IFLDMHF | Chapter 91

Episode 91

To be honest, I never thought I would be this emotional on the day I finally cleared all of the Ducal House’s debt.

Of course, it wasn’t because I wasn’t happy.

It was just…

‘Honestly, I thought it would be a piece of cake!’

As much as the butler had warned me, the Duke’s debt was truly astronomical.

However, even when I confirmed the amount, I never worried about when or how I would gather all that money.

Thanks to my incredible financial luck, money-related problems had never been particularly difficult or even intimidating for me.

In fact, on the day the Gold Merchant Guild visited the ducal estate, there was enough cash to pay off all the debts immediately.

However, paying off debt wasn’t as straightforward as one might think, even with the money in hand.

‘It took almost two weeks.’

It had been an incredibly hectic period.

There was no other choice. The debts of the Ducal House had accumulated over such a long time that the list of creditors alone took up more than just a couple of pages.

So, I prioritized them based on the due date of interest payments, the amount owed, and their significance.

Each creditor was invited to the ducal estate in turn, where we reviewed the records of interest payments, confirmed the remaining debt, and drafted proof of full repayment.

‘And I made sure to treat them to a proper meal as well.’

It was only right to express gratitude to those who had been patient, accepting only small interest payments while waiting for the Ducal House to recover.

Of course, since there were many creditors, the process took a long time, and hosting guests for lunch and dinner every day was exhausting.

Even so, my heart felt light.

I was finally able to pay off all the debt. I could finally say a heartfelt thank you.

And above all, I was happy to watch Euclid express his sincere gratitude right beside me.

‘Besides, we heard some good news in the midst of it all.’

Perhaps it was thanks to Sionel’s influence, or maybe the situation had been serious enough on its own.

Count Biers, who had been transferred to the capital, underwent a remarkably swift trial and was sentenced to the maximum penalty.

And that wasn’t all.

A verdict was issued stating that all the wealth the count’s household had illegally accumulated over the years was to be confiscated—not into the national treasury, but into the hands of the Rudion Duchy.

‘Unbelievable, this is amazing!’

The decision was made because the court acknowledged the Rudion Duchy as the victim of the funds Count Beers had extorted under the guise of distribution fees.

‘And my rumors probably played a part in that too.’

Truthfully, the real purpose of spreading awareness about the unfair discrimination against the North was to lay the groundwork for Rudion’s independence as a Grand Duchy in the future.

However, for now, it seemed to have been more effective in turning public opinion against the Emperor.

‘That’s probably why no one dared to object to the decision to transfer Count Biers’ assets to Rudion instead of the imperial treasury.’

Normally, when a noble title was revoked due to a serious crime, the Imperial Family would seize their assets.

When I heard the verdict, I was moved, realizing that justice still existed, even in this corrupt empire.

Of course, no amount of money could truly compensate for all the stress Euclide had endured, but at least it felt like we had been repaid in some way.

Come to think of it, there was another unexpected gain from this situation.

It was Count Biers’ trial itself.

‘To be honest, I was a little surprised when I heard it would be a public trial.’

Above all, I wanted to prevent Count Biers from mentioning Euclid’s older brother or sister-in-law in court, no matter what.

The rumors I had carefully spread would lose their impact, and it would deal a direct blow not only to Euclide and the children but to the entire Rudion Duchy.

However, even though the situation didn’t unfold exactly as I had planned, I wasn’t particularly worried or anxious.

After all, Euclid had asked me to trust him.

And the result of that trust… was truly astonishing.

— Did Count Biers really say that in court? That he wasn’t acting alone? But he couldn’t reveal who was behind him?

— Yes! That’s why everyone is in an uproar, saying he must have kept his mouth shut because he was afraid of the Emperor or hoping they’d at least spare his only remaining daughter.

Apparently, throughout the entire trial, Count Biers never once mentioned anything related to the Rudion Duchy.

Instead, he kept making cryptic statements that were easy to misinterpret—statements that, conveniently, aligned perfectly with the rumors I had spread, leading the public to suspect the Emperor as the mastermind.

This report came from Anne, who was currently working harder than anyone else at the Gold Merchant Guild under the pretense of running errands for me, so there was no doubt about its accuracy.

‘The Emperor must be absolutely furious with how unfair this is.’

As if the rumors I spread weren’t already making things difficult for him, now he had to deal with a massive misunderstanding on top of it.

He must have taken quite the blow.

It was unintentional, but I had managed to thoroughly humiliate him yet again, which made me feel incredibly satisfied.

‘I don’t know what Euclid did to Count Biers, but… this is why he’s my favorite!’

I couldn’t hide my delight and grinned widely.

Either way, with Count Biers’ trading company gone, the North immediately needed a new supplier for essential goods.

Fortunately, Duke Basilian, having grasped the situation, quickly opened a branch of the Basilian Trading Company.

And as soon as I gave my approval, the Gold Merchant Guild also established a branch in Rudion territory.

For the shortage of workers, we decided to hire the innocent Northern people who had lost their jobs overnight when Beers’ company collapsed.

Thanks to that, the Northern economy stabilized without major disruption.

“Things really do have a way of working out.”

Before I knew it, not only had I safely paid off all the debt, but the ducal treasury had become well-stocked as well.

As a result, we immediately began renovating the estate and hiring more staff.

Not long ago, it was finally decided that the Black Mercenary Corps would officially join the Rudion Ducal Knights, resolving the long-standing security concerns of the estate.

‘But this is only the beginning. I can’t be satisfied with just this.’

As I gazed at the garden of Rudion’s ducal estate—still so barren that it felt desolate compared to the Basilian Duchy—I found myself deep in thought.

I remembered the moment when I first transmigrated and made a firm resolution to pave the way for my favorite character with a path of flowers.

That determination had not changed in the slightest.

Given how dire Euclid and Rudion Duchy’s situation had been, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we had only just now reached the starting line.

‘From now on, I’ll start making real money and find ways to make Euclid happy.’

Of course, if my relationship with him developed along the way, that would be even better!

“Hm…”

Just moments ago, I had been quite satisfied—having cleared the debts, delivered some well-earned payback, and resolved a number of pressing issues.

But the moment I thought about my relationship with Euclid, I felt an odd sense of emptiness and regret, as if something was still missing.

I absentmindedly tapped my fingers against my teacup, reflecting on the exhausting yet fulfilling two weeks that had passed.

‘We spent quite a lot of time together, and the atmosphere wasn’t bad at all, so why…’

Why do we still feel awkward, as if we haven’t gotten any closer at all?

I was seriously contemplating the cause when—

“My Wife?”

A polite knock was followed by a gentle voice.

I momentarily forgot all my concerns, quickly set down my teacup, and rushed toward the door.

But instead of opening it immediately, I paused in front of the mirror on the wall, swiftly adjusting my hair and smoothing out my clothes.

Ever since ruining our first meeting with my disastrous appearance, I had been paying extra attention to my looks whenever I met my favorite character.

‘Especially since this visit is really important!’

With a final brush of my dress—the one I had carefully chosen for this occasion—I composed my expression into one that wasn’t too expectant yet still warm and pleasant, then opened the door.

And the sight that greeted me made me freeze in place.

“Auntie!”

“We’re coming too!”

I blinked at the children who cheerfully called out to me, then turned my gaze to Euclid.

“Considering the location, I thought it would be good to bring the children along,” he said.

“……”

There was nothing wrong with what Euclid said.

After all, we were finally going to visit the place where the portraits of Rudion’s past heads and Euclid’s family were displayed!

The very place I had envisioned as the perfect setting for a natural, unforced date.

At that moment, I suddenly realized why, despite spending so much more time together, my relationship with Euclide had remained at a complete standstill.

‘Euclid and I… have almost never been alone together, have we?’