Ch#76
Spoils of War
Duchess
By Lemon Frog
Episode 76
"He said you worked hard redecorating the mansion and gave them to you as thanks, Count Creaser did. There's no special meaning behind it. He even said to sell them if you weren't going to use them."
"Who said that?"
As Linia giggled, Edel realized she had made needless excuses.
Her face burned hot.
"But you won't really sell them, right?"
"Pardon? Of course not! Why would I resell a gift...?"
"Good."
"Thank goodness. He'd be hurt if you sold them."
"My brother has some unexpectedly sensitive sides."
Edel found it odd to keep hearing that Laslo would be hurt, but wanting to end the conversation quickly, she firmly assured Linia once more that she absolutely wouldn't sell them.
"I was joking. Now go check on my brother—he probably still hasn't put on his cravat."
"No way."
"Don't expect too much from Laslo Creaser, Edel. He's the one in this house who needs the most nagging."
Speechless, Edel recalled how Laslo always said, "This should be fine, right?" and headed straight to his room.
Linia, seeing her off, wore a meaningful smile alone.
"What? He gave them as a reward for your hard work? Earrings worth 80,000 ringtons?"
Linia clearly remembered those earrings shining prominently in the jeweler's glass display case when she went to buy her own earrings, necklace, and bracelet set.
Her three-piece set had cost 120,000 ringtons, so individually, Edel's single earrings were far more expensive than hers.
*So that's what he was eyeing—I thought he was just looking around, but he was picking out a gift for Edel?*
She kept bursting into giggles. It reminded her of the conversation she'd had with Laslo at the jeweler's.
.
"Has my brother suddenly taken an interest in jewels? Why are you staring like that?"
"I was thinking these stones must be expensive. Why?"
"They're not just any stones. They're sparkling, pretty, rare stones!"
"Hmm, I wouldn't know. I don't get why women like these."
"They say diamonds are a woman's best friend. Far more reliable than men."
"Where'd you pick up that nonsense—you're being cheeky again."
The same person who had snorted and scolded her back then was secretly up to something so adorable!
Suddenly, a strange thought crossed her mind.
As far as Linia knew, Laslo had never shown interest in any woman before. He had even irritably sent back the stunningly beautiful woman the Emperor had sent him.
For such a man to gift expensive diamonds meant he surely had feelings for Edel.
"Does that mean Edel could become my new sister-in-law?"
Before, Linia had been dead set against even Edel becoming her brother's mistress, but now she had completely forgotten that opposition.
Edel was beautiful, upright, capable, and worthy of respect. Above all, she was likely the only woman who could nag her brother.
*My brother needs to marry a woman like that.*
Imagining Edel, married to Laslo, greeting her with, "Linia, take care of me from now on," made her chest swell with emotion.
"I hope that's how it turns out."
She wanted to throw herself into the endlessly warm Edel's arms, vent all her complaints about her brother, and act spoiled.
Vowing to become someone she wouldn't be ashamed of for that to happen, Linia took a deep breath and straightened her posture.
She was confident she wouldn't make any mistakes today.
The grand gates of House Creaser, closed since receiving the countship, swung wide open.
Some came to see how splendid the mansion was that the Emperor had personally selected and bestowed, while others dismissed it, thinking what kind of party preparation could a commoner-born like Laslo possibly manage.
- 3 -
And among the guests with various expectations was Edmund.
"They'll all be shocked."
At his confident words, Devin Donel, the leader of the Imperial Knights Order riding in the same carriage, blinked with curiosity.
"What exactly do you mean by shocked?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Edmund smiled secretively, recalling the Creaser Mansion filled with cheap goods and vulgar tastes.
*Shocked? Someone might even storm out, offended by being looked down upon.*
Even if no one dared due to his position as the Emperor's confidant, it was obvious Laslo's reputation would plummet after today.
Especially since the effects of planting Marcia undercover were gradually showing.
*Hearing House Creaser's secrets from the lips of their fired head maid—people can't resist that.*
The rumor that one could hear intimate and scandalous stories about House Creaser had spread, leading to frequent visitors at the Owen Barony, where Edmund had placed Marcia.
As a commoner, Marcia didn't need to worry about her reputation in society, so her words and expressions were unrestrained, and the nobles pretending to be refined went wild for it.
*That rumor combined with today's party will bury Laslo in society.*
How much he had despised Laslo, who acted solely on his whims without understanding the importance of reputation in noble circles.
Vowing to witness Laslo's downfall with his own eyes today, Edmund passed through the mansion gates.
However, the Knights Order leader's reaction peering out the window was odd.
"Well, nothing special, but the garden looks neat. Must be Laslo's taste."
Edmund paused.
The garden he had seen last time was either overgrown with weeds or barren.
.
*Barren isn't 'neat.'*
Edmund quickly pulled back the carriage curtain to check outside.
But the leader's description was accurate.
There were no flashy blooms, but the garden trees stood in neat rows, trimmed perfectly, with not a weed in sight.
*They must've hastily hired people since they're hosting a party.*
Yes, that made sense. Even a stray dog would know you couldn't invite guests with the garden in that state.
However, upon entering the Creaser Mansion interior, Edmund realized something was seriously wrong.
"Wow! This is pretty impressive? So that's what you meant by shocking!"
The Knights Order leader grinned and nudged Edmund. But Edmund wasn't in the mood to smile at all.
*What? How did it change this much?*
Of course, nine months had passed, but he hadn't expected that rundown place to transform like this. Laslo hadn't even seemed embarrassed inviting him to that mess before.
"Huh? That painting... I've seen it somewhere..."
Looking where the leader pointed, there hung a painting from this year's new artist exhibition that had received quite favorable responses.
"So that's who snagged it..."
Edmund ground his teeth.
If it had been a famously expensive masterpiece, he could've dismissed it as a nouveau riche buying pricey art without taste. But discerning and investing in a new artist's potential work required real discernment.
Laslo, who never spared a glance at the grand palace paintings, couldn't possibly have that insight, so then...
*Someone's helping Laslo!*
But he couldn't guess who. There were more than one or two suspects.
The Emperor favored Laslo, and Count Talon, the Emperor's chamberlain, was friendly toward him too. If they commanded it, those eager to curry favor with the Emperor would gladly help.
What irritated him more was that it wasn't just the painting.
"The interior decoration has real class."
"I thought a young man would go for something flashy, but it's surprisingly mature."
"But not old-mannish—suits Count Creaser himself."
"I figured a commoner would have no taste, but this is actually..."
The murmurs from here and there grated on his ears.
Even to Edmund's own eyes, the Creaser Mansion was remarkably stylish—enough to make him doubt his own memories.
*Damn it. What trick did they pull?*
His plan to utterly ruin Laslo's reputation this time had hit a major snag, making his insides boil.
But he had more reasons to seethe ahead.
"Oh? Over there...!"
"Oh! It's Count Creaser!"
Someone spotted Laslo descending alone from the second floor, and all eyes in the mansion turned to him at once.
Edmund involuntarily looked too. He hated to admit it, but Laslo had an overwhelming presence.
Moreover, Laslo's appearance today was, well, almost mesmerizing.
"Oh my, goodness! Isn't it suddenly hot in here?"
"Right? Who's as handsome as him in society these days?"
"Hmph! Look at these women making a fuss. What's so great about him?"
Some admired, some sneered. But compared to before, when no one paid him any mind regardless of his presence, it was definitely a different reaction.
.
