SOWD Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Laszlo wanted to slap his own mouth for speaking so recklessly.

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? It sounds like the most important part. What is it? Did Count Canyon hit Idel or something?”

Laszlo’s eyes widened at the unexpectedly correct guess. Seeing his reaction, Rinia’s face instantly hardened, realizing she had hit the mark.

“In our house… he hit Idel?”

“I didn’t think he was that insane.”

“The insane one is you! That means you just stood by and watched!”

“What was I supposed to do? Announce that I was secretly watching? I had to figure out what Count Canyon was planning!”

“Who cares about his schemes?! How could you just stand there watching while Idel was being hit? If it were me—!”

“Yeah, I wanted nothing more than to rush in and cause a scene! But she didn’t even scream!”

Laszlo took a deep breath, clenching his teeth tightly.

“She knew full well I was in the next room, but she didn’t make a sound. Not even a single cry. That means she didn’t want me to intervene. Isn’t that right?”

Rinia, slightly calmer now, sighed.

“What did Idel say?”

“She was surprised that I had seen it, but she admitted everything when I asked. Still, I don’t know what she really thinks. Maybe she’s ashamed that I saw her getting hit by her father, or maybe she resents me for secretly watching…”

For a while, both of them just sighed in turn, unable to speak easily.

Then, Rinia tilted her head and asked,

“But what exactly made you so angry?”

“You’re angry too! You don’t get it?”

“No, I think it’s a little different.”

“Different how?”

Rinia realized that her brother was completely unaware of the strange feeling she was getting.

“Count Canyon using violence in this house means he looked down on you. And at the same time, it means you failed to protect a servant in your own domain. So yeah, I get why you’re mad.”

“See? You understand!”

“But if I think about what you just said… it sounds like you’re not angry at Count Canyon. You’re angry at yourself.”

“Of course I am! This happened because I was a fool!”

“Well… you’ve done foolish things before, but you never got this mad about them. Back then, you used to be like, ‘Yeah, I was an idiot, so what are you going to do about it?’ It felt like no matter what happened, you had the confidence to handle it.”

Laszlo, caught between insult and compliment, couldn’t decide whether to refute her or get angry, so he just stared at her in disbelief.

But Rinia didn’t stop there.

“But this time… it feels different. It feels like you feel guilty toward Idel. Of course, you can feel sorry, but honestly, a servant getting slapped by their family isn’t something that should make you feel this guilty, right?”

“It’s not a big deal?”

“For example, let’s say Head Maid Margaret’s relative came by, got mad about not getting money, and hit her. Then we find out Margaret had been getting money taken from her multiple times! Would you feel guilty about that?”

Laszlo was at a loss for words.

Rinia smirked knowingly and shook her head.

“You would’ve scolded that relative harshly, but you wouldn’t have felt guilty over it. You wouldn’t have thought it happened because you were incompetent.”

Laszlo’s mind was spinning, tangled up in confusion.

“So what I’m really mad about is… the fact that Idel didn’t ask me for help. That means she didn’t trust me.”

“Servants usually don’t ask their lords to solve their personal problems. Isn’t that normal?”

She was right.

But Laszlo’s expression only grew more complicated.

It felt like he was close to understanding something, but not quite. Like he was circling around the answer without actually reaching it.

Rinia, on the other hand, seemed to have figured it out. She rested her chin on her hand and grinned.

“Let’s summarize. You’re angry and blaming yourself because Idel had a painful past, because you misunderstood her, and because she didn’t ask you for help, right?”

“…….”

“Hmm… Got it. I think I know everything I wanted to know, so I’ll get going now.”

“What?”

Laszlo stared at Rinia in disbelief.

“Why?”

“Why what? I just came to figure out what happened, and now that I know, I’m leaving. What’s wrong with that?”

He wanted to say everything was wrong, but he couldn’t. He didn’t even know what exactly was bothering him.

“If I were to give my immature little opinion, I’d say you need to be more honest with your feelings, Brother.”

With that final remark, Rinia stood up and left without hesitation.

Laszlo was left alone, drowning in a storm of confusion.

Worries tend to visit at night.

During the day, the bright sun keeps the mind occupied with visible things. But at night, there’s nowhere to escape.

And so, for Idel, after such a difficult day, night came with endless worries.

“The Terroir Liquor Company started importing wine from the Arcomo region… 200 Ringtons per bottle… Twenty bottles… Since they usually order around twenty bottles… So that means…”

Idel was in the steward’s study, trying to organize the day’s paperwork. She had already read the same document multiple times.

She even tried reading it aloud to focus, but nothing was sinking in. It was just about a promotional offer where they’d receive extra bottles for ordering in bulk, yet she couldn’t concentrate.

In the end, Idel put down the papers.

“I’ll be up all night at this rate.”

When she couldn’t focus, moving her body was the best option. She draped a shawl over her shoulders and left the office.

For Idel, the day had been a storm caused by Count Canyon, but for everyone else, it had been an ordinary, peaceful day.

Most of the servants had finished their work and gone to rest, with only a few still finishing up their tasks, rubbing their tired eyes.

“Do you have much left to do?”

“Oh! Steward! Almost done. Just need to hang the boiled cloths to dry.”

The kitchen maid smiled as she answered.

“Is the work too tiring?”

“Thanks to you managing everything well, it’s much better. We’re really grateful.”

“You should thank the Count, not me. He’s the one paying you.”

“But when Lady Bochen was here, work was exhausting even under the same master.”

Idel let out a bitter smile at that, making the maid flinch and hunch her shoulders.

“I-I didn’t mean to criticize the Count…”

“I know. Just be mindful of who might be listening. That’s how you keep your job for a long time.”

“Yes, Steward.”

Idel gently patted the maid’s shoulder and walked away.

As she left the kitchen and walked further, she noticed a flickering lantern light outside. She adjusted her shawl and stepped outside.

An old man was busily rustling around.

“Mr. Jacob? Why are you still out here?”

“Oh! Steward! I should be asking you the same thing.”

The gardener, Jacob, wiped his forehead as he spoke.

It was a chilly early-winter night, but he was sweating as if he had been deeply focused on something.

“I was organizing paperwork but decided to clear my head. What about you?”

“The seed supplier sent the tulip bulbs this late!”

“At this hour? Why not in the morning?”

“I gave them a hard time for forgetting my order, so they probably did this out of spite.”

Jacob snorted in irritation, but then he sighed.

“Still, I need to store them properly before I can sleep in peace. These bulbs are precious.”

Idel spotted rows of pots filled with moss, where Jacob was carefully placing the bulbs.

“They’ll be planted before the first frost, and come spring, you’ll see a beautiful tulip garden.”

Jacob smiled warmly. Idel, seeing someone so devoted to their work, felt her tangled thoughts slowly untangle.

But Jacob didn’t let her stay at peace for long.

“Ah, by the way, the Count passed by earlier and dropped this. Could you return it to him?”

It was Laszlo’s cravat.

“Why would he…?”

“He had it draped loosely and must’ve dropped it while looking at the bulbs.”

“O-oh… Alright. I’ll return it.”

“Thank you.”

Idel folded the cravat neatly and, after bidding Jacob farewell, set off in the direction Laszlo had gone.

 

NOTE

As I can’t create kofi because of unavailability of PayPal in my country, I’ve made this teir which will be updated weekly so you won’t be charged again until you want to tip again, also you can exit the tier after donating. Enjoy reading 💞💫

Patreon Link