Chapter 1
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It hadn’t been long since the nobility developed a new pastime called “sponsorship”.
Probably about a decade ago, coinciding with a steep decline in the number of guides compared to espers.
For nobles, sponsorship became a matter of pride. How comfortably they could provide for their sponsorees became a measure of their wealth.
When those sponsorees later made a name for themselves, endless praise was showered on the noble patrons for their foresight.
But it was less a charitable act and more of a role-playing game, essentially deceiving those they sponsored.
“Come on! Pick one, Addie. Hurry up! I’ve already narrowed down the ones who look good!”
Adrien strongly disliked the ruckus caused by her cousin, who arrived with a thick list of children waiting for sponsorship.
“Espers especially needs this! Absolutely necessary! Later, if these kids develop as guides, you’ll get a personal guide for free!”
Dodging Melonie’s eager glare, Adrien turned her head left.
“You know the number of guides keeps dropping, right? It’ll get worse when you become an adult. You’ll be drowning in a shortage of guiding and might end up going berserk and dying, you know?”
This time she turned her head right.
“Adrien! Are you really going to do this?”
Melonie finally exploded, frustrated by Adrien’s ignorance.
The piercing voice made Adrien’s expression crumple. Her uniquely red eyes narrowed.
“You’re hurting my ears, sis.”
“Exactly! Start sponsoring now for the future. Look, it’s good for these kids too. Right now, some of them are starving without a crumb of bread, but thanks to your charity, they would be eating well and studying what they want. They get to live a new life.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Regardless of purpose, isn’t it better than doing nothing?”
Melonie blinked her big eyes.
“If it weren’t for this sponsorship game, which noble would bother pouring money into poor kids?”
It was an undeniable fact. Adrien sighed deeply, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
“Addie, then you should just do genuine sponsorship. Forget about having a personal guide or anything like that. Wouldn’t that be fine?”
“No, it’s bothersome.”
“…You’ll be an adult next year. What are you going to say in the social circle without even a single sponsoree? And you’re not exactly eloquent.”
“If that’s the reason, then even more so…”
“Ah, I misspoke! Let me put it again! Does it make sense for the noble Brillante family not to have at least one sponsoree? It’s your duty, got it?”
That damned duty.
But it was the reflex driving Adrien forward, something she had to obey even if she didn’t want to.
“…Fine, just one.”
“Good! Hurry and look.”
Still with a scowl, Adrien reached out for the list.
It was thick and heavy. The thought of so many poor children waiting their turn for this role-play made her throat dry.
Anyone with a shred of sense would know these kids needed systemic support more than mere money.
But most nobles had no interest in anything productive. Adrien was no different, at least in political matters. She felt no need to contribute to the country that way.
She had other, more dangerous things planned.
“I think this one and this one are good. They say many of their relatives have developed as guides.”
“Forget about guides.”
“Tch.”
Melonie tapped a few names and fell silent when she caught Adrien’s gaze.
Adrien listlessly skimmed the pages, flipping repeatedly. The list only had the poor kids’ names, ages, and addresses.
What was she supposed to choose from that? It would have been better to list them in order of who needed help most.
Her eyes stopped on one name.
“Sammy.”
A very cute name.
“Hm?”
“I’ll pick this one.”
“Let me see… Sammy Norah. Eleven years old?”
It was clearly a girl’s name and seven years younger than Adrien.
Melonie, who had been scheming to get a guide attached to her cousin under the guise of goodwill, was displeased.
“Wouldn’t a more mature kid be better? And preferably a boy…”
“…”
“Fine! Fine, whatever. This one it is!”
Seeing Adrien about to change her mind, Melonie hastily grabbed the list.
While ordinary nobles sponsored for the role-play, espers had an additional reason: to get guides.
By sponsoring kids who might develop as guides or already had, they could be repaid when those kids matured.
For espers, who were always desperate for guides, it became a popular and efficient way to secure obedient guides.
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