Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Pruning (1)
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Isabel stared at the young woman standing before her, her face tense with anxiety.
She still had the innocent features of a girl rather than a full-fledged lady.
Her large eyes sparkled with lively intelligence.
In every way, she possessed the opposite charm from Isabel.
She must have been the apprentice accountant Lian kept under him.
Currently, she was the only employee Lian had personally hired at the merchant house—his closest aide, in a sense.
Her only flaw was that she was a bit clumsy with calculations, but Lian had praised her for her sharp knowledge of tax laws, inherited from her lawyer father.
Isabel couldn't quite recall her name, but such trifles didn't matter.
"So, what is this?"
"Ah, yes. These are documents for your approval. Since we haven't heard when Lian might return..."
"Is that so? Hand them over."
The apprentice accountant Letty set down the towering stack of papers she had been cradling in her arms before Isabel.
Lian had surely cleared out most of the workload in the early hours before heading to North Port.
Yet in just a few days, enough new documents requiring approval had piled up again to match that.
Back when Isabel ran the merchant house, the workload had never been this heavy.
But since Lian took over, the miscellaneous tasks had multiplied.
"No wonder he's always so busy."
But thanks to that, the merchant house's growth chart showed nothing but upward curves, without a single dip.
She had no room for complaints.
"What are you standing there for?"
"Waiting for you to finish approving them..."
"All of this stack? How long do you expect me to take?"
Even including the attachments, it was enough to fill a whole book.
The sheer volume would take ages even if she just skimmed and signed without reading.
"Oh! You're right! Lian handles this much in no time, so I forgot..."
"Good grief. If everyone used him as a benchmark, who'd keep up?"
"Ahaha... True enough?"
"What needs handling today?"
"Ah! These ones, and these..."
Letty hurriedly sorted the documents by urgency.
The forms were remarkably well-organized and systematic.
Thanks to that, Isabel could grasp the contents at a glance, even with the volume.
"At least things aren't falling apart without Lian."
"Yes! He set up such a solid system, so no issues!"
"Is that so?"
"Well, a bit touch-and-go, of course."
Even with multiple people sharing Lian's workload, it was still overwhelming.
But Isabel couldn't blame them—the tasks were simply too numerous.
"Alright. The rest, bring by tomorrow morning."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Letty left the room with a bright smile and quick steps.
Isabel watched her retreating figure, narrowing her brow slightly.
"I wonder if that's actually Lian's type."
He was away now, sure.
But normally, he spent time alone in the office with a young, attractive woman like her.
As his wife, how could she not feel a twinge of jealousy?
"Oh, come on! You know how devoted Lian is to you alone!"
"Right. Weren't you the one he turned down when you tried making a move before?"
"Ah, that was just... back then, I..."
The maid broke out in a cold sweat, her eyes darting wildly.
Isabel knew about the time when Guard Captain Pedro—her old lover—and Lian had clashed, and she'd tried flirting with the injured Lian while tending his wounds.
"Forget it. I don't mind. A treasure no one else desires isn't much of a treasure, is it?"
"R-Right? With how handsome and capable Lian is, which woman wouldn't admire him..."
Isabel shot the maid a quiet glare.
"Sorry. I'll shut up..."
Always running her mouth.
"Anyway, no word today either?"
"Ah, no. I double-checked with the delivery boy, but no letters from Lian."
"Well, it's barely been a week."
Not even a month—just a few days.
Yet why did these days without him feel so endlessly long?
They'd only been together for less than two years, which made it all the stranger.
"I heard something worrying, though."
The maid lowered her voice to a whisper, even though they were alone.
"Apparently, there was some conflict between Lian and the lord."
"Really? Better news than them getting along."
"Huh? You think so?"
Even Isabel had a poor relationship with the previous lord, Francis.
The maid knew her mistress's disdain for nobles as fools born into privilege, so she nodded quietly in agreement.
"There are some ominous rumors circulating too."
"What kind?"
"Something going around among the nobles. Ah! Maybe that's why Lian went up there?"
"A curse? What sort?"
"They say nobles are suddenly going mad in droves, babbling nonsense."
"Hmph. Probably just old fools losing their minds."
Isabel dismissed the maid's tale lightly.
Even if nobles went collectively insane, it troubled Lord Leon, not Lian.
"You're still worried, aren't you?"
"Not really. He handles himself anywhere, anytime."
Above all, she believed Lian could resolve any issue effortlessly.
An exceptionally sunny afternoon.
The gates of Madella Castle were more crowded than ever.
Most visitors were eldest sons from various noble houses.
They had abruptly become acting heads due to the madness plaguing family patriarchs, spreading like an epidemic.
"Apologies, young masters! You can't see the lord today either. Please disperse!"
But the gates remained firmly shut, offering no welcome.
"You think locking the gates solves this crisis?"
"I heard your father showed the same madness when Sir Manuel fell ill! The lord must explain himself!"
"House after house, patriarchs gripped by madness—how can we overlook this? Let us see the lord!"
"No. Impossible. Please go home."
The heirs and proxies gathered like protesters before the gates, bellowing demands to open them.
Yet the gates, sealed since the day before last, refused to budge.
"Such a racket today too..."
Leon tsked from his office window, surveying the scene.
The commotion carried all the way here, despite the distance to the gates.
"Simon. Any progress on tracking that old man?"
"We should consider him gone. He might have fled to Bordia by now."
"Fair point. That cesspit suits the monster far better."
Bordia was said to harbor mages who tamed beasts even knights feared.
It fit that vile old sorcerer perfectly.
But from a national standpoint, losing a mage—a key asset—was grave.
"We need confirmed whereabouts at least. Keep sending investigation teams and report back."
"Shall we request official aid from passing territories?"
"No. Tell them to hide identities and move covertly."
"Understood."
Even with Leon's strong loyalty to the crown, no need to let his blunder reach central ears unnecessarily.
Neighboring lords would surely exploit it as a weakness.
Even fellow kingdom lords weren't true allies.
The capital split between royalists and parliamentarians, bickering endlessly; the fringes were no different.
"My lord. What of the crowd outside? We can't keep the gates shut forever."
Tap, tap, tap.
Leon drummed his fingers on the desk, lost in thought, offering no reply.
Simon waited silently, but Leon showed no sign of speaking.
"I didn't witness Sir Manuel's incident myself, but even knights couldn't handle it. Perhaps release Lian now and let them collaborate..."
"Forgot? He's accused of colluding with a traitor."
"Then requesting the Royal Mage Corps before it's too late would be wiser."
"Simon. Since when are you so talkative?"
Bam!
Leon slammed his fist on the desk, glaring at Simon.
The Royal Mage Corps—under direct crown command, composed of mages—investigated and resolved magical incidents kingdom-wide.
Few in number despite the grand name.
But seeking their aid meant Leon bracing for punishment.
"Forgive me. I overstepped..."
Still, some solution was needed.
Leon showed no such inclination.
He planned to grit his teeth and bury the matter.
"Lian can't hold out forever anyway. Hopefully he doesn't foolishly let things worsen before bending."
Shifting all blame and resolution onto Lian, ultimately.
Madella Castle's underground prison.
Three days had passed since Lian's arrest.
His capture hadn't been officially announced yet.
The Lapis Lazuli Merchant House was the economic pillar of Madella Island.
Leon feared news would harm the island's economy.
Besides, he aimed for a judicial bargain of sorts.
Punishing Lian was lowest priority.
Of course, no release until he accepted the offer.
Even then, true freedom was unlikely.
"Prison food suits you surprisingly well."
"Luckily, I'm not picky. Feels like a vacation, thanks to it."
Lian lounged on the straw mat bolted to the floor, swinging his feet idly.
Honestly, the cold, hard prison floor wasn't much different from his childhood bed at home.
Leon couldn't know that.
He saw only provocation, responding with icy glares.
"I hoped for a positive answer today. Still unchanged?"
"Admit all charges, become your slave for a pardon? You call that reasonable?"
"Overstatement. I said serve me—not slave."
"With these visible chains? Unable to refuse orders—that's slavery."
Lian eyed Simon, standing behind Leon.
Simon looked uncomfortable, bowing his head silently.
"Then you don't want this escalating either. Still stubborn?"
"Exactly—who told you to ally with Delico Matron? What gave you the nerve?"
"That wouldn't have happened if you'd accepted my offer."
"If you couldn't lord it without me, why sit in that seat?"
"Enough. Drop it."
Today's talk ran parallel as ever, no convergence in sight.
When arresting Lian, Leon thought he'd cornered him at last.
What gave him such unshakable poise?
Bluff or hidden ace?
"The worse it gets, the heavier your crimes. Then I'll have no choice but execution."
"Sounds like you're describing yourself."
"Ponder it more. I'll return tomorrow."
"Sure. Take care."
Leon ground his teeth, turning on his heel.
His shoulders trembled slightly, betraying anxiety and suppressed rage.
Once Leon and Simon vanished down the corridor,
Lian curled his lips into a sly grin, straightening up.
"Probably won't be here tomorrow, though."
He murmured softly, then rapped his knuckles on the prison wall.
Thud, thud.
Moments later, someone beyond the wall replied to his signal.