"F-Fiancé?!" After hearing the Ela's claim. The two's expression suddenly turn dark. After that they immediately kneel to the ground and greet me.
"Y-Your Excellency, It's an honor to be at your presence! We also apologize for our early behaviour!" now this is the usual reaction when you met a noble!
Or did she just spend too much time with this commoners? I'm jealous!
"It's fine. Ela, why don't we get down to business?" As I said the name of my fiancée, the boy flinch a bit while kneeling causing me to smirk full of mock.
Yeah, that's right! I call her by her nickname! You can't win if you fight with me you bastard!
"Ah! Right, Valda, can you call everyone? I have something to say," Oh, a serious face. Though it's still adorable!
Damn, I'm becoming a doting lover.
Also, I've been enduring it but the smell's getting worse. I need to finish this immediately or else I'll die from this again, no exaggeration!
"Uhm, Ela. Why don't we finish this immediately. I don't like the smell here, you see,"
"O-Oh okay, I'm sorry. It must've been hard for you, I'll finish this quickly," That's not the problem! Can't you smell this worsening smell of garbage?!
And so, I didn't gave a reply and remain still as I watch my fiancée do her work. I can't complain since she's doing everything. If I do, my pride as a man will certainly diminish!
Hence, the recruitment went for hours until lunch time came.
That's tiring. I don't think I wanna go back there if I have a time. At least I'd let them inside the palace with surveillance if my fiancée wants to meet them!
"You should go ahead and eat, Ela. I'm going to the guards,"
"Oh, you've been coming there recently, is there something wrong?"
"No... Ah you see, how should I say it. Your sister is there and we have a deal so I will collect her,"
"O-Oh, okay. Then, I'll be going home first, take care!"
And so, we seperate our paths at the gate. I'm still troubled though since she didn't react much when I mention her sister. There might be something I don't know yet!
"Miss Rose, I'm here. I came to bring you with me,"
I arrive in front of the guard captain's room and called out the name of the soon-to-be advisor. I thought it would be rude if I enter and interrupt something I shouldn't have.
Well, I know calling her name can interrupt them, but it's better than entering without permission.
"U-Understood, Y-You can go a-ahead H-a, I-I'll follow you a-afterwards... Ngh" I can hear a moaning voice as she stutter while speaking.
Doing it when the sun is at its peak. Damn this animals, they should know their limits! Although I'm very jealous, it's one of my fantasy to see my woman's bare skin while doing it!
I didn't reply from her ridiculous answer and left off. I'm not gonna wait around while listening to their fuckery. I might not endure it and enter their room to partake if I lose control. And that would be really bad.
Though, I'm not into that kind of play. I'd rather have the girl for myself that do her with another man. That's too disgusting.
And so, I head towards the palace with haste. My stomach's been complaining violently since I seperate ways with my fiancée and any minute now can cause me to collapse.
Thankfully, my personal maid can do house chores including cooking. And since there's not much people inside the palace as of now, she can probably handle cooking by herself. Though, my sister probably helped her.
I arrive at the entrance of the palace and enter it, I head towards the dining room located right side from the entrance. The dining room is pretty close to our sleeping sector. It's because it's the first thing that the master of the house will go after waking up.
In basic knowledge regarding computers. It's more of a performance than quality.
When I arrive there, I saw Olivia and Ela eating halfway from finishing. My personal maid is standing behind my sister, however, she immediately move when they saw me entering the room.
I didn't say anything and just walk towards where I usually sit. I position myself where the former duke's seat is located. Since I'll be the future duke, I better practice myself the basic etiquette of being as such and this is one of them.
"How is it?" Ela first broke the silence by asking me.
Your sister is currently busy pleasuring herself with a man who just mock and offended me last night!
If only I can say such thing. However, doing so will only made the atmosphere more awkward.
Wait, why is it awkward in the first place? Did something happen?
"She said she'll just come here. She just let me go first," When I answer her, Ela suddenly made a shocking expression as she widen her eyes and drop her utensil.
"W-What? She said she'll come here?" Huh? What's with that reaction?
"Yeah, why?"
"Why you say, she vow to herself to never enter the palace again after having an argument with father. After that, she never really come or get near here though she always stay at the guard's house. Even when I ask her to help me with the territory she never answered and never came," oh, I see now. She's quite the woman then? An exact opposite of my princess.
Although her attitude is bad, I find her mindset appealing, I think she knows something inside the noble society that even Ela doesn't know.
After all, my princess never truly know something about politics so I can't really blame her.
"Well, rest assured now, my princess. We made a deal to each other and that deal will certainly help you relax more. I presume she had quite the knowledge regarding managing the territory right?"
"Y-Yeah, although she's bad at dealing with nobles because of her past circumstances."
Hmm, alright. I don't wanna know more of it since it might become too personal for me as her brother-in-law. But I guess it involves the political marriage.
I mean it's quite obvious from her reaction when she saw me!
"Alright, you don't need to worry about it. You can just relax since we made a thoroughly deal. With that in mind, its a win-win situation," I said with a warm smile.
Although, I'm really starving. My meals aren't here yet, what's going on?!
"Win-win?" Oh, right. They didn't know such phrase.
"Yes, it's like both of us can gain something from it." I simplify the explanation since I'm already at my limit.
Cilia, you wrench! My food!
Thankfully, she arrive from the kitchen and place the food in front of me silently and walk towards her original position.
Wait, you won't apologize for making your master wait? I think someone needs to be thoroughly discipline!
Now that I think about it. Cilia wearing a maid outfit really reveals her full potential as a beauty. I can't help but regret her being touched by another man. If only this former self isn't too naive to let both of his companion be left alone.
Regardless, an experience woman still had its merit!
And then I starts to dig in.
--
"I have come, Lord Verian." I heard a soft yet matured voice outside the study room where I'm currently working.
It's her. It's Rose.
"You may come in," I reply as I busingly read every content of the papers on my desk.
The door open and revealed a woman dress with tunic. Contrary to my fiancée dress. Hers was more elegant and more appealing, I hate to admit it but, yeah, I find it gorgeous. Though my fiancée's was more beautiful since it has a mature aura in it. And I want that.
Ornament bands decorates her sleeve as the tunic's neckline oppose the color of her dress which colored sky blue.
"Good day, Lord Verian." As soon as she enter, I guide using my finger to point at one of the empty seats.
"Good day. Then, let's get to business. As you can see right after you enter the palace, there's almost no servants wandering around it. We already hired some servants but because of the lack of personnel, we can't handle them all. As an advisor and the guard captain's lover, I want you to use your connection in order to convince them by helping us order the new recruited servants. I'll take care of the education they will need," I bluntly said with a calm expression.
The lady was left astonished by my words of accuracy but regain herself immediately to answer.
"Of course, I'll do that without problem."
"Good. You can start your job now."
However, before she go, I remember my another intention. That is...
"Wait, I also want the guards to investigate the former servant's mansion. We can't accuse the perpetrator if we don't have any evidence you see. Is that a problem?"
"No, there's no problem." I smile from her answer with a satisfying expression.
And so, she left the room with haste.
--
[Earl Sergius's POV]
"I see. He died that fast. My foolish son, he left himself defeated by that lowly disowned son!" I was enraged by the bad news my spy gave me.
He's currently kneeling in front of me as I sit on my magnificent throne decorated with gold and diamonds. It symbolizes the wealth and power of my family have.
However, such thing isn't enough. I want to take the duke's title. I want to rule the entire duchy. I can't remain being under that clueless bitch who don't even know how to manage her own servants.
And now, one of my son was killed just because of his inappropriate attitude. I had a feeling about it. Why would he kill my son suddenly like that? Did he immediately saw through us and immediately dispose the one that will be an obstacle to his rising power?
But it can't be, he's just a naive boy who was called prodigy because of his unusual use of power. He's too dumb to even know how his power can do to him.
"He killed him without knowing he's my son right? How foolish of him. Even if I'm just an earl, His territory is currently undergoing a recovery stage since the last war. Haha, I need to let him know his true place."
I just need to scare the brat for a little and he'll certainly be put on leash after that. I won't let the sacrifice of my son be in vain.
However, my spy suddenly interrupt me from making a plan...
"Permission to speak, milord," My spy speak as he stand up from kneeling.
"Go ahead."
"This might be a rude and offending word to say but I think we should keep low for a while."
I suddenly found myself frowning as I find it truly offending. However, I should let him finish first.
"Why is that?"
"The death of your son, I doubt it's because of Lord Verian's carelessness, milord. In my opinion, I think he did that fully knowing you're his father and he's your son.
I also didn't want this to let you hear, milord. However, the entire connection we have inside the Duke's palace were annilihated after Lord Verian killed them all."
"They were all killed you say?"
"Yes, and the way he do it, It's extremely unusual. And when I saw his face as he massacre them, he's far from the Lord Verian I know. I think, he's being controlled by someone or something change him after participating the defensive war. That's why-"
"Enough! I've heard enough of it."
So it's a massacre and not a fight. My spy speak while minding his word so massacre means they were all killed without fighting back.
That's really bad. I can't let any of that happen again.
However if they found evidence about this and gave a complaint to the king, I don't know what will happen.
I hate to admit it, but I find my spy's suggestion agreeable. But I should investigate more about that brat first. My spy might be wrong and only overestimating his former lord.
Massacre... It's a truly frightening word. I want to know more about him.