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Chapter 11
“Pardon? What are you talking about?”
“How you managed to persuade that difficult man.”
“Oh.”
So that’s what he meant.
“He was getting on my nerves with Elder Gerach, so I just helped a little.”
“I thought you only exchanged greetings?”
“I didn’t say anything wrong.”
In fact, what Elder Gerach had been insisting on was absurd. Wearing a gold ring while praying would improve public sentiment? It was purely self-serving logic.
“If you truly cared about public sentiment, you wouldn’t decorate yourself with gold—you’d invest in public works.”
If mere words of goodwill were enough, there would be no poor people or relief houses.
Rosetta shrugged as she replied, and Sol Rike stroked his chin.
“Will that be alright? Gerach holds grudges longer than he looks.”
He did seem like it. Otherwise, the chief aide wouldn’t be so visibly repulsed by him.
Rosetta answered casually.
“He’s extremely loyal to you. We can just use that to our advantage.”
“Gerach has finally met the right opponent.”
Sol Rike chuckled and crossed his legs. Rosetta glanced at the signet ring on his finger as he lifted his teacup and said,
“Is it true you proposed to me because of Princess Bellatris?”
He was silent for a moment.
“And if it is?”
“If my father demands more than five million gold in dowry or investment fees, please refuse.”
At her words, the faint boredom that had lingered on Sol Rike’s face vanished.
“Why?”
“As you probably already know, Pavinu is a bottomless pit.”
“……”
Seeing a flicker of interest in his gray-blue eyes, Rosetta continued calmly.
“The county’s annual revenue is less than two million gold. Compared to other noble houses that earn over three million annually, it’s far too little. In that situation, if a large sum of money comes in, it’ll vanish in less than half a year.”
She had already watched her father attempt to revive their collapsing core businesses by pulling in investments from everywhere—only to burn through nearly half the principal in interest payments.
‘If that’s the case, it’s better not to have access to large sums at all.’
At that moment, Sol pulled out an unopened envelope and a separate letter from his coat.
One was an invitation bearing the seal of the Pavinu Count’s household, and the other was a personal letter from the Count.
The personal letter had already been unsealed.
“By the way, the Count already demanded over seven million gold in dowry. On top of that, he asked for an additional three million in wedding gifts.”
Rosetta’s hands trembled as she took the letter.
‘He really demanded ten million gold…!’
Even one hundred thousand gold would allow a noble household to live comfortably in the capital for a year.
Even wealthy families only earned around five million gold annually, so the dowry her father was demanding was absurdly high.
‘Of course, to someone like the Iglesi—someone who could rival imperial wealth—it might be nothing. But still… how can he ask for this much?’
Given that the Iglesi family’s wealth was comparable to the imperial treasury, they could probably pay it without hesitation—but that made it even worse.
Rosetta could easily imagine her father laughing while holding a goose that laid golden eggs.
And soon after, cutting open its belly.
‘I have to stop Father from relying on him.’
But how?
If there was money to be squeezed out, her father would exploit it by any means necessary.
You couldn’t pour water into a bottomless jar.
And this was Sol.
The man who saved her, who almost died because of her.
The one who pulled her out of despair with his own hands.
Even if he had forgotten her…
Even if he was using her to avoid the engagement with the princess…
In the end, thanks to him, she had been able to move her mother’s coffin to the family cemetery.
She already owed him an unpayable debt. She couldn’t burden him further.
While she stared at the letter, Sol Rike had already moved to sit beside her.
“So I’ll accept the invitation for now. I plan to go and speak with the Count… will you come with me?”
He said this as he placed a hand on Rosetta’s slightly trembling shoulder.
When she turned her head, she was startled.
They were so close that if she turned fully, their noses would almost touch.
“I… I suppose so. Of course I should go with you.”
“Is that so?”
As she tried to lean away, the strong arm resting on her shoulder tightened, as if sensing her intent to escape.
Rosetta stiffened like a statue while Sol Rike used his other hand to pick up the invitation.
“Are you sure you can go?”
He showed her the front of the invitation.
Rosetta glanced at it nervously.
What kind of invitation was this supposed to be, to make him act like that?
On the front, written in elegant handwriting, was:
“……”
Her mind went blank.
Then she read it again.
It still didn’t change.
“An invitation to the wedding of Dierego Genomegarde and Julieta Pavinu.”
What?
‘Julieta… is marrying who?’
She rubbed her eyes, thinking she must have misread it.
But it was the same.
Julieta Pavinu and Dierego Genomegarde.
“What… is this… how…?”
As she reached for the invitation in disbelief, it was pulled away with a soft tsk.
“Wait…!”
“Let me ask you once more. Can you go with me?”
As Sol raised the invitation above her head, Rosetta stretched her arms to grab it.
Now she was clinging to him, unlike before when she had tried to distance herself.
“……”
But she wasn’t embarrassed.
Her mind was boiling.
‘So that’s why he asked if I could go with him.’
How on earth did Julieta and Dierego end up getting married?
‘What is my father thinking?!’
Julieta couldn’t have arranged this alone. It must have been under her father’s supervision.
Why would he allow this marriage?
The inquisitors were known for never reversing a target once they chose one.
Dierego Genomegarde, once marked by them, had failed to appear at their execution site in order to survive.
And now, barely a week later, he had reappeared.
And was marrying her half-sister.
Rosetta looked straight at Sol.
“I’ll go.”
“……”
“I need to see this with my own eyes.”
With a combination like this, there would undoubtedly be rumors spreading among society.
And surely speculation about her and Sol as well.
‘I hate being manipulated while knowing nothing.’
So she had to go.
She had to stop her father from demanding excessive dowries, and she had to clarify matters with Dierego Genomegarde.
It was absurd—but necessary.
“Good.”
At her answer, Sol lowered his arm and handed her the invitation.
Rosetta tore it open and pulled out the card inside.
It read:
“An invitation to the wedding of Dierego Genomegarde and Julieta Pavinu.
We sincerely hope you will bless our new beginning with warm regards.
Location: Midstream of the Carbo River, Malta Cruise
Date: July 2, 861
Dierego Genomegarde & Julieta Pavinu
Respectfully.”
‘July 2? That’s right around the corner!’
The date and location were both outrageous.
‘The last time I checked the ledgers, there was no way they could afford to charter a cruise.’
Someone was supporting this marriage.
That was the only explanation.
Rosetta let out a hollow laugh as Sol asked again,
“You really intend to attend?”
“…Yes.”
She had no intention of sincerely blessing the marriage.
Her ex-fiancé who betrayed her, and her half-sister with her double-faced behavior—it was impossible.
But she needed to find out how Dierego escaped the inquisitors, why Julieta was marrying him, and whether her mother’s coffin had been properly relocated.
At her answer, Sol nodded.
“Good decision.”
His hand patted her head gently, like praising a child.
Rosetta pouted slightly without realizing it.
