They used my name without permission. In the end, I had to take responsibility for everything they did. I picked up my glass with a stiff face. The sweet taste spread in my mouth, and my anger calmed down a little.
“So how much do I have to pay back?”
Felix looked through some papers for a moment before lifting his head.
“Exactly eight million crocks.”
It felt like something hit my head. Eight million crocks. That was more than eight times the amount I had already paid.
“That much?”
“Your younger brother gambled a lot near that estate. So the amount is pretty big.”
I let out a deep sigh. This time, I really couldn’t hold back my anger. As I stared at my glass with a cold face, Felix quickly added,
“But there’s still hope.”
“What hope?”
“If you ask Duke Jedburgh for help, the trial might go more smoothly. And if the trial goes well with his influence, you might not even have to pay the money.”
“How is that possible? We’re talking about eight million crocks.”
“I’ve heard that Duke Jedburgh is quite generous to people in difficult situations. Of course, I haven’t seen it myself to that extent.”
“So you’re saying I should somehow ask him for help.”
Felix nodded.
“Still, I think it’s worth asking. After all, you didn’t do the gambling, and you want to pay it back.”
I did want to, but honestly, I couldn’t imagine how. Eight million crocks was the kind of money I could only dream of even if I made scented pouches every night for ten years. I stayed quiet, and Felix spoke again.
“Of course, Duke Jedburgh doesn’t meet just anyone, but since the trial is happening in his estate, he might take interest. And there will be a big banquet there…”
When he said “banquet,” I remembered what Madam Fern and the guest were talking about earlier. I hadn’t paid attention, but it seemed to be about Cedric.
“It’s a banquet to celebrate the development of a new gold mine. Only invited guests can attend, so it’s very exclusive. But I think that might be the best chance to ask him.”
I couldn’t speak right away. The thought of facing Cedric again scared me.
‘I said things to him that I should never have said.’
I could still clearly remember Cedric’s face back then. He told me to come back to him as if he hadn’t heard those words. I sighed inwardly and lowered my head.
“Revril, since this is about eight million crocks, I hope you’ll think about it carefully.”
I slowly lifted my head. Felix was looking at me with concern. When I didn’t say anything, he continued.
“Eight million crocks isn’t easy money.”
“That’s true, but…”
“By the way, I have good news—I managed to get an invitation.”
Felix held out an invitation. When I looked at it with surprise, he smiled and said,
“It was really hard to get. This is your final trial, so we have to make it end well.”
I carefully looked at the invitation. Cedric’s handwriting was clearly written on it. Seeing that sharp script again brought back deep emotions. I couldn’t bring myself to take the invitation and said,
“You didn’t have to do this much for me…”
“No, I really wanted to do my best for your case. I didn’t prepare this to pressure you.”
“…”
“And I’m not such a good person anyway. I’m a bit selfish, too. Honestly, if this trial ends well, it’ll be a good addition to my career.”
Even after hearing that, I was just thankful.
“Actually, I wanted to go myself, but it seems Duke Jedburgh only meets people directly involved in the trial. I don’t think he’s refusing to meet you specifically.”
Whether that was lucky or not, I still didn’t feel confident.
“But what if he doesn’t agree to meet me and the trial goes badly?”
“Then… you’ll probably have to pay the full eight million crocks. Plus some small extra fees.”
I couldn’t say a word. It was hard enough just to gather money for now—how could I possibly pay all that? I sat there, drained, and Felix said,
“Then please think about it and let me know. You need to contact me within three days. After the banquet, Duke Jedburgh will return to his estate in the capital.”
“His estate in the capital?”
“Yes. After that, he’ll be really busy and won’t meet people like us.”
People like us. From those words, I clearly understood what kind of relationship I had with Cedric. I nodded and said goodbye to Felix. I drank the rest of the drink and quietly looked at the scenery. In the distance, I saw a few large mansions near the sea. They were noble estates. I stared blankly at the fancy houses, then took the invitation and stood up.
On my way back to the boarding house, the number eight million crocks kept echoing in my head. I already lived day by day—how could I ever gather that much? It was beyond anything I could handle. And yet, the idea of standing in front of Cedric again made me feel ashamed.
I said such terrible things to him…
Who knows if Cedric would even agree to see me again? I returned to the boarding house, completely drained. I was about to go up to my room when Madam Fern glanced at me and suddenly shouted,
“Revril, you two look good together—why not give it a try?”
When had she even seen us together? I replied firmly,
“No. That would be rude to him.”
“Rude? That lawyer comes here very often, you know?”
“It’s because of the trial.”
“Hmph, but he seems to be trying very hard.”
“It’s probably because I was his first client.”
Felix had actually said that. He wanted to do his best because I was his first client.
“Still, don’t overthink it and just go for it.”
I didn’t answer and walked upstairs. I always found that kind of attention burdensome. Besides, I wasn’t interested in Felix at all. Strangely, the only person I ever wanted to rely on was Cedric. And I often thought of him with regret.
I sighed and entered my room. As soon as I stepped in, a cockroach ran past my foot. An unknown bug crawled over the herb pile on the table, and the walls were still covered in mold. No matter how often I opened the window, the musty smell never left.
I sat weakly on the bed. I realized I had no choice anymore.
The next day, I went straight to Felix’s office. He was already there early in the morning. When I knocked, he welcomed me with a smile.
“You’re here early.”
“I want to go meet him in person.”
Felix smiled brightly.
“You made a good decision. You have the invitation, right?”
“Yes. But… I don’t think they’ll be happy if I attend the banquet. Is there any other way to meet him?”
“Then it’s best to ask the butler. Since Duke Jedburgh is very busy, you have to go through the butler to meet him anyway.”
I didn’t like the idea of meeting the butler at Cedric’s mansion, but I had no choice. I wasn’t in a position to be picky.
As I stood holding the invitation, lost in thought, Felix said,
“By the way, I’ll probably head down on the day of the trial.”
“You won’t go earlier?”
“I still have paperwork to finish here.”
“Then… I have to meet him alone?”
“As I mentioned before, Duke Jedburgh only meets people directly involved in the case. I asked to speak with him personally, but he refused.”
That was strange. As my face stiffened, Felix spoke carefully.
“Actually, that invitation was personally given by Duke Jedburgh. He said he felt sorry for refusing to meet.”
“Then… he thinks you’re the one going?”
“That’s right.”
I felt even more nervous. Seeing the clear tension on my face, Felix tried to cheer me up.
“Revril, at least this means you have a chance.”
“…”
“Just so you know, even many nobles can’t get into that banquet. Some people even try to sell those invitations at high prices.”
