The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

“No way.”
No, it wasn’t possible.

This time, he denied it. No matter how unpredictable Marigold was, there was no way she could have become the leader of a bandit gang within just two years.
Having settled his mind, Ransell resumed enjoying the harvest festival.
But for some reason,

throughout the entire festival, the sweet scent of fruit wine, the sizzling smell of roasting meat, the dances and music in the fields—nothing could hold his attention.
Only when a shadow lingered in front of the wanted poster late at night did he finally resign himself.
“Ugh, how many bounties have you stuck up here?”

There, tearing off a wanted poster, stood nineteen-year-old Marigold.
“I knew it.”
Ransell picked up a wooden stick from the ground and gently tapped her head.

“Gotcha, bandit leader.”
“Eek!”
She jumped back about five steps and fell face down on the ground.

“Oof!”
Ransell crouched to meet the eye level of Marigold, clutching her nose.
“Looks like you’re going to collect a nice bounty, bandit leader Mary.”

“T-that’s not true! It’s a misunderstanding! It’s all a false accusation! I’ve never done anything wrong! I’m just a poor person! Please spare me... huh?”
Marigold muttered with her eyes squeezed shut, and their eyes met.
“...”

“Why don’t you try making an excuse?”
She gave no response, her face blank.
Every time Ransell poked the space between her eyes with his finger, she just blinked silently.
“Benefactor... sir?”

Tears started to fall from Marigold’s eyes like chicken droppings.
—
 
“Sniff, sniff, gulp.”

Ransell moved them to a nearby inn and waited until Marigold, clinging tightly to him and crying for a long time, calmed down.
“Why do I always reunite with you like this, Benefactor?”
“That’s what I want to ask. How come your life is always hanging by a thread every time I see you?”

At this point, it was more surprising that she was still alive and hadn’t died yet.
“Stop crying and tell me what happened. Before I drag you to the guards and exchange you for 25 gold coins, you bandit leader.”
“I-it’s a false accusation! Baron Bake, that wicked man, took my money and framed me!”

“What are you talking about?”
“When I took over the merchant guild, I also inherited the right to collect debts. But that turned out to be a scheme by Baron Bake and the guild, and I was fooled and accused of being a bandit!”
“Explain carefully.”

Ransell wiped the sweat from his brow as the story poured out like a waterfall in her trembling voice.
Marigold gulped down a cup of cold water to calm herself, then spoke again.
“A year ago, I got lucky and made a lot of money. It was about acquiring a shipwreck, but you don’t need to know that...!”

Ransell’s eyes sharpened—she wasn’t investing in another pirate ship, was she? Marigold quickly changed the subject.
“After staying at the guild, I realized I’d have to become the guildmaster to make money.”
“Sitting and collecting commissions is quite profitable.”

“That’s right! Exactly, Benefactor!”
Marigold brightened as soon as she felt understood but quickly her expression darkened.
“So when I heard a famous guild in this area was going to be sold outright, I bought it.”

“For how much?”
“Twenty-five gold coins...”
Coincidentally, exactly her bounty amount.

“And with it, I also received the right to collect 150 gold coins from Baron Bake.”
“So then Baron Bake framed your guild as bandits?”
“Yes! That’s it! Benefactor, you’ll believe me, right?”

“...”
“You’ll believe me... won’t you...?”
Ransell had actually sensed it all along.

Ever since Marigold was suddenly labeled the leader of a bandit gang, he had a rough idea of what was going on.
“If you get rid of the creditor, the debt disappears.”
In his centuries living in this world, he had seen firsthand the behavior and tricks of nobles, and it never ended at just this.

“Bandit” was a label that was easy to slap on in this era — neighbors, enemies, foreign troops, anyone who was annoying. If it sounded plausible, that name could stick anywhere.
Often, anyone could be grabbed, beheaded, and hung up with no story heard, and everyone would just assume they were bandits.
“Benefactor...”

“First, wipe your face.”
“Ugh!”
Ransell wiped Marigold’s tear-soaked face with a handkerchief.

“Do you have the debt documents?”
“Yes, yes!”
Seeing her answer, Ransell trusted her and she fumbled through her clothes.

Finally, she pulled out a neatly rolled parchment.
“Here...!”
“I brought some food.”

At that moment,
the inn door started opening without knocking. Ransell quickly shoved Marigold’s head under his robe to hide her.
A short scream echoed inside the robe. Exactly then, a maid entered.

“...What are you doing?”
The maid eyed Ransell suspiciously as he hurriedly rearranged the spilled water cup.
“Nothing. Just leaving this here.”

Ransell pushed Marigold further inside his robe as he replied.
“Y-yes...”
Suspicious look.

“Anything else you need?”
Sniff sniff.
He grabbed the collar of the person suddenly smelling inside his robes and gently pulled him away.

“If you remember, tell me then.”
“The bath will be ready soon, so just say whenever.”
The maid left and closed the door.

Only after hearing the footsteps fade completely did Ransell take Marigold out from under the thick robe’s folds.
Marigold, trapped inside, had flushed cheeks and radiated heat.
She seemed to have resisted coming out for a moment. Must have been just a feeling.

“Anyway.”
“...Yes!”
Startled, Marigold had the debt documents snatched from her.

“This is all the money they’ll accept, right?”
“Is that... possible?”
“There’s always a way. I’m a noble.”

Using his family’s power.
“I’m here to collect a debt.”
On a spring morning stretching its warmth, Ransell went to the stronghold of Baron Bake.

“I’m here to collect the 150 gold coins Baron Bake borrowed. Please open the door.”
After a lot of noise outside the walled fortress, soldiers peeked out.
“Where are you from?”

“From the Mary Guild.”
“Mary Guild? Was there such a guild?”
“If Baron Bake hears, he’ll know.”

“Wait here.”
The soldier left and soon returned, bow in hand. The door opened and guards rushed out.
“Catch that thief!”

“How dare a thief shamelessly come asking for money!”
Ransell quickly urged his horse and fled. Arrows whizzed past, tearing the air near him.
“Baron Bake! You’ve made a mistake!”

—
 
“That’s what happened.”
“Tsk, tsk.”

Ransell recounted the recent events to the Dante family back home, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.
Next to him was Marigold, who looked uneasy, eyes darting everywhere.
Come to think of it, it was probably her first time being brought home.

“So.”
Marquis Dante started. His brows furrowed deeply.
“You invested money in this Marigold who owns the guild, but Baron Bake, who was in debt to her, framed her as a bandit? Including you? Not only was she shunned at the door, but also threatened with arrows?”

“You’re quick to understand. As expected of my father. If those arrows had been more accurate, imagine what would’ve happened to me. Just think about it.”
“Serves you right.”
His mother, Lady Dante, sitting opposite, pinched her forehead.

“Why did you bring home a woman? I thought she’d finally get married, but why are you such a troublemaker, unlike your brothers?”
“A free spirit...”
“Free? What freedom!”

At her sharp scolding, Marigold shivered.
“That’s enough.”
After much thought, Marquis Dante spoke.

“Baron Bake wouldn’t have done that without reason, kid. From what I see, you probably did something wrong. You’re the worst for making enemies for no reason.”
“Harsh words for your son.”
“Shut up...”

Marquis Dante waved his hands as if bothered.
No matter the justification, nobles preferred to avoid conflicts among themselves.
“Forget it. Just consider the money gone. I’ll send a messenger myself to clear up the misunderstanding. He’ll offer some small token as well.”

“One hundred fifty.”
“...”
“Gold coins.”

“...”
“Just the principal.”
“...!”

Marquis Dante sprang to his feet.
“Who does Baron Bake serve under?”
“Challe Border Marquis, I heard. A reasonable man.”

“Get ready.”
Marquis Dante began preparing. His wife shook her head.
“Let’s go collect the money quickly. You ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) said Mary, right?”

“Yes, yes, Your Grace!”
“Lead the way.”
.
.
.

“Baron Bake, you damn wretch who dared threaten my precious son as a bandit, come out of your castle right now!”
A booming voice echoed through Baron Bake’s territory.
From soldiers to local residents, all watched tensely as an unexpected troop of cavalry clad in full armor swarmed the area.

The guards protecting the village couldn’t even think of stopping them. The aura of a traditional knightly family overwhelmed them, and the militia guards scrambled to make way.
This small rural barony was no match.
“Baron Bake! Can’t you hear me? Come out now! Or shall I open the door myself to relieve my anger?”

Soon the stronghold’s gates opened.
“Huff, huff!”
A sweaty, portly middle-aged man rushed out—Baron Bake.

“W-well-known Marquis Dante, why come to this humble countryside...”
“You shot an arrow at my son and still pretend you don’t know?”
“Ah, you mean my son?”

“Yes. Don’t you recognize his face?”
His finger pointed at Ransell.
Baron Bake’s eyes passed over him and landed on the woman seated before Ransell.

“Mary, you—y-you bitch...!”
Marigold smiled smugly at his shocked face, as if sensing the army behind her.
“Give me back my money now!”

“Y-you damn bitch...!”
“Watch your words, Lord Bake.”
Ransell cut him off.

“Mary Guild’s owner is a member of our Dante family. Everything you did to the guildmaster was the same as attacking our family.”
“...”
Baron Bake’s eyes weakened. Weak and strong, the law of this world.

“Well then.”
A smile spread across Marquis Dante’s face.
“Shall we go inside and settle this properly?”

“W-wait, we don’t have that kind of money, Your Grace. If you give us some time, we can pay in installments...!”
“What nonsense.”
Marquis Dante looked around. He took in the vast scenery of Baron Bake’s barony carefully.

“Don’t you have land?”
“...!”
Despair filled Baron Bake’s eyes.

.
.
.
==========
—Unexpected event success! According to the interest rate (35%) in the loan contract, you acquired ‘30 gold coins’, ‘30% of Baron Bake’s territory’, and ‘2 hunting forests’! The success of Mary Guild starts from here!
※50% of Mary Guild’s shares have transferred to the Dante family. It’s a bit disappointing, but having a partner is reassuring! (Charm, Sex Appeal, Sensibility, Stamina UP!!)

※From today, Mary Guild is hiring staff! The first recruitment quota is ‘100 people’! (Charm, Grace, Sex Appeal UP!!)
Thus began,
the suspiciously wealthy guild

that started from the borderlands.
The moment ‘Mary Guild’ was officially founded.