Chapter: 14
“What are you talking about, Haren…?”
I clenched my teeth and asked him again.
“It’s true, isn’t it? I heard everything you said to Flaria at the debutante ball. What you said about your ideal type. Don’t you remember?”
How would I remember that…?
The Espin back then and the Espin now were completely different people.
Gritting my teeth, I shot Haren a look telling him to stop.
“It’s not me.”
“It is you. I heard it clearly. You said, ‘I want to lean against those broad shoulders. If it were Duke Holt, he could lift me up with one arm, right?’”
Haren seemed determined to humiliate me.
I tried to tell myself it was fine since those were the thoughts of the body’s original owner, Espin—but it only made it worse. I’d had the exact same thoughts myself when looking at him.
“Kh—let’s stop talking about that.”
At Travis’s attempt to rein Haren in, my face burned hot.
Haren was the one running his mouth, yet somehow the embarrassment was all mine.
In the novel, he seemed like a more dignified person…
Dignified, my foot. Right now, Haren’s mouth was as light as a feather.
“Yes, haha. Then what will happen to that man?”
“He will be charged with harassing a noble and trespassing.”
“And judging by his behavior, it looks like he’s committed other crimes as well. We’re checking the wanted list. If there are additional offenses, the punishment will be more severe.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
“The prosecution may seek up to twenty years. And once his sentence is complete, he’ll be banned from entering both the Imperial Capital and Count Leon’s territory.”
In this empire, fraudsters usually got just one year. Twenty years simply for harassing a noble…
I was glad I’d never have to see Sebastian again, but the bitterness lingered in my mouth.
“Is that so? That’s good news. Then is that everything you came to discuss?”
I wanted them gone—now.
“One more thing. Just one more question. Why were you at the gate terminal that day?”
“What? Ah, that…”
I was screwed.
I’d hoped to gloss over it, but Travis zeroed in on the most suspicious point.
Stay calm. Think.
They had no evidence. If they did, the overly talkative Haren would’ve brought it up already.
Which meant this was just Travis probing on instinct.
“I’ve been feeling really suffocated lately.”
“Right. Between your stepmother and the stalker, it must’ve been hard on you, Espin.”
I nodded eagerly at Haren’s unsolicited assist.
“I wanted to travel, but with my father gone, I couldn’t leave the capital. I was riding around in a carriage, and when I felt someone following me, I ran to the gate terminal.”
“Espin, it must’ve been tough. But he’s been caught now, so you can go out freely.”
“Thank you, Haren.”
Travis gave a nod, his expression unreadable.
“Yes. We’ll conduct further investigation and inform you of the results. Sorry for the sudden visit—it must have startled you.”
After offering a neat farewell, Travis stood up.
Just as I was about to let out a sigh of relief at the thought of him leaving—
“Until next time.”
He left behind those meaningful words and departed.
* * *
At the same moment Espin was troubled by Travis’s words—
“Count, it seems Miss Espin has dismissed all the servants at the townhouse in the capital.”
At the vassal’s report, the Countess of Leon, who had been dining alongside her husband, narrowed her eyes.
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
“Hah. What on earth was she thinking? Rumors spread fast among maids, you know.”
Speaking sharply, the Countess subtly gauged her husband’s reaction. Seeing him silently focused on his meal, she smiled faintly.
“Well, Rose could use a bit of that viciousness too. I worry because our Rose is too gentle. Rose, do you think you could fire servants that ruthlessly?”
“If it’s necessary, then yes. Espin must’ve had her reasons. Surely she wouldn’t dismiss people whose livelihoods depend on their jobs for no reason.”
“But what reason could justify firing all of them? This affects our family’s reputation.”
Crossing her arms, the Countess turned to the vassal.
“So what was her oh-so-great reason?”
“Well… um…”
“Don’t tell me she didn’t even give one? That would disgrace the House of Leon!”
“No, there was a reason. She claims the townhouse servants showed her disrespect.”
The Count’s movements, slow and deliberate until now, came to a halt.
“That sounds like a flimsy excuse. She probably just needed a reason to fire them. Who would disrespect her?”
“Exactly. The servants in the capital are all polite. Maybe Espin was the only one who felt that way?”
As the Countess spoke urgently, Rose chimed in to support her.
“I think Espin has a bit of a victim complex. I’ve seen people like that—they think everyone’s their enemy. When I go to the capital this time, I’ll—”
The Count stood up without listening further.
“Where are you going, Count! Dear—!”
At the word dear, the Count turned back and replied coldly.
“I told you not to use that form of address.”
“……”
Turning away, he issued an order to the vassal.
“We’re leaving for the capital immediately. Make the preparations.”
“Right away? Yes, I’ll inform them.”
“And what about us? We need time to prepare too.”
Without even looking back, the Count left the room—meaning he’d go on his own if necessary.
“Mother… will this be alright?”
Unable to contain her irritation, the Countess slammed the table.
“That girl—why was she keeping quiet all this time, only to start causing trouble now?”
Espin, desperate for affection, had been the perfect target. When she remarried Count Leon, the Countess laid out her plan carefully.
She would slowly drive a wedge between Espin and her father, isolate Espin within the family, then find a reason to cast her out of the house.
By then, she would have a child of her own with the Count—an heir to inherit everything. She would live comfortably as the lady of the House of Leon for the rest of her life.
As the first step, the Countess turned the servants into her people. She subtly belittled Espin in front of them, and seeing Espin unable to protest, the servants naturally began to look down on her.
“Still… what if she tells her father everything?”
“That will never happen.”
They were a foolish father and daughter—caring deeply for each other, yet unable to say it out loud.
The emotionally constipated Count couldn’t express his affection to Espin.
Watching him grow up like that, Espin came to believe her father disliked her. On top of that, there were whispers that she was a child who’d taken the former Countess’s life—making her even more convinced of it.
“Then are we just going to sit here?”
“Of course not. We’re going to the capital too.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and since the social season is approaching, prepare everything you’ll wear. This year, you must find a husband.”
“Of course. I already have someone in mind.”
“Good. You take what you want for yourself. I’ll deal with Espin, so you focus on the social season.”
A cruel smile crept onto the Countess’s lips.
It was time to remove the thorn that had long irritated her eyes.
