The party at the Catley mansion was our current location.
It was 8 o'clock at night, Rei was in his best suit and of course I was in his tie.
An unexpected person accompanied us.
"Master, are you sure we should be here?"
Rose came as when she heard that Rei was going to a party of nobles, she said. "Master must not go alone! I fear for the lives of those nobles!"
That made me feel that she doesn't trust that Rei can attend one alone.
The place was very beautiful, you could tell that the money on the furniture, lighting and food was not spared.
The music was even very exquisite.
But I didn't care.
As did Rei, who was yawning.
"How boring this is."
"Master, please don't say that. I don't know what you came to this place for, but behave yourself. You are now the head of Redblade Household."
Rose was right, but Rei is Rei.
Being in a bit of a bad mood he said.
"Fine, fine. I won't do anything."
"No one comes near me anyway."
In this kind of parties it is normal for nobles to approach other nobles to achieve benefits by associating.
Rei was known as Isaac said, that's why no one approaches him.
Rose sighed seeing how we were ignored.
"As your assistant it makes me sad that no one wants to associate with you. Rose wants to cry."
Giving the interpretation of doing so, she wanted Rei to suffer the embarrassment she suffers.
Rose was perverse, but she was doing it for Rei's sake.
One person approached us.
"Well, well, you are the famous newly appointed Duke Redblade, aren't you?"
A well-dressed older man, with black gloves, blue scarf, red hair with bangs and blue eyes, which gave the feeling of looking at a dead fish, approached us.
Rei looked at him, he was about to give him his mad dog expression, but remembered Rose's face and restrained himself.
He told him.
"Yes, it's me, who are you?"
At least he didn't insult him. The man burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha you're just like the rumors say. A puzzling person in the world of aristocracy."
"... Yeah. What do you want?"
"To greet you of course, I've been wanting to meet the young man who stood in our way."
"Ours?"
The man smiled a terrifying smile.
"My name is Klyde Bartolt. The head of the Bartolt family. You... impertinent brat killed our ally, Harrisburg."
He stretched out his hand to Rei.
"I'm so angry with you. Really, that I feel like I want to kill you, but I came just to hang out, that's why, right now you're safe."
Rei smiled at him in the same way.
"We are the same. I also came to hang out so I'll let you live today."
They both squeezed each other's hand. Rei looked at Klyde squeezing him tightly.
"Hoh, you seem to have a good grip."
"I am a man who has fought in wars since before you were born. Child, adults are to be feared and more so me."
"In that case I'll leave you untouched for last."
*Smile*
"Hahahaha, crushing a desired enemy is something to savor like a bone-in rib-eye type steak."
"B-Bone-in with what?"
"... Goodbye."
"Tell me!"
Klyde walked away.
I feel like I've seen him, but I don't remember him as such.
"Welcome my dear guests, I hope you are having a splendid evening."
The lights went out and focused on the center.
There stood Joachim, wearing an elegant white suit.
Next to him was someone I knew, she was an NPC from the game.
A beautiful woman entering her 40's, she wore a pink dress which had blue roses embroidered on it, her beautiful orange blonde hair like the sunset was bright.
Her eyes were a beautiful turquoise color like the transparency of a lake.
Her hair was combed to the left side, it had a very soft, fresh and fluffy style.
But the most striking detail was one.
"T-They're big."
Her chest was large, they were long breasts, the kind of breasts known as rocket breasts. The part in the center is the part that stands out the most when aroused.
How do I know this?
Blame it on the eroges.
Rei was gawking at her, Rose pinched him. She seemed to be jealous.
"Master, don't leer at married women, that's what I'm here for."
She opened her cleavage a little so Rei could see her breasts.
"Sorry Rose, but this is the first time I've ever seen a beautiful woman."
"...!"
Rei said something he shouldn't have, Rose's gaze suddenly darkened, he corrected himself.
"I-I mean, it's the first time I've seen a beautiful mature woman."
"... Madame is beautiful for a 35 year old woman."
"My mother is my mother, she's an old woman, what are you naming her for?"
"You really are insensitive... and a bit dense."
"What did you say?"
"No~thing."
The introduction ended and everyone was coming forward to greet the lords of the mansion.
It was our turn.
Joachim saw Rei.
"Oh, you are?"
"Reidel Redblade. The new duke of Redblade Household."
"Redblade... huh? I understand, welcome, please enjoy yourself."
"Please enjoy your stay here."
"Of course I will."
Rei replied as if he owned it.
Then his gaze shifted to his wife.
"You are?"
"Rei, you don't refer as 'you' in such a vulgar way to the madame of the mansion, you idiot!"
Despite my warning se paid no heed, the woman laughed a little and said.
"Fufu, you certainly know how to make unforgettable impressions, duke-sama."
"Just call me Rei."
"In that case, Rei-sama. Nice to meet you, I'm Sophia Catley, the wife of the lord of this mansion."
"A pleasure."
Rei responded politely with a kiss on Sophia's hand, there were times where he did convenient things when it pleased him.
Sophia flashed a charming smile.
"The lady behind you is...?"
"She is Rose, my assistant... and my lover."
Rose was shocked at Rei saying that, while Sophia blushed and showed surprise, why did she react like that?
"I-I see... it must be nice to go for a walk with your woman."
"Why do you say that?"
She averted her gaze and replied.
"N-Nothing really. It was nice to meet you."
The presentation was over.
The time for the party came.
We were waiting until she arrived.
After a while of waiting, where Rei was almost falling asleep standing up, I saw her.
"Rei, there she is."
Rei woke up, his drool falling to the floor as he wiped his eyes.
There in the distance I could see Sasha in a beautiful frilly black dress.
Behind her stood a servant with a large briefcase.
Rei said to Rose.
"I'll be right back, I'll go to the bathroom."
"Understood."
After pretending to go to the bathroom, Rei activated the "Stealth" skill and approached the room where Sasha and Joachim went.
◇
Before a servant closed the room, Rei jumped inside to avoid noticing that someone had stopped the door.
Thanks to stealth the noises he made went unnoticed.
Rei rolled like a hamster until he reached some furniture where they sat.
Joachim poured some tea and said.
"I didn't expect you to get it together so quickly, did you have it prepared beforehand?"
With his foxy look, he glanced sideways at Sasha.
She took a sip from her cup of black tea and calmly said.
"You could say so. But it was because father was making the change."
"Change you say?"
"Yes. You know it's a counterfeit bill?"
Joachim put his finger to his chin and after thinking for a while said.
"An acquaintance of mine from the republic told me. It's when banknotes are recognized as illegal, they don't belong to the factory they came from."
"Exactly, now the question, how do you recognize one?"
He raised his hands and smiled showing his ignorance.
"You caught me off guard, I don't know."
"Listen carefully. A counterfeit bill is recognized in three ways."
"The first one is when it gets wet, the ink corrodes. That's because you didn't use the chemicals properly."
"I have in my purse just three counterfeit bills to show you."
"... Why do you have that?"
Joachim looked sternly at Sasha, who without getting upset replied.
"I thought something like this would happen. So I brought them for you to see."
"Where did they come from?"
"They are the test created for our employees."
"I see, please continue."
"Good."
She stood up and took the pitcher of water from the table, pouring it into an extra cup there.
The bill as it came in contact with the water began to fade.
It was a bill representing copper, the brown color changed to green. Joachim was surprised to see it.
"Now with a real one."
Sasha demonstrated that the real bill by sinking it only wrinkled a little, but with a little sifting it returned to normal.
"The second way to identify it is when you burn it."
"Thanks to the chemicals used, if you burn a counterfeit bill, nothing happens."
She used fire magic and the bill burned as if it were a simple sheet of paper. As soon as she took the real bill.
"This is what happens."
This one burned with a blue flame.
Joachim was astonished.
"No doubt the method of identifying it is useful. But I have an important question, how do you spot a real bill from a counterfeit?"
"Simple, watch this."
In her hands she held two bills which she hid behind her back and then showed them to him.
"Which one do you think is real?"
"... Umm, this one."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Too bad. It was the other one."
Joachim pointed to the bill in the left hand, but the correct one was the one in the right.
She explained why.
"It may look complicated at first glance. But it's actually simple. If we focus this bill into the light..."
She used a fireball to further illuminate the room.
"You can see a serial, which corresponds to the lot that came out and its corresponding number. This is the reason we can identify them."
"Counterfeit bills don't come with these serial numbers. That is the reason why we can easily distribute them."
"Distribute? To whom?"
From our position, we could see Sasha smile ominously.
"To the citizens obviously."
"My father's goal is simple. To cause inflation."
"By distributing counterfeit bills, merchants who know how to recognize them will say they are counterfeit."
"People will have exchanged their coins for cash. That will leave a great economic loss to the Kingdom."
"I understand, but what's the point of doing that?"
Sasha averted her eyes to the ground for a moment and then returned them in Joachim's direction.
"My mother is a victim of the Kingdom, I want revenge for that."
"I understand... the reason you were asking for medicine is because your mother got sick with some psychological illness, right?"
"... That's right. The Kingdom drove my mother to insanity because of a mistake."
"I want the Kingdom to suffer for making my mother fall into that state."
"Hahaha."
Joachim burst out laughing.
"Wow, what a ghoulishly pure motivation. I can't stop laughing."
"I have a question, what will happen after inflation?"
"The kingdom will go into economic crisis. The palace will not be able to do anything as it will have no money to pay the knights. There will be no choice but to give the Kingdom to them."
"The Calvinists, right?"
Rei was surprised to hear that name, I was too.
Calvinists, this is not good.
If Rei stood up, I could break both of their necks and thus end this. But something doesn't add up.
Sasha is not that kind of girl.
In the original game she was the typical cold girl who ignored you. The reason was because she didn't trust anyone.
She closed her heart and that's why she was the hardest capture of all.
This Sasha is not like the Sasha in the game who said when she couldn't stand the loneliness. "I really want help, I need help, please... help me. You're the only person I can trust."
Why the development of the tsundere girl is not like in the game!
I hate these alterations!
"It is as you say. But we are not Calvinists. They only think of fighting, a country can't get ahead like that."
"You want the crown then?"
"I can't deny it's tempting, but my motives are secret."
"Well, well, I won't inquire further. Just one last thing."
The look of seriousness on Joachim's face was to be feared.
"What's in it for me here?"
"I was thinking you could open another bank. One in your name, once you do, you could distribute new bills. This time safe so there would be no losses."
"You think a new bank will solve everything?"
"People are afraid that prices will go up and copper coins will not reach them, if you come along and use this saving factor. Interest-free loan, you will be able to make the people grateful."
After some thought, Joachim said.
"I inherited it from my mother."
The victory smile of both of them was very dark, a wicked situation began to take place.
"I'll talk to a friend about starting to carry out the construction of the bank."
"I will provide you with plans for the site and help if you wish."
"Thank you. With that said, I think I'll take my leave."
"You're forgetting the briefcase."
"Right, right, what's inside?"
"A gift."
Joachim opened the briefcase and was surprised.
A wad of bills representing gold coins were inside.
"Th-this is..."
"As I said, a gift, now trust is safe, isn't it?"
Totally excited he said.
"S-Sure, sorry for the awkward questions I asked, but you know, safety, first and foremost."
"Fufufu, don't worry. I hope we'll get along well in the future."
"Not at all."
They shook hands and then Sasha left the room.
Joachim stayed.
◇◇◇
As they left the room, the servant was waiting for Sasha to escort her home. She was showing a sinister smile on her pretty face.
◇
"Oh... oh... Ooohh!"
Joachim seemed to go into a frenzy of ecstasy at the sight of the mountain of money there.
We were still in here, the party was long over. Rose had to leave, she must be waiting for us outside, she's probably pissed.
But Rei didn't move, he watched Joachim babbling.
"Money, sweet wonderful money. You are the true love of my life."
Rubbing the bills on his face, Joachim looked really happy with that smile.
Someone knocked on the door, he was still with that cheek to cheek smile.
The door opened and a beautiful woman in a nightgown walked in.
It was Sophia, which we could see her wonderful curves. She was a lovely woman, unfortunately her undertone was sad.
She was a pitiful woman, she always supported her husband in everything, apparently she was like him, she valued money over her family.
One day she tried to escape in a carriage with all the money, but a wheel was wrongly placed so she fell down a ravine. That was the end of him.
Seeing her enter, he said.
"What do you want?"
"Husband, the guests have left. It's time for bed."
"I will when I finish counting my money."
"But you've been here for hours."
Joachim counted the money more than eleven times. It was already ridiculous what he was doing.
Apparently Sophia had dismissed the guests without her husband, that in the nobility is frowned upon. It makes the wife look unnecessary, almost like an accessory.
She spoke pleasantly to him, but Joachim refused to the point of bursting.
"Shut your mouth and leave me alone!"
He stood up, walked towards her...
"Learn your place, you hag!"
He punched his wife hard in the stomach.
I could tell how Rei was about to release stealth to hit him.
Joachim began to repeatedly kick his wife.
"A good-for-nothing like you who is only good for having children, not even for that!"
"The only reason I married a good-for-nothing woman like you is because my father left a lot of debts because of his lovers and your family helped us!"
"I had to be Harrisburg's dog for a long time, now that he's dead I can be free!"
"If I must be happy, it will be with my money! Money gives happiness that neither you nor anyone else can!"
"Don't you ever get in my way again, you heard bitch!"
To top it off, he kicked her in the face.
He used a lot of force, blood was pouring out of her cheek and mouth.
Staggering a little, she stood up, still with blood on her face, she smiled like an angel.
"I understand... I won't bother you anymore."
"Tell a servant to bring a healer from the temple and heal you. They owe me some favors so they won't charge us."
"Damn it. First Harrisburg, then Neville and to top it off you. You're all a real pain in the ass."
Joachim went back to counting his money.
Rei held up her hand as Sophia left the room.
"Full Recovery."
A warm light enveloped Sophia, healing her internal and external wounds.
Not caring that Joachim noticed, he opened the window and jumped out.
"Why did the window open?"
Was the last we heard from Joachim. I thought Rei was going to explode the room, but he looks calm.
We found Rose waiting for us very upset.
"Where did you really go? Don't lie to me... is something wrong?"
She was angry at first, but Rei's ogre face made her look angry.
"Nothing happened."
Rei climbed into the carriage, Rose too. As the driver drove us back to the academy, Rei asked Rose.
"Rose, if a man hits a woman, what does that make him?"
"Into trash."
"I see."
Rei looking in the mirror smiled.
"In that case I guess a better man should teach him a lesson that hurts."
I didn't understand why Rei was smiling like that, but it wasn't good... for Joachim.
◇◇◇
Arriving home, Sasha went straight to a specific room.
It was her mother's room.
There was a huge canopy bed there, which had light curtains covering the inside.
Sasha knelt down and placed her head on the bed.
"Mother, don't worry. Very soon I will achieve your revenge, those involved that day will pay, I will make sure of it."
There was no reply, Sasha smiled and kissed the air goodbye.
"I love you very much."
As she left, she didn't notice that her father was watching her with a face that was complicated to identify.