Chapter 10. The Beginning of the Downfall

The mercenaries confessed about their backers without Roberto having to do much.

The names Livio and Raoul were mentioned.

Upon investigation, it turned out that these were individuals who had been weeded out of the mercenary industry for having too little credibility and morality. So, they couldn’t possibly protect their client’s information in dangerous situations.

Roberto, having heard the answers he wanted, sent them to prison.

“Things are resolving easier than expected, huh?”

Joseph approached Roberto with a grin.

“Luckily.”

“But have you heard the rumor?”

Other knights, led by Joseph, crowded around Roberto, their faces flushed with excitement like boys climbing trees.

Roberto frowned as he looked around at them. What were they trying to say with such expressions?

When Roberto glanced at Joseph, Joseph smirked mischievously.

“There’s a reason you wanted to come home early. There’s a rumor that your bedroom door didn’t open all morning, Your Grace.”

“Whew!”

“No wonder! He’s been breezing around earlier…”

“And to wield a sword that well during the day after last night. Your stamina is truly remarkable!”

The knights flocked to Roberto like a flood. This was possible because they were usually informal with each other, but the problem was that Berenice had witnessed this scene.

“Hehehehe!”

The surprised knights clamped their mouths shut and crowded behind Roberto. This was a situation the lord had to solve himself! It was indeed a divine comedy.

Berenice had heard everything that would have made Roberto blush if he had been alone.

“Uh…”

Berenice, grasping the hem of her dress at the thought she had come out to meet them for nothing, said,

“I, I just… came back because I heard…”

In fact, Berenice’s face, because of the maids’ teasing, was bright red. Unsure where to look, her head was slightly tilted upwards.

“Well, I’ll go back first… uh…”

Berenice left Roberto, who couldn’t say anything, behind and rushed back into the mansion. Selphine, not knowing what to do, followed behind, and the maids giggled proudly and watched them.

“It seems like you’re still not feeling well.”

“How much did you suffer at night?”

Ah.

Roberto realized the atmosphere in the mansion now. The atmosphere had been set just as Selphine and Berenice intended yesterday. The problem was that the delicate-faced Berenice couldn’t endure such a situation silently, and the people in the mansion found Berenice cute.

The maids smiled warmly and nodded their heads.

Roberto unknowingly burst into laughter.

Is it only the people around here who find Berenice cute?

Even in Roberto’s eyes, Berenice was undeniably adorable.

Although he was the one who orchestrated everything, he felt embarrassed as rumors spread.

Roberto walked along the path Berenice had fled.

‘If I tease her… will she pout?’

Although her innocent pouting would be cute, it seemed like he should hold back.

This time, Berenice seemed likely to get angry…

Roberto sighed.

In truth, he felt awkward too. The knights guarding behind Roberto blew their whistles.

Those guys…

The burly attendants, who had been hiding behind Berenice without saying a word in front of her, were now grumbling.

***

The place where Berenice fled and hid was her study. Since they lived in the same house, there was no place for Berenice to avoid Roberto. Berenice quickly fanned her face. The blush wasn’t easy to dissipate.

In fact, Berenice had gone to meet Roberto because she had heard about what Livio had done. Viscount Dante, who had received Berenice’s request, was treating Livio with respect, but even he had noticed it.

Not long ago, Berenice had personally placed a telegraph machine in the mansion to contact her father directly. It was also more convenient to discuss matters at the Valencia Merchantry. Thanks to this, a knight handling the telegraph machine was stationed in a corner of Berenice’s study.

So she rushed out with a worried heart…

“Your face is very red. Are you feeling unwell?”

Berenice was startled by Clara’s question.

“N, no?!”

Berenice didn’t realize that her voice had gotten louder.

“I’m fine!”

“I see.”

Clara nodded as if she understood. Clara was not only talented but also quick-witted.

“You’re really okay?”

Berenice breathed a sigh of relief. It was a sense of relief that she had barely made it through this situation. As she gently touched her cheeks and tried to calm herself down, the blush on her cheeks gradually subsided.

Roberto came to see Berenice.

“May I come in?”

“Yes! Of course!”

Berenice, who shouted without realizing it, bit her lip. This time, she definitely realized it. How loud her voice was.

Clara, the telegraph operator, and Selphine slipped out of the study with caution.

Alone in the study with Berenice, Roberto sat casually on the sofa pretending not to know anything, while Berenice hung her head deeply in embarrassment, feeling her cheeks burning again.

“Berenice, I came to talk about the mercenaries who attacked today. Do you have time for that?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Berenice nodded her head. If she stayed like this, she felt like she might burst into tears. Berenice, who nervously tapped her cheeks, sat across from Roberto.

Fortunately, Roberto was pretending not to notice Berenice’s strange behavior.

Berenice seemed to be starting to find some stability.

“I heard that this attack was Cornell’s doing. Is that true?”

Berenice quickly got to the point. She didn’t want to talk about anything else that Berenice might not be able to handle. Luckily, Roberto answered Berenice’s question obediently.

“Yes. It was indeed Count Cornell’s doing. We got confessions from the mercenaries.”

“Sigh… He always does things below expectations. I thought he was still human…”

Berenice’s face turned pale. Livio was causing harm even to Roberto. She knew his actions were despicable, but it seemed like he was sinking even lower.

“I wonder if he’s lost all sense of human sociability.”

Roberto also sympathized with Berenice.

“I don’t know why I met such a man. Until recently, I thought he was fine…”

“How can people distinguish trash that deceives others on purpose? It’s not your fault, Berenice, so don’t blame yourself.”

“I really don’t want to be deceived again, truly.”

Roberto and Berenice’s eyes met. As they expressed their dissatisfaction with Livio, it seemed like camaraderie was growing between them. In the comfortable atmosphere between them, they both burst into laughter at the same time.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties. But after going there myself, I could feel it properly.”

“What?”

“The road conditions were indeed poor, making it uncomfortable for the merchants. You were right, Berenice.”

Berenice brightened at Roberto’s words. Feeling validated by him in something she deemed important lifted her spirits.

“I’m glad you understand! Roads are truly an important factor. Most other territories don’t pay much attention to road maintenance. That’s why we struggle every time we establish branches of the Valencia Merchantry.”

Berenice appealed to the importance of roads, and Roberto gazed at her approvingly.

“When the roads are improved, people’s lives will improve as well. It will be easier to travel, time will be saved, and the risks will definitely decrease.”

Nodding without much response, Roberto did not take his eyes off Berenice. Eventually, Berenice noticed his gaze and spoke up.

“Why… are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re wonderful. You’re wonderful, Berenice.”

“…!”

“You seem to take pride in your work, so you’re wonderful.”

Despite thinking it was a meaningless compliment, Berenice’s heart thumped at Roberto’s words. The embarrassment that had just subsided now resurfaced.

‘Why am I like this today?’

Without thinking, Roberto blushed at his own words, feeling excited and unsteady in front of others’ scrutiny. Berenice took a deep breath and placed her hand on her cheek.

Realizing it would be unreasonable to continue the conversation with Roberto any longer, Berenice hastily got up.

“I-I think I should go back to my room early because I’m tired.”

“Please do so.”

Roberto agreed with a faint smile. In fact, Berenice and Roberto shared a bedroom, so there was no real escape plan. But at this moment, if she could just leave the room, she felt she could at least catch her breath.

“Get a hold of yourself, Berenice…”

Why am I acting so flustered today? As Berenice left the study, Selphine followed her.

“Are you going back to the bedroom?”

“I should rest early.”

Selphine looked around. Fortunately, it seemed like no one was paying attention to them. Selphine stuck close to Berenice and chattered about her public duties.

“It seems like the rumors have spread quite well at the right time.”

“What rumors?”

“That you and the Duke had a passionate night together!”

Selphine proudly spoke, but Berenice’s face blazed up as if on fire.