The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

  Britia recalled the face of the twins who had told her to expect a lively party.

 

  ‘Don’t even think about sitting down that day. You have to dance with every male guest at least once.’

 

  Feeling confident, he had expected more people to accept the invitation than what actually happened, and he seemed slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, he had greeted the guests with a bright smile, but something must have happened.

 

  Those who had not given a definite answer did not show up, as expected, and the few guests who did come hurriedly left before the rain got heavier.

 

  In the end, the only ones left were Lenny’s friends.

 

  Thanks to Sig’s visit, the party hosted by Lockhart had become a hot topic, but it had turned out to be a complete failure. Britia couldn’t help but feel sorry for how much they had spent, and how sorry she must have felt towards the Lockhart Earl and Countess.

 

  Did something happen that made the guests uncomfortable? Maybe they didn’t even want to come.

 

  While contemplating such thoughts, Britia had heard that there was also a party at the Marquis Eryon’s mansion on the same day. Although bittersweet, she nodded her head.

 

  Eryon seemed more important than Lockhart.

 

  “When Countessl Eryon set the date, he said that it had to be that day for Robley. But after sending out all the invitations, it turned out that Lockhart had already scheduled a party on that day.”

 

  Harty spoke, saying that the Marquis Eryon had apologized to Lockhart. Britia bit her lower lip tightly.

 

  She had tried to think that it couldn’t be helped if it coincidentally overlapped, but if Harty’s words were true, then wasn’t it something that Robley deliberately made happen?

 

  Robley had been the first to send out invitations.

 

  “Besides, among the noble ladies who like matchmaking, I guess there have been a few people who have had their eyes on you But because of what the Duchess Robley said, it seemed like she would only look favorably upon Robley’s marriage.”

 

  Harty had awkwardly complimented Britia, saying that she seemed like a pretty decent woman, but his words did nothing to comfort her.

 

  “There had been two occasions when matchmaking stories had come up. However, when they had made up their mind to meet, they were already told that the other person had been introduced to someone else.”

 

  Therefore, she had thought that perhaps it wasn’t meant to be.

 

  “I guess they just wanted to avoid fighting with Robley later on, so they played along.”

 

  Britia was extremely confused by the revelation that what she had believed in was not entirely true.

 

  “That woman, really, if she had been so against other people, she should have introduced a decent person herself. In the end, she introduced that foolish Beaumex nephew, what a wicked person.”

 

  Britia bit her lower lip in frustration at Harty’s blunt tone.

 

  “Anyway, that Duchess has never been of any help to you even before things got to this point. Not to mention Duke Robley.”

 

  “…What about Duke Robley?”

 

  Already shocked, Britia felt uneasy at the hint that there was something about him too.

 

  “After Earl Lockhart insulted his daughter, Duke Robley has considered him as a bitter enemy ever since.”

 

  “What!”

 

  Britia exclaimed in surprise. She had heard that Robley’s second daughter had feelings for her twin brother. But Earl Lockhart couldn’t accept her feelings.

 

  “At that time, he had already promised to marry the current Countess.”

 

  How could he accept her feelings in such a situation? Moreover, when Britia had expressed her concerns about it, Crave had said that he had resolved the situation and the Duke had understood. But it turned out that wasn’t the case?

 

  “It’s not like the Countess has any family worth showing off, and do you think Duke Rovelli would care about that?”

 

  Harty’s guess was correct. Duke Robley was furious when he heard that Crave would rather leave his own daughter to marry a woman who had been raised in a temple without parents. However, if his daughter and the count really wanted to get married, he would have completely opposed it.

 

  The best thing for him was for Crave to break off the engagement ahead of the wedding, fill his daughter’s heart for a while, and then for her daughter to abandon him. And if she married another man she likes, everything would have gone smoothly.

 

 However, Crave married Hailey as promised.

 

  “But even before that happened, there was a story that the duke had originally thought of Earl Lockhart as a thorn in his eyes.”

 

  “Pardon? “Why?”

 

  When Britia asked in surprise and thought, Harty was about to answer but stopped.

 

  “… I don’t know that much. “How can I know what a petty human being thinks?”

 

  Harty shrugged his shoulders calmly.

 

  He said he liked your mother, who died when he was young, but when she married your father, he came to hate Lockhart himself.

 

  This story was secretly told to Marquis Eryon, but Harty pretended not to know.

 

  I don’t even know if it’s real or fake. Even if it were true, there was no need to tell the old story.

 

  It was the least consideration that could be given to a woman who seemed to be already in shock.

 

  “The important thing is that the duke hated him so much that he put pressure on the club to not let the count even come up to the second floor of the club. “If he has a title, he can rise to the top.”

 

  Instead, he told a relatively recent story.

 

  “It’s amazing how people can be so petty. I’m sure it’s a story I heard after paying the club waiter some money… .”

 

  Harty, who had been talking for a long time, suddenly stopped talking when she saw Britia’s expression.

 

  “What do you mean?”

 

  Seeing her shaking more than he expected, Harty felt a little regret, wondering if he shouldn’t have done this too.

 

  “Not now. I heard that the Count’s attitude at the club changed drastically when he visited with the Duke of Turas. I heard they treat him very kindly.”

 

  Harty told her not to worry and tried to take care of it later.

 

  “Then what you mean is that before that, even though he had the title of ‘Earl’, he was not treated as an earl at all.”

 

  But Britia was already exhaling with anger and clenching her teeth.

 

  “If it’s like that at the club, it definitely means it’s been like that elsewhere.”

 

  Come to think of it, not only he but she also felt something strange. The noble ladies around me often smiled strangely as they saw me thanking Duchess Robley.

 

  That’s what it meant.

 

  Britia realized.

 

  “I wish I knew. It’s okay if we become enemies with Robley.”

 

  Britia laughed as if she had lost her mind. It didn’t end that easily.

 

  “We need to transport grain through the County of Huate to the capital, but if we remain enemies with Robley, Huate will never open the way. Then we will be stranded.”

 

  Harty winced at the sound of Britia’s crying voice.

 

  “Is there anything difficult? You can use other connections other than Robley’s liaison.”

 

  “There is no connection like that in Lockhart! Do you think you would be worrying about this in the first place?”

 

  “I knew this was happening because I was only friends with the Robley gang. calm down.”

 

  Harty looked at her with tears in her eyes and slowly raised her hands up and down again.

 

  “If you cry, I think I will feel very sorry for Duke Turas.”

 

  “… I won’t cry if the Earl promises to find another way.”

 

  Britia took a deep breath and looked directly at Harty.

 

  “what?”

 

  Harty was disgusted and asked what kind of nonsense this was.

 

  “Or I’ll cry right here and now.”

 

  “A threat like that would work, okay? I knew. So don’t cry!”

 

  Harty shouted urgently as she saw Britia’s tears rolling down her cheeks. She seemed to see an apparition of Sig behind her, with his scary face.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  After Harty returned, Britia visited Crave.

 

  “Doesn’t Count Slanford visit often? We went out together the other day. Have you ever had a relationship with him?”

 

  Crave giggled and teased her.

 

  “… You also hated clubs so much that you went there.”

 

  “I went with Sig. It made me happy to see everyone looking at me with envy!”

 

  He said with an ecstatic face.

 

  “You probably don’t know how different the air is on the first and second floors. I don’t know what you’re smoking, but the scent is different.”

 

  “You’ve been going to clubs since you became Count Lockhart. How do you know what the air is like on the first floor?”

 

  “… If you want to go to the second floor, you have to first go up from the first floor.”

 

  Crave, who flinched for a moment and asked if he didn’t know that, spoke as if scolding him.

 

  “Isn’t that the first time you’ve been to the second floor?”

 

  “You’ve been a count for several years. Is this your first time going there?”

 

  Crave held his stomach and chuckled, telling me not to talk nonsense. Then, seeing Britia’s expression, the laughter gradually became quieter. Only then did Crave realize why her expression remained dark.

 

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

  In response to Britia’s question, Crave looked at her, biting his lower lip slightly.

 

  “… It hurts my pride.”

 

  Ge felt sad that he was being treated like this because he had debt. But even after paying it all off, nothing changed. How despairing he was that he had been ignored from the beginning regardless of his debt.

 

  Crave was so embarrassed that something he had tried to keep secret his entire life was discovered, so he just ripped off his fingernails. In the silence, Britia could be heard whimpering. Her tears did not flow, but her nose was red.

 

  “When you said you wanted to get ahead, did you mean that you didn’t want to be ignored anymore after being ignored like that?”

 

  Seeing Britia with her mouth closed in frustration and tears streaming down her face, Crave got up and sat down next to her.

 

  “You idiot, why are you crying? It’s dirty and shameful, but it’s all in the past. I’ll be treated there now.”

 

  “Still… .”

 

  Britia couldn’t stop crying because she was humiliated and angry at herself for always thinking she was grateful to Robley.

 

  “This all happened because my social standing was very weak. If I grow up with you and Sig on my back, I won’t be ignored like that in the future.”

 

  Crave just laughed, saying he was excited just thinking about it.

 

  “I’ll tell you better news than that, Tia. I didn’t tell you on purpose to surprise you, but a little while later, a man you love, although not as much as me, decided to come.”

 

  “… Duke Turas?”

 

  “My Tia, you have become very confident now without denying your feelings. I’m happy as your older brother.”

 

  Crave stabbed Britia in the side, saying that he was looking forward to the day when the two would get married.

 

  “But don’t stress too much. It would be great if you married Sig, but it doesn’t matter if you and Sig don’t end up together.”

 

  He smiled meaningfully.

 

  “I’m going to hold on to my pants and keep asking you to be friends with me. You know I don’t have that kind of pride, right?”

 

  So, even if you break up with Sig, he asked you not to break up too badly, which is not a request.

 

   “Even if I have to fight with Duke-nim, stab him, and break up with him, I will ask you to remain as your friend.”

 

Britia answered in a tearful voice. 

 

* * * 

 

  Sig visited the Lockhart mansion with excitement. However, when I went to visit her, I was very worried to see her swollen eyes, as if she had been crying.

 

  Your eyes are red. Are you crying? Did something happen?

 

  There were a lot of questions in my head, but none of them came out from my frozen mouth.

 

  “Tia cried because she thought you were going to stab her.”

 

  Instead, Crave spoke. Then, Sig’s tail was so surprised that it stuck up.

 

  “Britia-nim, I… !”

 

  Crave laughed as he looked at Sig, who was struggling and unable to speak.