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“Wendy!”

“Yes, yes?!”

Wendy, who had been crouching in the corner, looked up to see Julie standing with her arms crossed.

“Ugh. How many times have I called you? There’s chaos downstairs…”

“J-Julie unnie…”

“Huh? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

A ghost!

Yes, she must have seen a ghost.

Wendy clung to Julie.

“Unnieee!”

“Ah! What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

“I-I was so scared…”

The ghost had the face of the master.

Who was the master?

The notorious Ruelberta Count Family of the empire.

Tristan, who is considered the worst head of the family in history.

Greed unbecoming of a noble.

A personality as sinister as they come.

An arrogant noble who uses his immense wealth to look down on everyone in the world.

Tristan was a tyrant who ruled this mansion.

All the servants had to live in constant fear, always wary of his moods.

Especially Wendy, who was new and clumsy at serving, often received Tristan’s scolding.

Wendy came from a poor farming family.

She was used to farm work, but serving nobles was something she struggled with.

Still, Wendy always tried her best.

She didn’t mind getting scolded.

What she feared most was being kicked out of the mansion.

As the eldest daughter, Wendy sent her salary back to her family in her hometown.

It was a great help to her poor family.

So she could never go back.

She was prepared to be scolded again today.

But today was different.

There were no harsh words as usual.

Instead, he spoke to her in a kind tone she had never heard before.

Remembering that chilling tone, Wendy’s heart raced.

“Unnieee, did I make a big mistake…?”

“A mistake…? Hmm. Too many possibilities come to mind.”

“That’s so mean…”

Wendy’s eyes welled up with tears.

Julie pushed her away and spoke.

“Alright, we don’t have time for this. Let’s go downstairs.”

“Huh?”

“Seriously! Didn’t you hear me earlier? The master is… never mind. Follow me. Quickly.”

“Okay…”

In a daze, Wendy followed Julie down to the first floor.

What she found were maids pressed tightly against the door.

“Huh? S-Seniors, what are you doing here…?”

“Shh!”

“Ugh.”

“Be quiet. They’ll hear you because of you.”

“?”

The seniors covering Wendy’s mouth pointed to the crack in the door.

A faint gap that you had to really focus to see.

Through it, they could see Tristan talking to someone.

“What are you… Pfft! What are you doing…?”

“Look. Lord Arthur is here.”

“Lord… Arthur?”

“Oops… Wendy, you must be seeing him for the first time. Lord Arthur is the eldest of the count family.”

So, like the count’s grandfather?

Wendy nodded, and Julie continued.

“From what I heard earlier, he was yelling about kicking him out of the head of the family position.”

“What?! T-Tristan?”

“Yes. It seems Lord Arthur and the elders of the family are very angry because of what happened last time.”

A week ago, after being dumped by Bella Izakhel, the duke’s daughter.

Tristan had locked himself in his study and hadn’t come out since.

Bella, the most beautiful woman in the country.

It was an open secret that Tristan was after her.

Even for him, it must have been a blow.

Julie and the senior maids all criticized the head of the family.

“Honestly, from any angle, Lady Bella was too good for him.”

“Hmph. Lord Arthur was right. The owner of this mansion needs to be changed immediately.”

“Ah, anyone who becomes the head would be much more humane and considerate than that guy.”

At those words, Wendy flinched.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you?”

“N-Nothing…”

Consideration.

The moment she heard that word, she remembered what Tristan had said earlier.

“Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

Did Wendy really mishear?

After some thought, Wendy made up her mind.

‘I-I’ll see it with my own eyes…’

Whether it was really the master.

Or a ghost wearing the master’s face.

She squeezed in between the senior maids and started peeking at the situation inside.

*

“Tristan! You’ve finally done it.”

In front of me sat an old man with white hair.

Arthur Ruelberta.

The pillar of the Ruelberta Count Family at this point in time, respected by all.

And to Tristan, he was none other than…

“Uncle…”

“Yes, you brat. I can’t live because of you. Do you know what they’re saying about you out there?”

“Uh…”

I think I’ve heard some of it.

“The mad pig of the count family, the genius of evil deeds…!”

“Pfft!”

The contemptuous nicknames were so childish that I couldn’t help but laugh.

At that, Arthur shouted.

“Are you laughing right now?!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t know everyone thought of me that way.”

“Tsk tsk… You disgrace. You need to realize that you are the head of the Ruelberta Count Family.”

Arthur shook his head in dissatisfaction.

Arthur Ruelberta was that kind of character.

The pillar supporting the prestigious count family, sincerely worried about and scolding the disgraceful Tristan.

To Tristan, he probably just seemed like a nagging old man.

“So, my uncle and guardian, what brings you here?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know? The rumor has spread all over the social scene! That you said something terrible to the princess!”

“Ah, definitely…”

“That she was as vulgar as a cheap fan.”

“…No, I didn’t say that. And that was just an ordinary fan, worth 500 kael.”

“What kind of lunatic is this?”

Wow, that’s unfair.

Rumors tend to get distorted as they pass through many people, but…

What’s even more unfair is that it wouldn’t be strange if Tristan had actually said that.

Even with his already tarnished reputation, I didn’t expect such rumors to be circulating in the social scene.

“No need for long explanations! Go and apologize immediately.”

Arthur glared at me.

His eyes held a sharpness that didn’t match his age.

“It’s not too late. Go to the duke’s family and ask for Lady Bella’s forgiveness. She might let it slide once.”

“A week ago, I received notice of the engagement cancellation from the Izakhel Duke’s daughter.

Even if I hadn’t said anything strange, the result wouldn’t have changed.

‘From the beginning, the reason the princess came to me that day was to ask to cancel the engagement…’

An engagement decided regardless of the princess’s will.

Especially since the other party was Tristan, a notorious villain even in the empire.

Moreover, this engagement was something Tristan had coerced the duke’s family into.

Arthur probably had some idea of that.

“I won’t ask what means you used to get the Izakhel Duke to agree to the engagement. But insulting the princess is something we can’t overlook. No matter how powerful our family is, a count is still lower than a duke.”

A fair point.

Arthur drove the nail in.

“The family council has decided. If you don’t resolve this matter, we cannot recognize you as the head of the family.”

This must be the real reason.

In other words, they’re going to kick me out of the head position.

Tristan was a headache even within the Ruelberta family, so it’s a natural reaction.

And in the original story, he solves this crisis in a very simple way.

‘He just kills all the relatives…’

A bloody purge.

This lunatic assassinates every single relative who opposes him.

All in a single night.

Later known as the Tragedy of Ruelberta.

Of course, Uncle Arthur couldn’t escape that tragedy either.

A very Tristan-like method.

Maybe it’s the easy way.

That’s how he gains the family’s support and position in the original story.

I looked at Arthur in front of me.

An old man who could be called a grandfather rather than an uncle.

He kept nagging with a dissatisfied look.

Of course, to Tristan, he must be a thorn in the side.

‘But… this man is not Tristan’s obstacle.’

This old man is not Tristan’s enemy.

Rather, he’s the one who worries about Tristan the most in the family.

‘If he really hated Tristan, he wouldn’t have come here to nag.’

I’m not a scoundrel like Tristan.

I will change the original story.

That’s also how I’ll prepare for what’s to come.

“Are you listening, Tristan! No matter how much of a scoundrel you are, ignoring the decisions of the family elders is not proper etiquette. If you keep being stubborn…”

“I’ll go.”

“What…?”

“As you said, Uncle, I’ll go apologize to Lady Bella.”

I was planning to do that anyway.

But Arthur didn’t seem to expect that at all.

He asked in a trembling voice.

“W-What did you just say?”

“I said I’ll go. To apologize to Lady Bella.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes.”

“Then… can you swear on the name of Ruelberta?”

“On the family name?”

“Yes. Swear that your words are not false.”

I don’t know why this old man is being so childish.

Seeing my incredulous look, Arthur clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. See? When have you ever kept a promise…”

“Alright.”

There’s no reason not to make such an oath.

I stood up from my seat.

“I swear on this damned family’s name. So, Uncle, don’t worry.”

“W-What? What kind of language is that?!”

“I need to hurry and go before sunset. So, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait!”

“Take care.”

“Didn’t I tell you to wait! You brat! I’m not done talking yet…! Are you not standing there?!”

Without waiting to hear more, I opened the door to the reception room.

At the same time, I heard a strange sound.

‘Hey! Hurry up and run.’

‘W-Wait, don’t push me! Cough!’

Thud.

There was a resistance like a small puppy blocking the way.

For some reason, there was a little servant who had fallen on her butt in front of me.

Her fluffy red curls swayed.

Saved me the trouble of looking.

I called her name.

“Wendy.”

“Yes, yes?!”

“Prepare the carriage. We’re going to the Izakhel Duke’s family.”

“Yes!”

“And…”

“?”

I looked down at Wendy.

“You get ready too. I’ll need someone to accompany me.”

A moment of silence.

Fortunately, she didn’t freeze this time.

Instead, Wendy just blurted out something dumb.

“Yes… Huh?! M-Me?!”

Well, who else is here?

 

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