Volume 10 - CH 11

I made my parents’ marriage null and void and explained how I would be the daughter of the Duke of Chester.

“How can you be so smart, my sister?”

Zachary was in awe.

In the first place, the barbarians, a matriarchal society, had no occasion to fight such a problem, so he found my idea quite extraordinary.

“What can I do to help?”

“You just need to reveal at the court that you are the illegitimate son of Cayden Crawford, orabeoni.”

Lord Patron was the first witness, but his testimony alone was not enough.

He had to appear in person to prove the existence of an out-of-wedlock child.

As I found out, temples have their own method of identifying bloodlines.

Of course, they don’t use a magic tool for that, but it is a traditional method.

“Is that a difficult request, orabeoni?”

It can’t be.

If not that then how can the barbarians connect with the Empress Dowager?

As expected, Zachary’s mouth, which had only hardened like a rock, drew an arch.

“I will help you, my sister, with all my might.”

As I had expected.

To those who were isolated, I was like a string of hope. It was a stroke of luck for them to meet me.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

“Selina, what did you just say?”

Seriously surprised, Cedric swept his wide-open mouth.

“3…… 30%?”

“Yes.”

In fact, the tax he told me was 25 percent of the total farm produced.

The price was small compared to the residents of the territory, who pay 30 percent as a tribute.

“It’s easy to reduce taxes, but it’s never easy to increase them, Uncle. Especially against the barbarians.”

“But they….… Do they understand the tribute to the lord?”

Oh, this guy is acting frustrated again.

‘People never understand why they have to pay taxes! They just pay because they have no choice but to do so.’

Who digs the ground for business?

“If not now, how are you going to raise it to 30 percent later?’’

It’s probably after I left the West, but it didn’t change then.

“The barbarian warriors are truly terrifying.”

It was no wonder that the White Eagle Knights struggled against them.

If we suddenly raise taxes after they’ve just adjusted to it, they might cut the lord’s throat.

“Yes, by the way…… You’ve done a good job.”

Cedric eventually smiled awkwardly as if he thought it was impossible.

I could only sigh at the sight.

‘Phew… how will Cedric survive here without me?’

No one has an answer to that.

I shouldn’t have saved him.

“There’s one more thing to be surprised about.”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Did you know that my father had an extramarital child?”

“…… What?”

“My mother knew. Lord Patron also knew. He said that he has been watching them since they were still children.”

Cedric was simply stunned as if he had been struck by lightning. I guess he never imagined it.

“My father has two illegitimate sons. My older brother is 22 years old while my younger brother is the same age as me.”

“……”

A line of blood vessels appeared on his sturdy forearm as he let out a rough sigh and washed his face dry.

“Do not worry. He said he would not take the Crawford family name.”

As members of a matrilineal society, Zachary and Kirch wanted to remain only as honorable sons of their mother.

There was no way they would take over the family name and threaten Cedric’s place.

That was what I was telling him.

“If you’re really anxious, I could make them take an oath……”

“I don’t care about that kind of problem.”

Cedric, who gritted his teeth, cut off my words in displeasure.

“How…… How could my brother do such a dirty thing!?”

Bang!

His forehead and neck were also bloodshot as he hit the table.

He looked genuinely angry.

It was a betrayal of Joanna that Cayden Crawford made two out-of-wedlock children.

He disregarded the woman he loved so much and broke the sacred oath of marriage.

Cedric seemed to be on fire about this matter.

“Your father is such a disgusting human being. I don’t even want to call him my brother!”

Cedric even pointed a finger at me and heated up.

“Ever since he was little, he was greedy for everything! He doesn’t even know a thing about responsibility! Unscrupulous! Son of a bitch!”

Maybe he wanted to vent his anger on his brother’s daughter in front of him, so he shouted out loud.

“Even a male dog in heat will be more chaste than your father! Unlucky fucking bastard!”

Cedric, whose face was flushed, couldn’t contain his anger and split the armrest of the chair with one hand.

Cedric’s words were also roughly captivated by the strange sight of hardwood breaking into pieces from his grasp.

“I should have killed him! I’m going to dig it out of the family’s grave right now! A shitty bastard who doesn’t know anything about honor!”

‘What the heck?’

Cedric vented his anger on me for a long time and stood up, saying he would really dig up the grave.

He was so angry that I called him in a low voice when I saw the back of him as he walked out of the study vigorously.

“Uncle.”

“Don’t even call me that!”

Cedric cried without even looking back at me.

He seemed to be angry with me as well.

‘What on earth am I guilty of?’

I can’t tell what’s going on because his reasoning is turned upside down by his own emotions.

“After I dig up your father’s grave, I no longer family with him!”

“Actually, there was one thing strange about it.”

Cedric, who opened the door as if to break it, paused at my calm voice.

I put the present I received from Zachari on the table.

Thud-