Chapter 23 - Investment
From her window, Opal watched Hubert ride out with Omar in an open carriage. She had been up all night, thinking about what was to come, and had only managed to fall asleep near dawn. The sound of their departure had woken her. She vaguely recalled Hubert mentioning last night that he was going to inspect the fief.
Over the past three years, thanks to Omar’s diligent management and Opal’s unstinting investment, the fief had regained its natural abundance. She had recently managed to recoup most of her initial investment. But for Opal, regardless of the profits, she had already grown attached to this land. The people of the fief were good-natured souls. They did not resent their past misfortunes but instead rejoiced in their much-improved lives and treated Opal with respect. And yet, she might have to let this land go.
Of course, she knew that one day it would all belong to Hubert. But she had never imagined that she might have to part with it to pay off a debt. She had thought she was always preparing for the worst, but it seemed she was still naive. Even so, she could not give up. If, by some chance, the next owner of the land was a cruel person, it would be the people of the fief who suffered.
Opal steeled her resolve and began to move toward securing the best possible outcome. At dinner that evening, she announced that she was returning to the Royal Capital. Hubert’s brow furrowed at once.
"Just when I have finally returned to the fief, what will everyone think if you go to the Royal Capital…"
"You need not worry. Rumors that our relationship has broken down are already circulating. More importantly, the people of this Estate and the fief are all overjoyed that you have returned, My Lord Husband. Please, take as much time as you can to look around the land. I will go and ask my father once more to invest in the Mantest property."
"I see. Well, my apologies. But I…"
Hubert replied awkwardly, apologizing to Opal. Seeing her surprise, he started to say something else, but ultimately closed his mouth.
"…My Lord Husband?"
"No… I said too much yesterday. I owe who I am today to you, yet it seems my old arrogance returned. I truly am sorry."
"…No, I spoke impertinently as well. I apologize."
"There is no need for you to apologize. Just… well, be careful on your journey."
"Thank you."
In reality, Opal was the one who had taken the land, so Hubert was not wrong in what he had said. If he had taken a loan against that land and invested the funds in a new property, there was only one thing for Opal to do. She must devote her efforts to making the Mantest development a success.
He would never have apologized in the past, so she could feel, if only slightly, that these three years had not been a waste. The two of them finished their meal in a peaceful mood. Opal then returned to her room and hastily prepared for her trip to the Royal Capital. The next morning, she departed for the city in her private carriage.
Fortunately, the journey to the Royal Capital went smoothly, and she arrived at her family home, the Count’s residence, five days later. Unfortunately, her father was away on business and would not be back for two more days. She had sent a letter ahead of her departure, but it seemed it had not arrived in time. Disappointed but graciously welcomed by the butlers, Opal spent two days resting quietly at the residence.
When her father finally returned, she requested an audience through the butler. She couldn't afford to be assertive, as she was the one asking for a favor, and she had no idea how her father would react. Though she had been his daughter for twenty-two years, Opal still could not read her father’s thoughts at all. The time the butler relayed for the meeting was the following afternoon. Opal went to bed thinking over various lines of persuasion and spent another sleepless night.
Why is it that I can never sleep when I need to most?
She was about to face a formidable opponent, her father, and needed her mind to be sharp. Being sleep-deprived would be a disaster. In the end, though she dozed off and on, she could not get a proper night’s rest. When she got out of bed before noon, she was still not feeling her best. Nevertheless, to wake herself up, Opal selfishly requested a bath to be drawn. Soaking in the hot water refreshed her mind and body, and she ate a proper lunch.
Alright, it's time for battle.
When the time came, Opal marched into her father’s study, full of fighting spirit, only to be swiftly defeated. She asked her father to invest, but he dismissed her request out of hand.
"Opal, it is true that I have money. But I have no intention of throwing it down the drain."
"Treasure lies sleeping in the lands of Mantest. It is not a drain."
"No matter how much treasure you dig up, if you cannot transport it, it is no better than a storage shed. Surely you understand that, Opal?"
"If we had engineers… engineers who could build a bridge strong enough for freight cars loaded with ore to cross that valley, it would be possible."
"But those engineers are not in this country. And there are few even among the engineers of Taisey Kingdom who could do it. In short, it is too soon to develop that land. But it seems McLeod ignored my advice. I do not understand why he needs to be in such a hurry. There is no need to rush. As long as you are alive, the duchy will not fall into anyone else’s hands."
Opal was struck by her father’s words. It was true. Why had Hubert made such a gamble, one that might cause him to lose everything he had worked so hard to regain? Investing was inherently a gamble, but with careful assessment, the chances of winning were high. And Hubert was supposed to have a talent for that assessment.
Come to think of it, I was so focused on the financing that I never asked him about that.
As Opal fell into thought, her father’s voice reached her. She snapped back to reality and saw him watching her intently, as if trying to read her mind.
"Um… so, when the time is right, that land can be developed? If so, as long as he continues to make the payments properly, he can maintain the fief and…"
"Stop it, Opal. Where do you intend to get that repayment money? Surely you are not thinking of touching your own fortune?"
"But I have used it for the fief’s sake until now."
"The reason I did not object was because it was a sound investment that could be recouped in the short term. It is true I also considered purchasing the Mantest land. Its development difficulty meant it was available for a considerably low price. Moreover, I have enough funds to purchase it without taking out a loan. But with our country’s current technology, it would take at least five years just to begin development. From there, another five years at the earliest to lay the railway. It will take ten years for that land to transform from a nonperforming asset into a prime one. Only then does the recovery of the investment begin. Of course, one cannot predict the future perfectly. Still, at this stage, even if everything goes smoothly, it will take twenty years to generate a profit."
"Twenty years…"
"In short, even if everything proceeds smoothly and the investment is recouped, it is doubtful whether I will even be alive at that time. It is not that I am reluctant to leave money to you all. I simply want to witness the success with my own eyes. In reality, that is what most investors are like. And the ones with enough capital to purchase and develop that land are all old men like me. …Opal, take my advice. It will be a considerable loss, but you should advise McLeod to part with the Mantest land as soon as possible."
Seeing his daughter fall completely silent, the Count let out a great sigh. If Hubert had not listened to him, he was unlikely to listen to Opal. The Count, who had long regretted their marriage, decided he would lend the Duke a small hand with his reckless plan, for his daughter’s sake. But first, there was something he needed to confirm.
"No matter how much of a fortune McLeod builds, he currently has no child to inherit it. If you have no intention of fulfilling your greatest duty as a Duchess, then perhaps you two should divorce? What are McLeod’s intentions?"
"I cannot say. I have told him before that if he wishes to marry another, I will grant him a divorce and continue to sell him the land, but there has been no sign of that… If she were a person of questionable status, I have also said I would not mind making her child my own. It would be a pity for her, but she could simply serve as a wet nurse."
"…I see. Regardless of McLeod, I understand your thoughts on the matter well."
With that, the Count looked directly at Opal. A strong will resided in his gaze, and Opal desperately fought the urge to flinch.
"In any case, if McLeod goes bankrupt, it is his own fault. The only thing you stand to lose is the duchy you acquired with a single piece of paper, so do not get any more involved. Just wait for the outcome."
"Then… then, I have just one last request."
"What is it?"
"If this development does not succeed, and the income from the duchy is not enough to cover the loan repayments, if the duchy is put up for sale, please, Father, I want you to buy it."
"…It is a ridiculous proposition, but it is a far wiser choice than investing in the Mantest land. Very well."
"Thank you!"
Although she could not secure his aid, she had managed to avert the worst-case scenario. Relieved, Opal left the study. It was true what her father said. Whatever happened from here on was Hubert’s own doing, and Opal need not worry about it. She no longer had to worry about the people of the fief either.
I feel so tired.
For nearly four years since her marriage, nearly seven years since that scandal, Opal had lived her life putting on a brave face. It felt as if all that exhaustion came crashing down on her at once. She staggered back to her room. The moment she entered, a wave of intense dizziness washed over her, and she hurriedly sat down in a chair. But her condition did not improve, and Opal would end up spending the next twenty days in bed.