Chapter 99
Unlike what I'd feared, protecting the bloodlines went off without a hitch. Aside from that prick Nicholas kicking up a minor fuss at the start, there were no major issues. With the situation being what it was, some folks grumbled about the food quality or the shortage of supplies, but the Grand Duchess handled it all with her deft mediation, smoothing things over nicely.
For my part, I'd figured it'd be tough reining in the hot-blooded northerners—true to their kingdom's fierce reputation, a few might demand to charge out and fight rather than hole up like this. But surprisingly, everyone stayed put without a peep, which left me scratching my head.
"Not all northerners have the same temperament," the Duchess explained, sounding like she was reading from some Pokémon Pokédex entry. "The aggressive types are mostly direct descendants or those living near the Grand Duchy. The branch families are closer to the kingdom proper, so they're generally milder-mannered."
Right as she was wrapping up, a sharp slap rang out, followed by a high-pitched shriek.
Smack!
"Kyaaak!"
I locked eyes with the Grand Duchess for a split second before we both bolted toward the sound.
"Y-You... you wanna die?! You filthy bitch, how dare you touch m-my...!"
"Hic... th-that's not...!"
It was almost comically predictable. When we arrived, we found Nicholas, wild-eyed and clutching his coat like a lifeline, looming over a young maid crumpled on the floor, clutching her cheek and sobbing.
The slap mark was already blooming red on her face, visible even from a distance.
"Lord Nicholas! What is the meaning of this commotion?!"
Furious that one of her own servants had been manhandled by this thug, the Grand Duchess stormed toward him, her voice booming.
"M-Madam! It's... th-this wench touched my clothes! She pawed at them without permission!"
"It's a misunderstanding! I just saw you sweating in those heavy layers even inside the castle, so I thought I'd take your coat for you..."
I couldn't believe he'd slapped her over something as trivial as touching his coat. But even more suspicious was how he kept sniffling and guarding it like his life depended on it.
"My servant acted out of kindness. I fail to see what was wrong with that. Even if it offended you, couldn't you have calmly corrected her with words? How could you raise a hand to this poor girl?"
She looked fragile and innocent compared to the Grand Duke, but when she got serious like this, her icy rage pierced right through you—chillingly different from his blazing fury. I'd wondered from the moment we met how a bandit-like brute like him had landed such a beauty, but clearly, opposites attract... or something.
"I... uh, that is... um..."
Nicholas started glancing around nervously, hyper-aware of the hostile stares pinning him down. If he'd had the guts for this in the first place, none of it would've happened.
The Duchess let out a deep sigh.
"We're in an emergency right now, so I'll let it slide. But repeat this nonsense, and I'll have no choice but to intervene in your conduct here at the Grand Duchy."
"Y-Yes, understood! Just... just tell them to stay away from m-me!"
Overwhelmed by her authority, Nicholas mumbled to the end before stumbling backward and fleeing the scene.
Once he was gone, the Duchess personally helped the fallen maid to her feet.
"Sally. Are you all right?"
"Y-Yes... Madam. I'm f-fine."
"Your cheek's badly swollen. They should've prepped treatment by now—go get it seen to. Take the rest of the day off."
"B-But it's just a swollen cheek..."
Tsk! "The body matters, but so does the mind. Go on!"
In the end, the maid shuffled off to the infirmary with help from a fellow servant.
"Haa... I knew he'd cause trouble, but not this soon."
"Is he always like that?"
"Yes... He wasn't so bad as a little boy, but then he fell in with a bad crowd. Word is he's infamous for every vice under the sun—gambling, drugs, you name it. He's ruined himself completely."
If even Prazia, who couldn't care less about people, called him trash, he must be human garbage on a legendary scale. Part of me wanted to just let the Heaven God Cult snatch him up—he'd be no loss to society.
"At least my husband's not here. If it'd been him instead of me, Viscount Nicholas would've been cleaved in two by now."
"..."
For some reason, I could totally picture the Grand Duke doing just that.
I half-tuned out the Duchess's grumbling and stared at the spot where Nicholas had vanished.
His coat...
The North had long, harsh winters, but the Grand Duchy and this castle maintained a comfortable temperature thanks to special artifacts. That's why we southerners could roam freely without freezing. Hell, wearing the jackets we'd brought actually felt too warm—no need to bundle up that tightly indoors.
And Nicholas's behavior screamed "hiding stolen goods" or "thief with itchy feet." I couldn't shake the suspicion gnawing at me.
"Mars~ What're you up to?"
Just then, Luna sidled up with her usual friendly greeting. She'd come along as Hertia's personal maid and was apparently spending her time in the castle kitchens, learning northern specialties.
Influenced by my past life, I loved hearty soups and spicy dishes, and I'd heard the North's cuisine evolved around warming, fiery flavors to combat the cold. The moment she arrived, she'd marched straight to the head chef and begged to learn—apparently to "capture their stomachs first."
"Oh, nothing much. Just something bugging me."
"Yeah?"
I was about to brush it off, but seeing her sparked an idea.
"Luna, have you chatted with the castle staff?"
"Mm? A bit, yeah? I'm the Saintess's maid and your assistant on this trip, so I've been getting the lay of the land."
"Cool. Mind doing me a favor? Ask the head maid or butler..."
* * *
"Damn it! Every last one of 'em!"
Back in his assigned room, Nicholas kicked over a chair in a rage.
"That shriveled old hag, who the hell does she think she is, lecturing me?! The Grand Duke and his bitch wife—both pissing me off!!"
He'd gotten plenty of warnings and scoldings from the Grand Duke before over his violent antics, and now he lumped the Duchess in too, spewing venomous hate. Classic petty mindset: never his fault, always blame the world.
But what really got under his skin was something else—
"Grr... And why's Prazia always glued to that bastard—?!"
Prazia... and the guy next to her, Mars Noctus. But with his dim bulb of a brain, he had no clue who Mars was—couldn't imagine he'd be strong enough to catch her eye.
Bzzz—
A short vibration hummed from somewhere. Nicholas dropped his fury and rushed toward the source.
"I-I got it! It's m-me! I'm here!!"
Bzzz—
It was coming from the coat on his bed. He frantically rummaged inside and pulled out a stone that looked like any old rock.
"D-Don't make such a fuss! I almost got caught—do you know how tense I was?! A viscount's heir carrying around a stupid rock like treasure? How suspicious is that?!"
Bzzzz—
Bzz—
The stone kept buzzing defiantly, as if arguing back. To an outsider, he looked like a lunatic talking to a pebble. But up close, it seemed less like mere vibration and more like something trapped inside pounding desperately to escape.
Bzzzzz—
Bzz—
"N-Not now... Everyone's scattered to their rooms. Dinner's when they all gather, so j-just hold on till then."
Like soothing a dog with a treat and a "stay," Nicholas cooed at it—then fixed it with mad, feverish eyes.
"A-And hey... once this job's done... you'll keep your promise, right?"
Bzz—
Bzzzzz!
"Yeah... I just need her... heh heh heh... Ah!"
Something clicked, and he tacked on more.
"Th-That bastard! The one who stuck to Prazia right in front of me! Bring him too... I wanna tear him to shreds in front of me!"
His eyes oozed lust, madness, and an indescribable revulsion, radiating dangerous vibes.
Bzz-bzz—
Bzzzz—
Bzz-bzz-bzz—
The stone thrummed on and on, as if thrilled by his depravity—like peals of manic laughter from within.