Ch.6767. Reconciliation

# House Hyde.

Except for their exceptional average appearance, they were an unremarkable family.

Even the Delirose County they served had little presence until rumors spread that they made tens of billions with Cordana. With so many nobles in the Empire, it was difficult for their vassal to gain fame.

However, the mere fact of being nobility made them a privileged class.

From that perspective…

‘Honestly, neither Ember nor her father have difficult personalities.’

I didn’t regret breaking off the engagement.

It was a relationship based solely on conditions. I thought she matched me well with her outstanding looks and knowledge, but I grew tired of her endless career talk during our meetings.

But looking back after three market crashes, the Hyde father and daughter were quite decent nobles.

No, at this point, they were more than just decent.

Gregory began his career as an official immediately after graduating from the Academy. He was a man who prioritized not making enemies while building his career.

And Ember, who could have forced her way into the Academy if she wanted, was content just sipping tea in salons.

It might seem ordinary behavior, but after witnessing so many crazy scenes these past few months, it felt refreshingly normal.

‘Come to think of it, it’s strange that I’ve barely heard the names of Ember and her father all this time.’

We had been engaged for quite a while.

Considering I broke off the engagement right after my 40 billion windfall, quite a few people must have approached Ember and her father with interest. After the market crash, there must have been some who bothered them unnecessarily.

Yet hardly anyone playfully asked me, “Why did you break up with the High Prosecutor’s daughter?” It meant the father and daughter had been living quietly.

Gregory, Ember’s father, would be a great help in resolving the situation with House Hyde, which had become a massive burden for the county.

This wasn’t about helping them because they had lived well, but rather because there were so few trustworthy people in the capital now. Seeking cooperation from a former fiancée might seem ridiculous, but it was the wisest decision at present.

That’s why I boldly approached Ember as soon as I spotted her sitting alone at an outdoor café in District 3.

“Erick…?”

She seemed gentler than during our engagement.

It wasn’t just my imagination—she seemed to have gained a little weight. Not chubby, just pleasantly filled out. Since she had been on the thin side back then, the slight weight gain actually suited her better.

Thanks to Ember looking at me with curiosity rather than discomfort, it was easier to start the conversation.

“Ember. You were a great help before. I might have had to chase the Count of Delirose and his clan all the way to the eastern coast otherwise.”

“From what I heard, you would have caught them before they boarded the ship anyway.”

“That’s true. But the Count of Delirose and his family would have had a much harder time.”

“Huh?”

Ember tilted her head, but that was the reality.

The former Count of Delirose had received a relatively merciful sentence and was working in a labor camp. He was assigned light administrative work rather than hard labor, and even had separate quarters from other laborers. His family wasn’t even subjected to labor.

But if the timing had been just a little later? Such merciful treatment would have been impossible.

“If you hadn’t reported in time, many of them would have been hurt.”

In truth, they wouldn’t just have been hurt—they would have died.

I swallowed the rest of my words, but judging by the slight trembling in Ember’s blue eyes, she seemed to understand.

“You’re saying it wouldn’t have ended with just losing their title and status.”

“Thanks to you, innocent lives were spared.”

A moment of silence passed.

Ember looked back and forth between the strawberry wine in her hand and my face before carefully speaking.

“Erick, about those deserters from before.”

“What deserters?”

“The case where my father—I mean, Father—recommended disciplinary action for excessive search. I know it’s not my place to bring it up, but when you carried out that mission…”

“I killed them all. I would have captured them alive and sent them to a penal unit if possible, but they resisted.”

“…Oh.”

Ember opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, looking dejected.

Even without hearing it aloud, I could guess what she wanted to say.

That she didn’t know apprehending deserters was such a frightening task, that she regretted questioning my harsh work with disciplinary recommendations. Though there was no need for her to apologize, I was willing to wait if it would ease her mind.

After a long while, Ember calmly said, “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t sob or anything; rather, she looked somewhat relieved. She confidently ordered tea for me as well.

‘This isn’t bad either.’

In some ways, it felt more comfortable than when we were engaged. I almost wanted to spend more time like this.

But I had more important business.

I intended to entrust Ember, or rather her father, with a significant responsibility.

I didn’t simply mean taking away House Hyde’s title and giving it to him.

I planned to liquidate the barony entirely. It was unreasonable to continue supporting a dozen nobles and their servants in a territory with no source of income. It would be better to assign a vassal to govern it.

Of course, eliminating an entire family overnight was burdensome.

So I decided to minimize that burden by granting Ember’s father a viscounty and assigning him the role of county administrator.

A viscount without territory. Although the barony would disappear, in a sense I was elevating their rank, so there was no risk of other nobles rising up in protest.

If my plan succeeded, Ember would soon become a viscount’s daughter.

‘But I can’t propose it right away.’

Although the Hyde father and daughter, especially Ember, had shown themselves to be quite trustworthy recently, I couldn’t make such a decision based on feeling alone.

This was something that could affect all the residents of the Delirose County, soon to be Wellesley County.

Though it wasn’t a territory I desperately wanted as a fief, I couldn’t entrust its management to just anyone. Some verification was necessary.

“Ember.”

“Yes?”

“Your uncle might lose his title soon. If I petition the Imperial family, it’s likely to be accepted immediately. It may seem ridiculous to revoke a title just because someone has become poor, but we can’t indefinitely ignore a family responsible for an entire territory.”

“…Ah.”

After a pause, I carefully asked if she could help reduce the burden of the title revocation.

“I know it’s a harsh request. I know, but I have nowhere else to turn. If you help me this time, I’ll definitely repay you later.”

However, I didn’t mention that the repayment would be in the form of a new title. The key was to see how Ember and her father would behave without knowing that.

“I’ll think about it.”

Ember nodded with a troubled expression. I finished the tea she had bought me before leaving.

***

‘The family will disappear?’

That’s what Ember muttered to herself, sipping strawberry wine after returning home. Fortunately, her uncle had left about an hour earlier.

She wasn’t lying awake because of excitement from meeting her former fiancé. Their relationship had never been that passionate to begin with.

It was true that she felt a glimmer of hope seeing him treat her less coldly than before, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

Her uncle might lose his title due to his failure in governance.

The fact that this came from Erick’s mouth meant—

‘Erick is becoming a count.’

Ember knew well how generously the Imperial family rewarded outstanding talent.

Erick was certainly worthy of such treatment. Even though making someone a count overnight seemed excessive, it wasn’t particularly unusual these days. Two counties were currently without owners.

However, Erick didn’t seem interested in taking over House Hyde as well. He had always disliked being taken advantage of, so that made sense.

“Ember? Why aren’t you sleeping? …And drinking alcohol too?”

Her father asked with a frown as he emerged from his bedroom.

Despite his words, her father’s eyes were bloodshot, perhaps from arguing with his brother.

She felt sorry seeing her father—a fairly successful official who had just paid off alimony and should have been looking forward to a comfortable life—suffering because of his brother.

And thinking about it, there were others who deserved even more sympathy.

“Dad. This might seem like a random question, but… House Hyde can’t recover, can it?”

Her father was silent for a moment before nodding with a sigh.

“…I suppose not. How could they manage all that debt from a territory that only grows wheat and sesame in double cropping? And they can’t raise taxes either… If they did, the residents would start a revolt with pitchforks.”

“It’s really that bad?”

“I hear that in the villages, residents now handle even a few goblins on their own. They’ve reduced the number of soldiers significantly.”

Having lived only in the capital, Ember couldn’t understand these difficulties.

In the capital, everyone except the lowest class had access to running water, and from the upper-middle class upward, it was common to store food in magical refrigerators. There was no worry about monsters in the capital, and the directly-governed cities around it were honestly safe too.

Of course, she didn’t feel tremendous guilt toward the barony’s residents. Even on her rare visits to the family home, she had stayed only in the mansion before leaving.

…But if she could convince her father to reduce those people’s suffering, shouldn’t she help?

‘He said they would only take away the baron title and territory, but allow them to maintain their noble status.’

A noble without territory or title.

It might seem a bit ridiculous, but practically speaking, Ember’s life wouldn’t change. She had long given up playing the role of a noble lady anyway.

Having made up her mind, Ember looked directly at her father.

“Dad. I have a favor to ask.”

For about an hour afterward, father and daughter conversed in hushed tones.

The pair even devised their own method to help Erick. They would persuade the collateral relatives they could contact to submit a petition to the Imperial family.

A petition demanding political accountability from the family head who had abandoned his territory to become a ghost at the exchange. This was to provide justification for revoking the title.

“…Ember. You know that if we do this.”

“It will be difficult to claim noble status anywhere. I understand that.”

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t disappointed, but thinking that it wasn’t her share to begin with made her feel somewhat better. She was concerned about her uncle and his family, but perhaps giving up at this point would be beneficial for their future.

As soon as day broke, Ember visited Erick’s residence.

“Erick, I’ll do as you said. Father agrees too.”

At these words, Erick nodded readily and showed a rare clear smile.

Isn’t it a bit cruel to smile while liquidating an entire family? Ember smiled back awkwardly, not understanding his reaction.

But then, along with thanking her for making a difficult decision, Erick began to share something unexpected.