I'm Trying to End This Possession

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Mark’s POV

“They tucked their tails and ran away!”

 

It was that afternoon. Having chased away Danae’s party, I raised a toast. I then bragged as if I had achieved something heroic.

 

“The direct lineage of Windsor couldn’t even squeak a word to me and left!”

 

“Oh my, is that really true?”

 

“Yes!”

 

I laughed, remembering the morning’s events. They said they were Windsor’s direct lineage, but they were nothing. Just one refusal at the gate, and they cowered away with their tails between their legs. Their retreating figures were so pitiful!

 

As I had heard, they lacked any backbone.

 

“Windsor is a toothless tiger. The duke is obsessed with making money, buried in paperwork, a weakling.”

 

Hadn’t his confidant, Priest Morius, told him?

 

“He looked like he couldn’t even hold a pen.”

 

Having lived in the capital, Priest Morius was well-informed about the outside world. To me, who had never stepped a foot outside this territory, Morius was a window to the world.

 

Worthless Windsor.

 

Originally, the Windsor were the guardians of this border. But what are they doing now?

 

“Windsor is too blinded by money to care about guarding the border anymore.”

 

The Kuruz family had been a loyal vassal of Windsor for ages – but that was a thing of the past.

 

Yes. The Windsor we served were a great military family guarding the border. Not like now, when they are blinded by a single piece of gold!

 

The current Duke Windsor doesn’t care about border duties. He has never even visited this territory!

 

Right. This land of Windsor, this border, has been protected by my family and my father!

 

Windsor must know this too. That’s why they retreated so easily. They know the land deed is just a piece of paper; the real ruler of Windsor’s territory is the Kuruz family.

 

“Milord.”

 

At that moment, my confidant, Priest Morius, approached. “Malkan Company has arrived.”

 

At those words, my mistress, Bianca’s eyes sparkled.

 

“Oh? Really!”

 

“Yes. Didn’t I tell you? I’ll get you the Heart of the Moon for your birthday!”

 

“Eeh? Let’s go see it now!”

 

I took Bianca’s hand and hurried to the parlor. She bubbled with excitement.

 

“I thought you were joking. How did you get that necklace? It’s so valuable!”

 

“Haha, what did I say? There’s no jewel I can’t obtain for you!”

 

The seal of Windsor’s proxy lord. With just that seal, even obtaining legendary treasures was easy. Additionally, the ample management funds sent by Duke Windsor made purchasing national treasures a breeze. However,

 

“Eh?”

 

What awaited was a young errand boy.

 

Just a mere messenger for such an important delivery? How dare they!

 

Though my pride was hurt in front of my mistress, I feigned composure. “Where’s the Heart of the Moon, the necklace?”

 

“The necklace has been delivered directly to its owner.”

 

“There seems to be a mistake. I am the owner of that necklace.”

 

“Owner? Lord Mark, what do you mean?” The errand boy looked confused. “The necklace belongs to the Windsor family, doesn’t it?”

 

“…!”

 

“It has been directly delivered to a member of Windsor’s direct lineage.”

 

I couldn’t comprehend instantly.

 

Delivered directly to Windsor’s direct lineage? What does that mean…

 

Did the Windsor intercept the necklace?!

 

I shouted with a reddened face, full of rage. “What nonsense! I bought that necklace! I paid for it!”

 

“It’s strange. The order was made in Windsor’s name. You might want to check.”

 

But I roughly snatched the contract offered by the errand boy and threw it away. “Who are you, a mere messenger, to interfere! Summon the head of the company now!”

 

“I think you’re mistaken, Lord Mark.”

 

“What?”

 

“A messenger should speak to a messenger. You’re Windsor’s messenger too, aren’t you?”

 

At that moment, I became speechless.

 

A messenger? Me?!

 

“That’s why I came. From now on, we will directly deliver goods to Windsor’s direct lineage, so please know that.”

 

It was a declaration of severing ties with Mark.

 

“Before I leave, let me give you one last piece of advice.”

 

The errand boy looked at Mark with pity. “It’s fine to live on the edge of the world, but you should at least know how it turns out. Please read the newspaper. Or get yourself a proper advisor. Be a civilized person.”

 

That damned brat, how dare he! I wanted to cut him down right then! But the insult didn’t end there.

 

“Hmm. So it was all just a bluff.”

 

“Bi-Bianca, it’s not like that.”

 

Even my mistress ignored me and left.

 

I slumped in my chair.

 

Did Windsor’s direct lineage intercept the necklace I ordered?  

 

When? How?

 

I saw them leave in the morning – or did they not fully leave?

 

No, Windsor’s direct lineage will leave soon anyway.

 

I quickly regained composure.

 

Just let them camp outside the castle gates for days. They won’t enter! Eventually, they’ll give up and leave.

 

Yes. Windsor has little interest in such a remote territory.  They probably came here on a whim. Once they tire of waiting, they’ll leave as they always have, not showing up for decades. Then Malkan Company will regret betraying me. They’ll see what happens when they betray Mark Kuruz!

 

Right. And they’re not the only company.

 

There were countless companies dealing with me. Losing just one was nothing.

 

Yes. Just one.

 

It was then.

 

“We’re in big trouble, Milord!”

 

The door burst open, and Priest Morius rushed in.

 

“All the companies we deal with have sent messengers to cut off the deal!”

 

* * *

Dana’s POV

“I had no idea that Mark Kuruz claimed to be Windsor, the lord!” An executive of the Malkan Company pleaded desperately. “If we had known, our company would never have dealt with such a traitor.”

 

I looked at the merchant coldly.

 

That morning, I immediately headed to the territory’s gate. And told the soldiers guarding the gates.

 

“If there any merchant carriage passing through the gate, please bring them to me.”

 

Then, hand over Windsor’s direct lineage identity badge and some gold coins.

 

“For every company you bring, I’ll pay you a reward.”

 

After motivating them sufficiently, the first merchant brought by the soldiers belonged to the Malkan Company. The merchant initially raged about the intrusion.

 

“Da-Danae Windsor? Are you Lady Danae?”

 

But after seeing my identity badge, he quickly calmed down.

 

As expected, this side is a bit more clever.

 

I pressured the Malkan Company, linking them with Mark. The merchant’s reaction was predictable —

 

“Truly, Lady Windsor! We just thought he was acting as a proxy lord! Truly!” He became desperate to disassociate themselves. 

 

Of course. Impersonating a lord is not a trivial matter, and if they were found to have knowingly ignored it, they would fall out of favor with Duke Windsor.

 

Who would want to be out of favor with Duke Windsor?

 

But really, did they not know?

 

It’s impossible not to know. Merchants are quick-witted and well-informed. They couldn’t have been unaware. They just ignored it because it was profitable.

 

The Heart of the Moon – such an expensive treasure and spending money lavishly. For the merchants, there was nothing to lose.

 

“I’m not sure what my older brother would think about this.”

 

Directly threatening him, the merchant’s face paled.

 

If you were marked by Viego Windsor, your company would be dead. Literally, bankruptcy was a moment away.

 

“W-What should I do?”

 

I smiled. “First, cut off your dealings with Mark Kuruz.”

 

“Of course! We will never deal with that treacherous man again.”

 

“You should send messengers to inform the other companies about this. Don’t you think so?”

 

“Absolutely!”

 

I was confident. It wouldn’t take more than three hours for this message to reach all the companies dealing with Mark. The merchant union is the fastest source of information in this world.

 

First, cutting off all his business partners. And then,

 

“How many errand boys does Malkan Company have?”

 

“We can mobilize about 50 immediately…”

 

“Call them all and send them to every food-selling shop inside the territory. Buy everything. Bill it to Danae Windsor.”

 

“Everything…?”

 

“Exactly. Buy up all edible items. And spread the word among the people.”

 

I smiled brightly. “Windsor’s direct lineage will distribute food for free.”

 

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