“May your journey back be safe and well.”
“……”
Verdic didn’t respond and threw his coat on the ground.
“Lind, give me your jacket.”
“Yes.”
When he extended his hand to Lind, who was one of his attendants, the aide handed over his upper garment to Verdic.
Compared to the clothing Verdic usually wore, it was of lower quality, but it was certainly better than the clothing Raymond had provided him.
Even though he was an aide, Lind himself was a lawyer. What Raymond provided was suitable for servants in charge of menial tasks.
Above all, regardless of the quality, Verdic was repulsed by the mere idea of wearing what Raymond had provided.
“I can’t stand it at all. It feels like my body is going to rot.”
“M-Master Verdic! Baron Raymond Saytes is still…”
Raymond was seeing Verdic off, standing not far behind from them. Unlike Verdic, he had a smiling face.
“To disregard my favor this much… It hurts, Verdic Evans.”
“Hah. That’s not even funny.”
While Raymond picked up the piece of clothing that’s been thrown haphazardly onto the ground, Verdic didn’t even look back.
Verdic couldn’t tolerate the humiliation any longer. Back there, inside the mansion, Raymond had laughed at him and disrespected his request.
How dare that scoundrel do this to him. Everything that he did—including the fact that the fiend gave him a servant’s uniform—was all to humiliate him.
Verdic made his way out of the mansion with furious haste.
“M-Master!”
The servants scurried after Verdic. He got on the carriage and said absolutely nothing for a long time.
“…Are we going straight to the Evans estate, sir?”
“…No. Take a huge detour around the estate first. I need some time to think.”
As Lind was the man who best understood Verdic’s temperament, he asked Vercic about this as soon as he got on the carriage, and he also expected the resulting answer.
Lind continued to walk on eggshells, more so after watching Verdic throw aside the upper garment he had just received.
After losing Isella, Verdic had gone half-insane for a while.
It was only natural for a parent to go mad when they had lost a child… but the problem was that Verdic unhesitatingly resorted to violence against his subordinates whenever he felt frustrated.
Servants like Lind, who were always by his side, constantly bore bruises on their legs, and the butler suffered from illness. Verdic had wielded a whip on the old man, blaming him for not properly managing the household.
The people around Verdic hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep for several months.
‘Does he think we all have the same physical well-being as him…?’
At least the others were physically active, but it was the worst situation for someone like Lind, who considered using a pen as his primary work.
Verdic had particularly good physical condition, and he believed that people should keep up with him at least. He couldn’t tolerate people taking a break, and neither could he stand people discussing anything other than Isella’s whereabouts.
If the maids cleaned Isella’s room, he slapped their faces. If they didn’t clean it, he berated them for neglecting their duties.
He stared threateningly when they ate, making them eat hurriedly, and cursed at them if they made any noise due to hunger.
It was a constant cycle.
Even so, as the days passed, the time for Verdic to come to terms with it had finally come.
“Bring the documents I let slide last time. It seems like I’ve postponed work for too long.”
‘Finally, it seems like our master has regained his senses!’
The servants exchanged relieved glances, heaving heavy sighs of relief.
The attendants and maids were paid workers, not family members. While some were genuinely concerned about Isella’s disappearance, the pain they endured under Verdic’s rule far outweighed any sympathy.
A few chose to quit their jobs, and work became even harder due to the gaps left by these departures.
Just when things were starting to return to normal, a lock of hair presumed to be Isella’s arrived, and the servants screamed.
Some, filled with sympathy, hoped she was alive, while most, driven by money, expected that hell was about to unfold.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage was quiet. The attendants exchanged meaningful glances. Verdic gripped his cane with bloodshot eyes. It seemed the matter was not resolved properly.
The servants exchanged glances.
‘It… doesn’t seem to have been resolved well, does it?’
‘Someone try talking to the master.’
‘Lind, why don’t you ask?’
‘Damn it.’
Lind cleared his throat and cautiously asked Verdic a question.
“…Master, how did things go with Baron Raymond Saytes?”
“Why is your tone like that?”
Verdic’s response caught Lind off guard. He thought his master was venting his frustration unnecessarily because things weren’t going well.
“Uh, if I made a mistake in my words…”
“No, not that. Your pronunciation sounds a bit odd.”
“Sir?”
Lind widened his eyes in response to Verdic’s unexpected remark. Verdic was staring at Lind’s mouth intently. Lind swallowed nervously.
“Oh… I’m sorry, Master. You see, the conversation between you and Baron Raymond became quite lengthy, so it seems that I fell asleep for just a little while…”
“……”
Lind squeezed his eyes shut. He thought Verdic might grab onto anything and hit him on the head.
But even so, it felt unjust. They had been too exhausted, and Verdic had been overworking his servants.
After a brief nap in a warm place where a beauty treated them to tea, Verdic was eyeing them as if he wanted to kill them.
“Truly pathetic. To think that you ingested what’s been offered to you in that place.”
“What’s wrong, Master?”
“…Never mind. Let’s go down to the village first and keep an eye on things.”
Verdic’s words were unexpected. He had come to trace the cargo, undoubtedly granted authority by Raymond to retrieve crucial documents to find his daughter, Isella.
“Did you obtain permission from the Baron, sir?”
Lind had been expecting that Verdic’s request would be rejected because his expression didn’t look so good. But fortunately, it seemed he got permission.
However, Verdic shook his head.
“No, he refused. And not only that…”
“Refused?”
“We should wait a bit longer. Let’s not leave immediately.”
“If you haven’t gotten the Baron’s permission, it will be difficult to investigate.”
Verdic gave the obvious answer.
“Use bribery.”
“As of late, anti-corruption laws have been strengthened.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“Master Evans!”
Verdic simply waved a hand at Lind, irritated by the noise, then opened the window. He looked at his subordinates with a contemptuous gaze and commanded.
“For now, stay in the village. Keep your heads down and don’t kick up any commotions.”
Verdic turned around and glared at the imposing mansion afar. His subordinates remained silent.
They didn’t know what went on during the conversation between Verdic and Raymond, but they could tell that something wasn’t right.
Whatever had happened, it didn’t seem like it was good news for them either.
* * *
Carynne sighed as she watched Verdic’s group move further away. She wasn’t pleased.
“Is there any way to lighten up your expression? I’ll be leaving tomorrow, and I’d like to see you smile.”
“Do I look like I’m in the mood to smile right now?”
“Isn’t there something in life that can make you smile? Just having you by my side makes me want to smile… Ouch.”
Carynne elbowed Raymond.
“Why did you do that?”
“What are you talking about?”
She glared at him.
“You should have just killed them all.”
* * *
Verdic unpacked his luggage at an inn in a nearby village, not at his mansion. It was a dirty place meant for travelers to stay temporarily, but he couldn’t stay at Raymond’s mansion.
“Master Evans, are you all right?”
“Yeah.”
But it was quite squalid. Verdic caught sight of a rat scurrying into a corner and scowled menacingly.
As he approached a table, another attendant hurried over and spread his coat over a chair.
Verdic slumped into that chair.
“Tell me your plans.”
After Verdic said so, Lind cautiously glanced around him, then he sat across from Verdic and pushed up his glasses.
“First of all, conducting an investigation without Lord Raymond’s permission is difficult. Even the tax evasion incident from last time…”
“Goddamn it, then replace the tax accountant we have now.”
“Mister Caiman has been working for a long time and is considered trustworthy.”
“Finding a trustworthy person among the tax evaders, what a joke. That guy’s just sitting around. Isn’t it natural to replace incompetent workers?”
Lind could almost hear the echoes of Mister Caiman’s sobs.
However, Lind valued his own job security more, so he no longer defended Mister Caiman.
“…I understand. First, conducting the investigation without the Baron’s approval will limit our movements.”
“Deal with it yourself. Remember that I’m paying you for it. You probably don’t want to be in Caiman’s shoes, yes?”
“No, sir.”
“Three days.”
“…I will do my best.”
“May your journey back be safe and well.”
“……”
Verdic didn’t respond and threw his coat on the ground.
“Lind, give me your jacket.”
“Yes.”
When he extended his hand to Lind, who was one of his attendants, the aide handed over his upper garment to Verdic.
Compared to the clothing Verdic usually wore, it was of lower quality, but it was certainly better than the clothing Raymond had provided him.
Even though he was an aide, Lind himself was a lawyer. What Raymond provided was suitable for servants in charge of menial tasks.
Above all, regardless of the quality, Verdic was repulsed by the mere idea of wearing what Raymond had provided.
“I can’t stand it at all. It feels like my body is going to rot.”
“M-Master Verdic! Baron Raymond Saytes is still…”
Raymond was seeing Verdic off, standing not far behind from them. Unlike Verdic, he had a smiling face.
“To disregard my favor this much… It hurts, Verdic Evans.”
“Hah. That’s not even funny.”
While Raymond picked up the piece of clothing that’s been thrown haphazardly onto the ground, Verdic didn’t even look back.
Verdic couldn’t tolerate the humiliation any longer. Back there, inside the mansion, Raymond had laughed at him and disrespected his request.
How dare that scoundrel do this to him. Everything that he did—including the fact that the fiend gave him a servant’s uniform—was all to humiliate him.
Verdic made his way out of the mansion with furious haste.
“M-Master!”
The servants scurried after Verdic. He got on the carriage and said absolutely nothing for a long time.
“…Are we going straight to the Evans estate, sir?”
“…No. Take a huge detour around the estate first. I need some time to think.”
As Lind was the man who best understood Verdic’s temperament, he asked Vercic about this as soon as he got on the carriage, and he also expected the resulting answer.
Lind continued to walk on eggshells, more so after watching Verdic throw aside the upper garment he had just received.
After losing Isella, Verdic had gone half-insane for a while.
It was only natural for a parent to go mad when they had lost a child… but the problem was that Verdic unhesitatingly resorted to violence against his subordinates whenever he felt frustrated.
Servants like Lind, who were always by his side, constantly bore bruises on their legs, and the butler suffered from illness. Verdic had wielded a whip on the old man, blaming him for not properly managing the household.
The people around Verdic hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep for several months.
‘Does he think we all have the same physical well-being as him…?’
At least the others were physically active, but it was the worst situation for someone like Lind, who considered using a pen as his primary work.
Verdic had particularly good physical condition, and he believed that people should keep up with him at least. He couldn’t tolerate people taking a break, and neither could he stand people discussing anything other than Isella’s whereabouts.
If the maids cleaned Isella’s room, he slapped their faces. If they didn’t clean it, he berated them for neglecting their duties.
He stared threateningly when they ate, making them eat hurriedly, and cursed at them if they made any noise due to hunger.
It was a constant cycle.
Even so, as the days passed, the time for Verdic to come to terms with it had finally come.
“Bring the documents I let slide last time. It seems like I’ve postponed work for too long.”
‘Finally, it seems like our master has regained his senses!’
The servants exchanged relieved glances, heaving heavy sighs of relief.
The attendants and maids were paid workers, not family members. While some were genuinely concerned about Isella’s disappearance, the pain they endured under Verdic’s rule far outweighed any sympathy.
A few chose to quit their jobs, and work became even harder due to the gaps left by these departures.
Just when things were starting to return to normal, a lock of hair presumed to be Isella’s arrived, and the servants screamed.
Some, filled with sympathy, hoped she was alive, while most, driven by money, expected that hell was about to unfold.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage was quiet. The attendants exchanged meaningful glances. Verdic gripped his cane with bloodshot eyes. It seemed the matter was not resolved properly.
The servants exchanged glances.
‘It… doesn’t seem to have been resolved well, does it?’
‘Someone try talking to the master.’
‘Lind, why don’t you ask?’
‘Damn it.’
Lind cleared his throat and cautiously asked Verdic a question.
“…Master, how did things go with Baron Raymond Saytes?”
“Why is your tone like that?”
Verdic’s response caught Lind off guard. He thought his master was venting his frustration unnecessarily because things weren’t going well.
“Uh, if I made a mistake in my words…”
“No, not that. Your pronunciation sounds a bit odd.”
“Sir?”
Lind widened his eyes in response to Verdic’s unexpected remark. Verdic was staring at Lind’s mouth intently. Lind swallowed nervously.
“Oh… I’m sorry, Master. You see, the conversation between you and Baron Raymond became quite lengthy, so it seems that I fell asleep for just a little while…”
“……”
Lind squeezed his eyes shut. He thought Verdic might grab onto anything and hit him on the head.
But even so, it felt unjust. They had been too exhausted, and Verdic had been overworking his servants.
After a brief nap in a warm place where a beauty treated them to tea, Verdic was eyeing them as if he wanted to kill them.
“Truly pathetic. To think that you ingested what’s been offered to you in that place.”
“What’s wrong, Master?”
“…Never mind. Let’s go down to the village first and keep an eye on things.”
Verdic’s words were unexpected. He had come to trace the cargo, undoubtedly granted authority by Raymond to retrieve crucial documents to find his daughter, Isella.
“Did you obtain permission from the Baron, sir?”
Lind had been expecting that Verdic’s request would be rejected because his expression didn’t look so good. But fortunately, it seemed he got permission.
However, Verdic shook his head.
“No, he refused. And not only that…”
“Refused?”
“We should wait a bit longer. Let’s not leave immediately.”
“If you haven’t gotten the Baron’s permission, it will be difficult to investigate.”
Verdic gave the obvious answer.
“Use bribery.”
“As of late, anti-corruption laws have been strengthened.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“Master Evans!”
Verdic simply waved a hand at Lind, irritated by the noise, then opened the window. He looked at his subordinates with a contemptuous gaze and commanded.
“For now, stay in the village. Keep your heads down and don’t kick up any commotions.”
Verdic turned around and glared at the imposing mansion afar. His subordinates remained silent.
They didn’t know what went on during the conversation between Verdic and Raymond, but they could tell that something wasn’t right.
Whatever had happened, it didn’t seem like it was good news for them either.
* * *
Carynne sighed as she watched Verdic’s group move further away. She wasn’t pleased.
“Is there any way to lighten up your expression? I’ll be leaving tomorrow, and I’d like to see you smile.”
“Do I look like I’m in the mood to smile right now?”
“Isn’t there something in life that can make you smile? Just having you by my side makes me want to smile… Ouch.”
Carynne elbowed Raymond.
“Why did you do that?”
“What are you talking about?”
She glared at him.
“You should have just killed them all.”
* * *
Verdic unpacked his luggage at an inn in a nearby village, not at his mansion. It was a dirty place meant for travelers to stay temporarily, but he couldn’t stay at Raymond’s mansion.
“Master Evans, are you all right?”
“Yeah.”
But it was quite squalid. Verdic caught sight of a rat scurrying into a corner and scowled menacingly.
As he approached a table, another attendant hurried over and spread his coat over a chair.
Verdic slumped into that chair.
“Tell me your plans.”
After Verdic said so, Lind cautiously glanced around him, then he sat across from Verdic and pushed up his glasses.
“First of all, conducting an investigation without Lord Raymond’s permission is difficult. Even the tax evasion incident from last time…”
“Goddamn it, then replace the tax accountant we have now.”
“Mister Caiman has been working for a long time and is considered trustworthy.”
“Finding a trustworthy person among the tax evaders, what a joke. That guy’s just sitting around. Isn’t it natural to replace incompetent workers?”
Lind could almost hear the echoes of Mister Caiman’s sobs.
However, Lind valued his own job security more, so he no longer defended Mister Caiman.
“…I understand. First, conducting the investigation without the Baron’s approval will limit our movements.”
“Deal with it yourself. Remember that I’m paying you for it. You probably don’t want to be in Caiman’s shoes, yes?”
“No, sir.”
“Three days.”
“…I will do my best.”
