guh……!”
“Ahahahaha! He said 'guh'! 'Guh'?! A beast really is a beast. If you had at least had a decent face, I might have kept you as a pet. Unfortunately, you are far too ugly for that.”
“Ugh…… C-Cecilia…….”
“Oh, that's right. Employees from the Central Bank will be here soon to demand that you repay the loan at once. If you cannot pay it back…… naturally, you will have to pay the price, will you not?”
Cecilia's gentle voice sent a chill through him, as though it belonged to a witch.
How could she do this to him?!
To her own fiancé……!
“I never liked the likes of you in the first place. Who would? Perhaps some crawling insects might. For me, it was always…….”
Cecilia moved close to the crown prince and linked her arm with his.
“His Highness the Crown Prince, and no one else. In any case, do your best to pay off the loan. It's 30 billion wid. I used all your lands as collateral to get it.”
“……What?”
“You will have to leave the mansion by tomorrow, too. You can pack your own things, can't you?”
At the sight of Cecilia's bright smile, Astan sprang to his feet.
“Ce…… Cecilia!”
Astan charged at her with a cry. Laiard shook his head and swung a fist at Astan's face.
THWACK—!
“Urgh……!”
“As Cecilia said, you are a beast. You harassed my woman for two years. You must pay for that, must you not?”
Laiard's eyes gleamed as he struck Astan's shoulder, stomach, waist, thighs, and shins.
Laiard was an eighteen-year-old young man trained in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat.
Astan, on the other hand, was only a twelve-year-old child who had never properly learned swordsmanship or magic.
The gulf between them was impossible to bridge.
“Ugh…….”
Laiard ground his foot down hard on the head of Astan, who lay on the floor.
“Aaagh!”
“The moment your lands pass to the Central Bank, your title will be reduced as well.”
“P-please…… spare me…….”
“The Count and Countess of Payson begged just as desperately. They said they would serve under me if I spared their lives.”
“……?!”
Astan's eyes shook.
What is he talking about?
Mother and Father begged him?
How does the crown prince know that?!
“Did you really think the Count and Countess of Payson were killed by thieves? Heh heh heh…….”
Astan clenched his teeth at the crown prince's chilling laughter.
“I'll tell the…… the teachers. I'll tell them you killed my mom and dad!”
THWACK—!
“Gah……!”
Laiard kicked Astan in the stomach again.
“A little shit…… really is a little shit.”
“Honestly, that's why I told you so many times. I felt like I was his babysitter.”
“True. More to the point, do you still not understand why I told him all that?”
“What are you expecting?”
“Yes, let's go. This is no longer entertaining.”
Laiard and Cecilia linked arms and left the office.
Sprawled on the floor, Astan shed tears and slowly closed his eyes.
He could hardly make sense of what had happened.
Did Cecilia really never like him?
Had the crown prince really killed his parents?
No one remained in the mansion.
Cecilia had even driven out the knights and servants.
“M-Mom…….”
Astan curled up and pictured his parents' faces.
No one would help him.
There was no one to hold him warmly, either.
To escape the cold reality around him, Astan sank into sleep.
The problem came the next day.
Employees of the Central Bank descended on the mansion and seized all Astan's belongings.
They promptly threw him out.
Then a knight appeared before the ousted Astan.
“Count Payson, I am Vinter of the Seventh Imperial Knights.”
“Ah…….”
“His Majesty the Emperor has judged that you lack the qualities and abilities required of a noble, and that with even your lands passing to the Central Bank, you can scarcely retain your position. He has therefore decided to reduce you to the rank of knight without a trial.”
Vinter handed him an official notice and a noble's nameplate, then let out a small sigh.
“You are no longer Count Astan H. Payson, but Sir Astan N. Payson. The lands remaining to House Payson are marked here. You are to go there and administer them.”
The area marked on the map was a very small village that had once been part of the County of Payson.
This one village was all the land House Payson had left.
Astan trembled as he accepted the notice and the nameplate.
“N…… no…….”
“I shall take my leave, then.”
Astan caught hold of Vinter as he tried to depart.
“It…… it wasn't thieves who killed my parents! The crown prince killed them! Yesterday, the crown prince……!”
THWACK—!
“Enough!”
Vinter shoved Astan away with a frown.
“Insulting the imperial family is a crime punished severely. I could behead you here and now, so take care with what you say.”
“It's true……!”
“You insolent wretch!”
Vinter let out a lion's roar and swung his fist at Astan.
Astan was still only a twelve-year-old child.
His parents, his wealth, even his title.
Vinter understood that losing everything had left him confused, but no one could be forgiven for insulting the imperial family.
“Utter such nonsense one more time, and I will cut off your head!”
Sensing Vinter's murderous intent, Astan scrambled to his feet and fled.
The fear of death spared no age.
Watching him go, Vinter turned his head sharply.
“Hah…… hah…… hah.”
After escaping, Astan had no choice but to leave the city and follow the map on the official notice on foot.
The problem was how to make his way there.
He had no money, and he did not know the road.
The map on the notice showed only a rough outline.
Having left the city without a plan, Astan trudged with heavy steps across the vast grassland.