Chapter 58 - Volume 4 (2/2)
“A policy?”
Cordnell responded very sensitively to Isaac’s words.
“Yeah. It’s always sad to not have proper support wherever you go, so the city will provide them with proper support. It takes quite a lot of money to study.”
“Is there a real need for that…”
“You have to look further than the present. If just one out of ten children that we support comes back successful, it will be a great profit for us.”
Cordnell calculated how much it would cost in his head, but he couldn’t go against Isaac’s orders. Because if he did, he would become the villain in a heartbeat.
“But the money… the funds…” muttered Cordnell with a grim face
Kalden looked to Cordnell with pity and carefully looked at Isaac before continuing.
“There’s another thing…”
“What?”
It was apparent that Isaac was annoyed and wanted this meeting to finish as quickly as possible. Kalden hesitated, then continued.
“It’s not just the children, but some of the Blue Roses also need permission.”
“Have they been problematic lately?”
Isaac looked to Milena, who quickly shook her head.
“What have they done to require my permission?”
“Well… some of the guests have developed feelings beyond those of just customers, and there have been a few quarrels over it.”
Isaac snorted.
“Are you telling me to b.u.t.t into someone else’s relations.h.i.+p problems? Tell them to sort it out themselves. What’s a group of grownups fighting over some relations.h.i.+p problems?”
“That’s not it… some of the guests wish to take the Blue Roses with them.”
“Is it a one-sided demand?”
“No, the Blue Roses also wish to accept and leave with them, but they’re saying that they need your permission to leave the city….”
“What bulls.h.i.+t are you spouting? They can leave if they want! Why do they need my permission? Tell them to do what they want.”
“It’s not a problem for commoner guests, but the n.o.bles…”
“n.o.bles? Hm, I guess n.o.bles would be an issue.”
“Yes. Some wish to take them as their concubines, while others wish to take them as their mistresses. The Blue Roses would like to take the offer and leave with your permission since it’d mean an improvement in their life, but there is one complicated issue…”
“Whether they are concubines or mistresses, it’ll most definitely make it easier for them to feed their families. Tell them to go ahead. And if any problems arise and they wish to come back to New Port City, tell them that the city will support them with our full strength.”
Milena’s face brightened when she heard those words. She had seen many women who were thrown away after the n.o.ble’s interest dissipated after a short while. There was nothing more miserable for a woman than such an experience. Not only that, the Blue Roses were prime targets of hara.s.sment by n.o.bles’ wives or their relatives and were in constant danger. But since the city was going to support them, they who had no a.s.sistance anywhere had a safe haven.
“I’m saying there’s one problem…”
“What is it for you to keep dragging on like this? You’re starting to annoy me.”
Isaac scolded Kalden, who kept hesitating and dragging on with his words. Kalden spoke with a troubled look.
“One of the n.o.bles wishes to marry a Blue Rose.”
“Marry? What a strange fella. Who is he?”
Isaac snorted at the thought of a n.o.ble who would wish to marry a Blue Rose as he took out a cigarette and lit it.
“Well… it’s de Chester del Milros, the eldest son of the Count Milros.”
PR Note: While it is normal for n.o.bility to sport a “de” or “del” in their name to denote their lineage, they are usually placed after the first name of the character. We are not sure why “de” is placed before the first name, but it is what it is in the raws (데 체스터 델 밀로스).
Cough! Cough!
“… What?”
Those words shocked Isaac, and he coughed violently. His eyes were wide open, unable to believe what he had just heard. He stared at Kalden.
“Wait. So you’re telling me a man named Chester, the successor to Count Milros, is saying he wishes to marry a Blue Rose because it was love at first sight?”
“Yes.”
“Wait. A successor? His age doesn’t make sense, though. Right?”
“Chester’s parents died in an accident. The current house of Milros is ruled by its previous head, who is technically your grandfather, sunbaenim.”
“Leaving the family tree issue aside, when did he even come here?”
“He came here to sort out problems with the family’s shares in Port City’s casino when it crashed, but when he arrived, the whole thing had finished before he could do anything. So he decided to get some information in New Port City and came here multiple times, which is how he fell in love.”
“And how did you find this out?”
“He told me directly when I asked.”
“…”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but Chester nim is also my sunbae…”
Isaac frowned as he took out a new cigarette. It was most definitely a problem if it was Count Milros. A n.o.ble having one or two concubines and mistresses was a common practice, so that wasn’t a problem. But having a Blue Rose as the official wife was definitely one.
“There must be some intent behind his action…”
Isaac’s mutter was met with agreement by all who heard it, who nodded with those words. They were all aware of Isaac’s past; the entire cause of this was because his father took in a commoner as a mistress. This could have been an act to taunt Isaac.
Plus, Count Milros’ successor who was definitely involved in this matter. Insisting on marrying the Blue Rose was definitely suspicious; there was definitely a conspiracy in the making.
“It may not be as you think. I’ve received a message from one of my colleagues who works in Count Milros’ territory. Apparently, Chester sunbaenim sent the message that he’ll be marrying the Blue Rose. The Milros family is in an uproar and have deployed their knightly order to bring back Chester sunbaenim.”
“He’d already announced it? Hm… it’s complicated.”
It looked like some romantic escapade between a man and a woman, but considering that it was the Milros family they were talking about, Isaac couldn’t take it at its face value.
“What a headache. Let’s just try to find out more since we have time. Crazy b.i.t.c.h, go talk to that Blue Rose and conduct a thorough investigation. Investigate her family, friends, all of her previous customers, and find out whether this is true or not. And make sure those knights don’t do anything funny when they get here. The rest of you are to do as you have until now. And make sure you do your work properly. I don’t want to hear the words that you need my permission again. I’m not their masters or anything, so why do they even need my permission to improve their own lives?”
The syndicate bosses smiled bitterly and bowed. Isaac seemed unaware, but he had become a beacon of hope to those who lived in New Port City.
He never treated them nicely or kindly. He never encouraged those around him and locked himself in the City Hall. Occasionally, he made the people suffer, but the people had already felt it.
Instead of a thousand empty yet extravagant promises, he had spoken with action.
First, he provided food to the hungry. Although it was done through the hands of the syndicates and the quality was nothing to smile upon, there was no such thing before Isaac had come here.
The people had given up on hoping for a change after a number of mayors came and went, left only with disappointment. But just when they had given up, Isaac had provided them with changes they could feel.
Even now, Isaac inst.i.tuted policies which helped the orphans, prost.i.tutes, and those shunned by society. To those who have nothing to rely on, Isaac’s policies were of great help.
At this moment, Selia, who didn’t attend the meeting with the excuse that she has to man the Communicator as the exchanger, rushed over to the rooftop, her shy nature completely gone. She excitedly shouted out.
“She’s coming! They said she’s coming!”
“What is she high on?”
Isaac looked baffled by her actions, but Selia continued to jump excitedly as she shouted.
“The mayor who will be sent here has been decided!”
“Who is it?”
“They say it’s Rivelia sunbaenim!”
A shock ran through the back of Isaac’s head. Isaac grabbed the back of his head, acting as if he’d just been hit in the back and asked again.
“W, who?”
“We just received announcement that Rivelia sunbaenim has been designated the new mayor of New Port City!”
Rivelia was the idol of perhaps all women back in the Campus. Even Selia had a memory of attending the tea party together with Rivelia, so it was understandable as to why she was so excited.
“And why is that damsel coming here for?”
Isaac asked with a frown. Selia quickly came back to her senses, and her shy nature began to take over again and her voice slowly softened to that of a squeak.
“T… they say she’s been sent to New Port City along with some of the recent graduates of the College…”
Cold sweat dripped from Isaac’s back after receiving the sudden announcement. His hands began to shake. He took a deep puff of smoke and let out a deep sigh. His heart could only settle after that. Isaac screamed in his mind for it to not be true and asked Selia the question.
“… Are Reisha and Kunette included in those graduates?”
“Yes.”
Selia nodded excitedly, and Isaac looked to the sky with despair. He looked to the clouds floating in the sky. How he wished that he could join them.
“Not just Rivelia-nim but Reisha-nim and Kunette too? Is this a retelling of the legends from the Campus?”
“I guess the good old days for Isaac sunbaenim are gone now.”
The whispers from the hubaes brought Isaac back to face reality. All he could feel were lingering traces of happiness and the ominous storm of his soon-to-be suffering.
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