Chapter 13
Chapter 13: I’m Not Asking to Borrow
On the way to Raybold, Belinda asked,
“Are you really not going to buy a gift? Are we just going like this?”
“…Well, I’ll buy a flower or something.”
“Really? That’s it? It’s been a while since we’ve met, don’t you think she won’t like it?”
“I don’t care. I have no desire to impress her.”
“Hmmm…”
Ghislaine was serious.
In his past life, when he knew nothing, he had a crush on the pretty Amelia and always worried about how to look good for her.
But right now, he had no desire to impress a woman who was clearly going to become his enemy in the future, nor did he want to maintain an engagement with her.
‘I’ll make sure that money-spending spree doesn’t happen this time.’
If he couldn’t become financially independent, then no matter how strong the military might be, it would all be meaningless.
War consumed vast amounts of money and supplies. Without funds to maintain an army, it was like having no army at all.
Didn’t he feel this deeply while facing the kingdom’s relentless supply offensives in his past life?
He couldn’t do anything without enough money to feed and arm the soldiers.
‘I need to move faster.’
It was great to have returned to the past, but the current situation wasn’t particularly good.
At this time, the Duke Delphine faction had already extended its influence over most territories and had begun to reach into the north.
Killing Elena was part of that plan.
Ghislaine suppressed his increasingly anxious thoughts.
‘Amelia, if you don’t want to be humiliated, you’d better bring a hefty sum.’
The horse he rode galloped without rest toward Raybold territory.
Imagining how much he could extort from Amelia, his heavy heart felt a bit lighter.
*
The party safely arrived at Castle Raybold.
Aside from being coated in dust from days of riding, there were no significant issues.
As Ghislaine headed straight for the castle’s main gate, Belinda grabbed him.
“Hey, aren’t you going to wash up? You’re filthy with dust! Lady Amelia is going to hate it.”
“I don’t need to look good.”
“Wow, what happened to you all of a sudden?”
Belinda stared in confusion at Ghislaine’s back as he walked on.
Just a few months ago, he blushed at every mention of Amelia and it was hard to imagine he was the same person.
“Are you trying to go for a bad boy vibe? You just look dirty…”
“I said it’s fine. But since it’s been a while, should I get a visit gift?”
Ghislaine held a single bouquet he had bought from the market as he headed for Castle Raybold.
“Stop! What are you doing here?”
The guards casually stopped Ghislaine with blank expressions.
With so few attendants and covered in dirt, they couldn’t immediately recognize his noble status.
Belinda stepped forward.
Her demeanor was serious and composed, unlike her usual playful self.
“This is His Grace, Grand Duke Ghislaine of Perdium Territory. We’ve come to meet his fiancée, Lady Amelia. Please inform her.”
It was customary for nobles not to deal directly when attendants were present.
Ghislaine just watched as Belinda spoke.
“Y-You are Grand Duke Ghislaine?”
The guards’ faces showed hesitation.
They knew from rumors how pathetic Amelia’s fiancé was.
Seeing their hesitation, Belinda frowned.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and tell her!”
“Uh… Yes, understood.”
One of the guards turned and went inside the castle, muttering curses under his breath.
After a short while, the guard emerged with a troubled expression.
“Um… I’m sorry, but the lady is currently unwell, so please return as you are…”
Before he even finished speaking, Belinda, eyes blazing with anger, approached the guard.
“How can you say that? He came all this way to see the Grand Duke, and you want him to leave without even meeting him? Do you think Perdium Territory is just a joke?”
The guard stammered. It was indeed a joke, but he couldn’t say that outright.
“It’s not like that… The lady is…”
“Hey!”
As Belinda unleashed her ferocity, the guard took a step back, turning pale.
‘W-What’s going on? She looks like a maid, but something about her is… Is she a secret guard?’
Under the pressure of the situation, the guard trembled, and Ghislaine finally stepped forward.
“Enough, Belinda.”
“But, Young Master…”
“It’s fine. I’ll handle this now.”
Ghislaine stepped in front of Belinda and quietly whispered to the guard.
“Tell them I have matters to discuss regarding the merchant group. If we leave now, you might not like what I have to say. I tend to be rather loose-lipped.”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
The guard hurriedly retreated into the castle.
A short while later, the guard rushed back out, bowing to Ghislaine.
“The lady requests that you come inside.”
Belinda stared at Ghislaine with wide eyes, puzzled by the sudden change in response.
She wondered what he said that would make the guards change their attitude so easily.
Ghislaine smirked and whispered to Belinda, “Looks like I’m quite popular. Ah, the burden of being so charming.”
“Oh my, where did that confidence come from?”
Belinda teased him, noting how much more self-assured he seemed compared to earlier when he had been sulky all day.
The group was led into a lavish meeting room. Ghislaine looked around in amazement as they walked.
‘Wow, this place really is wealthy. I can definitely get a good development fund here!’
Castle Raybold was beautifully decorated with expensive materials all around, unlike the rough Fortress of Perdium. It truly felt like a wealthy territory.
Belinda and the knights waited in an adjacent room, and Ghislaine awaited Amelia alone.
‘She’s late. Well, she’s probably thinking a lot due to what I said.’
Amelia took quite a while to show.
After Ghislaine finished his tea and was starting to feel bored, the door to the meeting room opened, and a woman walked in.
Her bright brown hair cascaded splendidly over her shoulders. Her slightly narrowed eyes and lifted chin gave her an air of arrogance and coldness.
Ghislaine’s fiancée, Amelia Raybold.
Meow.
A cat strutted in behind her, tail held high.
With short gray fur reflecting a hue of blue and a slender frame, it was a “Bastet” cat.
Perhaps resembling its owner, it exuded an elegant and haughty aura in every movement and expression.
“It’s been a while, Amelia. Did you miss me? That cat looks like it’s been ages too. What was its name again?”
With a cheeky greeting, Amelia raised an eyebrow without responding.
‘Who does he think he is, casually calling my name? Miss me? A pathetic guy guarding the fringes… Is he out of his mind?’
When she first heard that Ghislaine came looking for her, Amelia scoffed and said to send him away.
There was no reason to see someone who just came uninvited, and she didn’t want to see someone as dull as Ghislaine.
She had absolutely no intention of meeting him, but she had no choice but to let him in after Ghislaine mentioned something that piqued her curiosity.
‘What on earth does he know?’
The fact that Amelia was building a merchant group was a closely guarded secret. It wasn’t just that she had simply made a merchant group.
Knowing whether Ghislaine was aware of her secret or not, he continued to smile brightly and said, “Your birthday is coming soon, right? This is a gift.”
As Ghislaine presented the bouquet, a flicker of disdain crossed Amelia’s face.
‘Is this what he calls a gift? How dare he, Amelia Raybold?’
This was the first time she had ever received such a pathetic gift. No one had ever dared to give her something so trivial.
She wasn’t the type to value gifts that much, but the fact that it was Ghislaine just made it all the more unpleasant.
Meow!
Even Bastet meowed as if expressing displeasure.
Amelia elegantly walked over and took the bouquet from Ghislaine’s hands.
“Thank you. It’s a beautiful flower. But these wilt quickly, don’t they? No need to hold onto something like this.”
Amelia tossed the bouquet into a corner of the meeting room.
It was an action that would humiliate the one who gave the gift, especially if that person was a noble who valued honor above all.
Under normal circumstances, this would be an unacceptable act and an unusual response.
However, Amelia intentionally threw the bouquet away to provoke Ghislaine into making a mistake.
Yet instead of turning red with embarrassment, he leaned back on the sofa with a shrug.
“We’re lacking funds in our territory, so we couldn’t give a lavish gift. It’s the thought that counts, right?”
With a completely unbothered demeanor, Amelia smirked and replied, “Even if your territory is poor, that’s not something you should proudly say out loud. Isn’t that shameful? And to express your feelings, the value of the gift is important too. Sincerity can’t be expressed with trash.”
Amelia threw harsh words to stir Ghislaine into a reaction.
Considering her usual demeanor of not expressing her feelings, this was completely unimaginable, but right now, she had no other option.
To figure out what he knew and how much he knew, she needed to rattle him emotionally.
But Ghislaine responded with an unperturbed expression, even after being openly insulted.
“Being poor isn’t something to be ashamed of. Unless you’re doing something dishonorable. I briefly thought about creating a bandit group, but I decided not to do anything shameful.”
His words were laden with meaning. Amelia’s expression stiffened.
His tone and behavior screamed that he knew something.
‘His attitude has changed. He’s never been this strangely confident before. What happened?’
Not long ago, Ghislaine could hardly hide his affection for her.
When standing before her, he would always blush and wouldn’t dare engage her first.
But now, she sensed none of those feelings in him. Instead of wanting to impress her, he seemed indifferent.
With Ghislaine’s suddenly altered attitude, her wariness rose.
“Fine, let’s get to the point. What’s the reason you called me? I’d appreciate a quick answer.”
“Glad to hear you want to get to the point. I need some money. I’m currently in a bit of a bind.”
Ghislaine winked as he made a circular motion with his fingers.
Stunned by the unexpected request, Amelia momentarily froze.
Who would have thought someone could so boldly and arrogantly ask to borrow money!
“Hah, you came all the way here just for that? Asking your fiancée for money? Doesn’t the Grand Duke have any pride?”
Ghislaine smiled awkwardly, as if in a difficult spot, and waved his hand.
“No, no. You misunderstood my request. I’m not asking to borrow money.”
“Then what is it?”
Ghislaine leaned slightly forward, bringing his face closer to Amelia and whispered.
“I’m just asking for it. Surely we can do that much for each other, right?”
“…”
“You will, won’t you?”
As Ghislaine spoke, Amelia made a serious resolution.
She had to break off the engagement with this guy today.
