Chapter 110 – 10. Flowers in Both Hands (Complete)
A clear sound of a trumpet rang out in the secluded frozen ground, Lemoang Fortress.
An hour has already passed. The group camped at the checkpoint in front of the gate and those waiting their turn in the corridor felt uncomfortable as noon approached. Even more, in a situation where they were not all, Rom felt the need for an interview as soon as possible.
“Maid, ask the courtier for forgiveness and ask if we can see you in the evening.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Maybe you won’t like it. However, I will not attack recklessly.”
After rummaging, he took out a parchment scroll from the desk drawer and picked up the writing instrument. It was a record sheet used to organize future plans since Oriane delegated full authority. It was an indispensable item on a day like today when dealing with people who are entangled in very complicated relationships.
“Also, please call Antoine, the decree commander.”
“Are you talking about the baron’s exclusive adjutant?”
“Yes, please tell me to bring all ten of my newly assigned subordinates.”
Marion nodded and left her office. The remaining rom wrote down the order of the guests to meet with a masterful handwriting that was not like a knight. Surprisingly, in terms of protocol or rank, the highest court bag was put last, and the mayor of Saint-Buch, who had not even met, was put up first.
Kkkkn, by the time he finished writing down the list, a chuckle was heard from the hallway. Now it was definitely Antoine, a military officer with ten soldiers. Seats make people, but it was very nice to see the 10th manager still consistent.
“Did you call, baron?”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Antoine.”
“It is not right to receive mutual respect from a noble man. Please lower your words.”
Antoine gave a straight salute. He was accompanied by soldiers who entered the office after him.
“Well, I don’t know if you heard the rough story.”
“The head maid only told me that the baron is looking for it. He told me to take these friends and go to the office. At the checkpoint outside, Sir Peltier and the wagons of unknown people were confronting each other. Is that because of that?”
“Similar. It looks like it will be a busy day, but I need the strength of the 10th manager.”
“Just give me orders.”
Rom first pointed to one of the soldiers he had brought with him and then said.
“There, first go to the cloister and find Mayor Saint Bourse and bring him. Let the others go out into the hallway for a while and wait.”
“Ancient!”
“Antoine, I have an urgent mission for you.”
Rom reached under his old wooden furniture and winked at him to wait. After opening a hidden space at an angle he couldn’t see, he pulled out the seal representing the ruler of the Northern Territory. He was to sign the order prepared in advance.
“One is a document to be sent to the barracks. In case there is an armed conflict, it contains the contents of standby in a state that conforms to the wartime system. Right now, their chain of command is probably a mess, so tell them not to be reckless and to be vigilant.”
“Yes, I will deliver it myself.”
There were two papers. I could indirectly know how urgent the situation was in the fact that I used pure white paper instead of dirty parchment. Antoine kept the document handed over from Rome in his bosom.
“The other one will be sent to the checkpoint. Report to Sir Peltier, who will be fighting the visiting delegation from Count Poitiers and Baron Brienne from Lothringen. I must tell you that Madame Lemoyn sent it, not me.”
“I know what you mean. You mean to be wary of the antipathy of the knights, including Sir Peltier, right?”
“That’s right. Unfortunately, your wife was overworked the day before and she needs a break. I’m going to be in charge of welcoming guests today, but I’m worried about the order, so I’m going to borrow their help.”
Understanding the meaning, he nodded. He looked like his head and his was spinning very fast for a former soldier. What I liked more than that was that there was no change in the old attitude, even though there was a rise in rank that could be said to be a sudden success overnight.
“After handing over the orders in turn, I will remain at the checkpoint to monitor their movements. If there is anything wrong, I will report it immediately.”
“In case you don’t know, take three or four men with you.”
“Okay. Do you have any other orders?”
“Go to the general store in town and politely fetch Mr. Edward Dean. Let the remaining soldiers patrol in the corridors here.”
“Okay, then.”
Antoine raised his right hand repeatedly and saluted. Almost at the same time as the soldier who was heading to the corridor brought the mayor of Saint-Buch, they took turns leaving the door. It was a job that started without time to catch my breath, but I received a visitor without a single way to express disapproval.
“Baron, this is Georges Garrel, Mayor of Saint Bourch.”
“Good work, soldier.”
The mayor, who was said to be the head of the administrative group, was a man with a gentle and academic impression.
“Ah…”
Wearing spectacles, he frowned at the atmosphere of his low, sunken interior his. He was in a panic because he didn’t even know why the baron had called me, not the baron’s wife who had originally requested an interview.
“Mayor Georges Garrel?”
“Yes, yes.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Baron Romoald, the fiancé of Madame Lemoyn.”
Rom stood up from his desk and held out his hand willingly. Georges, who came up to him unexpectedly and grabbed it, smiled awkwardly. Contrary to the expectation that a snarky old man would come, it was a trivial impression.
“I’m sorry for the first meeting, but shall we listen to the business first?”
“Well, but where is Mrs. Lemoang… ?”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to see you today. He was resting because he was overworked the previous day.”
He let go of his hand and couldn’t hide his embarrassment. He looked around him anxiously, then lowered his head, scratching the back of his head. She seemed to find it difficult to have a conversation unless she was his wife her.
“Oh, I see. If so, we’ll see you again later. You’re busy and I’m really sorry for taking up your time. Excuse me…”
“Hmm?”
Rome glared at him with his curious face her. Judging by how scared he was, he was obviously hiding something, but somehow his attitude of trying to tell it only to Oriane drew attention.
“Wait, stop.”
“Ugh!”
Georges, who was about to quickly leave the room with an awkward gesture, was taken aback. It was the appearance of a man who was known as the mayor of a city who could not take care of his dignity at all. Moreover, it was not unusual to be sweating profusely in such cold weather.
“Mayor Garrel, you have come to ask for help from your wife.”
“… !”
“No, should I say that I came to ask for an apology?”
Georges’ body hardened like a hard stone. It meant he hit the nail on the head. Rom sighed, rubbing his forehead her, and continued the conversation by inviting him to sit down.
“Sit down, I won’t tell you twice.”
Of course, there was no right to refuse the recommendation.
“I ask you, do you know who I am?”
I couldn’t know Speaking of Dior’s Romuald, everyone would think of the strongman who conquered the Lumière swordsmanship contest. A hero from all over the world, including Limousin, who even saved the frozen land from the devil of the vice-count recently, he was a public figure in the middle of the day.
To the extent that he was even allowed to open a new family line by the royal family, he ridding himself of the stigma of being born in the military with only one military achievement.
“Aren’t you Baron Romuald from the Central High House?”
“It’s good to know that the conversation is fast.”
A savage gaze strangled Georges. Returning to the creaky chair, Rome was examining him with the airy attitude of an arrogant aristocrat. Even then, the man who seemed like he would reveal his business soon, unexpectedly firmly shut his mouth and spoke his words his first.
“The three northern nobles are camped outside right now. Usually accompanied by a person who can only enter with his wife’s permission. I’m guessing that the southern end of the territory, the gateway on the Saint-Buch side, must have dealt with it as a mess…”
The Count of Poitiers had fifty people, the Baron of Lothringen had twenty, and the Baron Brienne had thirty, totaling one hundred.
“No matter how swollen the liver of the terminal official was, there was no way he would have eaten it all alone, so there must have been someone looking after him, right? Probably friends from the administrative group, including Mayor Garrel.”
To add a little exaggeration, a number like this could have put him in prison for treason. Even if you only receive one silver coin for the cost of taking care of one person, you can already get a hundred. Even more so, the lords of the north near the Margrave are wealthy enough to have a lot of money.
“Could you please check where my guess is correct?”
“Everything, it doesn’t even matter!”
“Then, if it’s a lie, I’ll take it as if it’s okay to die.”
“… In fact, you are right.”
It was only then that Georges confessed his concerns. He lowered his head with an expression that seemed like the end of the world, and he began to watch carefully. He was a good and slender subject like a pure scholar, but he had great shamelessness, perhaps because he was a representative of a faction.
‘Oops, I thought this guy wasn’t like this, but he’s a jerk.’
Sure enough, it was different. Rom laughed inwardly, raised his chin arrogantly, and gave him a contemptuous look. Usually, these seeds do not look good the moment they are looked down on, so it was necessary to constantly imprint a vertical hierarchical relationship.
“I must have confessed. It can be raised to the gallows without trial.”
“Ooh, ooh! Please look at that!”
“Then be honest. How much why did you receive what from whom, and what reason did you visit this place?”
“Ha, but… !”
“I assure you, if there is even a slight delay in your answer, you will disappear forever in the dew of the executioner.”
So, questions were poured out according to the five-wh principle.
“Well then who?”
“They are several officials from the surrounding cities, starting with the mayor of Saint-Bourse, Georges Jugarel!”
Georges, lying flat on his stomach, spoke faster than ever.
“When?”
“After the Marquis de Gerard passed away, I received and ate money from the lords of the north near me!”
“Where?”
“It is difficult to answer because there is no specific place to ask. We met mainly at the southern border of Baekryeong, the border of Manju!”
“What?”
“Until now, there have been various conveniences, but most of them have been condoning smuggling by manipulating import and export ledgers!”
“How?”
“Because I bribed the people involved!”
“So, why are you looking for your wife?”
Slightly, Georges raised his head and showed a servile expression.
“Since I told you the truth, please save me at least.”
It was an ugliness that would evoke admiration. The dumbfounded Rome groaned, pressing his throbbing temples. It was a territory full of idiots like this, so no matter how much he and his wife struggled in their previous lives, there would be no answer.
“Yes, there are so many things I want to ask, but let’s proceed step by step, one by one.”
“Ask me anything and let me live.”
“From what I hear, you seem to have taken quite a lot of money. Where did you spend it all?”
“It’s the carrot woman.”
An unexpected answer, the motive of Georges, who seemed like a noble scholar, was cinnabar hunting. Stunned, Rome doubted his ears and asked again to confirm.
“A concubine or a mistress or something like that?”
“Yes…”
“Did you give that much money to just one person?”
“Two, two.”
Hearing the answer, he was speechless.
“Why, aren’t flowers on both hands the romance that all men desire?”
Because I couldn’t resist.
“…”
Himself especially.
