The Sleeping Devil

Vol. 1 - Chapter 13 - Sudden Debt

Several weeks had passed since the tea party with Dior.

Although there were no urgent demands from Dior during meals, I couldn't keep the maids waiting for too long, as I never knew when she would start cutting their arms again.

Despite my concerns, Sergio unexpectedly brought up a topic during dinner.

"Hey, Sheriel. It seems like you've been doing something interesting lately. Why am I the only one left out?"

Even though he had completely ignored me until now, it seems he still kept tabs on the affairs within the castle.

"It's just a child's experiment. I'm merely involving my dear brother and Dior in it. Ho ho ho..."

I tried to display the fruits of my social skills at this moment, but Sergio's suspicious smile remained unchanged.

"But isn't it quite remarkable to create unheard-of sweets and operate a trading company for an experiment? By the way, the information you provided to the company seems to be generating considerable profits. How far can you maximize those profits using it?"

"Please wait, the product isn't even complete yet, and I'm only five years old."

"In the Beriard family, age is irrelevant. We will appoint competent bureaucrats for management. In fact, ventures like this are important for our territory. Oh, it's not like I'm burdening you with it just because it's troublesome. It's a parental concern for Sheriel's benefit. Aren't I a good parent?"

Behind his fake parent-like face, there's a mix of his true intentions. Father...

But making profits is impossible for me. It's too bothersome, above all else.

Besides, whether it's programming or something like this, the process of trial and error until it takes shape is enjoyable, while the final adjustments, testing, and revisions are torture. Honestly, I don't like them.

"Even so, I have my studies to focus on, and profits..."

"Sheriel, do you know the price at which you were bought in that underground auction? Would you like to know?"

I couldn't stop the cold sweat. Is he going to say it? Even if he's my stepfather, is he going to say it?

As Sergio raised his eyebrows, saying, "I remember it was quite a tidy sum... Was it twenty?" Dior's voice trembled as he stared at him and said, "It was gold coins, right? Twenty gold coins, Sergio-sama?"

"No, they were large gold coins."

"You! Did you really spend twenty large gold coins? Where on earth did you get them?"

Dior turned pale, more so than Sheriel, who didn't understand the units.

Dior's exclamation, after two years, felt nostalgic.

"Well, well, Sheriel will recover that amount for you. Have you learned the value of gold coins? Shall I give you a simple explanation as a review?"

I don't want to hear it. Please don't say anything more...

"In this country, we have copper, silver, and gold coins. There are seven types of coins in total: small and large copper, small, medium, and large silver, and small, medium, and large gold coins. The units are simple, each time the number increases by one, the value of the coins increases. For example, ten small copper coins make one large copper coin. With the current prices, one small copper coin is equivalent to one loaf of bread. One large copper coin is..."

My overdeveloped brain began converting the units, and the numbers became unbelievable, something I didn't want to believe.

To make matters worse, Sheriel involuntarily converted the values into Japanese yen... I...

I'm a two-billion-dollar little girl. Yes, two billion... Two billion yen.

It's an outrageous situation.

"No, it's not a big deal. If it means I can save Sheriel, it's worth it, don't you think? However, our family doesn't have unlimited financial resources either. If it causes distress to our subjects, I'll have to return to where I came from... Besides, if my child shows interest in something, I want to support and nurture it, especially if it can lead to profits, right? You understand, don't you?"

"Yes... I will do my best."

Ah, I see. So this is the Beriard family.

They have no qualms about burdening a young girl with debt.

"Father made a good purchase, didn't he? At first, I thought he had lost his mind, but not only is she as cute as an angel, she's also increasing the profits of the territory."

The way they talk... Even though I was starting to forget, they see it as a mere transaction.

This demon! Inhuman! If I were a normal five-year-old, I would have lost it by now.

"Father... By the way, is the underground auction legal?"

"No, it's completely illegal."

"Then why did you bid on it as it was? If you had crushed it, you wouldn't have had to pay anything, right...?"

Everyone's wide eyes suddenly focused on me.

Could it be that, with his role as the Demon Duke, he had some involvement behind the scenes? Was it an illicit activity authorized by the Lord?

"I had that option... You, Sheriel, might be more like Beriard than anyone else. It's actually my area of expertise, so why didn't I realize it sooner? Is it because of your education?"

Why is it that even though he's called a demon, he's so particular about that aspect?

Well, it's because Sergio hates extreme thinking. He simply paid because it was the straightforward solution. But Sheriel will continue to struggle with their sense of ethics.

Anyway, after that, the dinner table became painful, with the taste of the food going unnoticed.

Two billion... It's still too early for me to learn about relations with other territories. Maybe I should just focus on coming up with marketable products?

I'll leave the profits and all that to the bureaucrats. Rainer seems capable enough to handle it.

After finishing the meal, I returned to my room and took a short break before preparing for bed.

Usually, I would only have my body wiped down, but lately, I've been having my hair washed as a test for different shampoos.

Today's shampoo contains honey and salt. Let's see how it turns out.

"Sheriel-sama, how does it feel after washing?"

"It feels so good that I could fall asleep... It's a bit oily, but it feels refreshing."

After finishing washing, my hair was gently towel-dried. I touched the hair that had been meticulously dried with wind magic---it felt smooth and had a glossy finish.

This should satisfy Dior as well.

And so, Sheriel happily continued to feel the texture of her hair with her fingertips.

The next day, when Rainer arrived at the castle, I accompanied him, along with the bureaucrat assigned by Sergio.

The bureaucrat, a young man in his twenties named Bergar, was still quite young, but he was the second most capable in financial matters in the Beriard domain, with the first being his father.

"Here are the requested items. Please have a look."

On the table, there were three sets of two bottles each, small and large.

I opened the lid of the small bottle and slowly turned it in front of my face, enjoying the fresh scent of roses that filled the air.

It was a good decision to have them make not only herbal extracts but also rose extracts this time.

The fragrance of flowers doesn't transfer well to oils, and apparently, essential oils only have herbal scents. This should be able to capture Dior's attention.

Next, I opened the larger bottle and spread the liquid onto the back of my hand.

With a faint scent of roses, it smoothly permeated my skin, creating the floral water I had envisioned.

"It was much faster than expected. I thought it would take a bit longer. The results are even better than I anticipated."

"That's because Lady Sheriel's instructions were accurate, so there were hardly any failures."

If it's okay for a five-year-old like me, then adults would probably be fine too.

I actually wanted to make a facial toner, but I didn't think I would be able to get glycerin. Even if I could extract it during the soap-making process, I lack the knowledge to remove impurities.

For now, even a substitute should be sufficient.

"Let's buy all of today's batch. As for the future, I would like to negotiate a portion of the profits as our share."

"Um, can we use it for public projects?"

Not understanding the difference, I glanced at Bergar for a moment.

"In public projects, commoners are directly involved, and by having the Lord invest, the Lord receives 70% to 80% of the profits, with the remainder going to the trading company. However, taxes are exempted, so it can become a huge profit."

I see.

Although I don't fully understand the management aspect, since I originally intended to bear the costs of raw materials and labor, it seems like a good idea to classify it as a public project.

"Do I have the authority to make that decision?"

"Yes, as long as it's within the budget allocated to you, you are free to decide."

I turned back to Rainer, who was trembling slightly.

"Then let's operate it as a public project. From now on, I want you to earn more and more money, serving as my hands and feet."

"Yes! As you command!"

Rainer's knee dropped to the floor with such force that it seemed like he was a large dog. He wagged his tail and his eyes sparkled, as if saying, "Please throw the next ball quickly."

"Then, I'll leave the detailed profit distribution to Bergar. As for what I would like you to make next..."

"Anything!"

"I want you to make soap."

"Soap? We already have soap, though..."

Suddenly, the brightness faded from Rainer's eyes. He had a face that said, "Is it okay for the young lady of the Duke's family to know about soap?"

"What kind of oil is the soap made from? Animal fat or waste oil, right?"

"Yes, you are correct."

Just as I thought... there was that kind of smell.

Although it's risky to turn it into a business, I want to secure the Beriard family's portion at the very least.

"I'm not sure if this will become a business, but I want you to try making it as a trial. In exchange, I'll teach you how to use the essential oils in various ways. Oh, do you have a sake brewery? If possible, please find a high-quality brewery."

"Soap, essential oils, and a sake brewery... I don't quite understand what you're saying, but let's give it a try. And the soap is not going to be ordinary, is it?"

"Yes. Please use a mild vegetable oil with a subtle scent, like the ones you used for the essential oils this time, to add fragrance."

"Understood. Everyone usually burns incense after doing laundry, but if we can make the laundry itself fragrant, it would be quite remarkable, wouldn't it?"

Although I don't quite grasp it, if Rainer, who has regained his sparkle, says so, it must be true.

"By the way, how do commoners handle laundry? Soap wouldn't work with well water, right?"

"We boil water in a large pot near the well and gather to do laundry there. Also, in villages and small towns, it's common to use river water because soap can be used."

Oh, I see. So we just need to boil it. It must have been insufficient because we only warmed it up back then.

Mary seems surprised as well, her eyes widening. It's a display of commoners' wisdom, one could say.

This world is full of mysteries, and even with knowledge from my past life, there's hardly anything I can apply.

However, it's because of those differences that I'm curious to learn. Wondering about mechanisms is inherent to a programmer's nature.

"We'll unravel this mystery someday."

Sheriel taught various uses of essential oils and decided to have them try making soap as well.

It's pointless if we make a lot but can't sell it.

Jumping into things without careful consideration usually leads to serious burns, something I learned from previous projects.

At night, as I prepared to sleep and lay down in bed, that sum of money flashed in my mind again, keeping me awake.

My eyes were droopy and I felt tired, but my mind was buzzing, preventing me from falling asleep. It was that frustrating state.

Sheriel gave up on sleeping and opened her eyes with a snap.

When the nerves become overly sensitive, even the faint sound of a squirrel's footsteps scurrying in the garden or voices of people somewhere in the mansion seem audible.

"Meow."

Huh, what was that sound? Is it just my imagination?

I tried to identify the source of the sound nearby, but there didn't seem to be anything suspicious.

"Meow."

It sounds like it's coming from outside.

I crawled out of bed and peered outside the window. It was a brightly lit night with the moon, but there didn't seem to be anything unusual in the garden.

Then, I heard a small "Ahh" and raised my gaze slightly. There, sitting on a branch just above the window, was a pitch-black cat.

Could it be the same one I saw before? Since the room is located at a considerable height, perhaps it climbed up the tree and couldn't get down.

"Oh dear, you were scared, weren't you? I'll help you right now."

I quietly opened the heavy window and reached out my arm, and the black cat gracefully stepped onto the window frame.

"Good evening. Do you live around here?"

"Meow."

With a light and seemingly affirmative response, the black cat gracefully entered the room.

Silently, it jumped onto the table, its well-defined body reflecting the moonlight with a glossy sheen. After stretching elegantly, it nonchalantly began to clean itself.

"Aww, so cute!"

Perhaps this could be a dream come true from my past life...

"Kitty, would you like to sleep together tonight? I'd love to hold you."

Careful not to startle it, I slowly extended my hand towards its nose, and it rubbed its face against it affectionately.

Yes! This friendly little cat is amazing!

I climbed onto the bed and softly called, "Come here," and the black cat leaped onto the futon.

"Oh, good kitty, let me hold you for a bit."

I lay down and hugged the black cat, who seemed to respond with, "Go ahead and hold me," as it settled down calmly.

"Wow! You're such a big kitty! It's incredible!"

To young Sheriel, this magnificent black cat seemed much larger than life, a privilege that only children can experience.

Sheriel has a preference for anything big, whether it's dogs, cats, or horses. It's a quality she possesses, as she believes that the larger the animal, the better it is. Because large animals are cool. They are full of romance.

Sheriel buried her face into the soft and lustrous fur of the cat's body, absorbing the pure bliss to her heart's content.

Ah, pure bliss.

It was the season to long for the touch of a cat's fur.

And as for the debt that had been bothering her so much, it was completely forgotten, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.