“Mmm! The freshly baked, warm cookies are delicious!”
“Hey, we can’t get distracted by the cookies…”
Crunch.
Charlotte, with a cookie in her mouth, moaned in ecstasy.
Julia whispered, seemingly frustrated.
“We can’t forget. We came here to listen to what those two are talking about.”
“Oh, right! That’s what we were here for!”
“Shh, shh…!”
Only then did Charlotte seem to remember and jumped in surprise.
Julia desperately tried to hush Charlotte’s voice.
Since they were quite a distance away, it was hard to hear what the two were saying.
Would it be okay to talk while they were trying to listen?
“Quiet…”
Charlotte and Julia zipped their mouths shut and began to focus on the conversation taking place at the desk in the office.
The topic of conversation seemed to have shifted to us?
Even though my mouth was itching to speak, I had to hold back.
I had to pretend to be completely uninterested in what was happening over there!
I had to act like I was only interested in eating cookies!
“Those cute kids…”
Crunch.
“…are.”
Crunch, crunch.
“…with love and sincerity.”
Crunch, crunch.
“…I can feel it.”
Crunch.
As cookies kept entering Charlotte’s mouth without pause, a noise was created that drowned out any chance of hearing the conversation.
At that moment, Julia suddenly turned her head sharply.
‘Huh!? She’s already finishing the cookies!’
The plate that had once been piled high with cookies was now almost empty.
No, those freshly baked warm cookies!!!
When she bit into one, it crunched delightfully, yet the inside was moist and soft!
She was just pretending to eat to avoid making noise, while Charlotte was shamelessly devouring them!
“Hmm? Ah!”
“…!”
Receiving Julia’s furious gaze, Charlotte looked confused about what was wrong.
But as if she realized it immediately, she readily offered a cookie to Julia.
So, Julia wanted some too?
She could have just said so earlier.
“Ughhh…!”
“…?”
That’s not the problem!
It’s too noisy with the sound of cookie crunching, so I can’t hear anything!
Julia was about to get annoyed again.
“…”
Charlotte quickly snatched back the cookie she was about to put down and popped it into her mouth.
…She couldn’t resist the last chocolate cookie.
As soon as she crunched down, the intense cocoa flavor spread throughout her mouth.
The chocolate bits melted on her tongue, creating a taste that was truly divine.
Ah! I want to learn how to bake cookies from the maids right away!
I want to be able to make this myself…!
I want to be able to make something like this myself···!
‘Oh right! This isn’t the time for that!?’
Suddenly snapping back to reality, Julia’s eyes widened.
This isn’t the time to be savoring cookies!
We need to eavesdrop on Aslan’s matchmaking situation!
Julia swallowed the cookie she had in her mouth.
As she tried to refocus on the conversation between the two again.
“I believe it is essential and fundamental…”
“…”
Before long, the conversation had completely stopped, and the atmosphere became tense.
The woman, frozen in shock with her mouth agape, and Aslan, who seemed to realize he made a mistake and closed his eyes tightly.
What was that!? What was said!?
Julia, growing increasingly frustrated, silently screamed inside.
“Ughhh…!”
Charlotte was merely savoring the remaining cookie.
***
After a short conversation lasting about 30 minutes.
Emilia walked out of the Vermont mansion, letting out a deep sigh.
‘There really are all kinds of strange people…’
At first, she thought Count Vermont might actually be a fairly normal person, contrary to the rumors.
Despite his appearance, he had good manners.
The atmosphere of the mansion also felt far from that of a terrifying Demon King’s castle.
She even thought that it wouldn’t be bad to marry this person.
She considered him decent enough for that.
…Until the count revealed his true intentions.
‘I thought he was raising them like daughters…’
She had assumed that the vile rumors about Count Vermont raising orphaned commoners as his brides, like the other rumors, were pure lies.
Who would have guessed that this particular rumor would actually be true?
She was taken aback and couldn’t hide her stiff expression in front of the count.
She absolutely needed to secure a marriage, yet after acting well all this time, she had made such a critical blunder…
‘But still, his reaction was positive. There’s room for hope.’
Of course, Aslan Vermont might be a depraved noble trying to raise children as his brides, but that doesn’t mean that marriage was impossible.
If there was clear benefit, Aslan Vermont wouldn’t hesitate to marry.
Since he seemed to show interest, it was now just a matter of appealing to him and pushing the marriage forward.
To be honest, it felt a bit uneasy.
I had a woman I loved, and yet I was considering a marriage that only pursued material gain.
Even so, I couldn’t refuse.
This was all for Lady Irene…
“Are you back, Emilia?”
“Ah! Yes!”
Suddenly, a cold hand emerged from behind and brushed against Emilia’s cheek.
Emilia stiffened in place and raised her voice to respond.
Irene Vermont.
She had silently approached and was now standing behind Emilia.
“So, how did it go? Did you charm my brother?”
“Yes! Although the other ladies came out less than a minute after entering, I was able to have a serious discussion for thirty minutes. Perhaps Irene’s suggestion had some effect…!”
“…When you put it that way, it sounds like I did the charming.”
Irene’s expression twisted into a scowl.
Aslan. Do you have any idea how much effort I’ve put into breaking you down?
She had been waiting for the right opportunity to bring down Aslan, who was obsessively drawn to black magic like his father.
But the simple-minded guy suddenly became unusually cautious, resulting in all her planted spies within the mansion being expelled and her plans failing.
If he kept dodging her like that, she could always just go find him.
She would set up the stage so he could freely continue his black magic research.
And once she had undeniable evidence, even if he was close to the Empress, Aslan wouldn’t be able to escape his doom.
“Choosing you was the right decision. It seems I hit the mark with Aslan’s taste.”
“Pardon? He doesn’t seem to have me on his mind at all. He didn’t even remember my name…”
“What? That can’t be true.”
Irene tilted her head in confusion.
She had personally seen the potential brides for Aslan.
His taste must be for small and frail bodies.
So she had expected Emilia to perfectly match Aslan’s preferences, but that wasn’t the case?
Tsk. How picky.
“Anyway, it’s fine. Even if the beauty strategy failed, that’s not the important part.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“The important thing is to provide him with a place where he can freely conduct his black magic research and leave evidence for himself. Then to provoke him into attacking me, drawing him into a trap…”
“Ah, the latter failed.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Aslan Vermont has no intention of seeking revenge on his sister, it seems.”
“…?”
Irene’s eyes widened.
What kind of ridiculous nonsense was this?
“It must be an act.”
“I deliberately burst into tears first to draw out the Count’s true feelings. I even said I would like to kill Irene Vermont. I doubt he would be acting like this in front of someone who went to such lengths. Also, the conflicts from your childhood were just that—childhood. He forgave everything and he loves you very much…”
“That’s impossible! That b*stard! Aslan, that son of a b*tch!!!”
“…”
Irene unknowingly lost her temper.
Emilia shut her mouth tightly and lowered her head.
Irene clicked her tongue and turned away, taking a deep breath and brushing her bangs back.
“It’s fine to leave now. I’ll contact you again when my brother has another appointment set up.”
“Yes….”
Though she seemed calm on the surface, Emilia caught the tremor in Irene’s voice.
She realized that Irene was about to explode and hurriedly left the room.
The door slammed shut.
The moment she confirmed the barrier was set up in the room.
“Uaaaaa!!!”
Bang! Irene’s fist smashed down, shattering the mirror.
“F*cking b*stard, f*cking b*stard…” she muttered repeatedly, her anger showing no signs of fading.
What? He has no thoughts of revenge against me?
He loves his sister very much?
What a laughable thought.
Irene let out a hollow laugh.
At that moment, a nightmarish voice flowed into her ear.
‘Is my sister really a Vermont?’
‘Why? Doesn’t she seem like one?’
‘Yes. No matter how I look at it, it’s hard to believe you share the same bloodline.’
‘Then do you think we should eliminate her? Tell me, Aslan, what do you think?’
‘I think the cold and rational nature of Vermont is a strength, and it’s very important to maintain it. From that perspective, sister is not suitable for the Vermont family. She’s overly emotional and prioritizes the interests of strangers over her own family. Allowing such a mutant to mix with the Vermont bloodline could be dangerous.’
‘Hahaha. If that’s what you think…’
I changed to survive.
I didn’t want to be eliminated.
I wanted to be recognized as a member of the Vermont family.
Since that day, I crushed and removed everything blocking my path, trampling over them to rise.
It’s all because of you.
Aslan, it’s because of you that I’ve changed like this.
So I crushed you.
I took away all the useful vassals and left only sycophants around you.
I thought it was pretty satisfying.
I thought you’d be cursing me.
I thought you’d shudder at the thought of me.
“Don’t make me laugh! Just childhood squabbles, you say? I almost died, you f*cking…!”
Crunch.
As she gritted her teeth and tried to slam the mirror again, Irene’s eyes met her reflection in the shattered glass, freezing her in place.
Twisted and grotesque.
Irene suddenly felt her breath catch in her throat.
“Is this how it is…? Am I the only one who has become a monster?”
Aslan, who had made me this way, was living comfortably.
And she alone was stuck in the abyss, becoming the monster that everyone feared?
Irene sat down, laughing in despair.
“Hahaha… Hahahahahaha…!”
That small laugh grew louder, turning into a maniacal voice that echoed around the room.
Aslan, you’ve forgotten all of this, haven’t you?
Fine. Then I’ll remind you.
This time, I’ll bury you completely.
This is how the ‘real Vermont’ survives, right? Don’t you think?
