Chapter 48
#48 Cedric the Servant (14) - The Eldest's Dagger
…Still disgustingly lavish, just like always.
Marquis Redbell's manor.
Looking at the place that could be called the Redbell family's main residence, Claudia frowned.
It was a place she'd lived in for more than a decade before being appointed lord of Eched Territory, yet coming here always felt awkward.
It wasn't because she had too many painful memories.
If anything, it was because she had too many happy ones.
Back when her mother was still alive.
Whenever she remembered the days when Marquis Redbell acted like a 'good father' and she had believed it was sincere, comparing that memory to her present self made her feel miserable.
After being unable to go inside the manor for a while, she simply stood there glaring at it.
“It’s quite a large manor. It seems it would be well worth managing.”
Whether sincere or joking, the words sounded like casual small talk.
The moment she heard Cedric's voice, Claudia's legs, which had been stuck to the ground, suddenly felt light.
She curled the corners of her mouth and replied.
“You're the only insolent servant in the world who would call the renowned Redbell manor ‘quite’ anything. In terms of land area, it's on par with the royal family.”
“Young miss, you're someone who should someday be looking toward places even higher and larger than this, so shouldn't I, as your servant, have that same mindset?”
“You really know how to talk.”
Though she muttered in annoyance, Claudia's mood wasn't bad.
That's right.
The Claudia of the past and the Claudia of now were different.
Because present-day Claudia wasn't a sulking child who knew her father's love was fake; she had come here as a lord with clear achievements and a reputation.
She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, then strode into the manor with great dignity.
Inside the manor were visitors who had arrived before Claudia, and when she spotted them, Claudia greeted them with a wicked smile.
“Long time no see, Mira, Ervin.”
The sturdy, muscular young man, handsome enough outwardly, twisted his face in displeasure.
The noble young lady wrapped in a dress of obviously exceptional material was no different.
“I'm your older brother. How many times have I told you to be respectful, Claudia?”
“Right. Do you really have to act like you were never properly raised and disgrace the family name?”
“Respect? Disgrace the family name?”
Even after their rebukes, Claudia simply snorted and ignored them.
It was the reaction of someone who had just heard something absurd.
“Should I make the whole kingdom see which one of us really doesn't know manners and is truly disgracing the family name?”
At Claudia's meaningful words, their eyes wavered for a brief moment.
But both of them were nobles who had spent years in a society where politics was as natural as breathing.
Mira, the third daughter, asked back with a composed expression.
“I don't know what you're talking about. Weren't you the one who tarnished the Redbell name the most among us?”
Seeing her tone and expression, as if she genuinely had no idea, few would guess she was the one who sent an assassin after her half-sibling.
Ervin, the second son, also sided with his younger sister.
“Recently we'd heard you were doing fairly well as a lord, so I had been a little hopeful. But your hooligan streak still hasn't gone away. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
It was an attitude so shameless it might as well have had iron plates on their faces, but in truth they had their own calculations.
'She's bluffing. There's no way she had the spare manpower to capture the assassins alive after sending out such overwhelming force.'
'Everyone involved in the operation is tight-lipped. There's no way they'd testify easily. Even if they really did testify, admitting it here would get us nowhere. We have to deny it no matter what!'
Their judgment wasn't entirely wrong.
In noble society, truth wasn't all that important, and right and wrong could be turned upside down at any time.
Of course, if Claudia really had secured witnesses and was wielding them as a weapon, the siblings would have to brace themselves for considerable damage. But by the same token, Claudia would also have to show them some consideration if she wanted to get anything out of them.
However, there was one thing.
If they were mistaken about one thing, it was that Claudia was not originally that 'political' a noble young lady.
“Oh, really?”
Claudia glared at the two of them, displeased by their shameless attitude, then snapped open her fan, covered her mouth, and gave an order.
“You two. Bring those things from the carriage here.”
“Understood.”
At Claudia's words, several of the servants following behind her turned and went out the door.
At first the siblings had been puzzled, not understanding Claudia's intention, but when they saw the 'things' the servants carried in on their shoulders, they stared wide-eyed in shock.
Men bound tightly like bagworms, sagging as if they no longer had the strength to resist.
They cast uneasy glances around, then met the eyes of the two siblings and bowed their heads deeply.
The siblings, who had never imagined she'd bring the assassins to the main house, froze in place, and Claudia declared to them.
“I thought these guys seemed to have something to do with the two of you, so I was going to ask a few questions. But if you don't know anything, it can't be helped. I'll have to use them somewhere else.”
“S-somewhere else?”
“I'll take them to Father. Since they're the ones who dared attack a Redbell bloodline, we have to investigate who's behind them and dig the whole thing out thoroughly. Wouldn't someone who's done this a lot more than I have be better at it than I am? Hmm?”
The siblings were left speechless and couldn't answer.
They couldn't let those men fall into the marquis's hands like this.
The marquis would definitely make them talk, and then their scheme would all be exposed.
But they couldn't protect them, either.
If they stepped in here to take them back, it would be the same as confessing they were the culprits.
‘Th-this crazy bitch...!’
‘So you're going to blackmail us openly now!?’
There was no refined behind-the-scenes negotiation unique to nobles.
Just brazen threats, basically saying, 'Since you're annoying, have a taste of this.' The two men, who prided themselves on having seen all sorts of trials and tribulations, were left completely stunned.
Who would dare force a choice like this on the children of the great Redbell family?
“Looks like there's nothing more to say, so I'll be going. See you later. If there's anything you need.”
“W-wait a second, Claudia!”
“R-right! There must be a misunderstanding! Let's talk!”
In the end, the two could only swallow their pride and cling to Claudia.
They had chosen the lesser evil.
And that scene was clearly etched into the eyes and ears of the main house's retainers.
‘...They've practically surrendered. The rumor won't spread openly, but with this many eyes on them, everyone in the family will know at least.’
‘Wow, it's incredibly rough, but in a way, isn't that an extremely effective way of negotiating? A tyrant's temper can be a weapon too, depending on how you use it.’
The retainers of the Redbell family, one of the kingdom's real powerhouses, were people with no small amount of political influence and insight.
Knowing the marquis's temperament—that he would never tolerate his own hands and feet moving on their own—they wouldn't recklessly meddle in the succession struggle or speak up, but even their thoughts couldn't be chained.
In their judgment, at this very moment Claudia had effectively shoved the second son and third daughter down in the family hierarchy.
It was the price for failing at the decisive assassination and trying to paper it over.
“Haha, I wondered why it sounded so noisy. So everyone was here.”
Of course, that didn't mean Claudia had taken the top spot in the family.
Putting the marquis aside, since he was effectively out of the picture, the Redbell family had a clear second-in-command—someone who could not be treated as mere 'nobodies.'
The gentle yet dignified-looking young nobleman, Armin Redbell.
He approached them with a completely natural air and greeted them, as if he had not noticed the subtle atmosphere among his siblings at all.
Ervin and Mira let a faint flush color their previously dark faces, while Claudia scowled openly.
“It's been a while, little sister. I've heard news of you often, but it's never quite the same as hearing it from your own mouth. Have you been well?”
“...More or less.”
“That's a relief, a great relief. This brother feels much less worried.”
Even after that short answer, Armin didn't erase his smile, as if he didn't mind at all.
A benevolent gaze, as if looking at a child who still hadn't matured yet.
The retainers thought of him as kind and grand, but Claudia was different.
‘What a sly old snake.’
Unlike the second or third child, the eldest son, Armin, had never once shown Claudia direct hostility or bullied her.
No, in fact, there had even been several times when he appeared just as their behavior was about to go too far and stepped in to mediate.
And yet Claudia didn't trust the eldest son, Armin.
That was more instinctive caution than reason.
Because looking at Armin often made her think of Marquis Redbell—more specifically, the marquis's face wearing a mask, from when her mother was still alive.
Letting his sharp hostility flow away like water, Armin turned his gaze to the bound assassins.
“Were those men brought by you?”
“And?”
“I don't know what business you have with them, but bringing men like that carelessly into the residence where the family head is staying doesn't seem like a good idea. For now, it would be better to send them back outside the manor and bring them in again later after receiving the family head's permission.”
“What if they disappear or get silenced while they're left outside?”
“This is Redbell land. Anyone who commits such a vile act there would be insulting the family head, so they would definitely face the consequences.”
It sounded both like a simple, reasonable argument and like a subtle hint.
The second son and third daughter seemed to take it as the latter, and their eyes trembled.
Claudia nodded after confirming the siblings' expressions.
Even so, she judged they wouldn't dare try to shut her up after that had been said in front of everyone. If they did, that would be a good excuse in itself.
“Send them back.”
As she gave the servants her orders, Claudia met Cedric's eyes.
Seeing him obediently carry out the order as though nothing were wrong at all, Claudia felt relieved that this choice had not been a mistake.
Armin, who had watched that for a moment, soon said with a friendly smile.
“Then let's go to the dining room. The family head said he had other matters to attend to and would join us a little later, so I think we can eat by ourselves first.”
***
The quality of the food at the Redbell marquis's manor was extremely high.
Marquis Redbell, who was considered a merchant noble and had a strongly calculating side in everything, was not the kind of miser who cared only about piling up wealth.
Good bedding, good clothes, good food.
He was a man who spared no expense on everyday comfort or pleasure, and as proof of that, the table was filled with a colorful spread of dishes made from all kinds of ingredients.
However, Claudia didn't think the food tasted good.
‘It's worse than what Cedric makes—no, even worse than what the cook makes.’
If you judged only by the objective quality of the ingredients or the chef's skill, the main estate here would come out on top.
But no matter how incredible the cuisine was, if you were awkwardly poking at it with a knife and fork at the same table as people you didn't even want to face, your appetite was bound to vanish.
“Ervin. I heard you were expecting your second child. Is your wife's condition all right?”
“Yes, brother. Thanks to the medicinal herbs you sent last time. My wife also asked me to pass along her thanks.”
“Haha, that's nothing worth thanking me for. Mira, I hear you've been spending time with Countess Rudiol lately?”
“Yes, brother. As a junior in society, I'm learning a lot from her.”
“She was once called the queen of Birka's social circles. Please be careful not to be rude to her. If you need anything, tell me anytime.”
The large table was filled with the faint clink of tableware and the sounds of family conversation.
As she sliced into the chicken steak, raised on grain so fine that even people could scarcely eat it, Claudia felt anew how sick and tired she was of having to play along with this farce.
The marquis himself didn't seem likely to show up anyway, so maybe she should just call it a day and leave.
Just as she seriously considered whether to carry out the idea that had come to mind,
Armin said, so naturally and in such a calm tone that it was as if he'd just seen a ridiculous cloud while walking down the street.
“Oh, right, Claudia. I heard the royal family wants to arrange a match for you. What do you think?”
“…… …What?”
Because it was such an unexpected remark, Claudia's brain needed quite a while to process it.
Seeing his youngest sibling's dumbfounded expression, Armin continued speaking.
“You know I often exchange words with His Highness the Second Prince. When he heard that you still weren't even engaged, let alone married, he let out a great sigh. He said that because I had been so focused on governing the kingdom, I had been indifferent to your family matters.”
Family? Who?
Those bastards who, when Mother came to this damned house as a bride, sent her off with nothing but her body and a few servants, then wiped their hands of it?
Unlike Claudia's face, which was growing colder by the second, Armin's remained as gentle as ever.
“In the first place, a noble's marriage is decided by the elders of the family. The family head also accepted it, saying that if the royal family itself were to step in and arrange it, that would be a blessed thing too. Thanks to that, His Highness the Second Prince was quite motivated. He boasted that he would find you the finest match possible, so you can look forward to it.”
That was the very limit of Claudia's patience.
CRASH!
“Eek!?”
“Argh, Claudia! What do you think you're doing!!”
As Claudia practically kicked one of the dining table's legs and stood up, the dishes on it shook violently and some of the sauce splashed over onto the siblings on the opposite side.
But Claudia ignored them completely and shouted at Armin.
“Who are you—who are you people to decide my marriage for me!!”
Armin, looking at the salad dressing splashed on his clothes with a wry smile, said gently as though soothing a troublesome child.
“A noble marriage is originally decided that way. I did, Ervin did, and Mira did too. It's just your turn now, so why are you raising your voice like that?”
“No! Do you think I'll obediently let myself be dragged into a marriage you set up!?”
Every syllable Claudia forced out was packed with all kinds of emotion.
What had she been working so hard for all this time?
Why had she improved her image, looked after the people's welfare as a lord, and tried to rack up so many achievements?
Wasn't it so she wouldn't be sold off as nothing more than a commodity, just as her mother had been—sacrificed and turned into merchandise through a political marriage?
She had only just won the marquis's recognition and finally prepared to start negotiating in earnest, yet here she was being told this sort of thing by none other than the eldest son without even seeing the marquis's face. Claudia couldn't possibly accept it.
And toward Claudia like that, Armin simply pronounced judgment.
“It seems you've misunderstood, little sister. The one arranging this isn't me or the family head. It's the royal family of the Birka Kingdom.”
That was as far as Armin's words went, but Claudia heard the meaning that followed clearly enough.
—Or will you, by yourself, try to overturn the royal family's will?
Only then did she realize.
While the second and third had been attacking her with a method that was merely some assassination scheme and were being counterattacked instead, the eldest son, Armin, had struck her with a move that couldn't even be compared to theirs.
As a request from the royal family is no request but an order, and the royal family's goodwill is no goodwill but coercion.
If the Second Prince had extended his 'goodwill' and, as a 'family elder,' arranged the marriage, then for Claudia to refuse it or force the marriage to be annulled would be an insult to the royal house.
No matter how chaotic the royal family might be with internal strife, the fact that they were the kingdom's rightful rulers didn't change.
A mere lord could not refuse that.
Claudia's face was blank with stunned disbelief.
She thought of the servant who would be waiting in the servants' waiting room by now, the servant who would simply solve any problem.
‘...Cedric, what should I do in a situation like this?’