Chapter 25
Wondering what was going on, I moved closer. Just then, the carriage passed the gatekeepers and quickly entered the mansion. I immediately ran toward the gate the carriage had gone through.
It was definitely Calyx’s carriage.
At that moment, a gatekeeper blocked me.
“You can’t go in.”
“Why not?”
“Lord Drop ordered that no one be allowed inside.”
“I’m with the Duke.”
“The Duke has already gone in. If there’s anything to deliver, the Duke himself will handle it.”
I was speechless. Why would Calyx suddenly come here?
I had only told him I would stay out overnight to catch a scammer. I never said I was at this mansion.
No matter how I thought about it, I needed to see him directly. When I tried to move forward, the gatekeeper didn’t step aside. He only stared at me with a stiff expression.
I spoke calmly.
“Move. I’m very busy.”
But the gatekeepers stayed silent and didn’t back down. I let out a sigh. If it came to this, it was going to hurt.
“I’m not going to kill you. But it’s going to hurt a lot.”
While they were looking at me in confusion, I quickly struck their stomachs and knees. Holding their bellies, they collapsed forward.
“I’m sorry! Next time, work somewhere that doesn’t have a shady guy living there!”
I ran straight into the mansion.
‘What on earth is going on?’
By the time my breath reached my throat, I burst through the door. As I looked around, I heard voices nearby.
They were trembling with fear.
“Y-Your Grace! Why have you suddenly come here…?”
I immediately headed toward the reception room where the voices came from. Passing through the arched doorway, I saw Calyx. He was sitting in a chair, looking at Drop. Drop was leaning forward, watching Calyx’s expression closely.
“To get back two billion.”
Calyx’s low voice fell. Two billion? I walked straight to his side.
“Then this bastard is the scammer?”
Startled by my sudden appearance, Drop flinched and looked at me.
“H-how did you…?”
I immediately grabbed Drop by the neck.
“You’re the real scammer, aren’t you?”
Grinding my teeth as I spoke, Drop shook his head.
“N-no! Me, a scammer? Never!”
I laughed.
“You were strange from the start. You reacted like you knew me, got startled, and tried to run.”
“I-I never ran away.”
“Then where’s all my money?”
“L-let go… I can’t breathe… khk—”
“Ms. Lerit.”
At those words, the atmosphere instantly cooled. When I turned around, Calyx spoke calmly.
“Let go.”
“Let go? This guy is clearly the scammer. You even said you came to get back two billion.”
“If you do that, he’ll die before we get the money back.”
Only then did I release my grip. Red fingerprints were clearly left on his neck. The scammer staggered back, touching his throat in shock.
For a moment, an aggressive look flashed in his eyes. When I stared back at him, Drop flinched and lowered his head.
Calyx gestured to me.
“Sit down. Let’s hear what this bastard has to say first, then decide.”
Reluctantly, I sat beside Calyx. Now that I thought about it, who told Calyx about this place? I never said I was here.
Then Calyx spoke.
“The accounts you used for the scam, the money, and the ledgers you’ve kept.”
“……”
“Bring them.”
Prod’s eyes widened as he waved his hands.
“I—I have no idea what you’re talking about. You suddenly accuse me of scamming…”
I clenched my teeth.
“Prod Swindel. That’s your name, isn’t it?”
At those words, the man flinched. I smiled at him.
“Judging by that reaction, it’s true. Prod Swindel.”
“Kuh—no, it’s not. Me, a scammer? I—I…”
At that moment, the butler came in. Prod immediately shouted at him.
“It’s him! He’s the real scammer! I just lent my name and took some money!”
I couldn’t believe it.
“Say something that makes sense, you scammer.”
As I stood up sharply, Prod shoved the butler toward me and ran for the window. I rushed to grab him, but he was already out the window. I was about to chase him when a voice came from behind.
“Ms. Lerit.”
When I turned around, Calyx was still sitting calmly.
“Your Grace? Is this really the time to be sitting? We need to run after the scammer right now.”
Frustrated, I snapped at him. He replied calmly.
“Even if you chase him, there’s only one place he can go.”
“Where?”
The butler answered from the side.
“Elilly Beach.”
I stared at the butler in surprise. He bowed his head and continued.
“I told the Duke everything. Where Prod would run to, and all the evil things he’s done.”
“Why? Weren’t you Prod’s man?”
“Prod took me in, but he’s changed a lot. And I don’t want to keep hearing sharp insults anymore.”
The butler took out a handkerchief and coughed. After a moment, he continued.
“I’m tired now. I’m old, and I’m tired of cleaning up after him while being verbally abused.”
Calyx looked at him and asked,
“Do you know where the ledgers are?”
“Follow me. I set them aside separately on purpose.”
Calyx stood up, and the butler led the way. As I followed them, I asked Calyx,
“Can we trust the butler?”
“We’ll find out.”
“Then if he’s lying to us—”
Calyx said lightly,
“We kill him.”
It was a chilling answer. I couldn’t reply right away. When I stayed silent, he continued.
“That’s how I’ve always handled things. It’s the cleanest way.”
That sounded exactly like Calyx. I had always felt a coldness about him, and now I understood why.
I looked at the butler walking ahead. He was old, his back bent, his posture unsteady. He reminded me of the old man who once worked under Calyx.
“He doesn’t seem like he’s lying.”
Calyx didn’t answer. I hesitated, then looked at him.
“Now you know I’m not a scammer. Once we get the money back, I’ll pay off all my debt.”
Calyx stopped and looked at me.
“Why?”
“Isn’t that something to do after we get the money back?”
“Hm?”
Calyx let out a short laugh.
“Ms. Lerit, you and I are still in a debtor relationship. I won’t think of you as a scammer anymore, but you still owe me money.”
“I know. That’s why I said I’d repay it once we get the money back.”
Why was he looking at me like I didn’t want to think about what happens after I pay it all back? His tone was sharp again, as if I would stay here forever without repaying my debt.
That thought made me remember what Herkel had said.
‘Could it be… that he wants to use me because my skills are good?’
An uneasy feeling slowly crept into my mind. Just then, the butler stopped.
“This is it.”
He opened the door. It was a large office. The walls were covered in gold leaf, so lavish it was almost blinding.
The butler walked to the desk and opened a drawer. He took out a black notebook and handed it to Calyx.
“It lists the money received from the Royal Knights, Your Grace’s money, and the details of the scams. I managed everything myself, so it should be accurate.”
Calyx nodded and took the ledger. I immediately spoke.
“Since we even have the ledger, shouldn’t we report this? Then the scammer would get a proper punishment and be taken to court.”
“Ms. Lerit, do you want to go to prison now?”
The word “prison” caught me off guard, and I stuttered.
“P-prison?”
“Seeing how quiet things have been, the investigation office is in on it too. The royal family is involved, so they’ll try to bury this case.”
“Then… I wouldn’t go to prison, right?”
“On the contrary. You’d take the fall for Prod’s crimes and go to prison. The royal family is that cruel.”
“Then what if I use the fact that I’m a princess? They wouldn’t send me to prison then, right?”
“The moment you reveal that, they’ll kill you first.”
“……”
“They wanted to kill you from the start.”
I was too shocked to speak.
“For the royal family, there’s no loss. They pin everything on you and kill you.”
Thinking about it, it made sense. Right now, Prod was living freely under royal protection, without punishment, despite committing huge crimes.
“We’ll resolve this as quietly as possible.”
“How?”
“By any means necessary.”
His tone was calm, but there was a strange madness in it. As if finished with his business, Calyx said,
“Let’s go back for now. Prod won’t be able to contact the royal family yet.”
“Wouldn’t he try even harder since he’s in danger?”
The butler stepped in.
“Since he failed the task given by the royal family, he’ll keep his head down for a while.”
Calyx said to the butler beside him,
“Come with us.”
“No. I’ll stay here. I followed Prod even while he did terrible things, and I organized the ledgers. If possible, I want to receive my punishment.”
Calyx looked down at him.
“Staying here won’t get you punished.”
“That may be so, but when people come here to pay money, I plan to return it all.”
The butler coughed softly, then looked at Calyx. The moment their eyes met, he spoke.
“I won’t say anything to the investigation office. Not until Your Grace finishes your business.”
It seemed the matter was settled. But the talk about money earlier still bothered me.
