"…ha."
The maid, who would be said to be cute by five out of ten people if they met her on the street, let out a sigh.
Just by looking at the fact that she is wearing a somewhat shabby outfit instead of the recently popular maid uniform, those with a keen eye can tell that the place she works is a family that values tradition and has a somewhat closed environment.
“Anna, what’s been going on since a while ago?”
“I’m just tired….”
Anna, a maid with a rather common name, had been sighing heavily for a while now, which made her colleagues nervous.
Because she was usually full of energy.
To such questions.
“…I think I’m going to get cut.”
"why?"
“Did you make a mistake?”
“I saw the Count while I was cleaning last time….”
"what!?"
“Why of all people…,”
I met the Count.
With that one sentence, her fellow maids quickly understood why she was sighing.
Their workplace, the Counts of Lohengrin, could be said to be a patriarchal family where everything was thoroughly controlled by the head of the household.
The late Count of Lohengrin is said to have been a rather kind man, but the current Count of Lohengrin, Lord Roses, was a very strict man who could not stand anything that was an eyesore to him.
Would you believe that I cut down even the servants who had served Lohengrin for hundreds of years just because they were an eyesore?
To that extent, he was a cold-hearted person, and the current employees also felt a sense of crisis as if they were walking on thin ice, and were always living in a state of tension.
The only consolation was that the salary was generous.
“Ha, even though I had trouble breathing, it was nice that they gave me a lot of money.”
“How did we meet by chance?”
“I told you, I was just cleaning. But we ran into each other by chance.”
"oh my…."
The maids just looked at her with pitiful expressions at the reality that she was just unlucky, and Anna's tears only grew darker.
Meanwhile.
Slowly, slowly.
“?”
The maids turned their heads without realizing it at the sudden sound of horse hooves, and they saw.
“Oh my….”
A very handsome young man stopped in front of the main gate of Lohengrin's mansion, riding a pure white horse.
“Where can you find such kind-looking people…?”
“How are being handsome and being kind the same?”
“Then, do you think that face is ugly?”
“……No, it’s very good.”
“That's it.”
The garden was filled with the faint whispers of women, but this was short-lived.
Huhuhu!
Suddenly, the young man riding the white horse took a deep breath.
“─My name is Santa Lihan!!! Lord of Lohengrin! To protect my honor, I challenge you to a duel!!!”
“Tsk!” A deafening, tremendous roar echoed throughout the mansion, including the expansive garden.
It must have been a tremendous roar, and in an instant, many women started jumping on their butts.
Even though I only heard screams, it was a spirit that was difficult for a woman to endure.
“Hey, he might be a dangerous person…?”
It was Anna's muttering, and the women nodded their heads… .
“I like dangerous men too….”
“……Your tastes are a bit different.”
There are many different tastes in the world.
* * *
Naturally, the lord or knights would not step forward to deal with the thugs who were shouting loudly in front of the mansion.
instead….
“No, who the hell is Kyung to do something like this!”
“Judging from the armor you are wearing and the horse you are riding, you seem to be from a very noble family. Please calm down.”
The soldiers came out and tried to calm the man down.
Just looking at the expensive-looking white horse, as well as the expensive-looking armor and jewel-decorated sword that had no practicality, you could tell that this man was a reckless nobleman who had come up from the countryside.
They must be nobles who came to the royal capital to celebrate the crown prince's birthday.
'You can tell just by looking at him that he's a reckless person.'
'He's the one who came after hearing the rumor. He probably wants to pick a fight with Lohengrin and gain some fame.'
'He looks neat, but he's an idiot.'
This is a time when many disturbing rumors about Lohengrin are spreading.
Well, there is some truth to it.
But even so, this is Lohengrin.
They were a family with hundreds of years of history, and they were not the type of people who would show weakness against a common person.
The soldiers were also of a fairly high standard, and their eyes were shining so dangerously.
Oh my!
“Tell this to Count Lohengrin! Be sure to warn him that if he doesn’t come out after seeing this, I will also resort to armed protests!”
“…?”
"hurry!"
“My ears, my ears all hurt.”
The soldiers blinked as they looked at the letter suddenly handed to them by a man who seemed like he would continue to act recklessly until the end.
but.
“You may read the letter. But you will have to bear the full burden of the truth you learn from reading it!”
“…….”
…somehow it felt unusual.
For a reckless young master, he had an unusual attitude, and the soldiers wondered what to do with this letter…
“Hey, let me tell the butler first.”
“Yeah, yeah, that sounds good.”
If it were normal, I would have chased him out of the line or burned the letter, but I couldn't act rudely toward the young man who seemed to be a nobleman, and the extraordinary aura he gave off had the achievement of having the letter delivered to his superiors.
Amazingly, this process took less than ten minutes.
The man remained silent on his horse, his arms folded, as he watched the letter enter the mansion.
As if he had never been so noisy before, shamelessly.
“…Contrary to his looks, he’s manly?”
“That's right.”
It's ridiculous that he becomes reserved after achieving his goal, but for some reason, when he starts receiving positive reviews-.
“Ugh, ugh!”
The soldier who had gone to deliver the letter came running urgently.
“The butler is calling! He is asking me to come into the mansion….”
“!!?”
Everyone looked at the young man, unable to hide their terrified expressions.
However, the young man still glared at those who blocked him as if it were a natural course of action.
“Get out of the way. I have to go meet your master.”
“………….”
… Even though the soldiers were not under hypnosis, at some point they obediently followed the young man’s words and got out of the way.
I think I should follow that advice.
* * *
“…….”
Rose, who had been concentrating on his work for a while, did not hide his displeasure.
It was a bit of a hassle to be interrupted from work, but I had never had the courage to do something like this before.
“Has there ever been a person so rude as to visit Lohengrin without any promise or prior consent, butler?”
“…I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“You shouldn’t do anything regrettable, then.”
“…….”
“Ha, that’s enough. What good is talking to incompetent people for? Well, let’s just take a look at that arrogant guy’s face.”
As soon as Rose finished speaking, the butler went straight out.
It was to carry out his orders, but even that appearance seemed to displease Rose.
No, he was a person who hated all humans except himself from the beginning.
“It’s annoying, why are you all so incompetent?”
He hates servants.
They are people who talk back without even knowing the topic and make excuses like it is advice.
He hates men.
Because they are the ones who defile their own eyes and ears with their ugly faces and dirty voices.
He doesn't like women either.
Not only because of the horrible smell of perfume, but also because of those who dare to touch my body without even knowing the subject.
…he was contemptible to humans.
“Phew-.”
Rose scanned the letter, barely suppressing the disgust she couldn't hide.
It may seem like he just skimmed through it, but he understood the overall content and context just by skimming through it.
“Your Majesty, a guest has arrived…-.”
Kwaaang!
… threw a glass cup.
It was not glass, but the force was as if a shot had been thrown, but the butler who barely avoided it, or rather, the butler who miraculously survived thanks to it grazing his hair, broke out in a cold sweat.
If it had hit me, I would have died instantly.
on the other way.
“What a rude welcome. Is this how Lohengrin threatens his guests?”
The young man, who had leisurely avoided the glass, was glaring at Rose with a mocking smile.
“…You arrogant bastard. Do you really think I can say nice things when you dare to hand me something like this? Even if you slaughter me, I won’t feel satisfied.”
“Hmm, for someone from a family of knights, their speech is rougher than that of most mercenaries.”
“!!!”
Rose was about to scream in anger again, shuddering with discomfort, but the young man was unyielding.
She just came straight up to him as if nothing had happened.
Then suddenly.
“Let’s just talk between the two of us. That way we can focus on the ‘deal’.”
“What do you believe in?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not stupid enough to try to threaten you. Hmm, or what? Are you afraid of me, Your Excellency Count Roses?”
“…….”
Kwajik!
“It’s an expensive-looking fountain pen, but it’s a shame to waste it. I guess you don’t know how valuable things are.”
“Shut up!”
Rose gestured with a harsh curse.
It was a gesture towards the butler, and the butler knew what the gesture meant, but he still hesitated, wondering if it was okay to leave his master alone with an unknown villain.
however.
“Pee, if you need anything, please call me.”
It was impossible to go against the will of the lord who was already in a bad mood.
The butler closed the door and left, and silence fell over the office.
“Now it’s just the two of us, Your Majesty.”
“…Stop talking so cheekily and tell me where you got this information.”
grasp.
Rose threw a letter at the young man without hesitation, and the young man accepted it obediently.
The letter that fell to the ground was said to be a letter, but in reality it was no different from any other document.
should.
“I am also surprised, Your Majesty, no, Your Majesty the Opium King. I never thought that such a large amount of opium would be distributed within the South.”
“I told you not to say such nonsense.”
Yes, that was right. The content of the document was none other than about a certain trading company secretly run by Lohengrin and the opium it was distributing.
It is written that the amount of opium imported from the East and West exceeded tens of tons, and that it was being distributed throughout the continent.
If this comes to light, Lohengrin, no, Roses, will have to stand trial.
Because he committed all the crimes that a nobleman should not commit.
but.
“Huh, do you really think you can arrest me for this? Do you think Lohengrin is the only one who benefits from this opium?”
“Oh, are you admitting it now? That you and several other nobles are working together to distribute opium.”
“Regardless of whether you admit it or not, I’m saying that you can’t do anything to me. If you think you can threaten me because this little thing gets discovered, then I can only say that you’re a fool.”
Rose laughed at the young man.
Distribution of opium?
Yes, this is illegal and should not be done.
-But what do you want me to do?
'This thing can easily escape.'
No matter how much evidence there was, there were plenty of people willing to die or take the place of Lohengrin.
Rose felt no sense of crisis at all.
Honey, the reason Rose went out of her way to meet this cheeky young man alone was none other than this.
“Tell me where you got this information, well, it’s obvious. There’ll be plenty of guys out there who want to drag me out. But it’s better to be sure.”
Taaak!
As Rose lightly snapped her fingers, a certain magic spell installed in the office was activated.
– [The Law of Concealment].
A sexual technique that prevents sounds and vibrations from escaping, originally used to hide one's presence.
However, depending on how it was used, it was also an appropriate method for conducting secret affairs.
Thud thud thud!
People began to appear at the moment the law was enacted.
The knight who was hiding his appearance with the same method of concealment, no.
“…Half-mind?”
“Wow, you’re quite knowledgeable. Well, I guess I’ll learn your true identity slowly. … Knock that arrogant maggot down.”
Rose gave the order, and the half-men moved immediately.
The moment Rose was about to put her mouth to the tea, using the bastard's scream as music,
Kwajik!
… one of the half-minds fell.
“…?”
It happened in the blink of an eye, and Rose was frozen in place, holding her teacup.
And then suddenly,
“Thank you, I didn’t know you would make the stage like this. I didn’t expect you to be so considerate.”
“Yes, you?”
“Well, as a thank you, I’ll just say….”
Bam.
“I’ll just take your two front teeth.”
Poof!
Rose's front teeth were gently pulled out with a sound that was so clear and crisp.
I thought maybe it was an artificial tooth, but unfortunately… .
Choaack!
Just looking at the spurting blood, it didn't seem like it was an artificial tooth.
… unfortunately.
