I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 86

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 86

‘Isn’t that right?’
It felt like I hadn’t seen him in weeks, and something was clearly wrong. His face had grown gaunt, his cheeks sunken inward, casting his features in shadow.
‘Why did he come here…?’
I stopped in my tracks and studied Uncle intently. Beyond the Arborvitae Trees, he was watching the Stone House. How suspicious.
The direct descendants of the Trabel Family rarely ventured near the Stone House. They refused to set foot there, unwilling to risk becoming the lowest-ranking member.
Yet here was Uncle, having come all this way, lingering without any intention of entering?
This smelled like quite the significant incident. I deliberately called out to him loudly.
“Oh? Uncle?”
“W-who…! Ah, you, y-.”
Uncle flinched so badly his shoulders hunched up. Then he turned his head, our eyes met, and he struggled to find his words. If I had to guess, it seemed this was the first time we’d ever spoken.
“It’s Berry!”
Did he not even know my name?
At my introduction, Uncle suddenly seemed to come to his senses, running a hand across his head.
“Right…”
“Did you come to see Father?”
I spoke while observing the document envelope in Uncle’s hand. It was quite thick.
At my question about whether he’d come to see Father, Uncle’s steps became hesitant.
“Is your father inside?”
“Probably? But this time isn’t when I should be coming-.”
“Berry.”
Just then, Father emerged from the Stone House to greet me and spotted me.
Father came out warmly, but upon sensing a presence, he turned his head.
Upon discovering Uncle, Father came before me and blocked my view of Uncle before asking sharply.
“Why did you come?”
I could tell from his voice alone. Father was angry right now.
It felt like a lion growling at another lion who had approached his cub.
Uncle, as if understanding why Father was upset, raised both hands toward him and spoke.
“I came regarding a business matter.”

***

Reytan’s Study.
Yosel sat on the sofa with his head bowed, flicking his fingernails nervously.
‘Damn it.’
The merchant master of Blue Company.
Had it not been for him, I would never have come to Reytan, who was so reluctant to meet with me.

“Recovery of investment funds…?”
“Yes. You haven’t been answering calls. And you haven’t paid a single coin to the interior contractors or suppliers either? They came looking for me, and I’ve had to cover several payments on your behalf—but that’s not the main issue. Since you’ve broken my trust, I’d like you to return my money.”

As if asking for the money back would help.
The only cash I had on hand was the 200,000 cona in my wallet.

“Now look here. How am I supposed to give you such a large sum immediately? What kind of fool receives investment funds and just keeps them locked in a safe? I’ve already spent it in various places—”
“That’s precisely my problem. The money I gave you as investment funds was entrusted to me by my most important client to manage carefully.”
“W-wait, you mean it’s someone else’s money?”
“Yes. Otherwise, where would I have procured such a large sum in cash? In any case, if you cannot return it, I’ll have no choice but to go to the Trabel Estate and ask them to assume responsibility as a joint guarantor.”
“You! How can a person be so heartless!”

Yosel clung to Victor Stings’ trouser leg.

“P-please, merchant master. Help me out here.”
“…Then how about this?”

Victor Stings, who had been pondering Yosel’s pleas, made a discreet suggestion.

“Why don’t you ask the Count’s second son to help you?”
“R-Reytan, that bastard?”
“As long as I get my money, that’s all that matters to me.”

Victor Stings grinned and spoke thus.
The reason Yosel refused to repay his investment with family funds was to avoid going to Stone House.
‘Try asking the person at Stone House to shoulder the negative performance…!’
Victor Stings even prepared documents that could hook Reytan Quartz Trabel—papers calculating the profits I would gain upon acquiring the children’s clothing business.
But would Reytan Quartz Trabel truly grant my request?
Yosel deliberated, yet he stood at the precipice.
Meanwhile, Reytan Quartz Trabel ranked at the very bottom, indifferent to performance metrics. Moreover, Yosel knew that Reytan had transferred his initial performance to Hevanth.
‘Perhaps….’
Yosel anxiously studied Reytan’s expression. I sat on the sofa while Reytan occupied the desk to the right.
After hearing Yosel’s plan—a request for help just this once—Reytan had remained silent for some thirty minutes.
Tick. Tick.
The wall clock’s second hand sounded sharp. Yosel’s nerves had grown taut. His blood seemed to drain, his mouth parched.
Unable to bear it any longer, Yosel spoke to Reytan.
“After all… surely, older brother, you find this place more comfortable?”
I felt Reytan’s gaze settle upon me. Yosel, too frightened to look at him directly, kept his eyes fixed on the table’s edge as he continued.
“The children brought from outside—there’s no need to worry about them. And Berry—”
“Berry.”
“…Berry can also live comfortably without the burden of performance—”
“Why should I shoulder a negative performance of four billion cona because of you?”
“Ah, no. It’s only two billion cona. The children’s clothing business will receive family investment support, so I’ve brought revised documents.”
Victor Stings’ plan was as follows.

First, transfer the children’s clothing business to the name of Reytan Quartz Trabel.
Second, reclassify the children’s clothing business as a family-supported venture.
Third, use the two billion cona received as initial support funds to repay Victor Stings’ investment.

“Wouldn’t losing two billion cona in support funds be preferable to bearing the negative four billion cona from joint liability? After all, the lowest-ranking member of Trabel might find four billion cona burdensome.”

I let out a scoff at Yosel’s words.
“Two billion cona? If you’re saying ‘only’ like that, then just cover it yourself.”
“Me!”
Yosel sprang up from the sofa. His fists clenched tight, breathing heavily as he stood before me.
I showed no reaction. My chin rested on my arm draped over the armrest, my gaze merely following his movements.
“I….”
Yosel’s fists trembled violently. Who stood before him? The child of a concubine he had so thoroughly despised, and the master of Stone House.
Yet I was the only one he could cling to.
“I beg you like this…. Brother….”
Yosel carefully dropped to both knees, then prostrated his upper body flat against the floor.
It wasn’t merely two billion cona. Money could be found anywhere, but performance records were like grades. Once they fell, they were terribly difficult to recover.
“Just this once. Please? Help me survive this.”
“Figure out how to survive on your own.”
“How can one live alone in this world? I have no one but you now.”
“Not worth responding to.”
Even with tears as his plea, I remained unmoved.
But Yosel had to convince me here and now. He felt a strong certainty that there would be no other opportunity after this.
“If you help me with this, I’ll do anything in return—.”
“Anything?”
“Except anything that costs money….”
Yosel spoke with a sniffle.
The quiet sound of me removing the cap from my fountain pen and signing echoed through the room.
A faint smile. His breathing eased. Yosel raised his upper body and adjusted his collar.
“And also, nothing that damages my dignity—.”
“I haven’t signed yet. I was just checking if the pen works.”
“…What do you want….”
“For the four years this performance record is reflected, act as my subordinate.”
“Sub, subordinate?”
Yosel’s eyes widened in shock.
A subordinate to the child of a concubine. Preposterous—.
“I won’t make you do anything harsh, so don’t worry. I’ll exclude anything that costs money or damages your dignity.”
“….”
That might be acceptable. After running the calculations through his mind, Yosel nodded repeatedly.
I nodded once as well, then looked down at Yosel kneeling before me.
My blue eyes were unusually cold, and Yosel unconsciously swallowed hard.
“And.”
“And…?”
“What were you doing in the Mines on the day Brown died?”

***

[Yosel has become Reytan’s subordinate!]
At Akum’s words upon returning from the Study, my jaw dropped.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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