Monopolizing luxury goods for the nobility was no small feat. Vagolosa was probably much stronger than Seraphie thought. That would explain why even Kastane couldn’t act recklessly around them.
But for all that, Vagolosa’s young lord’s behavior is so disgraceful. Strength and dignity were not synonymous. Seraphie had once again learned an unpleasant truth about life.
“Lord Vagolosa kept courting me, but I always politely declined. Still, the barrage of gifts continued. At some point, he even started ‘coincidentally’ bumping into me every time I went out.”
“…Creepy.” Lunie expressed her dismay. “He’s stalking Lady. He’s out of his mind!”
“Have you perhaps told the marquis about that man’s identity…?”
At Seraphie’s question, Batisa shook her head. “I couldn’t tell him.”
Marquis Kastane was the most renowned neutral figure in the Empire, and his unwavering integrity had earned him the position of Chairman of the Council of Elders. Batisa couldn’t easily reveal the truth, fearing it might cause trouble for her father.
“…”
Seraphie opened her mouth to say something out of frustration but stopped. Though this was only their second meeting, it was clear that Batisa was inherently a kind person. But that didn’t mean she lacked resolve.
“I’ll firmly reject anyone who dares to waste my precious time.”
Batisa’s bold declaration during the tea party still rang vividly in Seraphie’s ears.
“You did try, didn’t you?” Seraphie asked, recalling the Batisa of that day.
Batisa nodded. “After hearing what Countess Vallidus said, I mustered up the courage and firmly rejected him.”
“How?” Lunie asked.
Even Seraphie was curious. It was hard to imagine someone as kind as her rejecting someone so strongly. It would be a miracle if she even raised her voice.
“W-Well…” Batisa fidgeted with her fingers under the table as she recalled the moment. “I gathered all the bouquets and letters he’d sent me and burned them right in front of him. Then, I sprinkled salt and told him never to come back.”
“…”
“…”
Seraphie and Lunie exchanged silent glances. Then they spoke to Batisa.
“That’s too weak.”
“You should’ve hired a mercenary to beat him up.”
It seemed that, despite Batisa’s innate kindness and forgiving nature, there was a limit to how far she could push herself to be assertive.
“…”
Despite the small relief, Seraphie was also a bit concerned.
“What happened after that?”
If that had been enough to make him back off, Batisa wouldn’t have called for them in the first place.
At the question from Seraphie, Batisa went to the desk and brought something back. “It was quiet for a few days after that. Just when I thought I could relax. But then, this…” With trembling hands, she struggled to hand over a bundle of letters loosely tied with a thin string. The poorly tied knot somehow made it feel repulsive to touch.
“May I take a look?”
Batisa nodded.
Seraphie mustered up the courage and carefully untied the string.
“…Gasp!” Lunie, who had been watching from the side, let out a choked gasp.
[You don’t even know your place… ]
[You filthy b*tch…]
[I will kill you for sure.]
[A trash like you is only good for dirty things behind the scenes…]
The contents were so insulting, so vile, that it was hard to even say them aloud—or even read them with one’s own eyes. And it wasn’t just one letter filled with such words. All the letters Batisa handed over were filled with such crude and despicable language.
Seraphie, as if touching something dirty, quickly put the letters away. “Lady Kastane.” She spoke seriously. “This is not something you should keep to yourself. You need to tell your parents and close friends immediately and ask for their help.”
“Before that, what the hell is this lunatic thinking? He was obsessed with you, and now he pulls this disgusting…!” Lunie looked as if she were the one who had gone through this ordeal, her face twisted in distress. The thought of Batisa enduring such a horrifying act all alone made her chest feel like it was about to burst.
But Batisa couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“He said he wouldn’t leave my parents alone if I told them.”
The letter also contained threats against Batisa’s parents and friends. If she told anyone about this, something terrible would happen to them. This had terrified Batisa into silence.
“T-To be honest…” Batisa finally broke down in tears. “The reason I invited you two…”
Batisa felt disgusted with herself. She had been threatened not to tell anyone, yet she still wanted to escape this terrifying situation. That’s why she’d called the two people she trusted the most, who hadn’t been threatened by Vagolosa.
Lunie was someone she had known for a long time. But Seraphie, she had only met for the second time today. Even though it was clearly rude, Batisa wanted to ask Seraphie for help. She had a vague hope that she would help her.
“…I’m sorry.”
In the end, she was terrified that her decision might bring harm to the two of them. Regret washed over her, making her wonder if she should have just endured it alone.
“No, that’s not it.”
As if reading Batisa’s thoughts,
“You made a very wise choice. You were incredibly brave.”
Seraphie placed a hand on Batisa’s shoulder. The firm tone of her voice brought Batisa great comfort.
“This isn’t something anyone can endure alone.”
“Exactly. Thank you for letting us know, even now.” Lunie rolled up her sleeves as if preparing for action. “Let’s use this opportunity to teach him a proper lesson. So he won’t dare to pull such ignorant stunts again! Isn’t that right, Sera?”
At Lunie’s prompt, Seraphie nodded. Yeah…
For some reason, Seraphie suddenly recalled part of the original story. There would be a big debate in the Elder Council over a particular bill. And the bill would pass shortly after an attempted murder. The bill against stalking and persistent obsession.
It was essentially a bill to punish stalkers. Seraphie had been furious as she read that part in the original story because this crime had been a severe issue even in the world she came from.
Right, the victim would be… Lady Batisa Kastane. Though her name wasn’t mentioned, the original story described the attempted murder victim as the daughter of the Council of Elders’ chairman. The lady was severely injured and had retreated to her estate, and unfortunately, the perpetrator had never been caught.
It’s not that they didn’t catch him, but that they couldn’t catch him.
In the original story, the one who worked hard to pass this bill was the crown prince. However, the person with a high likelihood of being the perpetrator just so happened to be Lord Vagolosa, the crown prince’s close confidant.
“…”
Seraphie paused to think for a moment. “For now.” She made a proposal to Batisa. “Would you consider investing in a pedal boat business?”
* * *
Seraphie and Lunie met with Batisa earlier than the scheduled tea party in order to secure investment for the duck boat business. At least, that was the cover story they decided on.
“Oh my, this sounds really interesting.”
Fortunately, Batisa showed interest in the duck boat. Seraphie handed over the business plan they had brought to Batisa. Batisa promised to make sure Marquis Kastane would see it.
After the tea party, Seraphie returned home and studied in her room to prepare for the upcoming Elder Council meeting. Even as she studied, she couldn’t stop worrying about Lady Kastane.
This issue should be resolved quickly.
The key was the upcoming Council of Elders. Included with the application papers for council admission, which Orkis had given her, were materials outlining the national issues and bills to be discussed. Upon reviewing them, she found the stalker punishment act.
All I need to do is get this one passed.
Seraphie still didn’t want to be entangled with the crown prince and the people around him. She hated the idea of getting involved in the events of the original story. But the more she learned about those people, the more uneasy she felt.
If the bill passes, even Lord Vagolosa won’t be able to pull anything crazy. He’d restrain himself for fear of the crown prince watching.
“…”
And yet, she couldn’t shake off her unease.
…Will he really restrain himself?
Seraphie firmly believed that crazy people would continue to act crazy, even with laws in place. According to the original story, the crown prince played a significant role in pushing for this bill. But because the crown prince was close to the perpetrator, there was a good chance he could slip through the legal loopholes. Not to mention, Lord Katio kept sending her marriage proposals. Of course, the crown prince would be aware of that too. If so, there was a high chance that the crown prince would turn a blind eye to Lord Vagolosa’s atrocities.
“…”
It was after a brief moment of contemplation. Let’s deal with it after the Council of Elders meeting.
There was nothing that could be done immediately. And just in case, the three of them had prepared a contingency plan. If the worst came to pass, they would just have to use that method.
“Ah.”
While trying to shake off her worries, Seraphie’s eyes landed on another bill. She absentmindedly marked a star next to it with her pen. This is it.
A special bill to promote the integrated development of the capital’s square. This was why Count Mars had been so fixated on Lunie’s store.
“Lu, your store is involved in a bill submitted this time.”
“What bill?”
“A bill permitting development of square.”
After Lunie had run away from home, Peonia found out why Count Mars had done such a thing.
Development had been restricted in the capital square for a long time. As a result, building density was high, and many structures were outdated. This Council of Elders proposed a special bill allowing demolition and construction by lifting restrictions on parts of the square. And Lunie’s store fell within the authorized development area listed in the bill.
If my memory serves me right… The stalker punishment law was passed first, then the development bill. And it seemed Duke Felicia had opposed the development bill.
“…”
Why was that? Seraphie tilted her head in confusion.
* * *
It was the day of the Council of Elders. Seraphie dressed in somber-colored clothing that resembled funeral attire. With her hair neatly tied back, her reflection in the mirror felt familiar.
…Going to work?
Who would have thought that this outfit would remind her of the world she used to live in? Of all the memories, the nightmare of struggling to breathe alongside strangers in a packed subway came to mind. Seraphie shook off the dreadful memories and climbed into the carriage. Lunie, as Seraphie’s secretary, accompanied her as well.
“Are you sure it’s okay for you to come along?”
Seraphie asked Lunie, who was sitting across from her, in a deliberately concerned tone. Lunie, too, was dressed neatly.
“A secretary should naturally follow their master wherever they go!”
Lunie now confidently called her ‘Master.’ Though Lunie is usually called Seraphie by her name more often, it is impressive how she shows no hesitation despite being from a noble family.
“Not only the members, but even their secretaries can participate in the Council of Elders.”
“What if Count Mars tries something on you there?”
“Then it would be both self-defense and a scandal at the same time.” Lunie snorted.
Seraphie silently vowed to stay as far away as possible if such a thing were to happen.
Hi, if you enjoy the story, please leave a review in the Novelupdates. Thank you~
