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(Anastasia’s 3rd Person POV)
Sugarcane plantation and the process of turning it into sugar requires a large labor force.
‘Santoro is overall a region with a small population. Especially if compared to the size of the land itself. Then…how can they produce the labor force that would be needed to sustain it?”
Anastasia began to doubt the Viscount, asked.
“Then you must have a lot of local workers here?
“Yes, indeed.”
“I see…”
‘Is it possible that he might be buying slaves at the human auction?”
‘…I am so tempted to ask, but it would be too hasty to rush to conclusions.’
It was said that before, the region of Santoro held the most active slave trade, but it was said to have been abolished a long time ago.
[pr/n: Hmm…people in power don’t like to give it up very easily.]
Since it was close to the sea, it was convenient to easily transport slaves from different countries.
‘However, there’s no point in making an assumption based only on this fact alone.’
‘Just like what Viscount Santoro said, it is possible to hire local residents to run the farm itself.’
The problem was that Anastasia couldn’t easily investigate this matter, since she doesn’t have enough time to do it in this urgent situation.
Anastasia suddenly felt apprehensive.
‘….Is it possible that Viscount Santoro is connected with the slave traders?”
Instead of helping them, he could be one that would endanger them instead…
‘Viscount Santoro would not do such a foolish thing, but …..’
‘It’s not something we can easily tell. When someone is cornered, they have nothing left to lose and can react in ways that would be hard to predict.’
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
Anastasia decided to test the waters a bit more with him.
“I have always lived in the capital all my life, so I’ve never seen a sugarcane plantation before.”
“That may be because the environment that is needed to grow sugarcane crops is not suited to the climate of the capital.”
“If that’s the case, then can you give me the opportunity to take a look at what a sugarcane farm looks like? Like the one owned by the Viscount?”
At that moment, Anastasia clearly saw the reaction of Viscount Santoro, who flinched involuntarily.
“I think it would be a pretty cool experience.”
“Uhm…..”
Viscount Santoro lifted the teacup with trembling hands and tilted it into his mouth.
After a moment of silence, he finally spoke again.
“It is not a good sight to be seen, by Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Oh, why not? A plantation should be spacious enough, so I think it would be quite refreshing.”
“About that….”
Viscount Santoro couldn’t continue with his words and was unable to come up with a proper excuse.
All of Anastasia’s doubts were answered after seeing how he responded.
‘Normally, it would not be difficult to tour the whole farm.’
Wasn’t he so proud of the farm earlier that made him quite a lot of money?
‘He wouldn’t have refused me in order to use the opportunity for him to gain my favor.’
He began to give as many excuses as possible, such as the distance of the location. But because of his reactions, Anastasia was now fully convinced that her intuition was correct.
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
‘He is obviously getting slaves from the slave traders.’
‘This is dangerous. We need to get out of here fast.’
Anastasia finished the conversation abruptly and tried to stand up.
“Your Majesty, maybe…”
At that moment, Melina, whose face turned white, pulled Anastasia towards her and whispered into her ear.
“I just thought that…maybe Viscount Santoro was one of the slave merchants?”
‘Yeah, that’s right.’
‘But Melina……Your volume was too loud.’
Anastasia was bewildered, but she tried to control her expression and kept her mouth shut, pretending not to hear it.
It would have been better, if Melina didn’t notice it at all, but she continued to say that it was really an urgent matter. Especially since she was getting the response she wanted from Anastasia.
“I came to this conclusion ever since I heard about the sugarcane plantation. Besides, wasn’t the Santoro region formerly known as an area with the most active slave traders way back then? But of course, it is just a random guess…but what if I’m correct?”
‘….Melina, I know, so can you please stop?!’
(T/N: LMAO! Hahaha!! Melina is really funny!)
[pr/n: Oof, not your finest moment buddy.]
Anastasia swallowed to find her throat exceedingly dry and looked at Viscount Santoro.
He was staring at Anastasia and Melina with an impassive air about him.
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
“We’d better hurry up….”
“ Ahem, Ahem .”
(T/N: *큼큼 – means the sound of fake coughing.)
Anastasia coughed in vain as she tried to cut off Melina’s words, then spoke in a very calm voice.
“Drink your tea well, Viscount Santoro. We just stopped by for a brief break on our way back to the Imperial Palace. But I will never forget the generous hospitality that you’ve given us.”
“Oh my, you’re leaving already, Your Majesty?”
“We have to return back to the Imperial Palace before it gets too late.”
Anastasia calmly responded and was about to get up.
“But…Your Majesty.”
Viscount Santoro immediately stopped Anastasia.
(T/N: Oh my gosh!!!)
“You looked like you had something to do earlier.”
“……No. There was nothing like that. Like I said, we only just stopped by for a break.”
Anastasia then followed up a question to distract him, in as calm of a tone as possible.
“Is there anything you would like to ask of me? Or something that I need to hear.”
“No, Your Majesty. There is no such thing.”
Viscount Santoro replied with a smile.
“But I can’t shake the feeling that Her Majesty is trying to escape from this place.”
(T/N: Oh my, Viscount is kinda creepy in this part.)
[pr/n: Red flag! Red flag!]
“Escape…what are you talking about?”
“The thing is, Your Majesty.”
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
Viscount Santoro interrupted Anastasia’s words.
“My family’s sugarcane farm. It’s a lot bigger and more spacious than you think.”
“…….”
“Even if I kill a few people and bury them in its soil, no one would be able to find them.”
“…Viscount!”
“Didn’t you say that you stopped by to take a break?”
Viscount Santoro looked at Anastasia without hiding the sly smile on his face.
‘…The situation now has gotten quite dangerous.’
Anastasia was about to reveal to Viscount Santoro that she had already sent a messenger to the Imperial Palace. In case the situation had turned out to be dangerous.
“Viscount Santoro, I have already……”
“Even if you disappear on your way back to the Imperial Palace, no one would ever find out.”
Before Anastasia could continue speaking, Viscount Santoro had already signed his death warrant.
“Get rid of all of them, now!”
The outside of the room was full of noise, after they heard the command. The sound of swords clashing quickly followed suit and reverberated throughout the mansion, even through the thick door of the drawing room.
The sounds of the fierce battle heard through the walls, made Anastasia extremely nervous.
‘Initially when we arrived, I sensed something strange so I had ordered the knights to be on standby.’
“I admit that Her Majesty’s Royal Guards are definitely good. Well, of course it’s obvious they would be good. How could a lowly country lord’s guards be a match with the elite knights of the capital?”
Viscount Santoro spoke to Anastasia, as he showed enjoyment towards the sounds coming from outside as though he was listening to fine music.
“First of all, this is Santoro’s domain. You came into the tiger’s den on your own two feet. How could a weak and fragile Empress survive safely from here?”
Anastasia bit her lips once, then looked straight at Viscount Santoro.
Now his smiling face was completely frozen. He stared at Anastasia with a cold expression.
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
“…My knights aren’t that weak, Viscount.”
Anastasia spoke clearly as she maintained her graceful posture.
“Even if I was facing a different enemy, that wouldn’t change anything. Just like you said, Viscount Santoro, the Empress’s Guards are not that easily defeated.”
This was a group of men who had fought in hundreds of competitions and was then knighted to become the Empress’ Guards.
‘How can I be so brave as to go to this place recklessly, if I didn’t have my guards with me?’
Above all, their skills were acknowledged by those who are professional and have been veterans in this field for a long time.
However Viscount Santoro, disregarded her dignified attitude and just laughed.
“You are overconfident, Your Majesty. Well, we will find out soon enough.”
“Your Majesty!”
At that moment, the door suddenly swung open to reveal the situation outside.
She could smell blood permeating through the room up to her nose.
Melina and the maids who accompanied her to the mansion, were now trembling and on the verge of fainting.
“Run, Your Majesty! We’ll take care of this!*”
“Stop them! Catch the Empress!”
(T/N: these are the words coming from the *Imperial Knights and the Viscount’s guards.)
Anastasia’s guards swung their swords relentlessly, but they were still outnumbered.
It was at that moment that Anastasia and her maids tried to escape through the large window in the back.
“Find Her Majesty!”
“Your Majesty, where are you?!”
At the shouting from far away, Anastasia did not understand the current situation and how it was unfolding.
Instead, a group of Imperial knights rushed inside the drawing room like the flow of water.
[pr/n: BEHOLD THE KNIGHTS IN SHINY ARMORS! So poetic.]
In this unexpected situation, Viscount Santoro’s proud face quickly hardened in place.
“Just, how….!”
“The Empress is over there!”
“Protect Her Majesty!”
In an instant, the knights stormed into the room, surrounded Viscount Santoro and protected Anastasia.
When the sharp tip of a sword was pointed at his neck, Viscount Santoro was forced to surrender. Someone then kicked him hard in the shin and brought him down to his knees.
Please do not repost our translation. Read only at Pink Muffin Translations.
“Ugh! Just how….!”
“There’s something I wasn’t able to finish telling you earlier.”
Anastasia looked down at Viscount Santoro, who was kneeling down at her feet, and said in a dry voice.
“I had already sent a messenger about the situation here to His Majesty.”
Anastasia didn’t expect the situation that happened today to have occurred at all.
“Wait, what?!”
“Didn’t you just come here on your own without telling anyone?! I thought that you wouldn’t have let anyone know about this and just frolicked about on your own.”
Anastasia laughed at Viscount Santoro words and said.
“I am sorry, Viscount. But if I had confessed my plans to you, I wouldn’t have been able to avoid the situation turning worse. ”
Anastasia beckoned to have him dragged away, and the knights left with Viscount Santoro, who was continuously shouting derogatory words while being taken away.
Naturally, when the owner was taken away, the guards of the Santoro’s mansion also lost their will to fight and were taken one by one.
Then someone approached Anastasia and knelt down on one knee.
“Your Majesty, I am very glad that you are safe!”
“You are….”
Anastasia was startled to see the face of the knight who had come to check her well-being.