Chapter 273
Chapter 273
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Return to the Rose Territory
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"Hmm...."
As before, the Rose Territory was fundamentally surrounded by forests.
If you kept galloping along the road toward the territory, the flat expanse of the land would soon come into view, and atop the highest hill in that territory stood the mansion.
It had been... several years since my last visit.
"Still the same."
Everything remained unchanged.
There was virtually no sign of any development.
"Hmm.... Lize, let's just keep going straight like this, right up to the mansion."
"Yes, Young Lady."
The horse pulling the carriage this time was the exact same one we'd used on our trip before.
A mana horse, far superior in performance to ordinary horses.
It was larger in size, stronger, and perfect for intimidating others.
Plus, since it was attuned to its owner who infused it with mana, it was reasonably obedient.
"Hmm."
If I just had it kick the Rose folks with its hind legs, it could probably snap a few bones without much effort.
But using such an expensive horse for something like that felt like a waste, didn't it?
Knight salaries were pricey enough, but acquiring a special breed like this was far costlier.
They didn't require much special feed, but still, there wasn't really any need to use it for that....
"Young Lady."
"Yeah. We here?"
"Yes, we've arrived."
"Phew...."
Lost in idle thoughts for a moment, and we'd arrived.
As I'd seen last time, the mansion's size was decent enough.
Both the main building right in front of us and the annex beside it.
Unlike the undoubtedly shabby interior, the exterior was reasonably presentable.
Of course, there were plants growing wild midway up the outer walls and faint spiderwebs here and there.
"Wait here."
It wasn't my problem anyway.
If the place became mine, I'd just clean everything up.
With that in mind, I slowly stepped down from the carriage.
For now... just me.
"Hmm.... No one's coming out. Are they sleeping?"
I'd given no prior notice and just showed up out of the blue, after all.
I got down from the carriage alone... but no one emerged.
The buildings atop the hill were quiet today as well.
It reminded me of the first time I'd come here because of Rozalin.
Back then, they'd deliberately treated her like utter shit.
Memories started surfacing, souring my mood even more.
"Should I just barge in?"
Their knights looked plenty capable at a glance.
From the road into the territory, after entering, and all the way up to the mansion—no one had stopped us.
Even if I had my knights tear the place apart, it wouldn't be an issue.
"If no one shows in five minutes, I'll force my way in."
Deciding that, I just stood there waiting.
Standing alone in that awkward spot between the carriage and the mansion.
Wouldn't common sense dictate someone come out?
I knew they weren't the common-sense type, though.
If no one appeared, I really would smash my way in, but for now, I'd wait a bit.
"Hmm... Not even Alexandra?"
Well, she was an insider, after all.
But there was no reason for her to reveal herself just yet.
In this situation, the actual powerholder Christina and Family Head Rose Count should be the ones to come out.
"The grass is crappy too."
Glancing down at the lawn underfoot while waiting—it really was crappy.
Did they not know how to maintain anything?
The roads on the way here were the same. Utterly incomprehensible.
-Creeeak.......
"Ah, finally showing up?"
"...Camellia Leonhardt. What business do you have here?"
"Oh my. It's been so long since we last met, yet you're so sharp with me, Aunt."
"...Ha!"
The one who opened the mansion's door—which was in worse shape than I'd expected—and came to greet me was Christina Rose.
Red hair and green eyes.
The very picture of a Rose Family member.
Not that I particularly liked it.
Her face wasn't even as pretty as Rozalin's, her personality was filthy trash, and her figure was inferior too.
What was there to like?
I wasn't exactly a good person myself, with a nasty temperament, but at least I never bullied people.
"Why the attitude? Did I perhaps come to a place I shouldn't have?"
"Do you even know what this place is... for a rat like you to show up?"
"Hmm.... Calling me a rat is a bit much, don't you think? Even if I'm from Leonhardt, I'm the Family Head now. Even as the lady of a count family, that's going too far."
"Ha!"
An exasperated reaction.
But failing to counter it just made her look stupid.
No matter how much of a viscount I was, or how rat-like Leonhardt people were.
Officially, I was now the Leonhardt Viscount who had inherited the family.
The title still felt unfamiliar to me.
But a count's daughter who hadn't fully inherited her family had no business being this rude.
Of course, this stemmed from the idiotic decision of Rose Count, who uselessly wanted to cling to his family head position.
"So, what brings our niece here?"
"Just... I've heard lately that you and your relatives have been having a tough time. My mother's family is struggling, so I came to help."
"Ha.... Haha!"
"Puhuhu...."
Ah, this is fun.
Watching her pretend everything was fine alone was stupider and more amusing than I'd imagined.
Pathetic as hell.
"Shall we go inside first? We're not some commoners to chat out here, right?"
"........"
"Oh, if you can't go inside, we can talk in the garden. Or if you'd rather, I can use other methods."
"...Follow me."
"Yes~"
And so, we headed to the garden.
I'd considered a private talk originally, but deliberately didn't.
"Oh, should I call the rest of my group from the carriage too?"
"Ha?"
"Puhuhu."
She'd probably planned a one-on-one.
But I had no intention of that.
Chatting from a distance like before was already unpleasant enough—why bother with one-on-one?
"........"
"...Hello, Sister."
And so it was.
The sisters met again after a long time.
Our last meeting was definitely just before I entered the academy.
Truly a long while.
Neither looked comfortable, though.
"What do you lowly rats want, showing up unannounced? There's no reason for trash like you to come here without warning."
"Puhuhu, is that so?"
Blunt words from her.
Utterly unworthy of a count family.
Rozalin actually carried herself far more nobly.
Her looks were cuter, prettier, sexier, and hotter to begin with.
"I said it earlier too. I heard your relatives are in dire straits—I've already heard everything. Even your clothes are four years out of date."
"......."
"Outdated fashion, too thick for spring. Do you feel chilly every night when you sleep?"
"It's just what I happened to wear. Do I need to dress up to meet you lot?"
"Puhuhu, could be. After all, you're quite something, Aunt."
"Don't use that title, rat."
"Oh my."
Struggling a lot lately?
Her mouth was fouler than expected.
I could get even cruder, but for now, I'd stick to the same vibe.
The situation and conversation control already seemed to be in my favor.
No need to get too emotional with Rozalin right there.
"I've heard you've been diligently preparing a business these past few years?"
"...How do you know that?"
"Puhuhu.... How could I not? Everyone knows the Rose Family is going under. Not just me—the whole territory."
"........"
"Sigh.... You've been work~ing sooo hard, right, Aunt? Scraping together business funds, begging other families. Not just with words and money, of course."
"...You!"
"Probably bought quality fabrics from the capital to sell south or east, partnered with merchants to acquire nearby gems, and worked hard to mine mana stones from the mana mine next to the territory."
"How do you know all that...."
"But it all fell through anyway."
The information gap was already massive.
I had an insider in Rose, and the Information Guild provided tons of intel.
"So that's why the building's walls look like that, the servants wandering around are like that, and the knight order's discipline has collapsed—they're basically thugs."
"......."
"Puhu."
Hit a nerve?
It wasn't just me who knew.
Most nobles were aware of Rose's state.
They just lacked the details and who sabotaged the business.
Old news to central nobles.
"...Where did you hear that?"
"Where do you think?"
"No games—answer me, rat."
"Puhuhu.... Shall we have a proper talk first?"
She was the count family's real power.
Yet right now, she just looked like a fool.
Of course, this was possible only because I'd been sabotaging them for years.
"......."
To my question, Christina Rose.
The idiot who'd tormented my mother could only glare in response.
I wondered how she'd react to what I'd bring up soon.
My lips kept twitching upward already.