Financial problems

Our dance of combat continued, the sound of our bodies colliding echoing throughout the training ground.

Sweat dripped down our faces as we exchanged countless blows, each move more calculated and precise than the last.

But through it all, I could feel myself improving, growing stronger and more confident with each passing moment.

As we ended our intense spar, I slumped to the ground, my chest heaving with each breath. The experience had been nothing short of transformative.

My stance had improved, and my offensive capabilities had been honed.

With a nod of gratitude towards Cassius, I told him that he could count on me if he ever needed my help.

As I made my way towards Wishmyth Castle, my clothes soaked with sweat, I conjured a wind elemental spell to dry my attire.

The journey back was uneventful, save for the usual odd stares from passers-by. As I reached my room, I couldn't help but wonder what my next move should be. Breaking into the Third Circle seemed like the logical next step now that my second circle had fully stabilized.

Lost in thought, I sat down at my desk and began to map out my next moves.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first rays of dawn illuminated the horizon as I woke from my sleep and started my routine training. Today I would attempt to break into the third circle of my magical prowess. However, I knew it was too risky to do it at Wishmyth Castle, where I could draw unwanted attention and potentially reveal my original Circles.

Instead, I had chosen to venture to the outskirts of the Murkwood Forest, where the mana density was high but uneven.

In the outskirts of Murkwood forest, there were some wild beasts, but none posed a threat I couldn't defend myself against.

However, when I finally broke into the next circle, Galadriel would have to take all of my mana, leaving me completely empty.

To avoid any backlash from having completely empty Circles, I also planned to purchase mana recovery potions along the way.

After my training session, I refreshed myself and set out to collect some gold coins from the county's financial authorities.

Typically, Lisa would handle this task, but her whereabouts were unknown for the moment, and I couldn't trust her with these matters anyways.

As I approached the entrance of the financial office, I heard someone calling out my name from close by. I turned to look and saw a man slowly walking toward me. "Young master, may I be of assistance?" he asked in a polite tone.

"Yes, I have come to collect my monthly allowance. There are some items I need to purchase in the Outer Market," I responded.

Although I recognized the man from my previous life, before regression, I couldn't recall his name. His eyebrows rose when he heard my request.

"Young master, you could have sent a servant for such tasks," the man replied.

"I would have, but unfortunately, I couldn't locate any of them. I even asked the guards, but they also hadn't seen them," I explained, feigning innocence. I knew what was going on, but I didn't want to give myself away.

The man looked past me, lost in thought for a moment, before finally saying, "Okay, then I will look into it. Please come and accept your allowance."

I thanked him, and we went inside the office. The hustle and bustle of the place caught my attention. The man asked me to wait on a chair as he went into a documentation room.

After a few minutes, some heated arguments started coming from the room. When the voices died down, the man approached me looking awkward.

"I'm sorry, young master, but there seems to be no allowance allocated to you for the last three months," he said.

"What!?" I exclaimed.

There was an awkward silence between us before he continued, "I'm sorry, young master. I have checked multiple times, but it is true."

I sat there quietly for a while, thinking carefully. It seemed I had really triggered my father and other ministers this time. The enhanced hearing from my mana application on my ears picked up some whispers coming from the people working at their desks.

"Looks like Lord Count really plans to disown the Youngest Lord."

"Well, why wouldn't he? Not only has he disgraced his House Name but also the entire county by learning swordsmanship."

"Yes, yes, I think he deserved it. I also…"

I brushed aside these whispers and focused on my thoughts. It wasn't like I didn't have other ways of gaining money. I should be grateful they didn't kick me out of the castle. At least I was getting food and a big place to stay.