"Marcus, you are a disgrace to our family. Therefore, we have decided… you are expelled from the House of…"
Those words sent a shiver down Marcus's spine. He froze in place for a moment, his mind racing.
"Expelled? I just reincarnated into this brat's body and now I'm being kicked out…? What the hell did this idiot do to get thrown out?"
He looked at his father, nervous and scrambling for a way out.
"Uh… why, Father? Did I do something wrong?"
The man before him didn't react—his expression frozen in disbelief at the word Father, a word Marcus had apparently never spoken before in his life.
"Marcus, you're asking what you did? Fine. You were expelled from the Academy for your laziness, you stole ten thousand gold coins from me to gamble and lost them all, and your endless trouble with other noble families is… exhausting."
The man—Lord Valdemor Berveld—sighed heavily, disappointment etched deep into his face.
"Pack your things and leave."
Marcus was stunned by the actions of the body's former owner.
"Damn it. Not only was Marcus ugly, he was a troublemaker too…"
He thought for a moment, and suddenly, a metaphorical lightbulb lit up above his head.
"Dear Father, what if we made a deal?"
Valdemor raised an eyebrow. "A deal? What kind?"
Marcus smirked mischievously, sitting down beside his father in the posture of a confident merchant.
"Give me just two months. I'll return the ten thousand gold coins to you, and I'll also repair our relationships with the other noble families. What do you say?"
Valdemor tried to keep a straight face, but then burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Ha… hahahaha!"
Marcus blinked in confusion. "What's so funny, Father?"
Valdemor wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling.
"You? Earning ten thousand gold and mending relationships? With that face of yours?" He laughed again.
Marcus cursed inwardly at the insult but forced himself to stay calm.
"I'm serious, Father. My future is on the line—if I can't gather the money, I won't just leave the family. I'll leave the kingdom entirely."
For the first time, Valdemor saw real confidence in Marcus's eyes—something the boy had never shown before.
"Such blind confidence… Fine. But how exactly do you plan to earn money and build relationships?"
Marcus's smirk deepened. "That will remain my secret for now. What matters is the result, right?"
Valdemor studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Agreed."
Marcus clenched his fists in triumph. "Bingo."
"Then, if you'll excuse me, I'll start tomorrow. Goodbye for now."
Marcus left the room, and as he did, the family butler, Silver, stepped in.
"How did the conversation go, Lord Valdemor?"
Valdemor walked over to an old, massive portrait of a beautiful blonde woman.
"Silver… Marcus has changed. I don't know how, but I want you to keep a close eye on him starting tomorrow."
Silver bowed in acknowledgment and left.
---
The Next Morning
Marcus washed his face, ready to begin his plan to gather money.
Knock knock knock
Silver entered with breakfast—bread, milk, and a small serving of sweets.
"You're awake, young master. Your breakfast is ready."
Marcus sat down to eat, but halfway through, he looked at Silver.
"I have two questions for you, and I want honest answers."
Surprised, Silver nodded.
"First question: What's the best way for a noble to make money?"
Silver looked serious. "For a noble? Normally, by inheriting your father's fortune. But since you're about to be expelled… I'd suggest selling magical items or hunting monsters. But you're weak, young master, and you can't use magic."
Marcus smiled faintly at the jab but didn't take offense.
"Magic, huh? I'll learn it later. Now for the second question."
Silver waited patiently.
"How many kingdoms are there, and which is the poorest?"
"There are six kingdoms sharing the land… each ready to devour the other if given the chance. But Rithan… ah, Rithan… Even the rats there dream of emigrating."
Marcus grinned. "Good. Tomorrow, prepare a carriage—we're going to Rithan. That's where I'll take the first step toward turning this ugly face into gold."
His twisted grin, paired with his unpleasant face, made him look like a demon. Silver had to resist showing disgust.
"Also, bring me books on learning magic… and a detailed map of Rithan."
Silver bowed but muttered to himself as he left the room, "Rithan… I never thought the lord would allow him to go there, especially after what happened ten years ago…"