I racked my brain for a way to get out of this situation safely.

‘It’s better to confess voluntarily than to be caught and have to confess.’

I couldn’t let the two of them go into the bank and find out that the pink diamond had been put up as collateral.

I used my wit and said confidently:

“We can’t go now.”

At my words, the kid tilted their head.

“Why not?”

“The request form stating that the pink diamond was entrusted to Black Swan. It’s at the counseling office, right?”

“Ah! That’s right!”

The kid exclaimed, hitting their palm with their fist as if they had forgotten.

“Then I’ll go in first and wait. You bring the request form, ma’am.”

Seeing how naturally the kid delegated the task, I cursed myself for not thinking of the Duke’s family earlier.

‘At this rate, I won’t even have time to explain the situation.’

In my mind appeared the image of Duke Artenbach watching me with an ice-cold face. There was a terrifying rumor that he could make people disappear without a trace just by adjusting his gloves.

Just imagining it made my legs weak and my heart feel like it would stop.

I decided to play my last card with an all-or-nothing attitude.

“L-let’s go together! Your father, I mean, the Duke should know what kind of place you’ll be coming to for a week, right?”

“Is that so?”

The kid rolled their eyes around and then looked up at the Duke and said:

“Would you like to see the counseling office?”

I involuntarily gulped. This was the moment that would determine whether we’d go into the bank or to the counseling office, depending on the Duke’s answer.

“No.”

Ah, it’s all over. Now the Duke and the kid will enter the bank, and of course, they won’t need a number ticket and will immediately receive a report on the current status of the pink diamond.

And I might have to offer my neck to the Duke as he adjusts his gloves.

‘Maybe it would be better to tell the truth now while I still can.’

Yes. If it’s before the two enter the bank…

“But I’d like to go to the counseling office together.”

It was truly a ray of salvation. Angel wings were spreading behind the kid’s back.

Well done, kid! If we can just get through this situation safely, I’ll do puzzle-solving with you over a hundred times!

“Do we really have to go?”

“Let’s go together. We’ll get the request form too.”

“…Alright.”

The Duke’s reluctant reply sounded as sweet as honey. I struggled to suppress the urge to jump for joy and said with a business smile:

“I’ll guide you, Your Grace.”

The Duke’s golden eyes looked at me from a height one head taller. My forced smile trembled. Then I let out a sigh of relief, thinking we had safely gotten through.

No, did we really get through safely?

* * *

Noble individuals had entered the humble counseling office. Anna brought tea with trembling hands, and the kid took out the handkerchief they carried around, spread it on the sofa, and sat down comfortably. However, the Duke remained standing, looking around blankly.

“Um… Your Grace? Tea has been prepared.”

He didn’t respond to my words. He just quietly looked around.

‘Why is he acting like that?’

He looked exactly like someone trying to find fault.

Well, it’s natural to inspect thoroughly the place where his child will be staying. Especially since it’s not just any child, but a person of the Duke’s family.

“Are there no other chairs?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, I remembered my first meeting with the kid. Back then, the kid had told me to bring a new chair, saying it didn’t look clean.

“…It doesn’t look very clean.”

Wow. Look at how he says the exact same thing.

“I’m fine standing. So don’t worry about it.”

It’s extremely worrying. I forced the corners of my mouth up and said:

“We don’t have new chairs, but we do have new cushions. Would you like me to bring one?”

“No.”

After answering like that, the Duke repeatedly checked his wristwatch. Then, nodding at the whispered words of his secretary who had entered the counseling office, he said to him:

“Replace all the furniture here. Even if it’s just a temporary stay, it’s where the heir of the Duke’s family will be.”

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

The Duke lowered his posture to approach the kid. Then, just as he had done with the secretary, they exchanged whispered conversations. They would occasionally look at me.

‘What? What’s going on?’

Then, as if the conversation had ended, the Duke straightened his back vertically. He looked even taller when viewed from a sitting position, despite already being tall when standing.

“I think I’ve seen enough now, so can we go?”

There was a momentary silence. My thoughts stopped because his all-black clothes and hair made him look just like a grim reaper saying “let’s go.”

“Yes, you must be busy, so please go ahead.”

It was the kid who answered the Duke’s question about whether they could leave.

Snapping back to my senses, I stood up to see him off. But the Duke just glanced at me briefly, waved his hand dismissively, and walked out.

Unable to even give a proper farewell, I stood there dumbfounded, and the kid said to me:

“Ma’am, we have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

I realized how scary a child’s bright smile could be.

* * *

In the center of a small space about ten pyeong in size, there was a desk. With chairs with backrests on either side, the atmosphere was such that anyone looking at it might ask, “Is this an interrogation room?”

“Explain in a bit more detail.”

And the owner of this space was, as expected, Duke Artenbach.

“They say the building at 3 Lyube Street has never been sold. And the self-proclaimed businessman from the Western Country, who is actually a fraudster, took a ship to the Western Country at dawn today.”

“And the losses the bank will suffer?”

“Including the loan with collateral, it amounts to about 40 million tiga.”

“A big fish.”

Askal clicked his tongue. He muttered something about wanting to visit the bank.

“First, make sure the ship he boarded doesn’t dock in the Western Country. Send a boat and catch that bastard.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

He read the paper in front of him. It contained a list of victims who had borrowed money from Artenbach Bank and then fallen victim to investment fraud.

“Black Swan didn’t seem to have the ability to borrow 10 million tiga.”

“Yes, Baron Deli, the owner of Black Swan, took out a loan in Black Swan’s name using the pink diamond he was keeping as collateral.”

“Pink diamond?”

Askal recalled the incident in front of the bank. The woman who was trying her best to prevent them from entering the bank, showing clear signs of panic on her face.

‘So that’s why.’

She had clearly been trying to run away. Though she had been caught rather easily.

Her hair was just like pink ranunculus.

The ends of her dress sleeves seemed slightly stretched. The length was also subtly short.

She didn’t seem to be living very comfortably for a noble.

While Askal couldn’t understand what had captivated Rublion’s heart, he didn’t like her.

‘Well, at least she’s honest, so that’s one good thing.’

Schmidt was the type whose emotions were clearly visible on her face. Of course, she probably thought she was hiding them thoroughly.

* * *

I confessed everything to the kid about why the pink diamond had ended up as collateral at the bank.

“So, you’re saying that the money was borrowed from Artenbach Bank using the pink diamond I entrusted, and then it was lost to investment fraud? Not you, but Baron Deli?”

“Even if you want to sue me legally, I won’t object. I will definitely take responsibility and return the pink diamond to you…”

“How do you plan to do that?”

To be honest, there’s no suitable method. Unless I grab the fraudster by the collar and demand the money back.

And even if I manage to earn money, my father might smell it like a ghost and pour it all into gambling again.

I could only sigh deeply. Even if the kid, who doesn’t know much about the ways of the world yet, lets it slide, the Duke won’t.

I know. I know that the Duke is a person who’s serious about money. The moment you touch something he owns, forget about living in the territory, you might not be able to live in the Tid Empire. No, you might not be able to live in this world at all?

“…I’m sorry. Honestly, I haven’t found a good solution yet.”

The kid’s eyes sparkled unusually. I felt guilty for showing the bad side of the world to such an innocent child.

“Before things get worse, I’ll talk to the Duke directly. So, kid, can you help me become a person who can take responsibility?”

“So you’re asking me not to tell father, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Okay! I’ll do that!”

The kid answered with a broad smile.

I put on airs about becoming a responsible adult, but in reality, it was like begging not to tattle to your dad.

…I feel self-loathing. I’m truly a bad adult.

“I’m sorry. For making you keep this secret.”

“I know it’s unavoidable. It’s not like you borrowed the money anyway.”

The kid sat up straight on the sofa.

Only now do I notice. The posture of a well-trained noble.

“Well then, shall we discuss what I should do in return for keeping this secret?”

“Huh?”

I thought I had misheard. The kid nodded at my questioning look.

“You didn’t expect me to keep quiet for free, did you?”

I unconsciously gulped.

So, is this… a situation where the kid is using my weakness to initiate a deal?