“Oh, young lady! What are you trying to do!”

“I’m going to confront father right now!”

Danae replied sharply and went outside. She arrived at the main building in one breath and headed to the duke’s study, ignoring the butler who greeted her.

“Father!”

“What brings you here again?”

The duke, who was working, glanced at Danae entering and spoke in a gruff voice.

“I heard you’re throwing a birthday party for elder sister?”

“…Has that news already reached you? Good grief.”

“From your response, I guess it’s true? Ha! Father, how could you do this to me? You wouldn’t even pay for my cosmetics and dresses!”

Danae asked accusingly, arrogantly crossing her arms. The duke snorted in disbelief.

“Do you think you and your elder sister are the same?”

“What do you mean by that? Surely you’re not implying that I’m inferior to elder sister?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Father! How can I be inferior to elder sister? I’m your biological daughter! The only heir to this family!”

The duke slammed his palm on the desk and raised his voice in response to her words that sounded like a scream.

“Well said. Why can’t you realize that it’s because you’re my biological daughter that I’m keeping you alive despite causing this much trouble? How many territories have suffered because of you, and how much income has decreased!”

“Why is it all my fault? Father, you were fine with it at first! You even sneered, saying you didn’t understand why elder sister was planting such weeds on precious land! Now that the situation has worsened, you’re only blaming me?”

“And why are you blaming me! Then should I have kicked you out on the spot when you came asking for forgiveness after causing trouble without my permission? You even did this to Duke Klein’s territory behind my back! You’re only quick to act foolishly! You’re worlds apart from your elder sister who acts cautiously even with perfect plans!”

At those words, Danae’s face contorted as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

“Again, you’re putting me down while praising elder sister? Why do you always make me miserable like this? Don’t you care at all about how hurt I feel being constantly compared to elder sister?”

“That’s right, I don’t! If only you had even one thing better than your elder sister to begin with!”

“Ha! You have no idea what that great elder sister of yours is plotting behind your back, do you? Just wait and see! The day will soon come when you’ll deeply regret comparing me to elder sister and putting me down! It’ll be too late to apologize to me then!”

“If you’re just going to spout such nonsense, then get out! I can’t work because you’re making me upset!”

“Fine, I’ll leave without you telling me to! Just watch and see how well that birthday party goes!”

Danae cursed vehemently before kicking the door of the duke’s office and leaving. The duke let out a groan and gaped for a moment before clutching his head with both hands.

His only child doesn’t understand his circumstances at all and just keeps saying disappointing things every time. The duke sighed softly and muttered.

“I need to marry her off quickly and at least get some gifts from the groom’s side…”

Since she can’t inherit the title anyway, this is the only way to make use of her.

So while hosting Christine’s birthday party, he should also invite suitable noble bachelors as potential husbands for Danae.

The duke shook his head with that thought.

* * *

At that time.

I entered the bedroom and immediately prepared to go out. Annie, wearing a maid’s uniform, asked in a concerned voice as I put on a robe over it.

“It doesn’t look like you’re going to the duke’s house. Where are you going at this late hour?”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere dangerous.”

After reassuring Annie, I sneaked out through the back door and entered the alley on the opposite side, unlike usual. Today, I planned to walk instead of using a carriage. I passed through Royal Street lined with noble mansions and headed towards the outskirts where commoners lived. Despite the late hour, the streets were crowded with people, perhaps due to the night market. I passed by them and entered a secluded alley lined with old signboards.

“Welcome.”

As I carefully pushed open the old wooden door and entered, a low woman’s voice was heard. The woman with pointed ears and slightly greenish skin looked me up and down with snake-like, narrow hazel eyes.

“Looks like you’re a servant from a noble household. I wonder which stupid and extravagant master sent someone directly this time? Well, how much do you need?”

I gave a meaningful smile to the sneering woman and said,

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t come to borrow money. I came to give money.”

“…You came to give money? What nonsense is this? If that’s all you have to say, then leave.”

“You’ll regret it. Even you, the vice guild master, would be quite tempted by what I’m about to propose.”

“Why would I regret it? Wait, you. How did you know I’m the vice guild master?”

The woman looked at me in surprise. I shrugged and said to her,

“Now do you understand? That I didn’t come here to just spout nonsense.”

“…You, who exactly are you?”

“Isn’t it taboo to ask about each other’s identities in a place like this?”

“Oh my. You got me there. Alright. Follow me.”

The woman muttered with a sigh and led me to the inner room. The place, with only a safe filling one wall, an elegant table, and two comfortable chairs, was clean to the point of being sparse. The woman plopped down in a chair and said to me,

“So? What’s this damn proposal of yours?”

“It’s simple. I’ll give money to this guild, and you lend it to the nobles I designate. Then, on the day I specify, go collect interest from those nobles. They won’t be able to pay the interest on time anyway, so you just need to do what you usually do.”

“…What?”

“If you do just that, I’ll give you all the interest you collect. How about it? It’s quite a good offer, isn’t it?”

The woman who heard my words seemed to think for a while, then slowly opened her mouth.

“How much exactly do those bastards want to borrow?”

“I don’t know either. But they’ll try to borrow quite a large amount.”

“…What? What if those bastards try to borrow more than the money you entrusted to us?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll cover any shortage. Your guild just needs to lend the money and collect it in your own way.”

The woman snorted and spoke to me mockingly.

“Hey, miss. Do you know how we collect the principal and interest? It’s more vicious than someone like you, who only serves noble people, could ever imagine.”

“I know. That’s why I inwardly rejoiced when I heard those words.”

“…Huh? What?”

“Those nobles who are trying to borrow money from you are the ones who hurt my father and ruined my life. They’re also tormenting their territory’s people after making foolish choices blinded by greed. …Like Marquis Blanchet, the lord of your hometown, who branded an innocent half-demon living in hiding as a vicious witch and executed her to curry favor with the previous emperor.”

“How do you know that…!”

The woman gasped in shock. I looked up at her and continued speaking.

“That’s why your guild is only vicious to nobles, right? Because the nobles of this empire, with very few exceptions, are the main culprits who persecuted and even cruelly killed your family, friends, and neighbors, and also accomplices who turned a blind eye to that fact.”

“…No, my people are still being killed, injured, and disappearing for no reason. But none of the nobles are actively intervening. While they still collect taxes without fail!”

I gave a bitter smile to the woman who was bursting with indignation and said,

“I know. I pointed that out and asked my uncle to treat at least the mixed-bloods in our territory equally with other residents, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”

“…Our territory? Hey, you…”

“So take this opportunity to properly get revenge on them. The nobles trying to borrow money from your guild are those at the pinnacle of power. Seeing such people flustered and falling apart shamelessly in front of you and your guild members might alleviate some of the resentment in your heart. Don’t you think so, Amber?”

When I finished speaking, Amber made a deflated expression and slumped back into the chair.

“Damn it. You’re saying this because you know I won’t be able to refuse your offer, right? Really, who are you?”

“I’ll tell you that if you accept my proposal. Also, if this job is completed successfully, I’ll use my influence to have the unfortunate deaths and disappearances of your people reinvestigated.”

“…Damn it. Fine, I’ll do it! But you better keep that promise!”

“Of course. I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

I smiled in response to Amber’s shouting words. Amber, who was looking at me with a very uneasy expression, said she would bring Jade, the guild master, and went out of the store. And shortly after, her husband and guild master Jade brought the documents.

I signed that contract, which would ruin my birthday party, without hesitation.