TROWFT 11

Chapter 11

“Wh-why has the Duke come to my room?”

Why else.

Deto awkwardly rose from his chair.

I threw the towel in my hand at the Count’s face.

“You shall attend to me.”

I had no justification to interfere before, but…

“My care.”

Now I had a justification.

A reason for me to intervene.

“How could I do such menial work!”

“Didn’t you order Lady Demia to do the same? And is attending to me menial work?”

I hardened my lips and gently pushed the desk with my foot.

Oh my. It moved more than I expected?

The Count let out an “Ugh” as he clutched his stomach, trapped between the desk and the wall.

“You can’t possibly be unaware of the relationship between me and Her Highness the Princess.”

With my foot on the desk, I glared up at him darkly.

“Isn’t this a scheme to tarnish my honor and set me against the imperial family?”

“No! I merely wished to help you relieve your fatigue—”

“Then why did you order the lady to do it?”

“W-well, when a superior commands it, one must naturally comply.”

Ah, so hierarchy is a bully?

“Then you shall attend to me. I came in a hurry and left my servants behind.”

He probably thought that meant helping me change clothes and such.

“I have sensitive skin, so I always wash with flowing stream water.”

“…We use tap water, Duke.”

“Precisely why I’m saying this. Don’t you see? I washed with this water once and got a pimple?”

“…It looks clean to me, Duke.”

I pushed my fair skin closer.

“Your eyes seem a bit off. Perhaps if I hit you, the blood will rush to your head and you’ll see better.”

“Ah, no! There is! It seems to be right here!”

Deto waved his hands frantically. I nodded as if satisfied.

“Then from now on, you shall go to that stream and fetch water for my morning, noon, and evening baths.”

“…You mean that stream?”

Deto’s complexion darkened rapidly.

That was understandable.

The stream I pointed to was beyond the Bahat camp.

“Geographically, the water quality there is excellent.”

“However, it’s a four-hour round trip! Three times a day would mean fetching water all day long! Not to mention having to go around the Bahat camp…”

That’s exactly why you’re going.

It takes a long time, and you’ll experience the fear of the people you pushed to the front lines.

Did you think this would be the end of my revenge?

This is just preparation for the prelude to revenge.

“You were the one who said, ‘When a superior commands it, one must naturally comply.'”

Hierarchy is a bully, right?

I’m a Duke. You’re a Count.

Two ranks difference, you know?

“I noticed on my way here that you seem to have sold off the gate as well. What happened to the funds His Majesty provided?”

I glanced at the cards scattered on the desk. He must have gambled it all away.

“I-I will do it.”

“Yes. Good.”

After giving Deto one warning glare, I left his room.

“Ah!”

Then Demia, who had been pressing her ear to the Count’s door, fell on her backside.

Covering her escaping gasp with her hand, Demia’s eyes went wide.

“Lady Demia. I have something to say to you.”

I gestured toward my room with my hand.

*Click—.*

As soon as the door closed, I got straight to the point.

“I believe you were already aware, my lady. That the Count has defected to Kellian, the Crown Prince of the Bahat Empire.”

“…What do you mean!”

This war was practically impossible without an internal collaborator for Kellian.

‘That collaborator must be Deto.’

Bahat struck first, but it was Count Hessen who provided the pretext.

“Most lords protect their territory’s residents. Not out of affection, but because they are the main source of tax revenue.”

“……”

“Yet the Count chose a full-scale battle rather than a siege, knowing full well that the residents could be annihilated. Just like someone who wants to escalate the war.”

“……”

“That way, the Berwen Knights would be deployed, and they would attack the Second Prince. And so Kellian could strike down the Second Prince’s faction without lifting a finger.”

I revealed my various conjectures to Lady Demia one by one.

“…Is that not the case, my lady?”

“Duke, those are mere speculations!”

Demia’s words were right.

This was just my imagination.

But it was a fairly reasonable imagination.

“Then find the evidence for me, my lady.”

“…You mean me?”

“From now on, the Count will be very busy. The place I’m sending him is dangerous, so he’ll take all the knights with him. That means the mansion will be empty.”

“……”

“Find the evidence in the meantime. The household is already on your side, isn’t it?”

Demia’s eyes widened slightly. I had already grasped the internal situation.

“Find the evidence, and find the hidden assets as well. Find everything that can serve as a blade for you, my lady.”

I would have the traitor caught by someone else’s hand, and Demia would protect her family and get her revenge.

It was a mutually beneficial deal. Besides—

Revenge is always more thrilling when you do it with your own hands.

“Once Deto is purged, I will help install whoever you wish as the next lord.”

I clicked my tongue.

It was frustrating that the perfect candidate for lord was right before my eyes, yet I couldn’t install her openly.

Still, even if she couldn’t take the front seat, Demia would become the de facto ruler of the Hessen Count’s family.

“Will you join hands with me?”

I extended my hand to Demia.

After a moment’s hesitation, Demia took my hand with intelligent eyes.

“Yes, Duke.”

In the exchange of glances, both of their eyes curved.

And so, the villainess of this novel and the Duke of Berwen formed a secret alliance.

‘Now I don’t have to gather the evidence myself.’

My workload had lightened a little.

—

***—

Demia was clearly a woman of tremendous capability.

In the early morning, when Deto had gone to fetch water, she brought me evidence in just a few hours.

‘With this evidence, I could even pressure Kellian…’

It was such useful evidence that I thought I might be able to use it in the treaty.

But after seeing Kellian, I was certain.

That it had been my misconception.

“You’re here.”

As I entered the tent for the treaty negotiation, a pleasant low voice wrapped around my ears.

Kellian, the head of the negotiating delegation, rose neatly from his chair.

‘Wow.’

My mind went blank.

There was another person with unrealistically good looks, just like Lesius.

Jet-black hair, and black eyes that glinted dangerously.

The image of Kellian I’d constructed in my head based on what Rosalyn told me was that of a mischievous brat.

But he was no brat.

‘He’s like a beast.’

The Kellian I met in person was someone who emanated a dangerous aura.

Mature, yet wild like a beast.

“Nice to meet you.”

I stared blankly at Kellian’s outstretched hand, dazed.

Thank goodness I was wearing my helmet. Otherwise, my foolish expression would have been completely exposed.

“Ahem.”

Someone from the Bahat side cleared their throat and signaled me.

Realizing my mistake, I moved to shake Kellian’s hand when—

“Are you going to shake hands with that on?”

Looking at my gauntleted hand, Kellian raised one eyebrow.

I was completely out of it.

I removed my gauntlet and shook Kellian’s hand with my bare hand. As someone who wielded a sword, his hands were rough.

“Not planning to take off your helmet either?”

Kellian’s fierce gaze fixed on my eyes within the helmet.

Knowing it was impolite, I removed my helmet, and Kellian followed the motion intently.

“Nice to see you again.”

Without taking his eyes off me, Kellian tilted his head and whispered in my ear.

Why is he like that? I rolled my eyes and looked at him. Our gazes met, and—

“Everyone leave. I have something to discuss with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

I sent everyone, including my knights, out of the tent. Reading his eyes, I realized—

He really is insane, just as I thought.

“The Duke wanted to be alone with me.”

That’s not it at all. I sent everyone out because I didn’t know what insane things you might do.

“……”

At Kellian’s nod, his people also filed out, and silence fell over the tent.

“This is a letter in which His Highness the Crown Prince ordered our people to attack the Second Prince’s forces.”

I placed the evidence Demia had found on the table.

It was one of many pieces of evidence.

Just the fact that he had colluded with the Hailen side would put Kellian in a difficult position.

“Oh dear.”

Kellian sat in his chair and crossed his legs leisurely.

Touching his lips, Kellian looked at the letter and even smiled slowly.

“Duke, how cute. You went and found something like this?”

His smile deepened, and I was taken aback at the same time.

Hey. This is incriminating for you.

“If you were curious about me, you could have just asked. I would have told you everything.”

Everything?

Someone as unhinged as Kellian probably would have told me. So I asked the question I was most curious about.

“Aside from the Hessen Count, are there more collaborators like this in Hailen?”

“Of course.”

At Kellian’s obedient answer, I too sank into my seat.

Who? I had a rough idea where to look.

“Count Kavant?”

After staring at me for a while, he let out a scoff.

“That’s not a question about me, though?”

Kellian’s long fingers set down the letter.

The paper, covered in handwriting as rough as its owner, settled on the table.

“I’ll ask again. Are there more collaborators like this in Hailen, Your Highness?”

“Duke.”

With a lowered voice and piercing eyes, I met Kellian’s bright red gaze.

Ah.

‘Those eyes.’

I already knew through Rosalyn.

That Kellian’s eyes sometimes turn red when he’s excited or feeling murderous intent.

The important thing here is “sometimes.”

‘You said sometimes.’

They’re not “sometimes”—they’re completely red.

From the moment I took off my helmet, Kellian’s pupils had been consistently crimson.

“That’s a bit difficult to tell you without compensation…”

Kellian leaned his body over the table.

“If I tell you, what will you give me in return?”

You said you’d tell me everything earlier. How cheap, really.

“Will you become my knight?”

Kellian brushed my chin and curled his lips. It was a frighteningly handsome face.

What I realized seeing Kellian’s rippling red eyes was—

He’s trying to seduce me right now!

‘They say demon blood runs through him.’

A fact I knew thanks to knowing the original story—Kellian was of demon lineage from legends.

Eyes that change color when experiencing intense emotions.

And demons—

‘Bewitch people!’

This was mentioned not only in the original story but also in this world’s legends.

‘I really would have fallen for it if I hadn’t kept my wits about me.’

That was a close call.

Hardening my expression, I casually took Kellian’s hand and lowered it.

Kellian raised an eyebrow with a look that said, “Oh, would you look at that?”

In that subtle atmosphere, a savior appeared.

“I must first ask the Duke’s pardon.”

It was one of Kellian’s knights. He gave me a brief bow.

Then he hurriedly whispered to Kellian, who was seated.

“Your Highness, the Eighth Prince has disappeared.”

What? The protagonist has disappeared?