After some small talk, Hufu invited them to dinner at his mansion.
It was simply a gesture of hospitality—a welcoming banquet of sorts.
The carriage hadn’t traveled far when Hufu’s estate came into view.
It matched their own residence in size, with equally lush gardens.
In this drought-stricken land, the courtyard stayed green—it must’ve taken serious effort.
If that money went to drought relief, it’d make a real difference.
Clearly, Steward Hufu wasn’t just incompetent; he was utterly foolish.
Inside, crystal chandeliers hung like stars from the opulent ceiling.
Their brilliant light flooded the hall, outshining the dim outside sky.
Sophia seemed a little nervous, experiencing upper-class luxury for the first time.
But Teresia’s eyes lit up!
She wasn’t impressed by the gilded hall—her gaze locked on the long table nearby.
It was draped in crisp white cloth and piled high with food.
Hufu had prepared this feast well in advance.
Derek and Hufu sat opposite each other at the table.
To Derek’s left sat Teresia, Sophia, and Xinzel in order.
Hufu’s side was far more impressive—Derek didn’t recall their names.
He mentally labeled them First Mistress, Second Mistress, Third Mistress… down to Little Mistress.
Such a lavish lineup confirmed Hufu’s wealth.
Derek knew keeping women was expensive.
With so many mistresses here, Hufu’s riches were obvious.
But no ordinary steward could afford this.
Derek smirked inwardly. He’d definitely steal his way to a wealthy future.
Though Hufu had many women, Teresia alone could out-eat them all at dinner.
But that wasn’t something to brag about.
Teresia devoured everything like a whirlwind—every bite cost money.
After the meal, she was satisfied. Hufu’s face, though, looked gloomy.
Derek wasn’t surprised. Hufu hadn’t expected such a costly banquet.
Staring at Teresia’s stack of empty plates, Derek sighed again.
As a man, he needed to rob… earn money to support his family.
The Holy Lady’s round, full belly was an ominous sign.
If he didn’t get funds soon, he’d go bankrupt before the Holy See took Teresia away.
“Young Master Derek, were you pleased with the banquet?” Hufu asked with a smile.
Teresia mentally gave a thumbs-up!
Derek ignored him and shifted the topic. “My father sent me to take over Dakelos. You know that.”
“Yes, Young Master. His Grace Duke Wudewen stated it clearly in his letter.”
“Then hand everything over tonight. First, I’ll review the recent account books.”
Hufu paused, caught off guard by Derek’s urgency.
Going straight for the accounts? Was this a new boss flexing power?
But Hufu stayed calm, even smirking inwardly.
This young master was still so naive.
…
In the study, Hufu piled years of Dakelos account books onto the desk.
Derek grabbed one without hesitation. To get money, he had to find Hufu’s embezzlement.
Teresia peeked curiously but instantly felt dizzy at the dense numbers.
Sophia watched too, unable to understand. She admired Derek even more.
He truly was her god—wise enough to grasp such complexity.
Xinzel, however, worried deeply. Bookkeeping was a specialized skill.
Daily trades only needed simple math. But ledgers involved huge quantities and tedious calculations.
Nobles taught heirs arithmetic and abacus use.
Duke Wudewen hadn’t trained Derek in this.
Without an abacus, what could Derek possibly uncover?
…
Derek exhaled sharply. He felt mocked—not by Xinzel, but by Hufu’s confident smile.
Seeing Hufu so calm, Derek had expected clever hiding.
But this? A three-digit number times a two-digit number equaled a three-digit number?!
Seriously—had this “genius” Hufu even finished elementary school?
Or was he pulling the “my math teacher died young” routine?
Truth was, Hufu was a professional.
Here, math tied closely to asset tracking.
Commoners didn’t need complex calculations—they lacked wealth.
The rich cared only about knowing their riches, not simplifying stats.
So math stayed underdeveloped, like a forgotten language.
Even the multiplication table didn’t exist here.
That’s why Hufu thought no one would spot his sloppy records.
…
“Hufu, bring me a notebook and pen.” Derek would settle this properly.
“Yes, Young Master Derek.” Hufu smiled, utterly relaxed.
In his mind, bookkeeping baffled even him without an abacus.
What could a kid like Derek do with just paper?
“Here you are, Young Master.”
Derek scribbled furiously. Hufu glanced over but saw gibberish.
He grew smugger. Heh, this boy was such a natural actor~
But Derek’s shock deepened. Hufu’s “math” revealed massive embezzlement!
Imagine promising Teresia ten cakes—then Hufu stole half during delivery.
If the Holy Lady knew he’d stolen her cakes?
She’d send every Holy Knight to wipe out his family!
…Okay, off track. No one dared snatch food from Teresia anyway.
But Hufu’s greed was good news. His stolen money was Derek’s to steal.
No more games. This account needed a proper calculation.
