The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

Had I ever mentioned the total amount of effort?
Lancel had felt as if, since he spent decades wandering the seashore in the previous cycle, he had nearly exhausted his entire reserve of effort.

Another world.
The sea.
Wandering.
The best.
The vast forests, mountains, and fields of the continent were certainly beautiful, but nothing quite matched the dazzling spectacle of the unspoiled sea, untouched by civilization’s pollution.
And what about the seafood caught quickly whenever he cast a fishing line? Lancel felt he wanted to take these ingredients straight to the 21st century and open a restaurant immediately.

Though he’d never cooked anything beyond battlefield rations, with ingredients like this he was confident he could earn at least one Michelin star.
‘My mouth’s watering.’
For now, he decided to forget where Merigold might be or what she might be doing.

Her eyesight should be fine by now. She’d be doing something to get by, and maybe, just maybe, she’d have the luck to win over a prince on her own.
‘...Yeah, right.’
Though realistically, that probability was zero.

Anyway, Lancel simply looked forward to this ten-year vacation.
At last, he was heading to the archipelago of his dreams.
A land where whales swam, delicacies danced on the tongue, and beauties tempted passersby.

.
.
.
“Now you’re just making excuses because you lost money! Tch!”
“Y-you...!”
Lancel quietly watched the scene unfold.

Merigold.
No doubt about it.
It was Merigold.
“If you lose a bet, be a man and accept it! Are you really going to act this petty over just two silver coins? Aren’t you ashamed?”
“I-I was trying to cut you some slack because you’re a kid!”
“Hey! He’s hitting an innocent person! Everyone, look at this!”
“I-I didn’t hit! Not yet!”
Merigold.

She had grown strong.
Sipping on a glass of fruit liquor, Lancel silently observed the whole sequence.
‘How did she get into running a con game?’
The earliest point Lancel saw Merigold was when she was around fifteen.

Merigold lost her noble status and family at exactly age ten.
Thus, Lancel met her five years after all that had happened without any involvement on his part.
Meeting slightly different versions of Merigold each time was due to this reason.

The changes in her mindset during those five years unseen by Lancel deeply affected her in many ways.
“Money in, money out!”
Running a shell game was a somewhat special case, but...

“I can’t take this anymore, you cheating kid!”
“Eek!”
When the commotion got too loud, Lancel finally stood up.
A man who lost money landed a punch squarely on Merigold’s face.

“Clang!”
 
“Wow, that was really close this time. Thanks for saving me. Hehe.”
A dark bruise marked his eyelid. A cloth held his nose to stop the bleeding.

A fifteen-year-old kid gulping down fruit juice and making an exclamation as if it were beer.
“Since it’s my treat, eat up, benefactor. Come on, hurry!”
“...”
Even the small pats on Lancel’s back came from Merigold’s hands.

It was definitely Merigold.
“I’d heard people around here were a bit rough, but I never imagined they’d throw punches at a fragile person like me!”
He smiled broadly despite the blue bruise on his face.

Suddenly curious, Lancel asked:
“You still look young. Why are you so obsessed with money?”
“Huh? Money is good, benefactor.”
Merigold took out a shining silver coin.

“Disputes, conflicts, sorrow, grief, hunger—all are solved with this.”
Though she seemed to cause disputes.
“My goal is to get to the territory.”
“The territory?”

Lancel tilted his head in confusion.
“Isn’t it just about going there?”
“No, that would only bring the body there, benefactor. I don’t want to wander the streets without a penny to my name.”
Merigold sighed heavily.

“Outsiders can’t easily find work, can’t get permits for business, and scary people lurk everywhere—there’s a risk of things going wrong.”
‘She’s smart.’
Lancel had always thought Merigold rushed into the territory penniless and unprepared, but hearing it from her own mouth impressed him genuinely.

‘She’s self-aware after all.’
What kind of five years did she live? Did she study economics somewhere hidden away?
Lancel set down his drink and asked:

“So your goal is to go to the territory with plenty of money?”
“Yes! I’ll build a big mansion, hire servants to manage the gardens, and have fresh bread baked every morning...! I heard if you donate a lot to the Martyr Church, you get treated like a minor noble—is that true?”
As Merigold excitedly described her goals with sparkling eyes, Lancel briefly recalled Baron Ibil Shen.
Yeah, being rich is the best—even if they call you a nouveau riche or a fake noble.

“Good goal, but if you make money running cons for ten years, you won’t have enough for a mansion, let alone a single maid’s room. You’d get hit faster if that punch on your face turned into a sword.”
“S-swords are a bit...”
Merigold started rubbing the bruised eye with an herbal pouch.
“I don’t plan on just gambling for money.”

An admission.
“Then how will you make money?”
A knowing smile crept onto Merigold’s lips.

“Of course, through shipping investments.”
“Shipping investments?”
Lancel sighed. Shipping investments—simply put, investing in merchant ships.
Praying for the ships they invested in to return, fully loaded with profitable goods from some distant continent, over about 10 to 20 months.

In a world where most logistics relied on carts, and even the trains were mortgaged to the imperial court and military, shipping investments were lucrative.
Salt and spices were the prime commodities—their value-to-weight ratio was unmatched.
If successful, returns could multiply dozens or hundreds of times.

‘But... how is this different from gambling?’
Yeah, if the ship even makes it back.
Weather anomalies, outdated navigation, pirates, corrupt nobles, provocations from enemy nations, fraud, mutiny—so many risks to overcome.

Shipping investment was basically a high-stakes gamble with the odds stacked low.
‘Well, she’ll figure it out.’
Lancel rummaged in his pocket and handed something to Merigold.

“Here.”
“Huh?”
Merigold blinked in surprise receiving the shiny object. She opened her palm to check.
Three gold coins gleamed in her hand.

“...!”
Merigold jumped up in shock.
“Gold...!”
“Shh.”
“Ugh! Uhg!”

Lancel quickly covered her mouth.
“B-benefactor? Why give me such a large sum...?”
Clutching the coins tightly as if never to lose them, Merigold began sweating nervously. Her wide eyes trembled nonstop.

“You’re a kid with big ambitions, so think of this as investment. Pay me back double if you succeed. I’m lending you money I don’t even have myself.”
“Just double? You’re giving me such a huge amount for only double interest?!”
Merigold fell to her knees on the spot.
“I swear I’ll at least double your money—no, make it ten times! I, Meri, promise I’ll keep it. If I fail... I’ll find a way to pay you back!”
“Stop looking so nervous and get up.”
“Yes!”

Seeing the gold shine in her hand, Merigold’s face brightened with delight.
“They said I can invest starting from five gold coins, so if I gather just a bit more... heheh.”
How did she become such a miser?

He had stolen a total of ten gold coins from his family for travel funds, and three of those went to Merigold.
He didn’t expect much anyway.
He had no intention of sticking around with Merigold this cycle. This might be the last time he ever saw her.

Lancel needed to enjoy his vacation. The three gold coins were just a small allowance for his departure.
“Good luck, future magnate Meri.”
“Yes! Please come find me in the territory, benefactor.”
Leaving the enthusiastic Merigold behind, Lancel went back to his lodgings. Suddenly, her voice called out from behind.

“Benefactor! I still don’t know your name!”
“Lancel.”
“Huh?”
Without turning around, Lancel answered again.
“Lancel Dante.”

After a brief silence came her reply.
“Please! Come to # Nоvеlight # the territory for sure!”
Her voice trembled slightly.

“I’ll build the biggest house in the territory and keep a big room free for you to lounge in as my guest!”
“Going that far?”
Lancel chuckled and headed upstairs to his room.
“Do your best.”

 
The next day, Lancel immediately left the town. His long ten-year vacation had begun.
But after two years, a problem arose.
“I need to bring some money.”

He ran out of funds. He had indeed been spending too lavishly. After some thought, Lancel boarded a ship again to secure funds.
Arriving at a port city...
“From now on, we will execute by hanging the eleven who invested in pirate ships and gained illegal profits!”
“I didn’t know they’d turn into pirates! This is unfair...!”
“Shut up! Do you know which ships the pirates you sent attacked?!”

There, Lancel met Merigold, standing trembling atop a gallows.
Her face was pale and shaking. A tight noose was visible around her neck. The moment the trapdoor opened, she would hang.
“...”

Lancel silently wiped her face.
‘I expected investment failure... but this...’