“...”
For a moment, it seemed as if he was taking a deep breath.
“Anyway, you are different from them. You truly care for me, love me, and respect me, right?”
It would have been the first. Of Agatha's seven husbands, the only one who had done so much for her was Enoch Aratus.
“Don’t be swayed by the words of those who aren’t worth listening to.”
Agatha smiled slightly, stood up, and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Shall we eat now? I have prepared a lot of your favorite dishes.”
That moment.
The man, whose lips were still overlapping each other, hugged Agatha tightly. His hot hand ran down her waist and gently held her in his arms.
“I need you more than food right now.”
The man, gasping for breath, turned toward the bedroom.
The next morning.
Agatha greeted the morning leisurely, put on her gown, and went out into the inner room.
Beyond the terrace, a peaceful view of the castle outside was visible.
'Just a few more things to deal with and this kind of scene will continue.'
Enoch left the castle at dawn after hearing that the fugitive Getin Jennings had been found.
The rest was Agatha's turn.
“Sir Du-un.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The senior knight, Du-un, who had been waiting on one side of the room, took a step forward.
Du-un was supposed to be her escort until the war was completely over.
“I need to check with Count Asullou if he is willing to surrender. I will tell the magistrate, so please choose three knights to carry the surrender document. I think it would be best if we leave today.”
"All right."
Soon, one senior knight and two mid-level knights chosen by Du-un left Bork Castle.
In about three or four days, they will be able to know the results of how they will emerge from the last remaining Asullou territory.
After eating breakfast and dressing up elegantly, Agatha headed to the reception room.
The first executor of Nobilis, Denny Kaylor, and his escort of knights followed him, having just arrived at Castle Bork yesterday.
“Madam, please.”
Inside, Baron Elibeth, who had been brought in first, was sitting on the sofa.
Agatha entered the reception room.
“It’s been a long time, Baron Elibeth. I’m sorry to have to meet you like this.”
“You still treat your relatives poorly, Lady Agatha.”
“Is that so? I think this is enough treatment.”
Agatha, sitting on the sofa across from him, opened her eyes gently.
“We didn’t kill you, and you were left unharmed without any injuries to his limbs. If this isn’t proper treatment, then what is?”
“...”
Naturally, the executors and knights of Aratus who had been stationed behind him began to show their momentum towards Baron Elibeth.
The Baron, momentarily overwhelmed, remained silent and held his bound hands tightly.
Agatha took the surrender document presented by the bailiff and placed it on the table.
“Other people might end up paying a fine, but you know our relationship is special, right?”
Although she was smiling, her eyes were as cold as frost.
“I added a special clause. Please check it out.”
Baron Elibeth, with a dubious expression on his face, lifted the surrender document.
“What is this...!”
“Is that okay? I think it would be a good idea to just cut off ties now.”
In addition to paying a huge amount of compensation and handing over all of the shares of Nobilis.
The surrender document that Baron Elibeth received not only included a pledge to sever ties with Nobilis, but also a pledge to renounce inheritance.
“Are you crazy? Do you think I would sign a document like this?”
The Baron, whose hands were tied but whose legs were free, jumped up from his seat.
Chaechaechaeng-
Immediately, the knights of Aratus, including Du-un, drew their swords.
The moment the Baron hesitated.
Agatha was oblivious to the scent of the tea the butler had brought out. An indifferent voice fell.
“Then why don’t you stick your neck out?”
“What?”
“Let’s see, the Baron must know the rights that the winner has in the battle of the lands.”
Five families among the relatives had already disappeared through previous land wars.
Things were different before. Before the summer, when she had beheaded her surrendered relatives, her position as heir might have been shaken a little.
Now that the power of the family has weakened, it doesn't matter at all.
Moreover, her husband, Enoch Aratus, was even more hard-line toward her relatives than Agatha was.
Even her husband, a war hero and the owner of the Empire's strongest knighthood supports her decision.
Agatha had nothing to be afraid of anymore.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
All she had to endure was a little inconvenience.
A bit of a mild disgrace and a few blows?
The Baron's face turned pale as he realized it only now.
“I, I...”
“If you have no thoughts, you may return to the dungeon. This is the mercy I showed to my blood relative, the Baron.”
It was the moment when Agatha was about to take back the surrender document.
“Yes, wait a minute!”
The Baron squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, then held out his trembling hand.
“...I will sign.”
“I thought about it carefully. I don’t necessarily want to have the blood of my relatives on my hands.”
The Baron Elibeth family does not rule over a portion of the Nobilis territory, so even if the family ties are severed, the territory will remain.
There is a world of difference in status between being a collateral branch of the Duke's family and being a local low-ranking noble.
From today onwards, Baron Elibeth will be out of commission.
Of course, that had nothing to do with Agatha anymore.
Agatha slowly closed and opened her eyes as she watched her former relative sign feebly.
'There are times like this.'
It was a sight she never thought she would see in her life.
It was Agatha who was always in danger of losing her life.
The relatives were always eager to use the passive defense of her ex-husbands and her lack of justification as weapons to manipulate the heir as they pleased.
Even that would end today. Seeing as Baron Elibeth had been driven out of the Nobilis lineage, all his relatives would now be in danger of losing their lives.
“...I signed.”
The Baron put down his quill and bowed his head. The bailiff, Denny, quickly gathered up the surrender documents.
Agatha smiled after confirming the signature.
“I don’t think I’ll see you again, Baron Elibeth. You go. I won’t be seeing you off.”
It was at that moment that Baron Elibeth was being dragged out by the knights.
"For a moment."
Agatha put down her teacup and looked back. The knights who had been leading the Baron had stopped in their tracks.
“...Is there still work left for me to do?”
Although the Baron was humiliated.
It wasn't Agatha's fault.
“Henry Insidio, you remember?”
“...!”
Agatha stood up from the sofa, her eyes wide open in surprise.
“Now that I think about it, it’s a little annoying. My fourth ex-husband was under pressure from someone to do something like this, and I have absolutely no idea?”
“Lady Agatha. No, Marchioness. It wasn’t really me who made it up. Henry, he sent the letter first...!”
“If that’s not true, we’ll need other evidence.”
Think about what you've done so far.
The Baron kept swallowing dry saliva as he looked at the cold purple eyes that contained such meaning.
“...In fact, the messenger Henry sent was strange. He didn’t seem like a knight of the Insidio family, but he was definitely someone of higher status.”
“Please sit down. I will have to listen carefully.”
The moment the Baron sighed in relief and sat back down on the sofa.
“You seem to lack awareness of the status system, Baron. I think you need to work on your speech.”
“...I will be careful, Marchioness.”
The Baron, who had been stripped of everything he knew on the spot, left the drawing-room a moment later.
In front of Agatha was a portrait of the messenger, drawn based on the Baron's testimony.
A sharp impression with a mustache.
The tail that had been blocked for a moment was caught. Agatha nodded, still savoring the fragrant scent of tea.
“It smells really good.”
“These are specialties of the Bork Castle. I will load a few boxes of the best on your way to the castle of Lord Nobilis.”
“Good idea, Butler.”
Agatha smiled brightly as she praised Denny.
After one round of negotiations.
When Agatha returned to the lord's room, she was looking out the window and enjoying the peaceful scenery.
"Ah."
A group of cavalry was seen in the distance.
The familiar flag of Aratus.
It was clearly Enoch's procession. Agatha jumped up from her seat and walked briskly across the hallway.
"Lady?"
“My husband is here.”
The escort knights also walked down the stairs at a brisk pace.
Just as Agatha arrived at the first-floor hall, the procession that had crossed the bridge entered the main gate of the lord's castle.
"Enoch!"
The man who got off his horse smiled gently. Enoch looked at Du-un and the knights standing behind him as he embraced Agatha who had come running.
“Enoch? Where are you looking?”
“I briefly checked the escort knights.”
He often looked back. Agatha, who had escaped from his arms, would look at the horse of the last knight who had come in.
“Is that person...?”
“Yes. This is Gethin Jennings. He was drinking at a nearby estate.”
Agatha frowned.
She was wondering where that awful smell was coming from.
It was coming from Gethin Jennings, who was carried on horseback.
For a moment, it seemed as if he was taking a deep breath.
“Anyway, you are different from them. You truly care for me, love me, and respect me, right?”
It would have been the first. Of Agatha's seven husbands, the only one who had done so much for her was Enoch Aratus.
“Don’t be swayed by the words of those who aren’t worth listening to.”
Agatha smiled slightly, stood up, and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Shall we eat now? I have prepared a lot of your favorite dishes.”
That moment.
The man, whose lips were still overlapping each other, hugged Agatha tightly. His hot hand ran down her waist and gently held her in his arms.
“I need you more than food right now.”
The man, gasping for breath, turned toward the bedroom.
***
The next morning.
Agatha greeted the morning leisurely, put on her gown, and went out into the inner room.
Beyond the terrace, a peaceful view of the castle outside was visible.
'Just a few more things to deal with and this kind of scene will continue.'
Enoch left the castle at dawn after hearing that the fugitive Getin Jennings had been found.
The rest was Agatha's turn.
“Sir Du-un.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The senior knight, Du-un, who had been waiting on one side of the room, took a step forward.
Du-un was supposed to be her escort until the war was completely over.
“I need to check with Count Asullou if he is willing to surrender. I will tell the magistrate, so please choose three knights to carry the surrender document. I think it would be best if we leave today.”
"All right."
Soon, one senior knight and two mid-level knights chosen by Du-un left Bork Castle.
In about three or four days, they will be able to know the results of how they will emerge from the last remaining Asullou territory.
After eating breakfast and dressing up elegantly, Agatha headed to the reception room.
The first executor of Nobilis, Denny Kaylor, and his escort of knights followed him, having just arrived at Castle Bork yesterday.
“Madam, please.”
Inside, Baron Elibeth, who had been brought in first, was sitting on the sofa.
Agatha entered the reception room.
“It’s been a long time, Baron Elibeth. I’m sorry to have to meet you like this.”
“You still treat your relatives poorly, Lady Agatha.”
“Is that so? I think this is enough treatment.”
Agatha, sitting on the sofa across from him, opened her eyes gently.
“We didn’t kill you, and you were left unharmed without any injuries to his limbs. If this isn’t proper treatment, then what is?”
“...”
Naturally, the executors and knights of Aratus who had been stationed behind him began to show their momentum towards Baron Elibeth.
The Baron, momentarily overwhelmed, remained silent and held his bound hands tightly.
Agatha took the surrender document presented by the bailiff and placed it on the table.
“Other people might end up paying a fine, but you know our relationship is special, right?”
Although she was smiling, her eyes were as cold as frost.
“I added a special clause. Please check it out.”
Baron Elibeth, with a dubious expression on his face, lifted the surrender document.
“What is this...!”
“Is that okay? I think it would be a good idea to just cut off ties now.”
In addition to paying a huge amount of compensation and handing over all of the shares of Nobilis.
The surrender document that Baron Elibeth received not only included a pledge to sever ties with Nobilis, but also a pledge to renounce inheritance.
“Are you crazy? Do you think I would sign a document like this?”
The Baron, whose hands were tied but whose legs were free, jumped up from his seat.
Chaechaechaeng-
Immediately, the knights of Aratus, including Du-un, drew their swords.
The moment the Baron hesitated.
Agatha was oblivious to the scent of the tea the butler had brought out. An indifferent voice fell.
“Then why don’t you stick your neck out?”
“What?”
“Let’s see, the Baron must know the rights that the winner has in the battle of the lands.”
Five families among the relatives had already disappeared through previous land wars.
Things were different before. Before the summer, when she had beheaded her surrendered relatives, her position as heir might have been shaken a little.
Now that the power of the family has weakened, it doesn't matter at all.
Moreover, her husband, Enoch Aratus, was even more hard-line toward her relatives than Agatha was.
Even her husband, a war hero and the owner of the Empire's strongest knighthood supports her decision.
Agatha had nothing to be afraid of anymore.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
All she had to endure was a little inconvenience.
A bit of a mild disgrace and a few blows?
The Baron's face turned pale as he realized it only now.
“I, I...”
“If you have no thoughts, you may return to the dungeon. This is the mercy I showed to my blood relative, the Baron.”
It was the moment when Agatha was about to take back the surrender document.
“Yes, wait a minute!”
The Baron squeezed his eyes shut and opened them, then held out his trembling hand.
“...I will sign.”
“I thought about it carefully. I don’t necessarily want to have the blood of my relatives on my hands.”
The Baron Elibeth family does not rule over a portion of the Nobilis territory, so even if the family ties are severed, the territory will remain.
There is a world of difference in status between being a collateral branch of the Duke's family and being a local low-ranking noble.
From today onwards, Baron Elibeth will be out of commission.
Of course, that had nothing to do with Agatha anymore.
Agatha slowly closed and opened her eyes as she watched her former relative sign feebly.
'There are times like this.'
It was a sight she never thought she would see in her life.
It was Agatha who was always in danger of losing her life.
The relatives were always eager to use the passive defense of her ex-husbands and her lack of justification as weapons to manipulate the heir as they pleased.
Even that would end today. Seeing as Baron Elibeth had been driven out of the Nobilis lineage, all his relatives would now be in danger of losing their lives.
“...I signed.”
The Baron put down his quill and bowed his head. The bailiff, Denny, quickly gathered up the surrender documents.
Agatha smiled after confirming the signature.
“I don’t think I’ll see you again, Baron Elibeth. You go. I won’t be seeing you off.”
It was at that moment that Baron Elibeth was being dragged out by the knights.
"For a moment."
Agatha put down her teacup and looked back. The knights who had been leading the Baron had stopped in their tracks.
“...Is there still work left for me to do?”
Although the Baron was humiliated.
It wasn't Agatha's fault.
“Henry Insidio, you remember?”
“...!”
Agatha stood up from the sofa, her eyes wide open in surprise.
“Now that I think about it, it’s a little annoying. My fourth ex-husband was under pressure from someone to do something like this, and I have absolutely no idea?”
“Lady Agatha. No, Marchioness. It wasn’t really me who made it up. Henry, he sent the letter first...!”
“If that’s not true, we’ll need other evidence.”
Think about what you've done so far.
The Baron kept swallowing dry saliva as he looked at the cold purple eyes that contained such meaning.
“...In fact, the messenger Henry sent was strange. He didn’t seem like a knight of the Insidio family, but he was definitely someone of higher status.”
“Please sit down. I will have to listen carefully.”
The moment the Baron sighed in relief and sat back down on the sofa.
“You seem to lack awareness of the status system, Baron. I think you need to work on your speech.”
“...I will be careful, Marchioness.”
The Baron, who had been stripped of everything he knew on the spot, left the drawing-room a moment later.
In front of Agatha was a portrait of the messenger, drawn based on the Baron's testimony.
A sharp impression with a mustache.
The tail that had been blocked for a moment was caught. Agatha nodded, still savoring the fragrant scent of tea.
“It smells really good.”
“These are specialties of the Bork Castle. I will load a few boxes of the best on your way to the castle of Lord Nobilis.”
“Good idea, Butler.”
Agatha smiled brightly as she praised Denny.
After one round of negotiations.
When Agatha returned to the lord's room, she was looking out the window and enjoying the peaceful scenery.
"Ah."
A group of cavalry was seen in the distance.
The familiar flag of Aratus.
It was clearly Enoch's procession. Agatha jumped up from her seat and walked briskly across the hallway.
"Lady?"
“My husband is here.”
The escort knights also walked down the stairs at a brisk pace.
Just as Agatha arrived at the first-floor hall, the procession that had crossed the bridge entered the main gate of the lord's castle.
"Enoch!"
The man who got off his horse smiled gently. Enoch looked at Du-un and the knights standing behind him as he embraced Agatha who had come running.
“Enoch? Where are you looking?”
“I briefly checked the escort knights.”
He often looked back. Agatha, who had escaped from his arms, would look at the horse of the last knight who had come in.
“Is that person...?”
“Yes. This is Gethin Jennings. He was drinking at a nearby estate.”
Agatha frowned.
She was wondering where that awful smell was coming from.
It was coming from Gethin Jennings, who was carried on horseback.
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