The Villain Changed the Ending

023 The World of Strange Hats

*****[Oscar, the main character]*****

The mansions of the nobles of the royal capital spread out radially, drawing a semicircle around the palace.

Of course, the road is not curved in a circle, but the location and distribution of the mansion are like that.

Usually, the mansions of the most historic and powerful families were the closest and largest to the palace, and the lower the family, the farther away from the palace.

The duke’s mansion is the closest to the royal palace, and is said to be the largest among noble residences.

“…”

That’s how I heard the story.

But I never thought it would be this huge.

“It’s amazing.”

I opened my mouth at the view of the garden from the carriage.

It’s a garden, but it feels like you’re in a forest.

Even if you put your eyes away, you can’t see the mansion, and it’s full of trees and flowers that are endlessly beautiful.

And the number of sculptures erected along the way is staggering.

Lions and birds, various animals, or sculptures that seem to combine them are lined up along the road.

Some were rough stones, while others were stones with a strange texture with beautiful colors.

In a way, it looked like a gemstone.

The raw stones would be expensive, but the sculptor would have been a fairly famous person.

These pieces themselves, as well as maintaining them, seem to cost a lot of money.

It’s not just cleaning, it’s going to have to do some repairs.

True luxury doesn’t just mean jewelry or flashy clothes, but something like this.

If the duchy’s mansion was a structure that put more emphasis on solidity, this place seemed to focus on beauty and splendor.

I haven’t even seen the mansion yet, but that’s what I think.

When I opened my eyes wide and was surprised, the butler gave a small smile.

“This country’s only ducal family. It’s a family with a long history since the founding of the country. This much is natural.”

“But it’s a waste of money.”

Unbeknownst to me, those words came out.

It’s not that I want to use it to prevent barbarians, it’s just a waste.

But wouldn’t it be much more beneficial to develop the territory with the money to spend?

That was the thought.

The butler looked at me slightly surprised and smiled.

“It’s not like that, master. The luxury of a noble is unexpectedly important and absolutely necessary.”

The butler calmly explained as the wagon rolled along the stone garden road.

“Most noble families have transactions built on credit in one place or another. In some cases, it is for crops, and in other cases, it is for large amounts of goods purchased from merchants. ‘s family can’t pay at once.”

Credit transactions are also common on Earth.

The butler continued to explain, making sure I understood correctly.

“But no one knows when a deal like that might not pay off. Noble houses don’t reveal their finances, so families and merchants are always on the lookout for how their finances are.”

“You’re worried that if one day you suddenly cut back on your spending or show signs of need, you might lose your ability to pay?”

At my words, the butler nodded proudly.

“Yes. You know that. If that happens, you will be able to ask for some payment from the customers spread out here and there. I don’t know if it’s one or two places, but if many places say that at once, even the richest family will be in trouble.”

Once the snowball starts rolling down, it grows in an instant and speeds up.

If a strange rumor spreads and payments increase, even a family with no problems could end up on the verge of bankruptcy.

“In fact, there are cases where a good place is on the verge of bankruptcy due to the operation of a hostile family. It is necessary to decorate the appearance to some extent to avoid such a thing.”

Ha ha, a new sigh came out.

“I understand, Benno.”

I looked out of the carriage and sighed once more.

If you can’t cut your spending, you have no choice but to increase your income.

‘What can I do to make money?’

Thinking so, I saw the butler’s face again.

“Benno, isn’t there a ship in this country that crosses the sea and trades with other continents?”

Condiments such as black pepper are not produced in this country.

However, it was being used by the Duke’s family.

Perhaps there is a trade similar to Earth.

Like the British East India Company.

“… where did you hear that?”

Benno made a strange expression.

I shrugged my shoulders slightly.

“Um… I think my grandfather did it before.”

“I see. You remember it well.”

Listening to the story of the butler, it seems that there is no such thing as the East India Company yet.

It seems that they are individually investing and trading.

“Benno, can you do some research on that side? I want to make some investments in nice places.”

“…”

“I’d like you to select a little bit of extra money to invest in the duchy.”

The butler had a strange expression on his face, but he kept his head down.

“Yes, my lord. Let’s find someone who knows the trade.”

Sooner or later a great trading company like the East India Company might be set up.

I will open my eyes wide and watch closely.

At the end of the long garden path, there was a space with a small pond.

What lay behind it was a picturesque mansion.

In front of the mansion, there were about a thousand servants waiting side by side in several lines.

According to my experience at the dukedom’s mansion, there must have been several times as many servants as the number of servants listed like this, working behind the scenes.

“… Benno.”

“Yes, master.”

“I understand what Benno means. But keep the cost of maintaining this mansion as low as possible. It feels like money is leaking like water just by looking at it.”

The butler let out a small laugh.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

According to what the butler told me a little later, it seems that the mansion in the royal capital was more wasteful because of my father.

During the socialite season, my grandfather stayed in the dukedom and my father headed to the royal capital, and each time the number of servants and the luxury of goods increased.

Father, you really are a nuisance in many directions.

“Please don’t fire me.”

If, by any chance, someone gets into trouble in their lives because of my words, that’s not good either.

At my words, the butler bowed his head.

“Among the employees, there are many people who move away from their place of work. Workforce employees are generally quite skilled workers, so it’s better to use them elsewhere than to fire them. Don’t worry.”

Glad then

The day of the interview with the king was scheduled for a few days.

Until then, you need to relieve the fatigue of the trip and give your body enough rest.

I was stripped of my clothes by the butler’s hand, and then put on a one-piece shirt again.

The butler immediately hugged me and put me on the bed.

“First of all, take a little rest. You’ve been working too hard.”

No matter how much rest I put in, it seems that the journey of close to a month as a child was not easy.

I thought it was okay, but when I got into bed and lay down, the tiredness came over me.

“I need to hear a little more information about the royal majesty and the prince, and I need to study court etiquette.”

As I muttered, the butler gave a small smile.

“There’s still time, so it’s okay. Get some rest first.”

“Yeah, can you tell me about your schedule or something important until I sleep?”

“Yes, master.”

Benno continued in a low voice.

“The day after the interview, the first banquet of the royal family will be held. Originally, it should have been held about a month ago, but this year it has been delayed because of the Duke’s funeral.”

Most of the head of each family attended the duke’s funeral.

Since it was a case of coming from one territory to another, not from a royal capital, it would have taken a considerable amount of time for the attendees to move.

Originally, at that time, the movement for the royal capital society began.

However, it is said that a significant number of nobles were unable to depart for the royal capital because they were attending the funeral of the duchy.

The aftermath spread like dominoes, and this time, the socialite season was delayed by a month or two.

“After the banquet of the royal family, banquets held by other families begin in several places. Most of the invitations from those who are deeply connected to our family must be accepted. Although the master is of an age where he cannot attend banquets by nature, he is the holder of a title… ..”

Benno’s voice gradually faded away.

It seems that he is half asleep.

Thinking I was asleep, Benno stopped talking and pulled the blanket up to my neck.

But no footsteps could be heard.

It seems that you will always be by my side.

‘Benno must be tired too.’

As I muttered to myself, I fell into a deep sleep before I knew it.

Suddenly, the eyes of the poor child I saw earlier came to mind.

For some reason, those eyes were strangely lingering in my mind.

*

Even though it seemed calm for a few days, it was secretly busy.

The costumes to wear when meeting the king were prepared in advance, but there were minor adjustments.

It was because the butler and the maid of the royal capital mansion were worried that he was feeling plain.

In the end, I decided to decorate it a little more colorfully to show the dignity of the duke.

At best, it was only a slight change in the type of lace or jewelry on the neck and sleeves and adding decorative fabric, but the faces of the head butler and servants looking at the clothes were very serious.

Calling in a designer would be more sure, but we didn’t have much time for that.

Designers say it takes days to add just one piece of fabric.

Somehow, the head butler and the head maid don’t seem to trust them.

Other than that, I received a report on the ledger about the money going in and out of the mansion.

I can sum up my impressions of it in one word: ‘Father is a rotten bastard’.

My father came up to the royal capital with my mother and lover every season of the social circle, and poured out huge sums of money on the lover.

A huge amount of dresses and shoes were presented to Bianca.

“Benno, no luxuries where your father is now. It’s my order. You can’t afford such luxuries as long as you spend a little money.”

“All right.”

The butler is smiling quietly, but this is a really big deal.

Women’s dresses are in fashion, and once purchased, there is little way to resell them.

Besides, it’s a disgrace to wear the clothes you once wore to the social scene again.

You have to wear new clothes every time.

It seems that there are rare cases where the fabric is slightly changed and recycled, but I heard that it is a really special dress or a case that can not be helped because of poverty.

In the end, the purchased dresses had no choice but to be sold as second-hand clothes, but they were cheap enough to be incomparable to the price at the time of purchase, and nobles rarely sold them to make money.

That seems to be a matter of shame.

After all, such dresses are put out as charity projects, or given to high-ranking servants who work at home, and the servants seem to make extra income by selling them.

However, Bianca says that once she owned the dress, she couldn’t even sell it.

Even though the room was full of clothes that had never been worn and left unattended, he had them all.

too greedy

“…”

In any case, with such a large amount, it is impossible to send it to her.

It will take dozens of wagons to transport them.

I sighed and looked at Benno.

“Did that all become Bianca’s property?”

“No. Most of the gifts my father ordered for Bianca were in my mother’s name. So, officially, those clothes belong to Mrs. Goddess.”

Is it to avoid being found out by Grandpa?

All the money spent is recorded in the ledger anyway, and a report goes up to the grandfather.

I shook my little head.

“Really, my father…”

Many of the dresses are said to be really, really expensive oriental silk, but I’m dying of regret.

I took a small breath again.

“Then dismantle it and make it into my clothes.”

“No, master.”

Benno’s face hardened.

“It would be a disgrace to say that the duke of this country wears recycled women’s dresses. Of course, it’s not okay to wear it while relaxing at home. No matter how young the owner is, it doesn’t matter.”

“…ha.”

“In the first place, women’s and men’s clothes are completely different in fabric and color.”

“It can’t be helped. If so, use those clothes to make the servants’ pocket money properly. There’s no need to keep it.”

“Everyone will be delighted with the warmth of the master.”

Benno chuckled.

“Ah, maybe I can make more money by making ribbons or accessories and selling them. If it’s possible, I’ll arrange for it, and if there’s someone who needs the dress itself, let me use it there too.”

It is said that there are quite a few women from poor aristocratic families among the ladies-in-waiting, so it should be helpful.

The butler laughed and lowered his head.

“Yes, I’ll talk to the head maid.”

After that, there are countless things to check.

The butler who manages the royal capital mansion brought various ledgers and documents with Benno and showed them.

I was sitting at my large desk and flipping through those papers when the maid came in.

They say that all adjustments to my clothes are finished.

Behind the maid’s cabinet stood two maids who actually ripped and sewed the clothes.

They appear to be in their mid-teens, and both have red eyes.

It seems that he worked through the night.

Normally, he wouldn’t be visible to me, but this time, I insisted on bringing him.

“I heard from the maid that the two of them are excellent. Everyone did a good job.”

When I said a word, a bright light shone in the bloodshot eyes of the maids.

“Thank you, master.”

“It’s an honor, Duke.”

When the maids bowed and left, Benno breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad it’s not too late to adjust your clothes.”

Well, I didn’t mind any other clothes.

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

“Just be considerate of the maids’ nice dresses too, Benno. Both of them must’ve had no sleep because their eyes were red.”

“Yes, master. You will be very pleased.”

I turned my stiff neck slightly and jumped off the chair.

The interview with the king is in the afternoon.

It was time to get ready and leave.

The butler hastily puts on clothes.

While the butler was packing clothes one by one, the maid kept her eyes shining like a hawk until the very end to see if there were any odd corners.

When you’re all dressed up, it’s time for jewelry and hats.

Today I wore a hat with a very expensive feather.

It is said that the hat hangs from feathers brought in from abroad.

The entire plumage is white, and it is so rich that it is difficult to see it as a bird.

A force that seemed expensive just by looking at it came out.

Benno opened the box of jewels and began attaching them to my body one by one.

The decorations and buttons attached to the clothes themselves are all jewels, but they are added again.

As expensive jewels hung one after another on her sleeves and chest, her heart felt a hundred times heavier than the weight.

I’m really afraid that the jewels might roll off and get lost while walking by mistake.

“You are done.”

An attendant brought a large mirror and put it in front of me.

A little kid in a big hat stood in the mirror.

Hmm, the feathers are as big as the face.

“Benno, is it really true that everyone wears hats like this? Am I the only one who wears hats like this?”

Half of the body is capped.

Somehow it seems absurd.

Benno smiled lightly and lowered his head.

“It’s true, master. Most of the court robes are like that. There are many hats that are bigger, but since you are young, the hats are on the small side.”

“…”

It’s honestly hard to believe, but Benno wouldn’t lie to me.

I left the mansion shaking my feathers.

The carriage was different from the one she rode when she came here from the duchy.

It is a little smaller in size, but more colorful.

Even the clothes the coachman wore were different.

The coachman was also colorfully dressed like a male peacock.

I only found out today, but Benno is a noble with the title of Viscount.

I knew he was from a viscount family, but I didn’t know that he was the head of a viscount family.

When I asked, it was said that the butler serving the Duke of Weiss came from his family for generations.

That butler is the head of the family.

“If you step down from the position of head butler, you will also step down from the position of the head of the family. After that, the new head of the head will become the head of the head, and the person who has retired will govern the territory as the head of the head.”

As I listened to Benno, I glanced at the hat lying next to the chair.

On the chair was a hat that was not normally seen.

It belongs to Benno.

Surprisingly, Benno also seems to be wearing a huge hat today.

It was less flashy than my hat and somehow had a stiff atmosphere, but it was a very tall and big hat.

‘This world is such a strange place.’

especially the hat.

The carriage arrived at the palace in no time.

The royal palace was also incredibly splendid, but it’s not surprising anymore.

The hat is even more amazing.

Upon entering the palace, it was a series of hats and hats.

“Benno, there’s a real hat hanging there.”

I murmured softly, and Benno smiled lightly.

But really, in the case of some people, it seems that the hat has hands and feet running around.

This world is truly amazing.