I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 175
Durante hadn’t started with such an unmanageable debt from the beginning.
This was all due to the rapidly accumulating interest every time he woke up.
If it weren’t for the heavy snow that ruined the lily farm in Adalberto’s estate, he would have been able to manage things somehow.
But with his luck being so terribly bad, what could he do?
“Yes, please…”
“That would be difficult. With that money, I should just buy grain.”
As expected, the Grand Duke immediately rejected Durante’s request. But Durante couldn’t back down just yet.
Biting his lip, Durante tried to think of something persuasive to say.
“Your Grace, if you could just lend me the money…”
“Count Adalberto is here, then?”
As Durante was about to speak again, the door to the reception room opened wide.
Seeing the person entering, Durante smiled brightly, as if he had found a savior.
It was Princess Mirabel who entered the room with graceful steps. Durante greeted her with enthusiasm.
“Princess! What a surprise to see you here!”
“I came to discuss something with the Grand Duke. But since there’s a guest, I’ll come back later.”
The princess, giving Durante a brief nod, spoke calmly to the Grand Duke.
When she turned to leave without hesitation, the Grand Duke, who had been relaxed up until now, suddenly stood up.
“No.”
The Grand Duke quickly walked over and grabbed the princess. He spoke to her with a desperate tone.
“Please stay, the Count will be leaving soon.”
“Is that so?”
At the Grand Duke’s explanation, the princess turned her gaze to Durante.
“Count?”
Durante, who had been flustered by Ricardo’s unusual behavior, quickly regained his composure at her question.
“Yes? Yes, Your Grace, if you allow me, it will be a very short discussion.”
“Allow you?”
“That…”
Durante rubbed his hands together. It seemed that the Grand Duke was lowering his stance only with the princess. It was different from the behavior he had shown with Julia a moment ago.
‘If I use the princess, I can borrow money.’
Durante genuinely thanked the princess for showing up just in time.
Not long ago, when her maid had misbehaved, Durante had kindly overlooked it.
Since then, the princess had been more favorably disposed towards him. If he earnestly pleaded, she could help him out with a few words.
“I asked His Grace for a loan.”
“Why don’t you just lend it to him?”
The princess spoke to the Grand Duke without even asking for the amount. The Grand Duke blinked slowly, seemingly questioning why she would say that.
But the princess, without any intention of convincing the Grand Duke, continued matter-of-factly.
“Count Adalberto is a senior member of the noble council and also the Grand Duke’s godfather, correct?”
“Yes, yes. That’s correct.”
Durante nodded repeatedly. Indeed, the princess was easy to talk to. He was fortunate that she showed up.
“He is someone with credit, so lending money shouldn’t be a big issue.”
“If the princess says so.”
The Grand Duke, though still unsure, couldn’t refuse the princess’s words. Durante’s chest swelled with hope.
‘70,000 Brahe. I’ll use about 30,000 to pay off the interest and invest the rest!’
Before long, the thought of paying off all the interest had faded. The immediate priority was to pay the urgent debts, and the rest would be funneled into lily bulb investments.
After all, it would be better to invest and make more money.
“However, there needs to be a promissory note, won’t it?”
“Of course.”
Durante responded quickly to the princess’s question. His mind was entirely consumed with the expectation of the new money he would earn.
“Well then, Grand Duke, please tell the assistant to prepare the promissory note. If it’s Nasir, I’m sure it can be done by today.”
“It should be.”
“Thank you, Princess! Truly, thank you!”
Durante expressed his gratitude, deeply moved. The princess smiled kindly and said to him,
“There’s no need to thank me so much, Count.”
“Haha. Yes, I will take my leave now. Please feel free to continue your conversation. I will come to personally thank you later, Princess.”
Durante gave a deep bow to the princess. He had thought he could only use the lily bulbs for his own gain, but unexpectedly, she had given him much-needed assistance. He was very pleased.
After all, everything seemed to be falling into place for his benefit. With a light step, Durante left the reception room.
* * *
“Why did you ask me to lend him money?”
Once Durante left, Ricardo finally voiced the question he had been holding back. He looked at the seat where Durante had been sitting with distaste and said so.
“That’s exactly why I came.”
Mirabel answered without hesitation, then sat down on the opposite sofa, far from where Durante had been sitting.
“I came because Durante, Count Adalberto, came to see you. My intention has been the same from the beginning.”
“You expected him to ask me for money?”
“Because he’s probably on the brink of bankruptcy. He wouldn’t have come here to introduce his daughter to you while his storerooms were running low.”
“You wanted him to create a debt with me.”
Mirabel nodded indifferently.
“I’m not sure how much, but if he’s asking you for help, it must be a considerable amount. When Durante is cornered and is asked to pay it back, he will completely fall apart.”
“Surely.”
Ricardo agreed. Durante had his hands in many pockets across the Empire. If he couldn’t pay off the interest immediately, it would be embarrassing, but it wouldn’t lead to total ruin.
However, if he owed an enormous sum to the Grand Duke and couldn’t pay it back, and if it became public knowledge…
The Grand Duke’s powerful support would tear away, and Durante would crumble.
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