Newlywed Life Begins with a Mistake - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 14

“This is….”

Casian’s gaze stopped for a moment.

The handwriting seemed familiar somehow.

A person suddenly came to mind, and Casian opened the drawer attached to the desk.

Click.

Inside the wooden drawer, parchments were stacked.

Among them, he pulled out a parchment rolled up with a teal string.

“Your Excellency?”

Sophia showed a puzzled expression, but Casian was busy unrolling the rolled parchment.

【I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. I have no intention whatsoever of becoming the Emperor’s hunting dog.】

It was a reply that Count Heteus had sent in the past.

At one time, Casian had wanted to make Count Heteus his ally and had sent a letter containing persuasion.

【Pursuing freedom is good, but finding a place of rest is also important, isn’t it? If you wish, I’ll prepare a space for you.】

Count Heteus, who couldn’t rely on anywhere and wandered through the underworld, grew his power recklessly to build a solid force.

So Casian had sent a letter asking Count Heteus how about settling in the south.

He thought that if he gained the solid shield of the Imperial Court, he too would stop his indiscriminate evil acts.

But Count Heteus sent a clear refusal in less than half a day.

After that, Casian didn’t exchange letters with Count Heteus.

“I never thought I’d see it again since then.”

Casian swallowed his contemplation and placed Count Heteus’s letter side by side next to the contract Evelyn had written.

Then he compared the handwriting of the two people.

“It’s not just similar, it would be fine to say they match.”

His mood plummeted as if falling to the ground.

He didn’t know why.

Surprisingly, they were reproducing the same handwriting without a single deviation.

Did they even come to resemble each other’s handwriting because they were lovers?

Despite knowing their relationship well, Casian suddenly felt uncomfortable.

When Casian pushed the contract and letter aside, Sophia hastily spoke up.

“What shall we do, Your Excellency? Should we present the problem you advised about before?”

At Sophia’s urging, Casian quickly regained his composure.

Casian, who had instantly composed his expression, thought for a moment and then finally showed his permission.

“Proceed as planned.”

* * *

“T-this is the problem?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Looking at the documents, my eyes widened in shock.

I couldn’t believe it.

I had expected a big challenge to be waiting, but to this level!

I wanted to immediately throw down the documents and throw a tantrum saying I couldn’t do it, but Sophia kindly provided an explanation.

“The former head of House Heteus, that is, the current Duke’s father, once borrowed money from Count Nordil in the suburbs.”

“My father-in-law did?”

“Yes. During the time when the previous Duke served as head of the house, he made a deal with House of Nordil using palladium as collateral.”

At that time, palladium was an herb that frequently came from the Terton Mountains.

Its value was 1 gold per piece.

My father-in-law, who needed urgent money, borrowed 2,000 gold from Lord Nordil, putting up palladium as collateral.

“Fortunately, the previous Duke overcame the major crisis and repaid the money on time. But the problem is….”

“Lord Nordil didn’t give back the palladium.”

“That’s right. Count Nordil earnestly asked the previous Duke if he could return the palladium later.”

“What was the reason?”

“He said patients with cold symptoms were increasing and he needed the palladium.”

To summarize, my father-in-law repaid the money on time, and Count Nordil didn’t return the palladium he received as collateral, citing the reason that there were many patients with cold symptoms.

“And then what happened?”

“Not long after Lord Nordil deferred the collateral repayment, palladium that was 1 gold per piece soared to 20 gold.”

Huh? Something’s strange here.

It went up not 2 times, not 3 times, but a whopping 20 times.

At this level, didn’t someone manipulate it?

In stock terms, it’s like forces came in and manipulated the stock price. That’s exactly what it seems like.

“Was the palladium price stable when the money was repaid?”

“Yes, Madam. Palladium was an herb with no price fluctuations, so no one could have imagined it would rise this much.”

Well, it’s an herb effective for minor ailments, so that makes sense.

“The problem is that not long after agreeing to the Count’s request, the price of palladium skyrocketed.”

“Yes. Seeing the palladium that had risen sky-high, the previous Duke hurriedly demanded its return from Count Nordil.”

Even in the once-abundant Terton Mountains, palladium had eventually dried up, and House of Count Heteus was also in a situation where they needed palladium.

“He must have sent several letters asking for its return. Didn’t any replies come?”

“They were all the same. He would pay money calculated based on the palladium price at the time the contract expired.”

“What, highway robbery… no, continue.”

A crude curse almost slipped out, but I made an effort to exercise patience.

When I waved my hand, Sophia continued her explanation.

“No matter how powerful a Duke may be, he cannot act coercively toward a Count. Maintaining such an attitude, House Nordil has been holding out for 8 years.”

“What about the collateral?”

“They said they would base the palladium price on the point when the contract ends, and exchange that amount of money.”

Aren’t they thieves?

Have they lost all conscience?

How much do they plan to earn and live luxuriously by robbing others?

Without realizing it, I clenched my fists so hard that strength entered my hands.

“Madam, please have a glass of water first.”

Sophia, who had been watching my complexion with concern, personally poured me water.

After swallowing the water, I suppressed my anger and fell into contemplation.

‘I expected it to be complicated, but I never dreamed it would be to this extent.’

If they’ve been holding out for 8 years, ordinary solutions won’t work.

Casian could personally visit House Nordil and retrieve the palladium.

One might say that would solve it, but realistically it’s impossible.

‘It’s easy to say, but difficult to put into practice.’

Why?

Just as Casian inherited his title, the current head of House Nordil also recently inherited the Count title from his father.

Since it’s a contract concluded by the previous generation, there are limits to how much the successor can intervene.

Knowing this, House Nordil is claiming they’ll set the palladium price based on when the contract ends and exchange that amount of money.

‘I boasted about bringing anything, but this is really a major challenge…’

Just as I was considering whether to pretend it never happened, expectant gazes flew my way.

“Are you alright, Madam?”

Looking around, I found several pairs of eyes fixed on me.

Maids in the corner holding trays with sparkling eyes.

Sebastian beside Sophia, maintaining silence but sending the most burdensome gaze of all.

Sophia, maintaining her usual calm expression but somehow excited.

Everyone in the drawing room was watching me.

I wanted to say I couldn’t do it, but seeing their faces, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

“Of course. I will definitely solve this matter! Everyone go out and attend to your work.”

To meet their expectations, I swept my long hair back with one hand and shouted confidently.

When I showed an attitude as if it were nothing, Sebastian, who had been waiting beside Sophia, spoke with emotion.

“Thank you, Madam! We will trust only in you!”

“We shall withdraw, Madam.”

Ah, I’m screwed.

Who would have thought I’d encounter goods that fluctuate as drastically as coins in a romance fantasy?

Currently palladium is 30 gold per piece.

It sold for 20 gold per piece because it was highly effective for respiratory diseases, but the market price changed within four months.

How do I know?

Suddenly detailed information about palladium entered my head.

One day, a sculptor mistook palladium, which is used by grinding it into powder, for another material and put it in plaster.

As a result, he produced goods that were sturdier and of better quality than before.

It received public acclaim for being able to create artworks comparable to superior goods even when using intermediate materials, as long as palladium was included, causing the price of palladium, which was already expensive, to rise even further.

Since the price rises even if left alone, it’s obvious that House Nordil will be even more reluctant to give up the palladium.

“Wow… The bear does the tricks but the owner takes the money?”

As a Duchess, I cannot stand idle! I have no choice but to personally overturn this House Nordil.

Therefore.

“Mary, Rose. Bring me a bonnet with a wide brim.”

I must storm in right away!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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