Chapter 18

“So, which merchant house took on this construction?”

I went straight to the point.

The only reason I called this bastard here was to figure out how the situation was moving.

Clayton answered immediately.

“The Alnor Merchant Guild. They signed a contract to supply all the materials for the project.”

“The bidding ended that quickly?”

“Haha, Madam, you are far too busy to worry about such trivial matters. I handled everything in accordance with past procedures. You only need to approve the final documents.”

Clayton smoothly dodged my question and held out the approval papers.

His overly polished face was full of confidence that I would sign and praise his hard work.

Naturally, I threw it without even reading it.

“Are you trying to distract me?”

The documents I threw smacked Clayton in the face and scattered everywhere.

“I asked how the bidding went.”

“Madam, we already have a merchant house we regularly work with. There is no reason to hold a separate bid and do the work twice. Avoiding unnecessary administrative waste is common sense.”

“I see. So I lacked common sense, and that is why you think you can lecture me. Right?”

“I misspoke. I did not mean it that way at all…”

Clayton flared up when the papers hit him, but soon softened again.

As a high-ranking official of Lombard, he probably hated being scolded by a girl younger and, in his mind, stupider than him. But what could he do. That stupid little girl was the duchess and the ultimate gangster.

“Alnor, huh. Never heard of it.”

A merchant house capable of supplying materials for cathedral construction across all of Lombard would have to be large.

But the Alnor Guild was completely new to me. At the very least, I should have heard the name.

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Baron Conte cautiously spoke from the corner.

“Madam, there is the Alnor County near Lombard.”

“A merchant guild run directly by the count?”

“That is correct. Unfortunately, Count Alnor is Lord Clayton’s cousin.”

“What?”

A blatant conflict of interest.

Baron Conte, who knew my temperament, now spoke with the smug face of a concubine who had regained favor, while the clueless Clayton blinked innocently as if he saw no issue.

I pressed my temples and murmured:

“Viscount Clayton, do you at least know how much tax funding is being poured into this project?”

“It is a twenty-thousand gold coin project.”

“You know it well. Then you still made a private contract? This is not replacing a few broken windows or old desks. This is a massive construction project.”

“Madam, I understand you wish to establish firm discipline in the fortress now that you have newly arrived, but this is excessive.”

Clayton’s eyes changed. He no longer hid his annoyance.

“This has always been Lombard’s custom. Long before Your Ladyship came, we handled things this way. No one raised an issue, and nothing was ever wrong.”

“Nothing was wrong? That is even more alarming.”

“Madam…!”

“Twenty thousand gold coins are the taxes the people of Lombard shed blood and sweat to earn. And you think handling it with this sloppy nonsense is not a problem?”

“You are being unreasonable. I was prepared to give my utmost loyalty to you. There was no need to treat me like this.”

Clayton clearly did not intend to listen.

He thought I was using the people as an excuse to assert dominance.

“To speak plainly, I heard certain things about Your Ladyship and the physicians of the inner wall. I too would like to offer you a token of sincerity.”

“Certain things? What things.”

“I will dedicate twenty percent of the construction budget to you. How does that sound?”

I felt dizzy.

How could the incident that turned the inner wall physicians into charity angels end up twisted into this.

Even at the risk of sounding stupid, I blinked blankly.

“If you cut twenty percent of the budget, how do you intend to supply the materials?”

“We will reduce the quality and quantity as much as we can. It will not show once everything is covered. I will handle it myself so that you do not need to worry.”

Thinking he almost had me, Clayton even began detailing the methods.

Suddenly, old memories surfaced.

Departments with large budgets were always the most coveted. As someone from a commoner background, I was never allowed anywhere near them.

Sometimes I wondered what went on inside those departments, but I never cared deeply.

I was too busy drowning in endless stacks of work. Why would I care about the affairs of nobles that had nothing to do with me.

‘M, Madam, something terrible has happened. The Third Southern Bridge…!!’

One day, Lombard’s largest bridge collapsed.

It had only been completed about twenty years earlier, yet it crumbled like a cookie without warning, causing massive casualties.

The Third Bridge was vital for Lombard’s trade routes.

Its collapse crippled the economy, and because Lombard always had low food production, prices skyrocketed and the lower classes were devastated.

I had regretted it so much when I learned the truth.

Even though I knew logically that the collapse was not my fault and nothing I could have prevented, guilt consumed me and kept me awake for nights.

‘I just wanted to impress the inquisitor, damn it…’

And something this catastrophic landed on my lap.

But ignoring it now was impossible.

I had seen firsthand how cutting quality and quantity of materials led to disaster.

“Viscount, I understand your sincerity.”

I nodded with an approving smile.

To avoid Lady Olden’s eyes and anyone else’s, I had called Clayton to a secluded prayer room in the fortress rather than my chambers or the administrative building.

If I openly confronted him here, another uproar like the mine incident could happen.

‘Time to actually use my brain.’

My mind complained, having grown lazy, but I gave him a pleasant smile and handed him a paper.

“Now our hearts finally align. Anyone would be moved by such sincerity.”

“Thank you, Madam. I am so grateful that you understand my loyalty.”

Clayton’s eyes sparkled as if he believed he had succeeded.

He returned to his usual pompous expression and began bragging about how capable he was and what important projects he had overseen.

I listened and nodded vaguely, then spoke as if I had just thought of something.

“Hm, matters like this are best kept in writing so both sides can feel secure.”

“What would you like?”

“A memorandum with your personal signature would be suitable.”

“Very well. If it means becoming Madam’s man, this Clayton will gladly sign.”

Clayton also wanted the arrangement written. He wrote eagerly.

The memorandum stated that in exchange for me overlooking the conflict of interest with the Alnor Guild, he would give me twenty percent of the budget.

‘Good.’

Now I had undeniable evidence of corruption.

* * *

I rushed straight to Berthold’s office.

Berthold was the steward of Lombard Fortress and the duke’s closest aide. He had been acting as the proxy mistress in the long absence of the former duchess.

Meaning his authority over fortress affairs was second only to the duke.

I shoved past the guard at the door and kicked it open.

“The baron says he has something to tell you.”

“…What?”

“Me?!”

Berthold, who had been working at his desk, and Baron Conte, who had followed me like a goldfish trailing its owner, both looked shocked.

Berthold blinked between the broken doorknob and me.

Opposite him sat Administrator Ramon, who could not even close his mouth.

I had not expected another visitor, but Ramon was one of the few trustworthy officials in the entire administrative building, along with Berthold.

His darkened under-eyes from overwork were proof of his dedication, much like mine had once been.

“O, then please speak with Berthold. I will step outside.”

“Where are you going. Sit.”

“Tch.”

Sensing danger, Ramon tried to escape but I forced him back into his chair.

I strode to the desk, dragging along the baron who had also tried to flee.

“Speak, Baron.”

“M, me? I have nothing to say.”

“…”

“Yes yes, I do. I absolutely do.”

Sensing the subtle murderous aura from my silence, the baron hurriedly pulled out Clayton’s memorandum.

“How are the two of you even managing the administrative building. The world must truly be ending.”

“Baron, what is this.”

“Let me see. So, twenty percent of the construction budget to the duchess?!”

Ramon’s eyes nearly popped out.

“Her Ladyship was furious when she saw this. The reason she was angry was… well…”

The baron trailed off and glanced at me.

His trembling eyes begged me for a hint.

I fluttered my fan dramatically in the cold winter air and covered my mouth.

‘How dare he try to buy me off with the people’s hard-earned taxes. It was such an insult that I could not endure it. Say that. Understand?!’

Fortunately, he understood.

The baron declared proudly:

“She says she could not endure the insult of someone trying to bribe her with such petty money.”