"He what?"
"Master Nicholas brought a long rope. There, heads of the ones that were involved in the illegal acts were tangled on the rope and was shown to everyone. Even now, they are still trying to remove the blood stains on the floor, especially on the carpet"
I knew he was a lunatic but not to this extent. No, trying to understand someone like him would be too much for me who uses an average way to standardize things.
Compared to him, Dianna would be a cub.
"What about the guests?"
"They were pardoned and was sent to their homes. The duke have also sent compensation but seems to be delighted about today's events"
Of course he would be. He just received half of count Frenond's land and assets who is known to be one of the richest counts in the entire kingdom.
Good thing that the both the Veulad duchy and the Deltan duchy didn't send anyone as their representative for today.
"Also, it seems like master Nicholas has caught the eye of the duke and was soon called over to his office after prince Kainston left the mansion"
Now, brother Roman and brother Nicholas should have a close standing to each other to becoming the next head of the family.
Knock. Knock.
"It's me"
"Come in. Anna, please get me some food left from earlier"
There were a lot of food made today. To make sure that it won't be put to waste surely father gave most of it to the servants and the knights of the mansion.
"Understood"
Roman sat down grumpily beside me.
"Something wrong?"
"No"
"Then, why do you have that kind of face as if you are constipated while about to pop vessel?"
"Do you seriously have to put it that way?"
"To calm you down, yes"
'Father would be seeing brother Nicholas as a potential candidate for the seat of heir due to his achievements today. So why is this guy acting like this?'
"Nicholas became the heir apparent of the duchy"
"Really?! Then, why are you like that?"
"Because father said that I will be part of the delegation that will be sent to the empire"
It must be regarding about the war.
It would take at least a month to travel back and forth from here to there. Means that he wouldn't be able to talk with Dereck.
"How come it ended that way?"
"Because I announced that I would be a scholar. I'm not suited to be someone who leads the knights anyway. Because of that, I was appointed as the head of the delegation that will go to the empire"
I do get where he is going with that.
"I will handle it"
"How?"
"Trust me. But, you are going to have to pay me"
"How much?"
"One hundred gold coins"
"That's three months of what I earn"
"So paying what you usually earn in three months is heavier than spending time with your Dereck for two months? Gosh, I never thought that you love him only that much"
"Alright, I'll pay!"
I took a paper and started to write a request.
"What are you writing?"
"A request to meet up with the prince"
Anna came back and put the food on the table and left the room quietly.
I handed her the letter and ask her to ask father to put his seal before sending it to the royal palace.
"One more thing, milady"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Sir. Emmanuel is waiting downstairs and is ready to report what you have ask him to do"
"Got it. I will come down now"
Knowing him, he must have brought the child to an inn for him to stay at.
"Put the money in my account. For now, I will be going somewhere"
"Okay"
I took my bag before going down.
"Oh, right, brother"
"Yeah?"
"Make sure that the inn near where the viscount Anatole will be under my name from now on"
"Yes, yes, whatever you say"
...
When I saw him, Emmanuel was looking down on the floor with dead eyes.
"Where is he?"
"Please follow me, milady"
I used the excuse of needing fresh air away from the smell of blood to go out of the mansion to the head butler so that he can later tell father and mother if they get back home before us.
We got into the carriage and went to an inn.
I followed him upstairs to where the child was.
He opened the door, there the child, Uziel glared at the two of us.
I sat down on the chair facing him.
"Uziel, work for me"
"What is it about?"
"You are more submissive than I thought"
"Heh, its not like you would leave me alone if I were to escape, right, miss noble"
Emmanuel unsheathed his sword, signing that Uziel should stop being rude to me.
"Your work is simple. It is to be my secretary, something like that. In exchange I promise you education, a place to go to, four meals a day and...."
I handed him a document from my bag.
"I promise that six years from now, I will let you do whatever it is that you want with baron Klein"
The paper he was holding crumpled as his grip tightened.
"How do you know about that?"
"It doesn't matter how I know. What matters is whether you are up for it or not"
".....And why would you go all the way just to help some commoner?"
"You see... ever since I woke up from my coma, I can see strange lights on people. I believe that it is their potential. I like competent people, whether they are commoner or of noble birth does not matter to me"
Of course that is a lie.
"You are saying that I have that much potential that you would be willing to help me this much?"
"Obviously"
He glance over to Emmanuel who was behind me and look back to me again.
"Can I... really trust what you are saying?"
"Yes"
His eyes started tearing up.
"Where am I going to live?"
"For now you will be staying in this inn for three years until Emmanuel teaches you the basics you need to learn. Afterwards, you will be going to where I live under the pretext of being my servant and will further learn things as times goes on"
"You will be paying for this inn's service for three years?"
"Paying? Of course not. I own the place so you can eat as much as you like so long as you don't destroy the place"
Emmanuel gently tap my back.
"Milady"
"Yes, Sir. Emmanuel?"
"When did you bought this inn?"
"Just earlier, before we left. I knew you were going to make him stay in this inn since this is near where you live"
After asking my brothers they explained why Emmanuel Egon Anatole became my escort. They said that the Anatole viscounty has been loyal to the Emond duchy for generation after generation. And Emmanuel who is already a knight at such a young age who also bested half of the knights in the duchy was the perfect one to become my escort.
"I'm sorry to say this but I will have to go back now. The time I can use to go out is very short. Do not worry because I will send someone shortly to help you get accustomed to the life here"
"..."
Before going I patted his head. His hair was soft and was nice to the skin. It brought nostalgic memories when my devil-like teenage siblings were still angelic when they were toddlers.