episode_0016

Episode 16

It’s raining coldly.

and.

Hot raindrops fall on my face and run down my eyes.

-Clap clap clap!

“Haaa… It was really the best scene that I couldn’t watch without crying. The contract with Lyon is complete. Now the only remaining contract is with you, Leon. I’ll take care of the evidence manipulation and the cleanup, so take a short break!”

“…”

-Ttaaak!

As the Duke of Clement de Baston snapped his fingers with a look of satisfaction, everything except his father began to move.

“Hmm… It’s a bit difficult from here on out, but doesn’t it make sense that you, a third-ranking sword master, would suddenly attack and kill Lyon? That’s why I did some thinking.”

“Here’s my scenario. Leon, who was adopted as the successor to the Duke of Normandy, feared that his position would be threatened when Liman de Normandy was born, so he made a deal with the Count of Brigne and other nobles to kill the Duke of Normandy.”

“It may be a bit far-fetched, but in order to secure a pretext for war, the eldest son of the Count Brigne family and some others got into a fight and crippled him, and the angry Count Brigne declared war.”

“The war was won, but Leon secretly fed the Duke of Norman a weakening drug, and Leon called the Duke of Norman separately. With the help of assassins and ambush soldiers he had secretly prepared, Leon finally succeeded in killing the Duke of Lyon de Norman with his own hands.”

“First, Leon, who took Lyon’s body to the Duke of Normandy, made an excuse that Lyon died while fighting under unfavorable conditions to save him from being caught in an enemy ambush.”

“Obviously, the people of the Duke of Norman would suspect this nonsense and start investigating, right? And soon after they started investigating, evidence began to be discovered that Leon had killed the Duke of Norman.”

The Duke of Baston, his blue eyes sparkling and his voice full of delight, continued to wait for my reaction.

“How about it? Isn’t it a really good play scenario? Now all that’s left is to happily watch everyone’s reactions.”

“…disgusting.”

“Kuuu! Well then, it’s time to be true to your role, Leon de Normand.”

.

.

.

The Duke of Lyon-de-Normand is dead!

And the Duke’s mansion was thrown into chaos by the shocking and unbelievable news that Lord Leon de Normand had returned with the Duke’s body.

The Duchess, who ran out barefoot upon hearing the news, fainted from shock upon seeing the body of the Duke of Normand. As a result, the news that the Duke of Normand, known as the successor, was in the process of taking care of the family of the Duke of Normand, spread throughout the duchy.

#

“Claire, bring everyone in the mansion with a connection to me right now.”

“Yes, sir.”

I returned to the Duke’s mansion, took care of only urgent matters, and told Claire to call together all the people I usually took care of.

After a while, all the servants known to be my favorites gathered together.

“You may be confused by this situation, but from now on, don’t question what I say, take the money I give you, and leave the Duchy of Normandy with your family. If you stay here, you will all die or suffer terrible things.”

“…Your Majesty.”

Maybe because I had been so nice to them, they realized something was wrong and filled their pockets as I told them.

“And finally, I have one thing to ask of you.”

“If there’s anything you’d like me to do, please let me know, because not only me but everyone here has been greatly indebted to you.”

Claire stepped forward and answered.

“Alice… Alice clearly won’t leave even if I tell her to, so I plan to force Alice out. But if that child doesn’t leave the Duchy of Normandy, even if she leaves the mansion, she’ll be in for a terrible time.”

“That’s what I mean…”

“Take Alice out of the Duchy of Normandy and make sure she has no contact with the Duke of Normandy for at least ten years. This is my final request.”

“…I will definitely do that. And thank you so much for everything, Master.”

.

.

.

While the Duke’s household was in turmoil due to my father’s death, I immediately called Alice.

“Alice, from now on, you are no longer our family’s maid.”

“Master, master? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Alice and I were usually very playful, but this time Alice realized that the atmosphere was not normal and asked me with an anxious look.

‘I’m sorry, this is the only way to protect you.’

-Tsk tsk!

I tore up Alice’s slave contract right in front of her.

The slave contract was broken, and she was now free from slavery and a commoner.

“Now you are a commoner, not a slave, and you can leave this mansion and live freely.”

I gave her all the money I had saved up, converted it into gold coins, and put it in my pocket.

Anyway, even if I had a billion dollars, it would be of no use to me now.

“Why…?”

“You can read and write, and you have received a variety of education, so you will be able to live on your own outside of the country.”

“Why are you sending me away…”

I can see tears welling up in her eyes, which sparkle like amethyst.

I avoided eye contact and spoke strongly to Alice, fearing that if I continued to look into her eyes, my weakening heart would be exposed.

“Get out quickly. I won’t take any more questions, Alfred! Get Alice out of the mansion!”

“No! No! Master, why are you sending me away! Let me go! Please!”

I turned my eyes away from her, not wanting to see the last of Alice being dragged away, struggling, caught by Alfred.

‘This is enough. If you’re a commoner, you’ll be able to live well since they gave you enough money to eat and play for the rest of your life.’

Only after a while, when I saw through the second floor window that Alice had completely gone out of the mansion and met up with the others, including Claire, did I finally sigh in relief.

Now I’ve done everything I can for Alice and them.

All we can do is hope that Claire and the others will take good care of Alice.

“…Now all that’s left is to wait for the end of this disgusting play.”

##

A day passed after I took over the burial site for my collapsed mother, and the next day she came to her senses.

“This is impossible. From now on, I, the Duchess of Normandy, will be the head of the household and investigate the truth.”

My mother took on the role of head of the family in my stead, as I had not yet officially become the head of the family.

An investigation launched at the mother’s behest uncovered a number of suspicious circumstances surrounding her father’s death, eventually uncovering evidence that had been fabricated and prepared by Clément de Baston.

Not long after, my mother called me into her office.

“You, you… do you know what this is?”

“…”

My mother showed me the letters I had written with a distorted expression, unable to hide her sadness and pain.

“Come up with some excuse. It’s not true!”

‘No, Mother.’

“…You got caught.”

Words that are completely different from what I wanted to say are forcibly blurted out.

“…What?”

“I thought I hid it well, but I got caught like this. Yes, I killed him. The Duke of Normandy. ”

-Tsk!!!

“Hey, you ungrateful little brat!! He cared so much for you!”

‘I know, Dad was truly the only father I have ever had. I’m so sorry, Mom.’

-Crash!! Crash!!

My mother slapped my cheek a few more times, her anger still not subsiding.

My swollen cheeks feel hot and I can taste the salty taste of blood in my mouth.

“…”

“Why! Why!! Why did you kill him!!!”

“Of course the Duke of Normandy was jealous.”

“What’s so sad about the guy who’s already the successor!!”

“Riman de Normand.”

“…”

“That would have happened if that child had not been born, right? ”

“Brother, what are you talking about?”

I looked back and saw Leman looking at me through the half-open office door, holding Tania and Serena’s hands tightly with both hands, holding back tears.

“Lee Man, if it weren’t for you, I could have been the master of this dukedom.”

“Brother…?”

-Tsk!!

“This fucking kid… He took in an orphan and raised him, and then he killed my father…”

Tania let go of Lehman’s hand and ran towards me, slapping my cheek with all her might.

Serena also seemed to want to slap me on the cheek, but when she heard what I said, she started to cry and started to comfort Leman.

“Ugh… Huh… Hyung, are you lying?”

“Lee Man… Come here.”

‘I’m so sorry, everyone. The truth will come out in eight years when Riemann turns 15, and once again, I’m so sorry.’

“Ha… It’s really too bad, too bad. To fail so foolishly. If I hadn’t been caught, I would have gotten my hands on this dukedom thanks to my father’s will.”

Disgustingly enough, the truth I wanted to convey until the end did not come out of my mouth.

“You piece of trash! Die! Die! ”

-Phukk! Thud!

Tania burst into tears and punched me with her delicate hands.

It didn’t hurt, but it hurt so much.

“Right now! Put this traitor in jail!!”

At my mother’s angry cries, the knights of the family rushed in and bound me, dragging me to the dungeon.