Chapter 73

Chapter 73

“Du, Duchess. What do you mean by that…”

“Isn’t it true? The nobles were so united about their inner selves, I had to continue to give them preferential treatment.”

Anriche only shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“This time, Valois raised the issue directly, so you can set an example for everyone without political pressure, right?”

…Now, what?

Baron Rondini and his wife felt their bones soften.

“His Majesty the Great Emperor intends to establish a solemn imperial law through Valois.”

Oh, no.

If they are punished like this, the family might really fall…!

“No, no matter how powerful Valois is, what they’re doing to us right now is too much!”

“That’s right, to calm down the nobles…”

“Aha, are you trying to calm the nobles?”

Anriche tilted her head obliquely.

The thief said their feet are numb, isn’t that the case?

(*meaning that after doing something people feel insecure about themselves)

“Put it in.”

“…You, you know you can’t? I know you really can’t!”

“Yes, do you?”

However, even though the two couples’ blood were boiling, Anriche’s face was just calm.

“You just have to think about it.”

Contrary to that calm expression, the words were very cruel.

“As for whether the noble support the Barony Rondini or the Duchy of Valois.”

“….”

“….”

Baron Rondini and his wife, who was stabbed in the face, secretly looked into each other’s eyes. Although Anriche’s words were not over yet.

“Rather than that, the two of you are now refusing the Emperor’s orders and trying to use the noble as a shield…”

“Oh, no!”

“We don’t mean that…!”

The pissed off Baron Rondini couple quarreled and opened their mouths. While appreciating the two of them’s faces, who had turned white all of a sudden, Anriche concluded the conversation softly.

“…I wonder how you two will look in the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor?”

Damn it!

Baron Rondini clenched his teeth so hard that his molars collapsed.

Just then the Baroness grabbed her husband’s collar with a face full of fear.

“Ho, honey. What should we do…?”

“What do you mean? What should we do?!”

The Baron fired harshly with a suppressed voice.

Since there was nothing wrong with Anriche’s words, he was even more upset. The Imperial Family conducted a tax investigation, so evidence and witnesses were also in possession of the imperial family.

That means, the imperial family decided to cooperate with the Duchy of Valois…

‘…It’s like there’s nowhere to escape.’

Baron Londini closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

‘You must not confront the Duchess now. You have to get out of the situation first and plan for the future.’

With that thought, Baron Rondini, who changed his expression completely, bowed his head sullenly and opened his mouth.

“Well, Duchess…”

“Come on, then, let’s talk about the rest in court and in prison.”

Regardless, Anriche refused to listen to the two of them anymore.

Two terrified people grabbed Anriche.

“Pl, please, don’t do this! Still, we have the face of a noble…!”

“That’s right! We will be careful in the future, okay? We won’t even go near Liliana!”

At the same time, a stern command fell from the mouth of the security chief.

“Everyone, what are you doing, not holding on to those two criminals!”

…Criminals.

At that word, Baron Rondini and his wife opened their eyes.

“These are the people who messed up the tax issue, which is the basis of the empire. Take them away now!”

“Duchess of Valois…!”

“Will you really be like this!”

Anriche, who was looking at the two of them, smirked.

“You two, if it were me, I would quietly retreat from here.”

“…Yes?”

“Unless you want to add to the charge of intimidating the Mistress of the Duchy of Valois.”

A heavy silence passed.

The Baron Rondini couple, who opened their mouths as if they were going to say anything, stopped and that was all. Because they realized it instinctively…

The more they resist here, the more they will be at a disadvantage.

“Let go of this! I’ll go on my feet!”

“Criminals talk a lot.”

Baron Rondini shook the hand angrily, though the security force’s response was only cold. In the end, the two couples were dragged away by the security forces just like that.

Anriche, who had been watching them, looked back at Mrs. Tornian with graceful movements.

“I’m really sorry to show you such a rough side. Were you surprised?”

At the sound of her silky smooth voice, Mrs. Tornian suddenly came to her senses.

“Oh, no. Well, the building is…”

“I have to buy it.”

Anriche nodded her head, and the administrator approached. With a respectful gesture, he offered out papers and a pen.

She glanced at the administrator with a look of surprise.

“Have you prepared the documents in advance?”

“That’s right. The Duke has given me a separate order.”

“What? The Duke?”

“Yes. He asked me to do the job without any inconvenience.”

The administrator nodded as he replied.

In response, Anriche’s expression softened for the first time.

“…I see.”

She then accepted the documents.

It was a meticulously processed document that could change the owners if signed by one signature, could change the owners—the efforts to make it as hassle-free as possible stand out.

‘…Duke, you have taken care of me.’

For some reason, her mood became soft, and Anriche smiled faintly unknowingly.

“5000 grossen, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Okay. I’ll pay that amount in a lump sum.”

Anriche, in a dignified manner, left her signature at the end of the paperwork.

Mrs. Tornian, who was observing the whole process, made desperate efforts not to show her surprised expression.

Zoom.

But, despite all her efforts, her pupils had already been enlarged.

‘…Five, five thousand Grossen?’

It’s a three-story building located in the Capital, so she thought the price would be substantial. Nonetheless, for it to be such a huge amount…

‘It’s a bit hard for me to even say, but it’s pretty expensive.”

Suddenly, she recalled the bragging look as Baroness Rondini put strength on her shoulders.

‘But, paying that amount in a lump sum…’

Goosebumps crept up her spine.

The most surprising thing was Anriche’s dignified attitude. If she looked at it, doesn’t it seem like she’s just buying something that doesn’t matter?

At that moment, Mrs. Tornian realized.

‘If Valois went against Tornian….. The Tornian will never survive.’

Overwhelming wealth, and influence that could move even the imperial family to the downfall of a family…

She was afraid to have either one, but Valois had both. Also, showing all this process to the Tornian itself was a warning to the Tornian family. It was a warning that they could treat Tornian this much at any time.

“……”

Mrs. Tornian felt her mouth dry out.

At the same time, Anriche gave her her words with a smiling face.

“Then, now that we’re done with our business, shall we have a cup of tea at a cozy teahouse?”

She didn’t even care about how terrifying the things she had done were. It was just a casual voice.

***

Steam came up on top of the luxurious teacup.

The fragrant aroma of tea lingers on the tip of the nose. Though Mrs. Tornian was not paying attention to the scent at all.

‘It feels like a prisoner dragged to the death row.’

Feeling her mouth dry, Mrs. Tornian gulped down the lukewarm tea like cold water.

Suddenly…

“It smells good.”

At the same time, Anriche spoke to her in a friendly way, and she was startled.

“Cough, cough, cough—!”

Anriche hurriedly handed her a handkerchief to Mrs. Tornian

“Oh my, are you okay?”

“Ah, yes, yes…”

Mrs. Tornian was only able to stop her coughing after a while.

“More than that, it’s nice to be able to spend time alone with Mrs. Tornian like this.”

Saying so, Anriche took a sip of her tea with an impeccably graceful movement. She then added her words as she joked.

“I guess it’s because there are rumors that have spread in the social circles, and everyone secretly avoids me.”

“Ah, ah ha ha…”

That was because the Duchess of Valois was the worst ‘wicked woman’ in the social world. Recently, there have been rumors that she had become quite milder than it used to be, although people did not readily believe the rumors unless they saw it with their own eyes.

And from Mrs. Tornian’s point of view…

‘What do you mean milder…!’

It was literally a taste of death.

Not to mention, the violet eyes staring at her quietly were like sharpened blades. It was to the point where she felt that the old days were better. At that time, she could have gotten over it if she had just given Anriche a little bit of compliment, but now…

‘I don’t know what the hell she’s thinking!’

That was when Mrs. Tornian was screaming inside.

“I’m really happy to have had the opportunity to talk alone like this.”

Click.

The sound of the teacup being set down was deafening in her ears. At the same time, Anriche let out a deep sigh.

“The truth is, it was a fight between children, so I didn’t want to get in the way.”

“…Yes?”

“But… I don’t know how long I can stand it.”

…Wait, what in the world does this mean?

Mrs. Tornian gazed at her with a bewildered face.

Anriche had dropped a bomb at her.

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