I Think My Husband Might Be a Murderer - Chapter 6

The breeze stirred his golden hair, now dyed red by the setting sun.

Though he was currently under harsh criticism, he was still the heir of House Schultz. His honor would be restored soon enough, and just as it had always been, the embezzlement scandal would fade from people’s minds.

Even if my father had helped him, no one would blame him for ignoring someone like me.

So why?

I stared at him with a puzzled expression. But no matter how long I looked into his eyes—so dazzling they reminded me of the sea—I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

After hesitating for a long time, I finally voiced what he had proposed.

“You’re offering me a job with House Schultz.”

“That’s correct.”

“Even though I might not be good at it?”

The Young Duke nodded without hesitation. I grew more perplexed and quietly clenched my fists as I asked again.

“Why are you helping me like this?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out a cigarette case from his coat.

Then, with seamless motion, he placed one cigarette between his lips, tossed the rest onto my father’s coffin, and lit the one he held. The entire process flowed smoothly.

Noticing my frown, he said, “Pardon me. We always used to smoke together.”

It didn’t sound like an excuse. But it did manage to erase the impression of rudeness.

Come to think of it, my father didn’t smoke. He must have been going through a lot. As I mulled over that, a husky voice broke the silence.

“As I said earlier.”

He inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly, pausing.

“I couldn’t just stand by while the daughter of a man I was close to suffers. Petty Officer Prim helped me a great deal. Since I can’t repay him directly, I’m repaying his daughter.”

It was a cynical answer.

The man I owe is dead, so I’ll repay his daughter. That way, I keep my honor.

That was roughly the implication.

A proposal born from a noble’s self-centered mindset. He might call it consideration, but arrogance seeped from every word.

I stared at his indifferent profile, gripping the hem of my black dress tightly.

“Is there another reason you feel you owe my father? I don’t know much about military ranks, but I doubt he gave significant help to someone as high up as a fleet commander. Or is it just pity for me…?”

The Young Duke raised an eyebrow. “No. The debt I owe is greater than you imagine, Miss Prim.”

His sculpted face remained calm, as though he were telling the truth. And a man like him had no reason to lie to me.

Still…

‘It’s too overwhelming an offer.’

To work in a noble household, one had to meet the qualifications they specified. You had to be discreet and trustworthy, and getting hired was no easy feat.

In other words, you needed a certain level of wealth just to even pursue the required certifications.

There was even a saying that you needed three generations of integrity to work in a noble’s estate.

The Russell Marquess household was an exception, only because they couldn’t find anyone.

I recalled a job listing I’d once glanced at from House Schultz.

Fluency in foreign languages and certified professional qualifications preferred.

I was confident in keeping secrets, but I didn’t meet the language requirements. I had been studying for a pharmacist license, but I wasn’t certified in any professional field.

So no matter how much help I had received, it was practically a special favor.

I didn’t want to accept a job that weighed on my conscience.

I put on a polite smile and said, “In that case, thank you, but I’ll have to decline. I do have the right to say no, don’t I?”

A slight crease formed on his smooth forehead. “I thought it was an offer you couldn’t refuse. May I ask why you turned it down?”

“I feel I’ve already received more than enough help from you, Colonel.”

“That can’t be.”

The Young Duke let out a faint chuckle.

It was the kind of laugh that made it seem absurd—as if he hadn’t helped me at all.

And I could tell he meant it by what he said next.

“Miss Edith Prim.”

The Young Duke took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly.

“I haven’t even begun to put any real effort into helping you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The job I offered earlier is the same. I’m simply offering fair compensation for the labor you’ll provide.”

I was at a loss for words.

“That…”

If not for being here in front of my father’s coffin, I might’ve been tempted.

But my father had taught me to live honorably. That I should never accept favors that come with no price, and that a healthy amount of skepticism is necessary in life.

I stared blankly at the burning tip of his cigarette, then looked up at his sharply handsome, emotionless face.

His posture was upright, his demeanor restrained.

Only now did it truly sink in—I was speaking with a noble.

I bit down on my lower lip, inhaled deeply, and gave my answer. “But if I weren’t Petty Officer Prim’s daughter, I doubt you would’ve made the offer in the first place. I do appreciate it, truly, but I don’t want something like that. I’m trying to make it on my own. Without anyone’s help.”

The Young Duke’s next question left me dumbfounded.

“Then what if it were a favor?”

As if he’d anticipated my rejection.

“A favor…?”

“I have the wealth and power to repay any debt. And yet, I’m asking you politely like this because…”

He paused for a moment.

“You know better than anyone what people in Musen are saying about me.”

The Young Duke ran a hand through his wind-tousled hair. The space between his slightly furrowed brows deepened.

It felt somewhat inappropriate to be thinking this in front of my father’s coffin, but Johannes Schultz was truly striking. Anyone would find him captivating. It was just that his limited expressions made him seem cold and unapproachable.

“Just look at how carelessly people talk about my whereabouts. It shows how far the dignity of House Schultz has fallen.”

He dropped the now-short cigarette onto the dry grass. A faint scorch mark remained where his shoe crushed the butt.

I watched his less-than-refined action, then slowly responded, “Of course I know.”

Even with such flawless looks and a prestigious lineage, being a noble meant he was constantly in the public eye. Reputation mattered.

I had known that, but now it hit differently.

He tilted his head slightly and quietly looked me over. “That’s why I want a trustworthy employee. If that could be you, Miss Prim, it’d make everything much easier.”

“…How can you trust me?”

“Petty Officer Prim spoke often of his daughter. He said she was upright and honest, something rare these days.”

His voice was dry, almost too dry for someone giving such praise.

“What…?”

“I trust Petty Officer Prim. So you should trust your father, and the man your father trusted.”

The Young Duke took a step forward, narrowing the distance between us. From that undeniably close range, he reached out his hand.

As the half-lifted veil fell completely away, my view cleared.

His deep blue eyes met mine head-on.

“I believe you won’t disappoint me.”