Chapter 87

“Well, that’s true, but more than that…”

Count Melin stammered, struggling to find an excuse. With someone like him, it was no wonder he couldn’t see the bigger picture and made foolish decisions. Crossing my arms, I asked again.

“If the northern building is so good, move all the soldiers from the southern building to it.”

“That’s impossible!“

“Why is it impossible?”

“Well…”

Once again, Count Melin stammered. He looked like a complete fool. I took a step closer to him.

Seeing this, Count Melin forced a nervous smile and took two steps back. It seemed I was making him very uncomfortable.

“Count, be honest with me. Who instructed you to isolate us?“

“Instructed me?!“ Count Melin shouted. I covered my ears, then frowned at him.

“Your strong denial makes it sound like someone really did instruct you.“

“That’s not…!”

Again, Count Melin stammered, and his attendant, unable to bear watching, stepped in.

“My Lord, you still have your schedule to complete for the day.“

“Oh, yes, right! I’m sorry, your Grace, the Grand Duchess, but I have a busy schedule today, so I can’t continue this conversation. I’ll see you next time.”

With that, Count Melin began walking away with enormous strides as if he cared nothing for the honor of a noble.

Watching his retreating back gave me a headache.

But I didn’t feel the need to chase after him. Ultimately, this wasn’t a problem that could be solved by dealing with Count Melin. The real fight would be against Princess Abigail.

To put out the immediate fire, I needed to handle things myself rather than rely on Count Melin.

So, I moved again, this time towards the northern building where we stayed.

***

I left Count Melin’s estate with Hella and a few soldiers. If they wouldn’t provide supplies, I would use my funds to obtain them.

Even that would help boost the morale of the Winsley family’s soldiers.

Many people saw us pulling a large cart, so the news must have already reached Count Melin’s ears. Thankfully, no one tried to stop us. They had no legitimate reason to, after all.

But I only learned the real reason once we arrived in the village.

“Weren’t we told that the village suffered little damage?“

“Yes. I heard that the demonic beasts rarely caused direct harm.“

“Then why is it like this…?”

The village was in poor condition. The streets were empty, and because of that, the market was struggling.

Most of the shops were closed, and those that were open were just small stalls struggling to keep their businesses going. They were far too small to provide the supplies our soldiers needed.

“Find out what’s going on,“ I instructed one of the soldiers, who quickly ran off. While we paused the cart and rested at the edge of the market, Hella cautiously asked me,

“Your Grace, why are you going to such lengths?“

“Is it so strange that I want to take care of my family?“

“No, I just mean… you’re always on the move.”

I had been investigating the giant demonic beasts, personally checking the supplies given to other armies, and chasing after Count Melin all day to negotiate.

Because of all that, I probably seemed frantic in Hella’s eyes. I smiled.

“I get restless if I stay still.”

From this point on, my family would either be killed or enslaved. To protect them, I couldn’t afford to stop. Hella nodded as if understanding my answer and said,

“I see. I respect that.”

Her sudden remark made me laugh.

“Respect?“

“I’ve always respected the Count. But simultaneously, I’ve worried that his pure goodness might harm him. So, I’m relieved to see that he has such a cautious daughter.“

“Is that a compliment?“

“It’s a compliment.”

It was a bit ambiguous, but since she insisted it was a compliment, I had no choice but to take it as one.

While Hella and I exchanged small talk, the soldier I had sent on an errand returned.

“So, what did you find out?”

The soldier caught his breath and replied immediately.

“It is because of the demonic beasts. While the beasts rarely attacked the villagers directly, they’ve completely cut off the supply routes.“

“That’s absurd. The lord’s castle is so close by, yet what has Count Melin been doing…?”

In the middle of speaking, I realized something. Where did Count Melin’s supply deliveries come from if the supply routes were cut off?

Just imagining it made my stomach churn. In such a harsh situation, where the economy was barely functioning, Count Melin must have been forcibly exploiting his people to gather supplies. I doubted he had provided them with any proper compensation.

“We’ll have to head back for now. I need to find another way to get supplies.”

And so we returned empty-handed. We ended up sorting out the supplies we weren’t using and selling them to the village at a low price.

After that day, we fought one more battle. This time, we secured a safe zone extending beyond the lake to a large ancient tree. However, the supply issue still hadn’t been resolved.

Then, someone came to see me.

It was a woman wearing an apricot-colored robe. Beneath her hood, a white mask concealed her eyes, and her red hair peeked out from underneath.

As I looked at that vibrant, beautiful hair, someone came to mind, but I quickly shook the thought away. There was no way she could be here.

The woman greeted me politely but didn’t speak. Instead, the attendant standing beside her spoke on her behalf.

“We’ve come from the Baron Heira’s estate.”

To be honest, I didn’t immediately recall the name. It took me a moment to remember Shina Heira, the young lady who had unusually liked me. She had straightforwardly told me she wanted to buy rare mana stones.

The red-haired woman pulled out a gold insignia bearing the crest of Baron Heira’s family and showed it to me. It seemed fitting for a family that valued wealth over honor.

“What brings you here? I don’t see Lady Heira.“

“Does the young lady have to come in person?”

This time, the red-haired woman spoke. Her voice sounded familiar as if I had heard it somewhere before. I couldn’t shake the suspicion.

“Well, no, but… Huh?”

I stopped mid-sentence and stared at her. Beneath her mask, she smiled a charming smile. Then, slowly, she removed her mask. As her pale face came into view, I gradually opened my mouth in surprise.

“Marian!”

With a playful grin, Marian said, “How do I look? I tried to imitate Her Grace.”

Her cheeks were softly flushed, and her eyes gleamed with joy.

Before I knew it, I had leaped forward and wrapped Marian in a tight hug. As I embraced her, I worried she might stumble, but surprisingly, she held her ground.

The girl who once couldn’t even breathe properly because of her tightly laced corset had grown so strong. How she had become so sturdy was beyond me.

“Madam, I didn’t expect you to welcome me so warmly.”

Marian laughed happily. She seemed just as delighted to see me, her beautiful eyes sparkling excitedly.

“What happened? How did you get here? What’s with the Baron Heira’s insignia? Were you in any danger?”

Marian covered her mouth and laughed brightly. She looked much healthier than when we had parted ways. Back then, though she seemed refreshed, there had been a trace of uncertainty about the new life she was beginning. Now, it felt like she had shed another layer and grown stronger.

Marian clasped my hand tightly and said, “First, let’s have some tea. I brought some good tea with me. Can you spare the time?“

“Of course. Come in.”

With a bright voice, I led Marian inside. After seeing nothing but grim soldiers, having such a cheerful young lady around felt like a breath of fresh air.

The soldiers, too, seemed curious about what was going on, glancing between me and Marian. I led her up to the room where I was staying.

I personally brewed the tea with Marian’s leaves. Though the teapot for supplies was rough, it didn’t diminish the fragrance of the tea leaves. The tea had a sweet aroma and was refreshingly light.

“This tea is delicious.“

“Isn’t it? Lady Shina personally sought it out. She’s still deciding what to name it.”

I blinked and asked what had been on my mind the whole time.

“You seem quite close to Lady Heira. How did you meet?“

“Hehe, I knew you’d be curious about that.“

“Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me already.”

Marian nodded and continued.

“Lady Heira somehow managed to find me. She said I should follow her since I had nowhere else to go.“

“Why?“

“She thinks I’ll be useful in future dealings with Duke Zan’s family.“

“Because of the rare mana stones?“

“Yes. At first, I thought she was dangerous, so I didn’t say anything to her. But I couldn’t ignore her forever since she visited me so diligently every day. Besides, the things she told me were quite interesting.“

“What did she tell you?”

With a smile tugging at her lips, Marian replied,

“Stories about money.”

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.