────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 23
With Dante awkwardly following behind me, I took a deep breath in front of Joseph’s office door.
“Hooo…”
The moment I put my hand on the doorknob, I heard Manuel’s loud shout from inside.
“Do you really believe her? Your Highness, you’re a total pushover!”
“Manuel, watch your mouth.”
“It’s because Your Highness is too soft-hearted that you’re being used!”
‘What is he talking about?’
I was wondering if he was having an argument with Joseph, but on second thought, it was so bizarre that a mere servant could raise his voice to Joseph, the Master of this household.
“Your Highness was fooled! She was trying to make up for the loss by selling Sirtha to Katan!”
I furrowed my forehead listening to Manuel’s words.
‘Does he think I’m a swindler?’
As I thought, I shouldn’t let him slide.
As I firmly made up my mind, I heard Joseph persuading Manuel in a calm voice.
“Even if that’s true, I don’t mind.”
“…Pardon?”
“As long as I can be of any help to my wife, I’m fine, Manuel.”
Manuel clicked his tongue, perhaps because he thought Joseph’s remark was absurd.
But Manuel wasn’t the only one who was dumbfounded by his words.
“Your Highness!”
I burst the door open and looked for Joseph right away.
Huh? As long as you can be of any help to me? What do you mean?
“….Wife?”
Perhaps surprised by my sudden appearance, Joseph’s clear eyes were opened wide.
“Just now, what is that supposed to mean?”
He hesitated to answer my question and stammered. I walked up to him, who seemed bewildered, and put my ear close to his chest.
“You’re pounding so hard. It seems you were nervous.”
“….”
“Are you perhaps worried that I will scam you?”
“It’s not like that, Wife.”
Joseph shook his hands in a hurry to deny what I said. But I wrinkled my nose, eyeing him and Manuel alternately.
Manuel made eye contact with me and hurriedly lowered his eyes.
“I bought Sirtha mine for a reason, Manuel. You can only believe me until the business company starts mining mana stones.”
Genevite’s remains were still being absorbed into the ground, so I had been a little relaxed, but now I thought I shouldn’t waste any more time.
If I delay it longer, I will lose more credibility from baseless rumors..
“T-That can’t be true. How can a magic stone come from a gold mine!”
I ignored Manuel who shouted eagerly with a runny nose.
“Whether you believe it or not is not important to me. But Your Highness,”
Joseph was cornered by me and flinched when I called him. It felt strange that a strong man who could push me away at any time was caught by me.
“….Your Highness. What I value the most is trust. If you didn’t believe me, you shouldn’t have bought Sirtha.”
Even without him lending me money, I could have just taken some private loans.
“Don’t tell me you purchased Sirtha with the intention of helping me?”
I began to really worry about his future, more than when he said he believed me unconditionally.
‘Who is worried about who now?’
I have my own fish to fry.
“Please only help those who are really in need, and only when Your Highness can afford it. Being nice can be poisonous if done excessively.”
“…I will keep it in mind.”
Joseph’s expression looked like he was feeling wronged, but I didn’t care even if his handsome face was a little crumpled.
‘How could I leave him in peace when he’s such a pushover.’
It would have been a relief if he didn’t spend Katan’s property, which I worked so hard to acquire, to help others. I thought it’d be better to educate the cunning Manuel and attack him next to Joseph.
“Manuel, follow me.”
When I gestured my chin, the haughty child nodded meekly, perhaps feeling intimidated by me.
I reached out to Dante, who was holding the whip I requested from him earlier.
“Hand me the whip.”
“Yes, Madam.”
When I held the whip in my hand, Manuel opened his eyes roundly.
“Huh? A-Are you going to hit me?”
“Yes. Aren’t you doing something that deserves punishment?”
I only glanced at Manuel who seemed anxious.
“Oh, it is within my authority to discipline the servants, so don’t think about intervening, Your Highness.”
I drew the line firmly because I was afraid that the soft-hearted Joseph would try to stop me.
Fortunately, Joseph nodded slowly, seemingly persuaded.
“…Your Highness!”
Manuel raised his voice in protest as if he had been betrayed, but I quickly dragged the boy by the collar.
Bam!
Entering the small annex in the office, I closed the door roughly and threw Manuel in.
Thud!
The child fell on his buttocks and scrambled up with a tearful face.
“W-Why are you punishing me! I was just worried that His Highness would lose his wealth….”
“His Highness doesn’t punish you for talking about Sirtha.”
Ptaash!
I shook my head, lifting the whip high until it bent in the air.
“You. I heard you often went down to the village to spread news about His Highness purchasing Sirtha mine.”
“…How did you know!”
Manuel opened his eyes wide in shock. I scoffed and rolled up the boy’s trousers.
“A servant who works for a family doesn’t talk about the family’s affairs so lightly. Will you be able to become a butler without knowing such a basic thing?”
“B-But I was really trying to stop His Highness-”
Ptaash!
I swung the whip first to shut him down.
“Argh!”
For Manuel, who received knight training, the whip wielded by me wouldn’t hurt much. So I used alchemy to amplify my strength.
“Ahh! H-How can you be this strong!”
I swung the whip every time Manuel tried to run his mouth again.
Ptaash!
“I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Ptaash!
“Madam is the wicked one!”
Ptaash!
“Ugh, cough! I-I was wrong!”
The whip was almost broken before Manuel finally cried and admitted his fault.
“I-I ran my mouth carelessly, uhh, cough.”
Dropping the whip down to the floor, I knelt down in front of the crying boy and made eye contact with the child.
“I knew you were genuinely worried about His Highness. Because you’re His Highness’ family.”
Joseph thought of Manuel as his cute little brother.
‘Maybe because Manuel reminds him of Carlo, his beloved younger brother whom he left in the cold Imperial palace.’
In addition, Manuel, who lost his parents when he was young, looked up to Joseph and considered him as his own brother.
The reason why Manuel acted out like this, which hadn’t happened in the past, was because I had actively approached Joseph.
“Even if His Highness suffered damage because of me, you shouldn’t tell the residents about it.”
“….Urk.”
“Manuel, do you know the reason?”
Manuel shook his head at my question. I lifted the boy’s chin, drenched in tears and snot, and spoke with a clear voice.
“Katan is a barren land and a difficult place to live. The majority of residents believe in His Highness’ excellence and choose to reside here.”
“…..”
“So don’t make such people anxious, Manuel.”
The Cardinale’s Witch was taking advantage of the soft-hearted Grand Duke.
I could guess the rumor that Manuel would have spread.
‘In the long run, it could harm Joseph, too.’
Of course, the residents would sympathize with Joseph, manipulated by an evil witch like me.
However, the Lord shouldn’t be pitied by his people.
‘If such rumors continue to spread, the people will think their Lord is an unreliable and incompetent ruler.’
Manuel eventually nodded, perhaps he understood what I meant.
I heaved a sigh and glanced at Manuel’s red calf. I had moderated my strength in order not to leave any scars, but it must have been quite painful.
“Is it Sabrina?”
Manuel flinched at my belated question.
“I asked if Sabrina was the one who made you think like this.”
“Oh, no. N-No way!”
I was convinced when I heard Manuel’s hasty denial.
‘So it’s Sabrina.’
If you still can’t pull yourself together even when I dunked you to the mud….
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────