Chapter 11
Johannes Schultz is kind and merciful.
But just as much, he is aristocratic and arrogant—he simply doesn’t cross certain lines.
“I am proposing to Miss Prim.”
Even when he said that, his face remained expressionless.
It was utterly absurd. At the time, I was so flustered I don’t even know if I responded properly.
When I firmly rejected him, he completely concealed whatever peculiar reaction he might have had.
And he returned to being the gentle Duke Schultz I met outside—the nobleman I remembered as kind and merciful.
“That will be enough for today. I will make sure the unfair treatment by the castle’s servants improves.”
Then he acted as if he had never proposed to me at all.
“Wha….”
It still didn’t feel real.
“What on earth is his intention?”
Surely he won’t fire me just because I refused a proposal…
Saying I would quit had been an impulsive outburst. I had no intention of actually leaving.
I shook my head quickly, trying to forget what had just happened. But even then, his voice kept coming to mind, so I slapped my cheek and hurried home.
When I arrived, an unwelcome visitor was waiting.
“Ha…”
I should have taken my time coming.
A sigh escaped me. I glared at the stack of papers overflowing from the mailbox and picked up the one that stood out the most.
Acknowledgment of Debt
To Isaac Prim
“What now….”
A wave of helplessness pressed down on me. I squeezed my eyes shut.
The amount owed was enormous: a staggering 135 million Berks.
‘Why would Father borrow such a huge sum…’
The repayment deadline was only a week away.
My hands trembled as I gripped the paper. For a moment, I resented my father.
A fleeting, insane thought crossed my mind: maybe I should just accept Johannes Schultz’s proposal.
Musen being a peaceful city doesn’t mean there’s no crime.
More precisely, it means there are no violent crimes that severely harm someone’s body.
Other minor crimes occur just like in any other city.
The difference is that, being a wealthy city, most people are businessmen, and moneylenders naturally thrive.
So lawsuits over money were fairly common.
‘But this… this is too much…’
An annual interest rate of 50 percent. Ridiculous.
I didn’t know why my father borrowed such a huge amount, but he had borrowed 100 million Berks three years ago.
He had repaid 110 million Berks.
The remaining 40 million Berks could not be repaid. The accumulated interest grew, bringing the total to 135 million Berks.
“This is absurd.”
Mrs. Pensler clicked her tongue.
I had no idea what to do, so I asked her for help, and she couldn’t hide her troubled expression either.
“I don’t know why your father borrowed such a huge sum, but a 50 percent interest rate? This contract is ridiculous.”
“We can’t find a copy of the contract anywhere. And the repayment is due next week. Where will we even get this kind of money….”
My temples throbbed. I pressed my fingers against them and looked at Mrs. Pensler.
“If this had been before the war, you could have borrowed elsewhere at a lower rate. But now, with everyone struggling, who knows.”
“Will we lose the house?”
“Well… maybe.”
She wore a skeptical expression.
“First, we should ask for an extension on the repayment deadline. I only have 10 million Berks I can spare right now…”
“No, ma’am! I can’t trouble you like that. How could I ask so shamelessly.”
Startled, I protested, but Mrs. Pensler grabbed my hand.
“If I don’t help you, I would feel ashamed before your father. After all, I owe him a great deal.”
“But…”
I wanted to refuse, as I normally would. But I couldn’t. Now was the time to hold on to anything I could.
She reassured me, gripping my hand firmly.
“Let’s wait and see until the moneylender comes.”
I nodded. And I resolved that the moment I went to work tomorrow, I would apologize to Johannes Schultz for my rudeness.
“Yesterday, I was rude. Please forgive me.”
I bowed deeply to Johannes Schultz.
The back of my head tingled. When should I lift my head?
No response came, as if punishing me for rejecting his proposal, so I slowly raised my torso.
But I was mistaken. He didn’t care at all. He just kept flipping through the newspaper, his eyes fixed on the pages.
“I think I was overstepping my bounds.”
Even when I said this, Duke Schultz didn’t glance at me.
But the lack of response didn’t hurt my pride.
He’s a great nobleman, and what I need most right now is money.
As long as I’m not fired, it’s fine. If I stay, I’ll be able to get a loan from the bank. Servants of noble families have good credit.
“Please, just don’t fire me.”
Finally, his head slowly lifted, and in a monotone voice he asked,
“Should I understand that as acceptance of my proposal?”
I had expected that question. I answered calmly.
“No. If you plan to fire me just because I didn’t accept your request—”
He chuckled.
“I have no intention of firing you.”
He didn’t seem to have changed his mind, nor did he wonder why I was suddenly apologizing.
It was as if he had never proposed to me at all.
‘Was it a whim… or pity…?’
I pressed my lips together for a moment, then, realizing he probably wouldn’t explain, I smiled and said,
“Thank you for your mercy. I’ll be careful with my words and actions from now on.”
“As you wish.”
“…May I leave now?”
The moment he nodded, I bolted out of Duke Schultz’s office.
In a bustling port city, being perceptive is essential.
Having lived in Musen all my life, I was not completely lacking in awareness—though far less than the merchants.
Even so, the current situation felt strange and surreal.
“Good morning, Miss Prim.”
“Today’s lunch is sausage with a soufflé. Let’s eat together.”
“Is work hard? Let me know if you need help anytime.”
The servants’ behavior had changed astonishingly.
Not only were they cordial, they no longer showed hostility, and some were even kind.
It seemed Schultz’s words to improve unfair treatment were not empty.
It was bittersweet that their attitude changed so much with just one word from him, but they seemed somewhat sincere.
It was as if they had completely softened their hostility toward me.
Perhaps they knew I earned less than they did, or maybe they thought, “She’ll be gone soon, so we better behave for now.”
He said he had no intention of firing me, but that could always change.
135 million Berks…
We really could lose the house. A sigh escaped me.
Unconsciously, I walked for a long while until I found myself in front of the office.
The office always smelled of dense forest.
Opposite the entrance stood a sturdy oak desk, and dark green curtains covered the large window behind it.
I slowly walked over and blocked the window.
Closing the curtains and the door made it feel like I was the only one in the world—silence everywhere.
This space was truly beyond what I deserved. I knew that. So…
“I must be crazy.”
I laughed at my own recklessness from yesterday.
Kindness met with kindness, rudeness met with rudeness.
Such rules don’t apply to employers. One must bow to the person who provides money—especially when it’s an unimaginable amount.
“Is something troubling you?”
Sir Fret, who had come to deliver today’s documents, asked as I sat at the desk.
I didn’t answer, so he added,
“You look a little pale.”
“Ah… I’m just tired. Didn’t sleep well last night.”
I rubbed my eyes, silently asking him not to press further.
Fortunately, Sir Fret was perceptive. I took the stack of today’s documents.
“There’s a bit more than usual today.”
“Finally, feels like we’re working,” I joked.
He smiled faintly. A few polite words later—“Please take care of today”—our conversation ended.
Still, anxiety lingered.
On impulse, I asked him as he reached for the door handle:
“Sir Fret, do you report all our conversations to the Duke?”
He turned.
“No. Unless it’s something important, I don’t report it.”
“So… the Duke hasn’t told you to fire me, has he?”
“Eh? Has something happened?”
Sir Fret looked completely unaware—even that his master had proposed to me.
That was a relief.
“No.”
I smiled faintly and got to the point.
“Could I… receive a certificate proving I am a servant of the Duke’s household? If it’s not too much trouble, of course.”
