Chapter 84

 

The butler nudged Nils as if he was feeling stifled.

 

Seeing him interrogate like this, it seemed he had suspicions but lacked concrete evidence.

 

Nils, secretly relieved, straightened his back and feigned innocence.

 

“How dare you doubt me? Why are you asking me about the land that my father managed? Even if you’ve been teaching me in place of my absent father...”

 

“Do you not think the Count would avoid recklessly dealing with assets tied to the royal family?”

 

The butler’s voice suddenly rose.

 

At his intimidating tone, Nils unwittingly took a step back.

 

The butler had always served Hayden, diminishing his own presence like a shadow.

 

Nils had known him for almost a decade, but it was the first time he’d seen him so angered.

 

With a flushed face from anger, the butler continued to question.

 

“I’ve heard the Siam mines have resumed silver production. What a ridiculous rumor. Who would dare develop a land that the owner hasn’t touched? But do you know what’s even more unbelievable? The rumor turned out to be true!”

 

“Hey, calm down and slowly...”

 

“After hearing the news, I checked the remaining documents with disbelief. And as expected, the land documents of the Siam region were conspicuously missing. The only ones who could touch them are you, me, Miss Yvonne, and you, Nils. You don’t intend to blame your younger sibling, do you?”

 

Nils was at a loss for words.

 

The butler was so certain of Nils’ wrongdoing that there was no way he could play dumb any longer.

 

Given Nils’ actions up to this point, it was only natural.

 

Despite everything, Nils felt deeply insulted by the butler’s aggressive approach of selling him out.

 

How audacious for a mere servant to rebuke his master, even if he did do something wrong. Where else would one find such absurdity?

 

Losing his patience, Nils raised his voice in retort.

 

“Yes, I sold that land. But is it something to raise your voice about? My father also deemed it a worthless asset and thus left it unattended, didn’t he?”

 

Nils glared at the butler with a defiant look.

 

He stepped forward, as if ready to throw a punch, but the butler didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. The butler had a separate concern that truly frightened him.

 

With cold, sunken eyes, the butler questioned Nils.

 

“Do you understand the implications of the resumed silver production from that mine? It means that we will never be able to buy it back for the price that you sold it for”

 

“......”

 

“Do you even know the market rate for a viable silver mine? Do you know the original value of that land? Are you aware of the predicament the Count’s family is now in due to your actions?”

 

Nils couldn’t answer any of the butler’s successive questions.

 

He hadn’t anticipated such a dire situation when he squandered his gains on gambling.

 

He wanted to defend himself by saying he hadn’t known things would turn out this way, but he was aware that such a response would only make him look even more pitiful.

 

Seeing Nils fall silent, the butler swallowed a sigh and spoke as if pleading.

 

“Go find the one you sold the land to right now. The Siam mines have a tribute contract with the royal family. Even if it means invoking the royal name to instill fear, we must get it back.”

 

“By tribute contract, you mean... we have to offer the mined silver?”

 

“It was a land given on that condition. Once it’s known that production has resumed, the royal family will demand the contract be honored. But if it becomes known that you sold the land on a whim, how do you think the royal family will react?”

 

Only then did Nils truly sense the gravity of the situation, his face turning pale.

 

Until now, he had only thought of that mine as a useless plot of land, unaware of the reasons it belonged to his family.

 

“I... I didn’t know...”

 

“Such words have no meaning now. You must resolve this matter before the Count returns. Otherwise, you might have to relinquish your position as the heir.”

 

Chastened by the butler’s stern warning, Nils slowly nodded in agreement.

 

With a growing sense of urgency, Nils glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and swiftly left the office. He was headed to meet the second son of the Meyer family, to whom he had sold the Siam mine.

 

Once outside, Nils promptly boarded a carriage bound straight for the Baron Meyer residence.

 

Fortunately, the person he sought was at home, allowing Nils to meet his friend without much delay.

 

Until the moment the Meyer family’s second son greeted him with a welcoming face, Nils believed the matter would be resolved smoothly.

 

After all, the person had always tried hard to impress Nils, who held a higher status.

 

However, when Nils broached the topic of the Siam mine, he was taken aback by unexpected news from the other party.

 

“The Siam mine?... Count Leroy bought it from me a while ago.”

 

Confused by the other’s baffled response, Nils was left even more astounded.

 

Why on earth was the name of the man engaged to Iona being mentioned here?

 

“What?”

 

Intimidated by Nils’ menacing demeanor, the other man instinctively recoiled. Scratching his neck in apparent confusion, he retorted.

 

“Didn’t the Duke tell you?”

 

“I’ve never even exchanged proper greetings with him. Why did he buy it?”

 

From the look of it, his friend seemed oblivious to the fact that silver had started to be produced again from the Siam mine.

 

Otherwise, he couldn’t have responded so thoughtlessly to letting go of such a massive asset.

 

Even now, seeing Nils raised his voice, he seemed to be trying to justify his own position.

 

“Well, I was already worried about holding onto land that originally belonged to another family. I thought if the Count found out, you would be the one in trouble... So I had many concerns. But then, the Duke, somehow knowing about it, came to me and asked to buy the land.”

 

“So you hastily sold it off?”

 

“Ah, why are you getting so worked up? Calm down and listen to me. The Duke initially bought the land for your sake, you know?”

 

Challenged by Nils’ probing, the friend evaded with a startled face.

 

Trying to pacify Nils, he continued in a soothing tone.

 

“When he heard you lost the land due to a bet, it seems the Duke was quite concerned. Given he’s soon to be married to Iona, he wanted to make a good impression on her family, so he asked me to sell the land to earn some brownie points.”

 

It was an utterly absurd explanation.

 

To want to look good in front of the family because he’s about to marry Iona?

 

It was as nonsensical as saying you’d find clams when you dug a field.

 

The reason being, Iona seemed to relish Nils’ hardships more than his happiness.

 

With a baffled expression, Nils pointed out the absurdity.

 

“He is about to marry that b*tch. Why would he want to look good in front of me? What’s there to lose?”

 

“The Duke might not be aware of the dynamics between you two. Do you really think Iona would openly discuss her family disputes with the man she’s about to marry?”

 

It was true that there was nothing to gain from revealing bad relations with one’s own family to a spouse.

 

Nils, feeling a bit awkward, couldn’t find a sharp retort.

 

His friend confidently boasted.

 

“You came here because the Count discovered you sold off the land, right? Then, go to the Duke immediately. If he hears you’re in trouble, he’ll probably return it to you as if it were a gift.”

 

Perhaps it was the strong faith in the Duke evident in his friend’s eyes.

 

Feeling convinced by that fervor, Nils finally nodded in agreement.

 

Although there were suspicious aspects to the situation, the two families were set to be bound by marriage.

 

While it was unclear why the Duke had started the mining operation without prior notice, if he learned that he had inadvertently put the family he was about to be related to by marriage in a tight spot, he would surely seek a resolution together.

 

Perhaps this mine could be the first collaborative venture between the two families.

 

Attempting to calm his anxiety-ridden heart, Nils rose from his seat.

 

Now, as his friend suggested, it was time to seek out the Duke.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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