~Chapter 6~
The viscount was dragged out of the office by the guards.
His desperate cries snapped me back to reality.
“No! This can’t be happening! Aaagh!”
He was stomping his feet so dramatically that anyone would think I was the one who had been scammed.
At his age, I found the viscount pitiful. But before he and his subordinates left the office, a knight stood before me.
He was a middle-aged man with a thick beard, probably in his forties, about the same age as Dolores.
The man nodded to me.
“Apologies for the late introduction. I am Knight Hubert.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Charlotte D. Arista.”
“My condolences for your loss.”
I nodded, acknowledging his words.
Hubert continued.
“It must have been hard for you, dealing with a fraudster on top of everything else.”
“Thank you for your concern. But I can handle this much.”
I said this sincerely. After all, I had faced many struggles while raising Bliss over the years.
I smiled lightly and glanced behind me.
“It seems that Dolores has had even a tougher time than I have.”
Dolores stepped forward and extended her hand to Hubert.
“Nice to meet you. I’m the lawyer overseeing the will of the late Viscount.”
Hubert gladly shook her hand.
“I am Hubert. Now, if you don’t mind, could you please cooperate with an inquiry? It is absolutely necessary in order to send the criminal we just caught to jail.”
I nodded willingly, but Dolores hesitated.
“There is something you should know first.”
Suddenly, Dolores looked me in the eye. She appeared as calm as usual.
“Madam, I must respectfully decline your offer of 100 million gold as payment.”
Hubert gasped at the mention of the sum.
I was also surprised.
Even for someone like me, the former head of the Arista family, 100 million gold wasn’t a trivial amount.
To put it in perspective, the empire’s currency is divided into copper, silver, and gold, and 100 million gold is roughly equivalent to 1 billion.
I couldn’t fathom why Dolores would refuse such a large sum.
‘Could it be that 100 million gold isn’t enough for her? Or does she simply not like me?’
I felt uneasy.
I needed Dolores, especially for the challenges ahead!
‘I can’t afford to lose her; I don’t trust anyone else as much.’
But my concerns were short-lived. As someone once said, you have to listen to the end to understand the whole story.
Finally, Dolores spoke again.
“However, I will accept your offer to become the exclusive lawyer for the Arista family.”
I was so happy that I almost screamed and hugged Dolores tightly.
“Thank you, Dolores! Thank you so much!”
For a moment, I felt Dolores stiffen in my arms. But she didn’t push me away or yell at me to let go.
I squeezed her even tighter, encouraged by her slight kindness.
She let out a small sigh and tapped my shoulder.
“It’s still too early to celebrate.”
Her voice was weary.
I finally released her and squeezed my fists to reassure her.
“Don’t worry, Dolores! Our future will be very secure!”
Suddenly, Hubert let out a groan.
I instinctively narrowed my eyes.
“Is something wrong, Hubert?”
“Sorry, madam. But I don’t think we can use Dolores’s testimony as evidence.”
“Why not?”
“Even though she refused the 100 million gold payment, Dolores has just agreed to become the Arista family’s lawyer.”
“So you mean her testimony may be considered biased and untrustworthy?”
“Also, from what I saw, your relationship with the Lord didn’t seem too friendly.”
But I wasn’t worried about not being able to send the Lord to prison.
“It’s fine. The evidence that the Lord is a gambler doesn’t only come from Dolores.”
My confident smile made Dolores widen her eyes in surprise, and Hubert perked up his ears.
“Wait, you have another witness?”
“No, there’s something even more certain.”
Before meeting Dolores, I had brought something into the office. I handed it to Hubert.
He hesitated for a moment but then took the thick, leather-bound notebook and began reading its contents.
“This is… the late Lord Arista’s notebook.”
“Yes, and inside, it not only has evidence that the Lord was a gambler, but it also lists the locations of illegal gambling houses.”
Hubert was stunned, wiping his face with his hand.
“With this, we have a chance to catch not only the Lord but also the gamblers and operators of the illegal casinos!”
I almost puffed up with pride, but I held it back when I saw Hubert’s expression.
He was carefully studying my reaction.
“But, madam, are you sure about this? If we submit this notebook to the authorities, it will reveal that your late husband was involved in gambling.”
I smiled lightly, took the notebook from Hubert’s hands, and lied without hesitation.
“Actually, I’m not okay with it. Even though the Arista family’s reputation has already hit rock bottom, gambling is a serious crime forbidden by the royal family.”
Hubert swallowed hard, and I could see his desire for the notebook.
‘With this notebook, he can temporarily shut down the illegal casinos. Plus, such a big case will surely guarantee his promotion.’
I grinned and handed the notebook back to Hubert.
“So, could you arrange a meeting with the commander of the Arista family’s knight order?”
Hubert, unable to take his eyes off the notebook, quickly grabbed it.
“Of course! But may I ask what the purpose of meeting the commander is?”
I didn’t answer directly. Instead, I gave a meaningful smile and instructed Dolores.
“Dolores, as the exclusive lawyer of the Arista family, please meet with the commander and negotiate the fine. Hopefully, the fine will be reduced in proportion to the importance of this notebook.”
Though the late Viscount Arista couldn’t be dragged to prison, the family would still likely face a significant fine.
I didn’t want that, especially now that I had inherited the estate.
Luckily, Dolores lived up to my expectations.
Two days later, she came back with the fine set to “0 gold.”
On a weekday morning, I welcomed Dolores at the tea table set in the garden, feeling incredibly grateful for the good news.
“That’s amazing, Dolores! Reducing the fine to 0 gold is no small feat!”
“I just did what I had to do.”
“Heh, being humble is so like you, Dolores.”
I smiled warmly and pushed a three-tier tray filled with finger foods like sandwiches and madeleines toward her.
During the two days she spent negotiating with the captain of the knights, I had gone to the bank to withdraw money. This time, unlike before, I was able to enjoy a proper tea time with Dolores.
“By the way, I also bought a new black dress.”
I no longer wore the worn-out mourning clothes that were on the verge of falling apart.
Although I didn’t have time for custom tailoring and had to settle for altering a ready-made dress, it was still far better than what I had before.
“At least this dress is much nicer than the old one. It even has proper lace!”
A noblewoman must wear a finely crafted dress with lace, frills, and ribbons, even during mourning. It was a way of showing the world, “I’m part of the top 1% of the Empire’s nobility.”
“Is the tea to your liking? I know you prefer herbal tea, but this one is special… imported from the East.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
Dolores suddenly interrupted me, raising one eyebrow. I blinked, confused by her serious expression.
I was worried she might once again refuse to be the official lawyer for the Arista family.
Fortunately, my concern was unfounded.
Dolores bluntly made a suggestion.
“From now on, just call me Dolores.”
“Uh… so suddenly?”
“Did you just say ‘suddenly’?”
Dolores’ eyes glinted, and I realized I had made a mistake.
In this world, unlike Earth’s 21st century, gender distinctions may not be a big deal, but class distinctions are immense.
People like Dolores, of the middle class, took great pride in serving noble families, and using formal language with employees was unacceptable.
I couldn’t help but be shocked.
“So, you truly intend to become one of my people, Dolores? If you were just treating me as an employer, you wouldn’t have pointed out my mistake.”
Suddenly, I realized something.
Dolores’ ears are bright red!
She hesitated for a moment, then, as if trying to hide her embarrassment, she returned to her usual stiff demeanor.
“I just didn’t want to miss a good opportunity.”
“Well, come to think of it, lawyers, accountants, and clerks employed by noble families often serve for generations, so it’s rare for them to change.”
I nodded casually, but Dolores was looking at me with a strange expression.
I tilted my head slightly.
“Do you have something you want to say?”
After fiddling with the handle of her teacup, Dolores finally spoke, her voice hesitant.
“Why did you send me 100 million gold yesterday? I already told you I would decline the 100 million gold fee.”
