Jobless Reincarnation: The King with a Mental Problem

Summer of the 412th year of the Kakuryū calendar

They got up very early in the morning, and before the sun rose, the Shadow King and the Beast Master Paul rode their horses to patrol the village.

Wang rode the miraculously victorious Mambo, while Paul rode his Cavallaccio.

My father and I, one tall and one short, walked side by side.

I didn't get up so early just to go shopping.

"You stinky old man."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Are we going to go bankrupt?"

"This..." Paul's back visibly stiffened. "How did you, you heartless bastard, know that?"

How did you know?

That's because the quality of the food has dropped significantly recently. Although there are plenty of potatoes, bread, and vegetables, the quality of meat and fruit has clearly declined. Coupled with Senis's occasional sighs, even I, the king, can tell what's going on.

"Are you taking me for a fool?"

"Well, anyway, I don't need your concern, kid. Your dad will figure something out."

I don't doubt your resolve, but I do doubt your ability...

"Sigh... I really didn't want to care, but Father, you don't seem very reliable."

A respected village knight-errant is going bankrupt? Can you believe it? Did you go on a gambling and whoring spree while you were in town?

"Don't talk nonsense! Your father has long since reformed and turned over a new leaf! The money is all spent on legitimate things."

"A proper place?"

"Hmm! A proper place!"

But something's not right. Paul's monthly salary is 5 silver coins, which puts him among the elite in the village and even the town.

Senis also works at the clinic and earns two silver coins a month.

In addition, when Paul was handling the team's disbandment procedures, he put all the money the team had deposited into his own pocket.

That's over two hundred gold coins!

Even if Paul didn't eat or drink, he would still be receiving his salary for over thirty years!

"So where did all the money go?"

"The main reason is that you recently renovated your house into a big one, didn't you?"

"You think the renovations cost you two hundred gold coins? You must be kidding!"

"There aren't that many. We only had about seventy left before the Lunar New Year. The renovations almost used up all of them. If we hadn't prepared a birthday present for Rudy in advance, we might have had to make do with something else for his birthday."

"That can't be right! Where did the money you stole go? All that junk in the house can't possibly be worth that much!?"

"I don't know either. It's all junk, but it's worth a lot of money. Just your and Rudy's new bed cost ten gold coins, and then there are the curtains, the flooring, the sofa, and all sorts of tables, chairs, cabinets, and stools. And the house isn't even finished being renovated yet. By the time I realized it, all the gold coins were gone, and now I have to live on my salary..."

The church bells rang several times in the distance, causing me to fall silent for a while.

All these things can't be saved during the Great Migration, so how can we spend all our savings on this pile of junk?

"...Heh, so it was my fault after all."

"Yeah! That's right! It's all your fault! You always get up at night to sneak into the kitchen and eat! It turns out that this half-grown brat is really eating his father out of house and home!"

"...Not just me, Rudy ate it too."

It used to be because of my irregular schedule, but now I'm genuinely hungry.

I do get really hungry after using the healing magic every night to speed up my recovery; I get so hungry I can't stand it.

This made Rudy get up in the middle of the night to cook extra meals with me.

"And another thing! The paper, pens, and ink you use for writing and drawing every day aren't cheap! And you waste them terribly!"

"...Uh, those are all the fruits of wisdom."

"I know! That's why I always buy them for you, but could you please be a little more economical with your usage?"

"Yes...yes..."

Initially, we did use something like a blackboard, only writing on paper and in books when recording research findings. But since returning, we've wasted a lot of it, mostly using it for drawing...

"And what about you! How did you grow up like this? You'll outgrow your clothes and shoes in no time."

"What can I do? Can you stop your son from growing taller? Besides, Rudy can wear my hand-me-downs, can't he?"

"...That would be so embarrassing! What would Rudy think? What would everyone else think?"

"Then sell some things you don't need?"

"What can I sell? My precious sword, or you?"

"How about we sell Rudy? Sell him to Philip as a child groom?"

Paul cursed as he kicked the king’s armored buttocks hard with his boots.

"Get lost! Why don't you sell your horse? We already have a horse at home, and I've never seen you ride it more than a few times a day. Are you just keeping it to eat?"

"No! Mambo alone won't do! Mambo has incredible luck! I've already signed a contract with him! Keeping him at home might ward off evil spirits!"

Wang wasn't making things up. When we were experimenting with nuclear magic on the beach, although we were far away, our house was destroyed by the shockwave, but Mambo was trapped underneath and survived, covered in blood and gore.

It's a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Maybe this Mambo is some kind of chosen divine beast, and signing a contract can ensure the safety of his whole family.

Although it was only a verbal agreement...

"I don't believe your nonsense!"

"In short, Mambo cannot be sold!"

Wang patted Mambo on the neck.

Mambo snorted, as if to say, "Exactly, exactly."

"...Sigh, then what do you suggest we do?"

"Ultimately, why is furniture so expensive? Aren't there any cheaper options?"

"Of course there are cheaper options, but wouldn't that be a bit out of place with the houses you're building?"

Imagine living in a big villa, but your mattress and pillows are made of hay.

On the marble floor, there were tables and chairs pieced together from broken wooden planks.

A tattered cloth is hung as a curtain in front of the French windows.

It's fine now that it's summer, but in winter, how much firewood would you need to heat such a big house? Did you chop the firewood for nothing?

"So you've spent all the money?"

"No, no, I still have money left for food..."

"You old geezer, you can barely support two sons, and you're still having kids with Mom every day? If you have another brother or sister, won't our family go completely bankrupt?"

"...I...I'll figure something out. Roltz often brings you meat from his hunts, so you won't go hungry."

"Does Uncle Roltz deliver meat often? I had no idea."

"Nonsense, otherwise do you think any family in the village can eat meat every day? Just because the quality of our food has dropped a little, you think we're bankrupt? You really only think about yourself."

Why am I being lectured like that again...?

"What nonsense! I was just worried that you two idiots had spent all your money and were starving."

"It's none of your business! Besides, aren't you two going to be leaving soon? Once you two money-devouring beasts are gone, I don't believe I can give birth to another money-devouring beast."

"Hey! You just kicked my butt. So you weren't angry that I was going to sell Rudy, but that you were upset that you didn't sell me off with him, right?"

"That's right! You're so smart and capable, you'll definitely fetch a good price! Use the money to support your new younger siblings, and everyone will be happy!"

The Shadow King, whose defenses were breached, and Paul exchanged insults.

"Ah~ Minos ****"

"Ashiba****"

"****!"

"****!"