Volume 4, Chapter 29 – Paranoia and Weakness (Part 2)

“Why would it be unworthy of a noble? Compared to the process of achieving victory, isn’t the result of victory clearly more important? As long as you can reclaim your position, everyone will offer you flowers and reverence. If you think borrowing troops from your uncle is shameful, you can ask for help—no, you can cooperate with me. I’ll drive away Hetty for you. This cooperation would be just like you taking time from me now.”

“What’s the difference between that and a dog begging its master for food!” Edith’s eyebrows shot up, her face filled with anger. “Don’t think I can’t tell just because you changed the wording. If a noble sets aside their status to ask for help from someone of a lower station to reclaim their position, then they are not worthy of being called a noble at all. Their so-called honor would be as filthy as feces trampled on the ground.”

“Don’t those who call themselves nobles do that all the time?”

“Don’t compare me to them. I will not allow the name of Loiswell to be stained with any filth. Those people wear rotten, stinking things on their heads just for the sake of victory, and then act triumphant in front of others, not knowing that their stray dog nature has long been remembered by everyone.”

“It’s just a means to an end. After you’ve won, can’t you just make up an excuse?”

“Are you asking me to abandon the pride of the count’s eldest daughter just to get the title back?” With unconcealed contempt, Edith’s eyes filled with a rage Yisi had never seen before. “If I abandon this pride, the title of the count’s eldest daughter will just be a name, carrying no weight whatsoever. Therefore, I will not beg for pity and wag my tail for others. Don’t tell me to ignore the process for the sake of the goal.”

The conversation could no longer continue.

Yisi’s knuckles tapped lightly on the table.

She had always thought of nobles as just ordinary people with a higher status than commoners, but now it seemed that was not the case. So-called nobles, besides their lofty status, also had things that ordinary people would feel fine about discarding. Conversely, the reason nobles had a lofty status was probably because of this quality that ordinary people did not possess.

Even though she could solve the problem just by asking for help, she stubbornly refused, even comparing the act of asking to a dog begging its master for food. If it were anyone else, Yisi would have sneered at their foolishness and written them off as a lost cause, but now she could understand to some extent.

For every person, there are things that can and cannot be done. The things that cannot be done are what people call principles. Just as she had never accepted Camilla’s feelings because of her age, even though Camilla had clearly expressed her affection, for Edith, her principle was that she could not bow her head to others, could not abandon the pride of the count’s eldest daughter just to reclaim her title.

The atmosphere in the carriage gradually solidified.

Yisi raised her hands in surrender.

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“Alright, I get it. I won’t say anything to upset you anymore.”

Then, Yisi took out the chessboard and pieces from her inventory and set them up according to the rules.

Yisi’s concession calmed Edith down a bit. She also silently set up her pieces.

Unlike last night’s all-out-attack strategy that abandoned defense, Edith now adopted a strategy of attacking while defending. Of course, because she lacked baiting moves—the strategy of deliberately sacrificing a piece to expose a weakness and lure the opponent into a trap—Yisi still had the upper hand.

Since the current situation was not suitable for talking, Yisi could only focus all her attention on the game. Soon, Edith was in a checkmate.

“Checkmate.”

“Tch.”

The count’s eldest daughter clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Yisi glanced at Refina beside Edith—she still had a very hesitant look on her face.

“Want another game?”

“Of course.”

Setting up the pieces again, Yisi, while watching the count’s eldest daughter’s expression, tentatively continued the previous topic.

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“Your next plan is to assassinate Hetty, right?”

“As long as the caster is killed, the subject of the spell will naturally be freed.”

“Then who is this assassin? Samael is likely guarding Hetty. I don’t think just anyone can assassinate her.”

She herself was the most suitable person for this job, but Edith would not ask for her help.

Edith placed a hand on her chest and at the same time moved her bishop back in defense.

“Me, of course.”

“You? You’ve never learned any magic related to assassination, have you?”

“I am different from those nobles who tried to assassinate Hetty because they supported me. No one in the Count’s mansion dares to stop me. As long as I avoid my father’s line of sight, I can easily get to Hetty. As for whether Samael will be by her side, I will find a way to lure him away.”

Too risky.

Yisi rebuked her with a slightly firmer tone.

“Don’t forget that I have a share in this body. If something happens to you, it will belong to me.”

Edith let out a sneer, as if in contempt. For a moment, Yisi felt that she had lost a lot of points in Edith’s eyes.

“Are you saying I will fail? That is also a possible outcome. If things develop to that point, I will hand this body over to you and never come out again. You don’t need to worry.”

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If possible, I don’t want you to do that.

Compared to seeing Edith fail, she wanted to see her succeed more, just like the feeling of a spectator watching a live stream, not wanting the person or team they support to lose. Of course, her feelings for Edith were more complicated than a spectator’s feelings for someone on a screen.

Yisi did not say her inner thoughts out loud.

Refina, who had been hesitating all this time, suddenly cut into the conversation. She leaned forward slightly, tilted her head to look at Edith, and spoke slowly, choosing her words very carefully.

“Master, your subordinate believes… that assassination is too dangerous…”

“No choice is without danger. Get out. There is no need for you here.”

“But—”

“Are you going to betray me like Clara did?”

The count’s eldest daughter’s tone was filled with an unquestionable authority, a quality that only those who have long been in a superior position possess. Refina instantly wilted, lowering her head in worry.

“Yes…”

Then she slowly exited the carriage.

The carriage was suddenly left with only Edith and Yisi.

Yisi couldn’t help but speak up.

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“How about being a little nicer to Refina? She’s the most loyal person to you. Even if you just see her as a pet, there’s no need to use that tone with her.”

“Hmph, unnecessary sympathy. Did she say something to you?”

“She just told me some stories from the past. If you want to know, I can tell you.”

“Boring. Your move.”

Yisi’s knight took the count’s eldest daughter’s rook.

“Ugh…”

“I’m not asking you to change your personality. I’m just saying you should reward Refina more often. That way, she’ll be happier when she works for you. Her feelings for you are deeper than you think.”

“What do you know?” Edith looked displeased. “Refina is too weak. She lacks the self-awareness of being my servant. Since she is my servant, she should carry out my will, always putting my will in the place of highest priority. But you should know how she actually behaves.”

Compared to Edith’s pride, Refina cared more about Edith as a person.

The most obvious example was Refina’s request. If things got to the point where no one was on Edith’s side, she hoped that Yisi could take Edith away to a place where she wouldn’t be involved in conflict, to become an ordinary girl and live a happy life.

“Although she admires my pride, she cannot carry it out with all her heart. She thinks of escaping when faced with difficulties, and even projects this weakness onto me. Do you think I should praise her and say, ‘Well done,’ ‘Very good’?”

There was a questioning tone in Edith’s voice.