The Duchess's Dangerous Love Life

chapter 14

Lady. It meant that, as the head of the household, he will delegate the power of the castle to the lady. Sebastian bowed his head and Noah stared at Adele’s writing on the paper.

“She would be flustered if I were to send this to her.” But in his heart, he was satisfied with these arrangements.

Although she would be flustered, Noah remembered Adele who would work quietly after receiving the document and his lips quirked up. Seeing his smiling expression, Sebastian and the other servants felt goosebumps on their skin and was lost for words.

After some time, Sebastian spoke on behalf of those who stayed up late two days ago in order to organize the papers that will be shown to the new lord. “My Lord, do you plan on finishing all these paperwork tonight?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“You seem to be in a rush, sire.”

After becoming head of a state, one would usually tour the territory for a month to meet and greet the lower nobles. However, Noah brought his knights and beheaded low-ranking nobles who committed corruption instead. Later on, they would go and visit the nearest territory. This would happen less than 5 days after becoming the head of a state.

Sebastian waited for an answer, wondering if there was an urgent reason behind his actions.

Noah replied indifferently. “The faster I finish, the faster will I be able to enjoy my honeymoon.”

“Ah, sire?”

Oblivious to the other person’s dumbfounded thoughts, Noah continued speaking, “Here, how long would it take to reach the Austin territory?”

The servant, who was waiting for Noah’s words, responded quickly. He got up from his seat and left the office, the knights waiting outside quickly followed. Sebastian, who was left alone in the office, muttered while organizing the documents. “Now, I’ll have no need to suffer with the lady managing these documents.”

Instead of Enon, who was ill, Sebastian remembered Noah, who had taken succession classes since childhood. Ever since he was a child, he never laughed out loud. He had no interest in women. Thanks to this, he was wooed by the girls first, but he didn’t even bother to look at them.

Then, as he became an adult, Noah suddenly went to the battlefield saying that he wasn’t interested in being a successor. Meanwhile, Enon, who had recovered, became the head of the household. However, he wasn’t smart, so everything from territorial management to tax calculation was done clumsily, and he even entrusted work to the vassals. Which, based on the corruption they have found out, was a very unwise move.

“Phew.”

Sebastian sighed as he recalled the days of managing the paperwork with Adele. Fortunately, the late lord has gotten a clever woman as a wife and the castle was maintained well. He exclaimed in pure admiration as he recalled how Noah dealt with all of the castle’s treasury, personages, and documents within a span of a few days after becoming the head of the state.

“Simply wonderful. It might be better for the lady if things went this way.”

Because he had to carry out orders he had received from the new lord, Sebastian put the documents he had organized onto the desk and left the office.

***

「With the support received from the Maktus family, our circumstances have stabilized. You do not need to worry any further. That being said, are you all right? It was because of us that you are forced to marry. Thinking of those who would ridicule and criticize you in this world makes this father’s old heart break. In today’s time, divorce is not a bad thing, I shall still welcome you with open arms if you decide as such. Once I have gained more financial security, I will take you back.

I love you, my dear daughter. 」

In the lady’s office, Adele’s eyes became moist as she read the letter. Sitting on the chair in front of her desk, she gestured silently towards the maid standing next to her to put the ink on her desk.

「Father, I am doing well. On the contrary, I would have been punished for breaking the law if I hadn’t married. Rumors say that the Count’s wife, Orissa, also eventually returned to her husband’s surname. Do not do things excessively just to bring me back home and just think of the household for now. As for me, there’s also no need to worry. My new husband is very kind to me…」

Adele stopped writing. Soon, her feather pen moved again.

「My new husband is very kind to me. I’ll try to love him…」

‘Am I really able to do that?’

She put her pen back down.

‘Father…’

Her maid saw Adele holding her head and spoke. “Milady, are you okay? May I suggest that you rest for the remainder of the day? You’ve just held your wedding yesterday.”

At Lina’s words, the servants standing nearby hid the documents they were holding behind their backs. Adele moved her pen without a word and handed her finished letter to her maid.

“Send this to the postman. Oh, did the lord leave the city?”

“Yes. It was said that he left for other territories this morning.”

It’s good that I woke up when he wasn’t present. My body was aching everywhere and I only woke up in the afternoon after a long rest. He… was a very strong man.

Adele shook her head as she recalled that firm body that had served her last night.

“Are there any other documents for me to check?”

Instead of answering Adele’s words, her maid said that the vassal, Sebastian, had visited. At her gesture she opened the door, and Sebastian entered his office.

“Milady, this is Sebastian.”

“Sebastian? Come in.” When Adele turned her head, she saw Sebastian was standing there, covered in dust.

“You must’ve come from the outside of the castle?”

“Yes, madam.”

Sebastian decided to remain silent about the brutal sight he had seen this morning. He suddenly had goosebumps when he recalled Noah’s cruel laugh as he sliced the head off a lower noble’s neck without hesitation.

“Sebastian?”

Her voice brought him back to the present, “Ah, yes milady. The lord told me to send this to you.”

Adele’s eyes widened when she received the document and read its contents. She was flustered, but calmly opened her mouth as her servants were still watching.

“The lord?”

“Yes, madam. He also ordered for you to keep doing what you have always did.”

Adele looked at the documents silently. Originally, the castle’s staffing was arranged for domestic affairs, so the lady had done it from generation to generation. To entrust this matter to her was the same as acknowledging her as the lady of the Maktus family.

It was definitely an honor, but still, she felt burdened.