The meeting to establish a general plan of action finally drew to a close. It was settled that the Hamilton Marquis House would take the lead regarding the Golden Riple, while the Arclesia Empire would oversee the Transfer Gate project under the guise of Western Region Development. At long last, Baron Rich and Marie were able to return to their estate.
"It feels as though an eternity has passed since we were last here," Marie murmured.
"I know the feeling," the Baron replied. "At any rate, you must be exhausted, Marie. Go and get some sleep. We have a great deal to discuss, but we can leave that for tomorrow and beyond."
"Thank you, Father. I really have reached my limit..."
Both the Baron and Marie wore expressions of utter depletion. The weight of being mere backwater, low-ranking nobles thrust into the center of a national—perhaps even global—crisis was clearly taking its toll.
Even so, knowing that individuals whose experience and skill far surpassed their own, such as Chris, Marquis Hamilton, and Elis, had promised their cooperation provided at least a small glimmer of hope for the future.
"By the way, Father... do you think you might end up receiving an Elevation of Peerage Rank?"
"When I haven't achieved a single merit? No, well, if Her Majesty were so inclined, she could manufacture any number of excuses... but an elevation in rank is a burden in itself. If it actually happened, the sheer volume of new responsibilities would be overwhelming. To be honest, I have no desire for it. Besides, there is likely no real political advantage to raising my rank specifically. If anything, I suspect it is more likely that the talk of granting you a title of your own will become a reality."
"Please, anything but that," Marie pleaded. "My head feels like it's going to burst as it is. I don't want to be put in an even more precarious position. I really don't..."
"Hahaha... Well, for now, let’s just focus on getting some rest."
After their weary exchange, the Baron and Marie parted ways and headed to their respective rooms.
Once she reached her bedchamber, Marie took out the clothes and accessories Kaito had gifted her, gazing at them with a complicated expression as she confirmed they were actually real. She never expected her life to take such a turn; between the lingering sense of disbelief and the magnitude of recent events, she felt as though she were wandering through a fog.
A knock at the door broke her reverie. Her older sister, the Third Daughter of the Rich Baron House, stepped into the room.
"Marie, are you all right? You look completely wiped out."
"If you're asking for the truth, Sister, then no. Everything has spiraled into something I can hardly believe... Just look at these. The clothes, the accessories..."
"My goodness. In the blink of an eye, you've become the wealthiest person in this house. They're breathtaking. Any girl would dream of owning such luxury... but it's strange. I don't feel the slightest bit of envy. In fact, I'm just overwhelmed with relief that I'm not in your shoes."
Even their eldest sister likely didn't possess clothes of this caliber. As a noblewoman, the Third Daughter naturally admired such fine things, but considering the stress Marie was currently enduring, she couldn't bring herself to be jealous.
"You should probably be careful too, Sister," Marie teased weakly. "Who knows? You might be the next one targeted for a Political Marriage."
"Don't even say that. I intend to lead a quiet life as a Librarian in some small city."
"Well, our territory is supposed to develop now. Maybe they'll build a grand library right here?"
"Is it really going to become that big of a deal?"
"According to the Empress and Lady Elis, the Western Region is poised for massive growth..."
"If that's the case, Marie, history might remember you as the Restoration Founder of the Rich Baron House."
"Ahaha... My name in the history books? If only that were a joke..."
Marie managed a bitter smile at her sister's teasing, though her expression twitched at the realization that it was a very real possibility.
However, Marie was a woman who had been forged by the struggles of a poor noble house on the frontier; she was resilient and quick to pivot. She shook her head to clear the intrusive thoughts and allowed a small, genuine smile to surface.
"Well, I can't just dwell on the scary parts! It’s going to be a lot of work, but look at these clothes. I've always dreamed of owning something this nice... and they aren't even hand-me-downs!"
"Hehe, that's the spirit. Still, Miyama Kaito-sama really is something else. Even a novice can tell these are incredibly expensive, yet he gave them to you without a second thought?"
"He didn't seem shaken by the price at all. It was more like he was buying a cheap snack. It really drove home how different people of his status are. According to the Phantasm King, items like these are pocket change to him."
"Maybe he took a liking to you? Giving such gifts is a classic way to make a good impression."
"No way. I'm not some great beauty. A man like Kaito-sama could have his pick of anyone in the world."
"That might be exactly why someone with your simple cuteness caught his eye! Besides, I think you're plenty beautiful, Marie... after all, you look the most like me of all the sisters!"
"Fufu... I suppose you have a point."
Swept up by her sister's cheerful mood, Marie let out a light laugh. It was true that her life had been upended by an astronomical crisis, and she knew many more stomach-aching moments awaited her. However, she was honestly happy to own the beautiful clothes, and the time she had spent shopping and visiting the cafe with Kaito had been genuinely wonderful. Clutching her gifts, she decided to focus on those positive memories, a hopeful smile finally reaching her eyes.