IBACM Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Jacob noticed it too, but he only frowned without responding. After all, Delani was the lady of Blackwood, so he couldn’t be rude to her.

“I see… It looks like Dedrick likes you quite a lot.”

“……”

Jacob remained silent, but Delani began acting like a loving mother.

“You know, Dedrick has always been weak. Losing his mother made him a little gloomy, too.”

Oh no, here comes the badmouthing.

I felt the urge to throw the tea at her, but I held back.

“I’ve hired many sword instructors for him, but they all quit because of his difficult personality… I worry that he might act the same way with you.”

“The young master is more honest and well-mannered than anyone.”

Jacob spoke up, slightly irritated.

Delani hid her mocking smile behind her fan.

“That’s what they all say at first.”

“Please, just get to the point.”

Jacob couldn’t hold back any longer. Delani closed her fan with a snap and lowered her gaze as if she were troubled.

“Dedrick is too weak to continue learning swordsmanship. He seems to be struggling lately, so why don’t you stop tormenting him and let him go?”

This two-faced Demon..!

Delani was pretending to be a caring stepmother.

Jacob muttered, as if questioning whether he heard her correctly.
“Tormenting him…?”

“Oh my, I’m sorry, Sir. That was a slip of the tongue. I just repeated what Dedrick told me.”

“Lies!”

She doesn’t even look him in the eye!

“Are you saying the young master told you this himself?”

“Despite what people think, Dedrick and I don’t have a bad relationship. Sometimes he even relies on me. That’s why I found it surprising that he likes you so much.”

Who would believe that?

Delani continued,

“More importantly, you haven’t awakened your aura, have you? That makes me wonder if you’re truly qualified to be an instructor. Even if you are from the Black Hawks.”

“……”

Jacob lowered his head.

“Jacob!”

You can’t let this get to you!

I anxiously debated whether to interrupt.

Delani looked at Jacob’s lowered head with satisfaction, as if she had won. Then, she spoke with a relaxed smile.

“I’ll arrange for another instructor for Dedrick. All you need to do is tell His Grace that you’re stepping down.”

“…Lady Blackwood.”

“A mother is only thinking of her child, so don’t take it too hard.”

Delani pretended to be troubled, lowering her eyebrows as if this conversation pained her.

“You want Dedrick to improve too, don’t you?”

She kept pushing Jacob.

‘Ha… No choice, then.’

Just as I was about to throw Delani’s teacup to put an end to this, Jacob suddenly spoke.

“Yes, the young master will improve.”

“Exactly. So—”

“Through me.”

Jacob, who had been lowering his head moments ago, now looked Delani straight in the eyes. He then responded with perfect politeness but clear defiance.

“As far as I know, Lady Blackwood has no knights under her command. Am I mistaken?”

Exactly!

In other words, how are you going to hire an instructor for Dedrick?

Jacob, you absolute genius. That was so satisfying.

Delani’s hand trembled slightly as she held her fan, but Jacob wasn’t finished.

“More importantly, your words suggest that His Grace’s decision is flawed.”

Delani flinched.

“What are you saying, Sir?!”

“Who would dare question His Grace’s decision? Not even the Lady of Blackwood has that right, correct?”

Jacob wasn’t wrong. Delani had openly challenged the Duke’s authority, which was crossing the line.

“Well said, Jacob!”

Delani knew it too. She trembled, unable to argue back.

If word of this reached the Duke or his retainers, it would look like she was challenging his authority.

“Besides, if you had truly wanted to find Dedrick a sword instructor, you would have done so long ago. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Right! She never intended to find him an instructor!

Not willing to back down, Delani quickly countered,

“As I mentioned, Dedrick drove them all away. Did you even listen to what I said?”

Her voice grew sharp, but Jacob remained unbothered.

“I understand that no one wanted to be the young master’s instructor.”

“Exactly. So what’s the problem? More importantly, I find it offensive that you keep bringing up His Grace. I was only speaking out of concern for Dedrick.”

Jacob was an incredibly patient man. Anyone else would have snapped by now, but he calmly waited and then spoke his mind.

“I once thought that too.”

“What did you say?”

“You must not have heard the rumors among the knights.”

I had!

Word was spreading that Delani had been the one preventing Dedrick from getting proper training.

She had even manipulated some knights into spreading false rumors about him.

Delani’s reputation was crumbling right before their eyes.

She knew it, too, but hearing it said out loud made her face turn red with humiliation.

“Our dear Dedrick really found himself a great instructor. I don’t even have to do anything—everyone else is handling it for me! This is how a child should be protected!”

Feeling completely at ease, I casually took a seat beside Jacob and listened to the conversation.

“Lady Blackwood, no matter what you say, I have no intention of quitting as Dedrick’s instructor. His Grace has officially approved it, so this is not something you have any say in.”

Delani finally resorted to threatening him with her status.

“Sir, I am the Lady of Blackwood. Petty rumors will fade soon enough, and I will reclaim the White Hawks’ authority. Are you sure you want to speak to me like this?”

“I have never insulted you, Lady Blackwood. I only stated the truth. I won’t report this to His Grace, so if I was rude, please forgive me.”

That was basically a veiled threat. I’ll keep quiet about your defiance if you drop this matter.

“Jacob, you’re amazing.”

I clapped quietly.

Jacob stood up and spoke his final words.

“If we’re finished here, I’ll be taking my leave.”

He bowed politely and walked out of the drawing room.

Click.

The door closed, and Gemma hesitantly called out,

“My lady…”

“Hah!”

Delani clenched her fan so tightly her hands trembled in rage.

“A useless man who can’t even awaken his aura sure has a sharp tongue.”

“What should we do? Should we… take care of him?”

Take care of him?!

Do these people think killing someone is that easy?!

“Gemma, watch your words. If we recklessly deal with a member of the Black Hawk, we’ll be the ones to suffer.”
“…I’m sorry, ma’am.”
“We don’t have to do anything. That man won’t last long in the Black Hawk anyway.”

Delani smirked, twisting her lips.
“A man who can’t even manifest Aura—do you really think he’ll survive there for long?”
“But if this gets to His Grace’s ears…”
“The Black Hawk is stubborn. Once they make a promise, they keep it,” Delani said with a sneer.
“We just have to wait for the corpse to float down the river.”

Yeah, your corpse.