She didn't answer, just removed a contract she'd just signed with fingers trembling, the ink still emanating warmth, from her handbag.
"I-I didn't do this behind your back... We discussed it!" Her voice broke, tinged with sobs, "Half an hour ago, before Baron Wilson's visit... I followed the plan we agreed upon, to secure our victory in the White Dew District ahead of him and Baron Tekom."
Ralph snatched the contract hurriedly, his eyes scanning the clauses, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints instantly.
Mira's voice continued to entangle him like a dream, as if thousands of kiloters away, causing his spirit to wander at the edge of trance.
"I've... I've used all our liquid assets, a full thirty thousand gold coins as a down paynt to acquire the last crucial shops and residences on the downtown comrcial street. And... to scrape together the remaining funds, I re-mortgaged the land previously pledged to the White Dew District branch to Tower Bank, taking a three-month short-term loan..."
"Tower Bank?!"
Ralph let out an incredulous scream.
Of course, he knew of that bank, the most notorious moneylender in the Holy City, renowned for its efficiency, audacity, and equally intimidating high interest rates.
As a noble, he wasn't afraid of those vultures' debt collection thods, but the problem was, she actually committed a double mortgage with land already pledged to the Imperial Royal Bank!
Ralph's face turned deathly pale, unable to keep up the pretense of composure.
In the Empire, anyone could embezzle the Emperor's money since the Emperor wouldn't be using it for a while. Yet, there was a premise—the embezzlent shouldn't be too brazen.
Double mortgaging akin to blatant robbery.
Even if he wanted to repay the debt to the Imperial Royal Bank first, it would be impossible because, according to Imperial law, the Imperial Royal Bank's repaynt rank is lower than private banks.
Even if he repaid the Imperial Royal Bank, Tower Bank could enforce through court procedures to retrieve the money already repaid to the Imperial Royal Bank.
The initial intent of this law was precisely to prevent these lawless nobles from pledging land simultaneously to the Emperor's bank and private banks, then only acknowledging the forr's note while ignoring the latter's, or simply declaring bankruptcy to let the Emperor's bank and private banks wrestle over their worthless pledges.
Furthermore, if Tower Bank found out that their lands were already pledged to the Imperial Royal Bank but the deeds weren't kept at the White Dew District branch, even Huck who approved the loan could be in trouble!
Although all nobles in the Empire kept their deeds in their safes, never giving them to the bank, it's nonetheless illegal.
Ralph felt like he was going crazy, unable to refrain from shouting.
"Why... why did you go to them? Haven't we already leveraged the relationship with branch manager Huck? Why didn't you go directly to him?"
"I wanted to, but he disagreed!" Mira cried, "He kept telling Prince Colin might have offended soone influential, the project approval was likely compromised, he even said... I should leave the land deed with him!"
"This idiot! At such a critical juncture, he wants to bail!" Ralph cursed vehently, montarily unsure whom to bla.
Perhaps, if Madam had truly given the deed to Huck, things might not have been this dire.
At least, they wouldn't be further straining an already heavy financial leverage.
"... I could only look for another bank, and only they promised to disburse funds within a day, allowing us to complete the acquisition before everyone realized..." Mira's voice was filled with endless regret and helplessness as she continued tearfully, "I signed the contract, sent away Tower Bank's representative, and only then received this newspaper... Who could have anticipated matters would suddenly co to this."
"Plop."
The contract symbolizing their 'glorious victory' slipped from Ralph's stiff hand, landing on the erald lawn.
He suddenly realized sothing.
That Tower Bank didn't appear suddenly, while they were eyeing Prince Colin, others were also watching the Prince.
Naturally, they noticed this self-proclaid clever groundhog.
Ralph staggered two steps back, feeling the earth spin, he had to grab hold of a nearby servant just to barely stand.
It's over...
Everything is over.
The afternoon sunlight remained warm and pleasant, the scattered croquet balls and mallets on the lawn shimring in the sunshine, silently mocking the hearty laughter he had monts ago.
That laughter now seed so jarring and foolish.
Baron Ralph Devor opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound, a blackness descended over his vision, his body swayed, then he collapsed backward.
"My Lord!"
Mira's scream echoed across the spacious and magnificent estate, so mournful and desperate.
As if the heavens had fallen...
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