Episode 99
‘P-pocket change…?’
I couldn’t help but gape at the Duke’s words.
Of course, I didn’t actually believe he meant it literally.
I knew he said it to ease my concerns, but still… this was a bit much.
“I was already planning to allocate a budget under your name.”
As I stared at the checkbook with wavering eyes, the Duke continued.
“So don’t worry about it and use whatever amount you need.”
“But… the investment I requested was only 500 gold…”
“Tsk. What can you even do with such a paltry amount? To accomplish big things, capital is the most crucial factor.”
Clicking his tongue, the Duke added with a smug tone.
“And unlike someone who hands over 500 gold as if it’s a grand gesture, I’m a guardian with both wealth and capability.”
He tilted his chin up confidently, his refined features radiating an almost blinding aura of sophistication.
“…Waaah! I’m done being this child’s guardian~!”
Somewhere in the distance, I could almost hear Grandpa Gordon sobbing dramatically.
‘I’m sorry, Grandpa. I can’t argue with him on this one…’
As I silently apologized to Gordon, the Duke noticed my hesitation in taking the checkbook. His smile faded slightly as he asked,
“Could it be… you’re upset because I didn’t offer you a building?”
“Huh? N-no!”
“Unfortunately, it’s true that the Duke’s properties on Main Street currently have no vacancies, Belze.”
Even though I quickly shook my head, it seemed he had already drawn his own conclusions.
Pushing the checkbook closer to me, the Duke suggested,
“Then why not purchase an appropriate building with this?”
“P-purchase?!”
The scale of this conversation kept escalating, and I barely managed to suppress a shrill cry.
“Yes. Ah, purchase means to buy,” he added, as if explaining it to a child who didn’t know the term.
‘This won’t do. If I keep going like this, people will think I’m a greedy leech draining Kallios dry!’
Gathering my thoughts, I quickly said,
“Actually, Your Grace!”
“Hm?”
“The Crown Prince said he’d let me use a building for free!”
“…What?”
The Duke’s eyebrows twitched at my words.
“The Crown Prince… is offering you a building rent-free?”
“Yes! He said something about needing me to keep track of some… secret funds? But I don’t really understand what that means…”
I deliberately tilted my head and made an innocent face.
After all, it was a bit much for a five-year-old to grasp such concepts.
I had never planned to hide my dealings with the Crown Prince from the Duke.
And truthfully, the Crown Prince probably expected me to tell him.
“Hm. Seems he’s thought this through.”
The Duke, who had been lost in thought for a moment, eventually nodded.
“It seems the Crown Prince anticipated that Kallios would naturally step in to assist you.”
As expected, he immediately saw through the Crown Prince’s intentions.
César wasn’t truly asking me for help; he was indirectly seeking the Duke’s support.
By aiding me in forming his secret funds while pretending to remain uninvolved, he hoped to keep up appearances.
I wasn’t well-versed in politics, but it was clear there was some reason the Crown Prince couldn’t directly ask the Duke for help.
‘Supporting someone doesn’t necessarily mean being on the same side.’
There are plenty of stories of parents pulling the strings of even their own children to consolidate power.
And in this case, the Duke and the Crown Prince weren’t even blood relatives.
Trusting someone too much just because they’re an ally could easily lead to a reversal of power dynamics.
From what I saw yesterday, the Crown Prince handled his dealings with the Duke rather tactfully.
“…Should we refuse?”
I hesitantly asked the Duke, who was still stroking his chin in contemplation.
“No.”
He shook his head firmly.
“There’s no need to reject something offered for free. Just accept it.”
“Yes, understood!”
“Once the store is fully operational, you’ll be busy managing it. I’ll introduce you to a reliable financial advisor.”
“A financial advisor…?”
“Yes. When it comes to money, it’s best to leave it to professionals. Gordon, for all his skills, is useless in that department.”
The Duke smiled mischievously, his offer to help wrapped in a playful jab at Grandpa Gordon.
He could have simply said it was too much for someone my age, but his words felt more like genuine recognition of my business plans.
I couldn’t help but beam.
“Thank you, Your Grace! You’re the best!”
With this, I had effectively prevented Adolf Galagos from becoming the Crown Prince’s confidant.
I had a hunch things would turn out this way, but still, I felt a sense of relief.
“Not bad for someone I thought was all bark and no bite,” the Duke suddenly muttered, almost to himself.
“What is?”
“You managed to grasp our household’s power dynamics in the brief window during the volunteer event. Tsk.”
He clicked his tongue softly, looking almost impressed.
I tilted my head, puzzled.
Power dynamics? I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, but from his tone, it seemed the Crown Prince had quickly understood my position within the Duke’s household.
‘Honestly, isn’t it stranger if he didn’t figure it out, Your Grace?’
I thought with a faint, awkward smile.
Remembering the way the Duke and Edwin had alternately defended me, including the infamous table-breaking incident, I felt a surge of gratitude.
At the time, I was too flustered to fully process it, but looking back, I was incredibly thankful for their support.
And recalling the pale, stammering Marquis Barelotte still brought me immense satisfaction.
While chuckling quietly to myself, I slid the checkbook back toward the Duke.
“Since the building is already sorted, I don’t need this!”
I had already received so much help from him; taking his money too felt excessive.
Instead, my dream was to earn lots and lots of money and contribute to the Duke’s household myself!
“Take it anyway,” the Duke said firmly, pushing the checkbook back toward me.
“Even if you don’t need it immediately, unexpected expenses are bound to arise when running a business. If you end up begging for help in those moments, others will look down on you.”
“Ah…”
“Even if I’m six feet under, I refuse to see Kallios belittled.”
With him speaking so resolutely, I couldn’t bring myself to decline any further. Reluctantly, I accepted the checkbook and mumbled softly,
“Then… I’ll take good care of it.”
“Don’t just keep it safe—use it freely when needed.”
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock echoed through the quiet study.
“Your Grace, it’s Logan.”
“Come in.”
The Duke gave a casual nod of approval, and since we’d already wrapped up most of the important conversation, I didn’t think much of it.
The door opened, and the Duke’s aide entered, holding a stack of documents.
“Good morning, Your Grace. Ah, I see you’re in the middle of a discussion.”
Logan stopped upon noticing me seated on the sofa, then offered a polite smile.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“It’s fine. What is it?”
“Yes, well, it’s about the financial report you requested yesterday…”
Logan handed the documents to the Duke, but as he spoke, his gaze shifted to the checkbook in my hand, and he abruptly froze.
“Wait, is that… a checkbook?!”
His eyes widened in shock as he looked between me and the Duke, then blurted out,
“Your Grace, you had me prepare a checkbook yesterday… was it to give to her?!”
“Hm.”
The Duke nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Logan’s expression contorted.
“But… didn’t you also allocate an additional allowance for the Second Young Master’s treatment? Just recently, that alone cost several thousand gold…”
Several thousand gold?!
I inhaled sharply. I’d known the gifts had been extravagant, but I hadn’t realized they’d cost that much.
The Duke, however, remained unfazed, shrugging nonchalantly as he replied,
“Half of that came from Edwin’s personal funds.”
“Even excluding the Young Master’s contribution, it was still several thousand gold…!” Logan argued, clearly exasperated.
“You’re being excessive, aren’t you? You’ve never spent this much for Miss Diana, even when she came for healing…”
“Logan.”
The Duke’s tone turned icy, and his expression hardened.
“I don’t see why I should spend as much on someone who already receives support from another household.”
“Ah, I didn’t mean it that way… I was just confused by the discrepancy in treatment… My apologies.”
Logan immediately bowed his head, backpedaling in submission.
His confusion was understandable.
From his perspective, I was still a sponsored orphan on paper, one whose healing abilities were rumored to be inferior to Diana’s.
Giving someone like me a checkbook must have seemed absurd.
‘Especially since Joshua hasn’t been fully cured yet.’
Even though I could empathize with his reasoning, it didn’t stop a twinge of sadness from creeping in.
Quietly, I placed the checkbook back on the table.
The Duke’s cold voice broke the silence.
“Didn’t I explicitly state that I would formally sponsor Belze?”
“Y-yes, Your Grace. You did.”
“Then why do you still refer to her as that girl? That’s disrespectful.”
The Duke’s expression was laced with clear displeasure, making Logan break out in a cold sweat as he quickly bowed again.
“My apologies, Your Grace. I will correct myself.”
“I knew you occasionally spouted nonsense, but I didn’t think you were incapable of basic understanding.”
“…….”
“From Emma Caston to Juliark Sven… your record has been nothing but disappointing. Perhaps the problem lies not with you but with my judgment of people.”
“Y-Your Grace! That wasn’t my intention…”
“Enough.”
The Duke curtly dismissed Logan before he could explain further.
“Leave.”
“…Understood. My apologies.”
Logan, visibly reluctant, swallowed his protests and bowed once more.
As he straightened, our eyes unexpectedly met.
“……!”
I froze, feeling a chill run down my spine.
Logan’s face was the same as usual—appropriately humble and sheepish after the Duke’s scolding.
But the way his eyes glinted as he looked at me…
There was something unsettling, almost predatory, in that gaze.
₍ᐢ . ̫.ᐢ₎♡₍ᐢ. ̫ .⑅ᐢ₎
☕ Hi, friends! Your support means the world to me. If you’d like, you can buy me a coffee here: Click the link on the image!
Thank you for keeping me inspired! 🌸
* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚
