CH 2.9

CHAPTER 2: SPRING COMES TO EVERYONE (IX)

Part 026

Adrian came to pick her up the next day too. But today, Rootvan went out of the mansion with her. Seeing Adrian waiting outside the carriage despite the fairly hot weather, he cleared his throat and approached him. Her father did not come out, only a shadow was visible through the dining room window. 

“Duke Bigor, I’m late to greet you. Damian said that the Duke always takes care of her. Thank you.”

“Nice to meet you, young Count. Did the Lady said so?”

Adrian smiled and accepted Rootvan’s words. His reaction surprised not only Rootvan but also her. Under only three dukes and five marquises, there were 50 counts and 100 earls. If you add barons and baronets who were single-ranking nobles here, the number of nobles in Lorentine alone would easily exceed several thousand. It was a Lorentine aristocratic society in which ranks were tied according to title even if they belonged to the same nobility. That’s why Mario, the second son of the Marquis of Talus, did something crazy to her like that. Of course, his reputation as an aristocrat would be very poor, but even if her father found out about it, he could do nothing more than make a formal protest. So she didn’t even inform him. He would be upset if he found out later.

Damn it. Anyway, the situation was like that, and His Excellency, the Duke, was honoring Rootvan, a heir who hasn’t even inherited the title yet. It’s a different story than being respectful to the lady. Because it was considered manners towards women, it was usually respectful to adoptive daughters or noble ladies. Even considering that, Adrian’s tone was too polite. To show respect to Rootvan, who was not even seeing them for the first time, meant respect for a relationship that goes beyond title. In other words, it’s because of her.

It’s strangely burdensome, but she didn’t mind telling her brother not to be polite.

“Yes, Your Excellency. Sometimes we talk about the Duke.”

At the same time, Rootvan’s tone became more polite. Adrian smiled with satisfaction. It could be seen from the side thatRootvan’s face was hardened.

“I hope it wasn’t a bad story. I’ll take care of Lady Damian, so don’t worry. Then we’ll see you again.”

Adrian smiled and held out his hand to her, and she climbed into the carriage with Rootvan on her back, saying, ‘Well, please take care of her.’

She decided to sit down as if she knew nothing. Meanwhile, he greeted her with a smile on his face.

“Good morning, Damian.”

This man had a good head. Now she understood a little bit what Adol was talking about. She was making her own placeable on a line that’s not inconvenient. This was what it meant to show ‘his’ heart.

Did she feel excited for nothing? Wait. Was she an easy girl? No matter how much it was, it’s only been a few days since she rejected the dating request, and she couldn’t do as if nothing happened already. Adrian’s eyes drooped slightly as she tried to sit still with her expression closed. It’s like he’s rolling his eyeballs and looking at her, or something. It was cute.

“Good morning, Adrian.”

When she answered with a smile on her face, Adrian smiled widely. His smile was so pretty that she was taken aback. Ah, bad for the heart. It was cute, pretty, and very upsetting. This man…

* * *

Somewhere between Lootvan, who had a bewildered face, and Earl Colin, whose eyes were shining through the dining room window, Jenny was standing. Jenny, who was watching Damian as she was being sucked into the wagon by Adrian’s picturesque escort, with a face like a newlywed who had been put out on the water’s edge, she saw Damian waving her hand through the wagon window and saying hello, and her face brightened like a flower blooming.

“Jenny, I’ll be back.”

“Yes, please be careful.”

Jenny stood there waving her hand long after the carriage had pulled out of the mansion before she heard Anna’s scolding.

“Do it in moderation. Do you like her that much?”

“Yeah. I want to put it in my mouth and mumble.”

“Hey, you’re sick, sick.”

“Leave it alone. If it’s a disease, I’ll throw away George, the guy who can only cure it.”

Tired of Jenny spouting nasty words while still shaking her hand with a mother’s smile, Ruby shook her head.

“Sister, please be careful in front of the lady. In fact, how surprised would she be if she found out that you were so ‘talkative’?”

“My lady knows.”

Jenny smiled and turned around, leaving the mansion behind and heading towards the backyard. Some time ago Jenny started growing her own herbs to care for Damian’s hair and skin.

Ruby followed and kept asking.

“Our lady knows that you usually go around talking rudely?”

“She knows. She knows better than anyone what kind of life I’ve lived.”

Jenny answered politely. Then, Anna, who was following her, smiled brightly.

“Don’t talk. Now I’m even shy. When I first came as a maid, there were no routes or working rules. The lady-in-waiting was so worried about how good it would be to use a norm.”

“Yes?”

“We were assigned to the same room, so we fought a lot.”

“That’s because you’re trembling and being unlucky.”

“Looking at you right now, who says that?”

“If you twist me, I will attack you.”

Jenny smiled and started picking weeds in her herb garden. Anna shook her head and sat down beside her to weed her weeds together.

Dooby sat down beside Anna and whispered in a low voice.

Jenny, what kind of life did she have in the past?”

Jenny, who has a keen ear, heard Ruby’s voice and replied casually.

“Representative of the Children’s Pickpockets in the Earldom of Etihad,”

Then she tossed the weed she had pulled out toward Ruby. As Ruby opened her mouth wide, unable to answer with an expressionless expression on her face, Anna let out a deep sigh.

“Why did my lady bring someone like this?”

As Jenny and Anna put the weeds they dug up into a basket, Doobie poured out questions as if she were curious.

“Did she bring Jennie? When she was a little girl? What was our little lady like when she was young?”

“She was so cute that I just wondered how she could be like that. She was round and soft and went around with a little smile, and it’s only recently that he shows up again.” 

“Really? I’m surprised at how different she looks from last year to how she looks these days.”

“It’s because she was depressed for a while after Madame passed away. Before that, she was just like that. How cute, lovely, and dainty she was.”

Jenny looked into the distance with her dim eyes and smiled. Anna looked at Jenny with her pathetic face, then shook her head again. Ruby snuggled up next to Anna, lowering her voice and whispering.

“Desn’t Jenny look very dangerous sometimes?”

“If you know it, don’t go near her when she is like that.”

“What?”

Jenny turned around. Her eyes were scary.

“My lady should get married. These days, it seems like she is doing well with Duke Bigor.”

Ruby recalled Adrian’s smile and blushing expression, but Jenny muttered with her cold face.

“Huh. Is the Duke our baby’s pair?”

“No matter how crazy he is for the lady, that’s not the case. Duke Bigor, our lady is so great, what are you doing?”

“The bastard had an innocent smile on his face, and his eyes went dark. It’s clear that he’s a dark-hearted guy.”

At Jenny’s gossip, Anna just laughs blankly.

“Who are you talking about…”

* * *

When she heard about the trial after going to work, the Marquis of Talus was greeted with excitement. As expected, deprivation of office, 8 million gold refund, and 5 years in prison. It was not uncommon for an incumbent Marquis to be sentenced to prison. But just buying a few pieces of shoes wouldn’t cost you 1 million gold. Even for the Marquis it was too much. No matter how badly he treated the commander, he warned him to fix it several times, but he didn’t even listen. He could be removed from office as a commander, but not arrested or detained. Since the Marquis of Talus has announced that he will appeal to the trial of the nobility, a long fight would continue until the outcome comes out. The ruling of the noble court was made by His Majesty the King, but even the King, if he had eyes, would look at those absurdly fabricated documents.

She had no work today, probably because it was after she finished a big project. Was there none or not? Adrian, who had brewed coffee for her with a serious face as if he was preparing for a military operation, did not go to his seat even after seeing her sipping coffee. But when she looked up eagerly, he bent down and met her eyes and said with a low voice that it was much sweeter than the aroma of coffee. If she could drink it, she would drink that every morning.

“Damian, I’m thinking of going outside today.”

“Are you out of work?”

“According to Edan’s investigation, the price of the new military boots is 4 gold. The merchant company that Marquis Talus traded with must be suspicious, so I’m going to investigate.”

“4 gold? Somehow, 7 gold is too expensive.”

“His Majesty will not punish Marquis Talus. Even if it’s a refund, he should take as much as possible. Most of the items purchased through the top are at dubious prices. I’m going to investigate, would you like to go with me?”

Top secret investigation? She was lazy all day yesterday, but she wanted to go. She wanted to go!

“Can I follow you? I’ll stay calm. I want to go.”

“Demian must go with me.”

As she got up and walked around Adrian answered, he smiled happily and took his papers. It’s a year’s worth of transactions with the guild they were going to investigate. Adrian, who was walking ahead, was dressed in uniform with a sword. He might have been hot in his dark blue coat, but he didn’t show any signs of cramping, let alone sweating. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had a straight posture. The title fits so badly. After staring at him for a while,she tilted her head and smiled, but she realized one thing for sure.

‘Ah, I’m weak on pretty things.’

They rode in the commander’s carriage. SShe thought it was some kind of undercover investigation, but it looked like he’s going to rob it openly. Adrian and she rode in the luxurious and spacious carriage, and Franz, who looked somewhat sullen, sat in the carriage seat.

“Aren’t you going with Sir Cale?”

“Cale said he was busy today.”

Huh? When she came out earlier, she saw that he was stuck in the corner of his office with eyes like a lost puppy.

“Did Sir Cale stay with you from the border? Like Sir Franz?”

“No. Cale has been in the Midok military department all along. He is 37 years old, and he is the father of two sons and two daughters.”

She wasn’t even curious about private family affairs… Anyway, Sir Cale was old too. She thought he was in his 40s since he didn’t want to hang out with Ethan.

Adrian said firmly and grinned. While he was smiling at her, a carriage stopped. After receiving Adrian’s escort, she was in front of a huge and fancy boutique.