Chapter 37
I was momentarily startled.
So that wasn’t just something said in the heat of the moment? That statement still valid?
But my mother seemed even more surprised than I was.
“Honey, were you serious when you said that back then?”
At that, my father spoke with a firm expression.
“Of course, I was serious.”
Then he turned to me and said in a strong tone,
“Rather than giving you to that bastard, it’s better for you to live independently. You can’t trust anyone in this world! You must live on your own, Carmilla. Even if your father dies, you have to be able to protect yourself. I’ll make sure to drill this into the next head of the family, but you also need to have power of your own.”
My father’s face was filled with anger, as if he had personally experienced recent events and lost all faith in people.
“If you don’t marry the crown prince, what will our family gain? But that bastard—rather than cherishing you, he made you cry. All men are the same. They can’t be trusted! Rather than witnessing such disgrace twice, it’s better for you to learn how to manage things now.”
My mother looked at my father with a mixture of disappointment and disbelief, as if she wanted to ask if he had forgotten what was attached to his own body.
However, perhaps because it was mealtime, she simply shook her head and focused on her plate instead.
I opened and closed my mouth several times before deciding not to say anything.
Honestly, I partially agreed with my father’s words. There was no reason to argue against them.
So, I changed the topic naturally.
“By the way, this is the first time I’m hearing about the Rust family’s mine. Why is it such an important matter? Is it a gemstone mine? Or an iron mine?”
My father hesitated for a moment before shrugging.
“Well, you’ll have to start learning about business eventually. It’s good to introduce you to these matters little by little.”
He then spoke in a businesslike tone. Originally, the mine was known for producing silver and had been quite profitable.
However, after being mined for three generations, the silver veins had run dry. That was when the fate of the Payne Viscountcy seemed to take a downturn.
My father clicked his tongue and remarked that noble families relying solely on mines often struggled when the resources ran out, as they didn’t know how to manage their estates properly.
At that point, Viscount Payne faced a difficult decision: should he use his remaining wealth to restructure his estate and change his source of income, or should he invest in further mining in hopes of discovering a new vein?
In the end, he chose the latter.
And, to his great fortune, his gamble paid off—he struck a mithril vein.
“He almost lost the land he inherited from his ancestors, but luck was on his side. Remember this: if you endure long enough, opportunities will come. But choosing an all-or-nothing approach is risky—success stories like his are rare.”
Spoken like a true finance minister—cautious and unwilling to take unnecessary risks.
My father elegantly wiped his fingers and added,
“Why? Because when you fail, there will always be vultures waiting to tear you apart. It’s not just about luck—you have to overcome their interference too.”
At moments like this, I could see the perspective of someone at the center of power.
His view was cold but often hit the mark.
The more one possesses, the higher the stakes in both success and failure. And the more people involved, the more unpredictable the outcome.
Betting your entire life on a gamble with high chances of losing was foolish.
“Still, he managed to succeed,” I commented.
As he finished eating, my father dabbed at his lips with a napkin and nodded.
“Fortunately. Otherwise, the ruthless Count Donau would have torn him apart piece by piece. I heard Viscount Payne had to invest every last piece of silverware in his house to fund the mining operation, and in the end, he even borrowed money from Count Donau.”
My father’s lips curled slightly in distaste as he shook his head.
“If it were me, I’d rather live as a commoner than owe money to Count Donau.”
I widened my eyes in surprise.
“Is Count Donau that cruel to his debtors?”
At my question, my father’s expression became grim.
“…Excessively. Let’s change the subject. This isn’t a suitable topic for after a meal.”
Returning to his usual businesslike tone, he continued,
“Anyway, many nobles coveted that mine, but for some reason, Viscount Payne specifically wanted to negotiate with the Rust family. I was interested in it for a while, but since it went to the Rusts, I didn’t mind. After all, they are on our side as pro-imperialists.”
Then, as if speaking to himself, my father muttered,
“The land is too far away for us to manage anyway.”
He then turned to me and added,
“But mithril is difficult to mine and process. They’ll need craftsmen and various resources. If the Rust family ever asks for help, subtly let their lady or the countess know that we’re willing to lend a hand.”
However, my mind was elsewhere, piecing together different clues.
The one who funded the mine’s development was Count Donau… Viscount Payne had been desperate… Count Donau was ruthless towards debtors…
Count Donau was acting arrogantly as if he had leverage over the Rust family, and Diana seemed to be in trouble.
The pieces of the puzzle swirled in my mind.
Was the mine deal itself the real problem? But surely, a noble house investing such a large sum wouldn’t have neglected a thorough investigation.
Just in case, I cautiously asked,
“Could it be possible that the claim about finding mithril was a lie?”
My father frowned.
“What kind of nonsense is that? Many noble families showed interest in that mine. Are you saying they were all deceived?”
He was right. My only reason for doubting it was Count Donau’s strange behavior and the way he treated Diana.
With such flimsy reasoning, it was impossible to challenge a major transaction.
I quickly changed my tone to sound casual.
“Of course, the investigation teams from various noble houses must have examined it carefully. But if someone could successfully pull off such a deception, they could make an unbelievable amount of money. Wouldn’t it be worth attempting?”
At my words, my father’s gaze turned icy.
His voice carried an unsettling chill as he replied,
“It’s nearly impossible. But if someone did attempt such a thing, they wouldn’t survive in this empire. Unless they fled far to the east.”
His tone was casual, but there was a faint hint of menace in his words.
For a brief moment, I felt like I was seeing another side of my father—the one he showed outside the house.
Though he was familiar to me, I found myself feeling a bit uneasy.
Slightly flustered, I responded,
“I see.”
Noticing my reaction, my father softened his expression and returned to his usual tone.
“Anyway, that’s not something to worry about. Several noble families witnessed the mithril mining process, and it’s still being extracted now.”
Even with his firm assurance, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.
Everything he said made sense, yet Count Donau’s actions remained unexplained.
At that moment, my mother, who had tolerated the heavy conversation long enough, finally intervened.
“Discussing such serious matters at the dining table? She’s still recovering. What if she gets sick from the stress?”
My father suddenly looked guilty and glanced at me.
Then, in a gentler tone, he said,
“Once you feel fully rested, let me know. There’s still a lot I need to teach you before the harvest festival ends.”
Still, he wasn’t giving up on training me.
My mother glared at him, but he avoided her gaze without taking back his words.
I found it amusing and smiled.
“Alright, Father.”
He returned my smile warmly—before suddenly checking his pocket watch and gasping in shock.
“Oh no! I only meant to take a short break—how did I waste so much time?!”
Looking like a panicked rabbit from a fairy tale, he dashed out of the dining room.
My mother, unfazed, muttered,
“He wouldn’t die even if someone tried to kill him, so don’t worry.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
