#015 Preparing for Entrance – Tidying Up the Family Affairs – (3)
To be honest, I’m not the type of person who treats gold like dirt.
Money? Of course, it’s nice to have.
Since I was born into a rich family, wouldn’t it be great to rake in money and spend it like water while living a life of luxury?
In that sense, the position of the next head of the Midas family is undeniably attractive.
So, I’m supposed to be in a position where I get criticized to the point of bursting? Most of those people would flip their palms right back if I stacked a mountain of cash in front of them.
And yet, the reason I’m considering giving up the heir position is quite simple.
This world is like a Planetarium, or something distressingly close to it.
When evaluated from the perspective of a player facing a screen, as opposed to the actual circumstances of someone living in that world, it’s pretty insane.
Right now, it looks calm because nothing major has critically happened yet, and I’m not entangled in the main events unfolding in this world.
But what does it matter if I have enough wealth to bathe in gold coins when monstrous beings lurking everywhere would smirk and turn all that treasure to ash before my eyes?
Securing a position where I can enjoy the benefits of the family without being excessively bound to it was one of my goals before enrolling in the academy.
Of course, given my nature, if worse comes to worst, I wouldn’t worry about survival even if I were to completely sever ties with my family.
But it would be a pity to have a reputation in free fall as a Midas family member with no perks in return.
So, I wrote a letter.
For those who accept my proposal, they’d eliminate a competitor while securing my stake as well, making it a win-win. Meanwhile, I’d get to distance myself from the burdensome heir position, in return for just a measly offer.
Even if the other heirs are a bunch of scumbags and don’t offer me a decent deal, at least I’d be signaling that I have no interest in the heir position at all, which might reduce the chances of getting assassinated.
—
[I’ve received your letter well. As the elder brother, I’m quite ashamed that I couldn’t check on my younger sibling sooner, so I’m replying belatedly.
Even though our mother is different, it’s only natural for members of the same family to help each other. If you wish, I can send experts your way immediately—]
[I know that being aware of one’s shortcomings is a good thing. You want help? Absolutely. But first, come to where I am—]
[I understand the situation well. However, just saying that you want help makes it tough for me to respond properly. If you could send something more specific—]
[Brother, I cannot hide my deep disappointment after receiving your letter. If there’s a problem like that, don’t hesitate to consult your big brother—]
As expected, the replies came in quickly.
Some, suspecting my intentions, sent back nothing but formal greetings or outright ignored the letter, but there were also many who approached me quite actively.
But really, sending assassins? Isn’t that a bit lacking in shame? Do they think I won’t find out, or are they just thick-skinned?
What I didn’t anticipate, however, was—
“Wow, it’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I saw you put an interesting item up for auction. May I buy it?”
—That a strange fellow showed up.
<><><>
The young man introduced himself as Theo Midas.
#015 Preparing for Entrance – Tidying Up the Family Affairs – (3)
“I’m the eldest among the children born between the Head of the Family and our mother. Well, it’s just me and my younger sister, but still! She’s the third child of the first wife, right? I’m kind of envious; I don’t even know what number my mother is in the order!”
He’s good-looking.
And talkative.
At a glance, he seems to be over twenty, yet he addresses his much younger sibling with the utmost respect, showing no signs of discomfort.
“Age doesn’t put food on the table. Plus, with a promising newcomer like you, it wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression.”
“A promising newcomer? That’s quite the flattery. I was just lucky, that’s all.”
“If that’s humility, it’s too much; if it’s the truth, then I’m just green with envy. How could an ordinary merchant bear to live with nothing but luck?”
With a knowing shrug, Theo took a sip of the tea in front of him and continued, “So, how much do you want for it?”
“Sell it? I’m only looking to seek proper advice, considering I’ve been entrusted with an extravagant duty.”
“Hahaha!”
Theo laughed heartily.
“Advice, you say? Alright then, how about handing over most of the funds intended for the new branch to me? We’ll manage it well and return it to you double!”
“News of my getting swindled by a con artist would surely delight our Head of the Family.”
“When it comes to management policies, asking for ‘advice’ means such things. You could cleverly use the enhanced resources to fatten your own wallet, or it could be employed to nudge someone else’s deck. Each bit of funding, talent, and influence surrounding the branch is like ripe fruit tempting you—how could you possibly resist? I imagine your siblings are probably salivating at the thought by now.”
“However, they don’t seem to drop by directly, do they?”
“That’s because they’re stuffed full and weighed down by their excess. Dignity? Pride? Those can be picked up off the ground later. Just a little dusting off, and they’ll be good as new.”
Look at him, spouting nonsense with a smile.
But I must admit, he’s more likable than the ones who hide their true feelings and act all formal.
I spoke up.
“There are two things I want: a reasonable level of regular income and a peaceful night’s sleep without uninvited guests.”
“As your elder brother, it’s not hard for me to give you some pocket money. But the latter seems a bit troublesome.”
“I just want a free life, one that’s disconnected from power.”
“Do you know? Those blinded by the throne see everyone around them as rivals. No matter how often they claim to detach themselves, they eventually come crawling back to eliminate potential threats, and they’d rather cut off your legs than enjoy a peaceful meal. Isn’t it a bit sparse to think one branch would be enough to protect you from that?”
“Well, now it seems you’re not a merchant but rather a bandit.”
“Now that’s the highest praise!”
I paused, contemplating whether to push back harder or not, then decided to at least hear out some of his conditions.
“What do you want?”
“I hear you’re heading to the academy.”
Theo’s previously cheerful smile faded, and he scratched his cheek, looking slightly troubled.
“My younger sibling also wants to go there, but I can’t shake the feeling that sending them alone would lead to all kinds of trouble. Wouldn’t it be better for them to have someone from the same family around?”
“If you’re worried, can’t you just not send them?”
“Sadly, I’ve never won an argument against that child.”
“……”
I felt a bit anxious, but it was a pretty decent proposal from my point of view. Given Midas’s notorious reputation, finding new companions was tough, so having a potential ally wasn’t a bad thing. More importantly, making sure a member of his family is alongside me meant he likely wouldn’t have any thoughts of betrayal.
“Well, I suppose. Where’s your younger sibling?”
“They’re training as an apprentice priest in the Star God Church. They should be finished before the academy opens, so you needn’t worry.”
“Oh, seems like they’ve got quite a bit of faith.”
“No, they’re just learning magic usage from the church instead of hiring an expensive specialist. It’s more beneficial, apparently.”
“…………”
“Even if you want to negotiate now, I won’t yield.”
Is it really okay…?
<><><>
To skip to the conclusion, Theo Midas kept his promise.
The new Midas Guild branch that opened in Armatia was nominally under my name, but in reality, it had become Theo’s possession, and my wallet began to receive a steady income from the profits.
Sure, it was a small amount compared to what I could gain if I ran it personally, but for an ordinary person, it was an overflowing sum.
Most importantly, I was getting a regular income without lifting a finger.
“That’s a shame; it was a great opportunity to gain some real-world experience.”
Ligret lamented the sudden end of assassination attempts, but I felt no regret at all. Unlike the nameless demon lady who remained unbothered despite blades flying and blood raining around her, my nerves were sensitive.
With sustenance that was plentiful and imbued with physical enhancement effects, my previously above-average physical abilities were now enhanced even further.
Added to that, with systematic training on combat techniques based purely on instinct and estimation, Ligret was growing stronger at a terrifying pace.
According to Lord Kelin, in a combat situation without magic use, he had already surpassed the capabilities of most knights. For his age, his talent was nothing short of monstrous.
I’m not saying I’m bad either, but when compared to him, I felt quite dim.
But I didn’t mind. I’m not a combat-centric character; there are various ways to approach things without necessarily wielding a sword in a fight.
I briefly considered learning serious magical techniques or physical enhancements, but after much thought, I decided against it.
Given what I know, it’s more efficient to start learning at the academy—better to avoid developing any strange habits by pre-studying.
So, I’d steadily improve my basic abilities through exercise and study, finish up my father’s ridiculous quests to gather some money, and select the most valuable items from the Midas cubes that would come in periodically.
And finally, the time had come.
[New Student Recruitment for Barhart Empire Academy]
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