“Estelle is currently on a trip. You won’t be able to meet her right away.”
“Do you mean there’s no way to contact her?”
“She wanted some time alone and didn’t take any means of communication with her. If you send someone immediately, they might catch up to her, but… it would take at least a week.”
At Claude’s response, the man’s face showed signs of despair.
“What in the world is going on? I think I have the right to know, as Estelle’s husband.”
“Well… it’s an internal matter of the trading company…”
As the man continued to hesitate, Claude frowned slightly.
The fact that an employee of a mere trading company dared to show this much spirit in front of a duke was already remarkable.
Claude was a man born to power, and he knew very well how to manage those beneath him.
Wielding power came as naturally to him as breathing.
Claude leaned back deeply in his chair and gestured to the knight standing beside him.
“Treat him with the utmost respect as a formal guest of the Duke’s household.”
“Yes, understood.”
As Claude stood up, the man looked flustered.
“What’s the matter? Didn’t I tell you? Estelle won’t arrive for another ten days, and you said you can’t speak to anyone but the head of the trading company. You’ll have to wait here.”
“But, but…”
“You’ll be treated as a formal guest, so please rest comfortably.”
Claude stood up without hesitation.
It was the simplest and most effective way to make it clear who was in a more favorable position.
In the end, the man bowed his head first.
“Well… originally, it’s something that should not be disclosed to anyone but the head of the trading company, but considering the seriousness of the situation and the fact that you’re the husband of the head… I’ll trust you and tell you.”
Satisfied with the sign of surrender, Claude smiled contentedly and sat back down.
“Bring out the tea.”
It was a signal that he was ready to have a proper conversation.
Before the fragrant tea could even be served, the man began to reveal his purpose.
“Ninety percent of Blended Trading Company’s profits come from coffee. Recently, we’ve been trying to diversify, but it’s not an easy situation.”
Claude was already aware of this since one of the excuses Estelle had used for this trip was ‘developing new items.’
“As you know, coffee’s primary production area is the Eastern Continent. The reason our trading company has been able to monopolize the coffee industry so far is due to the early market entry, but more importantly, it’s because we established trust with our clients by offering conditions far more favorable than those of other companies…”
“What kind of conditions?”
“…A penalty clause.”
The man continued, his face turning pale.
“We signed contracts with the condition that if we fail to deliver the goods on time, we would pay a substantial penalty…”
“…And so?”
“In order for coffee to move beyond being a temporary trend and enter the official realm of ‘tea,’ it needs to become more widespread—this was the belief of our company’s head. To meet that goal, we recently signed a major contract with a large trading company within the empire. I can’t share the details.”
It seemed that Claude was starting to understand how things were unfolding.
A major contract that could determine the direction of the trading company, a massive penalty, and the storm that had left this man drenched.
As the puzzle pieces came together, they formed a clear picture.
“What happened to the ship?”
“…It was wrecked.”
A pained groan of despair echoed through the quiet reception room.
“What’s the extent of the damage?”
“Considering both the goods on board and the compensation we’ll need to pay for failing to meet the deadline… the amount is astronomical.”
“How much is it?”
“…Exactly 1.47 billion gold.”
It was an unimaginably large sum, one that a commoner could never dream of in their lifetime.
The amount was so unrealistic that it didn’t even leave him speechless.
“I’ll cover the compensation.”
“Your Grace…!”
“Do you doubt the wealth of the House of Richard?”
Claude, looking relaxed, called for the butler.
“Butler. Can it be done?”
“Yes, of course. Just give me three days, and I’ll bring the cash immediately.”
However, the man’s face didn’t show any signs of relief.
“Well… that’s impossible, Your Grace.”
“Why? You don’t need to worry. After all, it’s my wife’s business.”
“It’s because it’s legally prohibited.”
In principle, noble capital’s interference in the market was strictly regulated.
This was due to concerns that enormous capital could destabilize the market and create monopolies.
When Estelle used the funds from the Blanche County to establish the trading company, she also had to launder the money several times.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know that? We also know a place where we can launder money. Since the amount is large, it might take some time, but we can arrange it in about a month.”
“There isn’t enough time… Our trading company isn’t small either. Even if it’s difficult right now, we can pay back the compensation over time! But other companies won’t wait for us…”
Blended Trading Company was a new entity that had burst onto the scene and monopolized the entire coffee industry.
Naturally, the established large trading companies saw them as a thorn in their side and were constantly waiting for an opportunity to swallow them up.
The man thought that perhaps this wasn’t just a simple natural disaster.
“Montchan Trading Company has already shown interest in taking over. If we don’t pay the compensation within a week, Blended will… fall into Montchan’s hands… We must inform the head of the situation and find a way…”
Claude knew that Estelle had put in a lot of effort to grow Blended Trading Company over a long period.
At first, he was flustered, but after conducting several investigations, hadn’t he realized that this wasn’t something that happened overnight?
Moreover, since Estelle had been openly busy with the matters of the trading company after her identity was exposed once, Claude was well aware of what that company meant to Estelle.
Claude was silent for a moment.
His vast wealth and considerable power were of no use right now.
The bourgeoisie, who had risen as a new power with the force of capital, and the aristocratic groups had formed a peculiar balance, and it was a rather challenging task for Richard, who stood at the top of the aristocracy, to cross that line.
This could potentially bring down the current system that had only just achieved balance.
‘What on earth should I do…’
It might have been better if he had just resigned himself to the situation. But Claude’s sharp mind found a breakthrough.
‘There was a clause in the prenuptial agreement, wasn’t there?’
The prenuptial agreement that Estelle and Claude had drawn up mainly dealt with the division of assets after divorce in three years, but some clauses also discussed property during the marriage.
‘Clause 5, Article 3: During the marriage, the couple’s assets are jointly owned, and by mutual consent, certain rights can be delegated by proxy.’
By using this clause, Claude could wield some authority over Estelle’s personal asset, the ‘Blended Trading Company.’
In that case, even without laundering the funds, he could use the power of the duchy to pay the compensation instead.
‘But if I bring out that contract, Estelle will… she’ll run far away from me.’
Hadn’t she already been frequently bringing up the topic of divorce lately?
He had hastily hidden the prenuptial agreement as a temporary measure, but he knew she was not someone who would give up so easily.
‘But if I pretend not to know, she will surely be sad.’
Given her frail health, she might fall ill.
Would she cry prettily? Or would she lock herself in her room with a tearful face?
Could someone as delicate as her handle such a loss?
Many solutions crossed Claude’s mind, only to be discarded immediately.
He was left with only two choices.
Either pretend not to know or bring out the prenuptial agreement and protect Estelle’s interests.
There were eyes watching that brief silence.
Natasha hummed to herself as she observed Claude floundering in the trap she had designed.
‘What will you choose, Your Grace?’
Will he choose his own selfishness or bend his will for the woman he loves?
Isn’t it truly fascinating?’
In the midst of a gloomy atmosphere, Natasha smiled to herself as if she had won a prize.
***
Shwaa—
The angry waves crashed against the cliffs, foaming white. Splash, splash. The violent storm roared so loudly that it felt like it would tear her ears apart.
Estelle stood by the window, staring blankly at the scene.
“My lady, I’ve brought the tea.”
“Thank you, Gideon.”
As they had brought the minimum number of maids, there weren’t enough hands to serve tea. Thanks to that, Gideon, who could at least pretend to serve tea, brewed it instead.
“Do you want to go outside?”
“Hm?”
“You keep looking outside. Shall we set sail if the weather clears up tomorrow?”
“No, no. I get terribly seasick, so I can’t go on a boat!”
Estelle smiled softly, cupping the teacup that Gideon had handed her with both hands.
“It’s just that I’m impressed the ship arrived through this weather.”
“Did the ship… arrive?”
“Yes, at another harbor.”
Flash.
Lightning suddenly lit up Estelle’s face.
Not long after, a thunderous roar broke the silence.
“The captain of that ship is trustworthy. Because the weather was rough, I told him to dock at Medil Harbor on the way.”
“I see.”
Estelle felt a slight pang of pity as she thought of the trading company, which must have been completely overturned by now.
But in the end, wouldn’t that trading company only be useful if she survived the divorce?
‘I’m sorry, Levy.’
She briefly apologized to the deputy merchant, who would be running around busily in her absence.
“What will happen, I wonder.”
Estelle couldn’t even begin to guess what choice Claude would make.
Natasha had confidently asserted that he would sacrifice himself for her, giving up everything, but—
The Claude Estelle knew wasn’t someone who would give up what was his just because he loved someone.
—Just wait and see.
Natasha’s voice echoed in her mind.
—Love sometimes works a magic that makes us act out of character.
A divorce lawyer talking about love. Should that be considered reliable, or not?
But somehow, it had a strange power that made one believe.
“What if.”
Gideon opened his mouth, trying to hide his trembling heart.
“What if His Grace really brings out the prenuptial agreement. Will you still not change your mind?”
Estelle’s lips moved slightly.
This was the moment when she should boldly say, ‘Of course not. I’m definitely going to get divorced!’
After dragging both Natasha and Gideon into this, she couldn’t possibly back out alone.
“I…”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
