Chap 11

Gulp.

At Pellio's attitude of treating people like a mere water wheel, Ermedillin unknowingly swallowed hard.

'What do you know? You, born as the son of a count, raised nobly, looking down on others? Have you ever lived as an orphan in a cruel capitalist country? Do you even know how painful it is to be without money?'

Although curses erupted inside her due to the injustice and sorrow, she could not reveal them outwardly.

"That's right. Money… I like it. When I get all the borrowed money back, I intend to live as I really want to with that money."

"The amount is enormous. You must have sent all the money you made from selling potions and curses to your family home?"

'What? Is this an interrogation?'

She cannot stop here.

As long as she gets the borrowed money back, that's enough. There's no thought of falling with her father.

"Why should the count care about my private income? Moreover, the national treasury cannot be touched without Valliere's permission, so I have never used more than the amount assigned to me…"

Ermedillin deliberately showed an unpleasant smile.

A smile where the corners of her mouth turned up, but her eyes were not smiling at all.

The wicked woman image helps at times like this. There's no need to explain humbly or cringingly.

No one will believe an explanation anyway, so why not just go forward brazenly?

"Huh? I see. I guess I don't need to know about Her Majesty the Empress's private income."

'As expected.'

Pellio made an extremely displeased face but did not pry further.

"Then I will proceed with the lawsuit as per this content."

Pellio turned away as if telling her that if his business was over, she should leave.

But Ermedillin could not leave right away and hesitated for a moment.

"Do you have more business?"

"That, that is…"

It's strange.

There's no memory, and even if there is a memory, since it's not her own, ignoring it is enough, but the name keeps bothering her.

'Ferdinand.'

That name, the more she chews on it, the more a corner of her heart aches.

Ermedillin opened her lips several times to request an investigation about the name 'Ferdinand,' but soon gave up.

'If I know, what will I do? My nose is full already. In fact, the people here have nothing to do with me, right?'

She's uncertain about the already unstable future.

She doesn't want to add more uncertainty.

"No. The business is over. Thank you for representing me."

"Huh?"

Although she bowed her head slightly and offered her thanks very politely, the snorting sound that suddenly came made Ermedillin's head snap up.

"So Louise was right. Her Majesty the Empress really does know the word 'thank you.'"

Clearly mocking.

'Ah, really. He's illtempered. I'm truly grateful and said thanks. How twisted is this guy?'

But it's not only Pellio's fault. The record of the original Ermedillin's wickedness is too dazzling.

Moreover, she is in a situation where she needs help now.

What can she do? She must endure it even if it's annoying.

"You lost them?"

A splendid star room.

In a space more luxurious than the Empress's palace, Valliere, who seemed out of place in her somewhat modest dress, was there.

She was deeply buried in a chair made of the highestquality velvet.

"Yes. The groom seemed to have a lot of experience in this area. We did our best to pursue, but...."

'Sigh....'

Valliere's anger surged to her hair's end, but she could not show it in front of others.

So she only sighed heavily inside and forced a smile.

After meeting with Duke Batistian, he went out, so it must be related to him, but what was the Duke doing at that time?"

"He was attending to his usual duties."

"Really? Then...."

'Could he have met Pellio? But Pellio wants to execute Ermedillin right away... What could they have met for?'

Lost in thought, Valiere's expression was tender enough to sway a man's heart.

To soothe Valiere's mood, a man kneeling spoke in a soft voice.

"Doesn't the Empress usually avoid going out? Well, this time too, she must have gone to find some disgusting ingredients for a curse."

"That's not it... If it was a place selling magical ingredients, she would have gone in openly, right?"

'Ah, these incompetent and ignorant fools. Why on earth did my brother attach such people as subordinates? Then again, he doesn't have anything in his head, so how could he have an eye for people?'

"What about the well matter, then? Did you find evidence?"

"Ah... that is...."

"It's clear that the Empress has cursed the well with plague, and you still haven't found evidence?"

"Yes. The Empress has been quite thorough. There are no witnesses or evidence."

"Didn't you catch anything on the magic merchant's side?"

"No. Nothing. Normally, she doesn't buy such rare ingredients, does she? Besides, there is almost no known curse that could cause a plague on such a large scale."

At the unhelpful answer, Valiere bit her lip in frustration.

'It's so tedious.'

"Leave."

Valiere's voice turned icy, and the men left her drawing room without delay.