Since the Count’s death, there have been few nobles who have properly begun to move.
It is only natural that by the time news of this reaches the Count’s territory, other nearby territories would have heard the same news.
Nobles who owe debts to the Count have not moved yet.
The Count’s body has still not returned to this territory, even though quite a bit of time has passed since his death.
Then again, perhaps Ayla and Seila are considered more like “objects that come along” than “people to respond to.”
Ayla married the Count, but she has never even seen his face in person, and Seila is still too young and hasn’t received any education in that area.
The witch, who has no interest in power struggles and doesn’t care much about them, simply stated the fact that it was poison, but the shadows may convey many more facts.
I slightly lowered my evaluation of the Baron. I still don’t know if the Baron really killed the Count.
But whether it is true or not, the Baron is already cornering himself politically.
If the information from the shadows involves the Baron, I will lower my evaluation of him again.
Still, I will be grateful.
Thanks to this, I could spend some peaceful time for a while.
Ayla did not go outside today. In fact, it doesn’t make much difference whether she goes out or not.
Ayla and Seila have only moved around the mansion so far.
Ayla didn’t go out, but Seila is outside. She’s not doing anything in particular, just playing around with Daisy.
I decided to slightly raise my evaluation of the witch.
It’s unclear whether playing with such a young child is out of genuine care or just babysitting, but thanks to this, Seila was gradually regaining her spirits.
“Ayla, should we tell Seila the truth?”
“That’s true.”
Seila knows that the Count has passed away. The fact that she doesn’t seem to be very sad probably means she rarely saw her father’s face directly.
I haven’t decided to tell her that it was an assassination yet. But at least we should let her know that the Baron is coming.
Ayla answered but looked a little troubled.
Though she has grown closer to Seila, there must still be some discomfort.
Besides, the Baron is also Ayla’s father. The fact that the Baron is coming must look very suspicious to Seila, the Count’s daughter.
After all, Seila probably still sees Ayla as a stepmother from a fairy tale.
“Ayla, if I may speak out of turn, may I offer a suggestion?”
“Go ahead. Try it.”
“The relationship between you and Seila is still in its beginning stages. Even if you take a small step back, I don’t think much will be lost.”
Ayla glanced at me, probably thinking I was making a bad joke, but she eventually sighed lightly.
“It would be difficult if the Baron stays here.”
Ayla said.
“That’s right.”
I agreed.
“You told me to act as if I truly want revenge,” Ayla said.
Before I knew it, Ayla had turned her head and was looking at me directly.
“Given your position, I think you have already considered how I should act.”
“A performance of a grieving wife should be enough.”
“Heh.”
Ayla let out a sound that seemed like a laugh of disbelief.
“Sorry, but I never looked forward to marrying the Count. No, from the moment the marriage talk started, I kept showing dissatisfaction right up to the wedding.”
The Baron knows this, so saying I’ve fallen in love now won’t work.”
Of course.
The Count wasn’t young, and he wasn’t handsome enough to surpass his age either.
“But even so, nobles still have something to look forward to, Ayla.”
I said with a polite tone.
“How about acting like someone who is about to lose something they were just about to gain?”
Ayla stared at me in silence.
“I see.”
Ayla raised one corner of her lip slightly. It wasn’t exactly a mocking expression, but it seemed like she was imagining herself performing that act.
A woman who was about to abandon everything is now acting as if she’s trying to hold onto everything.
Where else could there be such bitterness?
“Well, at least I can immerse myself in that performance,” Ayla said.
“After all, I’ve tried to hold onto something and lost it.”
Freedom.
What Ayla was referring to was freedom.
At least on this matter, I had no words to respond with.
If I had a hundred reasons, maybe I could, but unfortunately, I don’t have that many reasons to offer.
The time that seemed like it would pass slowly ended up passing until the Baron arrived.
Unfortunately, I still hadn’t heard from the shadows.
From my younger sibling’s contact, it seems there has been some communication, but it seems like the shadow is still contemplating whether the information about the Count’s death is worth the price of the potion I sent.
I haven’t even mentioned the witch’s proposal yet. If I did, the shadow might just swallow that up along with everything else.
Seila has been restless for about two days now.
“Seila, have you ever received guests from outside?”
“Y-yes, I have.”
Even Seila, who usually wears a bright expression around me, seems to have some sense of pride as a noble.
“Would it be alright if I ask when that was?”
“Ah, probably… five years ago?”
Oh my.
That was about half of Seila’s life.
Fortunately, she didn’t show it, but I noticed that Seila’s face turned slightly red as my response was delayed.
“You don’t need to be so nervous.”
I said while glancing at Ayla.
Ayla seemed a bit anxious as well, wandering around the lobby.
Where does the sincerity end, and where does the act begin? At least it’s certain that her slightly disheveled hair is part of the act.
But the fact that Ayla, the only adult noble here, is nervous doesn’t help Seila at all.
The relationship between the two isn’t exactly warm, but to Seila, the Baron is likely a much more dangerous and terrifying presence than Ayla.
“Just greet him gently, and you don’t need to stay by his side afterward.”
“Th-that’s…”
Seila looked up at me, her pupils trembling.
Not being in that place would make it seem as if she were handing over the Count’s family.
Seila must have vaguely felt that much.
There are no allies here. At least, not among the nobles.
Probably such a judgment.
“The Count’s family will not fall to anyone. It may be weak, but I will lend my strength.”
It would have been met with a scoff if any other noble had heard it.
But I am serious.
Fortunately, Seila accepted my words as sincere.
Seila smiled slightly at me. Her face was still pale and sickly.
“Head Maid.”
As our conversation was ending, Helena entered from the main gate and spoke.
“The carriage will arrive soon.”
“Is that so?”
I gently spoke to Seila again.
“Then, we will go greet the guest.”
“…Yes, I understand. I hope you will give a proper invitation befitting the Count’s family.”
Seila said, puffing out her chest as if showing off.
“That’s a face I’ve never seen before.”
The first thing the Baron said after seeing us, bowing, was this.
The Baron was someone I had lowered in status in my mind several times.
But the Baron, aside from his political insight, is also a skilled swordsman. To put it simply, a ‘master.’
If all the maids here rushed at him, he might not be able to handle them, but then again, the Baron didn’t come alone.
“Well, fine. The Count still has refined tastes, doesn’t he?”
The Baron stroked his well-groomed, appropriately trimmed beard as he spoke.
“Ayla will be in the mansion.”
“That’s correct. Would you grant me the honor of guiding you to the mansion?”
The Baron nodded.
Outwardly, he seemed calm.
But not saying much, especially in a roundabout way, probably meant he wanted to look around the mansion quickly.
“Baron.”
I lightly blocked the Baron’s path as he got out of the carriage.
“What is it?”
He looked surprised, not so much annoyed.
“Could you entrust the weaponry to me?”
The Baron stared at me intently.
A sword hung from the Baron’s waist.
It was a thick and heavy double-edged sword, quite different from the small sword I wielded.
“Heh.”
The Baron laughed.
“Is this Ayla’s suggestion?”
And he asked.
I simply lowered my head to show it.
“You’re trying to establish dominance, huh? That girl must be craving it too, right?”
Though, it was in a different sense.
“Fine. Let’s do that.”
The Baron said as he unsheathed his sword. The other servants who followed the Baron didn’t stop him.
Always the first to take action, that’s his nature. I committed that to memory—
But just as I was about to guide the Baron to the mansion,
I heard something small, like footsteps, from behind.
The sound of hooves pounding quickly. And the creaking of a carriage following.
Considering how quiet it usually is around the mansion, it was the sound of something coming from quite a distance.
“Luna.”
Helena whispered quietly.
“Please check on that. I’m sorry, Baron. It seems there’s a guest who arrived without prior notice.”
I don’t know who it is. Perhaps it’s another politically insignificant noble who moved quickly after seeing the Baron’s movement.
“Who the hell…”
The Baron frowned, clearly displeased.
But before I could properly guide the Baron into the mansion,
I heard the sound of a horse neighing, followed by something skidding. There was a loud noise as the carriage clattered.
It sounded less like a carriage and more like a cart hauling urgent goods.
Both the Baron and I turned our heads at the same time. The Baron probably knew before I noticed.
The noisy carriage that entered had four horses pulling it. It was a little smaller than the Baron’s carriage. Inside, there was barely enough space for two people to sit across from each other.
The shape of the carriage itself wasn’t very special, but the color was very ominous.
Black.
No, not just the carriage. The coachman who drove the carriage was also dressed entirely in black clothing and a black hat, and the horses were all black as well.
Neither of us could speak when the carriage door suddenly creaked open.
The person who jumped out of the carriage was a woman dressed in black, as if in mourning.
She was probably a year or two younger than me.
The rather pale-looking woman looked at me and shouted.
“Ah, Luna!”
She lifted the front of her dress with both hands and ran towards me, grabbing my hand.
Even though I still held the Baron’s sword in my hand.
“Luna, it’s been such a long time!”
The woman cried out.
I couldn’t say anything in response.
How should I put this?
It was far more shocking than when I first saw the witch here.
The woman who looked at me with eyes full of sorrow was a face I knew.
A face I never expected to see in a place like this.
“Lady.”
After a long time, I called her by the name “Shadow.”
“Luna,” the Shadow said.
“If you knew this was going to happen, you should have told me beforehand.”
And she gave a slight smile.
It was a sad smile, but it didn’t appear that way to me.
I turned my head again to look at the coachman.
The coachman bowed his head deeply, but I knew who he was.
Little brother.
Why are you here?