Each With Their Own Schemes (3)
Marcus asked carefully, “May I inquire as to why you are suddenly showing me your daughters?”
Lord Usheril answered at once, a smile playing on his lips. “Tell Lord Richard in detail about the beauty of our daughters.”
The moment he heard those words, Marcus felt his throat go dry. He had a rough idea of what the man was getting at. A sudden craving for a drink came over him, so he took a sip of wine to wet his throat. Only then did he clear his voice and speak again.
“As I mentioned earlier, our lord already has someone he intends to marry.”
“Then how about five? Five is better than one, wouldn’t you say?”
“Pardon…?” Marcus blinked rapidly.
“I will grant him the special privilege of choosing five out of those fourteen over there. Tell Lord Richard this: if he gives up that woman, he may take five of my daughters. And convey that I hope he will take all five as his official wives.”
“……”
Marcus closed his mouth for a moment, thinking carefully about how to respond. In the meantime, Lord Usheril added with a grumble, “Truth be told, sending off my daughters one by one is exhausting. I’ve decided to bundle them up in sets from now on and marry them off all at once. Hahaha.”
He glanced at his daughters. “What do you all think? It would be fine if five of you married Lord Richard, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, Father. We wish to marry quickly as well.”
The fourteen girls, each differing slightly in height and facial features, answered in perfect unison.
This is troublesome. Marcus felt utterly confused. He could not understand why Lord Usheril, who had seemed like a friend only that morning, would suddenly commit such a diplomatic blunder. The man now felt like a complete stranger.
“If it is not too rude, may I ask what was written in the letter sent by the Cluiston family earlier?”
The change in Lord Usheril’s attitude had begun right after that letter arrived. It was the only oddity he could point to.
“A war has broken out between the Richard family and the Cluiston family. I assume they made you a sweet offer?”
Marcus’s words must have struck the mark, because Lord Usheril burst into loud laughter. He slapped his knee with one hand.
“Exactly right. That’s why I’m in the middle of deliberating. I cannot afford to lose a precious friend I’ve only just found.”
The “precious friend” in question was clearly Marcus.
“The Cluiston family has asked me to attack the currently empty Lanchester castle. They say they will handle the main force of Richard’s army themselves.”
“Good heavens.” Marcus let out a sigh and, without thinking, blurted out, “You must not…!”
“I don’t like war either. Especially not the idea of forming an alliance with that mad lord of Cluiston. However, there is a variable.”
He continued, “My decision will depend on what choice the Metis family—where my daughter married into—makes. If my son-in-law, that young pup Lord Loweldriger of Metis, joins hands with the Cluiston family, I will have no choice but to follow. After all, the arm bends inward, doesn’t it? A parent’s duty is to protect their daughter. Depending on the situation, I may have no option but to cooperate with the Metis family.”
“It would indeed be difficult to refuse a daughter’s request.” Marcus let out a heavy sigh, his expression grave.
“Don’t make that face like a drenched puppy. There is still a chance. Since I don’t wish to lose my newly made friend, I will make you an offer. That is why I called my daughters here.”
“If our lord marries your daughters, you will aid us in the war?”
“I like how quick your mind works. I’m curious what your profession was when you were young. Yes, that is exactly what I wanted to say.”
Lord Usheril went on, “If Lord Richard becomes family with me, the story changes entirely. Even if my in-laws in the Metis family decide to help the Cluiston family, I will stand unconditionally with the Richard family. Because Lord Richard is known as a young and dependable man, while Lord Cain is nothing but a lunatic. I have no desire to help the Cluiston family, who may go back on their word later. Besides, I wish to continue my connection with you, Marcus.”
No matter how he dressed it up, Lord Usheril was weighing his options and choosing the side that benefited him most.
“I understand your meaning perfectly.” Marcus rose from his seat and bowed. His wife, Lemarchi, stood up as well. “We will return to our room at once and write a letter to our lord. There will be good news, so please do not worry. As repayment for all the kindness you have shown us thus far, I will do my utmost to persuade our Lord Richard to accept the honor of choosing five of your daughters.”
“Don’t keep me waiting too long. Tell Lord Richard that the faster the reply, the better. By the time our troops march on Lanchester castle, it will already be too late.”
“Understood.”
Marcus returned to their room with his wife and immediately wrote the letter. He knew better than anyone that Hyunwoo would never give up Dana. However, Lord Usheril’s proposal to arrange a marriage with five daughters was not a bad option in the current situation. If they could simply ask for Hyunwoo’s opinion and coordinate well, they might smoothly resolve this headache of a problem.
For example, what if Hyunwoo accepted the marriage to the five daughters on the condition that Lord Usheril offered them all as concubines rather than official wives? If both sides took one step back, peace could come to both parties.
Marcus first wrote his opinion suggesting that Hyunwoo accept the five daughters and take them as concubines, then sent the letter.
It was lunchtime for the lord’s family.
While attending to the meal in the dining hall, Cyrilla had stepped into the kitchen to fetch more food when the middle-aged, plump head maid spoke to her.
“Cyrilla, Lord Pasvachio asked me to tell you that a letter has arrived for you.”
“For me?” She tilted her head, then suddenly clapped her hands together. Ah! It must be from Lord Richard!
Cyrilla quickly set down the plate and ran to Pasvachio’s room. She was supposed to be helping serve the lord’s meal, but she forgot all about it; her steps were urgent.
After knocking and entering, she found Pasvachio and a literate squire waiting inside.
“Oh, we’ve been waiting. Let’s open it quickly.”
Pasvachio waved the envelope bearing the Richard family seal, his eyes full of anticipation for its contents.
Cyrilla took the letter, opened it, and handed the paper to the squire. With a flushed face, she placed one hand over her heart. It was pounding wildly.
“I will read it aloud,” the squire said clearly.
“Miss Cyrilla. It seems the Harry you spoke of is the same Harry I know. He was indeed a large man with a gentle personality. And he often missed his older sister, who was taken away by debt collectors when he was young.”
“Hic…!” Cyrilla could not hold back the emotions surging up from the very first lines and burst into tears. She pulled a cloth from her apron and wiped her eyes.
“Harry gave me something. He said it was his sister’s comb made of elephant ivory. Please confirm whether it is the one you used. I wanted to send the comb itself, but since I do not have it with me at the moment, I have drawn it instead.”
The squire paused in his reading and showed Cyrilla the drawing of the comb on the letter. The moment she saw it, she immediately recognized it as the comb her parents had given her as a birthday present when she was a child. Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded repeatedly.
“It’s mine. It’s exactly mine. Sob…! This is my comb…!”
“Oho…!” Pasvachio’s eyes reddened as he broke into a bright smile.
The squire continued reading the letter.
“I cannot express how happy I am at the thought that we may be able to find Harry’s older sister. I am also eagerly counting the days until I can meet and speak with you. If it is acceptable to you, Miss Cyrilla, I will personally write to Lord Loweldriger and request that he grant you leave. Let us meet once you receive your time off. Furthermore…”
When the reading finally ended, tears streamed down Cyrilla’s cheeks. Even as she cried, she was smiling.
Looking at Pasvachio with desperate, pleading eyes, she said, “I want to meet Lord Richard. Please, let me meet him!”
“I will gladly arrange it,” Pasvachio replied with a warm smile and a willing nod. “Bring me a piece of parchment for the carrier pigeon.”
“Yes, sir.” The squire fetched a palm-sized sheet of parchment from the shelf.
“Write on the parchment that the comb in the drawing is indeed Miss Cyrilla’s, and that she wishes to see His Lordship as soon as possible.”
“Understood.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Cyrilla could not hide her joyful expression.
It was then that a sudden knock sounded at the door.
Pasvachio called out loudly, “Who is it?”
“It is the head maid.”
“What is the matter?”
“I came to ask if Cyrilla is here.”
Pasvachio glanced at Cyrilla. She hurriedly wiped her tears with the cloth, opened the door, and stepped outside. From beyond the door came the head maid’s scolding voice.
“What were you thinking, coming here during mealtime? Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Even if a letter arrived, you should have checked it after finishing your duties. What are you doing? Hurry back down and attend to your work. Madam Qualin is urgently looking for you.”
“Yes, I will go down at once.”
Cyrilla thought she would have to visit Pasvachio again later and hurried down the stairs. As she burst into the dining hall in a rush, Madam Qualin glared at her. Her expression was full of irritation.
“Where have you been all this time? Do you want me to starve to death?”
“I’m sorry, my lady. I had an urgent matter and stepped away for a moment.”
It wasn’t Cyrilla who had caused the irritation. Inside the dining hall, Lord Loweldriger and his wife, Libilla, were eating together, and it seemed the two of them were the real source of Madam Qualin’s anger.
“Hurry and carve some for me.”
“Yes, my lady.”
On the table lay an entire roasted pig, glistening golden-brown. Cyrilla picked up a knife and a wooden plate, then sliced a thin portion from the large piece of meat. The fragrant smell of the meat made her mouth water, but her mind was entirely occupied with thoughts of Lord Richard.
I want to meet him quickly and hear about my brother. Where is Harry now? Is he doing well? Has he married?
Cyrilla transferred the sliced meat onto Madam Qualin’s plate. She then filled the empty wine glass and, once her task was done, moved behind Madam Qualin’s chair, clasped her hands, and stood quietly.
For some reason, Lord Loweldriger was in high spirits.
“I am going to conquer Lanchester. I believe this is the perfect opportunity to spread my name across the world. My late father would be very pleased as well.”
Cyrilla’s eyes widened. Conquer Lanchester? Lord Richard’s territory?