Chapter 33

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: The Princess Only Deals in the Real Deal - Chapter 3

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That wasn’t all.

“C-Count! Count!”

The aide, who had gone off to review the contracts, came rushing back pale as a ghost.

“All the signatures on the contracts have vanished!”

“...What did you say?”

“Every single one except for this one! And this is the only contract that still has a signature—take a look at this!”

The aide pulled out a document with trembling hands. It was the Property Transfer Agreement.

An agreement transferring all of former Duke Michele Pioquedaad Lionet’s assets to Hugo Lionet.

In the midst of his daze, Hugo had thought that as long as this one was intact, nothing else mattered.

But?

“The only property under the Duke’s name is this house!”

“What?! That’s impossible! Fine, the personal fortune and private vaults, but what about the pawnshop?!”

“No, read it for yourself!”

The aide thrust the bank-issued property documents at him.

Hugo read them over and clutched his forehead. Dizziness washed over him.

“Three days ago... he transferred everything except this house to his granddaughter...?”

“That’s not all! He even took out a loan using this house as collateral!”

“What the hell does that mean? A loan? How much?”

“Thirty million gold.”

Hugo, who had been staggering, finally collapsed to the floor.

“Tell me there’s nothing more shocking than this.”

“Well... um...”

Using this rundown old house as collateral for thirty million gold?

Was that even possible?

Thirty million gold was enough to buy the entire county seat of Pafon, Hugo’s territory. Sure, Pafon was in the sticks where land was cheap, but still.

It was then, as Hugo was half out of his mind—

“It wasn’t from an official bank; it was from a private lender, so the interest rate is a whopping 50% per month...”

“...”

“And since Your Lordship received the house along with the debt, you’ll have to repay all of it...”

Hugo let out a groan, clutched the back of his neck, and toppled over.

The aide, who had been stomping around in panic, finally noticed the empty house and jumped back in shock.

“Wait, more importantly, why is the house completely empty?! Where did the Duke go? What in the world is going on here?!”

He had no idea how things had spiraled this far, but one thing was crystal clear.

“That damn girl completely played on Uncle’s hot temper—!”

Hugo fainted dead away.

As I came down from the mountain, I glanced at the clock tower.

By now, Hugo would have opened the door to the house.

Imagining him sitting there dumbfounded made me burst out laughing.

“Ha, that feels so damn good.”

After regressing, the first thing I did was transfer all of Grandfather’s assets to myself.

Everything except the house.

The house wasn’t unimportant. I’d lived there from the day I was born until I turned twenty.

But if I had to choose between the pawnshop and the house?

The pawnshop, obviously.

“Grandfather would think the same.”

I needed money anyway, and I needed a way to screw over Hugo, so I decided to ditch the house.

Then I went to the most notorious loan shark in the capital.

“I want to borrow thirty million gold using the house as collateral. Make the interest rate the maximum.”

Even the loan shark looked baffled.

Who in their right mind volunteers for the highest interest rate?

But my situation was different!

I’m not the one who has to pay it back anyway.

I even recorded the whole conversation so he couldn’t complain later.

Hugo had said it himself, after all.

That a little debt wouldn’t be a problem?

So I just gave him a debt-free problem. You’re welcome.

With the thirty million gold in hand...

I spent twenty million on Grandfather.

I read about it in the newspaper in my previous life. Velkato Sanatorium.

Top facilities, top staff, top security—they said.

I’d been relieved thinking Grandfather was in a nice place like that.

...Turns out they didn’t even put him in a proper facility; they dumped him in the slums.

Just thinking about it hurt my heart.

So I prepaid a full year’s worth in one lump sum.

The VVIP package: best room, best treatment program, best nursing staff.

I even had them sign a nondisclosure agreement.

They signed it without hesitation. Money really does talk.

I bought the recording magic tool and the evaporating ink magic tool I used on Hugo earlier.

After renting a warehouse for the stuff I took from the house, I had 9.5 million gold left.

Got to save the rest.

For the pawnshop.

I stretched vigorously and rummaged in the pocket of my paint-stained apron.

Even in the dim light, the pawnshop key gleamed.

By now, Hugo’s probably seen all the property documents.

Hugo would definitely come sniffing around the pawnshop soon enough.

But not right away. He was simple-minded, which left room to manipulate him.

That’s why I played nice. He got so happy that things were going smoothly he didn’t check properly.

There was another reason I’d acted so compliant.

In my previous life, I’d turned down Hugo’s offer after agonizing over it.

When I refused to sign in the end, he reluctantly called in reinforcements.

Hugo’s older sister.

Viscountess Rozanne.

Unlike her brother, she was cold and ruthless.

She wouldn’t have bothered with paint tricks; she’d have barged in and checked for Grandfather first. Would’ve been hard to fool her.

Luckily, Hugo was terrified of Rozanne.

Having jumped the gun and signed the deal only to get scammed with a massive debt, he wouldn’t dare report it to her. He’d desperately try to hide it and handle it himself.

That bought me time.

I fiddled with the necklace like a talisman and headed to a small inn in the commercial district.

“I’d like a room.”

Grandfather always said:

Before tackling something big, you’ve got to eat well, rest well, and sleep well.

I planned to follow his advice.

While waiting for the bath to be drawn and room service to arrive, I pulled out a notebook.

To-Do List

Writing it big on the first page made me feel newly resolved.

I carefully jotted down everything I’d been mulling over since regressing.

To-Do List

[1. Reclaim the Lionet Family]

What would be the most devastating revenge against them? The answer was obvious.

After investigating for three days, I learned the Lionet Family was a total mess now.

They’d torn the titles apart among themselves and sold off all the prime territories.

I wanted to take back the Lionets while they were crashing and burning.

Along with Grandfather’s honor after his excommunication.

How does it even make sense for a duke to get excommunicated?

Unless someone framed him to steal his title and lands.

And Grandfather’s reason for excommunication was confidential.

They excommunicate someone for a grave secret sin and just let them go?

Doesn’t add up.

I need to find out who dared to pull that off.

To-Do List

[1. Reclaim the Lionet Family]

[2. Run the Pawnshop Well]

Now that I’d inherited the pawnshop, I had no intention of half-assing it.

It was a way to make money and Grandfather’s cherished shop, but more than that, I loved the place.

Full of wondrous items, it had been like a treasure trove to me as a kid.

He didn’t take me often, though. Probably worried I’d break something.

I’d always dreamed of running the pawnshop cozily with Grandfather.

Now it was time to put what I’d learned to use.

To-Do List

[1. Reclaim the Lionet Family]

[2. Run the Pawnshop Well]

[3. ]

I paused before writing the last item.

For some reason, my eyes stung.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to write it neatly.

To-Do List

[1. Reclaim the Lionet Family]

[2. Run the Pawnshop Well]

[3. Find a Way to Cure Grandfather]

Truth be told, asking Grandfather for help would make everything easier.

Running the pawnshop, getting revenge on the Lionets, even accurately gauging the scale of his hidden assets that they were dying to snatch.

But...

I couldn’t.

I just couldn’t.

“...Who are you? Who are you that you’re here?”

“Grandfather, what are you saying? It’s me. Your granddaughter, Elisha...”

Grandfather often forgot even me.