“No way…”
After tearing through the twenty years of the residence’s reports that Butler Albert had brought, I slumped on the sofa and let out a sigh toward the ceiling.
“Y-Your Highness… is there some sort of problem with the Grand Ducal Residence report you reviewed…?”
Albert, who’d been nonchalant just moments ago, now stood by my side, looking anxiously down at me.
“Twenty years ago, there was 333,029,384 gold of available funds. Ten years ago, it was 210,293,931 gold. This year it’s 113,904,023 gold, but the Grand Ducal Residence’s fixed monthly expenses average around 20,134,220 gold. Meanwhile, revenue from the Grand Ducal Territory over the last twenty years has averaged only 12,984,246 gold per year!”
“I… I see.”
Fumbling through the thick reports to double-check the figures, Albert wore a dumbfounded expression. It was clear he’d thought I was just idly flipping through the pages—so how was I reciting twenty years of data without a single error?
Not that it mattered. I hammered home once again the grim future of the Grand Ducal Residence.
“Up until last year, we managed thanks to budget support from the townhouse, but that’s going to be cut off now too.”
I let out a long sigh. I’d expected things to be rough, but the Grand Ducal Residence’s finances were even worse than I thought. At this rate, no matter how much we tightened our belts, we’d run out of funds in six months—maybe even losing the Grand Ducal Residence itself to bankruptcy, unable even to pay the staff.
‘And there was that usury contract too.’
The reports included a loan agreement with an outrageous interest rate. Just remembering it made me shudder. That had been Albert’s desperate solution to the crisis. With so few ways to make money off this barren land, and considering the Grand Duke’s current position, the only ones willing to lend would be ruthless loan sharks. But once you started down that path, with interest piling up like snowballs…
‘Even if we get all the assets returned, paying off those debts will just eat up my share!’
At that thought, I shook my head firmly. Thankfully, the Grand Duke hadn’t signed that contract yet.
At that moment, a loud commotion announced the arrival of a group of young men in the office.
“…?”
I looked at the familiar faces with a puzzled expression. They included Victor Genoa and the soldiers who’d protested outside the prison for the Grand Duke. Victor, catching my eye, gave a hearty laugh.
“Ha ha ha! Your Highness the Grand Duchess! Starting today, my colleagues and I will also be staying at the Grand Ducal Residence.”
“What…?”
My jaw dropped at the unexpected news. Then Grand Duke Benedict added in his flat voice.
“The 107th Regiment has been disbanded by order of the Crown Prince. So I’ve decided to hire them on as private soldiers for the Grand Ducal Territory.”
“N-No way…”
It was at that moment that the countdown to the Grand Ducal Residence’s bankruptcy dropped to just three months.
A little while later.
After sending everyone else out of the office, I sat across from Grand Duke Benedict, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.
“Please, stop saying such ridiculous things! Do you have any idea how dangerous loan sharks are?”
“What exactly is ridiculous? The Grand Ducal Residence’s budget is entirely my responsibility. So, it’s my problem to solve.”
After hearing the financial state from Albert, the Grand Duke looked grim enough to sign the loan shark contract immediately. I rushed to stop him, terrified he might actually do it.
“Why not try investing the money we have left? You made a fortune through investments before!”
In the novel, the Grand Duke had amassed wealth by snatching up business opportunities right out from under the Crown Prince. Even if the current seed money was small, with his skills…
“……”
But he only pressed his lips together and turned his head toward the window without answering. He silently watched the 107th Regiment soldiers and servants moving around outside, then turned back to me with that determined look.
“Protecting my people is my job. Even the problems that come from borrowing—those are mine to bear. Not yours.”
At his stubbornness, I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Then I looked him straight in the eyes.
“Fine. Let’s at least try finding another way. If we truly can’t, I won’t interfere with whatever you decide.”
* * *
‘How is there nothing here worth any actual money?’
I was nearly in tears. The compromise I’d barely wrung out of the Grand Duke was to at least try selling off valuables in the mansion to buy time. Yet for such a huge house, there wasn’t a single thing that actually looked expensive.
At this rate, the loan shark contract he wanted was right around the corner. After ransacking the library, parlor, and bedrooms, I trudged down the winding staircase, practically resigned.
“…I told you. There’s no way.”
The Grand Duke’s voice as he walked ahead of me was heavy. Yeah, he probably didn’t want to resort to loan sharks either. It was just the responsibility for all those under him driving him to desperation. From behind him, I answered weakly.
“I know… I was only worried about you, Your Grace.”
Because his health and property directly determined how much contingency fee I’d get later, obviously.
Suddenly, the Grand Duke flicked and stopped dead in his tracks, turning to look at me. But since I was spacing out as I walked, I didn’t notice in time, and ended up tripping on the steep stairs.
“Ah… kyah!”
He reached out for my screaming self in a flash, his arms wrapping around my waist. But—
“……!”
The Grand Duke’s body went stiff like he’d been paralyzed. With my weight added, his sense of balance vanished and we both went tumbling.
“Y-Your Grace! The stairs!”
I shouted frantically, panicking at his bizarre reaction, but by then we were already twisted together and suspended in midair.
‘Dear God, just don’t let anything break, medical bills are so expensive!’
I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for impact.
Crash—!
“…?”
The loud noise of something shattering didn’t match how little it actually hurt. When I cautiously opened my eyes, I realized there was a firm, solid sensation beneath me. That was—
“Y-Your Grace…? Are you okay?”
When I sat up, startled, I realized I’d landed cushioned on top of the Grand Duke’s body. He just lay there on the floor, blinking wide eyes like a man whose soul had left him.
‘He’s not concussed, right?’
If he died here, everything would be over. Horrified, I grabbed his face, oblivious to the fact I was still straddling his hips. I slapped his cheeks, lifted his eyelids, checked his pupils’ response. His breathing even seemed to stop, like he couldn’t draw a single breath.
“Come on, breathe! Please!”
Panicked, I started tearing open the buttons and ties choking his chest. His gaze grew hazy, eyelids drooping shut. Just as I considered mouth-to-mouth, lowering my lips toward his—
“Eek-!”
A shriek rang out. I jerked around to see a maid who’d come by, staring at us in utter dismay.
“Oh my goodness! I-I’m sorry! I didn’t see anything, so please just carry on!”
She fled with both hands slapped over her face, muttering who-knew-what. At that, the Grand Duke shot up as if nothing had happened.
“I-If you’re not hurt, get up now!”
“Ouch.”
I fell backward with a thud as the Grand Duke shoved me off him while scrambling to his feet. While I lay in a crumbled heap on the floor, he hastily redid his shirt buttons.
‘What the heck, he’s fine?’
He’d seemed barely alive a moment ago, unable even to breathe, and now he was totally fine. Nursing my poor back, I grumbled under my breath about the Grand Duke’s sudden 180.
“A-Are you okay?”
He only just seemed to notice me slumped on the floor and asked in awkward concern. I puffed up my cheeks at his obliviousness.
‘Regardless of how much he dislikes me, pushing me off just because I sat on him is a bit harsh, isn’t it?’
Just then, I noticed his shirt buttons done up all wrong, zigzagging crookedly. Narrowing my eyes, I thought maybe his fingers really had taken some nerve damage from a head injury.
But at that moment, something enormous standing right in front of me caught my eye.
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