Chapter 9: 9

At my words, the Fox Merchant Association roared.

I continued to strike while it was hot.

“Do you know what the punishment is for frauds? Naol! These people seem unaware, so please enlighten them!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Naol began to explain gravely what he had memorised beforehand.

“The offender who is charged with a fraud offence will be punished to compensate the victim twice the amount they were scammed for. According to the Empire’s Civil Law, if the compensation cannot be paid, the offender along with their family, will have to work as slaves for as much as the compensation was stated.”

“That is what it states.”

I tilted my head and stared at the Fox Merchant Association in arrogance.

It was all human psychology.

Even a good citizen who has lived without committing a single crime would likely shudder when they face laws.

Besides, this was between a high-ranking noble Duke and a self-made Viscount.

They couldn’t help but feel pressured.

“The amount you demanded from the Valruga family was 1 billion marks. Double that would be 2 million marks. Do you all have enough money to be able to pay the compensation fee?”

It’s impossible. 

After Naol and I decided to carry out the panic bomb operation, we stopped examining the IOUs.

Instead, we investigated the Fox Merchant Association. 

The Fox Merchant Association was an organisation made up of small merchants that operated in the vicinity of the territory.

Two of them were Viscounts, but had no estates.

They were not poor, but they weren’t wealthy either judging by how they climbed up the rough mountain roads in the middle winter, just to obtain the money.

Even if they combined all of their fortunes together, they would not be able to compensate for the 2 billion marks.

In other words, just as the penalty for fraud had stated, their entire family would have to work as slaves.

Finally grasping the situation, the Fox Merchant Association raised their voices with a pale complexion.

“Wh-What nonsense are you talking about! When did we cheat?!”

“That’s right! What fraud?! Even if you’re the Duke, you can’t frame people like this!”

“If you can’t afford to pay us back, just say so! Don’t threaten us like this!”

When Naol winked, the soldiers behind me struck the ground with the spears they held.

Thud!

Fear flashed in the eyes of the merchants in an instant from the fierce action.

It was worth it to simply have them practice hitting the ground for an entire three hours yesterday.

“How dare you raise your voice! Right before you is the Duchess!”

Naol also raised his voice from the pits of his stomach.

Instantly overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the members of the Fox Merchant Association quickly faltered.

Although their thoughts can’t be heard, I knew very well that all sorts of scenarios were unfolding in their minds.

While the room was pindrop silent, I spoke as if it was a monarch’s last mercy.

“Of course, it would be correct to deal with this according to the civil law. But since it is such an old contract, there are bound to be mistakes.”

The faces of the ten merchants changed sporadically.

“I’ll give you tomorrow as the deadline. Those who confess will be spared, but if not…”

The soldier’s spears pointed towards the merchant association.

The sharp blade of the spear gleamed brightly under the light.

Of course, this was also a move that was well practised yesterday.

“I will deal with this situation according to the civil law.”

Although there were a mixture of expressions consisting of fear, confusion, and doubt while the Fox Merchant Association reflected on the past, there was only one person who held an enraged expression.

He was also the man Naol and I were the most suspicious about.

The man who had led the Fox Merchant Association all this time.

Rwan.

He stared at me with an infuriated face, as if I had ruined his plan.

“What kind of fraud did we commit to the Duke?! We are innocent!”

Rwan exclaimed desperately.

“Must I even answer that? Those of you who have cheated should know this better than I do.”

“We didn’t cheat, what the hell are you talking about?! Are you trying to intimidate us with your power? I can’t believe this is really the Valruga!”

His howls were comical and made it appear as if we were stomping down on them with our rank. It was ironic to say such a thing while knowing that the Duchy was in ruins.

I laughed mockingly.

“So? Weren’t you the ones who came to the Castle of Valruga like that?”

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I looked at the window and muttered.

“A blizzard is approaching. Did you know that? There were a lot of people who went missing during a blizzard in our estate once. Once you’re gone, it’ll be difficult to find any trace left of you.”

I turned back to the merchants who turned blue with a sly smile.

“You guys as well. Do be careful not to get lost on your way out.”

＊  ＊  ＊

Before carrying out the bomb operation, I prepared a lot of things. 

Investigating the Fox Merchant Association and training the soldiers to set the atmosphere. 

And the last thing I prepared was this man.

“Wow…Woahh……”

Although the continent’s greatest Duke was ruined, there was still something left.

All of the important figures and people that have been loyal to the Duke for nearly a thousand years.

Of course, many of them had betrayed the Dukedom or had left, but there were still some talented people who remained until the very end.

And this man was the strongest person in our castle… He was in charge of tracking, assassinating, and threatening.

……At least, that’s how he was introduced as.

I stared at the man in front of me with doubtful eyes.

He wore a thick rubber apron, which was messy with blood.

The way he stared at me with rapture while in such a state was a little terrifying. 

He looked like a harmless young man with light brown hair, resembling a kindergarten teacher. However, his bloody clothes were the only thing that gave off an even more terrifying atmosphere.

The man, who had been staring at me in trance, suddenly came to his senses and greeted me with a cheerful smile.

“Ah, I have to greet the Madam properly! Hello, Madam! I’m Bircher Crimson.”

[T/N: 버쳐 can both mean ‘Butcher’ or ‘Bircher’]

Yes, if you were a member of a secret organisation, you wouldn’t be able to live a life that doesn’t include blood.

You couldn’t be afraid of blood. 

While I was struggling to calm my startled heart, he continued to look at me with sparkling eyes.

“Madam, I really wanted to meet you…Can I shake your hand?” 

When I held out my hand, Bircher grabbed my hand tightly with both hands and shook them in excitement.

It was as if he had met a celebrity he admired.

“……Is he really reliable?”

When I glanced back and asked, Bella answered confidently.

“Of course! As Madam requested, Mr. Bircher is an expert in tracking, assassinating, and threatening means!”

I glanced at the man who was staring at our shaking hands with an excited face.

“……Really?”

“Actually, he’s a bit……he’s a bit of a dangerous person, but his skills are credible. He was originally the head of a secret organisation that did covert and dangerous things for our castle.”

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“What does he do now?”

“Slaughter animals.”

“……”

“He doesn’t have enough money to run the organisation, and he still has to make a living. But he was truly an unprecedented genius in the organisation! Even when the Duke’s grandfather was still alive……!”

“Okay.”

I cut off Bella’s words and faced Bircher.

“Bircher.” 

At my call, he looked at me like a puppy whose name was called.

“Yes, Madam!”

“Bircher, I need you to do something for me.”

“What is it?”

“Follow someone and listen to everything they say.”

Lighting flashed in Bircher’s eyes.

If the previous Bircher had been in a sleeping mode, the current Bircher appeared to be wide awake and switched on.

“Really?! Are you serious? Am I really going hunting after so long?”

Instead of a serious atmosphere, Bircher went into a state of frenzy. Like a dog about to be let off their leash. 

“Who? Who? Who should I eavesdrop on? Wow, Madam. I really like it! I can’t believe I get to do a mission assigned by Madam……I am so happy!”

I guess Bircher was a really good fit for the job of a secret organisation.

I didn’t know he’d like it that much.

“The one who stood behind and the last person I looked at. Follow him and find out what he says and does. Remember to report everything back to me.”

“Okay!” 

Bircher, who was about to run away excitedly, turned back to me and asked.

“Madam, if I do this job well, can I serve Madam for just a day?”

Bircher pouted his lips.

“Bella is always with Madam……I also want to have a cute Madam to serve. I’m tired of always slaughtering animals.”

“Hey! It’s my job to serve her! This ungrateful bastard! I already allowed you to meet Madam……!”

Before I could say anything, Bella yelled at him.

“You’re the only one who has the cute Madam all to herself! I want to serve Madam, too! Stingy!”

Suddenly, the two of them began to fight over who gets to serve me.

I’m better at braiding Madam’s hair than you do. 

I’m neater, so I’ll be better at cleaning her room. 

I had a headache listening to the fight.

“Stop!”

At my words, the two of them stopped fighting and looked at me.

“Alright. If you do it well, I’ll allow you to serve me for a day.”

“Yay!”

“Madam……!”

Bircher cheered at my words while Bella was in despair.

“But only if it’s handled well, alright?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Don’t worry!”

＊  ＊  ＊

I have to do well.

Bircher clenched his fists.

This was the first mission given by his master after a long time.

When he heard the Master’s wife was coming, he didn’t expect much. 

It’ll be the same as the previous Madam anyway.

The previous Duchess was sick of the castle every day, and when she saw Bircher and the other children in the castle, she had a disgusted look on her face.

She was hysterical and indifferent to the children she gave birth to.

She even had an affair with another man and received jewellery from him.

‘If she hadn’t died, I might have killed her then.’

But this time, the Madam was different. 

Her appearance was so lovely that it made everyone smile the moment they saw her, but the spirit she possessed inside was no less than that of a lion. Moreover, she even gave him such an interesting mission.

Under the pretext of lacking money, the secret organisation was disbanded and it was the first mission he had taken on after a long while.

Bircher hid in the ceiling and saw the Madam leaving and only the troubled Fox Merchant Association’s members remained.

“I did as you said, but what is this?!”

“A scam?! We never heard about that! No wonder the conditions were so good……!”

“I…I, I can’t die like this! This is all on Rwan, if you confess that you made this up yourself……!”

“Stop!”

Rwan slammed the desk and shouted at them.

“That was just a lie. What scam?”

“But……”

“My life is at stake too! If you die, I die too! Those were all lies they told us. They’re lying because they don’t want to give us the money. I don’t even know what the fraud is, so how could you all believe it?”

Rwan responded calmly, but the rest of them were already engulfed in fear.

“But the other side is a Duke! If they really wanted to kill us and throw us away in the snow…I-I don’t know. What should we do?!”

“Then, did you think you’ll be able to get such a large amount of money in vain?”

Rwan’s eyes gleamed terribly. 

The plan can’t be ruined like this!

“Do you think you all would be saved if I confessed? We’re already been on the same boat. Keep that in mind!”

Fan translation by Dropped Inks.

Rwan exclaimed coldly and left the room.

Bircher hid in the shadows and followed Rwan.

Rwan returned to his room, erased his previous calm demeanour, and kicked the chair roughly.

“Damn it!”

He paced around the room nervously.

“No…did they figure out the trick? It’s impossible. Not with how much preparation we had made. This is ridiculous.”

It couldn’t have gone wrong now!

The plan his master had meticulously prepared for.

Devouring the castle of Valruga was something that had been planned for several decades.

There was no way the Valruga would possess 1 billion marks. Their name was the only thing left!

The Valruga family only had to give up their castle and retreat. 

It didn’t matter if they had been able to prepare 1 billion marks or not. As long as they spent all the remaining funds of the Duke, he would be able to obtain the castle easily.

He wasn’t afraid of the threats from that arrogant Duchess.

If this fails regardless, he was going to lose his life.

Then, someone knocked on Rwan’s door.

He was another member brought into the Fox Merchant Association to accomplish the plan with Rwan.

“How’s the situation?”

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