SBTS 09

Chapter : 09

Surviving in the Marquis’s Household ( 3)

Ena’s interpretation of the “Refund Squad” look turned out to be far more extravagant than I’d expected.

First, she swept my short hair to one side, exposing my round forehead.

My short hair was neatly smoothed down, with almost no stray strands visible. It gave me a tidy, stern appearance.

Then she placed a hair ornament above my ear. It featured a large, dark purple artificial flower that was almost as big as my face.

Large and small pearls in elegant shades dangled loosely from the ornament, swaying alongside my silver hair whenever I turned my head.

The dress was a deep purple, similar to the color of my eyes. It had an off-the-shoulder design that exposed my shoulders and collarbones. The fabric of the bodice followed the contours of my body in a simple, fitted silhouette down to my waist. Below that, layers of voluminous lace in pale lavender and deep navy flowed together like clouds drifting across a moonlit night sky.

Around my neck, she tied a slender purple choker with no embellishments. Tiny silver beads sparkled densely across the chest like stars, so the outfit didn’t look bare at all, even without any additional jewelry.

Still, I felt a little self-conscious about having my bare shoulders exposed.

Ena assured me there was nothing to worry about and draped an elegant, fluffy fur stole over my shoulders. It was dyed purple to match the dress.

It looked pretty expensive. Was it really okay for me to wear something like this?

I glanced at myself in the mirror, worried, but the effect of the fur was incredible.

There was a reason the wealthy mothers in dramas wore fur coats when they went to hand their sons’ girlfriends envelopes of money. It gave off an unmistakably luxurious air, and the added volume around the shoulders made me look incredibly intimidating.

“All right, the dress is done. I’ll finish with your makeup. A bold red for the lips. Now, curl your eyelashes like this with the eyelash curler, then make your eyeliner a little thicker than usual and extend it outward… Oh my! It suits you much better than I expected, my lady!”

Ena pointed at the mirror, looking utterly delighted with her work.

Sitting in the mirror was a noble young lady who looked every bit like someone raised in privilege: confident, poised, and sharp-featured. Thanks to the color combination of the outfit and the makeup, I looked aloof and cold.

As expected of the goddess Ena.

Though, depending on how you looked at it, I seemed more alluring than intimidating.

“My lady, the key to this look is arrogance. Purple is the color of nobility, after all, and it gives off that sort of impression. You’re far too kind for a noble young lady, so you must behave as though everything in this world is beneath you.”

“Beneath me?”

“Raise your chin this high, then lower your eyes like this and look at me.”

I tried following Ena’s instructions.

My delicately curled eyelashes moved elegantly whenever I fixed the mirror with a cold, unwavering stare.

Ena applauded beside me, exclaiming that it was perfect. I shouted, “All hail the goddess Ena!” and we both burst into laughter.

At last, everything was ready. I turned to Ena one final time.

“Ena, do you think I should draw a little beauty mark beside my eye?”

“Oh my! What beauty mark, my lady? I’ve made your skin even more flawless than white jade with makeup. Why would you want to put a blemish on it?”

“It’s nothing. I just feel like when you need to become someone completely different, you should draw a beauty mark.”

Ena tilted her head, clearly unable to understand what I meant.

There was a drama in the world I came from where drawing a beauty mark beside your eye changed your personality.

Well, this should be enough. I wasn’t trying to get revenge or anything. I just needed to look really, really intimidating.

Ena and I headed to the dining room together. She opened the door for me, then looked at me with concern.

I nodded to reassure her that everything would be fine and stepped inside alone.

Dwen was there to greet me. He was still wearing that snake-like smile.

“You’re dressed differently from this morning.”

Well, look at that. He’s already started dropping the formalities.

“Yes. Since Young Master Dwen places such importance on etiquette, I made a special effort.”

“Is that so? Then, please, have a seat. I also made sure everything was prepared properly.”

A long table stood in the dining room, its surface laid out with an immaculate array of fine silverware.

Dwen and I sat at opposite ends of the table.

Once we were seated, a servant approached and lit the candles in the candelabra at the center of the table.

The flames flickered brightly, announcing the beginning of a dinner that was sure to give me indigestion.

Phew. I’m having dinner with someone utterly vulgar. I’m having dinner with someone utterly vulgar.

I repeated the words to myself as I sat up straight, maintaining an air of cool superiority.

But the moment I looked at the place setting in front of me, I was taken aback.

…Why were there so many forks and knives?

And why were there three glasses?

So this was the formal noble dinner I’d only ever read about.

Unfortunately, I’d never read a book that explained the details of dining etiquette. The last time I’d studied anything about it was in a middle school home economics textbook. And I’d never actually eaten at a table like this, so I couldn’t remember the rules properly.

Was I supposed to start with the knife farthest from the main plate?

First, I calmly picked up the napkin in front of me and spread it over my lap.

Well, I could just watch Dwen and follow his lead.

I carefully observed his movements. Then, without saying a word, I ate the soup and appetizer bread the servants brought out.

I had no intention of starting a conversation before Dwen did.

Despite the suffocating atmosphere, the soup and bread were absolutely delicious. I wanted to praise the Rues family’s chef again, even though I’d never actually met them.

Just then, Dwen broke the silence.

“Lady Adelia. I’d like you to tell me everything without hiding anything from me, at least.”

…What is he talking about?

“I suspect you’re hiding quite a lot from our family. For instance, I’m curious whether you possess some kind of power. After all, you have connections to a black magician.”

“I don’t understand what you mean, Young Master. Black magic is a power forbidden by the Empire.”

His eyes gleamed strangely.

“There’s no need to hide it. I’ve met your father, Count Pasha.”

Well, I’m sure you have.

I recalled the information Ena had told me about Dwen.

Dwen Rues was two years younger than his older brother, Ainhar. Unlike his brother, he was only mediocre at swordsmanship and wasn’t particularly intelligent, either.

On top of that, he was a complete troublemaker. He loved alcohol and gambling, chased after women, and had a cruel, arrogant personality. He constantly threw the weight of his family’s authority around.

Eventually, he’d caused such a serious scandal that he’d been expelled from the Imperial Academy before he could even graduate.

He especially loved gambling and often argued with Ainhar over it. But Ainhar had only reprimanded his younger brother a few times before ultimately letting him do whatever he wanted.

“His Lordship is weak when it comes to his younger brother,” Ena had said with a sigh.

Considering that Count Pasha had gambled away his own territory, it wasn’t hard to imagine the two of them meeting over their shared love of wasting their ancestors’ inheritance at the gambling table.

That aside, the most irritating thing about this young master was that he was drowning in an inferiority complex.

He never made an effort to improve himself, yet trembled with resentment over being inferior to his older brother.

He was always bitter about not having been chosen by the demonic sword. Ena suspected that he took out his frustration on innocent servants instead.

Dwen continued speaking as he cut into the steak served for the main course.

“When Count Pasha lost his final chip, he told me something rather interesting. He said I might be able to obtain the same power as my older brother. He even suggested I take it as payment instead of money.”

I flinched.

Suddenly, I remembered what Count Pasha had said to Alkan.

It’s been a long time since you promised to give our family the same power as House Rues or House Duranche.

Had Alkan been using orphaned children as experimental subjects because he was trying to find a way to obtain that kind of power?

What a stupid black magician.

How on earth had some random black magician planned to acquire the same power as the five families blessed by the gods?

I clicked my tongue inwardly and stared straight at Dwen.

“That’s absurd. How could you possibly believe something my father said?”

“Look at this.”

He pulled a snow-white dagger from inside his clothes.

Black flames, just like those surrounding Tartanus, writhed across its surface.

I swallowed the steak I’d been chewing.

“Looks similar to Tartanus, doesn’t it? Your father gave it to me in place of his gambling debt. But it’s only an imitation on the surface. Its efficiency is terrible, too. Tartanus can unleash tremendous power after killing just one person, but this thing needs to kill around ten.”

What? Had he actually killed ten people?

This guy was definitely insane.

I quickly decided I needed to escape this conversation.

“…That’s impressive. But what can I say? I don’t know anything about it.”

“No, Adelia. There’s no way you don’t know.”

His eyes flashed with the gleam of a madman.

“That day, my brother only consumed the blood of one person before entering the Pasha estate. According to the knights, the count’s territory was full of traps set by the black magician. My brother removed every single one of them by himself. Normally, his mana should have been depleted after all that. But apparently, he was still able to keep fighting.”

“Marquis Ainhar is strong.”

I gave a brief answer, but Dwen ignored me and stood up.

“No. Tartanus doesn’t produce mana out of nowhere. There must be something special about you. I heard you were the only one who survived in the count’s estate. How did you manage that? Why did my brother bring you back to his estate instead of killing you? Why is he keeping you hidden away? You must be useful to him somehow. What do you think of my theory? If I used you, perhaps I could get my hands on a demonic sword, too?”

I could read his thoughts.

This man coveted the demonic sword, Tartanus.

But something about the conversation felt strange. Dwen seemed unaware that I was an orphan who’d been used as an experimental subject. He genuinely appeared to believe I was Count Pasha’s daughter.

“Young Master Dwen, I truly don’t understand what you’re talking about. The food is going to get cold, so perhaps we should continue eating.”

I shook my head and pretended to focus on my meal again.

But Dwen approached me and slammed his dagger down onto the table right in front of me.

What a lunatic. Has nobody ever taught him table manners? He’s completely uncivilized.

“Adelia Pasha. I don’t keep useless things alive. Remember that I could use you as a sacrifice for this dagger at any moment. The princess will soon be holding a monster extermination campaign. I intend to distinguish myself during that hunt. You seem like a suitable sacrifice for it. Unlike my brother, I have no trouble obtaining blood.”

Goosebumps spread across my entire body.

This lunatic was serious.

I desperately racked my brain.

What should I do…? How am I supposed to get out of this?

What if Dwen didn’t know I was merely an experimental subject and genuinely believed I was Count Pasha’s daughter…?

I decided to take a gamble.

“Phew. Very well, Young Master. It seems my lies won’t work on you. I suppose there’s no point in hiding it any longer. You’re right. My father worked with a black magician to research a way to obtain power equivalent to that of the Empire’s five great families. And I ended up acquiring a power similar to that of the dagger you possess.”

“Just as I thought.”

He looked pleased with my answer.

“But I would like to keep this hidden from Marquis Ainhar. Black magic is a crime of treason, and my life is at stake. You said you wanted to distinguish yourself during the monster extermination campaign, didn’t you? How about this? I’ll use the power I possess to help you, Young Master Dwen.”

“What kind of power do you have? Will you tell me?”

Ugh… What kind of power do I have?

My eyes fell on the dagger in front of me.

“I have something similar to this dagger. But mine doesn’t require human blood or anything like that. I’ll help you with it. In exchange, I want you to guarantee my safety.”

As if I could possibly have a dagger like that.

I’d just made the whole thing up.

“Can you show it to me?”

“Later. I can’t show you the only thing that can guarantee my safety just yet. If you keep your promise first, I’ll show it to you then. It’s the only asset I have that I can stake my life on, so I hope you’ll be generous enough to understand.”

Dwen seemed satisfied with that much.

Phew. Thank goodness Dwen is stupid enough to fall for this.

I quickly picked up the glass in front of me and gestured for Dwen to toast with me.

He ordered his servant to fill his glass.

Our glasses clinked together, sealing his agreement.

After that, I paid no attention to whatever Dwen was saying and concentrated on eating.

I even made sure to savor every bite of the delicious dessert.

I had a feeling this might be my last meal at House Rues.

Thank you so much for the wonderful food, Chef.

Now I had to prepare to run away.

Where to?

Somewhere that could guarantee my safety.

But where in this world could such a place exist?

I slowly considered the monsters belonging to the five great families.

And then one came to mind.

House Duranche.