I Am The Madman Of This Family

Chapter 22: Let’s Work Together (1)

In the busy morning hustle, only one person remained asleep.

“Ugh! Sleeping in on the first morning! What about the dignity and decorum of a noble!”

Jacques, Keter’s personal servant, was pacing nervously in front of Keter’s bedroom door.

The night before, just before Keter went to bed, Jacques had urged him to attend breakfast. He reminded Keter multiple times that the Sefira family always had breakfast together, no matter what. He told Keter that he needed to attend the breakfast gathering if he wanted to be recognized as part of the family. He pleaded with him to wake up early, freshen up, and head to the dining room. Jacques had stressed this to Keter not just once or twice, but six times in total.

But why are you still asleep!

Jacques covered his face in distress. However, waking up Keter forcefully wasn’t proper etiquette when dealing with a noble. After all, Keter wasn’t a child, and being awakened by someone was a great disgrace in noble society.

Because of this, Jacques had been standing outside Keter’s door for an hour, trusting that Keter would wake up on his own. But no matter how much time passed, Keter remained asleep.

I clearly saw him enter the bedroom. How many hours does he sleep? Could it be…?

Jacques suddenly realized something. He had almost forgotten, given how lively Keter had been on the first day, that Keter wasn’t exactly a welcomed presence in the Sefira family. And to make matters worse, Elder Panir had returned yesterday. Panir was known as the most hot-tempered and impulsive person in not just among the elders, but the entire Sefira family.

Surely not… No matter how impulsive he is, they’re still family…

The more Jacques thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Even though Keter was reckless and acted thoughtlessly… It was strange that he hadn’t woken up by now, especially after Jacques had stressed so much how important this morning was.

It’s not that he hasn’t woken up. He can’t wake up!

With that, Jacques flung open the bedroom door.

“Lord Keter! Huh?!”

His worst fears had come true. Keter was half-slumped over the sofa, as if he had been resting there and then was suddenly attacked.

It’s poison. He was poisoned last night! That vile Elder Panir…! No matter how much he dislikes Lord Keter, how could he try to kill his own great-nephew!

Jacques vowed that even if it cost him his position, he would confront Elder Panir about this.

“Kuk.”

At that moment, Keter, whom he presumed dead, let out a sound.

“Lord Keter! You’re alive! Wait, this is not the time. I need to get you an antidote immediately!”

A butler must always be prepared for any situation, including poison attacks. While each poison required a specific antidote, there were universal neutralizers that could delay the effects of most toxins. ℝАƝ𝖔ᛒÊŜ

Jacques quickly pulled out a vial of neutralizing agent from his inner pocket and rushed toward the sofa.

“Zzz…”

“Huh?”

Did I hear that right?

“Zzz…”

Keter made the sound again. This was clearly…

“He’s… snoring?”

Jacques approached the sofa and looked down at Keter. He had thought he just couldn’t see well from afar, but up close, it became clear that Keter had not been poisoned. There were no signs of poisoning on his body. The fact that he hadn’t slept in bed was simply a habit.

In disbelief, he dropped the expensive neutralizer and muttered, “Ha… Haha… Maybe you should’ve just been assassinated. At least then you’d have an excuse. What am I supposed to say about your absence at breakfast?”

As Jacques reached for Keter’s shoulder, he flinched and pulled his hand back. Touching a noble’s body carelessly was against the rules. Jacques glanced around the room and headed toward the window. The curtains were double-layered, and the window was tightly shut.

Whoosh!

He pulled back the curtain and flung the window open wide. The cool morning air and sunlight flooded into the room. At the same time, the sounds of bustling activity flowed in.

“Hm…”

Keter, who had been sound asleep, squinted. Jacques cleared his throat and said loudly, “Cough, ahem! The weather is really nice today! It’s the perfect day to get out of bed!”

Then, Keter suddenly sat up, which startled Jacques so much that he screamed.

“Ah! You scared me, my lord! D-Did you sleep well?”

Keter, stretching, replied, “Gramps, where’s the food?”

“If you mean breakfast, it’s already cold. But before that…”

“Let’s talk after I eat.”

“... I’ll have the food brought out again.”

“No need. Cold food has its charms.”

Relieved that Keter was unharmed, Jacques clapped his hands, signaling the maids waiting outside to come in. Once the maids had finished setting the table, Jacques, as he had done the day before, joined Keter for breakfast.

As they were nearing the end of their meal, Keter glanced towards the commotion outside. Jacques, noticing this, tried to explain, but Keter spoke first.

“Is it a merchant?”

Jacques was taken aback. While there was a commotion, there hadn’t been any information within the noise that could suggest that it was a merchant. Moreover, Keter had just woken up and was still in the middle of eating.

How could he possibly know? It’s almost supernatural.

For Keter, who already knew from his past life’s memories that a merchant would arrive today, it was no big deal. But Jacques had no way of knowing that.

“Yes, my lord. There’s a trading company that regularly supplies our family with daily necessities and materials used in the forge. Today is the day the goods for the forge are delivered.”

“Hmm.”

Keter’s eyes were suddenly drawn to the apple served for dessert. It had a fresh, just-picked stem and a shiny peel; it was clearly a high-quality apple.

Crunch!

As he took a bite, the perfect blend of sweetness and tartness seemed to signal the start of a new day.

Hmm, come to think of it, last night’s dinner was like this too.

All the ingredients had been of the highest quality. Of course, it wasn’t unusual for a prestigious family to use the best ingredients, as they had ample funds. But the Sefira family wasn’t in a position to afford luxuries right now, yet they still maintained the highest standard of living. Keter knew all too well that nobles often used dignity and pride as an excuse.

But Sefira is probably on the brink of bankruptcy.

After devouring the apple down to the core, Keter wiped his hands with a handkerchief and stood up. He knew from his previous life’s memories that a merchant would arrive today, but he didn’t recall which company it was—he wasn’t interested before.

“Gramps, the trading company that deals with the Sefira family—do they have an exclusive contract?”

“Yes, my lord. They have had an exclusive contract with the Sefira family for several years now. But why do you ask all of a sudden…?”

“Because I smell something fishy, something really rotten.”

Jacques blinked and sniffed the air, but there was no unusual smell.

“I don’t smell anything at all. Are you just trying to change the subject? Last night, I clearly—”

“What’s the name of the trading company?”

Keter interrupted Jacques, who, though annoyed, maintained a dutiful smile.

“The Ultima Trading Company, my lord.”

Snap!

Keter snapped his fingers and grinned widely.

“Just as I thought.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’ll be back, Gramps.”

“Where? Where are you going?”

Jacques hadn’t even begun to say what he needed to. He knew that if he missed this chance, he’d be dragged around by Keter for the rest of his life, so Jacques stood up and blocked the door with his body.

But there was something Jacques had forgotten. To wake Keter earlier, he had left the window wide open. Without a moment’s hesitation, Keter stepped onto the window ledge and jumped out.

“Huh! This is the third floor!”

Jacques hurried over to the window in shock, but Keter had already landed like a feather.

“Ha…”

Jacques, who couldn’t jump off the ledge like Keter, massaged his forehead and said, “Please don’t cause any trouble.”

* * *

The role of a butler involved handling a wide range of responsibilities. However, certain tasks were so crucial that they required a butler dedicated to them exclusively, like Hans, the butler in charge of the Sefira family’s finances.

Hans watched the carriages that were lined up at the front gate. They were all from the Ultima trading company. The materials being delivered to the blacksmith were being unloaded in a well-organized manner.

“Quickly and carefully. Each of those crates you’re moving is worth more than your lives.”

Surprisingly, the person overseeing the thirty carriages and two hundred workers was a young man. He was Ultima, the owner of the Ultima Trading Company. He didn’t fit the typical image of a merchant—he wasn’t fat, nor did he seem sluggish. He had the body of a trained soldier, sharp eyes, and gleaming pupils. He looked more like a warrior than a merchant.

“Oh, Mr. Hans! You’ve come out to see us?”

Ultima, who had been giving rough orders to the workers, greeted Hans with a warm tone. Hans responded with an awkward smile.

“Mr. Ultima, good to see you. You didn’t have to come and personally oversee this in the midst of your busy schedule.”

“Haha, what are you talking about? This is a delivery to the prestigious Sefira family! Of course, I had to come running.”

“Hmmm.”

Something was off. Although Ultima was clearly praising the Sefira family, Hans couldn’t hide his discomfort. The reason for that soon became apparent.

“But here’s the thing, Mr. Hans. You’re not expecting to pay on credit again this time, are you? You did say last month would be the last time,” Ultima said.

“Lower your voice. I’ve secured the funds,” Hans replied.

“Ahem, my apologies. I struggle with controlling my volume sometimes. Here’s the invoice for this month’s goods. Please have a look.”

Ultima pulled out a thick invoice from inside his coat, which detailed the quantities and prices of all the delivered goods. Hans only glanced at the beginning before flipping straight to the last page, where the total amount was listed.

“Four thousand two hundred gold? Listen here, Mr. Ultima. We reduced the quantity of the order, so why has the price gone up?”

The amount may not seem significant at first glance, but that was only because it was in gold coins. When converted to copper coins commonly used by the commoners, it was a staggering four hundred twenty thousand of them.

“Oh, didn’t you know? The materials used for making arrows have become incredibly scarce. They’re so rare that even paying extra doesn’t guarantee you’ll get them. Our trading company was only able to get them because we’re good.”

“Even so, last month the total was three thousand five hundred gold, wasn’t it? I expected this month’s to be no more than three thousand gold at most. How can the price have increased by one thousand two hundred gold instead?”

“...Sigh.”

Ultima’s demeanor changed in an instant, like flipping a switch.

“Ptew!”

Ultima spat on the ground, his expression turning menacing as he spoke.

“So, are you saying you can’t pay this month either?”

Ultima’s tone had shifted to that of a thug, but his presence was far more intimidating than any street gangster. He gave off the aura of someone who had survived countless battles and near-death experiences—a true warrior. Despite being the butler of the esteemed Sefira family, Hans was old and frail. There was no way he could withstand the pressure of someone as young and vigorous as Ultima.

“N-no, not that. I can’t manage the full amount, but I’ve prepared 2,000 gold.”

“You’re driving me crazy, Mr. Hans. You should be giving me all four thousand two hundred gold, not two thousand, which isn’t even half. Are you telling me to take that and piss off?”

If Ultima had spoken to a butler from any other noble family like this, it could have cost him his life.

But Hans, flustered and in a submissive attitude, meekly responded, “At least I’ve managed to gather some of the money. Please try to understand my situation,” Hans replied.

“I’ve been understanding your situation for quite some time now. This isn’t the first time; it’s been two years already. Do you even know how much total debt you’ve accumulated?”

“As far as I recall, it’s just under three hundred thousand gold.”

Hans made Ultima slap his forehead in disbelief.

“That’s insane. Mr. Hans, have you lost your senile mind? It’s five hundred seventy thousand! Five hundred seventy thousand gold!” Ultima shouted, his voice filled with frustration.

Hans felt upset, but couldn’t bring himself to respond with anger. It wasn’t just because five hundred thousand gold was an astronomical amount; it was because Ultima was a good merchant.

While other merchants had either cut ties with or outright refused to deal with the Sefira family, who was in decline, Ultima had been the only one willing to take the risk. He had even supplied high-quality goods at low prices and, in times of need, had lent money to the Sefira family without interest, maintaining a close relationship. Due to this, the Sefira family had severed ties with other merchants who were more hesitant and signed an exclusive contract with Ultima.

But now, years later, the Sefira family owed Ultima an enormous amount of money. Even if Ultima raised his voice and cursed, the Sefira family had no grounds to complain. If Ultima decided to abandon them, the Sefira family would have no choice but to personally go down to the village to buy supplies. Given that the Sefira family was already short on manpower and had many enemies, taking on such a risk was something they absolutely had to avoid.

“I allowed this credit without interest out of consideration for my relationship with the Sefira family, and yet you repay my kindness with such betrayal. What do you think people would say about you if they knew?” Ultima said.

“I am deeply ashamed. You’re right about everything. I’ll apologize on behalf of the family.”

Hans, who was an old man, bowed deeply to Ultima, who was just a young man. However, Ultima frustratedly kicked the ground in anger.

“Damn it, are you going to treat me like a fool now? This won’t do. I’ll have to meet the head of the family and get the money myself.”

“Cough, cough. Why are you doing this? You know how busy the patriarch is.”

“What could be more important than five hundred seventy thousand gold? You’re being this reckless because it’s someone else’s money. Are you saying that I’m not worthy of meeting a high noble like the patriarch?”

“Please don’t do this. I’ll find a way to gather the money by next month. For now, please just leave.”

The butler of a prestigious family pleading with a young merchant: Ultima, smirking slightly, shook Hans’ arm away.

“No matter how much you beg, it won’t work. If I can’t meet the head of the family, then I’ll have to see one of the elders. I need to have a reason for continuing to work with you.”

Hans, who was coldly rejected, was in deep thought. The patriarch was unaware that the Sefira family owed Ultima a massive debt. This had been Hans’ decision alone; he hadn’t reported it because he didn’t want to burden the already overwhelmed patriarch with more problems. But he couldn’t confess now that the family had accumulated such a large debt. Introducing Ultima to one of the elders seemed inevitable.

But which one?

There was no need to think too hard about it. Of the three elders, only two were currently at the estate: Panir, who had returned yesterday, and Reganon, the father of Olive, the late lady of the house.

It would be a difficult situation no matter who Hans chose, but he thought Reganon was the better option. Panir was hot-tempered, and involving him could worsen the situation rather than solve it. On the other hand, Hans had some rapport with Reganon.

Hans made up his mind and said to Ultima, “Please wait here for a moment. I will inform Elder Reganon.”

“Heh. You’ve made the right choice,” Ultima replied arrogantly, leaning to one side.

As Hans left to speak with Reganon, Ultima couldn’t help but grin.

Heh heh. Nobles or whatever—they’re all powerless before money. Masters of Archery? Screw that. Money is king.

When Hans first met Ultima, he had treated him like a mere huckster. At that moment, Ultima vowed to make Hans kneel before him. And today, he felt like that dream was almost within reach.

Next time, I’ll be able to make him actually kneel. Heh heh. And with a little more time…

Ultima was lost in his thoughts, reveling in his fantasies, when suddenly—

“Well, well, look who it is! Isn’t this our little Snotty!”

Snotty.

A vein bulged on Ultima’s forehead. He wondered who in their right mind would dare bring up his childhood nickname.

Ultima quickly turned his head and shouted, “What asshole called me that?!”

Then, he doubted his eyes. The person standing before him was someone he should have never encountered here.

“It’s me, you bastard.”