Chapter Forty-Three: Lord Count
In a quaint and minimalistic study, a young man with a stern expression was deeply engrossed in writing at his desk. His slightly wavy black hair was wonderfully voluminous, almost gleaming under the light.
“Lord Count.”
Standing next to the desk was a serious-looking young woman, reporting on matters with the precision of a metronome.
“Regarding the local plague problem, it’s currently being spread around that it’s the Goddess of Sin’s divine punishment. We’ve reached an agreement with the Church to distribute indulgences for free to pacify the distressed populace, and we’ll be collaborating with the Church Knights to swiftly deal with the spreaders of these rumors.”
The young man dipped his quill in ink without lifting his head and asked, “What about the handling of the corpses?”
“I’ve mobilized the city’s guards; it’s already in progress.”
“Hmm.”
Her response seemed to please him as he nodded slightly, tapping the tip of the quill on the paper a couple of times. Just when the woman thought he was about to continue writing, he suddenly put the pen down.
He crumpled the partially written letter into a ball and tossed it onto the desk casually, then cast a nonchalant glance at the woman.
“k*ll everyone who speaks nonsense. Leave no one alive.”
The woman’s hand quivered slightly.
“This matter must be handled well. Keep close contact with the Church, and don’t let Edward meddle in it.”
“…Understood.” The woman nodded, lifting her wine-red locks as if trying to hide her emotions. “There’s one more thing; some locals have reported that certain lords have begun to increase the territory tax under the guise of disaster relief. This has posed a significant threat to local security.”
The young man frowned.
“Who are these people? Compile a list for me.”
“Got it.”
At that moment, the woman suddenly showed a hesitant expression and after a moment said, “Lord Count…”
“What is it? Speak.”
“I’ve heard news that those masked assassins have recently been spotted near Winter City. Lord Count, maybe you should wait a bit longer…”
The young man snickered coldly.
“It’s fine; they’re just a bunch of rodents hiding their heads and tails. No need to worry. I’ve already delayed here too long; I must set off tomorrow.”
“But, Lord Count, it’s clear that they are targeting you.”
The woman looked at the black-haired man sitting steadily at the desk, a hint of worry creasing her brows.
“Since I can’t return with you, please make sure to bring more guards.”
He raised a hand, rubbing his temple, and cast a detached gaze at her.
“Arno, the situation here is urgent, and I can’t trust it to anyone else, which is why you must stay. As for the guards, leave half of them at your disposal; I’ll take the other half with me.”
“But…”
“No buts. Execute the order.”
“…Yes.”
She bit her lip.
“Lord Count, are you in such a hurry to return to Shanter Castle because something happened there…”
“No.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
He slightly curled his lips in a smile, revealing a warmth the woman had never seen before.
“My sister is coming back.”
…………
Noon.
In Winter City, Shanter Castle.
Inside a dim room with tightly closed curtains, flickering candlelight reflected off medical instruments that looked like torture devices, casting a sinister crimson glow.
I sat on a petite white bed, burying my small hands between my legs, rubbing and twisting them to distract myself and ease my growing tension.
I hunched a bit, my big black eyes darting around, afraid to look at Lady Catherine standing before me.
The exhilarating battle I had with the Duke that morning had spiraled out of control as I let my instincts take over. Consequently, I ended up using quite a few risky moves, so scrapes and bruises were unavoidable.
This chaotic scuffle continued until the sun hung high, and my stomach began to rumble, forcing a stop.
At that point, Lady Catherine’s expression was clearly not pleasant.
The Duke, sensing things were off, laughed awkwardly, skipped lunch, and hid in the central workshop, leaving me alone to face the frowning lady with nowhere to escape.
I was then dragged to the medical room on the second floor of the castle, where the two doctors that had been there were shooed away. The curtains were drawn, and the woman fixated her expressionless gaze on me.
It was evident she was still angry.
“Take off your clothes.”
After uttering this, she ignored me and walked over to an old cabinet.
Inside the cabinet were bottles of medicine and unidentifiable herbs. She opened one of the doors and began rummaging through it.
“L-Lady, you don’t need to…”
“Quickly, don’t make me do this myself.”
I immediately fell silent, lowering my head and glancing at my long robe.
The robe was covered in bits of ice that melted into water, mixing with dirt to form mud, making it look atrociously messy. Some areas were worn out, even the knees of my pants had large holes.
I took it off and placed it beside the bed, curling up with my arms around my knees, realizing that… well, I wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
Of course, it wasn’t because this world lacked brassieres and corsets; my main concern was that this morning I needed to move about a lot, and wearing such things would be inconvenient. Not only would it hinder my movements, but what if I exerted myself too much and the straps snapped? How embarrassing would that be?
Plus, I had woken up in a daze and nearly forgot to put on my pants, so naturally, I overlooked the corset. When Lady Catherine handed me clothes, she didn’t even remind me… And I’m a studly beast; showing off my rugged chest is what it’s all about! Always wearing brassieres, how ridiculous!
Definitely not because it didn’t matter whether I wore one or not, absolutely not!
I lowered my head, gazing at the unique little thing on my chest, pouting in frustration.
It will grow eventually, anyway.
“What are you looking at? Want that to grow faster?”
Lady Catherine returned from the cabinet with a bottle of mysterious green liquid and some gauze. She turned around just in time to catch my little movement.
“…I don’t want to.”
“Don’t all girls your age think that way?”
“I do not.”
Lady Catherine sat down beside me and gently pressed her finger on my right shoulder. On my creamy skin, there was a prominent, glaring bruise.
“Does it hurt?”
“No, it doesn’t…”
“You’re just spouting nonsense.”
She poured some of the green liquid onto the bandage, dipped her finger in a bit, and began to apply it lightly to my wound.
“Your Duke uncle doesn’t know his own strength; I’m sorry, but I’ll teach him a lesson when he gets back.”
“It’s fine; it was my… decision.”
If I just left it alone, it would be fine by tomorrow.
“Will it be like this tomorrow?”
“Uh, Lady…”
“Alright, alright, let’s do it your way then.”
“Thanks.”
“Now take off your pants, let me see if there are any other injuries.”
She set the medicine bottle and bandage aside and reached for my waistband, intending to pull it down. I jumped in surprise and clung tightly with both hands, looking at her with pleading eyes.
“Lady, there’s nothing else!”
But then I suddenly realized she was staring intently at my chest.
Her gaze was fixed and unwavering, making me blush with embarrassment, my cheeks heating up instantly.
I gently raised my hand to shield myself.
“Lady…”
What’s gotten into her? This sudden flirty demeanor is making me panic!
“Would you like me to massage your chest?”
“Eh?”
“I learned some techniques from the physicians in the palace that could help that grow faster.”
“Really?”
“Lower your arms.”
“Maybe… let’s not.”
“Be obedient.”
I shook my head vigorously like a bobblehead.
Just then, a knocking sound came from outside.
“Lady, there’s been a situation; please come outside to take a look.”
Lady Catherine frowned at the news.
“What is it?”
“It’s Master Pasifaul; there was a conflict with a guest.”
