Chapter 11 : a Debt, and a Dangerous Choic
Chapter 11
Johannes Schultz was a kind and compassionate man.
But just as much as he was kind, he was also an aristocrat—proud and noble to the bone. He simply never crossed certain lines.
“I am proposing marriage to Miss Prim.”
Even as he uttered those words, not a single trace of emotion flickered across his face.
What an utterly absurd surprise. I was so bewildered at the time, I couldn’t even remember whether I gave a proper response.
And when I firmly rejected his proposal, he erased the strange expression that had briefly appeared on his face—as if it had never existed.
The Duke of Schultz returned to the demeanor I had first encountered outside the palace—the benevolent nobility and gentle kindness I had mistaken for familiarity.
“You may be dismissed for the day. I’ll see to it that the servants’ mistreatment of you is properly addressed.”
Then, he acted as though the marriage proposal had never happened.
“What on earth is going on…”
I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“What is he planning?”
He couldn’t possibly fire me just because I turned him down… right?
I had blurted out “I’ll resign!” in a moment of rashness, but I’d never truly meant it.
Shaking my head to drive away the memory of what had just happened, I tried to focus—but his voice kept echoing in my mind. I slapped my cheeks sharply and quickened my steps toward home.
And there, an unwelcome guest was waiting for me.
“Ah…”
If only I hadn’t rushed.
I sighed bitterly as I stared at the stack of papers crammed into the mailbox. One envelope in particular caught my eye, and I reached out to pull it free:
Debt Repayment Agreement
Name: Isaac Prim
“What is this now…”
A crushing weight pressed down on my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut.
The amount owed was beyond belief: 135 million Birk.
‘Why… why would Father borrow such an enormous sum of money?’
And the repayment deadline was just one week away.
The paper trembled in my shaking hands. In that moment, bitter resentment toward my father crept into my heart.
A reckless idea flashed through my mind: What if I shamelessly accepted Johannes Schultz’s proposal?
To say that Moisen was a peaceful city didn’t mean it was crime-free.
It simply meant that major violent crimes were rare.
Petty crimes still occurred—just like anywhere else.
The difference was that Moisen was a wealthy port city, home to many businessmen, which naturally led to a proliferation of loan companies.
Lawsuits involving money were, therefore, quite common.
Still, this is just… too much.
A 50% interest rate? That was insanity.
I didn’t know why my father had needed to borrow such a huge amount, but he’d taken a loan of 100 million Birk three years ago.
Since then, he had repaid 110 million.
But 40 million remained, and with interest, it had ballooned to 135 million Birk.
“This is utterly insane.”
Madame Fenzler clicked her tongue in frustration.
I had turned to her when I ran out of options—even she couldn’t hide her disbelief.
“I don’t know why your father borrowed such a massive sum, but 50% interest? That’s an outrageous contract, any way you look at it.”
“I searched everywhere and couldn’t even find a copy of the contract… and worse, the payment deadline is next week. Where on earth am I supposed to get that kind of money?”
My head throbbed. I pressed my fingers to my temples and looked at her.
“Before the war, you could borrow with lower interest rates. But now… things are hard for everyone. No one knows what might happen.”
“Is it possible that… we’ll lose the house?”
“Mmm… It’s not certain yet.”
Madame Fenzler’s expression grew tense, filled with unease.
“I suggest you request an extension on the repayment period. I only have ten million Birk I could help with at the moment.”
“No, no, no! I can’t burden you like that! I couldn’t possibly.”
I was stunned when she suddenly took my hand.
“I should be the one ashamed if I didn’t help you. Your father has done so much for me.”
“But…”
I knew I should refuse again—but I couldn’t. At this point, I had no choice but to cling to anything.
She squeezed my hand firmly and said with a resolute tone:
“Let’s wait and see what the loan company’s representatives have to say.”
I nodded slowly. Then I resolved to apologize to Duke Johannes Schultz the next day for my rudeness.
“I apologize for my impudence yesterday. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness.”
I bowed deeply before Johannes Schultz.
I could feel the warmth rising to the back of my neck. How long was I supposed to stay like this?
No response.
Was this his revenge for being rejected?
I slowly lifted my head—only to find that he wasn’t even looking at me. He was fully absorbed in reading the newspaper.
“I believe I behaved inappropriately.”
Still, he didn’t look at me.
And yet, I didn’t feel insulted.
He was a nobleman—and at this point, I needed money more than anything.
The most important thing was not to get fired. If I stayed in the palace, I might be able to get a bank loan—servants working for noble families were considered highly trustworthy.
“Please… just don’t dismiss me.”
At last, he slowly raised his head and looked at me. Then, in a cold tone, he asked:
“Should I take this as your acceptance of the marriage proposal?”
I knew he’d ask that. So I forced a smile and replied:
“No, you may not. And if you’re thinking of firing me just because I didn’t agree to your request—”
He chuckled softly.
“I have no intention of firing you.”
There was no change in his expression. No curiosity as to why I’d suddenly changed my attitude.
As if he’d never proposed to me at all.
Was it just a whim? Or pity?
I bit my lip for a second, then smiled.
“Thank you for your mercy. I’ll be more mindful of my behavior moving forward.”
“Do as you please.”
“…May I take my leave?”
As soon as he nodded, I nearly fled from his office.
In a complicated, bustling port city like Moisen, a sharp mind was indispensable.
I was born and raised here, so I wasn’t completely clueless—even if I didn’t measure up to seasoned merchants.
Still, the situation was strange, baffling even to me.
“Good morning, Miss Prim!”
“Today’s lunch is sausages and soufflé! Let’s eat together!”
“Is the work hard? Don’t hesitate to ask for help!”
To my utter astonishment, the servants’ attitudes had completely changed.
Not only did they greet me kindly, they no longer glared at me with hostility. In fact, they seemed genuinely friendly.
It seemed the duke’s promise to improve how I was treated wasn’t just empty words.
It stung a little, how much power his words held to shift their behavior so dramatically—but they truly seemed sincere.
Maybe I was being paid less than them. Or maybe they’d been told, “Be nice to her before she’s let go.”
He said he had no plans to fire me—but who knew? Anything was possible.
135 million Birk…
We really might lose the house.
I sighed without realizing it as I walked—only to find myself standing before the office door.
The office always smelled of dense, ancient forests.
Opposite the entrance was a large oak desk, and behind it, dark green curtains veiled a wide window.
I walked over and pulled back the curtains.
Once the curtains were drawn and the door closed, the room became so still it felt like I was the only person in the world.
To me, this place felt too sacred to belong to someone like me. And so…
“I was absolutely insane yesterday.”
I chuckled bitterly, recalling how I’d behaved.
Kindness for kindness, coldness for coldness.
But that didn’t apply to someone who signed my paycheck. Especially not when that paycheck was this extravagant.
“Did something bad happen?”
It was Lord Fritt, who had come to deliver the day’s documents.
When I didn’t answer, he added:
“It’s just… you look a bit pale.”
“Ah… I didn’t sleep well, that’s all.”
I raised my hand to rub my eyes—a clear signal to stop asking questions.
Fortunately, Fritt caught on immediately and handed me the files.
“There’s a bit more paperwork than usual today.”
“At last, I feel like I’m doing real work.”
I replied with a playful tone, and he gave a small smile.
After a brief farewell, our conversation ended.
But my anxiety lingered.
Suddenly, guided by a gut feeling, I asked:
“By the way, Lord Fritt… do you report everything we say to the duke?”
He turned to answer:
“Never. Unless there’s something urgent that requires his attention, we don’t report anything.”
“I see… And has the duke asked you to fire me or anything like that?”
“What? Did something happen?”
He looked genuinely confused. He knew nothing. Not even about the marriage proposal, it seemed.
I let out a quiet breath of relief.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Then, with a faint smile, I added:
“Ah… could I get a certificate proving I’m employed by the House of Schultz? Only if it’s not too much trouble, of course.”
