Chapter 23: 23

“What is that brat saying? Father, catch those bastards right now! How dare they…!”

Tickle’s eyes were so blind to the point that he didn’t even notice Duke Summerhield’s presence.

But then again, considering what happened yesterday, there was no way he could think rationally.

Before Tickle’s sentence could even finish, the Count rose up and slapped Tickle hard on the cheek. 

It was so hard that a sound similar to a flesh ripping was heard.

“Father……?”

Tickle looked back in shock, but Count Martech bowed his head to us.

“My apologies. This is all due to my poor education of my children. This immature punk doesn’t even know much about the family business. I will be sure to educate him properly so that this incident will never happen again, so please forgive me.”

“Father, what is going on…No, I…!”

“Shut up! How dare you act like that in front of the Duke! And spreading false rumours!”

Tickle shut his mouth and glared at me as Count Martech became upset with him.

“I don’t even want to look at you! Leave, now!”

“Father!”

“Did you not hear me! I said leave right this instance!”

Tickle continued to glare at me until the end, but couldn’t go against his father’s orders.

When Tickle left, Count Martech immediately bowed his head.

“I will teach my foolish son well. As you can see, this clears up the Duke’s misunderstanding. There is no evidence and it shouldn’t be something the Duke has to step forward for.”

Duke Summerhield leaned against his seat as if the very mention of these words were bothering him.

“Yes, I understand the Count’s situation. I believe you, Count.”

“Then…”

“But Count, once I’ve heard these words, I couldn’t just let it go. Since it’s a misunderstanding, why don’t we conduct a formal investigation?”

“What?”

“You don’t think that I should just trust your words and leave, do you?”

“No way! How could I dare…That’s not what I meant.”

It was obvious what Count Martech was thinking right now.

He will never find the evidence, so he will simply feign ignorance.

“Then, our duchy will formally send a team to conduct the investigation of this matter.”

“W-Wait a minute, Duke. Are you planning to send an investigation team directly from the Summerhield Duchy?”

Count Martech asked, trembling.

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“Truthfully, I am a little reluctant. I would prefer a third party who has nothing to do with this matter to take care of this…”

“Does that mean you don’t trust me?”

Duke Summerhield glared at Count Martech.

“I, I apologise! But this is a very sensitive issue for us too…!”

Count Martech bent down, but he did not bend his will.

Duke Summerhield agreed as if he was merely showing greater generosity.

“Alright. Then, we can leave this task to a third party who has no relation to us.”

“Then I will……”

A look of relief that he had bought some time flashed Count Martech’s face.

But Duke Summerhield interrupted Count Martech and spoke to me.

“As this is how things have turned out. May I ask you, Duchess Valruga?”

“W-Wait! The Duchess of Valruga is with the Duke……!”

Duke Summerhield suddenly kicked the table.

Thud!

The table, made entirely of wood, fell to the floor with a thud.

“Listen, Count Martech. Are you going to keep complaining that this doesn’t work, that doesn’t work either? I believe I’m already being considerate of the Count’s situation quite a bit now.”

Duke Summerhield sneered fiercely.

Standing in front of Duke Summerhield, who was twice the size of himself, Count Martech looked extremely dwarfed.

“B-But…”

“It’s an investigation regarding the materials anyway, so it would likely take half a day at most. But if you keep complaining every time, wouldn’t you appear more suspicious? Even the Valruga seems to be more familiar with the Count than I am. Don’t you think I’m already being considerate of the Count with this?”

“M-My, My apologies! I didn’t think that far!”

Count Martech hurriedly lowered his head.

Count Martech was not persuasive enough to be able to change Duke Summerhield’s mind with just a few words.

At Duke Summerhield’s urge, Count Martech had no choice but to accept our investigation.

Unlike how he had bowed to Duke Summerhield, Count Martech looked at me with his chin raised.

It was clearly an attitude that was looking down on us.

“Fine, then it cannot be helped. I hope that the investigation goes well, and the contract with the Duke of Valruga will be smooth.”

Count Martech spoke with emphasis on the word contract.

The initial purpose of our visit to the County was to sell light iron.

If Count Martech’s corruption was exposed and he was ruined, then we, who sold light irons to him, would also be ruined.

He deliberately emphasised that fact and conveyed the meaning of ‘goes well’ by concealing the matter if something was found. 

“Alright. Since the Count has agreed, then please take care of this matter, Duchess. Do you recommend anyone?”

Duke Summerhield looked at me with shining eyes.

However, if there was something that Count Martech had failed to consider, it was the fact that I had no desire to sell light irons to him anymore.

Count Martech accepting Duke Summerhield’s proposal and we being in charge of the investigation were all part of the plan from the beginning.

I smiled brightly and responded as I had planned.

“There is someone just right!”

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I clapped my hands and pointed to Treon, who was standing behind us.

“He’s my butler, who is really good at his job and smart! I heard that he was once scouted by His Majesty ten years ago!”

“Oh. Was there such talent in the Valruga? Then, Duchess. Can you lend me your butler for a while?”

“Go ahead!”

Count Martech’s gaze shifted, as if he was looking at an obedient dog.

“Do you agree, Count Martech?”

When Duke Summerhield asked, Count Martech nodded without hesitation.

“Yes. Now that this has happened, we should resolve this misunderstanding as soon as possible.”

Of course.

How ridiculous that it happened to be the person his son has been bullying for 10 years and couldn’t even scream properly.

But they looked down on Treon too lightly.

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Treon, accompanied by the Duke’s knights, searched Count Martech’s castle without hesitation.

Whether it was fortunate or not, it has been 10 years since he went to and from the Martech County.

The structure of the castle was clear to him even with his eyes closed.

Treon headed to Tickle Martech’s office.

Tickle blocked him, but Treon was stopped by him

He just did what he had to do.

He rummaged through the papers on the desk and opened all the drawers.

The books on the bookshelves fell randomly on the floor, and the cushions that were neatly placed on the sofa were all torn and ruined.

The areas where Treon had passed through became a mess, as if there had been a robbery.

Tickle wasn’t patient enough to watch someone else, who he had regarded as a slave, to rummage through his space.

In the end, when Treon touched his prized cupboard, Tickle roared.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Treon held a bottle of wine and asked.

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? Are you asking me to leave right now?”

Treon removed the cork and spilled the alcohol in front of Tickle.

“You…!”

“Hmm. You didn’t hide anything in the bottle. This is also a very famous trick. Just in case, go check each and every wine bottle.”

Treon instructed the knights.

At Treon’s command, the knights broke all the bottles with their spears.

The bottles shattered into pieces and the wine inside spilled out.

Tickle’s eyes fumed as he watched his treasured collection go to waste in front of him.

“You bastard really…!”

When Tickle grabbed Treon by the collar, the knight next to him stepped up.

Treon stopped the knight with his hand and spoke.

“Let me go, Sir Tickle. I am merely conducting a legitimate investigation according to the Duke’s orders. Does Sir Tickle’s actions mean that you will not comply with the Duke’s orders?”

When he mentioned the Duke, Tickle’s face turned red.

He raised his trembling fist.

But in the end, he couldn’t hit Treon.

As Tickle lowered his fist, Treon pushed Tickle roughly.

And he straightened his dishevelled clothes.

“Hmph. Do you think that evidence will appear if you search frantically? It’s no use. If there’s no evidence, will Duke Summerhield punish your master as well?”

“Why wouldn’t I find any evidence?”

Treon approached the fireplace.

‘No way. That’s impossible.’

Tickle’s heart beated nervously.

There was a hidden safe behind that fireplace.

As if betraying Tickle’s expectations, Treon touched the decorations near the fireplace one by one.

Creak.

A sound of a secret device opening was heard and the fireplace turned slowly.

Treon picked up the stack of papers and scanned them with his eyes.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

“Y-You!”

Tickle rushed forward, but this time, he was blocked by the knights.

“Y-You bastard! How do you…!”

“Isn’t it strange how the world works? I’m not sure if you remember, but didn’t you activate this after you knocked me down?”

“What nonsense!”

Treon smiled as if he expected that.

“As expected, you don’t remember. I thought so. You never imagined that I could destroy you. That’s why you acted so foolishly in front of me.”

“That……”

Tickle struggled wildly, but could not escape the knight’s strong grip.

“If you want to hit me, then hit me. Afterwards, I’ll inform the Duke that you interfered with the investigation.”

“You and that brat! With Duke Summerhield’s power behind you, you dare run rampant without knowing your place! That’s why you…!”

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