✩ Chapter 1 ✩
[The Forge Where Knights Are Born]
Beneath the bold sign that read “The Forge Where Knights Are Born,”
Rachel Swan forced the corners of her trembling lips upward into a professional business smile.
“Did you say you want to entrust two students to our school?”
The man in front of her nodded.
It was late at night, and he had suddenly arrived at the school without any notice.
Glossy black hair. Eyes as dark as the deepest night. And a cold, sharp gaze.
He had an extraordinary presence.
Rachel had met many noble parents during school consultations.
She could tell immediately.
This wasn’t the aura of an ordinary noble.
A few days ago, the Chief Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace had unexpectedly visited the school.
It’s Crown Prince Lucas Maxim.
In the original novel, he was known as the ruthless man who would lead the continental war.
On top of that, he was a high-ranking character who would never have any connection with an extra like Rachel Swan.
I think I’ve gotten involved with the wrong person.
Ignoring Rachel’s silent panic, the man continued speaking.
“I’ve heard many rumors about this school. They say you can turn even children abandoned by their own parents into respectable people.”
“…Thank you for the compliment.”
The blond man quietly looked Rachel up and down as if judging her.
“Normally, I would carefully examine your teaching methods. But if even the strict noble ladies recommend this place, then your abilities must already be proven.”
He raised his chin toward the two boys sitting carelessly behind him.
“Turn those two into proper human beings.”
Rachel glanced at the two boys who had entered the principal’s office with him.
They looked about the age of fifth or sixth graders by Korean standards. Or perhaps they were younger but simply well-grown.
Unlike the man sitting perfectly straight with flawless posture, the two boys behaved as badly as possible.
“Brother, why did you bring us to this old place? It doesn’t look very elegant or refined.”
“I tore a couple of paintings on the wall while coming here. Add that to the bill too. Or don’t. I don’t care.”
Rachel tightly closed her eyes.
Just those few words told her everything she needed to know.
She had met plenty of children like them in her previous life.
Kids whose arrogance reached the sky.
Children suffering from an early case of the so-called eighth-grader syndrome.
Normally, rebellious children like these weren’t difficult for Rachel.
She had plenty of experience.
But these weren’t ordinary students.
They were Imperial Princes.
If she disciplined them the same way she did normal children, she might lose her head tomorrow.
Then the man’s next words stopped every thought in her mind.
“I’ll donate as much money as you want.”
“…As much as I want?”
Rachel blinked her large eyes.
None of the nobles who had come here before had ever made such an unbelievable offer.
“That’s right. As much as you want.”
The man who had looked like the Grim Reaper just moments ago suddenly seemed to shine with holy light.
Maybe this is possible.
No… I have to make it possible.
Her heart instantly made its decision.
She had started this school because of debt.
Naturally, the person willing to pay the most was the best customer.
Thinking that, Rachel’s face immediately brightened.
“I’ve been waiting for someone like you. Please leave them to me.”
Please leave your younger brothers…
To Swan Knight Academy—
A place called a knight academy on the outside…
But in reality, a school that reformed troublesome children.
A Few Months Earlier
A heavy silence filled the room as three people sat around an old round table that looked ready to collapse.
After exchanging uneasy glances for a while,
Rachel spoke first.
“Colo.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“How much debt does our family still have?”
“I’ve already written everything down here.”
The old man in his sixties, called Colo, immediately handed her a sheet of paper.
Rachel frowned as she counted the numbers.
Seeing the endless rows of zeros, she let out a quiet sigh.
“Our financial situation is terrible.”
“Sadly… that is correct.”
She kept tapping her pen against the table while muttering to herself.
No matter how I think about it, there’s no solution.
She still didn’t fully understand the prices in this world.
But even by normal standards…
Nine zeros was an enormous amount.
“The debt is calculated as of today. Since the interest compounds, the amount will increase again tomorrow.”
The platinum-blond man sitting beside the butler added calmly.
He was over 190 centimeters tall.
He had handsome features, clear green eyes, and a muscular body.
He was Henry,
the knight of the Swan family.
“Most of the debt belongs to Duke Kellyu?”
“Yes. The former head of the family was close to Duke Kellyu while he was alive.”
Why did I have to reincarnate into a ruined family like this?!
Rachel shut her eyes tightly as she remembered yesterday morning.
Until then,
she had simply been an ordinary working adult.
She had never imagined something like this would happen.
Normally, when someone reincarnated into the body of a noble lady in a romance fantasy…
They would wake up to the gentle voice of a maid.
Instead—
“Wake up, Lady Rachel! Today is the day you have to pay the interest!”
She had opened her eyes to the sound of debt collectors.
“…Interest?”
“So now you’ve decided to pretend you don’t know anything? I’ve been coming here for months.”
Only after the butler managed to send the debt collector away did Rachel slowly understand where she was.
The Swan family was only a baron family.
But thanks to their valuable farmland in the southern grain region,
they had always lived comfortably.
However,
that happiness didn’t last forever.
Baron Swan became addicted to gambling.
Then the Baroness fell ill with a mysterious disease.
The family quickly fell apart.
After the Baroness died,
the Baron escaped reality by borrowing more and more money to gamble.
Eventually,
he also died from illness.
Leaving behind only his reckless only daughter.
Rachel Swan.
In the original novel,
she was described as an incredible beauty.
But years of debt and hardship ruined even her appearance.
She was such an unimportant character that she only appeared briefly during the world-building explanation.
Out of everyone…
Rachel had become that unfortunate extra.
I finally escaped student records and endless paperwork from my previous life…
And now I’m drowning in debt?
This life was far too cruel.
“I absolutely refuse to live like this!”
An extra character paying off her family’s debt wouldn’t change the original story.
And even if it did…
So what?
Her own future mattered more.
After organizing her thoughts,
Rachel gathered the only two people who hadn’t abandoned the Swan family—
Butler Colo
and Knight Henry.
“I couldn’t be happier.”
Colo suddenly spoke.
Rachel looked at him.
“Happier?”
“I’ve been so worried about how someone as innocent and sheltered as you would survive this situation…”
His emotions overflowed as he spoke.
He quietly wiped away tears with his gloved hand.
The strict butler was actually crying.
That alone showed how hopeless the original Rachel had been.
“But today… you called us here yourself and suggested solving the debt problem.”
“Ah… Father and Mother appeared in my dream and told me to stay strong.”
Rachel casually made up an excuse before returning to her calculations.
There was no time to panic.
She had to find a way out before she ended up homeless.
Let’s think.
Right now, all I have is this unnecessarily huge mansion…
…and these two people.
The first was Butler Colo Brown.
With more than half of his hair turned white and a long white beard,
he was famous enough to become the bestselling author of etiquette books.
He was extremely strict about manners.
His stern face and deep voice alone were enough to intimidate anyone.
The second was Henry Chesper.
While Colo stayed out of loyalty,
Henry remained for a different reason.
He was the knight who had earned the greatest achievements during the last continental war.
His swordsmanship was so outstanding that many powerful families wanted him.
Yet,
he rejected every offer.
Instead,
he stayed with the nearly bankrupt Swan family.
The reason wasn’t difficult to figure out.
He’s in love with Rachel.
The man who usually looked as cold as stone would blush whenever he talked to Rachel.
If their fingertips accidentally touched,
he would awkwardly clear his throat.
His expression completely fell apart.
Finally…
Rachel herself.
Before reincarnating,
her name had been Yoo Ji-hyun.
She had majored in elementary education,
earned a master’s degree in counseling education,
and worked as a teacher responsible for upper elementary students—
Children going through the most difficult stage of early puberty.
…Looks like this is my only choice.
Rachel knew better than anyone how she could earn money with her own abilities.
She would establish a Knight Academy that specialized in reforming troublesome children.
There was a reason she specifically chose the title Knight Academy.
Titles mattered.
In reality,
it would simply be a school that corrected problem children.
But if she actually called it a Problem Child Reform School…
What parent would willingly send their precious child there?
The title “Knight” gives it a much better public image.
If I use this well…
I can definitely make money.
Rachel suddenly stood up.
The two men looked at her in confusion.
“Colo. Prepare to send some letters.”
“Letters?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“It’s time to negotiate.”
When Rachel slowly opened her eyes again, madness shined within them.
