Volume 2 Chapter 80 Maribel Danofen I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn damn damn damn damn!”
In the spacious study, the flickering flame of the candlestick swayed.
The plump old steward hurried back and forth in the room, scratching his head.
The maids standing nearby all looked pale, bowing their heads, trembling in fear of when their master’s rage would explode and lead to violence.
”Damn it!”
McCutchen, filled with anger, swiped the book off the desk with his arm.
The lamp that was placed there fell to the floor, igniting the books and carpet, starting a large orange flame.
”M-Master!”
The maids hurriedly began to extinguish the fire.
The fat steward watched for a moment, but soon veins bulged on his temples as he shouted.
”Get out! You damn fools!”
”Y-yes! We’re so sorry! We apologize!”
(Damn…)
McCutchen slumped into a chair, holding his head.
Smoke billowed up.
The stench of burning carpet filled the study.
To the old steward, the situation felt unreal, as if they were on the brink of a fire.
A typical example of how humans lose rational thought when cornered.
He needed to act quickly, yet all he could do was lash out at people and things.
Meaningless groans escaped his mouth like a fool.
(This wasn’t supposed to happen. I… at first, I was just threatened to poison the master.)
An old memory lay dormant within the old steward.
It was a story from when he was just a bit younger.
McCutchen, who was the right-hand man of a steward named Dylan, was once called by him and told to buy poison from the eastern merchant guild ‘Mao Yue.’
It was a slow-acting poison that was not well-known in the west, difficult to discover or counteract.
McCutchen did not know the exact name of the poison, but the merchant explained, “It can weaken the target more reliably than increasing the amount of salt in their food.”
Godfrey was elderly.
Especially after Maribel was born, he had aged rapidly.
So, even as his body deteriorated little by little every day, not even the accompanying healer noticed anything amiss.
Recently, McCutchen had begun to wonder if the poison he bought from ‘Mao Yue’ was truly poison at all.
He thought perhaps Godfrey had simply succumbed to age and eventually died.
Yet, regardless of the truth, the fact remained that McCutchen had been ordered by Dylan to procure the poison.
Whether it was truly poison or not, he was a murderer the moment he administered something everyone deemed toxic.
There was no excuse.
After accidentally killing Dylan, McCutchen continued to poison Godfrey.
If discovered, he would be killed himself──
and once the astute Godfrey recovered, their misdeeds would surely come to light.
To survive, he had no choice but to bury Godfrey in ‘illness’ without anyone noticing──
With that obsessive thought in mind, McCutchen ultimately poisoned Godfrey.
Moreover, having already killed Dylan, he found himself in possession of power and all the connections and supply routes Dylan had held.
The biggest coward in the borderlands.
He had no particular talent.
He merely followed Dylan’s orders faithfully, trembling in fear.
Yet, in his struggle to survive, he had risen to the position of steward, forced to handle politics in Maribel’s stead.
(Damn, damn, damn… I don’t want to end like this! But that brat Maribel has already stopped all connections to ‘Mao Yue’ and is preparing for summoning.)
While he could kill the head chef and the healer, he couldn’t possibly eliminate the executives of the eastern merchant guild.
Waterman was quite a capable soldier, but even he had his limits.
(If those ‘Mao Yue’ people are summoned, it’s all over…)
If any customer lists from that time still existed, he could no longer escape blame.
In front of the lords who came to witness the trial, the crime of murdering his master would be fully exposed.
’You mustn’t commit suicide, McCutchen. I will squeeze everything out of you.’
The words whispered by the young princess flashed through his mind before he left the venue.
The little chick that should have been dancing cutely in his hand was now staring at McCutchen with a cruel smile.
Even though she was Godfrey’s daughter, he had underestimated the young princess.
He thought she was just a girl interested in trivial political matters, gathering treasures from her father and grandfather’s house.
But he was mistaken.
Recently, she seemed to be rebelling more often, which struck him as odd, but now this was the result.
”Damn… It’s the church that will hold the trial. With Homolka and Maribel around, bribery is out of the question. Should I bribe ‘Mao Yue’ instead?.. No. If I make contact now, Baron Mankovitch will surely notice.”
His trusted aide Waterman was no longer there.
The head magician Natasha, who had been offering her wisdom until now, had betrayed him.
The Homolka he had kept at bay had also turned against him, and his relationships with Renaud and Oswald were strained.
He had quarreled with the popular Eleonora and dismissed her from her role as military advisor….
(Is there anything…, anything at all!?)
”That’s it! There must be nobles who are greatly dissatisfied with Maribel’s forceful tactics! I can use them to eliminate Owl. If I remove Owl (the military), regardless of what that chick chirps, after that──”
”I see. Bringing in the opposing lords is indeed a standard method.”
A haughty woman’s voice interrupted his monologue.
Startled, McCutchen looked towards the study’s entrance, where the maid who had just left and Head magician Natasha stood.
”N-Natasha!?”
”Ah, good evening, Sir Steward.”
”W-What! Why did you let this woman in? I told you not to let anyone in!”
”B-But, I couldn’t possibly send Lady Natasha away at the door…”
The old steward clicked his tongue at the maid, who was stumbling over her words in an attempt to explain.
The blonde head magician lets out a carefree “Well, well.”
”It’s fine, isn’t it? We’re on good terms, after all. Oh, you can step back now.”
The witch commands the maid as if she were her servant.
The maid quickly bows and hastily leaves the doorway.
”You noticed quickly for someone so dull, didn’t you? Indeed, nearly 40 percent of the lords and merchants left the venue after that. It might be a sound idea to contact them and oppose Owl.”
”…Did you come to throw shade at me? You traitor.”
”Traitor? Hehe, not at all. I am my own ally. The rest doesn’t matter. I never considered you an ally from the start. It seems you didn’t feel the same way.”
”……”
”Contacting the lords who left is pointless, you know. Aside from Eleonora, the lords close to you are likely being slaughtered by the assassins sent by Owl right about now.”
”W-What!?”
Natasha giggles, placing a finger on her red lips.
”Do you think I went through the trouble of doing this at a banquet for no reason? I called out those troublesome lords who usually hide in their territories with their soldiers just to kill them all. Once they entered this fortress, they had no escape.”
”W-What…?”
”Maribel is more cunning than you think. Just like Guillaume, there are many noble knights who were ousted by their elder brothers and lost their territories. She has been in contact with such individuals for years, preparing for this very moment. From this day forth, Izerland will be reborn. Just as old cells are discarded from the body.”
The blonde witch finishes her line, extending her right hand forward, channeling magic power from within.
”────!? W-Wait!! What are you planning to do!? I-I am supposed to prove my innocence in court after this! There’s no way I would allow Maribel to kill!”
”Yes, that child ordered me to keep you alive. You still have value, and if I kill you too soon, I might face backlash from many lords before we seize the power.”
”But you see──”
Natasha twisted her lips, smeared with lipstick, into a grotesque shape.
”You know too much about me. Even if Maribel keeps you alive, I have no intention of doing the same. If you’re to fall, you will only be a danger to me.”
”No, stop! I don’t want to die! Please, stop!”
”‘Please’… asking a witch like me for a favor?”
Natasha’s movements froze.
McCutchen, who had been backing away, was taken aback.
(That’s right, she’s a witch. If I dangle some benefit before her, she might save my life.)
The Head Magician’s job isn’t just about setting up barriers in the royal castle or solving problems with magic.
It also involves serving the king, influencing politics, and pretending to be a bureaucrat.
What Natasha seeks is her political status and wealth in this border area.
So, she listens to those who grant her those things.
She serves a ruler who can wield power as if her life depends on it.
”Wait! I have money, connections, and logistics. Once I eliminate Owl, I can return to politics alongside Her Excellency Maribel.”
”Eliminate Owl… Are you suggesting using funds embezzled from the treasury to hire mercenaries? To start a civil war with mercenaries?”
”I haven’t fully thought it through yet, but it’s one path. After all, I’ve fattened my pockets quite a bit these past few years. More than you can imagine.”
”I can tell that just by looking at this lavish mansion. It’s more luxurious than Her Excellency’s residence.”
”I’ve lost much power tonight, but it’s entirely possible for me to regain my former position. If I do return, everyone who assisted Her Excellency this time will be sent to the gallows.”
”If you can return, that is.”
”The possibility is not 0, is it?”
”────”
Natasha remained expressionless and silent.
Inside her, the scale of whether to save or kill McCutchen was likely wavering.
The old steward seized the moment to press on.
”It would be wise for you to curry favor with both me and Her Excellency Maribel! Whether I make a comeback or Her Excellency continues to wield the ‘monarchy’ as it is, you can enjoy the benefits with minimal risk!”
”Hmm…, indeed, that’s true… Though, you are the steward. It wouldn’t be surprising if you used your money and connections to once again deprive Your Excellency Maribel of her freedom.”
”That’s right, that’s right.”
”Very well. I’ll let it slide. Aren’t you lucky?”
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply