CHAPTER 60……………..
A snow-white hand touched the man’s shoulder and collarbone.
Startled by the sudden closeness, Theodore flinched without meaning to.
From the soft hair that slid down, a faint floral scent wafted.
Dense, full lashes, a small high nose, and clear skin entered his view one by one.
While Theodore was frozen in place, unable to move—
“There. All done.”
Claire smiled lightly as she stepped back, having straightened his disheveled collar.
His unusually untidy appearance had bothered her all along.
“…Ahem, thank you.”
Realizing he had rushed over without fixing his clothes properly, Theodore gave his thanks.
A faint flush crept over the edge of his ear as he cleared his throat.
“See you next time.”
“Yes, take care on your way.”
Claire turned away after watching the crown prince’s carriage depart.
Afterward, Theodore purchased the mana-stone mine Claire had recommended.
He donated part of the mined stones to be used as ingredients for the plague cure, and sold the rest at five gold coins apiece.
People immediately took notice of these actions.
“Exclusive: The crown prince’s grand gesture! Mana-stones released cheaply to save the slums!”
“Truly the pillar of the future—Prince Theodore’s love for his people.”
“Medicines made with the prince’s donated mana-stones distributed in the slums!”
Praise poured in for what many called a shocking reversal from the usually aloof prince.
At the same time, blame fell on those who had insisted on keeping mana-stones expensive despite lives being lost.
Merchants, wary of public opinion, had no choice but to follow Theodore’s lead and lower their prices.
Of course, Duke Muten…
“Why should I be cursed just because I want to sell my goods at my own price!?”
…exploded in anger.
“Not the master of blessings but of selfishness? House Muten stubbornly keeps mana-stones at 20 gold each!”
In the end, pushed by public opinion, he too reduced the price.
The real problem was that now he could no longer raise an emergency fund to hand over to Marquis Rabello.
“With the future so uncertain, must I really give the marquis such a fortune…?”
The duke thought while reading the newspaper.
Rabello would not dare reveal his secret anyway, considering what was tied up in it.
What helped the duke finally decide was—
“Father, I want to return to society!”
His beloved daughter Evelyn.
She had spent nearly a year in seclusion, devastated after being rejected by Theodore, whom she had long adored.
Worse, she had failed to awaken even after reaching adulthood, which had crushed her spirit further.
And yet, suddenly, she wanted to step outside again.
“Evelyn, what’s this about…?”
“They say His Highness the Crown Prince has a lover?”
“…What?”
The duke was momentarily shaken.
He had taken great care to keep it secret for the sake of her fragile mental state. How had she found out?
“How dare a bastard child cling to His Highness! And with that cursed blood mixed in—!”
“Evelyn, calm yourself.”
“I’ll teach that filthy wench a lesson—and make His Highness regret it too!”
Evelyn’s eyes gleamed with madness.
Sighing at his daughter’s state, which seemed beyond restraint, the duke also thought perhaps this might be for the best.
She was the sole daughter of House Muten. Though she had not yet awakened, there was still potential.
She could not stay hidden away in gloom forever.
“If Evelyn wants to return, of course I must support her.”
And with that—
“The share I was to give the marquis disappears.”
Investing in Evelyn would benefit House Muten, but not Marquis Rabello.
The duke decisively chose to cut him off.
When Rabello was informed that no money would be lent, he rushed to the duke’s estate.
“What is the meaning of this, Duke! You said you would help me!”
“I said I would consider it. I never confirmed. And upon thinking it over, I see no need to rescue you.”
“Duke! I’ll reveal your secret—!”
Bang!
The duke slammed the table with his fist.
His eyes, filled with murderous force, bore into the marquis.
“If you value your life, continue in that manner, Marquis.”
“…”
“There are many ways to silence a man.”
At the heavy threat, the marquis shut his mouth tight.
Indeed, if he had not been cornered, he never would have dared to bring up the secret.
He had thought it his last rope of salvation…
“If you understand, leave.”
“…”
“If you ever come to me again with such trifles, I will not let it pass.”
The duke coldly dismissed him.
Shoulders slumped, the marquis left the estate.
“Damn… I was counting only on Duke Muten. What do I do now…?”
He wandered the streets without even calling for his carriage, sunk in despair.
His mind drifted back to when he first started gambling, and regret swelled.
If only he had not fallen for those damned cards.
If only—then Priscilla would never have been married into House Muten.
His debts had grown not so much from failed business as from gambling.
“I can’t end up ruined like this…”
At that moment—
Thud!
Someone struck the marquis from behind.
“Ugh!”
He let out a strangled cry and collapsed unconscious.
When he opened his eyes again—
He was sprawled in a dark, stinking, unfamiliar place.
“Ugh…”
Rubbing his head, he felt a lump had formed.
Grinding his teeth, he spat—
“What bastard dares—”
“Right here.”
A familiar voice echoed low in the darkness.
“That bastard.”
“…!”
The marquis whipped his head toward the sound and froze.
There stood Bear, arms crossed, leaning leisurely against the wall.
And before him sat the boy who had claimed to be his business partner.
“Wh-what is the meaning of this! Have you kidnapped—”
“A week has passed with no word from you.”
Claire cut him off before he could finish shouting, her voice calm.
“You remember, don’t you? After a week, additional interest accrues.”
“We’re here to inform you of that.”
The marquis’s face turned pale.
He could not pay his current debt, and now it had grown further!
“L-listen, don’t do this. Why keep adding to it? How can I possibly repay? Then I’ll be forced to find another way!”
He tried to threaten them boldly, but it had no effect.
Theodore stepped forward slowly, making the marquis shrink back just like last time.
His black hair and clothes melted into the dark, leaving only his white mask gleaming.
It was as if the mask itself floated toward him, and terror clutched the marquis.
“Yes, you may seek another way. But—”
“…”
“Do you know why we dragged you to such a remote, dark place?”
Theodore’s voice dropped lower and heavier than usual.
It was chilling and menacing just to hear.
“Because here, we could erase you without a trace and make it look like the work of common thieves.”
“…!”
The marquis’s body trembled violently.
He wanted to cry out How dare you treat a noble like me!, but the man before him was far too sincere.
Knowing that ruthless moneylenders spared no one, high or low, the marquis felt only despair.
“…”
Claire, watching all this, felt conflicted.
Since childhood, her father had seemed towering, solid, and unyielding.
Never once… had she seen him so pitiful.
“He treated me and Franz worse than animals… yet he’s still just human.”
She remembered her younger self, frightened yet yearning for his support, clinging to a sliver of hope that he might help.
Pathetic. Miserable. Pitied.
Looking at the shrunken figure of the marquis, unable to wield even his noble authority, Claire spoke slowly.
“Are you afraid right now?”
Focused on Theodore, the marquis reacted a beat late.
“O-of course I am!”
“What exactly are you afraid of? Being dragged here? Or being forced to do something against your will?”
“Both!”
His hasty answer made Claire stifle a laugh.
How different from when he had dragged her to the wedding hall, forcing her to marry Duke Muten with such arrogance.
“Well, what can you do.”
Claire shrugged as she stood.
“Since a new week has begun, we’ll apply 2.5 times the increased repayment—”
From beneath the brim of her hat, her delicate jawline curved in a smile.
“Please repay 2,187,500 gold.”
“…!”
Calmly announcing the sum, Claire turned away, leaving her father dumbstruck.
Following her, Theodore added a warning.
“Today we’ll leave you be. But next time, perhaps not.”
After the two departed, the marquis sat in a daze before quickly fleeing the place himself.
“Madmen! They’ll really kill me, they will!”
Terrified, he somehow stumbled back to his mansion.
And what awaited him there—
“Husband, something terrible has happened! Look at this!”
