ISHM 12

Chapter 12

The bitter smell of tobacco pricked at his nose.

Frett Gunner continued his report as he looked at his superior, whose thoughts were impossible to read.

“…Next is a report concerning Miss Prim.”

Johannes’s gaze, which had been fixed on the documents the entire time, finally lifted calmly.

In the darkness, his blue eyes shone like stars.

Terrifying eyes, no matter how many times one saw them.

Shaking his head, Frett Gunner fell silent for a moment, then began his report on Edith Prim.

“The servants’ attitudes toward Miss Prim seem to have improved considerably. You could have explained things earlier.”

Frett subtly reproached Johannes, but he merely nodded without much reaction.

It was a signal to continue.

Perhaps because of the long years they had worked together, Johannes was quite merciful—as long as Frett didn’t overstep his bounds.

“She also asked whether you had told them to dismiss her.”

By nature, Frett Gunner was not one to be curious about anything. This time was no different.

“She seemed more anxious than usual. She said she was fine, but her eyes were trembling slightly.”

“The reason?”

Johannes tilted his head just a fraction.

“I suspect it’s financial. She asked me for a servant’s certificate. I assume it’s for a loan.”

“A loan? Is her salary insufficient?”

Frett answered quickly.

“No. Her wages are at least twice those of servants in other noble households. We’ll need to investigate further to see what she intends to use it for.”

“How long will it take?”

“At the latest, two days.”

It seemed to be a satisfactory answer. Johannes jerked his chin.

“Her adjustment?”

A faint trace of irritation crossed Frett’s face. He tugged at the cravat choking his neck, as if frustrated.

“Why ask that now? She’s only just started speaking with the other servants, so she should adapt soon enough. There’s nothing particularly conspicuous about her work.”

Johannes returned to his bored expression.

“Good.”

It was an extremely concise dismissal.

Frett Gunner bowed his head again toward Johannes and delivered his final report.

“She also added that she would prefer all conversations to remain confidential, so I feel quite uncomfortable making this report.”

Johannes let out a scoff.

The joy of obtaining a servant’s certificate was short-lived.

Even the bank I had trusted refused to help me.

“I’m sorry, but our policy has changed. Only those who have worked for more than three months are eligible for loans.”

They spoke as if such inquiries were routine.

Why did every road I took have to be paved with thorns?

I stood blankly in front of the bank, staring down at the servant’s certificate that had become nothing more than a scrap of paper.

Should I just act crazy and ask for help? No. I’ve already received all the help I can just from being employed.

I didn’t want to be seen as someone who didn’t know her place and end up being dismissed.

More importantly, the repayment deadline was tomorrow. What was I supposed to do?

For now, if the loan shark showed up, I’d have no choice but to placate him and try to negotiate.

The cold air felt especially biting today.

“Are you Miss Edith Prim?”

Just as I left my house to head to the ducal estate for work, someone blocked my path.

He was a neatly dressed man in a clean suit, his dull gray-brown hair slicked back. Beside him stood a burly man glaring at me.

“Who are you…?”

The man reached into his coat and handed me a business card with deliberate politeness.

“I’m from Vanux. My name is Finn Schneider, and I’m the general manager. You may call me whatever you like.”

“Ah…”

Vanux. A familiar name.

The loan company stamped on the debt repayment agreement.

As I hesitated, the man beside Finn Schneider leaned forward threateningly. A foul stench assaulted my nose.

“Hey, if you borrow money, you pay it back on time. Doesn’t a person need some credit?”

“Enough. You’re frightening the lady.”

Finn Schneider raised a hand to stop him, but the big man continued grumbling despite the warning.

He blocked the doorway with his arm and kept threatening me.

“If we lent you that much money out of sheer goodwill, you ought to repay it properly. How can you just vanish for three years? What, you think you’re bold enough to pull something like this?”

I was scared, but I did my best not to show it.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go to work. Could we talk this evening?”

Even though I asked politely, the big man was stubborn.

He spouted nonsense about what if I ran away and tried to keep me there.

Eventually, he even grabbed my wrist so I couldn’t move.

“Ah…!”

“Pavid, please stop. Our company isn’t that uncouth. If competitors saw this, we’d be ridiculed.”

“But we don’t have time. We came all this way during precious working hours to collect this damn money.”

“Still, this isn’t the way.”

I was thankful that someone like Finn Schneider was there.

Even so, Pavid glared at me, warning me not to even dream of running away.

“If I had planned to run, I’d have left Müssen the moment I received this.”

Holding up the debt repayment agreement in my hand, I continued calmly.

“I sincerely apologize for not being able to repay the money. I knew nothing about my father’s debt.”

“I see. That must have been quite a shock for you.”

Pavid insisted that ignorance was no excuse and said they were simply there to collect the money, but Finn Schneider brushed him off with ease.

“Tch! So you’re educated, huh? How impressive!”

After being ignored by Finn Schneider the entire time, Pavid bobbed his head in irritation. Even then, Finn Schneider never wiped the smile from his face.

“Still, we would like a clear answer.”

I checked the clock on the building across the street.

There wasn’t much time left before work…

But these men clearly had no intention of letting me go until things were settled.

Even if Finn Schneider showed flexibility, the man called Pavid would block it.

It didn’t seem like either of them truly expected me to repay such a large sum.

“Miss Prim, if it wouldn’t offend you, may we discuss the repayment amount? Of course, we’re not so inflexible as to demand payment right this moment. However, we do need to report to our superiors…”

Finn Schneider smiled awkwardly, as if asking for my understanding.

My guard lowered slightly.

“Then I’d like to see the promissory note first.”

“You think we’re scammers?”

Pavid snorted and, looking thoroughly displeased, shoved my shoulder lightly.

“Don’t do that.”

A surge of instinctive fear washed over me.

Taking a step back, I glanced around.

It was early morning, so there weren’t many people on the street. Those who were there pretended not to see and hurried away.

But would it be any different even if it were crowded?

Of course not.

It would be lucky if someone reported this to the police, but the police and loan sharks had their own connections.

Given how often such incidents occurred without any interference, it was clear that they were tacitly allowed to get away with it.

“Pavid, please stop. This is why I hate working with you.”

“Tch! How do you expect to do business if you’re that soft…?”

Fortunately, Finn Schneider stopped him, allowing me to straighten my back and continue.

“Where does anyone demand money without even showing the promissory note first?”

Pavid scowled. His already menacing face grew even more so.

“Well, if we’re not scammers, we can show it to you.”

“…Of course.”

He rolled up his sleeve and pulled out a single, badly worn sheet of paper from inside his coat. It was extremely old and faded.

As I took the promissory note, I unconsciously frowned.

“Is this really how you manage something like this?”

Below were all the details: the date my father borrowed the money, the amount, and the repayment deadline.

It was no small sum—a very large transaction. It should have been guarded with the utmost care.

How could they manage it this carelessly? And besides…

I looked up at Finn Schneider.

“Why are you only coming now? The repayment deadline passed three years ago.”

The expression on his face, which had been gentle the entire time, suddenly turned cold.

He exchanged glances with Pavid, like someone with a guilty conscience.

“I’m sorry. One of our employees mishandled it. We only just discovered it ourselves, and you can’t imagine how shocked we were.”

“Ah…”

That explained why they had been so hesitant. They bore some responsibility themselves.

With Finn Schneider here, it might actually be possible to talk things through. Perhaps I could even hold them accountable for coming to collect only after the interest had ballooned…

Facing the two men with entirely different expressions, I spoke calmly.

“I don’t have much time. Would you like to come inside first?”