V2C4 Part3

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After he shouted out his last outcry which resembled a duck’s quacking sounds, he quickly retracted his steps as if he’s running away. Why did that bastard keep saying monster? It put me in a bad mood. However, the most important matter is…\n\n“Honestly, what did that guy mean earlier?”\n\nThe way he talked about the Count title seemed to be somehow related to me. Being pressed to say the truth, Ortzen coughed once and had a helpless look on his face.\n\nLet’s move inside first. I will explain it.”\n\n“Currently the head of Count Epheria household is Miss Silla Epheria.”\n\nAfter he served the tea, Ortzen sat down on the sofa acrossed us before finally started giving his explainations.\n

“At first, Vires Epheria, the eldest son of Count Epheria, should have inheritted the Count title. However, looking back at the late Count’s time of death, it’s unlikely for Vires Epheria to be the legitimate son of the late Count.”\n\nWhat the… that family is totally a mess. How could three children within the same family all have different parentage?\n\n(T/N: fyi in Korea, there’s an euphemism to call a messed up family as 콩가루 which means ‘soybean flour’. Soybean flour is easily scattered and become a mess, hence the usage of this term.)\n\n“Nonetheless, the only legitimate descendant of Count Epheria is me.”\n\n“Even so, the disparity between man and woman is far greater beyond your expectation. Miss could be stripped off from your position if the vassals of Epheria household favor Vires Epheria to be the next head of Epheria household over you, under the condition of which require him to marry a distant relative of Count Epheria household.”\n\nTurns out there’s also such a way. But that shouldn’t be the case anymore since it has been revealed that Vires Epheria wasn’t the son of the late Count Epheria.\n\n“But still, the Count Epheria family…”\n\nI stopped talking and didn’t finish my sentence then tilted my head. Wait, they didn’t manage to find any evidence that neither the Count nor Countess made a contract with the Demon King, did they? The Count Epheria household would have been done for if there’s any little bit of proof hinting at the relation to the contract. The matter regarding the contract would eventually be revealed if I met with the High Priest, but if I asked the High Priest to keep it a secret, he would complied to my wish.\n\nThen, this meant I still have the title and wealth. I’m rich!\n\n“As far as I know, my family has an abundant of wealth.”\n\n“Half of it has gone, but it’s still can be considered as rich.”\n\nHalved?\n\n“No, it can’t be, why? Who embezzled it?”\n\n“Because of those embezzled funds, we managed to find a trace of Count Epheria involvement. Besides a large amount of cash, some estates were also sold and we don’t know where the funds have gone to. Perhaps the Count household played the role of providing the funds.”\n\nSo that’s how it was. Turns out they found out that Count Epheria household was associated with the demons after investigating the suspicious flow of the embezzled funds.\n\n“But there’re still a considerable amount of estates remained. Frankly speaking, right now Miss Epheria is the most sought out bride-to-be because other than you have the title, you also have massive amount of wealth attached to it.”\n\n“…, huh?”\n\n“There are many gentlemen lining up to meet with you, Miss Epheria.”\n\n…, oh. It looks like I still retain my popularity even after I have changed my body. Although most of them must be after the benefits they could gain from me rather than getting to know about me as a person.\n\n“Did I get any gifts? Other than bouquets and the like.”\n\n“There’re tons of banquet invitations and love letters, would you like them?”\n\n“No need.”\n\nI blatantly refused him. I want to go if I can dress myself up as a man, but if I have to wear a dress then I would rather not to go. If I can’t even properly eat my fill, then I’m not going. Love letters were even more useless. In the past, as a knight, I couldn’t refused the ladies’ sincerity so I always received all their love letters and read them whenever I got a free time, but now I don’t have to do it anymore, right? Ortzen faintly smiled to my answer.\n\n“Because you’re going to be engaged soon, these are just some unnecessary things for you.”\n\n“That aside, how are things going about my family matters?”\n\n“We’re trying to push the blame onto the Countess for the case of murdering Count Epheria that happened 10 years ago. After all that’s the truth. Unfortunately the tricky part of this case is the Count Grama side which was known as the Countess’ maiden family, stated that that woman is an imposter and had nothing to do with them.”\n\n“Imposter?”\n

“Yes. All this time they kept silent and didn’t say anything so it’s impossible they aren’t related at all, but it has been proven that Countess Epheria wasn’t someone from Count Gramma household. We suspected that woman is also the one who made a contract with the Demon King. Perhaps she became the Countess as the result of borrowing the demon’s power.”\n\nThe Countess also made a different contract with the Demon King… this has become more complicated. It means that there’re at least two Count households and one more person with greater authorities above them were entangled in this case, right?\n\n(T/N: fyi the two Count households are the Epheria family and Grama family, while the other one with greater authorities is still unknown and possibly referring to the main mastermind.)\n

“At the moment, it’s hard to find any traces of the mastermind behind this case. For the time being, we intend to close this case and conclude that the main perpetrator is the Countess who wished to take over the Count Epheria household but she was killed by her accomplices when they felt threatened that their crimes might get revealed after Special Task Squad started to investigate anything related to Count Epheria household.”\n\n“It doesn’t differ much to the actual story.”\n\nActually it’s almost the same with the truth except the reason for the Countess to do the crimes wasn’t only to take over the Count Epheria household.\n\n“It will be easier to fool others when it’s mixed with some truth.”\n\n“When all matters have been concluded, then the Count family will be mine?”\n\n“Yes. But at the very least, you have to prepare some dowries for Miss Roanne Epheria, your half younger sister. That pair of brother and sister are currently under the protection of the public security guard, but do you have any plan for them?”\n\nFor Roanne, I could just married her off to someone, but the problem was that boy. His name is Vires, isn’t he? It’s said that he’s not the Count’s son, so he must haven’t reached 10 years old yet.\n\n“I’ll think some more on what I should do with them.”\n\nFirst, I need to ask Sofia on what was Silla’s thought about that pair of siblings. While the relationship between Silla and Roanne was obviously bad, maybe it wasn’t the case with Vires. Although he’s not related by blood to Silla, but if Silla thought he’s cute, then I don’t mind taking care of him.\n\nOrtzen nodded shortly and looked at Captain Jullius and me one after the other.\n\n“And also it’s about your marriage that I have mentioned to you before.”\n\n“Stop it!”\n\nCaptain Jullius who has been listening in silently all this while, suddenly stood up from his seat and cut Ortzen’s words. He glared at Ortzen for a second then grabbed my wrist and dragged me with him to leave the room. I just let myself being lead outside while feeling puzzled and thinking what’s going on.\n\nCaptain Jullius finally stopped walking when we reached the terrace which lead to the flower garden that surrounded the building. With a crestfallen look on his face, he looked at me then said,\n\n“I’m sorry.”\n\n“What?”\n\n“For what Ortzen has done to you.”\n\nEmm, what are you talking about? He had lied to me, concealed the truth from me, taken advantages of me, and done many misgivings to me, so I didn’t know which one you’re referring to.\n\n“It’s okay. You know that he’s basically that kind of person anyway.”\n\nNo harm has been done yet. If something bad ever happened to Sofia, I would definitely have grabbed him by his neck. Although I’ve said so, Captain Jullius sat on the short terrace railings with a sullen face.\n\n“Ortzen is keeping you here because of me.”\n\n“I was the one who asked your hand for the engagement though? Besides, I’ve told you before that I would rather have you as my partner if I truly have to do a political marriage.”\n\n“… At that time, I didn’t know anything.”\n\n“About what?”\n\n“The Count title.”\n\nHis wistful pale grey eyes were looking at me. So it turns out Captain Jullius also didn’t know anything about it.\n\n“It’s hard for me to get a noble title through ordinary means. Because of it, Ortzen and Clauen sometimes complained about it.”\n\nIt’s as expected because Captain Jullius’ origin is unknown… A knight was considered as a semi-noble, different from the usual noble. A knight’s standing in the society was different to those with noble titles, because a knight was a noble without a title. For once, he wasn’t allowed to own a territory and so it’s also impossible to hand the title over. And more importantly, inheriting a title was highly regarded as an important issue, therefore it’s almost impossible for commoners, criminals, foreigners, or even if you’re a semi-noble to obtain a noble title.\n

There’re some ways to get a noble title such as accomplished a great meritorious deed for the Empire, bought the title by spending an enormous wealth, being adopted into a childless noble family, or marrying a woman who had the rights to inherit the noble title.\n\nHonestly the first two methods were too difficult, and although the last two methods were unlikely to happen but there’s still some chances. The reason being was that those two situations were rarely occurred. Normally the eldest son of the family would inherit the noble title, but in a particular case where there wasn’t any son in the family, that family would adopt a son from a distant relative, so it’s rare for a family to bring in a completely unfamiliar person into the family.\n

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