I Think My Husband Might Be a Murderer - Chapter 7

Johannes Schultz stepped back as if he had never moved closer in the first place.

I inhaled at his indifferent reaction, then exhaled along with my response.

“But I don’t have the professional certification required by the ducal household.”

He scoffed.

“Even if you applied with a certification, the ducal household wouldn’t hire you.”

I tilted my head in confusion, and the Young Duke continued, “The Schultz Ducal Household does not hire servants.”

“What? Then what about the recruitment notice…?”

“A mere facade.”

He spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, making me even more puzzled.

“Then are you saying there are no servants in the estate?”

“Of course not. That’s not the case.”

His voice carried a hint of amusement, as if my question had been absurd. His brows furrowed slightly.

“Yet you’re saying you intend to hire me. Even though the Schultz Ducal Household only posts recruitment notices but never actually hires new servants?”

“That is correct.”

As I stared at him, dumbfounded, he continued speaking in a composed and formal tone.

“It seems Miss Prim now has another secret to keep.”

Was that the reason he had said it? To persuade me to take the job?

Why?

I hesitated, unable to say anything, when the Young Duke’s low voice cut through the silence.

“The salary will be substantial. More than what the Russell Marquisate is offering.”

“…Do you even know how much the Marquisate is paying?”

I asked without thinking. It wasn’t meant to be accusatory, just genuine curiosity.

Of course, I was aware that the wealth of nobles was unfathomable to commoners.

But recently, the royal family had stripped the Schultz Ducal House of its financial privileges.

Did he even have that much money?

The amount offered by the Russell Marquisate was staggering, even by noble standards.

Of course, it came with conditions: I had to be in the Marchioness’s good graces and endure for at least three months.

Reading my expression, he replied casually, “Even if the royal family has taken away my financial rights, I am not in such dire straits that you need to worry.”

He smiled nonchalantly, subtly pointing out the impudence of my silent skepticism.

“Ah…”

Thinking it over, I realized how foolish my question had been.

“I apologize. That was rude of me.”

No matter how wealthy the Russell Marquisate was, the Schultz Ducal House was not limited to its liquid assets.

The only inconvenience was temporarily losing access to their funds. The royal family, even with all its power, couldn’t bring down the Schultz family overnight.

After I apologized, he murmured as if speaking to himself.

“Your father spoke highly of you.”

“……”

“So, what will it be?”

It was absurd, but for some reason, Johannes Schultz looked as though he were asking for a favor.

Had my father really done that much for this man? It was unlikely that he had helped him financially, so perhaps he had saved his life.

With that thought, rejecting his offer seemed impolite.

I turned my head westward.

The sun had nearly set, casting a crimson glow behind the towering ducal estate.

Evanstein Castle—the residence of the Schultz Ducal House.

It wasn’t far from my home. A carriage ride would take only about thirty minutes.

The salary from the Russell Marquisate was tempting, but the six-hour round trip and the Marchioness’s notorious temperament…

This wasn’t the time to hesitate.

I shifted my gaze from the pile of lilies atop my father’s coffin to the cigarette case resting among the flowers like an ornament.

‘What should I do…?’

The answer was already clear.

If Johannes Schultz was not offering out of pity, nor simply out of obligation to my father…

If he truly had received a great debt of gratitude…

Refusing this offer would be utterly foolish.

I had to seize this opportunity.

Turning away from Evanstein Castle, I met his gaze.

“Then, I will gratefully accept.”

***

The road home after my father’s funeral should have felt hollow and empty.

But the reality was entirely different from my expectations.

A mix of emotions swirled within me, but if I had to describe it in one word, it would be bewildering.

As the sharp sea breeze stung my face, I recalled the conversation from earlier.

The salary Johannes Schultz had offered was beyond anything I had imagined. It made the sum proposed by the Russell Marquisate seem utterly insignificant.

‘One million berks.’

Even thinking about it again, it was an absurd amount.

‘And it’s weekly pay. With that, I could not only cover my living expenses but also continue my pharmacology studies without interruption.’

The work would surely be demanding, but with proper time management, it should be possible.

When I first heard the salary, I was stunned. For a moment, I wondered if this was some special treatment because I was the daughter of Petty Officer Prim.

But that was just my own misconception.

When I hesitantly mentioned that the amount seemed excessive, the Young Duke responded without hesitation.

“It’s the standard salary for the ducal household’s employees. The details will be explained by the butler, Fred Gunner, on your first day.”

I didn’t know how much other noble families paid their employees, but for the first time, I regretted not having obtained a few certifications in advance.

Now, I had to send notice to the Russell Marquisate that I would not be joining them…

“Edith, you’re home!”

Lost in thought, I flinched as someone suddenly grabbed my arm.

It was Mrs. Pensler.

Somehow, I had already reached my house. She held my hands tightly, and I realized how cold they were—she must have been waiting outside for quite some time.

“It’s freezing! Why are you out here? It’s so late… You should have gone inside to rest.”

“I wasn’t cold. How could I sleep without making sure you got home safely? Besides, I won’t be seeing you as often anymore.”

Mrs. Pensler waved her hand dismissively, her face filled with concern. She still thought I would be commuting to Böhlen for work.

“Oh, about that—”

“But first, did you send your father off properly? I’ve been so worried about you going alone. They said only family members could attend the funeral…”

She pulled me inside. The house was filled with warmth—she must have kept the fire burning for a long time.

“Sit here, Edith. I’ll bring some tea.”

There was no way I could interrupt her when she was like this. She was known for her lengthy conversations, and I was used to it.

Even after bringing the tea, she continued to fuss over me for quite some time.

When her words finally slowed, I seized the chance to speak.

“Mrs. Pensler, I have something to tell you.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Actually, someone I met at the funeral introduced me to a job close by. So I won’t be going to the Russell Marquisate after all. The salary is good, and…”

“What are you talking about?”

I expected her to be happy, but instead, she frowned and gave me a disapproving look.

When I blinked in confusion, her expression grew even more serious.

“Edith!”

Her voice had never sounded so stern before.

“You’re a pretty girl. Do you know how many men sent proposals for you just this autumn alone?”

She then launched into a long speech, questioning how I could trust someone I had just met, warning me about potential bad intentions, and expressing every imaginable concern.

I hadn’t anticipated such a reaction, and I found myself at a loss for words.

I had, in fact, accepted an offer to work at the ducal estate upon Johannes Schultz’s request. But I couldn’t exactly tell her that, so I had no choice but to endure her scolding for quite a while.

“Really… I’ll be fine. I’m not that reckless, Mrs. Pensler.”

Eventually, I managed to reassure her by vaguely insisting that the person was trustworthy and that she had no need to worry.

Only then was I finally able to escape from her house.