IBVM 12

Chapter 12

“Uh…”
I felt awkward at the sudden confession of loyalty. Not knowing how to respond, I scratched the bridge of my nose and looked at him.
Why would someone risk their life just because the heir of a family said they would diligently handle the head of the household’s duties?
Matthew was now dabbing at his tears with his cuff, overcome with emotion.

“Yes, Matthew. I’ll do my best once I officially become the head of the family. Um… could you leave for now? I need to look at some documents.”
I managed to calm Matthew down and send him out. Even as he left, he continued extolling the history and glory of the Irenberg family.
He showered me with cringe-worthy praise about how happy he was that I would carry on the illustrious history and glory of Irenberg.

“Ugh, this is exhausting.”
Sitting back on the sofa, I recalled Matthew of the past. After my parents passed away, Matthew had cared for me like a little bird. But one day, he began keeping his distance.
I had assumed it was because he’d been swayed by Count Colcos, but today I realized Matthew had been disappointed in me for not taking an interest in the family.
‘Come to think of it, Matthew wasn’t particularly warm toward Count Colcos either.’
Unless Count Colcos came to the Irenberg mansion, the two of them wouldn’t have met.
‘And I doubted Matthew for nothing.’
While it’s good to be cautious and question those around you, it’s better to observe carefully rather than blindly suspect.

Once my doubts about Matthew disappeared, it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Feeling lighter, I turned back to the pile of documents.
It didn’t take long to go through them. Apart from the report on top, most were petitions written by literate residents of the territory.

‘Nobel is the problem.’
Nobel—the most barren land among Irenberg’s territories.
It was the only part of the kingdom where monsters lived.
At the end of the burning war between humans and monsters, the king drove the remaining monsters into Nobel.
The land was vast, but located in the extreme north and surrounded by mountains, it was cold for three seasons of the year. Perhaps it was deemed unworthy to keep for humans and thus given to the monsters.
And it was entrusted to the Irenbergs. Every spring for hundreds of years, a select group of knights went on expeditions to Nobel—the Silver Expeditionary Force.
Despite the romantic name, these expeditions were nothing more than monster-slaying squads. Nobel was a burden on the Irenbergs. Yet my father loved it—it was my mother’s birthplace.

‘A love story between a simple country girl and the son of a lord.’
The heir leading the Silver Expedition fell in love at first sight with the innocent girl living in Nobel.
So romantic.

My father always told me to marry someone I loved.
‘But I ignored his advice and almost ruined my life by marrying thoughtlessly.’
So I have to listen to my parents.
Nobel, where my mother was born and raised and loved by my father, was a territory full of stories and troubles.

Reading the report jogged my memory. Around this year, the residents of Nobel, burdened by taxes, had revolted.
At that time, Count Colcos, my guardian, had tried to suppress them by force. The Silver Expeditionary Force wielded swords not against monsters, but against Nobel’s residents.
Enraged, the people of Nobel destroyed the monster boundary markers, causing chaos.
‘That stupid Count Colcos!’
Thinking of him made my blood boil.

“Miss, the papers are getting wrinkled.”
Unconsciously, I had gripped the documents too tightly. Janice set down the tea she had brought and said this. I smoothed the papers with an awkward smile.

“Matthew said you might be hungry, so he sent some food.”
Janice placed a plate of sweet cookies and a teacup in front of me.
Perhaps because I’d been thinking too hard, or because of the sweet aroma, my mouth watered.
I needed to read the documents, but I also wanted to eat.

“If you start eating, I’ll prepare your meal.”
Since Janice insisted, I reluctantly held a cookie in one hand and the documents in the other.
I was so absorbed in the papers that I didn’t notice Janice leave.

Matthew had said it was regarding the local tax law amendment, but most of it was residents complaining about the burden of taxes rather than concrete numbers.
‘This isn’t something that can be fixed by just changing a few numbers.’
I chewed the cookie, focusing.
‘Lowering taxes would hurt someone, so we can’t just tinker with the law recklessly.’

Moreover, Irenberg’s tax rate was already significantly lower than other families, earning the ire of other heads of households.
‘And Nobel’s rate is even lower than the surrounding regions.’
Reducing taxes would mean cutting the portion sent to the crown, and no matter how influential the Irenbergs were, we couldn’t simply demand that.
Also, Nobel paid less crown tax than other regions because the crown recognized the damage caused by monsters.

‘Huh? Taxes went up right after my father passed?’
Yet, as I read, something seemed off. Nobel’s taxes had increased.
Because Nobel was a special monster-inhabited region, any tax increase required at least a formal negotiation between the head of the family and the king.
But I didn’t remember any such negotiation.

Of course, maybe it’s because I’m not officially the head yet. But it’s strange that I wasn’t even informed of it.
Currently, no one in Irenberg had the authority to negotiate on behalf of the family, so I should have at least received notice.
‘Did His Majesty raise taxes on his own? I need to formally address this.’

Only the head of the family could do that.
Still, I couldn’t just stand by. If I couldn’t become the head immediately, I needed another way.
‘No matter how arbitrarily they raised taxes, we can’t lower Nobel’s alone.’
Excuses like “monsters appear there” had been overused. Even if the damage was real, outsiders might dismiss it as outdated.
‘How bad is the situation really?’
I need to go to Nobel myself.
To see the territory firsthand, find solutions, and understand why monsters are rampaging.

But I can’t go alone, empty-handed. The residents would also prefer meeting me as the head rather than merely the daughter.
I should try to get the adorable prince on board soon.
‘Maybe I should visit Kashion while I’m at it.’

I set aside the read documents and shook cookie crumbs from my hands. Just as I stood up, there was a loud bang—the door burst open.

“I brought it. Crazy lady.”
Cho dropped a massive bundle at my feet. The heavy lump shivered with the impact.

“This is what I asked for?”
Could it be… a person in that bundle? Dragged all the way here? I couldn’t believe it and pointed at the bundle.

“They resisted,” Cho said, shrugging casually.

“You’re strong.”
I admired her sheer strength, hoping she had safely brought Lebert. How could anyone drag a person up to the fourth floor by themselves?

“There’s something good here.”
Cho smiled slyly, showing a leather glove embedded with a magic stone—a rare and expensive magical artifact.
Magic artifacts have permanent enchantments depending on the type of stone, and prices vary widely. Those with high-level spells were extremely costly.
To amplify strength, the artifact required high-level magic and rare stones, which were hard to obtain. Magic stones came from monster bones, and only magical monsters’ bones could transform into them.

In short, what Cho had was a rare item.
Where did she get it? She’s not the type to own such things while struggling to pay her subordinates.

“I didn’t steal it. What do you take me for?”
Cho frowned, sensing my momentary suspicion.

“An information hunter. But exchanging information for money isn’t strange. You always said information is money.”
I muttered as I untied the bundle.

“Did I tell you that?”
Of course not—it was a famous saying attributed to Chorni after ending a war years later.
‘That war hasn’t happened yet.’
I shouldn’t pretend to know it.

“Just a passing remark. By the way, he’s alive, right?”
My aunt wasn’t overly sensitive unless it involved a deal.

“Open it.”
Instead of answering, Cho nudged the bundle with her foot. Growing anxious, I quickly untied it.
A foul stench hit me, revealing a crumpled human inside.

“Miss! Food! Ugh!”
Janice appeared. Seeing the bloodied sky-blue hair poking out from the bundle between Cho, Lebert, and me, her eyes glowed with alarm.

“Miss, this is dangerous!”
She practically threw the tray down and rushed over, separating me from the bundle and lifting Lebert out—a moment showcasing her strength.
She laid him flat on the floor and checked his breath with her ear.

“He’s alive, Miss.”
“I can tell he’s alive without that. But we can’t leave him like this. Aunt, could you move him to the bed?”
“Command the servants. I’m not here to do chores.”
“No! I can’t let anyone know a bloodied person is in your cute, lovely room!” Janice protested.

“At least make him presentable before they find out!”
“…What difference does it make?”
Cho asked, confused. Janice, still agitated, replied:

“So that even if rumors spread, it’s tidy! You have your tastes, right, Miss?”
Uh… I get what kind of rumors she means, but I’m only thirteen. I’d like to avoid even simple romance gossip.

“Janice, stop talking and bring him in.”
Since Cho wasn’t helping, it was up to Janice and me to move Lebert.
‘Those ankles are so thin.’
I know how smugglers treat children they pick up in slums.
‘They must get hurt and sick a lot.’
Perhaps that’s why Lebert developed groundbreaking medicine—he had treated his injured friends as a child.

A reasonable suspicion arises.