Chapter 38

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Chapter 38

Carlyx had been listening silently and calmly responded.

“If you think you lost because of that reason, then come again next time. I doubt you’re going to return, but I can deal with you anytime.”

“…Deal with me anytime?”

Xandarvan’s face twisted severely. He clenched his fists tightly and grit his teeth.

Seeing such a composed Carlyx made him want to break that equanimity someday.

The Marquisate of Jean felt uncomfortable, but Xandarvan would visit only once anyway.

Okay, maybe twice.

“We’d better see each other again after the war.”

“If you want to, come to the Zistanter Knightly Order. Because I won’t go to the Manefartal Knightly Order.”

“Of course, I must do that. Unlike me, you aren’t welcome anywhere.”

The door opened carefully as Xandarvan and Carlyx were busy exchanging spiteful words.

It was very unusual for a servant to enter during dinner. When Carlyx and Xandarvan both gave sidelong scowls to the servant, she hastily approached Tyler.

Xandarvan seemed curious about the servant’s urgency.

‘How important is it to disturb a peaceful dinner?’

A shadow crossed Tyler’s face as he dismissed the servant. As he poured the wine in Daisy’s glass, he bowed his head and whispered to her.

Xandarvan perked up his ears, trying to hear as much as possible, but he couldn’t hear anything.

He could only see Daisy’s face slowly change.

“Oh, no….!”

Xandarvan put down the cutlery with a stiff face as he watched Daisy’s shocked expression.

“How’s that possible…! It’s a necklace and bracelet I got for my wedding.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I apologize for showing you such an unpleasant side of me.”

Her voice was trembling weakly. Xandarvan seemed concerned, looking at the distressed Madam.

The staggering Daisy pressed her temple and sighed deeply.

Now, the place was filled with a cold and heavy air.

“I-It’s the gifts that Carlyx gave me at our wedding.”

“The one he gave you?” Xandarvan asked in bewilderment.

Soon Daisy replied.

“It’s true that the servants stole those accessories.”

Now her voice was shaking as if she was stranded in a winter storm.

“T-That can’t be true-”

When her thin body finally gave up and tilted to the side, Caryx quickly stretched out his arms and hugged her.

“Oh no! Madam Daisy!”

“Marquis Xandarvan. I sincerely apologize for showing this kind of appearance.”

“I knew this would happen. What are the servants doing to make her faint like this?”

“I apologize once again. Madam has been anxious for a few days, so she asked me to report as soon as it became clear.”

Tyler bowed his head deeply and apologized.

“I’ll send the meal to your room. I’ll also bring you the wine .”

The words eased Xandarvan’s agitation. He had nothing to complain about as long as the wine was there.

He was able to enjoy drinking wine alone while avoiding Carlyx. It wasn’t as bad as he thought.

Xandarvan cleared his throat and rose from his seat. As he turned around, he glanced at Daisy.

“I wonder how fragile you are that you even faint just from hearing such news~”

Xandarvan was about to bend his head to get a closer look at Daisy, but Carlyx stood up while holding Daisy in his arms. He wrapped her body and pulled her face closer to his chest.

“I’m looking forward to the meal after our next match in the future.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Xandarvan raised his head. His confident expression was tinted with arrogance.

Apologies. He wanted apologies.

Carlyx read his gesture and steadied his mind.

Originally, he wouldn’t have thought about doing it. Since it doesn’t benefit him in any way.

But the situation is different now.

He needed to play along with Daisy’s plans. He must hold on even as his body told him to turn away.

Apologize. He must apologize.

“Um, Sir Xandarvan, today…”

As he tried to open his heavy mouth, Daisy pressed on his chest quite strongly. He glanced down only to find her secretly drawing a line with her finger.

As if she was shaking her head.

‘Do you mean I don’t have to go that far yet?’

Because high society hasn’t noticed the change in Marquisate of Jean yet. So nothing will change even if he did anything to show any transformation.

Carlyx slowly relaxed his breathing.

Just like him, did she do this because she cares about him?

Soon, Carlyx regained his poise and recited dully.

“The match was not bad. But I hope you work harder next time.”

After saying that, Carlyx turned his back. His steps were lighter than ever.

They left the dining room and went upstairs. When they arrived at the bedroom, Carlyx looked down at Daisy.

“You can open your eyes now, Daisy.”

Daisy opened her eyes with a deep smile. The shocked expression he saw earlier has entirely gone.

Carlyx knelt slightly so Daisy could land on the floor.

Roughly grasping the situation, Carlyx asked.

“By the way, what did the servant say to Tyler?”

Tyler was certainly an accomplice in this plan, but not the servant. Tyler and May were the only ones she trusted, after all.

Daisy replied with a carefree attitude.

“There’s a problem with the dessert that’s coming out soon. She must’ve said that.”

“Was there really a problem?”

“No. I told May to find a gullible maid and send her to the dining room.”

In fact, May truly followed Daisy’s order. She grabbed a maid, wept and begged her to go to the dining room.

All of them will lose their letters of recommendation if they keep being dragged by the chef’s incompetence like this.

They would also be scolded if they offended the noble guest who came after a long time.

With tears in her eyes, May acted with all her might and pushed the maid’s back.

“That’s amazing.”

Xandarvan’s eyes were the eyes of the nobles. Before him, Daisy lied that her accessories had been stolen.

They put on a show and there was a witness trusted by the Empire.

If an article was written, the name of Marquis Jean and Xandarvan Chatul together would attract attention.

It was a card to control the servants.

The reason Daisy made this happen was simple.

She hoped she could use this to keep the servants under control even after she fired them. She also judged that shackles were needed to bind them because she didn’t fully trust them.

In order to do that, several things must occur.

‘It should be a matter that all noble families care about.’

Precious items such as accessories or jewelry. These are the things that dominate high society.

The made-up story should be a heart-wrenching tale that nobles might themselves sometimes experience.

‘There should be an influential person witnessing the situation play out.’

Xandarvan had married but lost his wife a few years ago. He had no children because of his short-lived married life, and he was the commander of the Imperial Knights Order.

He was literally at the center of interest.

And Xandarvan wasn’t a quiet person. He wouldn’t hesitate to speak the moment his visit to the mansion was revealed.

Maybe he won’t disclose the match or results, but he most likely would broadcast the events in the dining room. People would be curious about his experience and what happened during his visit to the Marquisate.

‘That way, all the servants will be suspected.’

The Madam’s expensive jewelry was more accessible to maids and housekeepers than to male servants. So she had to make it as if there was a possibility of collaboration.

“It’s true that the servants stole those accessories-”

If she vaguely said ‘the servants’, it was impossible to identify the culprit by gender. And as there are many people suspected, Daisy could easily pressure them.

It was ruthless yet necessary to prevent them from gossiping about the Marquisate later.

Even if it wasn’t jewelry, she knew that they had stolen other items one by one so far.

Moreover, they took their sweet time and worked half-heartedly in the Marquisate of Jean without any guilt. So Carlyx, Luciana and River suffered the damage.

[Xandarvan has witnessed. Where did the wedding necklace and bracelet go?]

[Xandarvan suffered the darkness of the Marquisate of Jean. Is this the end of trust, a farewell? What is the truth at the end?!]

Articles were already written all over the newspapers by the reporters that Daisy hired.

Even if they didn’t see today’s newspaper, the servants who heard the news turned pale.

Everyone was thinking about a way to avoid suspicion.

“I trusted you until the end.”

It was a simple word Daisy said in front of all the servants.

Looking at her cold but deep smile, they trembled in fear. The blue eyes scouring them felt chilly.

“Madam! I didn’t do that. I swear I didn’t do that!”

A maid hurriedly knelt in front of her. The others also kneeled following her action.

They began to beg with tearful faces as if it was unfair.

“Madam, I don’t even know what that precious accessory looks like!”

“I’ve never been close to you. How could I do such a thing?!”

“Please believe me! I’m sure Madam knows how hard I work these days.”

There were people who hit their chests and people who punched the floor frantically.

Daisy was calm in a space filled with crying and shouting. She only shook her head slightly.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can just write everyone a letter of recommendation.”

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