CHAPTER 6
I racked my brain, trying to find a way to get through this situation safely.
‘It’s better to confess voluntarily than to get caught and admit it later.’
I couldn’t let them go into the bank and find out that the pink diamond was being held as collateral.
I acted quickly and said confidently,
“You can’t go there right now.”
The boy tilted his head slightly.
“Why not?”
“The request form stating that the pink diamond was deposited at Black Swan—it’s still at the consultation office, isn’t it?”
“Oh, that’s right!”
He clapped his hand against his palm as if he had just remembered.
“Then I’ll go inside first and wait. You can bring the request form, ma’am.”
Watching the boy so naturally give orders made me resent myself for not realizing sooner who he was—the son of a duke.
‘At this rate, I won’t even have time to explain anything.’
In my mind, I could see the cold, expressionless face of Duke Artenbach staring down at me. There was even a terrifying rumor that if he adjusted his gloves, he could make a person disappear without a trace.
Just imagining it made my knees weak and my heart freeze.
I decided to play my last card—it was all or nothing now.
“L-let’s go together! Since you’ll be visiting for a week, shouldn’t your father—no, the Duke—know what kind of place it is?”
“Should he?”
The boy glanced around, then looked up at the Duke.
“Would you like to visit the consultation office?”
I swallowed hard. His answer would decide whether they entered the bank or went with me.
“No.”
Ah, it was over. Now, the Duke and the boy would go into the bank, and without even needing a waiting number, they’d immediately hear the report on the pink diamond’s current status.
And then, I might have to kneel before the Duke as he adjusted his gloves.
‘Maybe it’s better to just tell the truth right now.’
Yes. As long as they hadn’t gone into the bank yet—
“But I want to go to the consultation office.”
It was truly a light of salvation. Behind the boy, I could almost see angel wings spreading wide.
Good job, kid! If we get through this, I’ll do a hundred puzzles with you!
“Do we really have to go?”
“Let’s go together. We can also get the request form.”
“…Fine.”
The Duke’s reluctant reply sounded sweeter than honey. I barely stopped myself from jumping for joy and instead put on a professional smile.
“I’ll guide you, Your Grace.”
From a head taller than me, the Duke’s golden eyes looked down. My forced smile trembled slightly. But when I realized we had safely avoided disaster, I let out a small sigh of relief.
Wait—had we really avoided it?
Noble figures had just entered a shabby consultation office. Anna’s hands trembled as she served tea, while the boy casually laid his handkerchief on the sofa and sat down as if he owned the place. But the Duke didn’t sit. He just stood there silently.
“Um… Your Grace? The tea is ready.”
He didn’t answer. He simply looked around the room quietly.
‘What’s he doing?’
He looked like someone searching for flaws to criticize.
Well, it made sense. His son would be staying here—it was only natural to inspect the place carefully, especially since the child was from a ducal family.
“Are there no other chairs?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, I remembered the first time I met the boy. Back then, he’d told me the chair didn’t look clean and demanded a new one.
“…It doesn’t look clean.”
Wow. He even said it the same way.
“I’ll stand. Don’t mind me.”
How could I not mind? I forced a smile and said,
“There are no new chairs, but I do have new cushions. Would you like one?”
“No.”
He replied curtly and checked his watch repeatedly. Then, after a secretary whispered something in his ear, he nodded and said,
“Replace all the furniture here. Even if it’s only temporary, the heir of the Duke will be staying here.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Duke bent down to whisper something to the boy, just as he had with the secretary. Occasionally, they glanced at me.
‘What? What are they talking about?’
Then, when their conversation ended, the Duke straightened up. Even standing, he already looked tall—but from where I sat, he looked even more imposing.
“I’ve seen enough. We can go now.”
For a moment, my mind went blank. Dressed all in black, with dark hair and a cold face, his words—We can go now—sounded like a grim reaper’s invitation.
“Yes, of course. You must be busy, so please go ahead.”
It was the boy who answered.
I hurried to my feet to see them out, but the Duke only gave me a sidelong glance, waved his hand, and walked out without another word.
Left frozen and unable to even say goodbye, I heard the boy say cheerfully,
“Ma’am, we have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
Only then did I realize how terrifying a child’s bright smile could be.
In the center of a small, ten-pyeong room sat a single desk with two chairs on either side. Anyone walking in might mistake it for an interrogation room.
“Explain in more detail.”
And, of course, the one seated there was Duke Artenbach himself.
“The owner of Building No. 3 on Ruv Street claims it was never sold. The con artist—who said he was a businessman from the Western Kingdom—sailed out early this morning.”
“So, how much is the bank’s total loss?”
“About forty million Tiga, including the loans taken with collateral.”
“Quite a big fish.”
Ascal clicked his tongue. No wonder he had wanted to visit the bank earlier.
“Make sure the ship can’t dock in the West. Send a boat after him and bring him back.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
He looked over the list of victims who had taken loans from Artenbach Bank and lost their investments in the scam.
“I didn’t think Black Swan had the ability to borrow ten million Tiga.”
“Yes. It seems Baron Deli used a pink diamond stored under Black Swan’s name as collateral.”
“Pink diamond?”
Ascal recalled the scene in front of the bank—how the woman had desperately tried to stop them from going inside, her face screaming ‘I’m panicking right now.’
‘So that’s what it was.’
She really had tried to run away. Though she was easily caught.
Her hair had reminded him of soft pink ranunculus petals. The hem of her dress sleeves was a little stretched, and the length seemed slightly off.
For a noblewoman, she hadn’t looked very well-off.
He didn’t know what had caught Lublion’s interest in her, but Ascal himself didn’t like her.
‘Still, at least she’s honest. That’s something.’
Schmidt was the kind of person whose emotions showed plainly on her face. Of course, she probably thought she was hiding them perfectly.
I confessed everything to the boy about how the pink diamond ended up being used as collateral at the bank.
“So what you’re saying is… I left my pink diamond with you, but Baron Deli borrowed money from Artenbach Bank using it and got scammed? Not you, but him?”
“I won’t contest it, even if you want to press charges. I promise I’ll take full responsibility and get the pink diamond back…”
“How?”
The truth was, I didn’t have a clear plan. Unless I could grab that con artist by the collar and make him pay up, there wasn’t much I could do.
And if I ever earned money, my father always seemed to sniff it out and lose it all gambling again.
I let out a deep sigh. The boy might be too young to fully grasp the situation, but the Duke wouldn’t be so lenient.
I knew what kind of man the Duke was—he took money very seriously. Touch anything that belonged to him, and not only would you be banned from his lands, but you might not even survive in the Empire. Maybe not even in this world.
“…I’m sorry. Honestly, I haven’t found a proper solution yet.”
The boy’s eyes sparkled brightly. Seeing that pure expression made me feel guilty, as if I were corrupting his innocence.
“Before things get worse, I’ll tell your father myself. So, will you help me become someone who can take responsibility?”
“So you’re asking me not to tell my father?”
“…Yes.”
“Alright! I’ll do that!”
He smiled mischievously as he answered.
I had pretended to sound noble—‘I’ll take responsibility as an adult’—but really, I was just begging him not to tattle to his dad.
…I felt miserable. I really was a bad adult.
“I’m sorry—for making you keep a secret like this.”
“It can’t be helped. You weren’t the one who borrowed the money anyway.”
The boy straightened his back, sitting perfectly upright on the sofa.
Only then did I truly notice—he had the posture of a well-trained noble.
“So, in return for keeping your secret, what should I get?”
“Huh?”
I blinked, not sure I’d heard him right. The boy tilted his head slightly.
“You didn’t mean to ask me to keep quiet for free, did you?”
I swallowed hard.
So now… was the boy blackmailing me with my own secret?
