confidential talk
Duchess of destruction Volume 1 chapter 10
#DOD
The deed to the Duke of Oylsterhout is to be delivered to King’s Landing by a man in the service of the Van der Hulff family. I look down from the window of my room as the carriage leaves for the royal city of Zelston in the dark of night.
When I say my room, I don’t mean my personal room. Benjamin is my valet, so of course we sleep and wake up in the same room. Bartel has a servant’s room and Linda has a communal maid’s room.
Linda, who was still in my room without going to that room asked me with a sigh as my back was turned.
「What did you think, Lady Eleonora? 」
「I don’t know what to tell you about …」
I can’t help but sigh at her words.
He looked even unhealthier than I thought he would. He was more shabbily dressed than I had expected. But more than that, he was more obvious and sarcastic than I expected.
I cocked my head, throwing a glance at Bartel.
「After he signed those papers, his attitude changed drastically, didn’t it? 」
「Yes, I didn’t expect it to be that obvious.」
I told Bartel and he let out a disappointed breath as well.
Obviously, after Mr. Bartel received the signed deed and bowed his head, his attitude became arrogant. It’s so easy to understand that I wondered how he had ever made it as an aristocrat.
Linda spills out the words with a dumbfounded look on her face.
「It was obvious he had a condescending look in his eyes.」
「I’m sure of it. He obviously looked down on Lady Nora. 」
Benjamin, as if he had nowhere else to go with his anger, tapped the floor repeatedly with his toes and shook his head. The cat ears on his head were also downcast and it was obvious that he was angry.
It is impossible for a father to treat his daughter with reverence. However, I’m not born a van der huff person. A woman who not long ago was a member of the Dukes of Oylsterhout.
Moreover, the moment He welcomed us into the home, that attitude. It’s not pleasant. Bartel speaks as he drops his gaze.
「Although she was formerly a duchess, she is now his daughter by law. His father, His Excellency Cass, is in a superior position, but even so, that was too blatant. 」
Bartel looked disappointed, but Benjamin and Linda nodded their heads in agreement. it seems, All three of us share the same opinion .
I have to serve that father or my master from now on. It’s a bit of a heavy heart, I guess.
Looking at the faces of the three people who didn’t hide their depression, I smirked.
「I don’t feel very good about it.」
「Yes. Even though you took on the identity of the young lady and saved her life, that was not enough.」
Linda picked up on my words and said, fingering her ear feathers.
Yes, it’s good that they welcomed me as a family member, even though I would have been executed, let alone deported, if I had stayed in King’s Landing. He will also allow me to take the Van Der Hulff family name. But it’s too impersonal to get away with it.
Once again, where we all sighed together. The door to the room opened with a clank.
「Blah, blah, blah. Don’t worry about it」
「What?」
Casandra came through the door. Why are you here? I thought she was talking to Mr. Cass in the other room.
「Ms. Casandra? 」
「When did you get here, I thought the corridor in front of the room was guarded by guards.」
Bartel also rolled his eyes and called out to Casandra who showed up. In contrast, this witch, who still has excellent Devil eye in her old age, laughed as she brushed her bangs and showed her pure white eyes.
「Don’t underestimate my Devil eye. I know the moment the guards leave and I know the moment this door is empty. 」
「Huh. ……, that’s great. 」
「It is a shame for His Majesty the King to still have such a powerful Devil’s Eye in the country side. 」
Casandra said bluntly then Benjamin and Linda let out a breath and slumped. It’s true, it’s a waste to have someone with such great abilities tucked away in the middle of nowhere like this.
Casandra said, scratching her eagle nose with her finger at their words.
「Well, it’s still better than being lost with them when they overthrow the state But enough of that. Let’s talk about Miss Eleonora’s future. 」
As she says this, she slowly walks towards me. Then she poked me in the chest and said softly.
「Mistress Eleonora, are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life as a scumbag’s daughter? 」
「What? That’s ……. 」
My eyes widen at those words. What other way is there for me other than to spend my life as a daughter?
I didn’t grasp her intention, Casandra said to me as she looked up at the night sky outside the window.
「I don’t think he’s a good man, either as a ruler or as a father. Everyone in this territory knows that. However, no one can say. 」
Casandra’s eyes narrow as she looks up at the night sky. She’s lived a long time and probably met lords from all over the place, so I’m sure she’s painfully aware of how much scum of a lord and father Mr. Cass is.
Well, I don’t have enough words to deny that part. However, I also believe that I will not be able to respect Mr. Cass as a father.
Then Casandra-san smiled as she turned her head towards us.
「An incompetent old lord adopted a daughter from another nobleman. An unfortunate accident killed the lord. There is nothing strange about the daughter becoming the successor of the feudal lord 」
Benjamin, Linda, and Bartel reacted to those words, not me. He chuckled mischievously and touched his chin approvingly.
「 ha-ha …… 」
「I see.」
「If the Master anticipated this and gave you to Count Besjövel, he had great foresight. 」
「What? 」
The three of them apparently understood what Casandra was trying to say. I mean, wait a minute Mr. Cass is dead and I’m settling in to take over as Lord? There’s no way that would conveniently occur.
Then there is a knock at the entrance door. When I opened the door, the maid of this pavilion called out to me. She was the one who greeted me at the entrance.
「Excuse me, Ms. Eleonora. The Master wants to see you. 」
「Oh, yes.」
Nodding at the maid’s words, I get ready to leave the room. If Mr. Cass says he wants to see you, we can’t keep him waiting too long.
As I was getting ready to leave the room, Benjamin called out to me.
「Be careful, Lady Nora. 」
「Take care of yourself.」
Linda calls out with a serious look on her face and nods at me. I responded with a sigh and Casandra quickly raised her hand.
「Oh, wait a minute, Miss Eleonora.」
「Yes? 」
she calls out to me and I stop moving. As it was, Casandra beckoned me over. I run up to her on a short steps and Casandra speaks in a hushed voice.
「You know how to open Devil’s Eye, don’t you? 」
I nodded in response to the question. That’s what she taught me in the carriage before we arrived at this mansion.
「Yes. Keep your eyes open and put some pressure on your chest, right? 」
「Yes. The same action when closing. 」
I told her to check and Casandra nodded. Devil eye is already closed. It’s simple to do, so I just opened and closed it a few times and got used to it quickly.
Now all you have to do is open it when you need it.
「Yes. Well, I’m off. 」
「Mm. yes」
Casandra nods at my words. Now all that’s left is to go to Mr. Cass’s room.
The maid led me to Mr. Cass’s office on the second floor. When they reached the front of the room, the maid bowed and left. They want me to go in alone.
I knock on the door with my intention and call out to Mr. Cass inside.
「Excuse me, Father.」
「In.」
The reply was immediate. Of course he’s in there, since he called for me himself.
I opened the door slowly and quietly, but was startled to see the room.
「Whoa」
My voice leaks out and I cover my mouth in a panic.
Because the room is filled with so many papers and rolls that it’s hard to find a place to step. I’m speechless and Cass-san tells me while covering his chin.
「What a surprise. Come on in.」
「Excuse me.」
I’m the one who steps into the room quickly after being told to do so. It’s really hard to keep going without stepping on papers and stuff scattered all over the place.
I looked down and saw that every one of them scattered on the floor was a proof of debt. Apparently, the business situation of the territory is seriously bad, and they are borrowing money from all over the place to make ends meet.
I somehow managed to get in front of Cass-san, who was sitting at his office desk. Cass-san looked at me with the same glazed-over eyes as before and then sighed deeply.
「His Imperial Highness Duke of Oylsterhout forces a troublesome thing on us. Nevertheless, I appreciate the amount of the dowry and being a Devil eye witch can be to our advantage, depending on how we use it. 」
After saying that, Cass-san threw down some papers in his hand on the table. Without correcting his arrogant attitude and the way he sits, Mr. Cass looks at me and says.
「Eleonora, I command you.」
「Yes, what is it? 」
Correcting my posture, I wait for his next words. However, I couldn’t believe my ears when the words came out of Mr. Cass’s mouth.
「Now go and kill the Lord of the Cornain 」
「Yes ……! 」
Murder him. A feudal lord of other territory.
I rolled my eyes, my mind unable to keep up with what was told.
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