IHDOE Ch 105

She glared fiercely at Satina.

[Dc. Duskel] "Are you threatening me right now?"

[Satina] "Did it sound like a threat? If you deem it so, then I suppose it is."

[Dc. Duskel] "Don't act so insolent over a single piece of paper! My family possesses more than enough power to plunge the likes of you into the abyss!"

[Satina] "Yes, try if you can. Then I assume you won't mind if I forward this promissory note to the Grand Duke?"

Her face turned deathly pale. Should the Grand Duke investigate the promissory note, he might discover her gambling debts. Then she would face an immediate divorce and exile from the family.

[Dc. Duskel] "W-Wait! Calm down! I know nothing!"

[Satina] "Ah..."

[Dc. Duskel] "Those fellows promised to forgive my debt if I arranged a meeting with you! I assumed arranging a single meeting wouldn't pose a problem. I know not what transpired there, but my judgment was shortsighted, it seems."

Cold sweat pouring down, she attempted to appease Satina.

Though unable to fathom what transpired between Satina and her biological father, her father likely remained oblivious to the scheme the Grand Duchess and Coraline plotted against Satina anyway.

Thus, denying everything offered the only escape from this situation.

[Dc. Duskel] "I know nothing! I did as those fellows instructed!"

Satina tapped her fingers against the table silently, seemingly lost in thought. Then, displaying a bright smile, she spoke.

[Satina] "Your Grace, did I not tell you? I am currently furious."

At first glance, the Grand Duchess' explanation appeared flawless. Yet Satina had already acquired information through Hedzel that the Grand Duchess and Coraline had met at a restaurant. She also knew they shared a close bond, close enough for Coraline to address her as 'aunt'.

Why then did the Grand Duchess entrust this matter to her—whom Coraline hated—rather than Coraline herself? Entrusting it because Satina seemed capable of resolving it without reason was impossible.

[Satina] "Spare me the excuses and answer just one thing: what are you scheming with Coraline?"

[Dc. Duskel] "I know nothing!"

[Satina] "In that case, Your Grace, may I forward this promissory note to His Grace?"

[Dc. Duskel] "My husband won't rage over a mere sum like that! To the Grand Ducal House, that amount is a mere pittance!"

[Satina] "Yes, precisely. House Duskel is hardly poor enough to falter over such an amount. Should I present this promissory note to His Grace, he might feel somewhat angered, yet he would gladly settle the debt to conclude the matter. However, Your Grace..."

Tapping the promissory note gently, she whispered.

[Satina] "What would happen if the Grand Duke discovers this money went toward your gambling?"

The Grand Duchess gasped in horror. Her face turned deathly pale once more. As the fact she desperately wished to conceal was exposed, her body trembled like an aspen leaf.

[Dc. Duskel] "I-I..."

How on earth did Satina learn that fact? Did The Dark Grasp inform her?

Yet that mattered little right now. She knew her husband's temperament well. He was a fastidious purist who detested even casual wagers among friends. Should he discover she frequented illegal gambling dens and incurred debt, he would divorce her immediately.

Biting her lip, the Grand Duchess viewed Satina with fearful eyes.

I misjudged her.

Assuming Satina was a manageable pawn, she never imagined the girl possessed the audacity to blackmail and manipulate her like this.

[Satina] "Now then, Your Grace. Choose. Your marriage with your husband? Or your loyalty to Coraline?"

The Grand Duchess squeezed her eyes shut. Though she cherished Coraline as a niece, it hardly compared to her own marriage.

Forgive me.

Coraline was the ducal daughter of House Radius and intelligent to boot, so she could escape wisely regardless of Satina's tricks.

[Dc. Duskel] "Coraline intended to..."

---

Through Grand Duchess Duskel, Satina uncovered everything Coraline schemed against her.

The puzzle pieces finally fell into place. Her father, Baron Galle, approached Satina to exploit her, while Coraline sought to use him to ensnare Satina in a trap.

Everyone is practically scrambling to devour me.

Looking thoroughly exhausted, as if aged ten years in a short span, the Grand Duchess spoke.

[Dc. Duskel] "Is this sufficient now? Having told you everything I know, hand over the real promissory note at last."

[Satina] "Before that, you must assist me with a task."

[Dc. Duskel] "What now?"

[Satina] "Nothing major, but does House Radius not operate a merchant guild for money laundering?"

House Radius was hardly pristine either. Just as with House Bersabet, maintaining a guild or two to launder shady money seemed expected.

[Dc. Duskel] "There is one, but..."

[Satina] "Persuade a guild within Coraline's reach to participate in the Nerich Plains development project."

The project she mentioned was the very business her father, Baron Galle, was frantic to drag Count Bron into lately. Satina intended to substitute Count Bron with the guild Coraline operated.

[Dc. Duskel] "How could I do such a thing?! That girl will not listen to my words!"

[Satina] "Does that not depend on your discretion?"

The Grand Duchess genuinely regretted involving Satina. Regardless of Coraline's words, attempting to deceive Satina from the start was a mistake.

Unconcerned with her inner turmoil, Satina issued instructions with a calm face.

[Satina] "Once news arrives that Coraline invested in that project, I shall return the original promissory note to you."

Naturally, the genuine promissory note remained in Baron Galle's hands. The document given to the Grand Duchess was a secondary forgery built upon the refined forgery Baron Galle created.

Though the Grand Duchess believed she held the genuine promissory note, Satina felt confident she could locate it using information obtained from Viscount Seilum beforehand, rendering the Grand Duchess' belief irrelevant.

Even failing to find it mattered little to Satina anyway.

---

Satina summoned Viscount Seilum immediately.

[V. Seilum] "What brings you to summon me again?"

Firmly believing Satina held his lifeline, his attitude proved remarkably polite compared to their initial encounter.

[Satina] "Nothing much. I wish to offer you a good proposal as well, Viscount."

He viewed Satina with suspicious eyes at her gentle tone. Recalling her pink eyes looking down at him while buried in the dirt still sent chills down his spine.

Yet summoning him abruptly to offer a good proposal...

[Satina] "Regarding the Nerich Plains you mentioned previously."

[V. Seilum] "Mmm, that matter."

[Satina] "Count Bron hasn't stamped the contract yet, correct?"

[V. Seilum] "He hasn't stamped it yet."

Indeed, Baron Galle had a reason for nagging her to accompany him to parties attended by Count Bron lately.

[Satina] "So I intend to offer a far more lucrative prey than Count Bron."

[V. Seilum] "Far more lucrative than Count Bron...?"

[Satina] "How about House Radius?"

[V. Seilum] "H-House Radius?"

[Satina] "Yes."

[V. Seilum] "Yet how could Duke Radius..."

[Satina] "You don't need to drag Duke Radius in directly. Barring unforeseen incidents, the Diamant Merchant Guild will contact you shortly."

[V. Seilum] "Is that not an ordinary guild unrelated to House Radius?"

[Satina] "It appears unrelated, yet it is secretly operated by House Radius for money laundering. It might prove a daunting target for Father... but swallowing it properly could allow reach even into House Radius."

[V. Seilum] "Mmm..."

[Satina] "Persuade him to shift his target from Count Bron to the Diamant."

Noticing the Viscount's troubled expression, Satina offered a reward immediately.

[Satina] "Should he sign a contract with the Diamant, I shall grant you the antidote and handsomely reward you with money. Enough to settle your debts and purchase a residence in the capital."

It offered no disadvantage to Viscount Seilum whatsoever. Considering Baron Galle's greedy nature, persuading him seemed far from difficult.

---

[Coraline] "Aunt! I heard you met Satina. How did it go?!"

Grand Duchess Duskel shook her head, looking at Coraline, who visited, oblivious to what transpired.

[Dc. Duskel] "Sigh, it won't work. Satina is completely useless."

[Coraline] "Is that so?"

[Dc. Duskel] "I can't wait endlessly. Satina seems ready to give up on this matter as well. What if my husband discovers this at this rate?"

[Coraline] "Mmm, that is true."

[Dc. Duskel] "Instead of that, dear, lend me some money. Paying off the debt alone would ease my mind."

[Coraline] "Aunt, you know well I don't possess that much money either."

[Dc. Duskel] "You manage the Diamant Merchant Guild, do you not? Using a portion from there..."

[Coraline] "Withdrawing such a large sum at once would cause the guild to falter. Had I such funds, I would have lent them to you long ago."

Coraline's firm boundary left the Grand Duchess slightly hurt. Yet that lessened her guilt over deceiving Coraline, allowing her to act even more brazenly.

[Dc. Duskel] "Is money all you need?"

[Coraline] "Yes, if only I had money..."

[Dc. Duskel] "Then I learned of a remarkably good business project. How about this one? I overheard secretly that my husband is considering an investment."

[Coraline] "His Grace?"

Coraline knew Grand Duke Duskel's upright character well. A business project he selected guaranteed both stability and profitability.

[Dc. Duskel] "Yes. It is the Nerich Plains development project..."

Coraline listened to the Grand Duchess with a serious expression.

[Coraline] "Yet a project closely tied to the boss of The Dark Grasp feels unsettling."

[Dc. Duskel] "No. Investigating it, I found he merely lends funds, while House Prowill actually manages the operation. Though slightly declined now, they were a distinguished family in the past. You know them well, do you not?"

[Coraline] "Ah, if it's them..."

Nodding, Coraline narrowed her eyes abruptly, looking at the Grand Duchess.

[Coraline] "Yet why are you informing me of this? Should I participate, His Grace will miss the contract."

The Grand Duchess' heart pounded wildly, yet she feigned composure.

[Dc. Duskel] "Because I wish to settle my debt quickly! Even if my husband profits from this contract, could I ask him for money? Asking for money means he will ask where it's used! If he catches on that it's due to gambling debts, I am finished!"

[Coraline] "True. That makes sense."

[Dc. Duskel] "If you earn money through this, be sure to settle my debt first. Understood?"

[Coraline] "Yes, don't worry."

Assuming the Grand Duchess would never lie to her, Coraline nodded readily.

---

A few days later, Satina received news that the Diamant had stamped the contract for the Nerich Plains development project.

All preparations were complete.

All that remained was lighting the fuse.

---

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