Ch#98
Chapter 98Laslo wanted to smack his own mouth for blabbering so carelessly without thinking.
"It's nothing."
"Nothing? That seems like the most important part. What happened? Did Count Canian hit Edel or something?"
Laslo's eyes widened at the unexpectedly correct answer. Linia, realizing she'd hit the mark from his reaction, hardened her expression in an instant.
"He hit Edel... in our house?"
"I didn't realize he was that insane."
"You're the insane one, brother! You're saying you just watched it happen?"
"What, should I have announced outright that I was secretly watching? Don't we need to figure out what that Count Canian bastard is scheming?"
"Scheming or not! How could you just watch Edel get beaten? If it were me...!"
"Yeah, I wanted to rush in and raise hell too! But that woman didn't even scream!"
Laslo clenched his teeth, inhaling sharply with agitated breaths.
"She knew full well I was in the next room, but she didn't make a single sound. That means she didn't want me to intervene, right?"
Those words slightly calmed Linia's excitement.
"What did Edel say...?"
"She was a bit startled to learn I'd been watching, but she honestly admitted everything I asked. But who knows what's really in her heart. Maybe her pride was hurt showing her father beating her, or maybe she started distrusting me for spying..."
For a while, the two just took turns sighing, unable to easily open their mouths.
Then Linia suddenly tilted her head and asked,
"But brother... exactly what made you so angry?"
"You're angry too! You don't get it?"
.
"No, it feels a bit subtle."
"What does?"
Linia realized her brother had no idea about the discomfort she was feeling.
"Count Canian wielding violence in this house means he looks down on you, and at the same time, it means you failed to protect a servant in your own domain. Yeah, that'd make you angry."
"You get it!"
"But thinking back on what you said earlier, it seems like you're not angry at Count Canian... but at yourself."
"Isn't that obvious? This happened because I was such an idiot."
"Hmm... You've been an idiot several times before this, but you never got this angry then. It felt like, 'So what if I'm an idiot? What are you gonna do about it?' Like you had the confidence to handle whatever happened."
Laslo stared at her in bewilderment, unable to deny or get angry at Linia's words mixing curses and compliments so cleverly.
Linia didn't stop there.
"But now, it feels like... you're feeling guilty toward Edel. Sure, you might feel sorry, but is getting this worked up and guilty over a servant getting slapped by her family really warranted?"
"Not warranted?"
"For example, say Head Maid Margaret's relative visits, demands money, and hits her when she refuses. And it turns out Margaret had been taken advantage of by that relative multiple times! Would you feel guilty toward Margaret?"
Laslo was at a loss for words.
Linia shook her head with a knowing smile, as if she'd expected that.
"You'd probably give that relative a good scolding, but you wouldn't drown in guilt over not knowing her situation. You wouldn't even think it happened because you were incompetent."
Laslo's mind tangled into confusion at Linia's words.
"So, I'm angry that Edel didn't ask me for help. That means she doesn't trust me."
"Servants don't usually ask their master to solve their personal affairs. Right?"
It was true.
Yet Laslo's expression grew even stranger.
It felt like he almost understood, but not quite—like circling around the answer without grasping it.
- 3 -
But Linia propped her chin, grinning as if she knew exactly what was going on.
"Let me sum it up. You're angry and self-blaming because Edel had a tough past, because you misunderstood her, and because she didn't ask you for help?"
"Hmph... Fine. You seem to know everything you're curious about, so I'll get going."
"What?"
Laslo looked at her in bewilderment.
"Why?"
"No... After prying into everything, you're just leaving?"
"What did I even do? I just summarized the incident. I came because I was curious, learned all about it, so now I'm leaving—what's wrong with that?"
She wanted to yell that something was wrong, but she couldn't. She didn't know what exactly either.
"If immature, clueless me may overstep with advice, it's that you need to be more honest about your feelings."
With that, Linia got up without lingering and left.
Laslo alone was left floundering in a massive whirlpool of confusion.
Torment usually strikes at night.
When the sun shines brightly on everything, you can distract yourself with visible things, but when it darkens, there's nowhere to escape.
And torment visited Edel too, after her exhausting day.
"The Terua Liquor Merchant Association has started importing wine from the Arcomo region... 200 ringtons per bottle... twenty bottles... They usually send about twenty, so... that means..."
Edel, sorting the day's documents in the steward's study, kept rereading the same paper over and over.
She even read it aloud to focus, but it wouldn't stick in her head. It was just about how they'd send a few extra bottles per order as promotion for the new import.
In the end, Edel set the documents down.
.
"At this rate, I'll be up all night."
When she couldn't concentrate, it was better to move her body a bit. Edel draped a shawl over her shoulders and left the office.
It had been a day swept by the storm named Count Canian for Edel, but for everyone else, it was just another peaceful day.
Most servants had finished their duties and retired, while a few finishing late rubbed their tired eyes to wrap up.
"Still a lot left?"
"Ah, Steward! Almost done. Just need to hang the boiled rags."
The kitchen maid answered with a smile.
"Tough work, isn't it?"
"Thanks to you managing our tasks so well, it's much more bearable. We're always grateful."
"You should thank the Count, not me. He's the one paying your wages."
"But it was grueling even under the same master with Madam Bohen."
Edel gave a wry smile at that, making the maid shrink her shoulders unnecessarily.
"No, I don't mean ill of the Count..."
"I know. But always be mindful of listening ears. That's how you last long."
"Yes, Steward."
Edel gently patted the maid's shoulder and turned away.
After walking some distance with the kitchen behind her, she saw lantern light flickering outside the window. Edel adjusted her shawl and stepped out.
A hunched man was busily rustling with something.
"Mr. Jacob? Still not heading in? What are you doing?"
"Oh! What brings the steward out at this hour?"
Gardener Jacob wiped his forehead and asked.
The early winter night breeze was chilly, yet he was sweating, so engrossed in something.
"I was sorting documents and came out for a walk to clear my head a bit. What about you, Mr. Jacob?"
"Those lunatics at the nursery sent the tulip bulbs at this hour, can you believe it?"
"At this hour? Couldn't they come tomorrow morning...?"
"They forgot my order, so I threw a fit. Told them to bring new bulbs the moment they arrived. Looks like they're retaliating by sending them now."
Jacob snorted in lingering annoyance.
"Anyway, gotta keep these safe to sleep soundly. How precious they are."
Only then did Edel notice the row of elongated pots filled with moss piles. Jacob was carefully burying each bulb in the moss.
"I'll store them well and plant before the first frost. You'll see a beautiful tulip garden next spring."
Edel smiled along with Jacob's pleased grin. Seeing someone who loved their work helped settle her jumbled thoughts a bit.
But Jacob wouldn't let her escape her worries.
"Oh, right. The Count passed by here earlier, chatted with me briefly, and dropped this. If you're inspecting the estate, could you pass it on for me?"
What he handed her was Laslo's cravat.
"How did this...?"
"He was wearing it loosely and must have dropped it looking down at the bulbs."
"Ah... yes, give it here. I'll deliver it."
"Thank you."
Edel folded Laslo's cravat neatly, tucked it into her bosom, bid Jacob farewell, and headed in the direction he'd indicated.
.
