The Unavoidable Reason of Accidental Engagement - Chapter 1

“How much is it?”

“It’s 21 billion 7 hundred gold”

That was crazy. What kind of research needed that sum of money? So, it’s all really from a credit contract? But, it’s still 21 billion.

‘What did you pass down to me, Father?!’

Her father’s death. Syamila knew she shouldn’t be surprised by it, but just because she’s not surprised, doesn’t mean she’s not sorrowful. She cried until her throat was sore and her eyes were drained. She could only afford his funeral thanks to the help of her childhood friend, Bryce, who also accompanied her for the last few days.

Now, the only thing left unsettled is meeting with the lawyer. After taking care of his legacy, Syamila realized her father left her with three things: useless magic crafts, a large amount of debt, and a single line of words.

‘Go to  Rotevita in the North.’

The 21 billion gold debt is already embarrassing enough, but what is this nonsense will?

In the northern part of the Empire was the well-known barren land of Rotevita. Of course, because of the Duke’s good management, his people didn’t suffer any trouble at all, but the land still had the nickname The Monster’s Playground. No one knew the exact number of monsters that live in the forest on that territory. But due to that forest, going to Rotevita is a…

‘Does he want me to die?’ While looking at the will, Syamila took a deep breath.

“I give you my thanks for your assistance, Mr. Lawyer. You even came from far away to deliver this to me.”

“It’s okay, it’s my job.”

“That… the payment… as you can see, there’s a little bit of difficulty.”

Honestly, it wasn’t just a little bit of difficulty but a large amount of misery. Even if you work at the Imperial Palace, a high-income job, to earn 21 billion gold, you would have to work hard for at least 30 years. If she knew that he was using a contract in advance, Syamila would have put action into it…

‘Without even coming up with a proper invention …!’

Syamila’s father, Rikura Belkear, was a retired knight and inventor of magic tools. Rikura was formerly a knight for the Count of Batum. When he defeated a monster ten years ago, he was injured and urged to enter retirement.

Afterward, he wandered around making money by doing small things. Then suddenly, he set up a research lab in the corner of their house. At first, he made some appealing magic tools, but as time passed, his research fell into an unknown pit. Nevertheless, he clung to it as if obsessed with something.

‘I thought some great invention would come out… But everything was in vain. More than that, Father left me with only a bunch of debt he used for research expenses!’

Syamila was down in the dumps.

“Ah, don’t worry about that. All the payments were all made.”

“My father already paid for it? No, it’s not about that. Where did he get the money?

“….”

“Ha, I guess he paid for it with credit money.”

She couldn’t stop sighing at the large numbers in front of her.

“Syamila, don’t worry too much. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Syamila lifted her head to see Bryce, who was sitting beside her. He looked young with his fine facial lines and shiny white skin. His calm azure hair moved smoothly with his movements. The person with that puppy-like appearance was her old childhood friend and Count Batum’s successor.

“I’ll tell my father. There must be a good solution.”

‘You still have positive words in the middle of all this,’ Syamila thought.

“No, I can’t bother the Count anymore.”

Count Batum gave Rikura, who had retired, a lot of retirement money. He even took care of his funeral. It would be discourteous to receive more than that.

“You don’t have to do that, it’s too much for me to receive more help.”

“Why? You are the most precious person to me,” Bryce fixed his gaze on her and whispered.

At his words, Syamila put up a hazy smile and said, “Thank you for saying so. I’m glad to have a friend like you at a time like this.”

Her words shook his eyes. But Bryce soon pulled his lips into a smile and laughed awkwardly.

“Hey, I’m serious. I will try to help as much as I can. Just tell me what you need.”

“Thanks for helping with everything, but I’ll take care of this.”

“Will you be okay?”

Boy, it’s 21 billion gold…

“My father wished for me to do something, so I have to do it.”

Syamila said it calmly with a gloomy face. Then she saw off the lawyer with an unmotivated face.

“Mr. Lawyer, I hope you will be careful on your way back home.”

“Thank you, and I’m not sure if these words will help or not, but please keep your spirit, Lady. Sometimes a rough road is a path to a fresh start.” The lawyer who finished his business gave her some final support.

Syamila just smiled without replying. When the lawyer disappeared from their view, Syamila laughed.

“Go to Rotevita for a fresh start? If I go there, I will have two starts¹,” grumbling, Syamila turned to Bryce.

“Shouldn’t you leave now too?”

“I….’

“We haven’t come up with any solutions, yet she asks me to leave,” Bryce murmured lowly and refused to move.

He wondered if he could come up with any more good excuses, but she pushed his back, and Bryce eventually stepped out of the door.

“Don’t worry, just go.”

“Please tell me if there is anything I can do to help you. We both know that there is nothing to be embarrassed about, right? So don’t carry your burdens alone,” Bryce continued.

But Syamila shook her hand, signaling she didn’t have the same idea.

“Go quickly. You have a lot of useless worries.”

“Syamila, I’m serious.”

“I understand.”

Finally, after getting an answer, Bryce now left her house.

Syamila closed the door only after her childhood friend’s presence disappeared from her sight. The sound of the knocker was abnormally loud.

The house was so cold and quiet that she could hear the sound of the market from afar. The sofa in the living room where she and her father usually sat to fix broken magic tools. The kitchen where she used to have a childish cooking battle with her father. The space next to the window filled with flowers they had grown together. Everywhere was marked with traces of him. His scent became thicker as she went further inside the house.

When Syamila opened the door in the corner of the house, the smell of moist ink mixed with the scent of paper stabbed her nose.

It was her father’s lab.

1. She means one start to the north, one start to heaven 🙂