There Is No Mercy

Ch 08

“Sierra. Do you have any plans today?” (Belietta said)

“No, I don’t…….”

I had cleared my calendar because I wanted to take a break.

The word “no” came out naturally and I quickly shut my mouth.

If I said no, she’d be sticking around all day.

But I’d gotten more than half of it out, and Bellietta‘s eyes were sparkling.

I rolled my eyes and studied Bellietta‘s face.

As expected, she didn’t disappoint.

I couldn’t match the clothes or shoes, but the hats and jewelry she wore were all identical to my own.

Wow.

I felt a smile creep up my face, but then I remembered something and spoke up.

“By the way, have you been to Jeju Island? I haven’t heard anything.”

“Oh, that’s right, I’ve sent someone out there.”

“Didn’t I tell you you’d have to go yourself? It’s so precious that you have to go there yourself to get it.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

I laughed at Belietta’s nonchalant attitude. I mean, who in the Empire wouldn’t recognize the name Bozeburn when they hear it?

It’s a more certain name than the Emperor’s.

“Still, you should go see for yourself, just in case. There’s always a “what if.”

“I’ll take care of that.”

I frowned, wondering if my words had offended her. She’s not that stupid after all.

Bellietta was actually pretty smart.

In particular, she made sure to use what she had in a way that no one else could imitate.

She was clever and resourceful.

That was Bellietta‘s greatest strength.

“More than that, Sierra. Did you hear the story?”

“What story?”

Bellietta changed the subject, her face as lovely as a flower in bloom, as if she hadn’t been fat.

It was disgusting, of course, but I knew that if I told her to get lost, it would only lead to rumors that I was crazy, so I played along.

“The story of the Marquis of Vladia.”

“…….”

Layton, why is that guy’s name here again, was he mentioned so much in the past?

I frowned slightly, and Bellietta‘s eyes widened in surprise.

Aha, facial expressions.

“He said he’s throwing a banquet next month. It’s a banquet for young nobles, and he wants all of them to be able to attend, regardless of rank…… Are you going?”

There’s nothing to do.

The life of a noble was free.

If you stayed still, your taxes were collected, and if you lifted a finger, you got what you wanted.

If you weren’t greedy, you could live in plenty and boast a modest amount of wealth and power.

Naturally, the life of the nobility favored pleasure over boredom and splendor over tranquility.

Banquets were a typical way to showcase this aspect of their lives.

Moreover, banquets were not only entertaining, but also a place for men and women to meet, and a place for power-seekers to unite.

This was even the banquet of the Marquis of Vladia, a great nobleman.

It would be strange for a noble not to attend.

“Not much. I’m not interested.”

“Why?”

Bellietta‘s eyes narrowed in surprise at my answer.

Why?

What good could come from going to see him?

Besides, the purpose of the banquet was obvious.

She rolled her eyes and glanced at Bellietta.

A pretentious fellow who shook his head.

Layton wanted Bellietta.

Everything about Bellietta, starting with her family name.

To him, I was a way to get Bellietta to look at herself.

I had no intention of attending a banquet thrown by such a man.

I turned my head away, and Bellietta spoke again, as if she didn’t understand.

“Sierra, I thought you were interested in the Marquis de Vladia?”

“Who said that?”

“I thought it was because of the way your expression changed as soon as you saw Marquis Vladia at the banquet last time…….”

“She’s a young marquise, so I was just looking at her out of curiosity, not interest.”

That was a lie.

I was interested in the Marquis of Vladia.

We had the same hobbies, the same personality, and he tried to understand me, and I was interested in that kindness.

We married, of course, but the death of my parents was the main reason.

Whatever it was, I wouldn’t have cared if I’d known that the favor he showed me wasn’t directed at me, but at Bellietta next to him.

He was a trashy human being who used people as tools to be played with and then discarded.

I didn’t want to see more of his face if I could help it.

Bellietta kept her mouth shut as she sipped her tea, not sure if I was reacting differently than she expected or if she was thinking of something more sinister.

It was comfortable, so I kept my mouth closed, enjoying the silence.

To be stuck with Bellietta on this nice day.

What a piece of…

I rolled my eyes and looked at Bellietta.

She looked like me, but with hair that looked like it had been melted from gold.

As if sensing my stare, Bellietta‘s gaze rose to meet mine.

Her smile was so gentle and beautiful that a stranger would call her an angel.

I wish I could get rid of her, but I can’t seem to get rid of her.

I raised an eyebrow in thought.

If there’s anything Bellietta would find objectionable, it’s this.

I gave Bellietta a small smile.

“I saw it. Bellieta.”

“Huh? See what?”

She squinted at me, her eyes widening, and lifted her teacup.

“Two nights ago.”

“Two days ago……?”

I chuckled inwardly at Bellietta‘s slightly stiffened face.

“Yep. You were talking to someone.”

“Was I?”

“Yes.”

I gave Bellietta a weak smile at her stony expression.

She tapped her fingers lightly on the table, then slammed them down with her palm.

“You, do you have a fiancé?”

What to say.

At the mere mention of a fiancé, Bellietta‘s expression instantly stiffened.

Her gaze lingered on my face, her eyes wavering, and then her expression turned stern.

“Fiancé, what do you mean?”

“No? I heard your voice that day.”

“What did I say?”

“Never mind, you just got mad at me, saying it was a promise your parents made.”

There was nothing to hide.

I didn’t particularly care if Bellietta had a fiancé, and I didn’t care if she didn’t.

She’d lied to me more than once.

Contrary to my expectations, Bellietta didn’t seem shaken or embarrassed.

Instead, she took my words in stride.

“Really? I think I was talking to someone, but I was drunk and I don’t remember what I was saying.”

I chuckled to myself as I watched her feign ignorance.

Is she trying to play drunk?

“I mean, yeah. But I was a little surprised when I heard that, too. You have a fiancé. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was going to tell you later, I just didn’t because I didn’t need to tell you now.”

“I was actually a little upset when I heard about it. I thought we were close enough that we could share secrets, but I didn’t think you had any, and especially not about your fiancé…….”

I looked at Bellietta, who was trying to look nonchalant, and set my jaw.

“I never thought there would be a fiancé hidden from me.”

“…….”

Bellietta stiffened at my last word and looked at me.

She studied me with a puzzled look on her face and opened her mouth to speak, but my lips parted before she could.

“There’s something urgent I need to do today, but can you please go back, I have some work to do.”

“Sierra?”

Bellietta jerked out of her seat.

Looking at me, she smiled at Bellietta, who looked confused, and waved.

“I’ll see you later, Bellietta.”

* * *

I only returned to my room after watching Bellietta climb into the carriage with an incomprehensible look on her face.

As soon as she sat down in her chair, she ordered a maid to fetch the head butler and rubbed her chin.

‘Such a reaction…….’

Watching the sensitive Bellietta‘s reaction, I came up with a plausible number.

If done well, I thought, it would be a very good revenge.

Wouldn’t it be fair to give back at least some, if not all, of the sumo I had received?

I was the daughter of Lord Briloxen, lord of the Gray Mountains.

My math is solid.

It was my turn to return what Bellietta had taken from me.

There was a knock on the door.

A well-dressed, middle-aged butler entered, bowed his head, and spoke.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“Yes, I’m here to ask you a favor, Deacon Datum.”

“And when you say a favor, you mean……?”

I lowered my hand from rubbing my chin and tapped it lightly on the table.

He opened his mouth to make the regular sound of nails clicking.

“We urgently need supplies, could you gather them for us?”

“What kind of supplies?”

“Basic necessities would be good, I suppose. Grain, food, foodstuffs, alcohol, clothing, medicine, and a few other little things. I’d like you to collect them.”

“Okay, okay, how much do you think we should collect?”

How much do I need to collect.

I lowered my gaze from the butler and looked at the ground.

I had a rough estimate of the population of Harmonia.

I know the population of the capital, where the population is concentrated, is over a million…….

It’s a small kingdom, I’m told.

After gathering my thoughts for a moment, I remembered the authority and limits delegated to me by my father, and then spoke quietly.

“Approximately 500,000 people will be able to fly this year.”

“Yes, I understand… … yes?”

The eyes of the butler who answered calmly opened wide.

“You mean 500,000 people? “Not 500 people?”