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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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Chapter 98 - Sword Sheath (2)
‘Aslan Vermont. The man who rapidly revived the Vermont family after it was on the brink of collapse following the execution of the Count…’
Merilda kept a calm expression outwardly as she observed Charlotte and Julia’s reactions.
She already knew that Aslan Vermont wasn’t some reckless thug as the rumors made him out to be.
But seeing how these two deeply admired him, if she pretended to misunderstand Aslan, they’d likely spill all sorts of information.
‘He’s definitely no ordinary person.’
Usually, when a noble family grows this quickly, internal or external problems arise.
But the Vermont Count had purged internal dissent through a great purge, and had forged strong ties with the Empress to ward off external threats.
For someone who had spent years in seclusion, the Vermont Count’s strategic prowess was hard to believe.
Though her father hadn’t issued any specific instructions, it was clear that even he was wary of Aslan Vermont.
Being in the presence of this formidable figure’s closest associates, gathering intel was only natural.
And after all, her targets were still children.
They were far too inexperienced in diplomacy to notice she was probing for information.
Alright then, let’s see what secrets Aslan Vermont is hiding…!
“I heard that Count Vermont took in a commoner slave as his ward with plans to marry her in the future. Is that true?”
“That’s…!”
“Well, that’s…”
Charlotte and Julia reacted simultaneously, their voices trailing off.
If they wanted to defend Aslan’s reputation, they should’ve denied it here and now.
But since what Merilda said was completely true, they hesitated.
“Well, it’s true…”
“Ch-Charlotte!”
“But it is true, so what can we do? Lying is bad.”
“Wait, really? It’s true?”
Merilda’s eyes widened in surprise.
She had expected them to leap to Aslan’s defense, but it turned out to be the truth…?
“Yeah, I had insomnia… well, I used to. So I’d often fall asleep next to Aslan, and whenever I did, he would smile with this mischievous look on his face and stroke my cheeks…”
“And he has me give him massages nearly every day! He really loves it when I step on him…!”
“Oh, and Aslan really likes my hair! Sometimes, when I pretend to be asleep or act like I don’t notice, he sneaks in to touch it.”
“Hmph… Aslan likes my hair more. Even when I don’t ask, he often ties it up for me.”
“W-Wait, what!? He ties up your hair…?”
“Of course. Julia always gets annoyed when he touches her hair, so he doesn’t do it for her. If you asked him nicely, he probably would, you know.”
“I-I don’t want him to…!”
Somehow, Charlotte and Julia had started boasting about Aslan’s attentions, escalating into a competition.
Julia’s face turned bright red as she got pulled into it.
In truth, she didn’t like it when Aslan touched her hair.
He never cared about how tangled it got afterward.
His rough handling always left her hair a mess.
Yes, his clumsy touch was annoying, but…
It wasn’t like she hated it completely.
She just wished he’d be a little more gentle…
‘Ah, I see.’
As Merilda watched the two bicker and brag, she nodded in understanding.
It all made sense now.
‘Count Vermont took in these children out of kindness and raised them with great care. He probably allows rumors to spread to avoid suspicion about why he’s raising them without an obvious reason.’
It seemed that Charlotte and Julia were just misunderstanding things.
Stroking a cheek? Touching some hair? Those were harmless gestures, nothing more.
From a third-party perspective, it was clear that Aslan simply doted on the children without any ulterior motives.
It was just that Charlotte and Julia admired him so much that they overinterpreted his actions.
For all their strength, they were still just children compared to their peers.
Merilda had to stifle a giggle behind her hand.
Meanwhile…
‘He touches Julia’s cheek? He secretly strokes her hair? He ties her hair up…?’
Yuri’s world was collapsing in real-time.
She had expected it.
She had expected that Aslan Vermont would pull all sorts of nasty tricks to win over Charlotte and Julia.
But imagining it in her head was entirely different from hearing it directly from their mouths.
Watching Charlotte and Julia brag about their relationship with Aslan was far more painful than she had anticipated.
She wanted to shut her eyes and cover her ears.
She wanted to wake up from this terrible nightmare.
Behind the mask, Yuri’s face was nearly in tears.
“Aslan also signed me up for private tutoring, just so he could spend more time with me!”
“T-That’s probably because he genuinely wanted to help you study. You’re smart, so he’s just taking advantage of that!”
“Nuh-uh!”
“Aslan even helps me put on my armor. You didn’t know that, did you?”
“T-That’s a lie!”
By now, Charlotte and Julia were locked in a full-blown competition, oblivious to their surroundings.
Yuri, on the other hand, was on the verge of a breakdown.
Please. Please, stop.
I can’t take it anymore.
She had long since given up on the theory that Charlotte and Julia had been brainwashed.
The way they spoke, laughed, and teased each other was too vivid and real to be an act.
They were definitely the friends she knew, but…
That just made it all the more unbearable to hear.
They were saying all of this with a clear mind.
They were truly that enamored with Aslan Vermont.
If they weren’t brainwashed, then what tricks had Aslan used on them…?
‘Heh, it’s cute how both of them are so desperate to get the Count’s attention.’
On the other hand, Merilda struggled to keep from laughing.
She found it slightly curious that they had fallen for someone as gloomy-looking as Aslan Vermont, but hey—everyone had their own taste.
Personally, she preferred someone with a face like Yuri’s.
Merilda scooted even closer to Yuri, smiling contentedly.
Now that she knew Aslan Vermont wasn’t as wicked as the rumors suggested, she could get closer to Yuri without worry!
‘Honestly, Yuria’s like a machine.’
Even though Merilda was practically leaning against him, Yuri didn’t react in the slightest.
Though she pouted at his coldness, it only made her more determined.
How cool and focused he was, always taking his duty seriously.
She was falling for him all over again.
But Yuri was simply in a state of panic, on the verge of a mental collapse.
She wasn’t in any condition to respond to anyone’s advances.
‘I’ll admit it. Aslan Vermont doesn’t treat Charlotte and Julia like objects, nor does he conduct any inhumane experiments on them.’
Based on this short journey and what her friends had said, Yuri realized there was a significant gap between the public perception of Aslan Vermont and the reality.
Aslan Vermont might not be as terrible as she had initially thought.
But there was one undeniable fact:
Aslan Vermont had corrupted Charlotte and Julia, turning them into a dark knight and a necromancer.
And now, he planned to make them his wives once they were a fitting match for him…!
That had to be stopped.
She had to stop it.
But how? No solution came to mind.
If she tried to fight him, could she win?
Would Charlotte and Julia even follow her willingly?
She didn’t know…
She couldn’t be sure of anything.
But there was one method.
A method that had a high chance of succeeding.
‘They say Aslan Vermont has a twisted preference for pure, innocent commoner girls…’
Gritting her teeth, Yuri’s lips tightened.
She never thought she’d resort to this, but…
There was one more person here who fit that description.
Her.
If she could catch his attention, maybe he’d let Charlotte and Julia go.
If she became the Countess first and strictly opposed polygamy…!
‘There’s a problem, though. Aslan Vermont thinks I’m a man…!’
But Aslan didn’t see her as a woman.
So, should she make him see her that way…?
Wear more feminine clothes, grow out her hair, maybe put on a flowy dress…?
But she was terrible at that sort of thing. How could she even manage it?
Yuri was still fretting over it when—
“Yuria!”
“Everyone, stay down. Someone’s approaching the carriage.”
“…!?”
Yuri’s senses flared, and she sprang to her feet.
Someone was approaching the carriage.
And not just one person—there were many!
This presence… it felt like the bandits they had encountered on the way to Ester.
“Kahaha! This time we hired a mage to hide our presence! Hand over everything you’ve got!”
“…!”
Looking outside, they were already surrounded.
This was bad.
If Julia or the Princess, non-combatants, were taken hostage, things would get much more complicated.
Just as Yuri was about to draw her sword—
“Sylvia. Draw it.”
“Hah… do I really have to pull it out of your mouth?”
“It won’t come out unless you pull it from my mou—ughughgh!”
Ssshh.
With an embarrassed look, Sylvia drew the sword from Aslan’s mouth and got into position.
Yuri stood there, stunned, while the bandits froze in shock at the sight.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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