Chapter 39

The first change was the Duke’s overall demeanor.

When Fabian entered the main study of the ducal residence, the Duke was sitting at the large desk, reading through the Valentin Duchy’s accounting documents. Those papers, which recorded the complicated state of the family’s assets, must have been tedious and dull. Yet the Duke read through the important documents thoroughly, his face impassive.

He looked every bit the master of the house, someone determined to take full responsibility and resolve matters through his own strength.

‘What is this? What happened while I was gone?’

Fabian stood there, unable to announce his arrival, mesmerized by the Duke’s presence, which even had a certain dignity to it. Rumor had it that Duke Valentin was, as in his days as a captain, a popular figure constantly invited to all sorts of parties.

But the Duke now before him looked nothing like a frivolous noble chasing after pleasure. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

‘Something must have happened. He’s a completely different person now.’

Fabian, curious, cleared his throat quietly. The Duke, who had been focused solely on the documents, looked up at him.

“You’re here, Fabian. Close the door behind you. I only had it open for a bit of fresh air.”

Fabian quietly closed the study door, which had been open from the start, and walked over to the Duke. Looking down at the desk, he could see that the Duke was carefully reviewing the family’s assets.

‘He’s reading the originals, not just the summaries? He’s really doing things by the book. And…’

The second change Fabian noticed was the Duke’s attitude toward debt. As far as he remembered, the Duke’s original reaction upon learning about the dreadful debt of one million gold had been like this:

<Should I just sell everything I can? Every horse, every blade of grass in the ducal residence—anything worth money, sell it all. Oh, and while I’m at it, maybe I could put a price on the title itself and use it to pay off the debt. If I can sweet-talk some crazy rich man or noble, maybe it’s not such an impossible plan? What do you think?>

But the Duke before him now spoke to the family lawyer like this:

“Tell me the results of what you’ve handled and investigated so far, Fabian. Of all that I have, what must I give up, and what can I keep?”

Lionel’s earnest tone convinced Fabian that he truly had changed. At last, the Duke had something he wanted to protect—his title, his family, or perhaps this mansion.

Fabian, pleased by the positive change, began laying out the materials he’d brought.

“First, here’s the list of businesses we’ve sorted out this time. As you requested, Your Grace, all the heavily deficit operations have been liquidated.”

The list of businesses that disappeared under the Valentin name was several pages long. While Lionel read through the lengthy list, Fabian explained carefully.

“Of course, simply closing down the businesses didn’t bring in much profit. In fact, since we had to pay overdue debts, we barely managed to recover a pitiful amount of money.”

“Is there anything left?”

“Yes. About fifty thousand gold, at most.”

Compared to one million gold, it was nothing. Lionel let out a short, dry laugh.

“Well, it can’t be helped. They were all losing money every month anyway. It’s almost a miracle there’s anything left.”

“That’s thanks to your decision to liquidate everything at once, Your Grace. If we’d sold them off one by one, they’d have been worthless, but selling them as a bundle brought in some value.”

Though Fabian offered genuine praise, Lionel neither boasted nor showed off. Throughout their private meeting, he remained calm and collected. To Fabian, this new Duke seemed to offer a glimmer of hope.

If, perhaps—

If the Duke kept up this attitude and continued to make wise decisions,

Could he actually pay off all the debt and save the Duchy within the ten months left?

“And there’s one more thing. The matter you asked me to look into.”

“Ah, yes. Here it is.”

At the Duke’s question, Fabian promptly pulled out a prepared document. The elegant brown paper bore the seal of the Asilique Merchant Guild.

“It was true that Marian Belvard bought the Valentin Duchy’s bonds. The Asilique Merchant Guild has certified it.”

“Two hundred and fifty thousand gold?”

“Yes, that’s right. And I heard she demanded the copper mine…”

“That’s right. I refused to give her ownership, though.”

Lionel recalled the night Marian Belvard tried to tempt him. She was still staying in Moerven, sightseeing.

“So… if we do the math, it comes out like this.”

Fabian jotted down a few numbers on a memo and handed it over. It was a simple calculation, easy to grasp at a glance.

Debt: 1 million.

If he paid 250,000 gold with the copper mine mining rights, the remaining debt would be 750,000.

If he used the 50,000 gold left from liquidating businesses, the debt would be 700,000.

“The gallery auction, after all deductions, netted about 300,000 gold.”

Lionel added to the last line of the memo. After giving up the copper mine and the gallery, more than half the debt was gone.

But there was still 400,000 gold left.

“Now, it seems there’s nothing left to sell.”

Lionel rested his chin on his hand, staring at the still daunting amount. There was no way to raise more money. If he had to sell, the only things left were the railway business… or the ducal residence itself.

“Fabian, what if I liquidated the railway business…”

“That’s absolutely out of the question. Without it, you’ll end up selling the ducal residence too, since you won’t be able to cover maintenance costs.”

“So the two are a package deal. That’s troublesome.”

“There is one way. Keep the railway business, and move the ducal residence to a smaller house with lower maintenance costs.”

“No, I don’t want that.”

“Pardon? Didn’t you originally say we should sell the ducal residence too?”

Fabian was flustered by the Duke’s firm refusal. Had the Duke come to appreciate the historic ducal residence’s value in just two months?

“Moving is absolutely out of the question. I must keep my current way of life.”

Because that was the only way to keep Clarette close.

Lionel insisted on keeping the large mansion solely for her sake. If the house shrank, he wouldn’t be able to provide her with a studio or gallery.

If he were alone, he’d have sold the ducal residence and left for the capital without a second thought.

“Ah, what about the townhouse I lived in as a child? Isn’t it pretty valuable, being in the capital?”

“That asset was sold off ten years ago.”

“What? Why? Was money tight then, too?”

“Well… as soon as you entered the military academy, the previous Duchess ordered it sold…”

Lady Valentin. That woman. The one who drove him out of the ducal residence as a child. The Duchess, long dead.

Lionel smiled coldly.

“Too bad. She should have lived to see me become Duke.”

He was joking, but his expression was icy. Fabian couldn’t think of a reply and fell silent.

“So, selling things isn’t enough anymore? In that case…”

The Duke turned his gaze to the window, murmuring as if deep in thought.

“Now I really have to earn money.”

* * *

Since she began painting the Duke, Clarette had developed a habit of going out to the studio corridor at sunset. From the annex hallway, she could see the main building and check for the Duke’s carriage.

If there was no carriage parked outside, the Duke was away on business, making it hard to work with him that day.

But if the carriage was there, the chances were good she’d meet him in the studio.

‘The carriage is here today.’

Normally, that was a good sign. But today, there were two carriages. It meant the Duke had a visitor.

‘Dinner must be over by now, but he’s been meeting with them for quite a while. Maybe he won’t come tonight?’

As Clarette hesitated in the hallway,

“Clarette? Why are you still here?”

Diane, the annex maid, entered the second-floor corridor and called out when she saw Clarette.

“Have you eaten dinner? I thought you were already eating in the main building, so I didn’t bring anything over to the annex.”

“Oh, wasn’t there a dinner party tonight?”

Clarette asked, puzzled, and Diane replied with a friendly smile,

“There’s no real party, just the usual guest dining with His Grace. Go to the main building and have a quick meal—there should be some left for you.”

Clarette nodded and hurried toward the main building. According to Diane, it wasn’t a major event, so the Duke might have time tonight.

‘I should ask him for the same pose as last time, so I can improve the quality.’

Thinking of the Duke, Clarette walked happily down the main corridor. She arrived at the secluded tea room she often used for solitary meals.

Just as she was about to open the door, Clarette heard voices from inside and quickly withdrew her hand from the doorknob.

“I’m the Duke, and you’re telling me to leave the Duchy? Have you lost your mind, Richard?”

It was the voice of Duke Valentin.