Chapter 06
Shanur showed no intention of breaking the curse with Beloni anytime soon, so she refrained from approaching him like before. However, perhaps because of her previous attempt, Shanur would flinch and retreat into the shadows whenever she came near, almost like a frightened mouse.
Beloni watched the faintly glowing mask in the darkness before returning to her cleaning. Once her work was nearly finished and Shanur seemed less on edge, she called out.
“Your Highness,” she said.
“Shall we talk?”
It had been a week since Beloni began staying at the Grand Duke’s castle. Her daily routine was simple and relaxed—she would clean Shanur’s room in the morning and then have the rest of the day free. She had been introduced to Hector, the butler, and Rosalyn, the head maid. She also toured the castle with Marina. As expected, neither the Marquis of Jerem nor the Count of Beckham seemed to suspect she was hiding there, as no one had come snooping around.
Facing Shanur now, Beloni remembered their last encounter when she had left him flustered. This would be their first proper conversation since. Shanur, wrapped in two layers of robes, sat on the sofa.
“Lend me some money,” Beloni said.
“Money?” Shanur asked.
“I told you before—I like saving money.
Now, I want to get serious about it.”
Her confident tone made her sound less like someone asking for a loan and more like someone retrieving their funds.
Shanur narrowed his eyes, studying her.
Over the past week, despite taking her on as a maid, he hadn’t so much as touched her. Every time she approached, he retreated into the shadows, though he received daily updates on her activities from Hector. Beloni had been living a peaceful and carefree life with Marina.
Curious about her intentions, Shanur saw no reason to refuse her request.
“How much do you need?”
“Since it’s my first time, I need enough to reassure my investors—1,000 gold coins should do.”
1,000 gold coins was no small sum. It matched the Grand Duke household’s monthly expenses. As a startup fund, it was more than sufficient.
“Very well,” Shanur agreed without hesitation. Beloni’s eyes briefly sparkled.
“May I go out today, then?” she asked.
“Do as you please,” Shanur replied, glancing around the spotless room.
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, leaving immediately.
Shanur wasted no time summoning Michel, ordering him to follow Beloni.
Beloni, however, did little of note.
Wearing a robe, she wandered around with Marina as if she had a clear destination. After running her errands, she strolled through the square before quietly returning home before sunset.
This was Michel’s report from the previous day.
Now, as Beloni moved around the room, Shanur turned to her. “Beloni.”
“Beloni, not Valoni,” she corrected.
“What did you do with the money I gave you?” Shanur asked, though he already had suspicions. Michel had mentioned Beloni venturing into the underworld—an area notorious for its shady dealings.
“As your investor, I’d like to know where my money went,” Shanur said.
“Oh, that? I anonymously invested in a business,” Beloni replied casually.
“A business?”
“It seemed like a promising opportunity. I didn’t want to use my name or bother with a fake one, so I invested anonymously.”
“In the underworld?” Shanur pressed.
The question caught her off guard, but her expression didn’t change.
“Ah, so you had me followed? That’s dangerous, you know. There are skilled people in the underworld who might misunderstand.”
Despite knowing about the surveillance, Beloni didn’t seem offended. Instead, she even offered a solution.
“Next time, just assign someone openly. I’ll pretend they’re my bodyguard.”
“You’re really…” Shanur muttered, unable to finish his thought.
“An odd person,” he concluded.
“Am I? That’s the first time I’ve heard that,” Beloni said, her face sincerely puzzled.
“That’s even stranger,” Shanur replied.
Upstairs, Beloni paused. The third floor looked unfamiliar—not the usual dark surroundings but a bright, sunlit corridor.
“Lady Beloni,” Michel greeted her.
“Ah, Sir Michel.”
This confirmed she was still in the Grand Duke’s castle.
“His Highness said you may skip cleaning today,” Michel informed her.
“Is there a guest?” Beloni asked.
For the past week, no one had visited. Shanur’s routine consisted only of swordsmanship and paperwork. Beloni had yet to meet any of the Grand Duke’s retainers.
“Yes,” Michel confirmed.
“Alright. See you tomorrow,” Beloni said, leaving without prying further.
Back in her room, she found Marina lounging idly.
“Finished early today?” Marina asked.
“Yep. There’s a guest, so no cleaning,”
Beloni said, noticing the worry lingering on Marina’s face. She pinched her cheek lightly.
“Still worried?”
“Yes. Even if I trust you, investing 1,000 gold coins in such a business is risky,” Marina admitted.
“Just wait a month,” Beloni said confidently.
“A month? That soon?”
“Absolutely. Not only will it succeed, but we’ll also become rich!”
Marina sighed but decided to trust Beloni’s conviction.
Meanwhile, Shanur met with his unexpected guest, the Crown Prince, Elness.
When Shanur mentioned Beloni, Elness was stunned.
“The Marquis’s daughter came here, claiming to know how to break the curse, and you let her stay?” Elness asked, pacing the room.
Shanur, unimpressed, gestured for him to sit.
“Now, why are you here?” Shanur asked.
“I found an investor!” Elness declared proudly.
“An investor? For that ridiculous business idea?” Shanur asked skeptically.
“Someone invested 1,000 gold coins,” Elness said.
The number sent a chill down Shanur’s spine.
“When was this?” he asked.
“Yesterday.”
Shanur’s mind raced—1,000 gold coins, an anonymous investor, and yesterday’s date. The realization hit him like a storm.
