Episode 97. The Time It Takes to Repay 10 Billion
Rose finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the Grand Duke's answer.
'I thought you'd just kick them out.'
Thank goodness the Grand Duke hadn't kicked Gwen out.
The Grand Duke wasn't particularly keen, but he planned to find out Gwen's true intentions while eating.
Gwen and his group walked over, one by one.
But something was off with Frederick. He couldn't take his eyes off Julius.
Julius immediately noticed the heated gaze directed at him.
'What? Are you in love with me?'
The air around him was icy.
Gwen’s wife, Frederick, and even Rose were watching him closely.
‘...I guess I’ll have to talk to Gwen separately after dinner.’
There was no need to ruin the gathering he’d worked so hard to create.
“I apologize for my rudeness. Everyone, don’t worry about it and come listen.”
The chilly atmosphere, as if walking on thin ice, melted away.
Julius admired the Grand Duke's appearance.
He, with his usually self-willed nature, had displayed a gentle demeanor.
‘Hmm. Is it because of the presence of Lady Serviat?’
He wouldn't want to show his rough side to the woman he loved.
"It's fate that we're all gathered here, so let's all have a toast."
Julius raised his wine glass.
Following him, Rose, the Grand Duke, and Gwen's party also raised their glasses.
The dinner that day was a success in its own right.
After the meal, Gwen and the Grand Duke were left alone.
"I wonder if the food suited your taste."
"It was the best. I'm at a loss for words, being treated like this."
Gwen smiled softly at the Grand Duke's words.
The Grand Duke looked sharply at Gwen, who was smiling at him.
"But, this is truly unexpected. I really didn't know you'd be with Rose."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. You know better than anyone else what my relationship is with the Count of Wence."
His gaze at Gwen was not pleasant.
The Count of Wence had been the first to pressure the Archduke of Artaeum.
Of course, Duke Flice was behind him, but Cedric had been watching the Grand Duke's actions closely since childhood.
It was Cedric who earned him the nickname "madman" and the reputation as a cruel ruler.
He was the one who made the Grand Duke what he is today.
He was the one who made him into someone who wouldn't bleed even if pricked with a needle.
Because of Cedric, he had to shed unnecessary blood on his hands.
To survive.
To protect himself, whom no one else would.
But Gwen, who had worked under him for over thirty years... would join us?
He knew Gwen had only focused on the finances of Count Wence, but suppressing her anger was difficult.
“I completely understand how you feel, Grand Duke.”
“No, you absolutely don’t understand.”
The Grand Duke retorted coldly.
His face was bloodshot. Judging by his trembling fists, he looked ready to explode at any moment.
Gwen, seemingly unfazed by the Grand Duke’s presence, continued calmly.
“You can blame me. But... I can’t listen to you telling me to step down from my business now.”
His tone was gentle, but firm.
“I want to see Rose’s business succeed just as much as Your Highness, the Grand Duke. Rose is a natural businessman. She knows the path to money.”
Even though Rose was merely importing a business already in Korea, Gwen saw Rose as a genius.
"She has a great understanding of money. I'm sure Rose will succeed without me."
At Gwen's words, the Grand Duke of Artaeum furrowed his eyebrows and asked,
"So, you can leave? As I just said, Rose can succeed on her own."
"Success will be inevitable... but without me, she'll struggle."
Gwen sipped his coffee with a relaxed expression.
"Business isn't easy. The game changes depending on how high your net profit is relative to sales, how you supplement your earnings, and how you can further increase your wealth."
Gwen was undeniably the best at finance and accounting.
"And how to avoid taxes within legal boundaries is also important."
The more wealth you had, the more terrifying the taxes you had to pay.
Gwen cleverly protected her funds by using tax avoidance rather than tax evasion.
“I can strategically grow Rose’s business. That’s my specialty. Rose said she received 10 billion in investment from Your Highness the Grand Duke, right?”
“Yes.”
“How long do you think it will take Rose to repay 10 billion?”
The Grand Duke pondered Gwen’s words.
It was a significant sum, so she couldn’t repay it quickly.
Six months to establish herself, and assuming a profit...
“One year. That should be enough to repay it.”
One year was a pretty tight timeframe.
He had said it like that, but in reality, it could take more than three years.
“One year...”
Gwen muttered the Grand Duke’s answer to himself. Then, with a confident smile, he replied,
“If I put my mind to it, I could repay Your Highness the Grand Duke’s money within a week.”
The unbelievable words flowed from Gwen’s mouth.
Silence fell.
Gwen’s words were utterly astonishing.
The Grand Duke, who had been staring at Gwen with a consistent expression the entire time, dilated his pupils.
Ten billion wouldn't be a lot of money to make quickly, would it?
He asked incredulously.
"A week?"
"Yes."
"Is that true?"
"It's entirely possible. If I'm here."
His attitude was confident.
The Grand Duke stared at Gwen.
His words didn't feel like boasting.
"You're truly confident."
With Gwen, not only the department store business but even the territory's economy could be revived in an instant.
"..."
However, something still bothered him.
He couldn't completely trust Gwen, who had worked under Cedric.
The hypothesis that Gwen might be Cedric's spy was quite plausible.
The Grand Duke closed his eyes tightly and sighed softly.
"Why do you want to do business with Rose? Did she promise you a huge salary?"
The Grand Duke asked Gwen, as if testing her.
"I just wanted to work with Lady Rose. There's no other reason."
It was a model answer.
The Grand Duke raised his lowered eyes. Then, in a sharp tone, he asked,
"You didn't consider what would happen if the former Count Cedric found out about this, did you?"
"...Lord Cedric... You don't need to worry about it."
Not to worry?
What was he trying to say?
Gwen's mouth trembled. His wrinkled fingertips were trembling, too.
Gwen, who had been moving his lips, finally opened them with difficulty.
"...He abandoned me."
Gwen quickly lowered his head.
The feeling of abandonment still hurts, even after all this time.
He had loved Cedric like family, beyond their master-servant relationship. And he had always believed Cedric felt the same way.
But Cedric wasn't the same. He had not only kidnapped him, but he had also tried to kill him. Not only himself, but... even his beloved family!
"I barely escaped the capital. He found out I was working with Lady Rose and tried to kill me without mercy. I have no ties to Lord Cedric. Just as he abandoned me, I have abandoned him."
For him, who had sworn his loyalty, all that came in return was death.
He no longer harbored any attachment to Cedric.
Instead, only a resentment tainted by betrayal filled Gwen's heart.
“I told you that things don’t always go as planned.”
He said softly, recalling his words from before the meal.
“Your Highness and I were indeed enemies yesterday, but I don’t think that will continue to be.”
To be clear, Cedric, whom he served, had been at odds with the Grand Duke, but Gwen was his butler, so she could be considered an enemy.
“I will give my all for Lady Rose. I believe Your Highness... shares my goals.”
Gwen gazed at the Grand Duke with clear eyes.
The Grand Duke tapped his fingers on the table.
“For...Rose.”
He muttered softly, then quickly made a decision.
“Good.”
The hand that was tapping the table stopped, and a powerful voice flowed out.
“I will trust you.”
At the Grand Duke's words, a kind smile spread across Gwen’s once dark face.
Gwen, knowing his sincerity had resonated, put his anxiety to rest.
However, the Grand Duke's subsequent words made him tense again.
"But I don't completely trust you yet."
The Grand Duke curled his lips and picked up the knife. He then slowly ran his hand down the blade.
"If you sense anything even slightly strange..."
Whoosh!
The Grand Duke hurled the knife towards Gwen.
The knife sliced through the air, aiming terrifyingly at Gwen.
Gwen shut his eyes tightly, unable to dodge the knife flying towards him.
The knife slid past him.
With a squelch, Gwen's hair was severed.
A few strands of his hair tumbled to the floor.
The knife, barely able to fly, was embedded in the wall.
"I will destroy you and your family, too. So, you'd better give up on any foolish plans."
Rose finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the Grand Duke's answer.
'I thought you'd just kick them out.'
Thank goodness the Grand Duke hadn't kicked Gwen out.
The Grand Duke wasn't particularly keen, but he planned to find out Gwen's true intentions while eating.
Gwen and his group walked over, one by one.
But something was off with Frederick. He couldn't take his eyes off Julius.
Julius immediately noticed the heated gaze directed at him.
'What? Are you in love with me?'
Frederick glanced at him with a blush. Julius winked with full confidence.
"Huh!"
Frederick couldn't help but feel his heart pounding at the beautiful Princess's wink.
"W-the Princess winking at me."
It was truly an honor for the family.
He'd heard rumors that the Princess of Mederion was beautiful, but up close, she surpassed all expectations.
"I've never seen such a beautiful woman in my life..."
He stared at Julius, transfixed.
Julius chuckled, amused by Frederick's reaction, and sat down.
"Oh, oh, oh. You know how pretty I am."
Frederick sat across from Julius, entranced.
Julius brushed his waist-length hair to one side, subtly revealing his neckline. He probably couldn't have imagined the plump Adam's apple peeking out beneath his scarf.
He gazed at Frederick with a deep gaze.
Frederick's smile almost twitched at Julius's gaze.
Soon, servants arrived with a cart loaded with food.
They placed bread and appetizers on the table first.
Gwen's wife, a common noblewoman, and Frederick were dazzled by the sumptuous meal.
Gwen, the butler of the Count Wence family, was unfazed by this scene, but the other two were different.
“We haven’t prepared much, but please enjoy.”
As the Grand Duke finished speaking, one by one, they picked up their forks. The quiet clinking of cutlery was heard.
“I heard the news. I heard you’ve been removed from the Count Wence family.”
The Grand Duke spoke first.
“Yes.”
“That must be a shame. I thought you’d be buried in the Count Wence family.”
A bitterness washed over Gwen’s face at the Grand Duke's words.
“Things don’t always go as planned.”
He responded calmly to what could easily have been a tearjerker.
“...I feel sorry for you too.”
The Grand Duke, without taking his eyes off Gwen, wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“So... what brought you to work with Rose?”
The atmosphere was tense. The tone was clearly interrogative.
“Lucas, if you talk like that, the guests will be scared. How can they eat?”
Julius spoke as if trying to lighten the mood.
Gwen gave him a grateful look and opened his mouth.
“It’s okay. I’d be curious too. I’m sure His Highness can’t tell if I’m an ally or an enemy.”
He coyly agreed and continued calmly.
“Please ask all your questions until Your Highness is satisfied.”
The Grand Duke, sensing Julius’s gaze, finally looked around.
"Huh!"
Frederick couldn't help but feel his heart pounding at the beautiful Princess's wink.
"W-the Princess winking at me."
It was truly an honor for the family.
He'd heard rumors that the Princess of Mederion was beautiful, but up close, she surpassed all expectations.
"I've never seen such a beautiful woman in my life..."
He stared at Julius, transfixed.
Julius chuckled, amused by Frederick's reaction, and sat down.
"Oh, oh, oh. You know how pretty I am."
Frederick sat across from Julius, entranced.
Julius brushed his waist-length hair to one side, subtly revealing his neckline. He probably couldn't have imagined the plump Adam's apple peeking out beneath his scarf.
He gazed at Frederick with a deep gaze.
Frederick's smile almost twitched at Julius's gaze.
Soon, servants arrived with a cart loaded with food.
They placed bread and appetizers on the table first.
Gwen's wife, a common noblewoman, and Frederick were dazzled by the sumptuous meal.
Gwen, the butler of the Count Wence family, was unfazed by this scene, but the other two were different.
“We haven’t prepared much, but please enjoy.”
As the Grand Duke finished speaking, one by one, they picked up their forks. The quiet clinking of cutlery was heard.
“I heard the news. I heard you’ve been removed from the Count Wence family.”
The Grand Duke spoke first.
“Yes.”
“That must be a shame. I thought you’d be buried in the Count Wence family.”
A bitterness washed over Gwen’s face at the Grand Duke's words.
“Things don’t always go as planned.”
He responded calmly to what could easily have been a tearjerker.
“...I feel sorry for you too.”
The Grand Duke, without taking his eyes off Gwen, wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“So... what brought you to work with Rose?”
The atmosphere was tense. The tone was clearly interrogative.
“Lucas, if you talk like that, the guests will be scared. How can they eat?”
Julius spoke as if trying to lighten the mood.
Gwen gave him a grateful look and opened his mouth.
“It’s okay. I’d be curious too. I’m sure His Highness can’t tell if I’m an ally or an enemy.”
He coyly agreed and continued calmly.
“Please ask all your questions until Your Highness is satisfied.”
The Grand Duke, sensing Julius’s gaze, finally looked around.
The air around him was icy.
Gwen’s wife, Frederick, and even Rose were watching him closely.
‘...I guess I’ll have to talk to Gwen separately after dinner.’
There was no need to ruin the gathering he’d worked so hard to create.
“I apologize for my rudeness. Everyone, don’t worry about it and come listen.”
The chilly atmosphere, as if walking on thin ice, melted away.
Julius admired the Grand Duke's appearance.
He, with his usually self-willed nature, had displayed a gentle demeanor.
‘Hmm. Is it because of the presence of Lady Serviat?’
He wouldn't want to show his rough side to the woman he loved.
"It's fate that we're all gathered here, so let's all have a toast."
Julius raised his wine glass.
Following him, Rose, the Grand Duke, and Gwen's party also raised their glasses.
The dinner that day was a success in its own right.
***
After the meal, Gwen and the Grand Duke were left alone.
"I wonder if the food suited your taste."
"It was the best. I'm at a loss for words, being treated like this."
Gwen smiled softly at the Grand Duke's words.
The Grand Duke looked sharply at Gwen, who was smiling at him.
"But, this is truly unexpected. I really didn't know you'd be with Rose."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. You know better than anyone else what my relationship is with the Count of Wence."
His gaze at Gwen was not pleasant.
The Count of Wence had been the first to pressure the Archduke of Artaeum.
Of course, Duke Flice was behind him, but Cedric had been watching the Grand Duke's actions closely since childhood.
It was Cedric who earned him the nickname "madman" and the reputation as a cruel ruler.
He was the one who made the Grand Duke what he is today.
He was the one who made him into someone who wouldn't bleed even if pricked with a needle.
Because of Cedric, he had to shed unnecessary blood on his hands.
To survive.
To protect himself, whom no one else would.
But Gwen, who had worked under him for over thirty years... would join us?
He knew Gwen had only focused on the finances of Count Wence, but suppressing her anger was difficult.
“I completely understand how you feel, Grand Duke.”
“No, you absolutely don’t understand.”
The Grand Duke retorted coldly.
His face was bloodshot. Judging by his trembling fists, he looked ready to explode at any moment.
Gwen, seemingly unfazed by the Grand Duke’s presence, continued calmly.
“You can blame me. But... I can’t listen to you telling me to step down from my business now.”
His tone was gentle, but firm.
“I want to see Rose’s business succeed just as much as Your Highness, the Grand Duke. Rose is a natural businessman. She knows the path to money.”
Even though Rose was merely importing a business already in Korea, Gwen saw Rose as a genius.
"She has a great understanding of money. I'm sure Rose will succeed without me."
At Gwen's words, the Grand Duke of Artaeum furrowed his eyebrows and asked,
"So, you can leave? As I just said, Rose can succeed on her own."
"Success will be inevitable... but without me, she'll struggle."
Gwen sipped his coffee with a relaxed expression.
"Business isn't easy. The game changes depending on how high your net profit is relative to sales, how you supplement your earnings, and how you can further increase your wealth."
Gwen was undeniably the best at finance and accounting.
"And how to avoid taxes within legal boundaries is also important."
The more wealth you had, the more terrifying the taxes you had to pay.
Gwen cleverly protected her funds by using tax avoidance rather than tax evasion.
“I can strategically grow Rose’s business. That’s my specialty. Rose said she received 10 billion in investment from Your Highness the Grand Duke, right?”
“Yes.”
“How long do you think it will take Rose to repay 10 billion?”
The Grand Duke pondered Gwen’s words.
It was a significant sum, so she couldn’t repay it quickly.
Six months to establish herself, and assuming a profit...
“One year. That should be enough to repay it.”
One year was a pretty tight timeframe.
He had said it like that, but in reality, it could take more than three years.
“One year...”
Gwen muttered the Grand Duke’s answer to himself. Then, with a confident smile, he replied,
“If I put my mind to it, I could repay Your Highness the Grand Duke’s money within a week.”
The unbelievable words flowed from Gwen’s mouth.
Silence fell.
Gwen’s words were utterly astonishing.
The Grand Duke, who had been staring at Gwen with a consistent expression the entire time, dilated his pupils.
Ten billion wouldn't be a lot of money to make quickly, would it?
He asked incredulously.
"A week?"
"Yes."
"Is that true?"
"It's entirely possible. If I'm here."
His attitude was confident.
The Grand Duke stared at Gwen.
His words didn't feel like boasting.
"You're truly confident."
With Gwen, not only the department store business but even the territory's economy could be revived in an instant.
"..."
However, something still bothered him.
He couldn't completely trust Gwen, who had worked under Cedric.
The hypothesis that Gwen might be Cedric's spy was quite plausible.
The Grand Duke closed his eyes tightly and sighed softly.
"Why do you want to do business with Rose? Did she promise you a huge salary?"
The Grand Duke asked Gwen, as if testing her.
"I just wanted to work with Lady Rose. There's no other reason."
It was a model answer.
The Grand Duke raised his lowered eyes. Then, in a sharp tone, he asked,
"You didn't consider what would happen if the former Count Cedric found out about this, did you?"
"...Lord Cedric... You don't need to worry about it."
Not to worry?
He didn't like Gwen's answer. The Grand Duke immediately snapped at him.
"Could it be that you approached Lady Rose under Cedric's orders?"
The Grand Duke's interrogation began in earnest.
'He's a very persistent and vicious man.'
The Grand Duke thought of Cedric, always with his venomous, snake-like eyes. He was a man who would do any and every despicable thing. He was a man who was obsessed with his own success.
He not only framed other nobles to rise in the ranks, but he also trampled on even his closest associates to reach his current position.
There was no way Cedric would leave Rose alone.
Rose knew the secret about Chicagor, and Rose's position was teetering because of him.
"It's so strange. Cedric, with that personality, would never leave Rose alone. He's so quiet."
The Grand Duke gazed at Gwen.
"Doesn't he look like someone who's laying a trap and waiting to be caught?"
He cast a suspicious glance, as if Cedric's 'trap' was Gwen.
Gwen, who had been listening to the Grand Duke in silence, wore a bitter expression.
"Could it be that you approached Lady Rose under Cedric's orders?"
The Grand Duke's interrogation began in earnest.
'He's a very persistent and vicious man.'
The Grand Duke thought of Cedric, always with his venomous, snake-like eyes. He was a man who would do any and every despicable thing. He was a man who was obsessed with his own success.
He not only framed other nobles to rise in the ranks, but he also trampled on even his closest associates to reach his current position.
There was no way Cedric would leave Rose alone.
Rose knew the secret about Chicagor, and Rose's position was teetering because of him.
"It's so strange. Cedric, with that personality, would never leave Rose alone. He's so quiet."
The Grand Duke gazed at Gwen.
"Doesn't he look like someone who's laying a trap and waiting to be caught?"
He cast a suspicious glance, as if Cedric's 'trap' was Gwen.
Gwen, who had been listening to the Grand Duke in silence, wore a bitter expression.
What was he trying to say?
Gwen's mouth trembled. His wrinkled fingertips were trembling, too.
Gwen, who had been moving his lips, finally opened them with difficulty.
"...He abandoned me."
Gwen quickly lowered his head.
The feeling of abandonment still hurts, even after all this time.
He had loved Cedric like family, beyond their master-servant relationship. And he had always believed Cedric felt the same way.
But Cedric wasn't the same. He had not only kidnapped him, but he had also tried to kill him. Not only himself, but... even his beloved family!
"I barely escaped the capital. He found out I was working with Lady Rose and tried to kill me without mercy. I have no ties to Lord Cedric. Just as he abandoned me, I have abandoned him."
For him, who had sworn his loyalty, all that came in return was death.
He no longer harbored any attachment to Cedric.
Instead, only a resentment tainted by betrayal filled Gwen's heart.
“I told you that things don’t always go as planned.”
He said softly, recalling his words from before the meal.
“Your Highness and I were indeed enemies yesterday, but I don’t think that will continue to be.”
To be clear, Cedric, whom he served, had been at odds with the Grand Duke, but Gwen was his butler, so she could be considered an enemy.
“I will give my all for Lady Rose. I believe Your Highness... shares my goals.”
Gwen gazed at the Grand Duke with clear eyes.
The Grand Duke tapped his fingers on the table.
“For...Rose.”
He muttered softly, then quickly made a decision.
“Good.”
The hand that was tapping the table stopped, and a powerful voice flowed out.
“I will trust you.”
At the Grand Duke's words, a kind smile spread across Gwen’s once dark face.
Gwen, knowing his sincerity had resonated, put his anxiety to rest.
However, the Grand Duke's subsequent words made him tense again.
"But I don't completely trust you yet."
The Grand Duke curled his lips and picked up the knife. He then slowly ran his hand down the blade.
"If you sense anything even slightly strange..."
Whoosh!
The Grand Duke hurled the knife towards Gwen.
The knife sliced through the air, aiming terrifyingly at Gwen.
Gwen shut his eyes tightly, unable to dodge the knife flying towards him.
The knife slid past him.
With a squelch, Gwen's hair was severed.
A few strands of his hair tumbled to the floor.
The knife, barely able to fly, was embedded in the wall.
"I will destroy you and your family, too. So, you'd better give up on any foolish plans."
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