ESL Chapter 33

“…Then what about the inheritance to my stepmother and stepbrother…”

As Helen muttered in a daze, Lea returned to the window, leaned comfortably against it, crossed her arms, and answered.

“They forged it. The will. They probably forged the seal too. Because Count Roman’s seal… Sean has it. That’s why they tortured Sean. Right, Sean?”

At Lea’s question, Sean gritted his teeth and slowly nodded. That was right. What they had tried to take from Sean was the Count’s seal. Sean slowly opened his mouth. His eyes, uncharacteristic of a child who had just turned 12, were filled with rage.

“My uncle came to see Father shortly before he passed away. And then when my uncle died, they stormed into our house. Father fought against them, but he ultimately lost his life…”

As Sean choked up, unable to control his emotions, Helen let go of the hand she was holding and wrapped her arms around Sean’s shoulders, letting him lean into her embrace. After taking a few deep breaths, Sean continued.

“I was captured by them. They beat me repeatedly, demanding I hand over the seal. Just when I thought I would die, they’d make me drink a potion, let me recover, and then beat me again…”

Sean’s face contorted as the pain of that time came flooding back. Helen’s face also twisted at the thought of the suffering he must have endured. But Sean didn’t stop speaking.

“Still, I couldn’t tell them… Because it was what Father risked his life to protect… I thought of you too, sister… That’s when you saved me… Sister, thank you so much…”

At Sean’s words of gratitude, Lea smiled and nodded slightly.

“So to summarize, they inherited the Count’s house with a forged will. The real will is in Helen’s hands, and Sean knows where the real seal is. So what are you going to do now?”

As Ken, who had been listening with a frown on his handsome face, asked while organizing the situation, the corners of Lea’s eyes curved upward smoothly and a smile appeared on her lips. At that smile, Ken made a horrified expression and leaned back as if trying to escape.

“It’s here! The devil’s smile!!!!”

“What are you talking about!”

As the smoothly raised corners of her eyes shot up sharply and the smile disappeared, Ken straightened his body with a sigh and muttered.

“Really, don’t smile like that so carelessly. It leads people into temptation.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

As Lea sighed as if exasperated, Sean, who had been staring at her, raised his hand. His cheeks and ears were red.

“Um… I think I understand what he means. That somehow feeling like I need to find a priest…”

“See? It’s not just me. Look, even this kid feels it.”

At the sight of Ken reacting enthusiastically like a fish in water, Lea was at a loss for words, and even Helen was looking at her with a peculiar gaze, so she cleared her throat and spoke.

“Anyway, D-day is a week from now, at Count Roman’s party. Helen’s stepbrother… or rather, it’s an event celebrating that bastard’s succession to the Count’s title. We’ll expose their crimes there. Among the documents Count Roman left for Helen, besides the will, there’s also a detailed statement that he was poisoned.”

At her words, Helen’s expression turned pale and she searched through the documents. When she found the document Lea mentioned and confirmed it, she finally shed tears again. As she sobbed, silence filled the room for a moment. And it was Ken who broke that silence.

“We have evidence and exposing their crimes seems fine… but who will punish them? At least a noble with a higher rank than a count needs to come to suppress them and summon the magistrate. Of course, Lea, you are the daughter of a Duke’s house, but you haven’t debuted yet so you can’t appear at such an occasion. Even if we’re lucky and someone of high rank comes, it’ll be useless if they’re not favorable to Helen.”

At Ken’s logical words, Helen and Sean’s faces darkened. As he said, unless a noble of higher rank than a count came, even if they exposed the crimes, they would likely be dragged away by them before they could summon the magistrate. The momentary silence that dominated the room was shattered by Lea’s voice.

“A member of the imperial family will come. A direct member of the imperial family at that.”

At Lea’s confident words, all three people’s surprised gazes turned to her.

“How?”

When Ken asked in surprise, Lea smiled brightly and answered.

“There’s someone who owes me a debt.”

****

“I wonder if it’s okay to go now…”

“Pardon?”

At Kaid’s muttering, Elton, the attendant who was pouring tea, asked in confusion, wondering if he was being questioned.

“Ah… never mind. I’m talking to myself.”

Kaid smiled slightly and thought about the beautiful girl with jet-black hair and a snow-white face who was currently filling his head. Her flame-like, brilliant, beautiful and captivating red eyes had long since perfectly burrowed into his mind, leaving a deep impression.

‘Come to think of it, quite some time has passed. I want to see her.’

Since he last went to see her under the pretext of sparring with Hugo, mountains of documents related to the Imperial Knights and next year’s knight selection exams had piled up, preventing him from visiting the Duke’s house. For someone who absolutely detested bothersome things, it was annoying, but since the one who assigned the work was his father, the Emperor, he couldn’t refuse.

In any case, when he finally finished all the busy work and was about to go see her, this time word came from the Duke’s house that they had internal matters and were not in a state to receive him. It seemed that while he was too busy to pay attention, this charming young lady had properly turned the Duke’s house upside down. Kaid, who had been holding his teacup while pondering when to visit the Duke’s house under the pretext of sparring, looked at Elton at the sound of his voice.

“Your Highness, the Chancellor requests an audience.”

“The Chancellor? Show him in.”

At Elton’s words, Kaid’s eyes filled with curiosity. He had always been the one to visit first; Duke Kaien had never come to him first. When Kaid saw the Duke being guided into the garden by Elton, he felt pleased. Perhaps because he had found his wife and daughter, the Duke no longer showed the dark shadow he once had. His expressionless face remained the same, though. As the Duke approached, Kaid spoke first.

“It’s been a while, Chancellor.”

At his greeting, the Duke’s lips softened slightly. The Duke bowed and greeted him respectfully.

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

“I was busy until recently, but I’m fine now. Please sit.”

The Duke sat in the seat across from Kaid. Then Elton tactfully and quickly brought tea.

“Thank you.”

At the Duke’s thanks, Elton bowed deeply and withdrew. When the Duke took a sip of tea and set it down, Kaid spoke.

“I heard good news. That’s probably why you look well.”

“…It seems I still have some fortune left with my child.”

Kaid noticed the Duke’s eyes softening and realized he was thinking of Lea. Even the Duke, called the Iron Chancellor, couldn’t help himself in front of his daughter, Kaid thought, and said without much thought.

“Then Lea will also debut at this year’s debutante.”

“……”

At the feeling that the temperature had dropped slightly, Kaid looked at the Duke. It was definitely the same gaze as usual, but somehow it felt like he was glaring. What’s this? As he thought that, he understood why the Duke was displeased from his answer.

“…I didn’t know you were close enough to call my daughter by her nickname.”

Is this the wariness of fathers with daughters… Kaid found it fascinating that Duke Kaien, of all people, would react this way.

“When I received help in the mountain range before, she told me to call her Lea. I didn’t know it was a nickname.”

Kaid took a step back. There was nothing good about looking bad to the father of a woman he had feelings for. And as his response seemed appropriate, the Duke, whose eyes had softened a bit, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said.

“My daughter has a letter to deliver to Your Highness, so I came to see you. Please accept it.”

Kaid received the letter the Duke took from his breast and opened the envelope, taking out the letter. Seeing the contents written on the black background with red rose-decorated stationery used by the Kaien Ducal House, he let out a low laugh and shook his head as if exasperated. The contents of the letter were written in very neat and elegant handwriting, and read as follows:

[Request for debt settlement. Please repay by attending Count Roman’s party on the evening of the second day next week.]

What is this, a debt collection notice… Kaid, who had been chuckling, felt the Duke’s gaze turn cold again and cleared his throat. Then he held out the letter.

“You seem curious, would you like to see it?”

“Then I’ll take a look.”

Given the Duke’s personality, he would never say he’d look at someone else’s letter not addressed to him. That’s why Kaid offered it, but he was surprised again to see the Duke accept it without a single refusal, snatching it up like an eagle seizing prey. Whether he was surprised or not, the Duke, who checked the letter’s contents without caring, slightly frowned his handsome face and looked at Kaid.

“Did you owe my daughter a debt?”

“I incurred quite a large debt when we met before.”

“…I understand. Then since I’ve delivered the letter, I’ll take my leave.”

As the Duke returned the letter to him and stood up from his seat, Kaid smiled brightly and said.

“Then please take care, Chancellor. And please tell Lea that I understand.”

“…I will convey that.”

When the name “Lea” came from Kaid’s mouth, the Duke’s face seemed to furrow slightly again, but he bowed respectfully and left the garden.

“Wow… this is no joke.”

Kaid leaned back in his chair and muttered without realizing it. At his behavior, Elton, who had approached to clear the teacups, tilted his head and asked.

“What are you referring to?”

“I found a flower I like, but before I knew it, a tiger is guarding it. A tiger so fierce it’s hard to deal with, at that. I need to approach it somehow, but even approaching seems difficult…”

“…I would advise you to give up.”

Watching Elton give his advice plainly and leave with the teacups, Kaid sighed and muttered.

“The problem is that I like that flower so much I can’t give up…”