I Adopted a Villainous Dad - Chapter 238
“It is surprising. Perhaps it is because he wants to thank us or reward us for using the bank? The more we borrow, the more profitable it is for the bank.”
As the nobles chatted, the door opened, and in came Achillios.
“Oh, why is Duke Achillios here?”
“Um…” began Achillios, “I am the president of Melmil Bank.”
“Wait—what?”
It was a fact that any noble who kept themselves updated on information knew, but it was a surprise for most of them. Now looking like they had entered the tiger’s dun, the nobles turned to leave.
“Uh-oh. You dare run away when I haven’t even walked in yet?” said a familiar voice.
“P-princess Amelia?”
“No—princess, how come you are…”
The place erupted immediately.
“This is an abuse of power, Your Grace Achillios!”
“That’s right. How could you bring the princess to a place like this? Such rudeness is intolerable!”
The nobles protested in unison. After all, it was the princess who had forced them into this situation in the first place.
Achillios smiled as he watched as the nobles got up, coughing blatantly to express how uncomfortable the meeting was for them. “You will regret the choice you’re making.”
“Regret what?” asked one of the nobles.
The nobles there were already bound to the money they had borrowed.
Achillios snapped his fingers, drawing out anxious gazes from them. “Let me introduce her again. This is Her Highness Princess Amelia, the founder and governor of Melmil Bank.”
“Hello, everyone.” Amelia smiled and waved at them gently.
The nobles simply stood there brokenly, their expressions looking quite idiotic. Then, they started laughing at the ridiculous situation. “What is this?”
After ordering the shocked nobles to sit down with a gesture of her hand, Amelia sat down in her own large, beautiful chair. “It’s a good thing everyone’s here. There’s no one missing, right? Well, if you don’t attend, it’s your loss, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is, Master.” “Yes, it is, Master.” Achillios, Amelia’s ever faithful servant, eagerly flattered her.
The nobles frowned, glaring with displeasure at Achillios.
“The reason I asked you all to gather here today is…”
Everyone held their breath as Amelia spoke.
Amelia clapped, and almost like they had been waiting for it, her staff placed a paper in front of the nobles.
‘The oath to support Crown Princess Amelia,’ read the paper. Astonished, the nobles turned to Amelia.
Amelia smiled. “Here, sign it.”
* * *
It was really fun to watch the nobles tremble. If they were going to be reduced to such a state, why had they acted so snobbily before?
“I can’t—I hate this place. I’m leaving.” A courageous noble left his seat.
But at my next words, he could not bring himself to open the door and actually leave. “No? If you don’t like it, will you pay me back tomorrow?”
When it came to trouble with money, all nobles and commoners were the same. The now trembling noble sat down again before saying, “You’re abusing your authority.”
“You’re threatening us!”
I laughed at their collective reaction. “Threatening you? How could you say that?”
“If not, what the hell is this?”
“It is a threat,” I admitted with a soft smile. “But then, why did you spend someone else’s money so carelessly?”
Melmil Bank’s money was earned with my blood, sweat, and tears. I held back my tears as I remembered the hard days of the past while I made money.
“Now, making a decision,” I issued an ultimatum. “Sign quietly and become my servant, or go bankrupt.”
The nobles were already angry, and Achillios’s words enraged them even more. “Life as a servant of Her Highness the Princess is not bad.”
Coming from an incumbent servant, the words were convincing.
I smiled, my eyes lighting up as I said, “So, what are you going to do?”
Eventually, almost all the nobles present signed it.
As for what happened to those who did not? Well, they were all notified to pay back their debt.
