CH 108

My room was completely devastated. Fortunately, no one was in the room, so there were no casualties. Because it was a bomb delivered by mail, there was a limit to its range.

In the original story, only the office was slightly burned as well.

‘Duke Icard was more distressed by the burned documents than relieved that he wasn’t hurt…’

Perhaps the attacker, while not described in the original, must have had the intention to burn his office even if they did not harm Duke Icard.

“Oh, my gosh… What to do! All the clothes and stuff that were here are burned out!”

As Lisa saw my room, which was all about to crumble, she rolled her feet.

“Anyway, I’m glad that Miss Laria said that the dressing room was a bit damp. Because of that, I have a separate set of dresses, jewelry, and a gown for tomorrow’s banquet.”

Everyone was fidgeting, but I was quite relieved.

‘I ended up staying up all night at the library. I’m really happy.’

Now that I’m used to luxury, my back hurts when I sleep in a place other than the bed.

“Laria, are you hurt anywhere?”

I was looking around my room when Evan arrived. He came running and checked my safety first.

“Uh… Thankfully, I fell asleep in the library last night.”

“Is it hard to hear because the explosion is so loud? Is it so shocking that your voice is trembling?”

“Well, I can hear your voice trembling very well.”

After confirming that I was fine, Evan immediately started tracking down who was behind it. It was also new to see he personally collecting the traces of the parcels left in my room and giving orders to his subordinates.

At the same time, I was reminded that he was no longer the little boy who was blushing to the nape of his neck.

‘…It’s okay because he was safe.’

Last night Evan wasn’t in the office until dawn, but I didn’t know.

His profile, giving the orders to find out who was behind it, looked cool and calm. I seemed to understand why the phrase ‘no blood or tears’ came out in the original story.

“Well, Miss Laria.”

While I was staring blankly at Evan from the office, Lisa stood cautiously next to me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Because your room has become like this… From now on, you’ll have to stay in the Lord’s room from tonight, right?”

I couldn’t answer that. Evan, who was looking into the broken glass bottle in my ruined room, cut his hand.

“Evan! Are you okay?”

“…Uh, I’m okay.”

“No, what did you do!”

His hands were dripping with blood.

“I need to treat you right away…”

However, he didn’t listen to me until the end and looked at Lisa blankly instead.

“You want Laria to stay in my room?”

“Well… That doesn’t mean she can stay in the guest room.”

As Lisa answered with a puzzled face, Morand also helped right away.

“Isn’t that the place where Miss Laria used to stay? You used separate rooms for some unknown reason, though since it is the room you used to share, wouldn’t it be appropriate to go to that room?”

Blood dripped from Evan’s hand, yet he sighed without even thinking of wiping it.

“Ah… I didn’t think of that…”

I clenched my teeth and barely smiled. What was the point of showing his dislike in front of all these people?

‘Seeing that you like to have a room by yourself, you’ll be alone for the rest of your life, you picky person.’

After casting a curse and regaining my composure, I spoke kindly.

“Evan, then I’ll just sleep in the guest room or Serena’s room. Of course, I like the best bedrooms and expensive bedding, but I can’t help it because you’ll be uncomfortable.”

“What are you talking about?”

Evan shook his head.

“Still, there was an attack, and I think having you in front of me will give me peace of mind. When I think of you sleeping in that room last night, my body trembles.”

“You’re still uncomfortable.”

“It’s unavoidable.”

‘As a courtesy, just say it’s okay…’

I didn’t even respond because I got upset. Where did the thirteen-year-old kid I used to hug when I fell asleep go? Now, he was only professional in making people uncomfortable…

“Anyway, let us stay together until the room is repaired.”

‘Anyway, it’s only one night until the day of the banquet, but you’re making such a difficult expression.’

Being sarcastic, I folded my arms and shrugged.

“No, I don’t want to be with someone who is uncomfortable with me. There are so many rooms, I don’t need to be with you.”

“I was imprudent, I’m sorry. Even if you sleep somewhere else, I don’t think I can sleep because I will be anxious.”

Even though I wanted to refuse to the end, Lisa sighed and intervened first.

“What to do? The indoor clothes I took out are for summer. There must be quite a lot others, but isn’t it a bit cold yet?”

“I can’t help it. I’ll just wear it.”

“If it’s cold, it would be better to wear the Young Duke’s robe.”

There was no more chance to say no. It was because Evan had a nosebleed, and Nathan hurriedly helped him out.

* * *

From the dawn of the bombing, Evan has been very busy. His tenacity to always track down the person behind it was remarkable.

‘I don’t think there was a person behind it in the original story.’

I didn’t know if it was because it wasn’t vital or if I really didn’t see it. Nevertheless, I thought it would be strange not to be able to find the culprit after such a thorough investigation.

“It could be an attack aimed at the Young Duke’s spouse.”

Evan gritted his teeth.

“We must unconditionally find the person behind it and destroy it.”

‘…Even if it’s an attack, no one was hurt anyway, let’s just call it a day?’

To be honest, it wasn’t an attack against me, but I couldn’t pretend to know it.

Instead…

‘He must be having a hard time these days. He even had a nosebleed.’

I returned to the library and sighed as I looked at my share of documents.

‘However, he must be swamped because of the attack.’

Up until now, I had been struggling not to look smarter than I needed to at the Duke’s residence. It was because I thought that I should not receive as much suspicion or vigilance from the Duke as possible.

‘But, I’m ready to go into hiding anyway, and I’ll run away soon, so it’ll be fine.’

Plus, I even had a movement scroll.

‘I can go at any time.’

After rationalizing it like that, I picked up my pen. I felt like I had to show off my skills.

‘Phew. I don’t want to see the person who’s professional in making people uncomfortable, not able to manage his facial expressions because he doesn’t want to share a room with me to suffer again…’

Although I grumbled inside, I didn’t like seeing Evan have a hard time again.

‘It makes me sad to see him huffing and puffing, saying it must be an attack on me.’

To be honest, while Evan didn’t really like me as a woman, he really cared for me as a family. There were many moments where I felt that it was different from usual small considerations.

‘…I’m afraid he’ll have a hard time, so I’m going to have to do all my work myself, so he can focus on the investigation.’

I didn’t even expect that I couldn’t be indifferent to Evan because of that aspect.

‘I guess I have childhood loyalty.’

And so, I started to process the papers one by one. It was because I wanted to reduce Evan’s work by even one.

It was after dark that night that I called Morand.

“Miss Laria.”

He immediately came to the library with a happy face.

“You must have been very busy, but you worked hard. Is there anything I can help you with a little?”

He spoke very kindly, like a kindergarten teacher.

‘…He gave me praise first. Without even asking how much I did. I guess he really didn’t expect it.’

In addition, the word ‘a little’ was intended to mean that I did it, no matter how much he would be assisting. His loyalty to Icard really had to be acknowledged.

“I’m not sure, Morand. I did everything for now.”

“…What?”

“It’s all done.”

As Morand’s eyes fluttered in confusion, I looked at the confusion overlaid on his face.

‘He looked like he had already made up his mind to do everything again.’

Originally, the task of correcting mistakes was more complex than the task of doing it from the start.

“All this without my help…”

“Take it and review it first. If there is something missing, please tell me.”

Morand, who had an anxious expression, rummaged through the first few pages and opened his mouth.

“Oh, and I don’t want to leave it in writing, so I have something to tell you verbally.”

I flipped over the papers and pointed to a place.

“Here, there is a fine for Viscount Aldahad.”

“Eehh…”

“Viscount Aldahad is going to be fined nine hundred golds though they already started a public opinion campaign.”

Politics wasn’t just about the people above. The vassals also united and tried to protect their interests somehow.

Viscount Aldahard broke the bylaws this time and had to pay a fine, but there were already opinions that nine hundred golds were too much. However, it was easy to set a bad precedent if the fines were not allocated properly, this time to keep an eye on the vassals.

“So, make a rumor that there will be a fine of two thousand golds. If you add all the customary provisions, that would be enough.”

“Well, Miss Laria. Then, the backlash will be huge.”

“It would be huge.”

I continued as I closed the papers.

“It would be hugely colossal.”

“…What?”

“If they were asked to pay nine hundred golds after that, they would think that it was less than the rumors, and they had made a fuss for nothing.”

Of course, nine hundred golds was a large amount, but it had the effect of looking relatively small compared to two thousand golds.

“Spread rumors that Viscount Aldahad started the two thousand golds rumors.”

To dare to try to contest public opinion against the Duchy, they would have to eat dirt. Then, everyone would accuse Viscount Aldahard of making a fuss with something that was not true because he got more frightened than necessary.

It was only natural that his influence would disappear in the future.

“…Miss Laria.”

Morand’s voice, who understood everything, even trembled.

“Don’t.”

I cut off Morand at once.

“Praise is done after work. Not now. Don’t even tell the Duke and Evan. They’re busy, so I can’t make them worry about this.”

“Unbelievable…”

He muttered, almost having trouble breathing.

“You have a knack for such frivolous scheming and mean work behind the scenes.”

‘…Is it a compliment? Or insult?’

“How happy the two would be to know that you are the right person for Icard.”

Surprisingly, it seemed like a compliment.