Chapter 69
I looked down at the mark etched on the back of my hand. A complex design drawn in violet.
The contract with Vincente.
Ever since I had told Vincente about the Chloris Trading Company, I hadn’t heard a word from him.
Well, it wouldn’t be easy. After all, it’s not just anywhere, but the infamous Chloris Company.
If Vincente was the king of the underworld, then Chloris was the king of the seas.
To be more precise, they could be called the kings of pirates.
On the surface they put on the guise of a legitimate merchant company, but all of their goods came from pirates secretly backing them.
The pirates stationed around the Western Kingdom also belonged to Chloris.
Reselling plundered goods—vile among the vile.
What made the Chloris Company even more despicable was that their base of operations was the Western Kingdom itself.
The seas around the Western Kingdom were an untouchable zone no other country could enter, and Chloris had grown so large that even the kingdom could no longer control them.
That’s why they had no choice but to abandon their long-held isolationist policy.
Thanks to that, I had been able to trade safely with Duke Creyman.
Well, if it’s Vincente, he’ll take care of it.
Nothing could be more pointless than worrying about him. That time would be better spent considering the future of myself and the children.
Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I last visited the bank.
Since the monthly donations were so large, I hadn’t felt the need to withdraw money every month.
I should go today, check the balance, update the passbook. Maybe bring back some emergency funds too.
Deciding to take care of it while it was on my mind, I quickly made preparations to go out.
After leaving the children in Hoyan’s care, I headed to the bank. It was midwinter, and the weather was still cold. White clouds of breath escaped as I exhaled.
“I’ll be back, Peter.”
I had been using the same carriage rental for a while, so I had learned the driver’s name.
Peter nodded, his cheeks rosy from the chill.
“Yes, ma’am!”
Leaving the carriage waiting outside the bank, I stepped inside.
“Welcome. What service are you here for today?”
“Withdrawal and passbook update.”
“Of course, I’ll guide you.”
The clerk walked ahead, and I followed behind. Being here for the second time, it felt a little more natural than the first.
This place is still so extravagant.
Maybe because it had been a while since my last visit, the familiar sight even felt oddly comforting.
Now then, how much should be left…
The last time I had withdrawn money was about two months ago…
Total: 1,450 gold.
Back then, I had only withdrawn 50 gold, so around 145 million won remained. With this month’s installment added, that made it 195 million.
Still can’t get used to that figure…
Who would have thought I’d ever handle money in the hundred-millions?
It was an overwhelming sum, enough to make my jaw drop, but when I thought about preparing funds for the children’s independence, it felt like no amount would ever be enough.
“This is the counter that will assist you.”
Lost in thought, I realized we had arrived. I gave a polite nod and stepped up.
“Welcome. How may I help you?”
“I’m here to withdraw funds for the Ciela Orphanage account. But first, I’d like to check the balance.”
“Yes, let me check. Please wait just a moment.”
The clerk excused herself and went inside. I sat down and waited for her return.
Why is it taking so long?
But even after ten minutes, then twenty, she didn’t come back.
This feels familiar somehow…
Just as I was sensing déjà vu, she finally returned. I immediately approached her.
“Yes, ma’am, we’ve completed the balance check.”
“How much is it?”
I asked, though I already knew the answer. It should be 1,450 gold…
“Yes. The balance for the Ciela Orphanage account is exactly 1,000 runes, 9,976 gold, and 8,665 silver.”
“…Excuse me? What did you just say?”
For a moment, I doubted my own ears.
The polite clerk repeated herself.
“The total in the Ciela Orphanage account is 1,000 runes, 9,976 gold, and 8,665 silver.”
I hadn’t misheard. She had really said 1,000 runes, 9,976 gold, 8,665 silver.
What in the world is going on?!
1,000 runes… converting roughly… that was about 10 billion won. A full hundred times more than I had expected!
“…I’m sorry, could I please see the passbook?”
“Of course, one moment.”
She went back inside to fetch it.
Left alone, I racked my brain, but no matter how I turned it around, I couldn’t figure out where in the world that 1,000 runes had come from.
“Here is the passbook for the Ciela Orphanage.”
“Thank you.”
I snatched it quickly and flipped through the entries.
500 gold… 400 runes… 600 runes.
Deposits had started exactly two months ago. I hadn’t realized it since I hadn’t visited the bank.
And the source of these staggering sums? The Creyman Duchy.
But there was one more line beneath it.
[Teabag – Western Kingdom]
At last, I understood.
This enormous money was none other than the profits from the teabag business I had started with Duke Creyman!
“Ma’am? Are you all right?”
Noticing my dazed state, the clerk asked in concern. I managed a shaky nod.
“…Please withdraw just 100 gold, and keep the rest in the account.”
“Understood.”
As she went back inside, I sat alone, still dizzy from the astronomical figure spinning through my head.
“Thank you for visiting.”
Clutching the 100 gold, I staggered out of the bank and climbed into the carriage. My face must have been pale, because Peter looked at me in alarm.
“My lady? Is something wrong?”
“No… nothing at all…”
But it was impossible to say nothing had happened. Because something incredible had just happened to me.
Instead, I told him,
“I’m sorry, but after stopping at the orphanage, could we go to one more place?”
“Of course! Where to?”
He nodded eagerly. I answered apologetically,
“The Creyman Duchy.”
Unsurprisingly, at my words, the coachman’s face also turned pale.
Rick set down a teacup before the two men seated across from him, then withdrew. The green-haired man gently swirled the teabag in his cup as he spoke.
“This teabag. The more I think about it, the more revolutionary it seems. No wonder it’s been so well received in our Western Kingdom. Where in the world did such a thing come from? As expected, Duke Creyman’s eye for talent is remarkable.”
At his words, the duke looked up.
“Thank you for your kind praise, Your Highness Prince Cesar.”
The green-haired man—Cesar, crown prince of the Western Kingdom—smiled in satisfaction at the duke’s polite reply.
He took a sip of tea.
“The aroma isn’t overpowering, the brewing method is simple. Since our kingdom is an island, importing loose leaves is costly, but this teabag removes that burden. It’s excellent.”
“The beauty of teabags is that even citizens unaccustomed to tea culture can enjoy it with ease.”
“And that’s why it’s had such great success.”
Setting down his teacup, the crown prince regarded the duke with a serious tone.
“I don’t know what exactly happened internally, but the Chloris Trading ships stationed near our kingdom have withdrawn. Signs of sunken vessels suggest some sort of conflict took place.”
“That is fortunate.”
“Yes. For that reason, I believe it would be wise to increase the supply of teabags coming in.”
The duke nodded at the prince’s words.
I expected a good response, but…
The Western Kingdom’s reception of teabags had far surpassed his expectations. Within just two weeks of release, the entire stock had sold out, leaving him scrambling.
He had even traveled personally to the Western Kingdom to handle the flood of backorders.
Come to think of it, has Ciela not checked yet?
He had expected her to rush over as soon as she saw the figures, like last time, but she had made no appearance.
“By the way, I heard rumors that someone else actually invented these teabags. Is that true?”
The crown prince’s sudden question made the duke pause. Then he nodded.
“Yes, that is correct. The teabags were created by another.”
“As I thought. In truth, the reason I came here was to meet that person.”
The duke froze mid-sip, his graceful movement stilled. But he quickly regained composure and set the cup down.
He looked at the crown prince, whose scarlet eyes sparkled expectantly.
“…May I ask what business you have with them?”
“Why, simply because I wish to meet the brilliant mind behind such an invention, and speak with them. Unless there is some problem?”
Seeing the duke’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction, the crown prince asked carefully.
The duke shook his head.
“No, not at all. It’s just…”
In truth, there was no real reason Ciela couldn’t meet the prince. If anything, an introduction might benefit future business.
And yet, for some reason…
I don’t want them to meet.
