Episode 71. Mount Bern (6)

“Ugh, my stomach…”

To Franchello’s somewhat absurd question of whether I liked alcohol, I blurted out yes without thinking. I actually do like alcohol, though I’m not a heavy drinker.

But after answering that, I regretted saying I liked alcohol for the rest of the journey. No, maybe I started to hate it. No matter how diverse and high-end the types of alcohol were, drinking a lot of it just made it a headache-inducing substance. I couldn’t relate at all to Franchello’s talk about good alcohol being cold fire or whatever.

“Hoo…”

Today was better since I was a bit more used to it. I felt a slight motion sickness from my body swaying on the horse, but it was much better than the first day when I felt like I was going to throw up and ended up having to ride in the carriage. That day, I even vomited in the carriage because of the hangover.

I glanced at the carriage Franchello was riding in. Contrary to what I thought, Franchello really did bring the carriage for his own use. I couldn’t understand why a knight would ride a carriage instead of his beloved horse, but after getting a ride in that carriage a few times, I understood.

‘It’s all because of this…’

‘Haha, it’s my pride.’

The carriage, which seemed too big for one person, was full of all kinds of liquor bottles. Franchello’s eyes, looking at the bottles wrapped in soft padding to prevent them from breaking, resembled those of a parent looking at their child. I knew this raccoon-like old man was crazy about alcohol gifts, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.

‘Why bother taking this in a carriage…’

‘…I can’t drink it at home.’

I understood after seeing that look. He’s not exactly a likable person, but I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him being afraid of his wife.

‘Have a drink first.’

As if trying to shake off his gloomy mood, Franchello offered me all of his “children.” Even though I obediently accepted and drank what he gave me, it took several days to taste each one. Every time he poured a different type, he explained what kind of aroma it had and what ingredients it was made of, but all I felt was the consistent sensation of drinking something bitter and burning.

I drank alcohol with tough jerky as a snack. After drinking for a few days to relieve the boredom, I was able to hear Franchello’s true intentions.

‘Well, if you don’t mind me saying… with all due respect, -nim…’

‘…I’ll think about it.’

I anticipated his intentions after seeing the contract he offered me to deceive me, but Franchello wanted to become the Head of the Family after his nephew. He tried to deceive me and get my support in writing, but after failing miserably, he seemed to have changed his strategy to get my direct support.

How good would it be to use the fact that the current Head of the Family’s brother, who has no successor, supports him as justification? Even though that brother has almost no popularity within the Family, isn’t his real brother, and changed his last name after marrying into another Family, his words still have meaning.

I didn’t give Franchello a definite answer and held out, making him anxious until the end. I wouldn’t even give him lip service since it was all because of him that I came here. After being bothered like that until the last night, Mountberne County finally came into view today. The Mountberne Castle seen from afar was not much different from what I remembered.

‘It’s only been three months at most since I last saw it.’

It felt like it had been more than ten years since my last visit, but in reality, it had only been that long. The time I arrived in Yulstein for the tournament, won, suppressed the rebellion, got married, and went to Retinel. It didn’t feel that long since I had been busy. My situation had changed drastically from what it was before, though.

Still, what clearly showed that time had passed was the fields, which were turning red with autumn, though there were still some green patches. Mountberne County has many maple trees, to the point where a maple leaf is drawn on Mountberne’s coat of arms. Looking at the forest filled with the intense red color that remained in my memory, there was something that filled my heart. I was glad that I came in the fall instead of the summer.

I spurred my horse and moved slightly forward. As familiar roads came into view, a map from fifteen years ago unfolded in my head. As I moved as my memory dictated, I saw a familiar gate. It was the gate with the Mountberne Count Family’s coat of arms, which I had never been able to return to before my regression because of my brother’s nagging.

I arrived at an ambiguous time in the afternoon and parted ways with Franchello, and was assigned a guest room. It was just called a guest room, but it was actually the room I used to use in the main castle, not even a separate building. Feeling the sensation of the blanket and pillow after a long time, I collapsed onto the bed. The bedding, which smelled as good as new as if it was being maintained every day, had no traces of anyone else using it besides me.

Seeing my room, where even the few belongings I had were taken away and completely different decorations were placed, made me feel strange. …Well, I don’t feel that disappointed. The only memories left in this room were Henry coming into my room and tormenting me. Putting something in my blanket, throwing something at me while I was lying in bed… I was too scared to check when I was young, but it probably wasn’t a big deal.

Thinking that I had made that Henry half-crippled with my own hands made me feel like my hangover was completely gone, and I felt good. My stomach feels so refreshed. How long did I lie there to relieve my fatigue in that state? I fell asleep for a bit, and the sun, which had started to set earlier due to autumn, was already setting. My stomach was violently rumbling as if to announce that it was dinner time. How should I solve dinner?

Usually, at least one maid would come, but the hallway was as quiet as a mouse, as if it wasn’t dinner time yet. Isn’t it even six o’clock yet? But I’m still hungry. Since I’m in Mountberne, I want to eat maple syrup. The best is made from maple sap collected in late winter or early spring, but what does it matter since I’m eating it after a long time? Besides, I was hungry now.

I rang the bell thinking of calling a servant, but no one came, as if they were too busy. Why even put a bell if they’re going to be like this? I already know where the dining hall is anyway, so I’m slightly considering going down to the dining hall myself. But I still have the dignity of a noble, so going down to the dining hall myself to ask for food is a bit…

I briefly thought that my dignity didn’t matter since I was hungry, but I quickly folded that thought away. Why did I come here? To become the Count Regent in place of that Henry bastard, or at least to exert influence even if I don’t directly take the position. If I showed such a disgraceful appearance and someone found out, it would be wise to pack my bags and return to Yulstein County immediately.

Ah, I have a good excuse. No one came even though I rang the bell, right? I can just say that I’m looking for servants who are neglecting their duties to discipline them directly. To punish the servants, I have to find them, and to do that, I naturally have to go to the dining hall and kitchen, where servants are bound to be. I briefly thought that the dining hall staff and the main castle guest room staff would be separate, but there’s always joint responsibility.

Thinking of making such an excuse, I opened the door and left the room. Heh, this is a perfect excuse. My stomach, not my head, will fill in the gaps. I naturally walked faster, thinking of going to the dining hall to eat dinner quickly.

“Ah!”

“Ouch!”

I almost bumped into someone. Who’s walking around without looking straight ahead? It sounds like a woman’s voice, so I need to scold her for neglecting her duty to pay attention to the front as a maid. Thinking that, I looked at the woman who had sat down even though we hadn’t bumped into each other. The neat face that showed she was a noble was a face I knew well.

“…Henry?”

Hmm, to hear such a thing. He had some similarities to me because of our father’s strong blood, but that bastard was much uglier than me.

“How could you say such a rude thing…”

“Ah, ah, it’s Edward-gyeong, I’m sorry.”

My sister-in-law, Marie Mountberne, whom I met after a long time, seemed flustered.