The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living
Chapter 32
“Oh.”
For Count Joachim had appeared, surrounded by the knights I had sent.
“Truly… this is utterly astonishing. To think Baron Hawin was this sort of man…”
What was there to be astonished about? As if he hadn’t known all along.
“As a neighbor of the Central region, I will be sure to testify truthfully at the trial.”
“If nobles are caught trying to harm one another, they must face judgment in court.”
This was a matter between nobles.
Kidnapping and extortion were unmistakable crimes.
In other words, a trial could be held to punish them publicly.
However, to do that, a witness was necessary.
I had chosen Count Joachim as that witness.
A neighbor who, with the Harwyn barony sitting between us, had been of no help to each other in our state of isolation.
‘But now that Jejel Street has become Sears territory, our lands border one another.’
The moment we reclaimed Jejel Street, I ordered the knight order to wipe out all the monsters on this hill. Thus, interaction with them was now possible.
Philip hadn’t said those words earlier for nothing.
“If it’s only the monsters living on a hill like this, we could clear them all out and travel back and forth.”
If we wiped out all the monsters on the hill for them, they had no reason to turn a blind eye to us.
Besides, we were neighbors worth associating with.
[If you become our witness, I will give you five sacks of wheat.]
Though Count Joachim was somewhat self-serving, he was not the type to fabricate lies.
Moreover, having amassed the greatest wealth in the Central region, he had a firm footing.
“I give you my firm promise upon the name of Joachim.”
“Thank you.”
Baron Hawin, the baroness, and even Dahlia.
They were the very ones who had kidnapped and sold me off in my past life.
Sure enough, they had made the exact same choice in this life.
Unlike the past life, however, I intended to make them pay for their crimes this time.
Count Joachim said decisively,
“Once the Monster Wave ends, a trial date will be set.”
It was at that moment.
“My sister, are you all right?”
Alpheus, who had tossed Baron Hawin aside, came running over.
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Hmm? You must have suffered so much all this time. Being trapped in such a tiny estate… why, our growing child’s face has halved in size… wait, no it hasn’t?”
I stared at him blankly.
‘My sister’? Wasn’t that far too intimate a term of address between us?
I had no idea how I was supposed to respond.
I had never even heard the words ‘my daughter’ from my own mother.
“Um… did you hit your head by any chance?”
In the end, I asked very cautiously.
“You do know this is only the second time we’ve ever seen each other, right?”
“But we’re family, aren’t we?”
Alpheus blinked, as if stating the most obvious thing in the world.
“Whether it’s the second time or the third, family being precious is something decided from the moment you’re born! That’s what my mother taught me.”
My mother taught me from birth that Alpheus was my sworn, mortal enemy…
Just then, Count Joachim explained from behind.
“Well, you see, the warp gate was broken… so he simply crossed the continent while cutting down monsters until he reached our territory.”
Huh? He fought his way through all those monsters and rushed all the way from the East to the Central region?
“When I mentioned I was on my way to meet Lady Brisa, he insisted on coming along…”
Meanwhile, Philip was diligently gagging Baron Hawin’s family.
Having finished the task thoroughly, he ambled over and asked,
“Did you come alone, Captain?”
He seemed to have forgotten even to address him as ‘the Marquis.’
Alpheus suddenly scooped me up into his arms, then gave a wink as he answered.
“The others were too slow.”
Unable to handle such a refreshing wink from a grown young man, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“They’re all following behind. How could I just sit around waiting for the warp gate to be fixed? Not when a child as fragile as a wet butterfly was managing the estate without a guardian…”
A wet… what?
The completely absurd metaphor was so bewildering that I opened my eyes again.
Alpheus turned cheerfully toward Count Joachim and asked,
“So, Count, what should we do with these people?”
“Now that I, a third party, have learned of this, the complaint process can proceed immediately. It seems the young lady intended to place them in the cells of the Central Court.”
“That’s right.”
I nodded.
The Central Court happened to be located in the County of Joachim. Therefore, putting them there would be just fine.
At that, Tom, who was tied up alongside them, hurriedly chimed in.
“Then what happens to the barony?”
“Well, they’ll just live on their own without a master.”
That might actually be better for them. At the very least, there wouldn’t be someone handing them salt while snatching away their food.
“And once a prison sentence is handed down, the estate will be put up for auction.”
At those words, Baron Hawin’s family cried out violently.
“Mmmph!”
“Mmph, mmph!”
“Mmmmmmph! Mmph mmph mmph!”
At the same time, Alpheus’s eyes flared.
“Who told you to kidnap my sister? Talking about beating your own blood niece and whatnot… Are you people even human?”
Having commanded Wendy last night to ‘strike Baron Hawin on the head and knock him out first if anything happens,’ I kept my mouth shut.
“Let’s get going for now. Philip, it’s late, so you, um, take responsibility and escort the Count back to his county.”
Alpheus ordered calmly.
“Wendy, you’ll be responsible for taking these people to the Central Court. I don’t wish to subject my sister to any more unsightly scenes.”
“Yes, Captain!”
Wendy also used the wrong title in response to the sudden appearance of her superior, moving nimbly.
“Those of you remaining, follow behind on your own.”
Alpheus spoke to the people hiding in the distance.
They were the intruders who had tried to set fire to the potato field, Baron Hawin’s accomplices in kidnapping, and now, the new subjects of Sears.
Among them were a few knights whom Baron Hawin had appointed indiscriminately.
They had turned coat on the spot for a few potatoes.
‘Knights in name only… really, they’re just young men known around the neighborhood for having a bit of muscle.’
So against the knights Alpheus had brought, they wouldn’t have lasted a single punch.
“Alpheus.”
For now, I let out a sigh and voiced my urgent business.
“Put me down this instant.”
I wasn’t a five-year-old child; I was twelve. I was not at an age to be carried around in someone’s arms like this.
I had never once been carried by anyone since I learned to walk. This truly concerned my dignity.
Count Joachim was even present here.
Of course, the war hero Alpheus had an impressive stature, but still…
“It’s far to the house. I’m thinking of lending my horse to Philip. And honestly, it’s not good for a child to be awake this late anyway…”
Alpheus grinned, holding me tight in his embrace.
“Let’s go back now, to our home. You’ve worked so hard holding out all alone. Um, will you tell me what happened while I was away?”
“F-First, put me down…”
My voice trailed off to a mumble.
It felt strange. Just like when I saw Dahlia and Aunt holding hands tightly earlier.
‘I was envious back then, wasn’t I…’
It turned out Dahlia had been right about one thing.
“Of course, I know you’re jealous of us.”
Yes, I was jealous.
So I did the nastiest thing I could do.
I had executed ‘eating delicious food all by myself right in front of guests.’
They were truly wicked people, yet I was so envious. I was jealous to the point of feeling twisted inside.
Being able to band together ‘for the sake of family.’
Being unmistakably on the ‘same side.’
‘Pull yourself together, Brisa.’
I bit my lower lip tightly.
‘If Mother in the afterlife knew, she’d burst out of her grave. In the end, this man is the one who stole your position as heir.’
This was far too different from what Mother had warned me about.
To be frank, I still couldn’t believe he was acting so affectionately toward me.
‘Because he survived thanks to me?’
Even so, why go out of his way to come rushing over like this?
‘Could it be that he rushed here because he was worried it might become awkward later if I took full control of the estate right after Father’s death?’
I tried hard to think rationally.
Though confused by this unexpected situation, my thoughts slowly began to piece together.
‘And is he pretending to cherish his sister because Count Joachim is watching?’
That was most likely the case.
Even just to prevent gossip later on, he would have to act close with me for now.
Thinking of it that way made Alpheus’s fuss understandable.
Even so, the warmth of him holding me felt nice.
Because no one had ever held me like this all this time… Even if it was just an act, even appearing to have ‘precious family’ in front of others felt good.