Luke sat on the sofa and thought for a while, but he couldn't come to any conclusion.
As the sky outside gradually darkened, he lit the lamps in the living room. Then he flopped back onto the sofa and called Yurna over.
"The truffle porridge we ordered yesterday was pretty good. Same as usual—two portions of each. Go fast and come back fast."
He waved his hand, issuing the order like it was nothing.
These days, Luke's dinners were basically all bought from outside.
He couldn't be bothered to go himself, so he just had Yurna take the carriage and make the trip.
Luke closed his eyes to rest, but Yurna didn't leave right away. She leaned forward slightly and said, "Your Highness, there's no money left in the household."
"Huh?" One sentence made Luke open his eyes, wondering if he'd misheard. "What did you say?"
"There's no money left in the household."
Yurna repeated herself.
This time Luke heard clearly, but he still didn't think much of it. "If we're out, I'll just go to the palace and get more. It's a small problem."
He figured the two hundred-ish gold he'd taken last time he left the palace—plus the gold he'd exchanged from the training camp—had simply been spent by now.
That was normal.
Luke knew better than anyone how luxurious his days had been lately. His daily takeout started at twenty gold at minimum—absurdly high-end.
Even the tea leaves he'd tossed aside to replace with Smoky Earl Grey Tea had cost dozens of gold for just a few ounces, an extremely rare variety.
Did Luke so much as blink when he bought it?
Just as Luke was dismissing it, Yurna continued, "Your Highness, I'm afraid you can't."
Luke asked, puzzled, "Can't what?"
"A new royal edict has come down from the palace. Starting last week, each week you may only withdraw fifty gold as living expenses."
Yurna spoke slowly.
Luke took a moment to process the information.
After a long beat, he asked, "You're saying my allowance has been capped?"
"That seems to be the case."
Yurna nodded.
Luke stared blankly for a second, then erupted, slamming a hand on the table. "Impossible! Father would never do this to me. Someone with a death wish must be meddling behind the scenes. Prepare the carriage—I'm going to the palace!"
This time, he was genuinely furious.
This was outrageous!
"The meddler is me."
A voice came from behind him.
Luke spun around, anger still blazing—only to see Tianna smiling as she walked in. His fire immediately deflated by a few degrees.
"There's no need to go to the palace," Tianna said as she approached at an unhurried pace. "No point giving His Majesty a chance to go soft."
She walked closer, still smiling. "I figured you'd be running low by now, so I came to explain the situation—while I'm here, I'll also hear what you have to say."
Luke naturally had complaints, and he didn't hold them back. "I think fifty gold a week is completely unreasonable."
He was a prince of a kingdom, and he only got fifty gold a week to live on?
How was that supposed to make sense?
"Derlou, Phoenix Gathering Pavilion, Seashell Restaurant, Red Crab Hotel…"
Tianna didn't answer his complaint directly. Instead, she recited one establishment after another, then clicked her tongue twice. "All famous restaurants in the capital. Even ordinary nobles can't afford places like that."
One meal started at ten-plus gold. A minor noble could maybe go once in a while, but going every day? They'd collapse.
But Luke went every day.
And the worst part? One of Luke's meals was enough to cover two months of living expenses for a common family.
"Going is not the problem. Let me give you a number."
Tianna sat down on the sofa across from him. "Last month, the palace's subsidies to various regions—plus other expenditures—added up to twenty-four thousand seven hundred and twenty-one gold. Meanwhile, tax revenue and other income totaled twenty thousand eight hundred and thirty-three gold."
The implication was obvious: expenses exceeded income.
For a nation's finances, that wasn't unusual as long as the gap wasn't too large—keeping the two in relative balance meant stability.
But four thousand gold was still a significant amount.
"Do you know who usually covers that four thousand?" Tianna asked, seeing Luke's thoughtful expression and clearly aware he wasn't stupid.
"The royal family?" Luke answered.
Tianna nodded. "Correct. That shortfall is made up by His Majesty."
Jarvan III was the king. Taking money from the royal treasury to cover that gap was part of his duty.
Tianna continued, "The royal family has accumulated a thick foundation across generations. But you probably don't know this—your father, His Majesty Jarvan III, has lived more frugally than some second-rate nobles for half his life."
At that point, Luke more or less understood what Tianna meant.
He was spending money that wasn't his, so he didn't feel the pain.
Still… it was maddening. If the royal family had such deep reserves, what was the harm in letting him spend a little?
Of course, Luke didn't dare say that out loud.
"Don't think this is aimed at you," Tianna added. "Your older brother is under the same rule."
She stood, took two steps, and lightly patted Luke's shoulder with a smile. "I came to explain the situation. That's basically it. So—goodbye."
And with that, she actually left.
Like she'd come specifically to ruin his mood.
Luke sat on the sofa and rubbed his slightly throbbing temples. "Tell me. Where did the rest of the money go?"
Even with daily extravagant meals, nearly three hundred gold shouldn't have vanished that quickly.
Yurna, of course, kept records.
Hearing Luke's question, she answered calmly.
"The household's total funds were three hundred and ten gold. Over these past days: daily meals cost one hundred and sixty gold; purchasing a carriage, horses, and miscellaneous expenses cost fifty gold; living necessities cost fifteen gold; Autumnleaf Tea cost forty gold; and my wages are thirty gold per week."
"Wait." Luke couldn't help giving Yurna a long look. "You need wages, too?"
Yurna tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. "Your Highness, did you think I was working for free?"
Luke did the math, then asked, "So you're saying… out of my fifty gold per week, I have to give you thirty gold?"
Yurna nodded.
"Can I still return you?"
For the first time in his life, Luke felt that thirty gold was painfully expensive.
He stared at her from left to right, suspicion bubbling up in his eyes. "Tell me—are you an undercover agent that woman planted at my side?"
Something was off. Everything was off.
At this rate, he'd have only twenty gold a week to live on. Was he seriously not going to starve?
Yurna said nothing, simply standing quietly at his side.
"Forget it. Go buy some vegetables. Tonight, cook at home."
Luke sighed and waved his hand again.
There were still a dozen or so gold coins left in the house—enough to last until next week.
One of Luke's greatest strengths was that his adaptability was absurdly high.
No money? Fine. He'd just tighten his belt and spend less.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.