Chapter 23
Beyond the entrance of the stable, they were resting while looking up at the sky.
It was a day when they couldn’t sleep even after a long training session.
Seeing Jeffrey with his eyes shut, Frederick turned his body to the side.
“You’re right, but I feel as if there is something different about the old man Tyler.”
Frederick and Jeffrey were some of the few selected knights who were granted permission to ask the chef for snacks.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with it since Carlyx himself had allowed the knights to get their meal once every week.
Even so, their meals were distributed in such a poor manner. The knights were unable to receive their meals at once because the day they acquire their meals differ from each other’s.
It was very unlikely that a generous guy like Carlyx didn’t pay the chef enough.
Those people obviously went against Carlyx’s will. Frederick often visited the mansion himself to claim his rights. Hence, he was familiar with the circumstances inside the mansion more than the other knights.
‘But, still…’
Frederick had been following Carlyx until he became the knight commander, and he often visited the marquisate to spar. He even met Vera because of that.
‘I’m certain the new madam was not treated differently from the previous madam in the beginning. But how exactly did Tyler change?’
Frederick, who was rubbing his chin as if contemplating, suddenly sprang up from his seat.
“It’s respect! That’s right! It seems like he has a lot of respect for her.”
“Respect, my ass. Did you hurt your eyes? Maybe that grandpa needs to have his eyes checked as well.”
Jeffrey murmured as he thought that Frederick was being ridiculous.
He then lifted his eyelids and looked at the starry sky.
“How can a pampered noble lady like her be able to survive in this harsh place?”
Daisy Jean.
When she first entered the training ground to find Logan, honestly, she looked beautiful and dignified.
That’s how he saw her, but he decided to overlook it.
Even though she left a deep impression on them, that alone wouldn’t be enough to make the knights favor her and acknowledge her as their madam.
However, the knights might have a different opinion.
Because they were Marquis Jean’s knights.
“If she used the wisdom of a noble to sort things out, she would’ve fired them one by one according to the procedure.”
Hmm—
Frederick tilted his head at Jeffrey’s explanation. He then flung his body to a pile of straw.
“I’m not a noble, indeed. But even from my perspective, as a commoner, I don’t think our new madam is bad.”
“Wait—What do you mean from your perspective? Do we have different eyes or what?”
“Wasn’t it rather efficient? To fire them all at once and revamp the management right away. While it’s nice to prioritize reputation and dignity, it’ll take forever to do that. This way, we’ll save a lot of time and perhaps even have decent servants starting next year, you know?”
“A noble must act in line with dignity, not efficiency. Haven’t you heard of the Noblesse Oblige?”
Jeffrey, who was bothered by Frederick’s opinion, raised his eyebrows. Looking at the change in his facial expression, Frederick seemed puzzled, but he burst into laughter a moment later.
“Noblesse Oblige is such an unfitting word for our family, don’t you think?”
Frederick was referring to the Marquisate Jean. Jeffrey bit his lower lip as if he was displeased, but he did not refute it.
Jeffrey and Frederick joined the Zistanter Knightly Order nearly as soon as it was established.
They knew Carlyx was worthy of his title, but they had no say whether Carlyx was worthy or not. It was the society that decided his worth.
“You keep talking about dignity and reputation, but honestly, I don’t think our family ever has anything to lose to begin with. Maybe that’s why our new madam acted so boldly?”
“Don’t push your opinion on me. It’s not bold, it’s called being reckless. She acted like a bomb.”
“I’m not pushing my opinion on you. I’m just speaking my mind.”
“I’ve heard you, so cut it out already.”
Jeffrey closed his eyes again. Fredrick, who got up from the pile of straw, lied next to Jeffrey this time.
“Hey, aren’t you scared?”
Zistanter Knights were often assigned to dangerous duties compared to the Notics Knights. They were always the first leading troops to go to a place where bloodbaths ran rampant.
Nevertheless, there was no appreciation or recognition given to them in return. What’s more, the oppressions against them never truly went away. They were always meant to be the lowest out of all the Knightly Orders. It’s a knighthood full of commoners, after all.
Jeffrey and Frederick knew that fact. Carlyx would’ve stayed still had he been alone, but Carlyx negotiated with the Emperor to fight for the right of the knights.
Jeffrey, on the other hand, couldn’t blame Carlyx for giving up his aristocratic rights. Frederick was also loyal to this dangerous knightly order, no matter how tempting it was to join the other Knightly Orders.
“How can a knight be scared of war?”
“A knight can be scared of war, too. We are humans.”
“A knight should act like a knight.”
“Yeah, let’s just say you’re right~”
Frederick nodded carelessly at Jeffrey’s obstinate words. Now that the war has begun, they should always be ready to leave anytime.
Keep your mouth shut and lift your sword.
“I’m not saying it for the sake of being right, I’m only spouting facts.”
“Sure thing, nobleman.”
Frederick and Jeffrey knew each other’s state even if they didn’t talk about their uneasiness.
That’s what war was like.
It was hard to get accustomed to it no matter how many times they went.
They listened to the sound of the night breeze that reminded them of the time when they first went to war.
That’s how they relieved their anxiety.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Daisy, who was reading the letter, turned her head. When Carlyx sat down, she rose from her seat and took out something from her desk.
Carlyx frowned when he saw her take out dozens of long letters.
‘Are they love letters?’
Carlyx, who tried to brush the useless thought aside, paused. What was written in one of the letters was far from romantic.
The way she lifted her head shamelessly made him feel a sense of deja vu.
It seemed like a maneuver to interrogate him rather than have a normal conversation with him.
“May I read the letters?”
“You’re already looking at them, so it’s not like I can say no, right?” Daisy said. To which Carlyx calmly replied,
“I’m sorry. I should’ve been more direct. Then, I’ll read the letters.”
“Didn’t you promise to not interfere with whatever I do anymore?”
“I did say I will cooperate with you. However, I never said that I won’t disagree with everything you do, and that I won’t observe you.”
Whoa. Daisy didn’t expect him to speak so confidently. That was quite a sight.
It almost made it seem as if the impression she had of him back then was just an illusion.
Daisy, who was rummaging through the drawer, raised her head.
“Am I not the one who holds a genuine power here?”
“Yes, you are the one. But I also have the right to voice my opinion.”
Responding in a dry tone, Carlyx arranged the cluttered letters into a neat bundle and began to read it.
Soon, Carlyx raised his head with a bitter expression.
It was a bunch of handwritten letters that differ in penmanship. It mostly contained conversations between the servants and their colleagues, who worked in the same field.
To be precise, it was a collection of small talks between friends, which turned into a source of information.
“Did you directly ask the servants for information as well?”
“Just as I did with you?”
Daisy opened her eyes wide, seemingly surprised with his question. She waved her hands as if saying she wouldn’t be able to do that.
“As expected, you didn’t do that, right?”
Even if she wasn’t trying to seek information, she was probably trying to investigate what was going on within the Marquisate Jean.
“I didn’t ask for information directly.”
If Daisy didn’t ask them directly, then the letters were stolen from them.
The corner of the letters became slightly crumpled due to the strength Carlyx put on his hands unknowingly.
“If you keep using such reckless methods, at this rate, the Marquisate will fall into ruin even more. I’m telling you this because you don’t seem to be aware of it.”
“I’m aware. I’m doing this because the situation has turned better.” Daisy said in a gentle voice.
If the people’s perspective about her changed because the Marquisate changed for the better, she would continue to use such means without stopping.
But she was moving too fast.
“The servants of other families…”
Carlyx was about to ask a question, but Daisy rose up from her seat even before he could finish his sentence.
“What are you doing?”
As soon as he lifted his head to see what she was up to, Daisy was already holding a paintbrush and a palette. Then, she sat right next to him and leaned closer to him.
“Stop it.”
“The servants wouldn’t have changed their attitude if I just stop when someone orders me to do so, you know?”
“It doesn’t make sense for you to compare my situation right now with the servants’. I’m not a servant.”
Daisy put one of her hands on the armrest and straightened her waist as she held the brush on another hand. Carlyx hurriedly stepped back due to their close distance.
“Put this away. Or else, I will break it.”
Carlyx pushed the clean brush away. Meanwhile, Daisy just smiled at his adamant attitude.
“If you break it, I’ll act more affectionately towards you.”
“Let’s see if you have the ability to do so.”
“Well, we only agreed to act in such a way in front of other people. We never agreed to do so when it’s just the two of us.”
“Still, this won’t do. Ah, shall I give you a clearer answer?”
Carlyx continued to step further away from Daisy and was now beyond her reach. He then firmly declined with a clear voice.
“I don’t like this.”
Carlyx raised his left eyebrows and tilted his head. His eyes became increasingly sharper.
“Is this why you called me? Not because of the letters?”
Daisy tilted her head as if wondering why he suddenly brought up the letters.
“The letters weren’t my goal to begin with, rather, I have something to ask you. I’m going to a faraway place at the end of the month, so I called you to ask if I could bring Luciana and River along with me.”
“That’s fine by me. If you tell me the exact date, I’ll designate a knight to escort you. Then, I shall take my leave now.”
After he finished speaking, Carlyx turned to leave cold-heartedly. As he was leaving, a sorrowful voice rang behind him.