Chapter 19: The Tin Knight and the Lion's Bloodline (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: The Tin Knight and the Lion's Bloodline (2)
“…Dorothea, was it? I am grateful for your cooperation in the rescue operation, but I cannot simply overlook your last remark. Are you, by any chance, attempting to insult our entire bloodline?”
Giselle's sharp gaze pierced through Dorothea.
Her tone and expression exuded an icy chill.
The stern aura she naturally emitted was enough to intimidate anyone she faced, but Dorothea merely scoffed.
“I just stated the facts as I see them. If you want to call that an insult, be my guest.”
“I, too, have only made a calm judgment based on facts.”
Giselle's gaze shifted to the girl slumped on the floor.
“I promised her a life of plenty. I guaranteed the protection and care of her family. I discussed the reconstruction of the domain, and it is already underway. What more could I possibly be expected to give?”
Dorothea spoke, her expression one of utter disbelief.
“Let me ask you something. If someone stole all your clothes and belongings, then piled a mountain of money you never asked for beside you and said, ‘Here, this should be enough compensation, right? Take it and get lost,’ would you accept that?”
“Your analogy is a stretch. It is not applicable to the current situation.”
“In that it's completely one-sided? I don't see much of a difference.”
Dorothea stood her ground, confronting Giselle head-on.
As the girl listened, a faint light began to return to her eyes.
She was reminded of a fairy tale she had read as a child.
A heroine, persecuted by her stepmother and stepsisters. A witch, who helps the heroine with the power of mysterious magic.
These people must be the helpers sent from the heavens to save me…
“Of course, this kid is a bit of an idiot.”
…Huh?
Wait, did I just hear something strange?
“I'll skip the part where she was captured by a bunch of bandits and almost sold off, since you've already harped on about that. But she has plenty of other problems.”
Oblivious to the girl's shock, Dorothea calmly continued her scathing remarks.
“In the few days it took to get from Albert to Friedel, I never once saw this kid do anything right. She can't hunt, she can't set up camp, and on top of that, she's such a picky eater she freaks out and refuses to eat things like grilled caterpillars. I thought she might bring up the specifics of her rescue reward during our journey, but she never said a word. Instead, she just stared with wide eyes as that tin can over there wasted his mana. Seeing her in action, I'm pretty sure if you threw her into a troll's nest, she wouldn't last half a day before perishing.”
Aren't caterpillars something most people wouldn't eat?
And wouldn't most people die if you threw them into a troll's nest?
Most of the people present (excluding a certain battle-crazed tin can) had similar thoughts, but none of them voiced them.
After a sidelong glance at the girl, who was staring blankly with her mouth agape, having forgotten all her noble dignity, Giselle spoke.
“Then is there not a problem? As you've assessed, she is incompetent and unfit to be the lady of this domain. That is why our main family intends to manage it in her stead.”
“What do you mean there's no problem? You've been dressing it up in pretty words, but in the end, you're just trying to snatch up the land this kid's parents worked so hard to cultivate.”
“That is—”
Before Giselle could form a rebuttal, Dorothea continued.
“You said it yourself. The lord marched out based on an agreement between your main family and this kingdom's royal family. So, he went to provide support at your request, and his army was annihilated. As a result, this domain is in its current state, isn't it? And now you're telling the last survivor, ‘You're too incompetent, so we can't entrust this domain to you. We'll take it, so just take the money we give you and shut up.’ If that's not a scumbag move, what is?”
A cold sneer played on Dorothea's lips.
“Or is this just one of your business strategies? You request other collateral branches to march out, and when their lord dies or their army is wiped out and they're weakened, you send in people and supplies under the guise of 'support' and gobble up the lands they've cultivated? You're quite the farmer, reaping what you sow. You'd be a great success.”
“Do not speak so recklessly! Do you think the honorable bloodline of the Lion Duke would resort to such despicable acts!”
Giselle, who had maintained her composure until now, flushed for the first time and raised her voice.
Dorothea shrugged and replied.
“Who knows? That's not for me to judge, but for the other collateral branches who will hear this story.”
At those words, Giselle's eyebrows twitched violently.
It's all in the framing.
When Giselle controlled the narrative, what the main family offered was mercy and gentle consideration.
But according to Dorothea's version, what the main family had committed was betrayal, a sordid conspiracy.
Of course, the words of a mere wandering witch could not compare in influence to those of the Lennart Ducal House, one of the most prominent families on the continent.
They were in completely different leagues, so even if 'seditious rumors' were to spread, the damage to the ducal family would be minimal.
However, for Giselle von Lennart as an 'individual,' the damage could be substantial.
The power of the Lion Duke's bloodline was immense, and the power struggles within it were consequently fierce.
If the witch spread this story to the other collateral branches, it was highly likely that her rivals would use it as a pretext to attack her.
Giselle couldn't help but be conscious of the sword at her hip.
She was a capable individual, and that capability included 'martial prowess.'
If Giselle had been in the girl's place when she was kidnapped, she possessed the skill to slaughter her enemies with her own strength, regardless of how poor her escort was.
If she were to cut down this impertinent witch, everything could be resolved simply.
“…Hmph. Very well. State your demands.”
But Giselle did not choose that path.
Personal feelings aside, the witch before her had the accomplishment of having rescued one of the Lion Duke's bloodline.
To ignore that and cut her down simply for being insolent was, in Giselle's mind, a dishonorable act.
“Is it money? Or perhaps a letter of introduction to another noble family? Tell me what you desire.”
“I'll take the money. But that's the payment for rescuing them. The hush money is separate.”
“And what is that?”
“Give that kid a chance.”
At being singled out by Dorothea, the girl looked startled.
“What you're trying to say is that you're taking back the domain because you don't trust this kid, right? So if she proves her ability or her worth, there shouldn't be a problem, should there?”
“I seem to recall you agreeing that she has no ability.”
“That's because she has no ability now. Things might be different later.”
Dorothea took a step back and looked around.
Then, as if addressing not just Giselle but everyone present, she spoke.
“In any case, it was this kid's father who built up this domain, wasn't it? Is it so strange to ask that you give his child a chance to prove herself?”
“……”
No one spoke, but Giselle realized it.
The atmosphere among the vassals had changed.
The guilt they had ignored for the sake of the domain, their loyalty to their deceased lord.
Those feelings were coalescing, sending great ripples through their hearts.
—Isn't that a reasonable request? Considering all the lord has done, can't we at least give his child a chance?
—If the young lady truly changes and proves her ability, that would be for the best. And even if she fails, we will have done our part, so we'll have no reason to feel uneasy anymore, right?
Giselle looked at the girl.
She observed the weak young lady, who couldn't even speak up for herself while her own fate was being discussed, and assessed her value.
Even if she granted a short grace period, it was unlikely that this insipid girl would grow into a rival who could threaten Giselle's position.
…As an event to completely win over the vassals and create a favorable anecdote to spread, this isn't bad.
Her calculations complete, Giselle opened her mouth.
“Very well. I will grant a grace period of one year. That should be enough time that she can no longer use the excuse of being too young to pull her own weight.”
“Hey, isn't that a little short? Even after a year, she'll still seem like a kid.”
“By Imperial standards, she is already an adult. Even by the standards of the Kingdom, where the coming-of-age ceremony is later, she will be an adult in one year. Is that not sufficient time?”
“Huh?”
“Hm?”
Dorothea made a bewildered noise, and Giselle, in turn, was taken aback by her reaction.
Dorothea looked at the girl.
“I thought she was at least three or four years younger than me.”
“Ah, I see. You were mistaken about that. The Lion Duke's bloodline tends to mature physically slower than others. In exchange, we have long lifespans and our prime lasts much longer.”
Hearing this new fact, Dorothea nodded.
Then, she suddenly looked at Giselle.
An intelligent-looking, beautiful woman.
If she were just an inspector, it wouldn't matter, but for someone who was supposed to be appointed as the new lord, she looked quite young. If what she just said was true, Dorothea thought, her actual age might be quite high.
“…My appearance and my age are not that different.”
“I didn't ask.”
“Be quiet.”
And so, the serious yet slightly absurd discussion came to an end.