Amelia was speechless.
Ghislain was the first person who had dared to ask her for money out of the blue.
And talking about "our relationship"? He couldn't have misjudged the situation more.
She didn't bother to hide her anger.
"If you insist on talking this way, then I'll say my piece too. Rayfold has already provided plenty of support to the beggar Perdium."
"Beggar, really? Isn't that a bit much? My father would be hurt to hear that. You're calling your future father-in-law a beggar."
"Coming here unannounced and demanding money—if that isn't begging, then what is it? Is this the will of the Count of Perdium as well?"
In response, Ghislain crossed his legs and replied with a relaxed expression.
"If we weren't holding the North, the kingdom would be in a tough spot. Someone has to do the work, and we're the ones stepping up. You're merely supporting us in that effort. It's a transaction, not begging."
His statement was technically correct.
Someone had to keep the northern barbarians at bay, and that's why Perdium was constantly waging wars in the harsh frontier lands.
Since Perdium was fighting on behalf of everyone, it was only fair that the kingdom and other territories contribute to the cost of maintaining their military.
But Amelia simply looked amused by his argument.
"So, is it you who's fighting the barbarians? It's the Count Perdium holding the North, and my father has already provided more than enough support."
She wasn't wrong. Rayfold had already sent substantial support to Perdium.
Ghislain had no reason to ask her for money.
"Well, maybe I'm not the one fighting right now. But looking toward the future, it's only fair you start investing in me now."
"What future?"
Amelia raised an eyebrow, and Ghislain responded with a slight smile, though his eyes held no humor.
"In the future, I'll inherit Perdium. So it only makes sense that you, the future Countess Rayfold, should start supporting me now. Think of it as an advance."
"…!"
Amelia's brow furrowed slightly.
That kind of statement was grounds for losing one's head.
Was he throwing out this dangerous talk because he knew something, or was he just spouting nonsense because he was crazy? She couldn't tell.
A tense silence lingered between them.
After a moment, Amelia took a deep breath and broke the silence.
"Lord Ghislain… even as a joke, you shouldn't say things like that. I'm a woman, and I'm not the heir of Rayfold. For me to become the Countess Rayfold is absurd… Don't say ridiculous things."
"So, you're not interested in a position like that?"
"It's not a matter of interest—it's impossible. I'm supposed to marry into Perdium, aren't I? People would laugh if they heard."
"But you don't intend to marry me, do you?"
"…."
Amelia bit her lip, unable to find the right words.
'Who would ever marry a scoundrel like you!'
If not for a promise made in the past, Ghislain wouldn't even be worthy of meeting her, much less being engaged to her.
Ghislain noticed her expression and grinned.
"I'm not looking to stick around here for long, so I'll be direct. I don't care if you're interested in being Countess or not. I just want the money."
"There's no reason for me to give you money, and I don't have that kind of money to begin with. Why are you asking me for it?"
"Really? I find that hard to believe. The Actium Merchants Guild is doing quite well, isn't it? You have plenty of money."
At the mention of Actium, Amelia's face instantly hardened.
Her eyes glinted with hostility as she glared at Ghislain.
While she hid her rage, her mind was filled with confusion.
'How could he know?'
She had her suspicions, but now she was sure. Ghislain knew about her weaknesses and ambitions.
Officially, Amelia had no ties to the Actium Merchants Guild.
The current head of the guild was someone else, and she had made every effort to keep her distance from them.
But Ghislain had named Actium directly. She had no idea how he'd learned about it.
Ghislain, looking more than relaxed, added,
"I won't drag this out. Give me ten thousand gold, and I'll keep my mouth shut. That's cheap, isn't it? If you don't trust me, trust the weight of money."
She had no choice but to give him the money.
If her secret was exposed, Amelia would lose everything—and perhaps her life as well.
She was caught in a trap from which there was no escape.
And Ghislain knew that all too well, which is why he was pressing so shamelessly.
'She hasn't fully taken control of her family yet. This blackmail will only work for now.'
Amelia Rayfold.
Renowned among nobles for her gentle and refined nature, as well as her high intellect.
And yet, in the future, she would come to be known as the "Witch of the North," the most infamous villainess.
In his past life, she had imprisoned her father, the Count Rayfold, in a tower, murdered her half-siblings, and seized total control over the family and estate.
Though she had the support of the Delphine Duchy, her greatest strength in claiming the title of Countess came from the Actium Merchants Guild.
Under the guise of providing protection, Actium was more than just a Merchants guild; it was a group with both wealth and military power.
'There were other groups under her, but Actium was the largest.'
After becoming Countess, she grew Actium into a vast guild, and her sights eventually turned to Perdium.
But that was a story for the future.
'Right now, she must be busy hiding her influence.'
The Count Rayfold had many children.
The siblings weren't far apart in age or ability, making the competition for the title fierce.
If it were revealed that she harbored ambitions and was secretly gathering power, her siblings wouldn't stand idly by.
She ground her teeth, her glare fixed on Ghislain.
'How could a scoundrel like him… Does he even know I'm aligned with the Delphine Duchy?'
They weren't her only problem.
The Count Rayfold held an antagonistic stance toward the Delphine Duchy.
If he discovered that Amelia was colluding with Delphine and receiving funds and soldiers to support a rebellion, he'd disown her without hesitation.
'Even a suspicion could be enough to ruin me right now.'
Of course, she doubted that Ghislain had solid evidence.
But even if a single person heard his words and began to suspect her, it would be dangerous.
The Delphine Duchy might even try to remove her to erase any loose ends.
She couldn't afford to leave such a risk unchecked.
She closed her eyes and spoke slowly.
"Lord Ghislain."
"What? Have you changed your mind? Going to give me the money?"
"You've crossed too many lines. I'm afraid we'll have to part ways here."
"Already? And I haven't even gotten the money yet."
Ignoring his remark, Amelia looked off into the distance and spoke.
"Take care of him."
With that single command, a wall with a large bookshelf flipped around, revealing a man holding a sword as he stepped forward.
But Ghislain just chuckled, unfazed.
"If I die here, it'll trigger a territorial war. Are you prepared to handle that?"
"I assume you're counting on the Count Perdium. But unfortunately, he isn't here. It will be as if neither you nor your entourage ever came here."
"Cold as always. Well, I always knew you were that kind of woman."
As if he expected this, Ghislain calmly stood and drew his sword.
But Amelia just scoffed. It was common knowledge that Ghislain's skills were pathetic.
She raised her chin and gave a graceful command.
"Get rid of him. I don't want to see him any longer. Come, Bastet."
Meow.
Without a second glance, she turned to leave, intending to order the deaths of Ghislain's companions as well.
Clang!
The sound of swords clashing filled the room.
Ugh!
A short scream echoed.
Amelia froze, realizing it hadn't been Ghislain's voice.
She turned back to find an unbelievable sight.
Blood from the fallen man seeped into the carpet.
"For a hidden card, he was pretty weak, wasn't he? With all your wealth, you should hire better talent."
Ghislain stood beside the fallen man, casually wiping the blood off his sword, his expression calm.
"H-how… how did you…?"
The man was a skilled warrior, enough to take down a novice like Ghislain easily.
Yet here he lay, defeated. Amelia couldn't understand what she was seeing.
Bang!
"What's going on, young lady?"
Two knights burst through the doors, ready to draw their swords at the sight of Ghislain standing over a body.
Amelia quickly calculated the situation and shouted.
"Kill him! Kill him now!"
"Oh, are you talking about Lord Ghislain?"
"Quickly! Kill him before anyone finds out!"
The knights hesitated but slowly approached Ghislain.
They feared the fallout from killing an heir of another territory, but disobeying Amelia meant certain death.
Then, a new voice spoke up from behind them.
"Hold it, knights. If you move, your young lady here will be in danger."
Before anyone realized, Belinda had appeared, standing with a smug expression as she held a dagger to Amelia's neck.
Behind her, the four knights who had accompanied her were blocking the doorway.
"This is quite intense for a lovers' quarrel, young master. What's going on?" Belinda winked at Ghislain.
He responded casually, as if it were no big deal.
"Oh, just a minor disagreement. Women's feelings can be so complicated."
"Young people always go through this. No one's willing to compromise."
"But I think we can actually have a real conversation now, don't you, Amelia?"
Ghislain approached Amelia, but the knights hesitated, afraid that Belinda might harm her if they interfered.
Seeing Amelia's gaze, blazing with fury, Ghislain couldn't hold back a smile.
"See? You should have just cooperated when I asked nicely. It's just pocket change for you. Why did you insist on making things difficult?"
"You…"
"Well, now that things have escalated, I can't let this slide so easily."
Though he said this, Ghislain hadn't really expected Amelia to comply without a fight. In fact, he found the way things were unfolding quite entertaining.
Still smiling, Ghislain continued.
"I have some bad news for you. The price has gone up to twenty thousand gold now, Amelia."
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]