Episode 90

The Duke’s gaze flickered with curiosity.

“When exactly?”

I knew it—he’d ask that! Good thing I remembered every detail just in case he forgot or tried to deny it later!

“On the morning five days ago, right before I left for the temple’s charity event!”

***

“I was… uh… making things. I just used a little bit of what’s growing in the Duke’s gardens…”

“Rest assured, I’ll set an appropriate usage fee!”

“Do I look like someone who would scrape for your petty change?”

“I look forward to seeing how much you think is appropriate.”

***

Recalling that conversation word for word, I replied confidently, “I promised I’d set an appropriate fee! And you even said you weren’t interested in petty change!”

“Not quite. What I actually said was, ‘Seems like you’ve made quite a profit. I look forward to seeing how much you’ll offer.’”

“Wha—?!” I yelped, my jaw dropping.

‘Wait, so he remembered everything all along?!’

The Duke’s innocent expression as he pretended to know nothing sent a shiver down my spine!

“Is that… so? My memory must be hazy…”

I quickly feigned ignorance, following his lead. The Duke merely chuckled at my act, thankfully without showing any signs of anger.

“To use a legendary herb and then settle for just 476 gold—it doesn’t seem like a fair trade.”

“…”

He wasn’t wrong, and it stung.

Honestly, I could have made far more by selling each herb through the Duke’s trading network, where they’d fetch hundreds of gold coins apiece.

But the losses had been high due to transplanting and developing products, so I had to start small.

Even so, I had achieved a major milestone.

“Of c-course, that’s not the end of it!” I exclaimed hastily.

“Grandpa successfully propagated the fairy herbs!”

“Propagation?”

“Yes!”

Finally, genuine interest sparkled in the Duke’s eyes.

“So, with that in mind…”

I seized the moment, pulling the 476-gold pouch back toward me.

“Why don’t we skip this small change and consider it an investment instead, Your Grace?”

“Hmm.”

The Duke stroked his chin, then looked at me sharply.

“Do you have a business plan?”

“We’ll set up a store on Main Street! That’s the plan!”

“M-Main Street?!”

Grandpa Gordon’s eyes widened.

“That’s… the most expensive area in the capital!”

He was right. There was a rental concept here as well, and I’d recently asked the butler about the current rates.

Naturally, buying a building with 952 gold coins was out of the question.

Even as a deposit, it wasn’t enough.

I let out a sigh and admitted, “I checked recently… We’re about 500 gold short for a deposit.”

Even if I used all 952 gold, it wouldn’t cover it!

‘Why is real estate always the biggest problem, no matter where you are?!’

At my words, the Duke murmured to himself, “So that’s why the butler asked if I had any vacant properties.”

I lifted my head, eyes wide with anticipation.

‘Wait… could the Duke be a property mogul?!’

It made sense.

With the powerful Kallios family’s influence over the empire, it would be strange if they didn’t own a few buildings in the capital.

I gazed at him hopefully, my eyes sparkling.

However—

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any vacant properties available.”

The Duke’s tone was cool and detached, drawing a clear line between business and personal matters.

I slumped, disappointed.

Then he offered an alternative.

“If you’ve succeeded in propagation, why not just sell the herbs directly to raise the funds?”

“N-no, that’s out of the question!”

“Why not?”

“What if someone else succeeds in transplanting them, just like Grandpa did?!”

“Ah, so you’re aiming for a monopoly.”

The Duke nodded in approval, smiling as if he was pleased.

‘Stop smiling and give me some of that property mogul power!’

As I anxiously pondered his response, Gordon chimed in beside me.

“Your Grace! Think of the time we’ve known each other—can’t you help just this once?”

The Duke’s reply was frosty.

“Ridiculous. Since when have I known you well enough for that?”

More shocking than the Duke’s chilly response was how unaffected Gordon seemed.

“Ahem. Well, that may be true… but still, Your Grace, must you be so stingy?”

“Enough.”

The Duke dismissed Gordon’s grumbling without a second thought, then turned back to me.

“Investing 500 gold isn’t particularly difficult… however…”

“However…?”

Before I could ask him to clarify, the Duke gestured to the butler, who handed him a piece of paper and placed it next to the pouch of gold.

“Read it, Belze.”

“What is it?”

“A document from the royal palace addressed to you.”

“A document…?”

I looked at the paper in wide-eyed surprise.

The stiff, high-quality sheet was covered in tiny, neatly printed words.

“Children’s Business Competition… winner?”

 

[Official Notice of Award for the Children’s Business Competition]*
Recipient: Belze

You have been awarded first place in the ‘1st Children’s Business Competition’ held by the royal palace.

Please visit the palace at the specified time with your guardian (Name: Grandpa Gordon) to receive your award.

 

For a moment, I could hardly believe what I was reading.

I had completely forgotten about this!

 

“The palace is hosting an event to scout for young talents with unique products or strong business skills. They’re offering prizes!”

“Sign me up immediately!”

 

Back when I went to the Merchant’s Guild to register my trademark, I’d also submitted an entry for this competition. But how on earth did I end up winning first place?

As I stared at the unexpected award letter in confusion, the Duke murmured in a somewhat sardonic tone.

“From what I hear, the first-place prize is exactly 500 gold.”

“5-500 gold?!”

Startled, I quickly checked the visit date at the bottom of the document. It was… tomorrow!

‘Amazing! I barely lifted a finger, and 500 gold is falling into my lap! Is this some sort of sympathy buff for poor villains?’

Still in disbelief, I blinked at the document.

“Tsk!”

Grandpa Gordon clicked his tongue loudly after reading the notice.

“You brat! What’s with calling me ‘Grandpa Gordon’ as your guardian? How many times have I told you, it’s Gordon Fellirace!”

“Indeed,” the Duke agreed with a faint smile, as though his earlier prickly tone had been a mere figment of my imagination.

“It’s unfortunate, Belze, that your guardian is an old man like him.”

“…What?”

He continued, a serene smile on his face, “A man with no properties to lend you a vacant storefront, no 500 gold to invest in your business, and only one patch of fairy herb fields—which he might even lose to me…”

“…”

“It’s a shame your guardian is none other than this Gordon fellow. It pains my heart, truly.”

Finally, it dawned on me why the Duke had been acting so coldly toward me today.

‘…He’s sulking.’

A brief silence fell over the study.

After a long pause, Grandpa Gordon, looking genuinely hurt, mumbled with tears welling up in his eyes, “…I, I refuse to be her guardian anymore.”

“Steward,” the Duke responded, as if he had been waiting for this moment, accepting a piece of paper from the butler.

“Then sign here to make it official.”

* * *

The next day.

The Duke seemed unusually cheerful.

“Ah, the weather is splendid,” he remarked, spinning in place as soon as he stepped out of the carriage, then strolled over to me with a light step.

“Shall we hold hands?”

“Y-yes…”

Just as I awkwardly extended my hand, he pulled his own hand back with a mischievous grin.

“No, no, Belze. It’s your first time at the royal palace, isn’t it? You wouldn’t want to get lost, so perhaps you should ask your *guardian* to carry you instead.”

My face turned bright red at his words.

If I refused, I’d probably see that sulking, stingy side of the Duke again, just like yesterday. With no other choice, I held up my arms reluctantly.

“Belze wants a carry, Your Grace!”

“Of course, my princess.”

With that, he lifted me effortlessly into his arms.

The whole situation was so absurd that I felt shivers of disbelief down my spine.

‘Oh no… has Tara’s princess complex rubbed off on the Duke?!’

Meanwhile, the Duke, who had me comfortably perched on his arm, started walking.

With his long stride and my elevated perch, the ground felt alarmingly far below. I quickly wrapped my arms tightly around his neck to steady myself.

“Your Grace, but… do you know where the award ceremony is?”

I hadn’t checked the location, too shaken by the Duke’s unexpected mood yesterday. I was familiar with the temple and the Duke’s estate, but the palace was entirely new territory.

“Naturally. It’s a guardian’s responsibility to know.”

The Duke’s reassuring tone put me at ease.

‘Phew. Thank goodness.’

Initially, his strange behavior had caught me off guard. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt grateful to be in his arms.

As I realized we were in the royal palace, tension crept into my body, and I felt an unsettling tightness in my chest.

Traumatic memories from my past life—of being confined here and experiencing terrible things—came flooding back.

I clung to the Duke, trembling as fear started to coil around me.

Perhaps sensing my shivers, he paused and asked gently, “Belze, are you alright? You feel a bit cold.”

“Y-yes… I’m fine!” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Should we turn back?”

I was on the verge of saying yes when—

“Duke! How are you here…?”

A voice greeted him, and I looked up, surprised to see someone approaching us.

“I’m here with the first-place winner of the Children’s Business Competition.”

With that, I realized we’d reached the award ceremony location.

It would be too awkward to turn back now, not after coming all this way.

Still in his arms, I buried my face in his chest, forcing myself to sound calm. “I’m fine, Your Grace. Let’s just get the prize and leave!”

“…Alright.”

Though he seemed hesitant, the Duke continued forward.

Fortunately, stepping into the grand, luxurious interior of the palace helped ease my trembling.

The place was so opulent that it was hard to imagine a prison could exist anywhere near it.

Once we reached a room that resembled a reception area, the Duke set me down gently on a sofa, watching me with worry.

“Are you feeling ill? Your face is extremely pale.”

Not wanting to worry him, I shook my head vigorously.

“N-no, I’m not sick at all!”

“Is anyone out there? Could someone bring this child a warm tea or—”

He was calling out, sounding like an overly concerned guardian, when—

Click.

The reception room door swung open, and a boy with deep red hair, dressed in fine attire, stepped inside.

“What’s this? Why is the Duke here?” he muttered, scowling as he spotted the Duke.

My eyes widened at the unexpected sight.

‘The Crown Prince?’