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Chapter – 35
“I think I need to hear an explanation as to why you resorted to violence.”
“…….”
“There must have been a reason. I don’t think you would have used violence without any reason.”
“…….”
Even at Conte’s question, Louis did not answer.
Instead, it was Eiden who yelled out.
“He hit us for no reason! He just threw punches out of nowhere!”
Only then did Louis’s tightly shut mouth open.
“You… you bullied them first!”
“What are you talking about! When did I ever bully you!”
“You guys… you punks bullied my sister!”
“What do you mean your sister! You hated her. And you don’t even have a sister!”
“I don’t hate her! I never hated her! And she is my sister!”
Sister?
What sister?
At the children’s back-and-forth argument, the Count blinked rapidly.
Then, suddenly, a young child caught his eye.
A child frozen stiff behind the Duke, trembling uncontrollably.
Her hair was all messy and disheveled, and she was wearing a shabby black dress of the sort commoners might wear.
“It seems the young master is quite affectionate. To call a dirty urchin like that his sister. Judging by her appearance, she seems to be a relative a servant brought in for a while…”
The Count’s mouth twisted into a crooked arc.
“Seeing that lowly thing behaving so familiarly with the young master, my children likely just tried to lightly advise her.”
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
“We were only trying to correct that insolent brat’s manners for the young master’s sake. It’s unfair. Father, Your Grace!”
Seeing their chance, the two young masters chimed in, one after the other.
As if to say “See?”, the Count continued triumphantly.
“To think a fight broke out between noble children over such a lowly little brat. Your Grace, please summon her parents and punish them!”
“…….”
“They failed to control their child properly, leading to this spectacle. Isn’t it only right to summon and punish the parents?! This is why family education is important… tsk.”
At the Count’s outcry, Conte tilted his head and smiled.
“Ah, family education?”
As his chilly murmur leaked out—
“Hup.”
“Hup.”
Sounds of gasps could be heard from here and there.
‘He’s angry.’
‘He’s really, really angry.’
Quick-witted servants sensed the dangerous atmosphere instantly and quickly lowered their gazes.
Sure enough, a murky, black aura began to seep up behind the Duke.
Even though it was still broad daylight, the shadows cast over the back of the mansion seemed unnaturally dark.
“You want me to bring this child’s parents?”
However, the Count was oblivious.
“Yes, Your Grace. If you find it distasteful to punish them yourself, I will gladly mete out the punishment. So please, summon the child’s parents immediately.”
“Hmm, I see. Very well.”
Conte, smiling, strode right up to the Count.
The Count flinched greatly at the suddenly close distance.
A dark shadow fell across the Duke’s face as he looked down.
Gulp.
The Count swallowed dryly and barely managed to open his mouth.
“W-what are you doing…?”
“Doing what? You told me to bring them, so they’re here.”
“…Huh?”
“They’re here. The parents of our little one.”
The Count’s expression instantly turned dumbfounded.
“…What are you…”
“Are you stupid? Don’t you understand? This child is my daughter, and I am her father.”
Now then.
“How do you plan to punish us?”
At the cold rebuke, silence fell over the surroundings.
“It seems the adults need to have a little talk.”
Murmuring with a smile, Conte grabbed the pale-faced Count by the collar and vanished into a pocket dimension created by his power.
And a short while later.
Thud!
The rippling mouth of the pocket dimension spat the Count out with a thump.
“Kghhk!”
The Count, unceremoniously spat out, rolled pitifully on the floor.
In contrast, Conte emerged from the pocket dimension with a rather relaxed demeanor.
The moment his long legs touched the ground—
“…S-s-spare… spare me. I was wrong. My children were all wrong.”
The Count, who had been tumbling on the floor, prostrated himself flat, pressing his forehead to the ground.
His trembling voice was filled with terror.
“Ah, Father!”
“But we didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Be quiet!”
At his clueless children’s words, the Count yelled sharply.
“How dare you raise your voices before His Grace! So ill-mannered! Did… did I, your father, teach you to act like that?!”
While scolding his children, the Count was busy gauging the Duke’s reaction.
Uncaring blue eyes lightly swept over the family of three.
“You’re quite busy, Count, aren’t you? What with work, and educating your children…”
“N-no, not at all.”
“Do you find this amusing?”
“I-I’m sorry!”
At the sharply barked apology, Conte cracked the muscles in his neck.
“Now that I think about it, I may have been too much of a bother to you. I’ve found myself reflecting on it anew. Hence, I’ve decided to transfer the Ducal House business that Speldia was handling to another family.”
“What? That’s… Ah, you can’t! Please reconsider, Your Grace!”
“Haha, no.”
The Duke answered brightly, then added in a nonchalant tone.
“I can’t entrust the Ducal House’s business to a foolish person. Take this opportunity to go home and spend a little more quality time with your family. About a hundred years or so?”
“Your Grace, wait! Your Grace, I was wrong! Please, I beg you…!”
Despite the Count’s pleas, Conte didn’t budge and turned away.
Melony, still frozen stiff, and Louis, standing with his lips tightly pressed together, caught his eye.
“Hah.”
A light, dry laugh seeped with thick anger.
“If there’s any embezzled money or shady dealings, you’d better start struggling and covering your tracks now.”
I just don’t feel like being merciful this time.
“Ah, no…”
The funds and items he had embezzled up until now flashed rapidly through the Count’s mind.
His hair stood on end.
He didn’t even have the energy to plead anymore, only repeating, ‘I’m ruined. I’m ruined…’ over and over.
Be that as it may.
Conte picked up both Louis and Melony in his arms at the same time.
“Ah, Abadi…”
A small, trembling voice leaked from the child’s tightly shut mouth.
“Yeah. Let’s go get some snacks.”
Conte answered affectionately and vanished into the mansion with the children in his arms.
‘This is the place, right?’
I paced back and forth in front of the firmly closed door.
This was Louis’s room.
On the day of the incident.
Louis, carried into the mansion in the Duke’s arms, refused the Duke’s suggestion to have a snack and headed straight to his room.
While the former Duke, who had rushed over after belatedly hearing about the commotion—
“Bring those insolent wretches back here! I won’t let this stand! How dare they lay a hand on my grandchildren… no, my grandchild and prospective grandchild…!”
—was throwing a fit, Louis never once showed his face.
Louis just holed up in his room like that.
At first, I planned to wait until Louis opened the door and came out on his own.
‘He probably needs to sort out his feelings,’ I thought.
But the time he spent holed up was longer than expected.
He even had his meals only in his room and refused when servants tried to enter.
Even when the Duke or the former Duke went to see him, he wouldn’t show his face.
At this point, I couldn’t help but worry.
‘What if Louis never comes out of his room like this…!’
I was afraid that if I just watched like this, I might miss the timing for Louis to finally come out.
After all, timing is everything in life.
And above all—
‘I haven’t even thanked him yet.’
I mean, for beating up those Speldia young masters, no, those good-for-nothings, on my behalf.
“Phew. I hafta say thank you tonight.”
After steeling my resolve, I knocked on the door knock knock.
Not long after, a weak answer came from inside.
“…I don’t need anything.”
“Onabeoni.” (Big brother.)
“…….”
“It’s me, Melony.”
“…….”
“I came ‘cuz I wanted to see Onabeoni. Can you open the door?”
An answer didn’t come easily.
Sigh.
Well, I didn’t think it would be easy.
I leaned my back against the door and plopped down onto the floor.
“I’m gonna stay here ‘till you open the door.”
