Translator: Nox

Chapter 27

I Will Save My Father

I Will Save My Father, Episode 28

Mornings at Count Travel’s estate were always the same.

The direct descendants would head to the main house to have breakfast with the Count and Countess.

It wasn’t mandatory, but ever since the eldest son, Hevant, began taking his family to offer morning greetings after his marriage, Marian and Yosel had followed suit, leading their own families to the main house every single day without fail.

Today was no different.

The table was set for the direct descendants, excluding Count Travel, who had gone to the capital; the Quartz father-daughter duo, who never attended; and Kane, who was away at the academy.

“…….”

Marian recalled the events of yesterday as she sliced a tomato with her knife.

As soon as the auction ended, she had gone to see her mother.

What Marian had asked of Priscilla was to ‘watch over whatever I do.’

She had vowed to ensure Raytan could never return to his rank as Grand Master. But since things had gone awry, she had to explain the situation to Priscilla.

Swallowing the bitterness of a 1.2 billion Kona loss, she went to her mother.

Priscilla, who had been in the waiting room after overseeing the conclusion of the auction, embraced Marian before she could even open her mouth.

“I’m so relieved, Marian. I’m glad you were the one who won the bid.”

“……Pardon?”

“I heard the earrings were fakes. Raytan apparently knew beforehand and participated in the auction. He intended to win them to save me from embarrassment, but it seems he couldn’t handle the price and yielded to you.”

“…….”

Yielded? What a joke.

That bastard had played her. Knowing the earrings were fakes! How dare he!

Priscilla’s hand touched Marian’s fuming cheek. She stroked her daughter’s face and spoke benevolently.

“I’ve released the maid who was locked in the punishment room.”

“You released her?”

“Since they were fakes, it’s hardly right to frame her as a thief for stealing them, is it?”

“Mother, if you release the maid without even telling me—!”

“I didn’t realize I had to report such trivial matters to you.”

Marian felt as if she had been struck on the back of the head. Her mother had moved in sync with Raytan.

She tried to find Anne to vent her rage, but the girl’s whereabouts had been unknown all night.

Then, this morning, she heard an absurd piece of news. Anne had been fired for knocking out Priscilla’s attendant and had been hired by Raytan.

It meant Anne had slipped from her grasp.

Since she was no longer a maid of the Travel family, Marian could not impose any punishment. And since she was still within the Travel estate, she couldn’t send assassins after her.

‘That wretched brat.’

She had briefly forgotten that Raytan had good instincts for things like this. His nickname, “The Midas of Loss,” was only because he couldn’t produce results. His beast-like intuition for sensing enemies aiming for his throat was as sharp as ever.

The image of sixteen-year-old Raytan briefly flashed through Marian’s mind. Those blue eyes that had glared at her fiercely after he returned alone, having survived the carriage accident.

‘How much did he know before he acted?’

Marian gnashed her teeth.

“Honey.”

Sitting beside her, Marian’s husband called her softly.

Only then did Marian snap out of her thoughts and realize her surroundings. It seemed she had put too much strength into the hand holding her fork and knife.

Juice from the messily hacked tomato had splattered out, staining the white tablecloth.

She had no appetite anyway. It was just as Marian set down her cutlery.

“The mansion hasn’t been very quiet these past few days.”

Priscilla, sitting next to the eldest son, Hevant, spoke up. She asked a maid to bring some warm tea before continuing.

“My head has been aching terribly because of it. For the time being, do not cause any disturbances within the mansion. In particular, I hope there will be no unpleasantness among family members.”

Though she used the word ‘family’ to speak indirectly, it was a warning not to touch Raytan.

A short, dry laugh escaped Marian’s lips, and her husband and Yosel’s couple looked at Priscilla with startled faces.

Only Hevant immediately agreed with his mother.

“I will do so. Family members should be on good terms.”

‘Has that man gone mad?’

Marian looked at Hevant, who sat across from her. His wife was also nodding with a gentle smile.

“…….”

Unable to understand the behavior of the eldest son and his wife, Marian turned her head.

Across her husband, her eyes met Yosel’s.

Yosel gasped and held his breath in fear of Marian, then shook his head short and fast to signal that he didn’t know anything about the situation either.

Priscilla spoke again toward the other end of the table in a benevolent voice.

“Children.”

It was where Ciel, Calips, Mati, and Hati were sitting. The children were all watching the adults’ expressions amidst the grim atmosphere at the table.

“You heard what your uncle said, didn’t you? You all stay on good terms. That includes Berry as well.”

She was telling them to get along with that pebble that rolled in.

“Ciel, lead them well. Now that Kane is gone, you are the eldest, aren’t you?”

They didn’t want to, but these were children who had been raised since infancy to never do anything that would upset their grandmother and grandfather.

The children suppressed their dislike and forced an answer.

“……Yes.”

---

I had hoped Anne would flee outside the Travel estate.

I wanted her to live happily with Jeffrey, who was now cured, in a place far away from here.

Living in a foreign land wouldn’t be easy, but the Heysel Empire was a society where even commoners could make money. Since Anne was skilled with her hands, she could make a living even without being a maid.

And yet.

‘Why is Anne still at the Travel estate?’

I sat on my bed, staring at Anne with a stunned face. Anne, who had entered my room with Sherry, looked completely uninjured.

Anne said triumphantly, “The Countess said I’m not a thief!”

“Grandmother? Personally?”

[What is it, what is it?]

The question came out instinctively at the unexpected news. Acom pricked up its ears, showing interest.

Sherry sighed and said, “What’s the point? She was fired anyway.”

“Fired?”

“Yes. They sent someone to the punishment room last night to release Anne, and apparently, Anne knocked the attendant unconscious. Because of that, as of today, Anne is no longer a maid of the Travel family.”

“Sherry, really. How can you tell the young lady such embarrassing stories?”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“What else was I supposed to do when I was worried about my sick brother? I didn’t know how long I’d be held in the punishment room. Jeffrey isn’t well. Even a cornered mouse might bite a cat, you know?”

Anne spoke confidently with her hands on her hips.

She felt like a different person from the Anne I had seen a few days ago. Back then, she was constantly scanning for reactions to find any useful information, but now, Anne looked like someone who had nothing to hide.

Was it because she had lost her job?

‘Did the future change because Jeffrey lived?’

I didn’t remember Anne being fired.

Still, this was probably better. I offered my farewell to Anne.

“Anne, are you leaving? Live well wherever you go.”

I wanted to tell her not to forget the 10,000 Kona hidden at the Moonflower Inn, but I didn’t say it out loud. The note was a secret. Fortunately, Anne hadn’t mentioned anything related to the note so far.

Anne just stood there blankly even after receiving my farewell.

“Leaving? What a sad thing to say. I’m now a maid hired by Lord Raytan.”

“Huh?”

“Finding a job right after being unemployed. I’m quite capable, aren’t I?”

“Anne……. Lord Raytan saved you.”

What was this about?

I could understand Anne being fired from the Travel family, but she was hired by Dad?

Overnight?

I couldn’t follow the flow of the conversation at all.

‘No, before that—.’

Anne was a spy sent by Aunt Marian.

My head filled with question marks. Leaving me confused, Anne clenched her fists with a look of determination.

“That’s right, Sherry. Lord Raytan saved me. So I’m going to swear my loyalty to him! Even if he works me without pay, I’ll stay by his side for the rest of my life to repay the favor.”

“Please do so.”

“You shouldn’t betray him either, Sherry. Even if someone offers you a pouch of gold coins.”

“Right. I’ll keep that advice, based on experience, in mind.”

Sherry smiled while making a pointed remark, and Anne greeted me, saying she looked forward to working with me for a long time.

I shook Anne’s hand in a daze.

---

Dad definitely did something.

It was around the time I was finishing breakfast. Acom had gone out to find ancient languages.

I stared intently at Dad, who was eating next to me. My eyes met Dad’s as he felt my gaze.

“Berry, you’ve got jam on your sleeve.”

“Oops.”

The apricot jam I had put on my plate was smeared on my sleeve. Dad reached out and wiped my sleeve with a napkin.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Finish your meal.”

I tried to fish for information about last night while eating breakfast, but as expected, Dad skillfully dodged my leading questions.

The only information I eventually gained was that Dad was going to the Grand Temple tomorrow.

Since he had to arrive before Windis went out of control, he said he had to leave tomorrow.

“Can I go too?”

“……To the Grand Temple? It’s a two-day carriage ride away, so we’ll have to be out for five days. Won’t it be hard?”

“Oh, that’s fine~ I’m seven years old now.”

“Think about it until evening.”

“Okay! Theon, you want to go too, right?”

“I’m…… okay. Master told me to stay with you.”

“That’s why! You can come with me and Dad! If we go to the Grand Temple, we might see Windis.”

“Windis?”

Theon’s voice, sitting across from us, brightened instantly. In any case, Dad was a dead end.

‘I’ll only feel at ease once I know why Anne was hired by Dad.’

At the Travel estate, I had to distinguish between allies and enemies every day.

There was no way anyone would tell a seven-year-old the full details of something that was surely packed with adult circumstances.

Where could I go to find out?

I turned my head left and right to scan the surroundings. My gaze stopped on Theon, who was looking at Dad with sparkling eyes.

“I’m going on an errand for Master.”

Oho. Found one.