I Reincarnated as the Daughter of a Runaway Sub Heroine - Chapter 82

“It’s Duke Ashil Myura.”

I stared blankly at him as he spoke so casually.

“Wait, what? Duke Ashil Myura?”

While I was frozen in shock, Jakar approached the desk and handed me a stack of documents.

“This is additional information I gathered about the Duke, as I mentioned last time.”

I flipped through the materials he had given me. Although Jakar said it was additional information about the Duke, what was actually written was data about a specific region within the Empire.

“Hamar?”

Hamar was a small territory located at the southern end of the empire, reachable by boat in three days from the kingdom.

“It is a small fishing village now, but in the past, it was a place where a lot of copper was produced.”

“Copper is the metal used for counterfeit currency.”

As soon as I realized what he was implying, Jakar smiled.

“Yes, that’s correct. The mine was closed in the past due to a lack of profitability, but recently, with a change in land ownership, they have started producing copper again.”

“The landowner…?”

“It’s Marquis Carpio. He is a close aide of Duke Ashil Myura. That land was also taken by the Duke after he ousted one of the Emperor’s close aides.”

Jakar turned the page and pointed to a specific spot with his finger.

“A ship carrying copper produced in Hamar has been continuously entering the kingdom. If you look at the records of arrivals and departures, you can see how often the ships have been coming and going. The problem is that the whereabouts of the copper that has come in this way are unclear.”

“It’s all likely been used to make counterfeit currency.”

“Yes, and it seems that some of the counterfeit currency produced this way has flowed into the Grand Duchy, while some has been used as trade payments.”

“For trade with other countries?”

“Castoria gold coins have a stable currency value and have been widely used in trade for a long time.”

As Jakar said, Castoria was the country with the best currency management. Thanks to this, Castoria gold coins were widely used in trade with other countries.

On the other hand, the Empire’s currency had been heavily counterfeited for a long time, making it less trustworthy than Castoria’s currency.

“I shouldn’t have assumed there were no counterfeit coins in Rosen.”

While there might not be any in Rosen, counterfeit currency was already steadily undermining the kingdom. If it were revealed that the currency used in trade was fake, the decline in trust would rapidly erode the dominance that the Kingdom of Castoria had maintained in trade.

I instinctively tightened my grip, crumpling the documents in my hand.

“This means they are deliberately trying to ruin Castoria.”

“Yes, the Duke is serious about bringing down the kingdom. So please do not get involved any further. If you become a hindrance, they will have to harm the lady as well.”

I couldn’t understand why Duke Ashil Myura was going to such lengths.

Normally, if someone desires something, they would choose war as a method. They would build up military strength, provoke a conflict, and invade.

After that, they would demand reparations or a portion of land. Unless they completely surrendered, most conflicts would typically end at that point.

Then it suddenly dawned on me.

Is that the problem? He doesn’t want this country? He dislikes the fact that this country is barely surviving?

“…The Duke isn’t interested in the kingdom. In fact, it’s the opposite.”

Only then did I realize why Duke Ashil Myura was learning Castorian and paying special attention to the kingdom.

He hates this country. Though I don’t know the reason, his goal is to thoroughly trample the royalty and nobility here.

“Why is he doing this? Is there any reason behind it?”

“I don’t know that either. However, for the Grand Duchy, this situation might not be so bad.”

I turned to Jakar.

“What do you mean? They’ve already released fake money into the Grand Duchy, and you say it’s not bad?”

“The reason they targeted the Grand Duchy first is that when the kingdom is in danger, the first place to send troops will be the Grand Duchy. It’s a plan to cut off the limbs before striking the mainland. However, if the Grand Duchy signals that it will not interfere with the kingdom’s affairs, they will no longer attack. Moreover, it is better for them if the Grand Duchy continues to exist. Thanks to the Grand Duchy capturing monsters, the Empire has stabilized as well.”

Jakar gazed at me.

“Your father, His Grace Duke Iskas, holds a deep grudge against the royal family of this country. This might be his only chance for revenge. By doing nothing and remaining still, the Empire will naturally bring down the kingdom. And in the process, the Grand Duchy will gain significant benefits. This could be an opportunity for the Grand Duchy to rise again.”

Jakar’s words were entirely correct, which only added to my confusion.

“…Why are you giving me this information?”

When I came to my senses, I realized I was receiving top-notch information from Jakar instead of punishing him. I couldn’t fathom why he was so generous with this information.

“I told you, didn’t I? I assigned someone to look after you because I’m worried about you. I hope you’ll hear this story and refrain from getting involved in the kingdom’s affairs any longer. For your safety.”

“So why do you care about me? What am I to you?”

To Jakar, I was merely a guest. He sold information, and I bought it; that was our relationship. So why was he concerned about me?

Jakar sighed and returned to the desk. He then pulled out a handkerchief from the drawer and showed it to me. Of course, it was the handkerchief from my family that I had seen last time.

“You must have seen this on the day a dog was causing a ruckus outside. You must have been curious about why I was in possession of something belonging to the Grand Duchy.”

“Okay, now tell me. How did you get that?”

“It was given to me directly by you, my lady. Don’t you remember?”

My eyes widened in shock. I had given it to him? What was he talking about?

“I gave that to you? No way. I’ve never given a handkerchief to anyone…”

Then suddenly, it came to me. The boy I had met on the street when I was young. I had wrapped a handkerchief around his bleeding arm after he was bitten by a dog.

I quickly lifted my gaze to look at Jakar. His mysterious red eyes, tinged with pink, were staring back at me. Everything else was blurry, but I distinctly remembered that the boy’s eyes were red.

“You, could it be…?”

At that moment, Jakar began to unfasten the cufflinks on his right sleeve one by one. When he rolled up his sleeve to his forearm, a scar on his lower arm was revealed.

It looked like a mark from an animal bite. His arm was covered in uneven scars, as if flesh had been torn away by sharp teeth.

“That scar…”

Jakar looked at me and smiled softly.

“Do you remember now?”

“You’re that boy? The one who was captured by Lady Louise—no, the young lady of the Skarsdale Marquis at that time—and was suffering?”

“That’s right. You saved me back then, my lady.”

I couldn’t believe it, even seeing it with my own eyes. I never expected to encounter a fleeting connection from so long ago in this way.

“I was worried because you disappeared without receiving any treatment back then…”

At my mumbling, Jakar’s smile deepened.

“Are you not upset that I disappeared without even thanking you after you went through all that trouble to save me?”

“After being injured so badly, who had the presence of mind to think of that?”

I had thought that the boy might have died. He had looked so emaciated at the time that it was obvious he was malnourished. It was even more surprising that he had grown into such a robust adult after suffering such severe injuries.

“So, when I came here, you already recognized me?”

“You can’t imagine how surprised I was. Suddenly, the lady appeared. I had quite a hard time hiding my shock.”

“But you remembered my face after seeing it just once as a child?”

While my face had changed much since childhood, I found it hard to believe he recognized me immediately.

Even I hadn’t recognized Lady Louise when I met her again; it was only when I heard her name that I realized she was the noble lady I had met before.

“Of course, I could only remember. You were the only person who showed me unconditional kindness.”