TOM Chapter 11

Kruello climbed into the carriage returning home.

As he bent his long legs and leaned against the backrest, the wheels began to roll slowly.

He took out a cigarette and cut off the tip with a cutter.

When the flame from his fingertips caught, he put the cigarette to his lips.

"The Council of Elders really made their move."

Strangely, no one had died, but it was certain.

In other words, there was no doubt about the Council of Elders' malice toward Siora Bonetti.

Siora Bonetti.

Kruello thought of the woman.

Golden hair that seemed to claw at one's very core, and a strikingly beautiful woman.

She had approached Minuet Bonetti and volunteered to handle the troublesome marriage proposal in her place.

There was no record of her prior activities, and for someone who had been cooped up in the mansion, she was bright in personality and knew a lot.

That's why he thought someone had created the existence of 'Siora.'

He believed they had falsified records to fabricate an adopted daughter for the Wendy-Melos couple and slotted her into that role.

While he found the Grand Elder's unusual anger amusing, he also suspected that the old man's behavior might be an act.

Perhaps the Council of Elders was the culprit trying to insert Siora into his life.

However, having received the answer that it wasn't them, he needed to find the next candidate.

The most likely force behind that woman was...

"The temple, perhaps."

The Council of Elders' predecessor was a necromancer organization, so it wouldn't be strange for the temple to plant spies.

Since the Harvest Festival was just around the corner, perhaps he could get some help.

For that, it would be better to finalize the marriage proposal and then move.

He had delayed giving a definitive answer by bringing up conditions he wasn't even interested in, saying he needed time to consider, but if she wasn't from the Council of Elders, there was no reason to refuse.

'I should create some appropriate conditions.'

He took a deep drag of his cigarette.

A mountain of piled gifts.

All addressed to the same recipient: Siora Bonetti.

"What's all this, Betty?"

"They were sent by the people who came to the party."

"Nina Holmes?"

"She sent the most, but also Lady Catherine Point, Baron Sean Herbert, and..."

Wait, these names sound familiar.

Did they come to like me after I acted friendly and took their wine? My irresistible charm, I suppose.

"That amethyst brooch was sent by Lord William Laverins."

"Oh? It looks expensive."

Lord Laverins would be the person whose face turned red after being hit by monster poison from me.

I straightened my shoulders triumphantly.

"See? I told you he fell for me."

"Cough!"

Gavotte, who had been drinking tea across from me, burst into a coughing fit.

Gavotte muttered in disbelief.

"...That's ridiculous."

Ever since we ran around together that day, Gavotte had been visiting me frequently.

I was making a special effort to spend time with him.

After all, there's no shield as reliable as friendship in this world.

Though Gavotte's influence was as  insignificant as a hamster's paw jelly.

"Hey, how about switching sides instead?"

"Switching sides?"

"Anyone would be better than the Duke."

"Now, now, little brother. There are listening ears, so watch your words."

"It's just Betty here."

"But Betty's right here!"

She's openly Minuet's spy.

Betty smiled awkwardly and slipped out of my room.

"Are you really going to get married?"

"You still cannot give up, can you, Master Gavotte? My family name is already Bonetti, after all."

"Drop that weird way of talking. Fine, let's say adoption is one thing."

Oh? Look at this, friendship really is the best!

"Now that the registration is complete, there's no need to go through with the engagement. Just refuse."

"I'll get kicked out."

"Do you think disinheritance is that easy?"

"Then they could use a night visitor to slice my throat—"

"Hey!"

Gavotte shouted in horror.

Why is he being so naive when he should be more familiar with nobility than I am?

Well, breaking off the engagement as he hopes isn't entirely impossible.

I still don't know what conditions Kruello has proposed.

And the Council of Elders, who were planning mass slaughter, wouldn't back down quietly after one failure.

Hmm, it was the Council of Elders' doing, right? What the hell is Julian Minerva supposed to be?

The circumstances, my intuition, and even Kruello's reaction all point to the Council of Elders as the culprit, but only that name stands out.

He was never mentioned in 《Destiny》 either. What could it be?

Is it because he's just a lowly minion, or is it a butterfly effect caused by me?

I need more information.

I glanced at Gavotte once.

"What the hell is Julian Minerva supposed to be?"

"Huh, what?"

"Ah, I was just thinking to myself but it came out loud. Sorry, Gavotte. Never mind."

"You're obviously doing it on purpose."

Was my acting lacking in sincerity?

I reflect on this.

"He was your academy classmate, wasn't he? Were you two close?"

"Not at all."

"Then..."

Wait, hold on?

"Right, since you're the victim, I should tell you too. We weren't on very good terms. He was a nasty guy."

"..."

"Still, I didn't know he was the type to randomly put poison in drinks at a party."

"..."

"If he really did it by himself, the reason was probably the Duke. An inferiority complex from their academy days... Hey, are you even listening?"

Gavotte was saying something or other, but it didn't register in my ears.

A classmate who wasn't particularly close.

But someone who knew the other person well enough to immediately recognize their habits.

Add to that the dark atmosphere from that day!

"First love? Did you get rejected by him, Gavotte?"

"What...?"

Gavotte's face went deathly pale.

His expression was one of complete disbelief.

Then that blank face flushed bright red.

As I thought!

"Siora Bonetti!"

"Huh, what?"

"There are things you can say and things you can't say in this world, what's wrong with you?"

Guess not.

Gavotte's face filled with demonic rage.

Just as I was stealthily looking for an escape route, Betty's voice came from outside.

"Miss Siora, His Grace the Duke has come to visit."

"Wow! A guest is here. I'll go see, Gavotte."

"Hey! Don't you dare move! Siora Bonetti, hey!"

Hearing his booming voice, I quickly ran away.

Phew, what a scare.

The reception room of the Bonetti mansion.

The man sat leisurely with his legs crossed.

It had been a long time since I was genuinely glad to see Kruello.

For once in a while, I greeted him with a smile.

"It's only been a day, but I'm so happy to see you."

"Does coming too often make me less attractive?"

"Not at all. I only wish we could marry sooner."

"I'm glad we're of the same mind, darling. So, about that."

Kruello held out some documents.

"I came to advance our discussion."

"This is..."

"The conditions I mentioned before."

I'm a bit weak with documents.

I read through the contents for now.

There were many complex matters, but the most eye-catching clause was this:

「A may request divorce from B at any time, and B shall not refuse such request.

In such case, A must pay B items 1 through 15 from the property list as alimony.」

A was Kruello, and I was B.

Simply put, it meant I had to divorce whenever Kruello wanted.

Hmm.

"Your Grace, do you have a hidden lover?"

"I don't think so."

"Then what's this clause about?"

"There's something that bothers me a bit? Let's discuss it after you've read everything."

Fair enough.

I flipped through the documents carelessly, and at the very end was Kruello's property list.

Starting from the top in order...

「1. Auguste (Whitedesert Duchy).」

I blinked.

I wondered if I had misread and slowly brought my face closer to the document until the paper touched my eyelashes.

The letters still didn't change, so this time I slowly moved away from the document.

It's still the same?

"Honey, what are you doing?"

"Are you perhaps insane?"

"You didn't know?"

How infuriating.

There's no winning against a self-aware lunatic.

"So you're saying that on the day Your Grace requests a divorce, you'll give me the territory?"

"The title, the duchy, the castle, everything."

"Is that... is that even possible?"

"I wouldn't have drawn up a contract if it weren't possible."

It seems the Council of Elders' opinion wasn't factored into that possibility by even a gram.

This feels fishy.

It's incredibly tempting, which makes it suspicious.

This has all the hallmarks of a scam.

Even so, I had to marry Kruello...

"I'll take this as your absolute intention never to divorce."

Kruello didn't affirm but smiled.

He's exactly like someone desperate to hand over his family to an outsider.

...That might actually be the case.

"You've read it all, right? I'd like you to sign soon."

"Mm, I will. But I have a condition too."

"Let's hear it."

"Let's get married quickly."

Kruello narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"Getting married quickly doesn't mean the divorce will come quickly too."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I heard you have quite the appetite for money."

"That's not true!"

"Then what's the reason?"

Because I need to marry you to legally search through the duchy!

There's less than a year left until 《Destiny》 begins, so please cooperate reasonably!

...I can't say that.

"Actually, I have a lifelong wish... or rather, a dream."

"A dream of getting divorced?"

"I want to live in a castle, even if just briefly."

I ignored Kruello's words and spoke resolutely.

For something squeezed out as improvisation, it sounds plausible.

Even if the reality of the ducal castle is a foul-smelling necromancer stronghold, it must look magnificent and beautiful from the outside.

"Of course, the duchy is nice too, but still, the castle—"

"You wouldn't have occasion to go to the castle."

"What? As the duchess, I should visit the territory. I could accompany Your Grace when you do inspections and such."

"Territorial inspections were Qudil's job. I've never been except when inheriting the title."

"What about going for recuperation?"

"The temple is far away, and it's not exactly a healthy environment because of the magic stone mines. Though it's not all that bad."

Really?

Then there's no reason to get married?

I stared at Kruello with my mouth open.

He let out a hollow laugh.

"You seem serious. If you're that curious, I'll take you after we get engaged. It's not like I'm banned from entering."

"You should have said so earlier!"

"Haha."

"Can I sleep there?"

"Stay as long as you want."

I signed immediately.

Kruello nodded with a satisfied expression.

I also felt much more relieved and slumped against the sofa backrest.

"There's something darling needs to cooperate with."

"Besides stamping the seal?"

"Since you seem to already suspect, I'll say it—there's quite strong opposition from the Council of Elders."

Oh, I didn't expect him to be so direct about it.

"To some extent, I can just ignore it, but it could become troublesome."

"Are you telling me to conduct myself so as not to give them leverage?"

"No, I was thinking of creating an atmosphere."

Hmm?

Kruello took a sip of tea.

"Darling, have you been to the Harvest Festival?"

"The Harvest Festival...?"

"You don't know?"

"Ah, ah, I know it!"

After all, I've been out for several years, how could I not know!

I poured out what I knew to prove my innocence.

The Harvest Festival. It was a festival hosted by the imperial family in cooperation with the Magic Tower.

They would draw a giant magic circle in Superb Square in the capital and use the circle as power to display all sorts of magic.

During the day, the court orchestra would perform, and at night, wandering minstrels would roam the square singing of great deeds.

The Imperial Knights would march through the square in full dress uniform.

At over 120 booths, they sold food, put on small theatrical performances, and performed folk dances.

It cost an enormous amount of money—all a ploy to flaunt the superiority of blue blood and reinforce the class system..

"That's quite interesting, but how long do I have to listen to this Harvest Festival lecture?"