CH 130

“Then let’s get the roads reorganized as soon as possible.”

Without taking her eyes off the piles of documents, Cersinia ordered her aide.

“Yes, I understand. My Lord, Baron Serbian and Viscount Getirom want to come and see you. What shall we do?”

Joanna, a competent aide, selected in advance by the interview, asked, raising her monocle. At that question, Cersinia’s hand, moving the fountain pen eagerly, stopped. Her fine forehead wrinkles as if the situation is quite unsatisfactory.

“Tell them to wait for a moment. I’ll be right there.”

She replied, pressing down on her temples at the painful headache.

“Yes, I will pass it on.”

“Haa…”

As Joanna left her office after politely greeting, Cersinia let out a deep sigh.

It was her big mistake to think she would be able to rest when she came on vacation. The vacation she thought would be relaxing didn’t exist, and all her plans went up in smoke.

“Countess, we’re on vacation, right?”

May, who was waving her legs in the corner, said. She was standing by Cersinia’s side because she couldn’t play alone while Cersinia was working. But being stuck in the office for a long time was boring and frustrating.

“May, I’m okay, so go out. You wanted to look around.”

Knowing that May had high expectations, Cersinia conciliated, saying she was okay.

“No, there’s no point in being alone.”

May shook her head violently. She was pretty stubborn, as if she wouldn’t give in.

“I’m okay…”

Cersinia was forced to turn back to the papers again. It was obvious that May wouldn’t move unless she went out. So it was better to finish her work as soon as possible without straining herself with this.

“Huu. I didn’t expect to be a lord in this life…”

However, there was nothing she could do about the mountain of documents in front of her. The documents to be processed didn’t decrease even after she came to the estate and did it for three days and nights.

Even in the capital, she also checked and processed documents related to the estate from time to time. Still, it was different from what she had seen in the letters when she came down and encountered them in person.

In addition, the renovation of the walls, road maintenance, sanitation of the estate, and restarting of the mining of mines that had been suspended. She had to understand all of them and measure the budget again from the beginning.

‘Damn it. I just got the title. I didn’t want to do this.’

But what can she do? The water has already been spilled…

“May, I have to go down to the parlor room. Do you want to stay here?”

Cersinia, who finished the documents she was looking at, stood up from her seat to meet the Baron and Viscount, who were waiting for her in the parlor.

Since coming down here, she has been tired due to the nobles who came to her daily. It was an added bonus for them to bring gifts, so they looked good in front of the new lord. Of course, she couldn’t meet everyone who came, but there was nothing bad about getting acquainted with nobles who settled in her estate.

“No, let’s go down together. I’m going to take a walk in the garden.”

May jumped up like a spring as if she had a lot of pain. Feeling sorry for the sigh, Cersinia thought she should somehow make time for her sooner or later.

“By the way, haven’t you seen the Grand Duke since a while ago?”

May, who was walking down the hall with Cersinia, asked while looking around. Ben had always been with Cersinia, who was busy with her estate work, but she had not seen her since earlier.

“I sent him out.”

“Huh? Where?”

“He said he was okay to stay with me, so I forced him to go out and take a look. I feel sorry for him who came down so far and spent all his time in the office because of me.”

“Um… But I think the Grand Duke would like to spend a month alone with the Countess in the office…?”

May carefully opened her mouth and examined Cersinia’s reaction.

From the behavior of the Grand Duke she had seen so far, he would have liked to even be with Cersinia in the office throughout the vacation. On the contrary, it was obvious that he would find it more difficult to bear the time when they were not together. May was sure about it.

While she somehow thinks that Cersinia doesn’t know the Grand Duke more than she does.

“Then take a good walk. Since you’re out, get some fresh air.”

“Yes. Countess should get some fresh air too.”

Cersinia sent May with a smile and beckoned the servant standing in front of the door to the parlor room.

“Lord is entering.”

The servant, who received the signal, pulled the doorknob of the parlor room and announced it with a loud voice. With a rattling sound, both doors opened.

Cersinia took a short deep breath as she stepped into the parlor room. The smile she had shown to May disappeared as if she had never made it, and her expression became serious. She had a perfect posture. Even her waist, which stands upright like an old tree that doesn’t bend.

The energy and aura emanating from her were enough to kill everyone’s spirit. It was to the point where the Baron and Viscount, who had been sitting carelessly, abruptly got up from their seats and bowed their heads quickly.

“G-Greetings to the Lord.”

Count Cersinia greeted them and, of course, took the top seat.

* * *

In the training ground built on the exterior of the Countess’s mansion, new knights were training for a long time. Under the deputy leader’s directions, they circled around the training ground in unison, each glancing at one place. Some knights looked at the place in awe, banged their heads at the back of the person in front of them, and even some fell.

Ben and Archen were at the place where everyone’s attention was focused. The two were sparing each other for a long time. They weren’t using real swords but wooden swords, but their technique was so sharp that every time they swung their sword, it made a sound of cutting the wind.

Ben was flexibly striking Archen’s sword, who was attacking with all his might, with an indifferent expression. For a moment, Archen’s back foot faltered back, and his eyes shone sharply. Like a hawk that doesn’t let go of its prey, Ben swung his sword at Archen, whose posture was disturbed instantly.

Thud.

With a dull sound, the sword that Archen held fell to the ground. The training ground became silent because of what had happened so quickly.

“Wow…”

But soon after, there was a small exclamation coming from here and there. It was leaking between the knights glancing at the two men and the maids secretly watching the scene. And the scene was also seen by May, who went for a walk.

On the way, the maids hid behind trees and talked, so she wondered what it was and saw the training ground. All the maids were blushing. And when her gaze reached, the Grand Duke was there.

“Kyaaa~ He’s really cool!”

“That’s right. No wonder I smell something different from the training ground, which always smells of sweat.”

They made a fuss and stamped their feet like a shy girl. May knew the Grand Duke was popular, but she didn’t expect him to be this popular. She shook her head at sight and muttered to herself.

“As expected, it’s better for them to be in the office together.”

That’s what she wanted to say to Cersinia, who forced the Grand Duke out. In the end, sending the Grand Duke out to get some fresh air only increased the number of his followers.

May wondered how Cersinia would react when she later shared this story with her, and she turned her body around to walk again. But she stopped her steps because of the following words from the maids.

“But do you know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The new Lord. Since she’s fearsome enough, she was called as a witch in the capital…”

“Gasp! Watch your words!”

“Ah! Take it back! I take my words back!”

The maid hurriedly reversed her words by hitting herself in the mouth.

“But why was our Lord being called like that? She greeted me very kindly when I met her last time…”

“Well, I heard that when there was a big fire in the capital, I heard that the Lord put out the fire alone. The fire looked like a giant demon was summoned. Uh… she’s like a monster.”

“What? That’s totally…”

“Isn’t it scary?”

May’s eyes, which were listening to their conversation, suddenly became cold. Her fists trembled. Without knowing anything, they dare to talk about Cersinia!

“No? Isn’t she really cool?”

May, who was about to run to them in rage, stopped at the answer she heard. The maid’s eyes were sparkling after hearing the story.

“…Uh? What?”

“You mean she really did it on her own? That’s totally cool! She’s like a goddess from myth!”

There was awe in the eyes of the sparkling maids as if her words were not a lie.

“Uh, uh… That’s right.”

The maid who brought out that, perhaps not expecting the response will be like this, ended her words with an embarrassed look.

“…”

May turned around with a choked expression. It was a very small change, but definitely different from before.

May, who watched it from the beginning, felt mixed feelings. She knew how hard Cersinia was going through until she was in this position. All of this was the result of Cersinia’s achievements.

“Hehe. I will be teased again.”

May immediately wiped her tears away with her hands. Cersinia would have asked her when she saw her eyes become red, so she shouldn’t show it to her. Soon she regained her composure and moved her legs bravely.

She still thought it was good that she didn’t leave Cersinia four years ago.