Ch#94
Spoils of War
Duchess
By Lemon Frog
Episode 94
The large doors opened, and as the family head's household returned from their outing, the lined-up servants bowed their heads politely to greet them.
Count Canyon and his wife, along with their two sons, didn't spare them a single glance and headed straight to the second floor.
"Shall I bring some tea?"
"No, later. No one is to enter the study until I call for them."
Count Canyon coldly brushed off the butler's polite offer and headed straight to the study, as tea was not important right now.
The moment he closed the study door, Count Canyon turned to his family and spoke.
"You all heard it at today's party—that Ethel has secured a position in House Creaser."
"Everyone kept grabbing me and asking about it, regardless of who they were. It was so annoying."
Countess Rudmila clicked her tongue as she removed her gloves.
They had attended a party as an entire family for the first time in a very long while. After House Lancaster's independence attempt failed about a year ago, they had laid low, but decided it was fine now and accepted the old nobility faction's invitation.
However, at the party they had cautiously attended, they faced somewhat uncomfortable attention.
"Long time no see, Count Canyon. If you're thinking of siding with the emperor's faction, you didn't have to attend."
Count Canyon tensed up at the hostile question that came out of nowhere.
"Wh-what do you mean? I've been part of the old nobility faction from past to present!"
"Then why are you letting your daughter Ethel help that mercenary scum?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Only after seeing the puzzled faces of Count Canyon and his family did the inviter realize they were ignorant of Ethel's news.
And then they explained in excessively detailed fashion what had happened in the meantime.
From Edel serving as House Creaser's butler and splendidly leading Laslo's first party, to her dancing the first dance with Laslo.
"So the informant we had on Ethel was telling the truth. I chased them out yelling it was nonsense when they said Ethel had become a butler in House Creaser..."
- 2 -
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The eldest son William shook his head.
The second son Jeffrey slammed his fist on the chair armrest, as if he himself was ashamed, and said,
"Ethel must have completely forgotten a noble's honor. No matter that her noble status was stripped, how can she fawn over a mercenary-born scum and live like that!"
Countess Rudmila also wore a displeased expression.
"No matter that we've cut ties, everyone knows that girl was our family's daughter. Every time we attend parties from now on, it'll come up—how are we supposed to live with the shame?"
However, Count Canyon's thoughts were entirely different.
He smirked as he looked at his indignant family.
"Why is everyone so angry? This is an opportunity from heaven!"
"Pardon? An opportunity?"
In truth, he too had been furious when he first heard that Ethel seemed to be serving as a butler in House Creaser. Imagining her groveling before the arrogant Laslo made it feel like a disgrace to the family.
But his mind changed while hearing various stories at today's party.
"We can use Ethel to connect with the Oneblair side."
"What do you mean, Father?"
Count Canyon gave a sly smile at William's bewildered question.
"The Oneblair side is desperate to gather information on that mercenary scum, but he's unexpectedly sensitive about leaks. And since Ethel is that house's butler, she must know a ton of info no one else does."
"Th-that makes sense. But will Ethel listen to us?"
"If not? We raised and fed her, so she must repay that grace!"
Count Canyon snapped irritably, then realized he was getting too heated upon seeing William flinch, and let out a hollow laugh.
"Anyway, she's got nowhere else to go in the world. If we persuade her well, she'll come around. She's not stupid—she'll quickly figure out where she needs to attach herself to survive."
William and Jeffrey still looked dubious, but Count Canyon firmly believed Ethel was still in his grasp. The Ethel he knew had always been an obedient daughter fulfilling his expectations.
"Butler. A letter has arrived for you."
One of the maids brought a letter received from a messenger who had visited the mansion and handed it to Edel.
Lately, curiosity about Edel had grown, so a few people had reached out using past connections as an excuse.
Edel assumed this letter was one of those and only meant to skim it.
"Who is it from this time?"
Her face stiffened rigidly as she casually turned the envelope to check the sender.
With a face like she wasn't even breathing, she couldn't tear her eyes from the writing on the envelope.
"Butler...? What's wrong? Is it misdelivered?"
"Ah, no."
Regaining her senses, Edel hurriedly shook her head.
「Dustin Canyon」
There was no way she could forget that familiar handwriting.
"Dina! Before giving this letter to me, did anyone else see it by chance?"
"No! I brought it straight to you after receiving it from the messenger."
"I see. Thank you."
Edel forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile, turned toward her room hoping it looked natural.
Of course, her demeanor was as always—flawlessly polite, kind, and elegant. But her mind was anything but.
'Why did Father send a letter? Why now...???'
.
House Canyon hadn't inquired about Edel's well-being even once since she married into House Lancaster until now. Especially not after she became a prisoner.
One of the rumors she heard on the way to the capital was that House Canyon had renounced all rights to her.
Moreover, the Dustin she knew wasn't the type to send letters just for greetings.
'This feels ominous. But what more could he want from me now? ...No. Calm down. It might be nothing.'
Clinging to a hope that wasn't very promising, Edel locked her door and tore open the letter envelope.
The contents were just a single sheet.
The letter began with 'Behold, Edel'—not even a proper greeting like 'I heard rumors you're doing well'—and went on at length about how precarious House Canyon's situation was.
...To revive a family in such crisis, your brothers and I toil day and night, but our house's position is still like a small sailboat on the vast ocean.
You bear Canyon's blood too, so you're naturally worried about the family, but it seems you'd hesitate to reach out first due to onlookers, so I'm writing first.
In any case, I hope we can meet and talk soon.
It wasn't even that long, but Edel read it over once more, unable to fully comprehend if she'd understood correctly.
She even checked front and back, and rummaged through the envelope to ensure nothing was missed.
But there was nothing.
'Is he asking me to help the family now?'
As her initial 'no way' turned to growing certainty, Edel's hand holding the letter began to tremble.
'I was sold off as an old duke's concubine for that great family's sake! Even after becoming a prisoner because of that duke's treason, the family did nothing for me! And yet... they still want to use me?'
Her hand trembled so much it spread to her whole body shaking.
Something hot welled up from within and flowed out through her eyes.
At first she didn't know what emotion it was and felt confused, but as she eliminated suspected feelings one by one, only one name remained.
Anger.
This was pure anger.
How can a person be like this? How can the one who birthed and raised me...!
Edel squeezed her eyes shut.
Then she exhaled deeply, trying to cool her head.
Crying and beating her chest here wouldn't make that injustice reach her father.
'Right, thinking about it, it's not surprising. To Father, both I and Lin were just tools for marriage alliances.'
Didn't he always say it when his mood soured?
"Don't forget the grace of raising useless girls like you. You must devote all your strength to marrying into the Four Great Houses. Understand?"
Otherwise, we were just rice thieves, he said. Right, such a person wouldn't change his mind just from facing some hardship.
But it's not the same situation as back then.
Because I've changed.
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