CH 15

Margaret pretended to believe Radis’ words.

“Anyway, the Cradium Merchant Guild caused enormous damage to our family. We have to make them pay!”

“What…? Damage?”

Radis was flabbergasted with her nonsense.

“Wait, what do you mean damage and making them pay?”

“Ah, how tiresome!”

Margaret rushed out of Radis’ door, yelling as she left.

Contradictorily, there was a smile on her lips as she ran away.

‘I’m going to demand a lot of consolation money from Huber Cradium!’

It was a sudden idea, but it was a sound plan.

It seemed true that Radis spent the night at the guild anyway, so Huber Cradium wouldn’t be able to escape this.

Until now, it might only be regarded as a trivial fling, but Margaret was going to squeeze out as much as she could from Huber Cradium under this pretext.

Margaret needed money.

The problems caused by that horrible eldest daughter disrupted David’s admission as a swordsmanship student at the academy, and it left a huge hole in the Tilrod family’s finances.

It wasn’t easy to guess just how many bribes she had to shell out just to prevent word about the fraudulent admission from spreading out, or how it was Radis who took the test for him.

Apart from that, she needed money for David’s future.

Since he failed to enter the Imperial Swordsmanship Academy, which was relatively inexpensive, she would have to enroll him in another academy.

However, one factor was needed to enter an academy.

Either talent or money.

Margaret believed that David could become a great knight if he wanted to.

Armano just couldn’t see David’s true value.

How could her jewel, her one and only blazing sun, have no talent?!

That couldn’t be.

David just hadn’t made up his mind yet.

And this was also because of Radis.

Considering how that wily vixen had wheedled Armano’s training time from David, Margaret was so slighted that she wanted to pound her chest.

Margaret thought that David just needed a different environment.

She would just need to spend a little money and enroll David in the academy, then he’d start to be motivated.

If she could get money from Huber Cradium…!

‘Really, how could I be so clever!’

Margaret cheered inwardly and ran to her bedroom, writing a letter to Huber Cradium straight away.

But that evening, an unexpected guest arrived at the Tilrod residence.

* * *

“Marquis Russell? Why?”

“How would I know that?”

The content of the correspondence sent by Marquis Russell was simple.

There was something he needed to discuss with them in secret, so he was covertly going to visit the Tilrod manor.

The letter was short, but it had a significant impact.

Then, early that evening, Jade had tried to sneak out of the mansion, but he was caught by Margaret. She forced him to clean up his shaggy beard.

And the maids who were just about to end their workday had to hurry and clean the entire residence once more.

Margaret took out her best dress and put it on, and she also threatened David and Yurhi, forcing them to put on their best clothes as well and wait at the first floor.

Jade almost looked terrified.

“Why is Marquis Russell coming here? Did the message say anything else?”

“Gosh, what a frustrating man! Do you think if it was mentioned in the letter, I’d stay quiet like this?”

“If it’s about David’s fraudulent admission…”

“S-Shush!”

Margaret almost crushed Jade’s mouth.

She shut him up, scowling at him as though she was about to devour him.

“I don’t think so, no. But if that’s the case, you have to remember this. Just blame Radis for everything. Understand?”

“……”

Jade stumbled away, his face incredibly haggard, then he pulled out a chair only to fall into it.

Margaret glared out the window, thinking just how much she loathed her husband.

Jade muttered.

“How can it be that girl’s fault…?”

“What did you just say?!”

“……”

Margaret’s eyes glimmered as she stared at the road in front of the mansion through the same window.

“I think it’s because of Yurhi.”

“What?”

“We went to the Third Prince’s birthday banquet at the Marquis’ estate yesterday, right? That’s when she was seen.”

“If she was seen there, so what?”

“Isn’t she pretty? Her twinkling green eyes and blond hair that resembles me. She’s a lovely, healthy young woman who’s truly adorable.”

Under his breath, Jade muttered again.

“How biased…”

“If you have something to say then speak up! Or are you trying to make a fuss?!”

“…Never mind. You’re right.”

“Anyway, someone saw Yurhi and asked Marquis Russell about her. Since hee’s the organizer of the banquet, that person is asking to introduce Yurhi to him.”

Jade had been listening to Margaret only half-heartedly until now, but he finally raised his head.

“Look here, Yurhi’s only thirteen!”

“And what’s the matter with that?”

Margaret stared back at Jade with ferocious eyes.

Those eyes were so frightening that Jade, a former knight when he was young, even cowered and tucked his tail between his legs.

“Even if there was such a proposal… I mean, she’s too young.”

“That’s up to me to decide. Oh, he’s here!”

Margaret hurriedly lowered the curtain and straightened her posture, schooling her features into a noble expression.

Then, she snatched the ear of one passing maid and yelled into it.

“You! Go to Yurhi now and tell her to look absolutely perfect. Tell her to do nothing. Don’t scratch her head. Don’t pick her nose. Don’t even bite her lips. And don’t bite her fingers!”

Jade let out a short sigh as he watched the young maid rub her ear as she rushed away.

* * *

When Marquis Russell arrived at the gates of the Tilrod manor, the household’s servants who greeted him almost felt breathless.

In the region below the Silver River, there was no one who didn’t know the reputation of Marquis Russell.

Moreover, ‘that’ Yves Russell became even more famous when he succeeded the title. Or perhaps notorious rather than famous because anyone in the south must have already heard the hideous rumors surrounding him at least once.

Whether the demonic monsters had deprived him of his soul, or whether he was cursed. Or, in fact, that he might be a monster himself.

However, aside from such horrible rumors, the servants of the mansion instinctively had to lower their heads when Yves came into view.

There was a natural instinct in people to recognize someone who exuded the air of a ruler.

Those who lowered their heads to bow looked at each other.

That was the kind of man Yves Russell was.

Once faced with him, Jade and Margaret, just like the servants, could only think that they wanted to drop their heads.

But they were the owners of this mansion, so they had to resist this urge.

Jade and Margaret greeted the Marquis, feeling that their lifespan was being cut short in the process.

“Your Excellency, Marquis, it is an honor to meet you.”

“O-Our residence is not much, but please, come inside.”

David was in his best suit, and Yurhi was in her most expensive dress. Even so, they could not dare to raise their heads, and they just kept looking at the floor.

“Your Excellency, it’s an honor to meet you! I am the eldest son of the Tilrod family, David Tilrod!”

“I-I’m Yurhi.”

Yves Russell didn’t even respond to their introductions. He just nodded slightly.

Then, he took off his gloves and handed them over to a servant, then he walked slowly into the mansion.

In a daze, Jade and Margaret could only follow behind him, like servants, rather than guide him into their home.

Marquis Russell entered the drawing room just like that, as though he had been inside this manor dozens of times, sitting on the best chaise lounge in the room naturally.

After which, with his long legs spread out, he stared at Jade and Margaret as if telling them to sit.

The master and mistress of the Tilrod mansion sat blankly on small chairs one after another without even feeling that this progression was strange.

“The reason I’m here.”

Marquis Russell spoke languidly.

At his words, Jade and Margaret stared blatantly at the Marquis’ lips, captivated, not wanting to miss a single thing.

“Is because what I need is here.”

Jade and Margaret looked at each other.

As if the answers were written on each other’s faces.

What the Marquis needed?

That couldn’t possibly be in the Tilrod manor.

But the Marquis was here, so it must be.

Jade hastily spoke up.

“If you tell me what it is, then…”

Margaret belatedly jabbed her husband on the side with an elbow.

While Jade groaned silently, she hurriedly added.

“C-Can you tell us what it is? Is there anything that the Marquis wants inside the Tilrod mansion…?”

And he answered simply.

“Radis Tilrod.”

“……!”

Jade and Margaret’s eyes widened considerably.

When they made such flabbergasted expressions, the two whose features looked nothing alike, suddenly became similar.

Instead of Jade, who was so flustered that he couldn’t say anything, Margaret asked.

“Radis Tilrod… By that, d-do you mean the eldest daughter of the family?”

“Are there two Radis Tilrods here?”

“No, no of course not. But why would you need that child…?”

Marquis Russell, who had been looking indifferently somewhere else, turned to Margaret.

His eyes were covered by his curled fringe, but as their gazes met, the only thing she could feel was his coldness.

Without even realizing, Margaret had bowed her head.

Marquis Russell stared down at Margaret and spoke right then.

“I hope you don’t make me repeat myself again. I need Radis Tilrod. So just tell me—will you give her to me or not?”