***

The next day, I was summoned by the Count early in the morning.

“I heard you purchased a mansion.”

“Yes.”

“I also heard you brought slaves.”

“Yes.”

“They say it’s a s*x slave.”

“Yes.”

I answered the Count half-asleep, still in a daze.

And I was caught.

“Lorazie, answer properly.”

“Huh? Yes. It’s not a s*x slave. Though I did buy it at that price.”

“Haah, what are you planning?”

The Count furrowed his brow, pressing it as if he had a headache.

“I’m going to treat him and use him as a bodyguard.”

“Treatment? What treatment are you talking about?”

“They say he’s a former knight from another country. If we treat his cut tendons and use him as a bodyguard, wouldn’t he be useful?”

“Buying a high-grade slave and having him treated in the capital. It might be better if there were rumors of a noble lady openly doing business.”

The Count calmly rebuked me.

“That’s true. Maybe I should have done it openly?”

“Just because you’re leaving here doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look for a marriage partner for you. Such rumors are fatal for an unmarried noble lady.”

I suddenly felt tired of this circular conversation with the Count.

And then I remembered. A very good way to end these repetitive conversations forever.

“I don’t care. The problem is that it brings shame to the family, right? Then there’s a very good way to prevent harm to the family.”

“Lorazie.”

“Expel me from the family.”

“What?”

The Count’s eyes widened in surprise, then he pressed his temples as if trying to suppress a headache.

I decided to push forward with the accident I had already caused.

“It’s as I said.”

“Haah, Lorazie. That’s not something you can decide so easily. It’s also not something you can carelessly say out loud, so don’t act rashly. You are, after all, my blood.”

I was now tired and unaffected by their mentioning of blood ties only when it suited them.

“Then you should have treated me like family. Do you know that because of your ambivalent attitude, I was treated even worse here? I’m telling you this after careful consideration.”

“Lorazie!”

He put down his pen and called my name with a stern expression, but I continued to the end, undeterred.

“I no longer want to be involved in complicated issues entangled with the Epine family or be pointed at as an illegitimate child. Even if you don’t expel me, the moment I leave this place, I’ll give up all duties, responsibilities, and rights as the Epine Count’s daughter.”

“Go back to your room, now!”

The Count finally exploded.

“Yes. If you’ve ever cared for me even once, please think deeply about it.”

I added as I got up to leave. The Count didn’t even look at me, his expression completely hardened.

Thud-

“Ah, a life without a peaceful day… I need to escape quickly.”

Although I had spoken without a plan, I had no regrets. Rather, I felt relieved.

The contempt from family members, the mockery from ladies and young ladies at tea parties, even the young men looking down on me at introductions. It seems that the things I had endured because of being an illegitimate child here were quite stressful, even if only for a short while.

“Lora must have lived like this for over ten years, so her personality couldn’t have improved even if she wanted to.”

Indeed, it seems that people can only understand others’ hardships through direct experience. Just a few months of tasting it was enough to make her personality breakdown completely understandable.

Returning to my room, I called for Demian. Regardless of my mood, there was a mountain of work to do.

“Did you call for me?”

“Yes. Can you call a priest from the temple to treat Sion? Ah. Is Sion doing well? Can you go and bring that slave from yesterday?”

“Yes, young lady.”

Suddenly worried about Sion’s well-being, I asked the maid standing nearby to bring him.

“I’ll try to contact them, but I’m not sure if the priests will be willing to treat a slave, given their pride.”

Demian trailed off, sounding uncertain.

“Wouldn’t they do it if we donate a lot?”

“Young lady, I’m not sure if that slave is worth going to such lengths for.”

Worth, huh.

I pondered how to make Demian understand this issue.

It wouldn’t affect the execution even if he didn’t understand, but I hoped his prejudice would subside a little. It was time for some eye-level education.

“It’s in the same vein as buying bread for starving children on the street. I have the ability to treat him, and I also possess a beautiful character that wouldn’t ignore a hungry child.”

“A beautiful character?”

He tilted his head as if genuinely questioning.

I narrowed my eyes into triangles, but held back, thinking that arguing here would obscure the main point.

Right, he just needs to understand the first part. That’s enough. I brainwashed myself. And then I blurted out following the flow of consciousness.

“Ah. And I caused some trouble.”

He replied nonchalantly, as if used to it.

“I see. What did you do this time?”

“Well, I asked the Count to expel me from the family.”

“Huh.”

Demian was at a loss for words. I just blinked as I watched his gaze wander here and there.

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

“As soon as we arrived yesterday, Lindel made a fuss saying I bought a s*x slave, and this morning the Count summoned me to scold me further.”

“Haah. That slave is causing a lot of trouble.”

“It’s just the buildup of things finally bursting. Do you know how much I’ve endured all this time?”

“That’s true.”

To think he would agree so easily.

I thought he would scold me.

“Huh? You’re not going to say anything?”

“You’ve already made up your mind to leave, so how dare I, a mere butler, say anything more to you, young lady?”

He wasn’t agreeing, he was sulking.

“Demian, are you sulking again?”

“I’m not.”

“Come on, you are sulking. What. Demian, you’re this era’s greatest sulker.”

“I’m not.”

As we were playfully bantering about a heavy topic, Sion entered.

“I heard you called for me.”

Demian frowned.

“The way he speaks,”

“Demian.”

“I understand.”

I stopped him from scolding Sion by calling his name. Then I scolded Sion myself.

“Sion, use honorifics properly. I’m your superior.”

I should establish discipline since I’ll be living with him from now on.

“Yes. I apologize.”

Demian’s eyes widened in surprise, probably not expecting me to speak so firmly, while Sion obediently lowered his eyes and answered.

The atmosphere was strange, somehow feeling like he might pull out a poison needle and shoot it when I let my guard down after answering so obediently.

Well, we can get closer slowly. Right?

“Alright, were there any inconveniences during the night? Did the servants treat you badly? As you can see, I’m in a position where I’m pushed around too, so I can’t protect you much.”

“There weren’t any.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me if anything happens. Do you want to stay here, or go back to your room?”

“Please do as you wish, master, I mean, Lady Lora.”

“Then go to your room.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Sion seemed flustered and briefly fixed his lowered eyes on my face.

When I looked back at him, I saw him bow his head once and then fix his gaze back on the floor.

“Why did you call him in the first place?”

“I brought him here, so I could check if he’s doing well.”

Demian asked as if it was ridiculous, and I answered as if asking why he was questioning something so obvious.