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The next day, Sunday.

I returned to the Ruelberta Mansion.

“E-excuse me…”

“No need to kneel.”

“But…”

“I said it’s unnecessary.”

“Y-yes…”

The woman, who hesitated before kneeling, was Ellie, Wendy’s mother.

Summoned suddenly before me, she was visibly nervous. Moreover, her husband, Henry, wasn’t with her, which only added to her anxiety.

If Wendy inherited her hair from her father, her eyes must have come from her mother.

The amber eyes looking at me were trembling with unease.

“Um… Count, may I ask why you’ve summoned humble folks like us…?”

The reason I brought Wendy’s family from Rihart was to protect them.

When the player’s invasion begins, war will break out across the empire.

In that case, the capital, which resisted until the end, would be the safest.

Unaware of my thoughts, Ellie pleaded.

“If… if it’s about taxes, I’ll do whatever it takes to pay them. Please, just send our family back home-.”

“How much are your overdue taxes?”

“Huh? That would be… about 2 million Kael…”

“2 million Kael…”

For their situation, it’s an unimaginable amount.

If the money Wendy sent had reached them intact, they might have managed.

But the amount is absurdly high for a family of serfs.

“…How long have you been unable to pay the taxes?”

“Uh, about three months ago. Since then, the taxes have increased…”

The taxes increased?

I’ve never heard of such a thing.

The taxes collected in the Rihart region should have remained unchanged.

‘Some scoundrel must be profiting from this.’

It was an unpleasant realization.

The vast lands of the Ruelberta family were managed by Tristan’s relatives.

Imposing such exorbitant taxes was undoubtedly the doing of the relative governing Rihart.

“Hmm…”

I sat in the chair, stroking my chin.

Thinking about it, it’s only natural.

Tristan is one of the most notorious villains in this world.

It’s only fitting that the Ruelberta family, led by him, has its share of villains.

Tristan didn’t care what they did as long as they didn’t rebel.

In fact, the taxes and specialties from Rihart have been coming in steadily.

If left alone, they wouldn’t bother me.

I looked at Ellie.

She was a thin, unremarkable woman. Dark circles under her eyes from working extra to care for her sick husband.

Behind her, a boy around ten years old was holding Ruri and watching me.

That must be Wendy’s younger brother, Tom.

After Peter left home, he took on the role of the eldest son.

A poor but close-knit family.

But I know their tragic future.

Those who fail to pay taxes in the empire are reduced to slaves.

Wendy’s family is no exception.

They will soon be sold as slaves to distant lands, scattered and never to reunite with Peter or Wendy.

The thought made me sigh involuntarily.

“All slaves…”

“No, please…!”

Hearing my words, Ellie bowed her head deeply.

“My children can’t…! I’ll become a slave instead! Please, just spare the children…!”

Ellie trembled as she begged for mercy.

Before her sat Tristan, a noble infamous across the empire.

Her desperation was understandable.

“I’ll do anything you ask, just please send the children back to our hometown…!”

But I shook my head.

“No. You can’t return to your hometown now.”

“…!”

Tears welled up in Ellie’s eyes.

She looked just like her daughter, Wendy.

“I’ll do anything… anything.”

“…What can you do with that scrawny body of yours?”

“Please… I beg you. I’ll be your slave for life. No, I’ll even be your plaything. Just save my children…”

I frowned involuntarily.

What rumors has she heard about Tristan…?

I spoke to Ellie in a calm voice.

“The reason I’m not sending you back to Rihart is that you’re useless as serfs.”

“Th-that’s not true…! If I work harder in the fields…”

“It’s pointless. It’s not something you can handle alone.”

I stood from the chair and approached Ellie.

The boy behind her stepped forward to block me.

“D-don’t hurt my mom!”

“To-Tom?!”

Though brave, Tom began to tremble as he stood before me.

Startled, Ellie quickly turned her back to me, shielding Tom and Ruri.

“No, please! You can’t make these children live as slaves… Sob…!”

“Mom…”

It was a tearful display of family love, but only little Ruri was staring at me curiously.

When our eyes met, she even smiled. Is she pure or just clueless…?

I sighed and asked Ellie.

“Do you know your daughter works under me?”

“Huh?”

At my words, Ellie’s face turned pale.

“D-did our Wendy do something wrong?”

“No. She’s my exclusive maid.”

“Exclusive… maid?”

“Yes. An important position assisting me. And if the family of my exclusive maid were to become slaves, it would lower the prestige of the count’s house.”

I informed her.

“From now on, your family will live not as serfs but as my vassals.”

“Huh? Wait… v-vassals? Vassals mean…”

Ellie’s mouth opened as if to say something, but I ignored her and picked up the bell on the table, giving it a light shake.

Ding-ding.

The clear sound echoed through the parlor. As if waiting, the door swung open, and a girl in a maid’s uniform entered.

Ellie’s eyes widened as she recognized the girl.

“W-Wendy…?”

“Mom…”

“Is it really my Wendy? Really??”

“Yes, yes! It’s me!”

The mother and daughter, who were never to meet again in the original story, had reunited.

Having overheard our conversation, Wendy was a mess of tears and snot.

“I-I just came from admitting Dad to the hospital! The healer said he’ll recover soon!”

“The hospital?! But we don’t have the money-.”

“It’s okay! I earn a lot now! All thanks to the Count’s help!”

Wendy looked at me with tears of gratitude, as if I were a god.

Beside her, Ellie and Tom were dumbfounded, looking back and forth between me and Wendy.

Feeling uncomfortable, I decided to leave.

“Wendy.”

“Yes, yes!”

“There’s a villa on the mansion grounds that’s been neglected, right?”

“A villa…? Oh, yes! There is one.”

“It’s been hard to manage, but this works out well.”

I looked down at Ellie.

“You said you’d do anything, right?”

As my face drew closer, Ellie flinched.

I spoke to her, her face filled with fear and confusion.

“From now on, your job is cleaning. Live in the villa and clean for the rest of your life.”

“Y-yes? Cleaning…?”

“I’ll pay you 3 million Kael a month.”

“3, 3 million Kael?!?!”

Ellie’s mouth hung open in shock.

“N-no… Even so…”

“Can’t do it? If you’d rather be a slave, I can make you one.”

“Gasp! No…! I’ll do it! I’ll be your vassal…!”

With those words, Ellie’s legs gave out, and she collapsed.

It must have felt like going through hell and heaven.

She bowed her head to me and spoke.

“Th-thank you… How can I ever repay such an immense kindness… Count…”

Ugh… Receiving such intense gratitude makes me queasy.

I need to leave quickly.

“…I’m a very busy man. I don’t have time for such things. Wendy.”

“Yes, yes!”

“I’m giving you a week off starting today. You can skip school too, so teach them yourself.”

Before leaving the parlor, I gave her my usual arrogant Tristan look and commanded.

“As my vassals, they must learn how to live.”

“……Yes!”

As the door closed, Wendy bowed deeply to me.

It was a gesture of gratitude.

A deep expression of thanks directed at me.

Thud.

When the door closed, I quickly touched my face.

“…I let my guard down.”

The corners of my mouth were turned up.

 

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