There Is No Mercy

Chaptet 44

The Marquis of Mormond, who had been venting his anger, was cut off by a sudden remark that made him fall silent.

His eyes flickered for a moment, and Bellieta gave a faint smile.

“Bozbourne merely encouraged you. You were tempted by our offer to recommend you for the next Commander position, weren’t you? Am I wrong?”

“…”

“The Mormond family, throughout its history, has never held the commander position, even before Rippleton came into the picture. It was always taken away from you. The most prestigious family in the empire, yet you couldn’t solve that puzzle. You agreed because we promised to solve it for you, didn’t you?”

Seeing his lips, which had been rambling just moments ago, suddenly clamped shut, Bellieta let out a snicker.

“I acted within my limits, and you took it all. Now you want to blame me?”

Bellieta’s voice turned cold, her sharp gaze leaving no room for pretense anymore.

“You shouldn’t have come here today. Who do you think I did all this for? For you? Or for some silly gambling scheme? No, not at all.”

She leaned forward, narrowing her eyes.

“It was all to crush Sierra. But instead of crushing her, we ended up playing in the palm of her hand.”

Sierra, who Bellieta thought would fall into her grasp, had slipped away again, mocking her with ease.

Sierra’s brilliant mind had shone through, and as a result, it was Bellieta who ended up crushed.

Bellieta’s insides churned at the thought of Sierra laughing at her right now.

“…”

Bellieta gazed at the stiffened Marquis Mormond for a while, then sighed, softening her expression.

A smile crept back onto her lips.

“We used each other for mutual gain, and you agreed to the terms. Now, blaming me isn’t quite right, is it?”

Deciding the conversation was over, Belleta stood up. Despite her movement, the marquis remained still, staring at the table.

Bellieta looked down at him with a calm expression and continued.

“Make sure you cooperate with the investigation and answer well. They’re not going to strip you of your position over something like this. Oh, and let me remind you, don’t go talking about what happened today or before. You know what happens when you make an enemy of the Bozebourne family, don’t you?”

There was no response, but Bellieta smiled as if she had already received one.

She turned to leave, but the marquis’s voice stopped her as her hand reached for the door.

“Brilloxen seems to be quite impressive.”

“…”

Bellieta froze at the mention of that name. She turned slightly, her body half twisted, and saw the marquis standing up, straightening his suit.

“For someone to know exactly whose hand to take, it seems they have a keen eye for people. Far more than just luck, I’d say. Identifying those who will be of benefit… much better than I could.”

“What are you trying to say, Marquis?”

“I’m not saying anything. Just sharing my thoughts.”

The marquis buttoned up his suit, lifting his chin with dignity.

“I used to think Brilloxen were just a bunch of lucky, wealthy men. But now I see. Their ability to persuade and gather people, their knack for finding exactly who they need… they didn’t build their fortune and position through sheer luck.”

“Marquis Mormond.”

“Thanks for making me see it again. The Bozeborne family is indeed a powerful one, but today, you reminded me of how they built that power. I appreciate it. I’ll handle the investigation well. Perhaps we’ll meet again. Farewell.”

Bellieta’s eyes narrowed as she watched the marquis exit through the opposite door.

She stood there, biting her lip.

His last words had hit a nerve. Of all the things, he had dared to compare her to Sierra.

That, she couldn’t tolerate.

Despite her attempts to stay composed by taking deep breaths, Bellieta finally grabbed the vase on the table and hurled it against the wall.

*Crash!*

She glared at the shattered vase, her face twisted in anger.

The marquis knew too much and could still be a threat.

Taking a long breath, Bellieta forced her twisted expression into a slow smile.

“…So, you’re not backing down so easily, huh?”

Her voice, tinged with self-deprecation, rose softly as her lips curled up further.

“Interesting.”

Bellieta mentally marked the marquis down, knowing he wouldn’t retreat so easily.

She turned to leave the room.

* * *

“Hurry up and get that room cleaned! We’ve got so much to do today, no time to slack off!”

“Who moved the vase that was here?! The lady cherishes that thing!”

“Who’s the one who spilled water and didn’t clean it up? People are slipping all over the place!”

The mansion was in chaos from the early morning. Servants were running around, cleaning, carrying things, and sweating from the rush.

As she observed the bustling workers, Datum, the head butler following her, spoke up.

“With the count and lady returning tomorrow, it’s going to be quite hectic. I apologize for not having things ready sooner.”

“It’s fine. It’s really my father’s fault. If he told us in advance, we could’ve prepared slowly, but he always comes back so impulsively. Nothing we can do about that. More importantly, have all the knights returned from their training?”

“They’re still in the process of returning.”

“Tell them to hurry up. We can’t have the lord’s procession without the knights.”

“Understood.”

As Datum jotted down her instructions, she looked ahead and spoke again.

“What’s the situation with Gilbert? Still no word?”

“He’s still keeping quiet. No suspicious activity, and he’s been behaving normally within the knight order lately.”

Are they just going to keep wasting time in silence?

There were many things to worry about, and I couldn’t afford to focus on that.

“Tell him he has until the end of this week. Once the knights return from training, keep pressing him. If he still doesn’t respond, tell him he’ll be facing punishment and an interrogation.”

“Understood. Oh, by the way, we’ve got a guest coming today. What should we do?”

“Who is it? I haven’t been notified about anyone.”

“The message came this morning, so the report’s a bit late.”

Datum pulled out a letter from the stack of documents he was holding and handed it over.

[Layton Vladia.]

The name and seal on the letter were all too familiar.

Just seeing the name made her feel sick, hearing it made her stomach churn.

She handed the letter back to Datum.

“Tell him I’m busy today and politely decline. He can come another time.”

“Understood.”

After bowing his head, Datum turned and walked away.

Watching Datum disappear into the distance, she sighed and opened the office door.

“How dare he show up here.”

Layton Vladia, perhaps an even more loathsome figure than Bellieta.

Bellieta’s actions could be understood, expected even.

But not Layton.

He had pretended to be on her side, used her, toyed with her, and ultimately betrayed her.

“Your time is coming soon too.”

Wait your turn, Layton. Once Bellieta is dealt with, you’re next.

* * *

A luxurious carriage rolled through the gates of the Brilloxen estate.

Its size and grandeur were nothing like the common carriages on the street, immediately catching the attention of the servants working outside in the garden and around the mansion.

“Who could that be?”

The unexpected carriage prompted the gate guards to quickly summon Datum.

As Datum stepped out of the mansion, he saw someone stepping down from the carriage just in time.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here.”

The man, fastening the buttons on his suit as he got off, caused a stir among the servants, especially the maids.

Datum’s expression soured at Layton’s appearance.

He had just finished preparing to deliver Sierra’s message, but Layton had shown up before he could.

Although caught off guard, the experienced butler remained composed as he approached Layton.

“Welcome to the Brilloxen estate. It’s an honor to have you, Marquis Vladia.”

Layton smiled, clearly pleased with Datum’s polite greeting.

He lightly adjusted the collar of his suit with both hands and nodded.

“It’s been a while, Butler Datum. You seem even younger than the last time we met.”

After shaking Layton’s outstretched hand, Datum raised his head.

Layton, while pretending to glance around, subtly gauged the reactions of the servants.

They all looked at him with admiration, already aware of his fame.

Layton Vladia.

The young master of the Vladia family and a man with fiery ambition, driving the empire forward.

His abilities had been proven countless times, and with his striking looks and refined manners, he had become the object of desire for many women across the empire.

Moreover, his consistent politeness toward everyone, regardless of their status, had earned him the reputation of being a noble worth emulating.

A noble known by both aristocrats and commoners alike.

Ask anyone who the empire’s top bachelor was, and they’d point to Layton Vladia.

“Yeah, this is more like it.”