DSMBL Chapter 63

Chapter 063

“Things to do?”
“Baron Lumens is greedy for money, but he has good relationships with the merchant guilds. He can use his skills to help distribute northern specialties at high prices.”
“Oh…”
So that’s what he meant.

“Viscount Worst is also greedy, but he knows how to react quickly in a crisis.”
Cassius smirked.
“That’s why even troublemakers have their uses sometimes.”
Then, he ran his tongue over his lips.

“For now, there’s no one to replace them.”
“So are we just going to leave them be?”
“No, I plan to give them a warning. There are always some useless rats in the mix.”

Cassius turned his gaze toward me.
“The Count of Mers that you just mentioned is a perfect example.”
“…So you knew all along.”
“I really didn’t.”

Cassius smiled.
He looked so handsome and charming at that moment. A man who is good at his work is always attractive.
It almost felt like there was a glow surrounding him.

“…Do you also know that the nanny is acting suspiciously? She doesn’t seem trustworthy.”
He let out a bitter smile. His expression looked troubled.

“So you already knew.”
“I’ve always paid attention to Theo’s matters.”
“Then why haven’t you let her go?”
“Theo would be really hurt. I just don’t want her to have a bad ending, at the very least.”
“Cassius…”
“And I’m also curious to see how deeply she’s involved.”

It was clear that Cassius had deep distrust toward the nanny.

“Is Count Mers really that bad?”
“Maybe he wasn’t when he was younger. He used to be a passionate young lord, and back then, he earned my father’s trust and gained a lot of power.”

Cassius continued.
“But when water stays still for too long, it starts to rot.”

I felt like I was understanding him a little more.
Cassius spent a lot of time outside.
He had no choice.

Come to think of it, have I ever seen the lights off in Cassius’s office?
He always seemed to be working on something.
He had been handling so much on his own.

“…Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You?”

Cassius widened his eyes.

“I mean, well… I know I might not be that reliable, but doing something is better than nothing. And I do have some skills.”

He listened quietly, then let out a small laugh.

“You’ve really changed. You used to hate this.”
“Huh?”

My body stiffened.
When he says ‘before,’ he must mean before I took over Charlotte’s body.
Just what kind of nonsense did Charlotte say back then?

I felt a lump in my throat from the tension.

“You once told me not to expect you to fulfill the duties of a duchess. You claimed that I had no right to demand more after destroying your life.”

A cold sensation settled in my chest.
Strictly speaking, I was an outsider.
I understood Cassius, and I also understood Charlotte.
Their relationship had been falling apart for a long time.

“And now…?”

His voice was careful as he asked,
“Are you okay now?”

“Cassius…”
“Do you not resent me anymore?”

His eyes met mine directly, trembling slightly.
He had truly been carrying those words in his heart.
Was Charlotte okay now?

“I’m okay.”

Even if it was on Charlotte’s behalf, I wanted to free him from his guilt.
It wasn’t his fault. Both of them were victims.

“That’s a relief.”

Cassius wiped his face, as if letting out a breath he had been holding.
He tried to act calm, but his face still showed his emotions.

Then, Cassius spoke slowly.
“You can do whatever you want. You can even take on the role of the duchess if you’d like.”
“There’s a lot I need to learn, Cassius.”
“I’ll let the head maid know.”
“What’s the most urgent matter right now?”

“…Right now, repairing the city walls. And soon, the merchant guilds will begin their trading trips. Baron Lumens will handle it, but we also need to manage the storage properly so the grain doesn’t rot. We have to prepare for winter.”

Was he really planning to handle all of this alone?
Cassius seemed even more impressive to me.

“Okay. I’ll ask the head maid for guidance and learn properly.”

I wanted to do well.
I wanted to help him, even just a little.

I ignored the strange feeling in my heart.
I pressed down the lingering emotions Charlotte had toward Cassius.

He looked at me and gave a faint smile.
“Thank you, Charlotte.”

I felt like I understood his emotions.
Strangely, I felt like crying.
I had wanted to help Cassius and the North, but instead, I was the one being comforted.

---

Lorencia bit her lip hard and glared at Janice.

“Janice! You told me to trust you! You said everything would be fine! You said I’d earn recognition in the North!”

She shouted with all her strength.
The humiliation she had just suffered in front of Cassius and Charlotte burned her with shame.

It felt like everything was Janice’s fault.

Her face was red with anger as she trembled.
“You planned this from the start, didn’t you? You never intended to make me the duchess!”

“Be quiet.”

Janice snapped at Lorencia.
Her voice was colder than ever, making Lorencia take a step back.

“You…”

“Stay still. I need to think.”

Janice spoke in an odd tone.
Her mind was in turmoil.

‘Judging by his reaction earlier, he already knows everything.’

Janice bit her lip tightly.
She didn’t even have the energy to deal with Lorencia’s whining.

‘Then… does he know what I did, too?’

Her blood ran cold.
If he already knew everything, why was he keeping her here?

Why was Cassius allowing her to stay?

Janice chewed on her nails, the red lipstick staining her fingers. If she knew about Baron Lumens and Viscount Worst, she might also know about Count Mers. There were probably other people who knew as well.

“There’s no way he doesn’t know about me.”

But why, then?
“…Could it be?”
Janice swallowed hard.

“Theo?”
Could that child be Janice’s excuse for everything?
Cassius had always felt a special responsibility toward Theo. He once said he’d even shorten his life if it meant for saving Theo.
The reason Cassius and Charlotte had grown closer was because Theo had gotten better.

“Could it be that Charlotte helped Theo get better?”
If that were the case, everything would make sense.
“But how?”

Wasn’t it a rare disease with no cure? The illness Theo had was one where magical energy invaded the body and attacked all the organs.
Janice knew more about this disease than anyone.

There was only one way to cure it.
“…Divine power?”

Janice’s eyes widened. What if Charlotte still had traces of divine power left in her?
When Janice had investigated the Solobis family, she hadn’t found any information about Charlotte having divine power.

If Charlotte had divine power, the Solobis family would never have sent her to the north.
“It must have manifested late… Or maybe Charlotte kept it hidden.”

Either way, it meant that Count Solobis didn’t know about it.
The Solobis family was currently facing a serious financial crisis.
“It seems like she’s cut off contact with Charlotte.”

Janice lifted the corners of her lips. She felt like she had found the perfect weapon to use against Charlotte.
She could turn Cassius’s focus away from Charlotte and the Solobis family, and slowly erase any dangerous evidence.

Janice’s gaze returned to Lorencia. She spoke coldly.
“Don’t worry too much, Lorencia. I’ll keep my promise. So you just do your part.”

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• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •

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Advance chapters of this novel are available of my kofi channel

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