episode_0020

“Louis, Louis?”

“Oh, yes! Your mother.”

“Oh my, where does it hurt? Why are you sweating so much… .”

“No, Mom, I think it was because it was a little hot.”

“Really? It’s not hot… .”

“Hahaha, you don’t feel the heat since your wife is dressed so coolly.”

A gray-haired bank manager interrupted Louis and Mia’s conversation.

In fact, it was very rude to interrupt the conversation between the Duchess and the Duke without permission.

It’s like a commoner or lower-class noble who has saved up some money and wants to compete with a duke.

‘How dare you interrupt my conversation with my mother!’

The Duchess, however, did not seem particularly offended.

“Oh my, really? I tried this on because it was the latest fashion in the capital… Is it too racy for my age?”

‘…mother?’

The Duchess and the bank president had no mutual respect for each other. There was clearly a barrier between their social statuses. However, my mother treated the pot-bellied, middle-aged bank president as if she were on equal terms.

They act like women who sell laughter.

“What are you talking about? Hehe. This, this, it suits you so well. Right.”

The other bank presidents around him also chimed in.

“You forgot your age, so I would rather have your wife get married before your son.”

“Hey, don’t joke like that. A new marriage.”

It was a very rude joke. I should have been very angry. But the Duchess, who was the person involved, just laughed it off.

Louis could not understand the situation itself. The Duchess he knew was always noble and aristocratic. She was not the type of person to make such a silly joke.

Nevertheless, he continued the conversation with the bank presidents naturally, and before he knew it, the topic of conversation had moved away from Louis.

They gossip about the recent weather, precautions against an impending attack, another fire at the library, and other important but useless things.

Meanwhile, Louis was just standing there, awkwardly, like a sack of barley that had been thrown away.

“Uh-huh, so do you like our castle banquet? What do you think, gentlemen?”

“I really like it. Good food, good weather, and such a beautiful woman. I couldn’t ask for more. Oh my.”

“Haa, you are too kind. I’m embarrassed.”

The Duchess was ashamed like a virgin at the blatant compliment.

“By the way, among the teachers of the young Duke, I have not been able to greet the swordsman. He is a person whose stories are so hard to believe, so I wanted to meet him at least once.”

“Ahaha, well… he’s such an elusive person… .”

When asked about Harry Bar, the Duchess seems embarrassed and evasive.

“Sorry to interrupt, but he’s not worth meeting.”

Garrison Captain Leo joined the conversation.

Leo, the stern captain of the garrison, was watching the conversation from a distance with a displeased attitude.

Leo had a lot of complaints lately. First of all, the fact that the event proceeded as if nothing had happened despite the recent disappearance of two guards was the biggest complaint.

Moreover, it was disgusting to see the Duchess, who had crushed his own demand to stop the event, selling laughter in front of rich old people.

The Duchess was not respected by everyone in the castle.

“Oh, why do you think so? Harryba is a man of great fame as well as eccentricity.”

“He may be famous elsewhere, but here he is just a bum. He has constant scandals with the maids and is always hanging out at the brothel. Judging by his behavior and character, he is a failing grade as a teacher of a small business.”

Captain Leo did not like Harryba. Harryba was a parachute appointee who had not been formally appointed.

‘The position of your swordsmanship teacher should have been mine.’

Besides, it was the Duchess’s decision to appoint Harry Bar as a swordsman. I really, really didn’t like it.

It was a situation where there was a lot of slander.

“Oh, that’s a really bad guy. But I have a question for you, Captain Leo.”

“Yes, feel free to ask me anything.”

“You said you were going in and out of the window every day, but what does Captain Leo do about that?”

“Of course… Huh?”

Captain Leo closed his mouth. It was absolutely true that Master Harryba had been hanging around the brothel. He himself had seen him in the brothel every day.

But to prove that fact, he had to admit that he also went to the brothel every day.

“Uh, I, so… .”

Louis stood right in front of Leo, who was mumbling his words.

“Of course it’s a lie, so that’s why.”

Take another step forward and put pressure on the captain.

“Master Harry Bar is absolutely not that kind of person. I know that he took over as my swordsmanship teacher without any connections. And I know that many people are upset about that fact.”

Louis continued speaking in a somewhat agitated tone.

“But I cannot tolerate you openly cursing my teacher in front of me, who is a student of Master Harryba, and in front of my mother, who put him in that position, listening. Captain Leo!”

“Ah! Ugh, ugh!”

Captain Leo realized that he had made a mistake. If he had intended to mock Harry Bar, the place was completely out of place.

“I’m sorry! Please forgive me.”

Leo immediately gets down on one knee, bows his head, and asks for forgiveness.

The captain of the guard and the duke were close to a master-servant relationship. He has now tarnished the honor of the lord he serves.

“Get out of my sight.”

Captain Leo left the room in a hurry.

And the banquet hall quickly froze over.

It has become an extremely uncomfortable situation.

“Louis.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“It’s true that the captain of the guard made a mistake, but I don’t think it was a good time to reprimand him for it.”

“… Is that so.”

“Yeah, there are guests now. And all the servants are gathered here. You scolded Leo in front of everyone. Don’t you think the punishment is too severe compared to the crime?”

I didn’t think so.

Louis did not agree at all with his mother’s admonitions.

Captain Leo had crossed the line. He had insulted Harry Barr. In fact, he felt that the punishment was light compared to his crime.

“Louis, while we’re on the subject, would you like to go see Mr. Harryba?”

“… Yes? Right now?”

“I’m going to bring you some banquet food, and I’m sure the teacher will be very happy about it, right?”

It was a job that could have been left to any maid. There was only one reason to leave it to Louis.

You’ve just ruined the mood of the banquet. So, please leave for a moment. That’s what I’m saying.

“… Yes.”

It was a kind of ban on the guests.

Even though I didn’t like it, I still followed my mother’s orders.

In order to look good in front of the teacher, I even carefully selected the food I brought.

I carefully put the delicious-looking things on a tray, asked the maid to package them, and went outside.

The weather was chilly. Somehow it felt even colder. Inside, cheerful laughter could be heard again.

I stand in front of the door for a moment and feel the sadness rushing in. Louis is still young.

As Louis’ sadness turns to anger, someone speaks to him.

“You were kicked out nicely, my lord.”

It was Treasurer Campbell.

“From what I’ve heard, this time, you were wrong.”

“… Treasurer Campbell.”

He was a middle-aged man with a handsome beard, looking somewhere between old age and middle age.

“Campbell, if you’re going to lecture me, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop. That’s enough for today.”

“No, sir. Can I ask you a question? I’m just curious about your thoughts.”

“Another question?”

Campbell always taught Louis this way: asking him what he thought and letting him figure out the answers for himself.

“Are you going to teach me on the day of the banquet?”

Campbell was a very motivated teacher, but he was a little apprehensive about having to teach himself to this day.

“Learning is not limited by time or place. So, are you ready to answer the question?”

“… Ask me anything.”

Although he had a long way to go, Campbell was also a teacher. He wanted to teach me, and I couldn’t refuse.

Treasurer Campbell lights his pipe. It was a trivial question.

“A simple question. Why do you think the contract between the banks and the Duchess was established? I wonder what you think.”

“Of course, mother. She charmed the bank presidents with her… unique charm.”

“… Yes? Your Majesty?”

“Or maybe the bankers asked for my mother’s body. That’s how the contract was made.”

Louis was angry when he answered the question. He just blurted out every thought that came into his head.

“… Um, that’s really rude… Hehe, what should I say… .”

“… Ah!”

I made a slip of the tongue. I blurted it out and realized it later.

He blurted out all the dark things he had imagined about his mother.