# 3 - 3
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Chapter Three
After the Marquis Fraser abandoned Tullia and left for the border, the phrase “abandoned girl” constantly spread among the upper class. For your information, this was the phrase that made Tullia so angry.
Honestly, this pissed me off too.
It was already annoying enough, and hearing about my family abandoning me really ruined my mood.
As I silently picked up the fork next to me, Tedrick shuddered slightly.
In the past, Tullia had already stabbed Tedric's hand with this same thorn.
Thanks to this, the father of this bastard, Viscount Lilius, had put Tullia under house arrest as punishment.
Desperate times call for desperate measures – I briefly considered stabbing him again this time…
“But Tullia is already on the verge of starvation, so this wouldn't be a wise choice.”
That bastard Tedric was someone who had accumulated a lot of inferiority complex towards Tullia.
Tullia may be poor by now, but she was still the daughter of a recognized marquis under imperial law, while he was at best the son of a viscount.
Unless a person achieved great favor or married someone of high status, titles rarely rose significantly.
“This bastard has no hope of either.”
Therefore, Tidric periodically came to torture Tullia to solve this inferiority complex.
Of course, because he was a coward, he never came alone. Even now, Viscount Lellius, from whom Tullia was always borrowing money, was likely to come soon as a backer.
When I remained still with the fork, Tedrick, frightened, gave a belated laugh.
The bastard got very cocky, thinking I was reading the room late.
It is known that your mother had an affair with a barbarian priest and gave birth to you. So, it makes no sense for a slut like you to be superior to me...
“Tedric Fraser!”
At that moment a roar erupted from the direction of the door.
“What are these words you say to your cousin!”
For a while, Tedric, who had been in a state of extreme confusion, immediately turned around and became victorious.
"dad!"
Viscount Lilius Fraser.
Tidric's father, Tullia's uncle, and the man who controlled half the internal affairs of this grand ducal house, paced angrily.
“As expected.”
Dad! She was trying to stab me with that fork again like a monster! When my mother raised me so wonderfully, how dare a girl like this... Ah! Dad!
slap!
Tedric froze in shock after Viscount Lilius slapped him in the mouth.
“Oh, this is unexpected.”
For a young master who grew up spoiled without even receiving a reprimand, let alone corporal punishment from his father, this must have come as a huge shock.
Unlike usual, Viscount Lelius's facial expression was tense as he shouted angrily.
“Tedric Fraser!”
“Y-yes?”
Your grandfather, Grand Duke Fraser, will arrive soon! If these words reach your grandfather's ears, you, your mother, and I will all die, so watch your words!
My grandfather is coming to this dilapidated warehouse – I mean, the castle?! Suddenly, why...?!
Tedric, who had been boasting so loudly to me, began to tremble like a leaf at the mention of “Grand Duke Fraser.”
I was confused too. Even when searching through Tullia's memories, the Grand Duke had never visited this place.
“D-Don’t tell me he’s coming to this beggar-like warehouse because of this year’s Frieza Banquet?!”
correct! Watch your words. Understood?!
“But you clearly said that the Frieza Banquet will not be held for a while...”
Tedric turned pale, greatly frightened, and ran away as if to escape. Viscount Lilius immediately began to caress me gently.
Tulia. I also suddenly heard that His Highness the Grand Duke is coming. Oh my God, don't you look... afraid? Hmm?
Oh, I thought, and immediately bowed my head obediently.
According to the memories that flowed, in the past I had shuddered more than Tedric at the mention of “His Highness the Grand Duke”, but that was in the past.
Right now, even if it is His Highness the Grand Duke, it doesn't seem real to me yet?
However, when I politely pretended to be afraid, Viscount Lilius quickly abandoned his suspicions and consoled me.
This is a gift from your uncle. Butler?
When Viscount Lilius clapped his hands, the servant who had been waiting outside quickly entered.
To be clear, this was the bastard who never showed his face despite being the true owner of this castle and the daughter of Marquis Fraser who should have served it properly.
Well, of course. Servants are smarter.
Tullia had no income other than a small living allowance sent from the main castle every quarter. Even this was wasted in a single day due to extravagance.
Thanks to this, the wages of all servants were treated as “debts.”
The one who had been lending this debt until now was Tullia's uncle, Lelius.
“Please accept this, Madam Tullia.”
“This is…”
“It was specially designed by Viscount Lilius in Lady Riscilla’s dress shop as a gift for you, ma’am.”
When I received and opened the box that the servant handed to me, inside was a beautiful pink dress.
The beads sparkled on the chest, and the ribbon was delicate. It seemed expensive at first glance.
Lelios thought I was moved by my silence while looking at the dress, and spoke with a satisfied expression.
His Highness the Grand Duke hates the shabby appearance. Wear this and attend the banquet. No need to feel heavy. It's money your father will pay you back later anyway.
Tullia had believed Lilius' words in the past. Because she wanted to borrow money easily and immediately, because she wanted a luxurious life, and because she wanted to get rid of a life of poverty.
And honestly, she probably also wanted to hold out hope that her father “still” cared about her.
I hope he still considers her his daughter.
Now I know that's not the case.
And Lilius probably knew it well, too.
“Marquis Fraser has no interest in Tullia at all.”
It would be lucky that he didn't hate her enough to kill her.
Lilius cleared his throat.
But my uncle's situation isn't good either, you know? The guarantee is... Let me see, you still have the land title to Elron, right? With this, I can loan you another two years' budget, Tullia.
“This thief.”
The servant next to him quickly rubbed his palms.
How wonderful, ma'am! The flour store is completely empty now, there is no bread and no cakes for breakfast. Where do you find someone who thinks about you as much as Viscount Lilius?
“This hypocrite.”
The past was not known to Tullia.
The truth is that when Lilius took the land deeds from me as collateral and brought them to the pawn shop in the imperial capital, he got dozens of times more than what he lent me.
“I only know this fact because I've played this damned game a lot.”
This was something Viscount Lilius had mentioned in passing when the family advisor was concerned about Tullia's extremely extravagant behaviour.
I was fortunate to have obtained the land titles from Tulia Fraser in advance. Otherwise, I shuddered to think how many evil deeds she would have done with that money.
At that time, even seeing that dialogue didn't make me feel anything special. I thought Lilius was wise, and then I moved on.
“But in reality, one of the adults was stealing all of his ignorant little niece’s money.”
While acting like an angel himself!
At this moment Lilius speaks kindly like a good shepherd, but in reality he was a bad man who constantly took advantage of Tullia.
Maybe that bastard Tedric knew that too? That's why he always treated me like a shameless, incompetent criminal, borrowing money...
“You're dead.”
Hmm. Tulia. Don't say anything unnecessary to His Highness the Grand Duke. You know how excited he is, right? You received indefinite house arrest from your grandfather... You understand what this uncle means, right, Tullia?
But I bowed my head respectfully without saying anything.
I had not yet been able to close the status window, and thanks to that, the task window was still present somewhat transparently in front of my eyes.
Main Content: Settlement of Karma
You are trash!
You don't have money and everyone hates you!
(Except one person) No one likes you!
Goal: Reach Rank A before the “real person” appears!
On failure: death
“The first thing a person must do in order to survive is...”
Financial power, after all.
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