Chapter 209.1. Karen’s Financial Situation

-Karen’s POV-
“I’m glad. I was worried that you would run away on a with 300 million yen.”
With an innocent expression, a young girl descends from her chair and greets me. I’m not sure what the second half of her line means.
“No one would be stupid enough to steal money from you and run away.”
Lug, who went ahead, interrupts while engrossed in a terminal, looking at some data.
Karen silently agrees with her. She doesn’t know what fate awaits her if she runs away from this girl.
It’s so scary that her body trembles, but there’s an irresistible and powerful charm. Despite looking so young, there’s a strange feeling that her soul intensely draws my soul to her.
“I’m Katou Karen. Nice to meet you. I’m Teijou Yamiyo. And you’re Lug-san, right? Nice to meet you too.”
“Aburage Tamamo~! Nice to meet you both!”
“It’s Lug Dowell-chan!”
Two girls standing nearby approach us and greet us. But for some reason, they give off a scary vibe. Especially the black-haired girl, who has no highlights in her eyes. she’s scary.
Upon closer inspection, Lug’s shoulders are trembling, and she seems to have already been intimidated. Her engrossment in looking at the terminal is just a pretense.
“This person is Viscount Aburage! He’s Tamamo-chan’s papa. And this grandpa here is my shishou. And this one is my beloved papa.”
“I’m Katou Karen. Nice to meet you.”
Takano Miu-sama introduces the people in the room with a cheerful smile, raising her hand. 
I think this appearance only looks like an ordinary girl.
I know the names Takano Yoshiyuki-sama and Viscount Aburage. 
They are the “Magician who can’t use magic” and the “Master of Magic Tools” respectively. 
They both look kind in their suits, but they’re married, so I’m not interested in them.
I don’t know the last person well. 
He’s an old man with messy white hair that reaches his chin, wearing a shabby coat that doesn’t suit the latest magic tools or neatly arranged instruments.
But the one-eyed old man gives off an aura of a formidable presence different from Takano Yoshiyuki-sama and Viscount Aburage.
And from being introduced as her shishou, I can also guess his true identity. He’s the druid’s Grand Mage.
I didn’t expect him to have any connection to Ulhara, but I see that they secretly hired a great magician.
“By the way, with 300 million yen, I thought you could live luxuriously for a while.”
Approaching while swinging her small arms and legs, Takano Miu-sama tilts her head cutely and asks.
“Oh… I spent it all. I repaid the debts of my house and donated to the orphanage…”
“House debts? Ah, right. Since Count Outomo went bankrupt, you couldn’t return the money you had advanced, right?”
“Ah, hahaha. I’ve never heard of Count Outomo. Who is that?”
I force a laugh, scratch my head, and avoid eye contact.
After that, it was clear that Count Outomo had blatantly allied himself with the enemy, so the country seized his assets, and he was stripped of his title and happily sent to prison.
However, I couldn’t come for support riding on a large-scale magical armor, and with the testimonies and evidence, he was completely in black. I don’t even know if he ended up in prison. It wouldn’t be strange if he’s still getting interrogated.
There is no way I can admit having any connection with that Count Outomo. Even if it cost 300 million yen for various preparations, I had to swallow my tears and pay for it myself.
That idiot. His magic tools are expensive, you know? That man never did anything good until the end.
“Nevertheless, you still donated to the orphanage?”
“Yes, I did. It was a few million yen… It’s a magician’s orphanage. They can also study magic there, and there are also job placement opportunities from the nobles.”
Not understanding well, Takano Miu-sama looks curious, and Takano Yoshiyuki-sama and Viscount Aburage continue the conversation.
“At the magician orphanage, they can study magic. So, not just orphans, but also magicians who cannot attend regular academies come to study there. It’s more like a small magic academy than an orphanage.”
“The term ‘orphanage’ can be misleading, but given that it gathers orphaned magicians, their living conditions… well, it’s something Miu-chan doesn’t need to know.”
“Yes.”
Takano Miu-sama closes her eyes in pleasure as Takano Yoshiyuki-sama strokes her head gently.
Indeed, the magician orphanage is not a good place. It’s something she doesn’t need to know.
The donated money was for her younger brother’s education. With this, her brother would find a better job than Karen.
“Ah, you’re talking about such boring things! Let’s do the experiment I mentioned instead!”
“Yes, enough of this pointless talk. Katou, right? Use [Mana Stealth] on this gemstone.”
Lug interrupts with frustration, and the Grand Mage also agrees. As the Grand Mage raises his hand, a maid standing by the wall brings a trunk case and opens it with a snap.
The trunk contains sponge cushioning, and inside are gemstones that contain colorful mana, evenly spaced, occupying about half of the trunk.
“It should have been fully packed… but…”
“It’s probably just your imagination, young lady.”
Takano Miu-sama’s eyes become sharp, but the maid with freckles answers with a giggling smile.
Ignoring Takano Miu-sama’s sigh, the Grand Mage looks at Karen with one eye.
“Do it quickly.”
“Yes.”
[Magic Stealth]
Karen successfully cast the magic, and all the mana sensed from the gemstone completely disappeared.