“Yuria. I’ve just returned from completing my mission.”
“Right. Good work.”
With that irritating mask still on his face, Yuri stopped in front of me with poise.
However, it seemed like his outfit wasn’t work attire.
If he was returning from a mission, I didn’t understand why he had changed his clothes.
He was wearing a comfortable t-shirt and leggings…?
Well, leggings aren’t exclusively for women, unlike skirts.
It seems he’s getting closer to the extreme of cross-dressing.
“So how did you handle the Emersy affair?”
“I left a suitable warning, just as you commanded. I told them that if they did anything that could harm you in the future, I might come back…”
“Did the warning seem to take effect?”
“Yes. When I broke in through the glass door, they nodded vigorously, as if they understood…”
It seemed like he felt a bit of self-loathing as he answered, lowering her head.
He still wasn’t accustomed to threatening people.
That’s alright. Consistency is key. It may not suit his aptitude, but I believe that with diligent practice, Yuri will quickly become proficient.
“Then why didn’t you take further measures and just end it with a warning?”
“Why? Did you think I would use this incident as an excuse to demand tribute from the Tales?”
“Honestly…”
“…”
“Oh, no! That’s not what I meant! The actions of Baron Tales were serious crimes. He deceived investors by faking his death; I thought he deserved appropriate punishment for that. I was surprised you weren’t making an issue of it…”
Damn. This is getting lengthy.
Why not just say you see me as a devil?
Yuri couldn’t bear to look me in the eye and kept his head down.
“Even if it was deception, nobody suffered any losses. The Tales trading company, which seemed on the verge of falling apart, was taken over by Irene, who skillfully revived it, allowing the investors to avoid losing their money. Isn’t that right?”
“Ah, that’s true.”
“And what was the Baron’s condition like when you saw him?”
“He seemed quite tidy, but his complexion wasn’t good; he looked very gloomy. His mental state seems severely lacking.”
“Having spent the last few years hiding as a dead man, he hasn’t fulfilled his role as the head of the family or as a father, so how could he be in his right mind? The Baron is already paying his price. He will continue to do so for his entire life. Do you think I need to take any further action?”
“Ah…”
Yuri let out a small gasp as if he finally realized.
The Baron has only two choices left.
One is to continue living hidden from the world, just as he has until now.
The other is to confess and reveal that he committed deception.
If he chooses the latter, the court will punish the Baron accordingly.
If he chooses the former, he will be self-punishing for the rest of his life.
Even if I were to report him, it wouldn’t be much different from him confessing himself; thus, there was nothing I needed to do from the start.
‘Irene always seems to handle things like this.’
She ensures that no one is harmed and delivers a punishment that inflicts lifelong pain on those who deserve it.
There must have been countless easier and simpler paths available.
Yet, by choosing such a burdensome and difficult route, Irene’s true nature seems to reveal itself behind her rough words.
That’s why Emersy follows her so loyally.
In a situation where she could have been sold as a sl*ve due to her father’s incompetence, Irene saved her with all her might.
He likely couldn’t help but be devoted to her.
“I understand. So, the Count also let Irene go without any particular demands out of respect for her.”
“What? I just let Irene go? Am I insane?”
“…Yes?”
“I should at least demand a fee.”
“Ah.”
Irene’s kind nature and that issue are separate matters.
Just because she’s a nice girl doesn’t mean she can misunderstand me as a villain and beat me up for free, right?
That wouldn’t make sense.
Not holding anyone accountable only meant I didn’t want to escalate things to court.
I intended to collect appropriate compensation for the damages incurred on our side from this incident.
“The skeleton soldiers were quite injured, so the orthopedic doctors had quite a bit of trouble. The cost of purchasing magical tools was significant. Charlotte and Julia likely suffered hindered growth from staying up late. More than anything else, I got badly scratched from climbing up and down rugged mountains.”
“It wasn’t rugged. It was more of a hill than a mountain.”
“Be quiet, Sylvia.”
“…”
In any case, there’s a lot to collect.
Irene’s face looked a mess as if she had been crying when she returned after leaving the restaurant.
When I handed her the invoice I had prepared, her expression turned from astonishment to irritation.
Did she really think I would just let this slide?
I’m no pushover like Irene; there’s no way that would happen.
They say the Tales trading company has been thriving since its revival, so I figured I might as well treat it like receiving an allowance from a money-making sister.
“Of course, that’s right. I wondered how the Count, who has an incredible nose for money, would finish things so warmly.”
“Do I sound like I’m taking money I shouldn’t? It’s just a fair exchange.”
“Yes, yes. I suppose so. I was just speaking on behalf of Yuri’s true feelings.”
“Oh, no…! I didn’t particularly think that…! I probably didn’t…!”
“…”
Yuri initially reacted strongly, but his voice soon shrank like an ant creeping in.
The two of them really are in perfect sync.
Who wouldn’t have thought they’d be such close friends in the original?
Even though fate had changed, it seemed some things remained the same.
“Ah! Yuri… I mean, Yuria! Did you come to play?”
“Or are you here to bathe? Aslan often told me to come here for a bath. Ugh, disgusting…”
“Ah, no. I just stopped by to report briefly, so I’ll be going now…”
As Charlotte and Julia opened the window and appeared, Yuri took a step back in surprise.
This guy always hurried to escape whenever he saw Charlotte and Julia.
What if the kids misunderstand and think Yuri hates them?
I always feel this way, but today, I especially want to take off that mask.
“Get lost. I don’t want to see you. While the kids are trying to get along, you’re slinking around and making it awkward.”
“That’s not the case…”
“I was joking. I don’t know what your circumstances are, but decide how you feel before you regret it. If this continues, those kids might really come to hate you. I don’t think that’s what you want.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Yuri replied in a timid voice and turned to leave.
That was sincere advice given to Yuri, not Yuria.
I understand that he hasn’t revealed his identity yet because he’s wary of me.
However, if this farce continues, it might prevent him from restoring his relationship with Charlotte and Julia to what it was.
‘Huh? Wouldn’t that be beneficial?’
Thinking it over, if Charlotte and Julia came to hate Yuri, wouldn’t that be good?
There would be no need to obtain his consent for the engagement anymore.
I started to regret the sudden advice I had given.
“Um, by the way, my Lord…”
“Stop hesitating and just say it.”
“Are you close to the person who introduced me to Vermont Security?”
“Are you talking about your sponsor? We occasionally meet to discuss business. Why?”
“Well, I’ve become curious about them and want to know more… Ah. The timing isn’t great right now, so I’ll ask later!”
“…”
With her neck reddening, Yuri spoke shyly and quickly turned to leave. I was left speechless.
“Ah! Yuria left…”
“Should I go and catch her? I may have lost in a race against Yuri… I’ve trained hard in the meantime, so I think I can catch up!”
“There’s no need to catch someone who’s running away…”
As the kids who had just come down to the first floor sighed in disappointment, I felt confused, unable to control the trembling of my pupils.
That reaction that Yuri had just seen.
Yuri’s reaction from just now.
His face flushed bright red, and his shy, nasal voice. Though his expression was hidden by the mask, everything else was identical to Princess Merilda’s reaction when she first saw him and fell in love.
‘He wants to know more about me?’
Could it be that Yuri misinterprets Mr. Black as a woman?
No way. Yuri had seen my back when I was in a suit.
That means he perceives me as a middle-aged man, given that he gave me that nickname.
But why is Yuri interested in me…?
With a sudden wave of fear, I began to feel chills.
Has he taken up cross-dressing as a hobby…?
“Mister, your face is pale.”
“Aslan’s face has always been pale.”
“But today, it’s especially pale.”
“Wait, it’s true. Are you feeling unwell…?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine.”
Surely not.
It can’t be.
His interest in Mr. Black must be pure admiration.
I tried to convince myself of this and decided to calm my disoriented mind and body.
