episode_0186

First, I went straight to find Carlson, who was close to Selnia’s husband, Jace.

Well then, you must know a lot about Jace.

“Your Majesty, there is no abnormality in work.”

“Mr. Carlson, aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

“No. I will work hard for my wife and daughter.”

“Take it easy while I’m here. If you don’t play with your children when they’re young, you’ll regret it later.”

“Okay, I understand. As you said, I will spend a good time with my family tonight.”

Recently, Carlson became the father of a much-anticipated child.

Perhaps because he was born late in life, he was full of passion as a father.

‘I understand how you feel.’

When Ciel was first born, I felt like I could do anything.

‘Well, that’s still the case now.’

After exchanging pleasantries with Carlson, I started asking him about Jayce in earnest. Carlson also seemed a little flustered, as if he was hearing about this for the first time.

“It’s the first time Jace has met a refugee woman.”

“Really?”

A person with a disability was able to avoid the guards’ eyes while walking.

‘Can’t you show that level of sincerity to your family?’

Although I was a little taken aback, I continued listening to Carlson’s story.

“But I can guess who the woman I’m meeting is.”

“Is Mr. Carlson someone you know?”

“I’ve never met her in person, but I think I saw her at a prostitute during the war.”

“Prostitute?”

“Yes, there were a few women who came to the garrison to try to make money.”

“Hmm, I see.”

In this era, there were not many jobs that women could do to make a living, except in special cases like Camilla and Colin. And the most common job for women was prostitution.

‘This is the picture being drawn.’

The story of a father who neglects his family and squanders his fortune by becoming a prostitute.

I kept having bad thoughts.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“No, I’m sorry. I should have been taking care of Brother Jace.”

“Isn’t your sense of responsibility too strong? You have a lot of children to take responsibility for.”

“Haha, the kids follow me so well that it’s no problem.”

Carlson’s way of loving his adopted children as if they were his own children made me respect him as a man.

‘Can’t we leave the next lord’s deputy to Carlson?’

I thought that maybe in a world line where I don’t exist, Carlson would have become the village chief of Lugeron Village.

. . .

“Nephew, where are you?”

As I was visiting the refugee shelter, Colin, who was leisurely playing around, suddenly came to me.

“Looking for people.”

“Who is it?”

“Barbara is looking for a woman.”

“Ah, is that the girl who got beaten up by Selnia?”

“ Did you know?”

“I told you over and over again that this aunt is a genius at things like that.”

“I see. But rather than being interested in that, pay attention to your daughter.”

“It’s okay, Aida likes playing with Nabira hyung more than me these days.”

“That was a mistake on my part as a mother.”

Colin’s heart-pounding lines made my temples hurt, but I focused on what I had to do first.

“If you know who it is, please help me.”

“Why? Go and get treatment?”

“Are you hurt badly?”

“Celnia’s hands were sharper than I thought.”

I didn’t want to get involved in a political quarrel if possible, but as a lord, I couldn’t just let it go.

I went straight to the accommodation with Colin.

“Your Majesty?”

“Excuse me. I’m looking for a woman named Barbara. Can you bring her over?”

“Sister Barbara is hurt right now… ”

“If you are not feeling well, I will come to you in person.”

“Oh, no. We’ll bring them somehow.”

“There’s no need to do that… ”

Before I could finish my words, the refugee women ran straight into the dormitory.

It seems that the inside of the accommodation is so dirty that I, the permanent resident, am embarrassed to show it to you.

‘I guess it can’t be helped. If you live in an unexpected communal life, your house is bound to get dirty.’

But a dirty home can also create diseases that didn’t exist before.

I should pay Gloria a surprise visit sometime later.

“Yes, my lord, I heard you are looking for me.”

The condition of the woman who was led out by the women’s hands could not be considered good to say the least.

‘How much is right?’

The face of the woman, Barbara, was severely swollen, as if she had been beaten.

“Colin, go and get Ravi.”

“Yeah.”

Colin followed my instructions and I questioned the women who had done nothing while my wounds were this bad.

“The faces of the same group became like this, so why did everyone just stay still?”

“That’s… ”

When none of the women said anything to me, a woman named Barbara tried to dissuade me.

“I declined. They did nothing wrong.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t say anything because I was afraid everyone would get in trouble because of me. I’m sorry.”

“Hmm… ”

There were more than one or two strange things, but considering her physical condition as a patient, I did not pursue the issue further.

“Sir, I heard you were looking for me.”

Colin has already brought Ravi over, as he has become quite close with him.

“Ravi, please heal this guy.”

“The swelling is severe. I don’t think I should use the miracle cure right away.”

“Then?”

“First, let’s cool down the heat with ice, then soothe the wound with herbs.”

“Please.”

Ravi, with his professional medical skills, cured Barbara in no time.

‘I came to ask about the affair, but things got messed up.’

Given the circumstances, it wasn’t the right time to ask.

‘I think this is why I didn’t get treatment on purpose.’

I thought I saw him cleverly preparing to escape, but since this was also circumstantial evidence, I didn’t bother to dig into it.

“Colin, can I ask you for this seat?”

“Huh? I need to drink.”

“If you drink while working again, I’ll tell Ravi. If you want to share the liquor you bought up north tonight, do it well.”

“Northern liquor? Is that good?”

“It’s honey wine. It’s good because the aftertaste is subtly sweet.”

“Okay. Don’t forget to give me some mead!”

“Yes, yes, just do your job well.”

Now that I knew a little about Colin, I used alcohol as bait to manipulate her.

‘Then, I…’

For now, I left Barbara with Colin and headed straight to where Jace was.

. . .

“What is happening here, Mr. Xian?”

It was the middle of winter, so unlike most people who were inside their homes, Jace was in the mill.

Of course, it wasn’t the watermill I had built, but a windmill that was no longer in use.

“I’d like to ask. Why are you in a mill that is no longer in use?”

“Haha, I came here because I was bored just staying at home. I have memories of playing here with my friends before.”

“I see. I was searching the town to find the assailant.”

“Oh, who got hurt?”

“Barbara is a woman.”

“Barbara?!”

“You are friends with this woman.”

“That’s… Barbara, I met her in the war. Carlson and Johnson probably know that too.”

Jace realized his slip of the tongue and tried to make an excuse, but I stopped him mid-sentence.

“You shouldn’t show that much emotion just because you’ve only met once. Unless you’re a lover, you wouldn’t know.”

“What are you talking about now?”

“I heard from Selnia that her husband is suspicious of infidelity. Judging from her reaction, her concerns seem to be correct.”

“Celnia said that?”

Jace looked shocked, as if he had been betrayed.

It seems like Selnia was the first to be betrayed.

“I came here in person to warn you.”

“Warning?”

“As a warrior of Hestia, I cannot overlook the adultery that has taken place in my territory. I will let it slide just this once, so stop doing things that will ruin my family.”

Jace was silent for a while after hearing my warning. At first, I thought he understood, but I was mistaken.

He looked up at me with a disgruntled face and said:

“You wouldn’t be so shameless as to give me a warning either.”

“Huh?”

I was speechless at the absurdity of the words.

Am I, a noble, the same as you?

‘I should have known from the moment he sold his wife, has this bastard finally lost his mind?’

I knew it was a disaster, but I didn’t know it would be this bad.

The more this kind of person is, the more you have to coax and appease them while hitting them logically.

“I must have told you the laws of the Holy Kingdom through Helia before. You can have multiple concubines as long as you have your wife’s permission.”

In the Holy Kingdom, monogamy was recommended, but polygamy was not prohibited.

Although monogamy is ideal, the reality of this world is that monogamy is difficult to maintain.

The village of Lugeron in particular had no choice.

It’s a neighborhood where you can easily die, so you can’t continue to be idealistic.

In the Holy Kingdom, at least, they respected their wife’s opinion on polygamy, but in the Empire, if you were a noble or wealthy upper class, you didn’t even have to consider your wife’s opinion.

“Have you had a sincere conversation with Selnia?”

“It would have been meaningless even if I tried.”

“You didn’t do it.”

Considering Selnia’s personality, she would not have allowed her to take a concubine.

But at least try to convince Selnia, who would commit adultery like this.

“Mr. Jace, do you see what you did wrong now?”

“Yes, yes, I understand thanks to you.”

“Logically, you can’t beat me,” Jace replied, whining like a child.

“Does Mr. Jayce think I’m funny?”

“That’s not true, Mr. Cian.”

“It’s not Mr. Si-an, it’s the Lord.”

Perhaps his pride was hurt by my words, he didn’t even answer anymore.

I guess people see me as a fool because I treat them so kindly.

Of course, this was something that could not be overlooked.

“Usually, if you insult a lord, it is a talent type.”

Curiously enough, the laws of the Holy Kingdom and the Empire were the same when it came to those who attempted to defame the lord’s honor.

I wondered if perhaps the first emperor was a man sensitive to power.

“Are you planning to kill me over something like that?”

“No, I’m not that narrow-minded.”

However, he was not a kind person to the point of being rude.

“Cough!”

Jace suddenly clutched his chest and writhe in pain.

“I’ve been thinking about what I did wrong all night.”

“Sa, save me.”

“Don’t worry. People don’t die that easily.”

I said that and closed the door of the mill.

It was a good place for a secret meeting because no one came, but at the same time, it was also a place where you couldn’t get help from anyone.