Chapter 8
"In the first few months after arriving in the duchy, you just looked around everywhere, then one day you called me and said this."
"Dominic, we need to clear the forest east of the castle."
"How could I have imagined that's what you meant—that you wanted to clear the entire forest?"
After finishing all of his own soup, Daniel picked up a piece of bread from Dominic's plate. He must have been hungrier than he realized. Even after witnessing the unbelievable sight before his eyes, a bland, mostly broth patient soup went down smoothly. Chewing the warm, nutty bread, Daniel gazed at the breathtaking panorama beyond the valley that still seemed unreal no matter how many times he looked. Clearing an entire forest to make fields? If he'd only heard it, he would have scoffed as nonsense. Dominic, leaning against the trunk of a large weeping willow with branches drooping to the ground, spat out crumbs of bread he hadn't swallowed in time.
"At first, I thought you'd cut down a few trees and make a tiny field the size of my palm. But being a noble lady, her ambitions were huge—she kept expanding the work endlessly... It was hard for Father or me to keep up."
"You solved a project this massive just by selling a few pieces of furniture?"
"Of course not."
Dominic roughly chewed and swallowed the meat from his soup, let out a long burp, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Not only her dowry but everything valuable she brought from the wedding was sold off. Jewelry, dresses, shoes—you name it. She covered the construction costs with that, then sold off the castle's furnishings one by one. But that's not even the most astonishing part."
Dominic moistened his throat with wine and grinned as something came to mind.
"Her negotiation skills are downright fraudulent. Do you know what she offered the Baimar merchant for the seeds to plant in the fields?"
Still incredulous even thinking back, Dominic stuck out his tongue while keeping his smile.
"She paid half upfront and promised the rest in grain once the seeds grew. 'Isn't that a win for you too?' she said without batting an eye, pulling off the scam... Haha. I mean, farming's no sure thing—what was she basing that guts on?"
"And what were you doing?"
"Huh?"
Dominic's hand, reaching for another piece of bread, froze mid-motion. One piece of knowledge about Daniel Rihardt that Dominic knew thanks to their unusual closeness: when this bastard called him 'hyung' familiarly, run for your life. Before he could recall that, Daniel seized his wrist. Eyes blazing crimson in an instant bored into Dominic.
"While that little woman slaved away for this land that isn't even hers, what were you doing, you bastard?"
"Hey, ow, that hurts."
"You should have stopped her or at least opened the vault. You just watched her sell everything? And you call yourself a man after that?"
Dominic's eyes scrunched up as unexpected strength gripped his wrist, caught off guard. How did a guy who'd lain flat for over a thousand days still have his old grip strength? Anyway, brute with nothing but muscle. Dominic twisted his arm every which way and barely wrenched free from Daniel's grasp. A dark red mark, darker than his tanned skin, stood out starkly on his arm. Testing if it was broken by flicking his wrist, Dominic bellowed.
"I left her to it thinking how long could she last! With that frail body, what could she accomplish? Everyone said she wouldn't live long anyway..."
"What?"
"You know that's true."
Dominic shot to his feet and backed away, putting distance between them. He'd realized before fifteen that he was outmatched in strength and never dreamed of pointless rebellion. Red-eyed Daniel calling him 'hyung'? Even an Altas beast like the altaika wouldn't scare him more. Only after gaining enough space to dodge a punch did Dominic raise his grumbling voice.
"Even without being a Harkbon daughter, she looks sickly at a glance. At least now she's gained some weight. Three years ago, everyone whispered she wouldn't last a year. No wonder Father came and went from the castle morning and night to check if the Duchess was still alive."
He looked burly and merciless, yet had so much affection. Telling him not to get attached since who knows when she'd go—did he listen? Rubbing his throbbing arm and swatting away a branch blocking his view, Dominic plopped back down.
"'She's Laura's daughter-in-law, so yours too' or whatever. Ridiculous. As if a noble Svergen daughter-in-law makes sense for a lowborn Milabo mercenary captain. But you know what's really funny?"
Dominic scratched his nape roughly, his mood complicated.
"That noble lady... now feels like real family. Damn, it's uncomfortable."
Suddenly, a fierce wind rustled the willow branches violently. The emptied food basket rolled away behind Daniel, pushed by the gust. His long hair poked his eyes, but oddly, his solar plexus ached. Uncomfortable, sure. If he felt this way, even the 'cold-hearted' Dominic couldn't endure it. A nagging, tangled unease kept building. The way to resolve it was simple. Daniel grabbed the hair stabbing his eyes.
"First, cut this."
Eliminate if possible, draw a line otherwise. Stay in your lane. Don't cross further. Or... cut it out. Family or whatever—no exceptions. *** A soft, well-stewed chunk of meat was added to Frida's soup bowl, more than half still left. Normally, she'd pout and say she was full, but now she just prodded the bowl's bottom with her spoon, chin propped up. If the Harkbon family's esteemed tutor saw, she'd be shocked. Pouting with lips stubbornly pursed, refusing to eat, was equally unladylike.
"Right. You must be uncomfortable. I get it. I understand, but..."
Thwack. Before Frida finished, Adel sliced a potato cleanly in half with a large knife and said,
"Still, it's not right for the lord to say that."
Matilda, stirring the soup pot beside Adel, nodded vigorously.
"Exactly. Who made this duchy livable? If not for our Madam, we'd all have starved and the castle would be empty."
"Um, Matilda. That's a bit much..."
Trying to rein her in for going too far, Adel thwacked another potato in half and shouted,
"That's what I'm saying. How many residents settled here after coming for harvest work? Some from my eastern home. Remember that couple raising twins?"
"And that's not all. The herb merchant said word's spreading through the whole empire that the duchy is livable now."
"Really?"
Frida's eyes sparkled as she asked Matilda if it was true.
"Is there really such a rumor?"
"Yes. You know that land up north the Emperor gave his wife? The merchant passed through—said the climate and crops are far better here."
Even while talking, Matilda pushed Frida's bowl closer, urging her to eat.
"Plus, with the Emperor coming and going, they're turning it into a hunting ground or whatever, disturbing everyone so much they're ready to pack up. Oh, your soup's cold. I'll eat this—here, have fresh hot one."
"No, Matilda. It's fine. Just right."
Feeling better, as Frida reached for her spoon, Adel's plump hand snatched the bowl.
"Just right? It's cold. Matilda, scoop fresh soup for Madam."
Adel kept slicing potatoes into a basket, beaming warmly at Frida.
"I cooked it soft for you, so chew the meat well and finish it. So tender. And forget the Duke's nonsense. Men are born with short-sighted minds."
"Right, exactly. Our Madam washed and massaged him so diligently every day—uncomfortable? Is he small in stature? Must be heavy as lead."
Afterward, Matilda and Adel offered Frida unwavering, blind support, taking her side and cursing the Duke nonstop. Adel's knife arm grew stronger with each swing. Proof: halved potatoes flew outward vigorously, sometimes hitting the floor.
"A man's character is everything—worrisome, worrisome!"
Matilda thumped her chest in agreement.
"Yes. What's a face good for? A man needs broad shoulders, broad."
Muriel, standing silently in the kitchen corner watching, clicked her tongue. Sensing an unfamiliar presence, she uncoiled her arms, thinking it was time to stop the two overzealous women.
"You should stop now."
"Stop what? Knight, aren't you upset? After all our Madam's hard work, not even thanks but uncomfortable? How could the lord say that?"
The kitchen door, frequented by many, opened smoothly without a sound. Adel, grumbling and swinging her knife at a potato, locked eyes with the man entering—in that exact pose.
"......"
Matilda, slicing bread, and Frida, swallowing soup, both fell silent and looked to the door.
All eyes gathered on Daniel, his long hair now cut, revealing sharp, refreshing features. Dominic, passing by the Daniel paused at the door, sensed the odd atmosphere and hesitated. Spotting Frida among the dazed women, he smiled warmly.
"Having breakfast? Take your time. I'll come back after."
Frida set down her spoon and shot up from her chair.
"Ah, no. I'm done. Do you need me for something...?"
"Not me—the lord has words for you."
Dominic stepped aside, pointing to Daniel at the door. Right hand behind his back, Daniel eyed the food on the table before speaking.
"Could you spare some time?"
"N-Now?"
"No. After your meal. Dominic, bring the Duchess to the study when she's finished."
"Yes, my lord."
The women in the kitchen only then noticed Dominic, glancing his way—before quickly returning to Daniel, who gave a brief nod and vanished. Thud. Adel's knife, paused mid-air, finally hit the board—barely missing the potato's edge. Still staring after the Duke, Adel nudged Matilda's waist, who'd been holding her breath.
"Matilda, what did I say a man needs earlier?"
"Character."
"Was it? Character?"
"Yes... I said broad shoulders."
"Right. Not wrong, but why..."
Sensing Adel and Matilda's stares, Dominic tilted his head.
"Why? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Adel's eyes glazed slightly as she whispered to Matilda.
"Why didn't I see Dominic just now?"
Matilda, usually fond of Dominic's warm looks, stirred the pot dazedly.
"Me too. Didn't even know he was there."
Frida, quietly chewing meat, murmured softly.
"......Me too."
She swallowed down 'Only he was visible' with the tender meat.
