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Inside the huge and glamorous mansion, Lodgemund’s servants tried not to disturb the heart of the owners by killing their breath.
However, despite their tearful efforts, Herbert, the Duke of Lodgemund, couldn’t control his displeasure.
“What do you mean by Barmuth’s little hound and Schwires’ daughter getting engaged!”
He yelled at his aide, Rodolph, who stood in front of him. Tormented by Herbert all day, he clenched his teeth inwardly and managed to smile.
“It is said that it was decided when the three of His Imperial Majesty, the Duke of Barmuth, and the daughter of Schwires got together.”
“Obviously, Barmuth’s big hound doesn’t like Schwire’s daughter!”
“That… I don’t know how Barmuth is actively preparing for the engagement ceremony… ”
“I’m frustrated!” Herbert picked up the jade ashtray from the table and threw it at Rodolph. The ashtray barely escaped Rodolph and crashed into the wall with a loud noise.
Cold sweat wet Rodolph’s back.
Only few people knew that Herbert, the Duke of Lodgemund, who was praised for being merciful, supporting orphans who lost their parents to the dark magicians, running a scholarship foundation to support poor magicians, was in fact more ferocious than an angry buffalo.
“Duke, please hold on.”
Rodolph lowered himself tight, trying to please Herbert.
“She’s just a Schwires. She must have been an orphan with nothing, but isn’t it rather fortunate that the engagement didn’t work out?”
“That’s right, Father.”
Heiner, who was sitting in an armchair by the window and watching Rodolph suffer, opened his mouth.
“I think I’ll live with the idea that I don’t have to marry such a shabby girl.”
Heiner, who turns thirteen this year, hated disgrace rather than death. It was a secret for Lodgemund’s servants that Heiner messed up his room and made a fuss when Herbert first told him to be engaged to Schwires’ daughter.
“What?”
Herbert touched his forehead at his son’s words.
“Both of you are stupid. We must get Schwires’ daughter!” He exclaimed. “She has the Crown of Radgrun!”
Heiner tilted his head, and Rodolph looked surprised.
“If it’s Radgrun… You mean that Radgrun?”
“Then, are there two Radgrun in the world?” Herbert shouted when his blood reached his neck.
Rodolph’s expression became serious.
Herbert nervously rang the bell to summon the servant, then gulped down the cold water the servant had brought.
“I’ve heard that the little hound and Schweiz’s daughter haven’t gotten engaged yet.”
Having let the servant go again, Herbert opened his mouth in a gloomy voice.
“Besides, the big hound often leaves the house to catch criminals.”
He said, tapping his hand on the armrest of his chair.
“We just have to bring the little girl.”
Slowly the excitement faded, and a cold chill appeared on his face. It was the face he used to come up with when he planned to harm someone.
“Even if Barmuth’s hounds were to be engaged, it would be because of His Imperial Majesty’s orders. There’s no way those hounds really liked anyone.”
“If you say that… ”
Rodolph asked cautiously, and Herbert nodded his head.
“Bring that girl from Barmuth.”
His face turned white.
Herbert said, ‘Bring her,’ but if you dig deep into what he meant, he was telling you to kidnap her.
“Ha, but it’s Barmuth’s lair! There will be a lot of security… ”
“When did I tell you to break through the front?”
Herbert clicked his tongue.
“You can do anything you want. Just bring the girl.”
Rodolph swallowed his saliva, and Herbert’s voice grew more gloomy.
“Bring her over and we’ll do the ceremony. If Schwires’ daughter gets engaged, they’ll give up right away.”
“But Father!”
“You stay still!”
Herbert was still talking to the disgruntled Heiner.
“Once you bring her to Lodgemund, I won’t bother doing anything after that. If you don’t want to see her, you can just lock her up in an attic and live as if she doesn’t exist.”
Herbert took his savage remarks casually.
“And don’t worry, we’ll let the kid break up on her own the moment she becomes an adult.”
Heiner was still dissatisfied, but he shut his mouth when his father said he’d let Heiner break up.
Herbert put his interlaced hand to the corner of his mouth.
“Certainly… I must obtain the Crown of Radgrun. For the glory of the ‘Black Empire’.”
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
***
Under the sparkling spring sunlight, the new buds sprouting from the branches glistened in a refreshing blue color.
I blinked a couple of times because of the dazzling sunlight, then shifted my gaze to the colorful checkered cloth that was laid out on the grass.
After visiting Rudger’s Mansion, I had been spending my free days leisurely.
Although I had to spend more time alone as Magda and all other servants were busy preparing for the engagement ceremony, I wasn’t bored.
Because Yuta came to my room every day to play. When he came, we sat down and read a book, built a toy tower, or shared a snack.
Today, Yuta and I were having a picnic under a large garden tree.
I said I had been in my room for two days as if I were a moth who was going to pass away and Magda prepared it even though she was busy.
“But is it okay if you leave for me like this?”
I asked, taking a soft cookie specially baked in the kitchen from the basket.
Today, Kellerhan left the mansion and set out to calm the riots of the dark magicians at the border. Probably because Kellerhan wasn’t there, Yuta was staying with me longer than the other days.
“…Hm?”
Yuta stopped moving as he brought the cookie to his mouth. The child’s blue eyes widened.
“Isabella… Do you hate playing with me…?”
“No!” I shook my head hastily. “Because Magda said the Young Lord is as busy as the Duke.”
After Kellerhan announced that he would accept me as her daughter-in-law, Magda told me some things about Barmuth. Yuta’s routine was one of them. Ricke said that Yuta took twelve subjects from five tutors and even trained his strength.
I don’t think he could make the time for that, yet Yuta would spend hours with me.
“I can’t be a hindrance to Young Lord’s class.”
“…I’m not busy.”
Yuta muttered, a bit gloomy. He put his sweets down. After thinking for a while, the child carefully opened his mouth.
“There’s this. How about Isabella taking a class with me too?”
“Me?”
Yuta nodded his head with a brighter expression on his face.
“Then we can be together more… No, so… Isabella doesn’t have to be alone anymore.”
Is he suggesting that we take a class together?
I smiled alone at the naive remark.
“I wish I could, but… ”
Yuta’s eyes lit up at my words.
“I don’t know if I will be able to take the same class as the Young Lord.”
At my words, his face turned pale in an instant.
“…Why?”
“Well, I’m still an outsider. When I officially become a member of Barmuth, then I’ll ask the Duke if I can take a class.”
“Great.” Yuta nodded his head with her face brightened a little.
I smiled bitterly inwardly.
Even if I became a member of Barmuth, it would be difficult to take classes like Yuta.
Even if they are members of the same family, it is rare for a woman and a man to receive the same classes. Especially if the woman is a daughter-in-law from outside.
As the heir, the man learns the family secrets and important studies, while the woman learns manners, how to play an instrument, and how to dance.
Besides, I don’t think Kellehan was sensitive enough to match me with a suitable tutor.
I lifted my head and smiled again at Yuta. He stared blankly at me in the face, and then hurriedly lowered his head.
“Isabella, the thing is… ”
“Yes, Young Lord.”
“When you laugh… ”
It was when I leaned in to better hear the little voice from Durable Yuta.
He suddenly raised his head. The child stared into the back of the garden tree with unbelievably unfamiliar and cold eyes.
What? Why all of a sudden…
“…Who is that?” He said in a voice that resembled Kellerhan.
Then, to my surprise, a man appeared from behind the garden tree.
“Oh my, did I interrupt you? I didn’t mean to. I just got lost in Barmuth’s garden.” The man raised his hat slightly and apologized awkwardly.
When I saw the man’s face exposed under the hat, I stiffened as if I were struck by lightning.
I know that man.
His name was Rodolph, and he was a close aide of Herbert, Duke of Lodgemund. And he was one of those people who ‘educated’ me whenever I got into trouble.
“I’m a man who came to see the Lord of Barmuth on the orders of Duke Lodgemund. But, I was about to go back today because the owner is away… ”
Rodolph continued to shrug his shoulders.
“The garden is really huge, hoho.”
He put his hat back on, and glanced at me. I bit my lip at the mean energy in those eyes.
Liar. As always as in my previous life, Rodolph was very good at lying. It was obvious the reason Rodolph came here. To take me away.
But I could never be dragged into the hands of that guy.
“Lodgemund?”
When Lodgemund’s name appeared, Yuta’s voice softened.
“…So you were a person from that side.”
No! Why are you pushing the boundaries?
Belatedly, I remembered that Lodgemund’s external image was supremely clean and honorable.
I mean that I was the only one in this mansion who knew the reality of Lodgemund.
“Yes, yes.” Rodolph clasped his hands and looked at Yuta.
“Why does Lodgemund want to meet Father?” Yuta asked sharply.
He was softened by the word Lodgemund, yet he didn’t lower his vigilance. I was a little reassured. But at the same time, I felt a small doubt.
Yuta… I thought he was shy and timid, but surprisingly, he talks well in front of strangers.
“Ah, there’s this.” Rodolph rubbed his clasped hands and made a hoarse voice.
His gaze turned to me.