Chapter 12
Y
eah, that’s right. This was the reason I chose Barmuth.
When there is someone who is intimidating and someone is being threatened, Barmuth is always on the side of the person being intimidated.
“Isabella.” Yuta took my hand.
Considering that Kellerhan had stopped him just before, it was quite a bold move.
“Did you tell Father you want to live?”
When I turned my head, unlike Kellerhan, whose inside I couldn’t see, Yuta’s blue eyes were visible inside.
His eyes were full of worry and concern for me. He also showed a rather ferocious feeling as if he would destroy everything that threatened me.
Even so, he’s still young and inexperienced.
I smiled as I was grateful for Yuta’s heart.
Yuta’s hand gained strength as he held mine.
It was then.
“Yuta, you go back to the mansion.”
At that, Yuta lifted his head and looked at Kellerhan.
“The talk that I and Isabella are going to talk about…” As he chased away Yuta, Kellerhan smirked at the rebellious look in his son’s eyes.
“Sure, I know. I will protect my bride.”
Kellerhan sighed and brushed his hair once more. He sat on the picnic mat Yuta and I had spread out earlier, and started asking questions.
“Why is Lodgemund targeting you?”
I took turns watching Kellerhan and Yuta for a while. And I clasped my hands tightly with a determined heart.
If it’s these two, if it’s the Barmuth I chose, I can be honest with them.
No, I’d rather be honest and ask for help.
“The Duke of Lodgemund wants to get his hands on the treasures my parents have collected throughout their life.”
“I know that Viscount Schwires collected rare and unusual items. But I heard that although the academic value may be high, they aren’t very expensive items?” Kellerhan asked back right away.
“Among those treasures, it seems that they needed the ‘Crown of Radgrun’.”
I said as I recalled how many times Duke Lodgemund had asked my parents for the ‘Crown of Radgrun’.
And I explained what I remembered to Kellerhan. He frowned upon hearing about the people of the Lodgemund family who came to my parents’ lab to convince and intimidate them.
I felt like he was swallowing swear words… Perhaps, he wasn’t holding back just because he was in front of me and Yuta, was he?
After a while, Kellerhan exhaled. It looks like he calms down a little.
“The Crown of Radgrun.” Kellerhan, calmed down, murmured with thoughtful eyes. “What is it? And why didn’t the Schwires hand it over to Lodgemund? There must have always been a lack of research funds.”
“I don’t know that either,” I said honestly.
After returning, I pondered over why Duke Lodgemund coveted the Crown of Radgrun, but nothing came up.
Besides, why did my parents try so hard to protect the Crown of Radgrun? It was also a question.
“Where is that crown now?”
“It’s at the Central Bank.”
I explained the trust account which was in my name.
“Did the Schwires pay for the trust account opening costs themselves? Wouldn’t it have been tough?”
At Kellerhan’s question, I widened my eyes.
That’s right. Why didn’t I think of that?
It is obviously strange that my parents, who were struggling because they didn’t have research funds, paid large sums of money and went to the Central Bank.
“Isn’t it to protect the Crown of Radgrun? No place in the Empire is safer than the highest-grade Central Bank vault.”
Kellerhan shook his head at my words.
“What I’m curious about is why does it have to be a trust account that’s automatically released after the deadline is over?”
He emphasized the word ‘trust’.
“If they wanted to protect it, just putting it in a safe would have been enough.”
That too… That’s right, though?
I looked at Kellerhan with rounded eyes, who pointed out questions I had never realized when I was alone.
Come to think of it, it was only natural for Kellerhan to point out loopholes in my thinking.
I was a prisoner in Lodgemund, who died uneducated, and he was the man who pursued criminals and uncovered their conspiracies all his life.
As expected, I did well with asking for help.
As I was thinking to myself, Yuta interrupted.
“Excuse me.”
Kellehan and I looked at him at the same time.
“Did Isabella’s parents think that… Isabella would need the crown when she’s an adult?”
After Yuta finished his words and feeling embarrassed, he immediately bowed his head.
“It makes sense.”
Kellerhan nodded his head.
“First, we need to find out what the Crown of Radgrun is.” His gaze turned to me. “And in the meantime, you…”
He pondered and blurted his words.
A moment passed in silence.
A few minutes later, Kellerhan sighed heavily and folded his arms.
“Ha. I can’t tell you not to worry, and I can’t even tell you to be careful and take care of yourself.”
I blinked in bewilderment.
Kellerhan leaned towards me. His blood-red eyes looked even darker today.
“I had said this, but I hate children.”
I stiffened my shoulders at Kellerhan’s words.
He’s not sending me to another family, is he?
Of course I know he’s not that kind of person, but I was worried to hear that he didn’t like children.
As my expression darkened, Yuta looked at Kellerhan from the side. He unwrapped his arms, spread his hands, and made Yuta calm down.
“There is no other meaning. I’m just annoyed that I can’t completely protect them no matter what I do.”
I stared at Kellerhan, startled, as if I was struck by a sudden blow.
It was because I understood the meaning of Kellerhan’s words.
At first, when I heard Kellerhan say, ‘I hate children,’ I thought he hated them because of his harsh and cruel temper, and also because he was bothered by children.
But in fact it wasn’t like that.
Having dealt with criminals all his life, he felt guilty about children, who are the biggest victims of crime.
Kellerhan placed his hands on my knees. And he leaned his upper body and looked closely at me.
“But now that you are my daughter-in-law, I will do my best to protect you.”
I had to say something, but nothing came out.
It was just… I was very fortunate to have chosen this family, and I was very grateful for the existence of Kellerhan and Yuta who appeared in front of me.
“Yuta.” Kellerhan raised his upper body again and called out to his son.
As Yuta dragged his feet and approached him, he placed a hand on Yuta’s shoulder.
“You swear too. That you will protect your bride.”
Yuta looked at me. That child’s blue eyes twinkled differently, similar to those of his father.
“I already did.”
“Is that so? Then we’re done.”
Kellerhan patted Yuta on the back.
“Let’s go.” He stood up abruptly.
Yuta and I hurriedly put together a picnic basket, but Kellerhan said as if he was tossing it.
“Leave it. I’ll tell Harold to pick it up later.”
I-Is that okay? It’s us who said that we wanted to go out for a picnic, though…
“It’s because I have something to tell you when I get back to the mansion quickly. So, calmly follow me.”
After speaking, Kellerhan started walking in stride. Yuta and I looked at each other, nodded, and busily followed his back.
Arriving at the mansion, Kellerhan gathered all the servants in the hall on the first floor.
The servants who were busy preparing for my engagement ceremony lined up in front of Kellerhan with bewildered expressions.
Kellerhan, who counted the number of servants with his eyes, nodded his head and opened his mouth.
“I know everyone is working hard to prepare for Isabella and Yuta’s engagement. So, work harder while you are working hard.”
“Yes? What does that mean…”
Harold questioned Kellerhan’s absurd remarks. He wasn’t the only one wondering what Kellerhan meant.
Magda, the other maids, servants, me, and Yuta also stared at Kellerhan with bewilderment.
“I’ll have to advance the engagement date.” Kellerhan made a bombshell declaration amid the spotlight of his mode.
“Yes, yes?!” Magda asked, screaming.
“It’s an incredibly busy month, and we can’t move up the engagement from here! If we had gone any faster, Miss Isabella wouldn’t be able to wear the right dress!”
Of course, Kellerhan didn’t pay any attention to Magda’s desperate cry.
“One week.”
At Kellerhan’s words, the servants looked at him as if they were seeing a reaper from hell.
“Within a week, all the preparations will be finished and this child will officially be accepted as a member of Barmuth.”
“Yes? A week?”
“Even if the 12 Angels return to the earth, that would be impossible!”
“We won’t even have time to make a corsage, let alone a dress!”
The servants were really outraged. And most of them wondered why Kellerhan was suddenly pulling the engagement date.
I could see Kellerhan’s intentions. The reason he gave a super-precipitation of a week is probably to protect me as soon as possible.
The reason Rodolph tried to force me to Lodgemund today was because I’m not a member of Barmuth yet.
However, once I officially become a member of Barmuth, such shallow tricks will not work in the future. Even if someone tried to drag me out and lure me, Kellerhan would be able to actively stop it.
Yuta also didn’t say anything, as if he had guessed what Kellerhan meant.
But his face looks redder than usual… Is it an illusion?
“Duke. I agree with accepting the Miss as a member of Barmuth as soon as possible, but it is unreasonable to prepare a plausible engagement ceremony within a week.”
As I was thinking about Yuta, Harold stepped forward on behalf of the confused users.
“If you’re thinking of a simple engagement ceremony, I’d be against it. If not, she’d be talked about a lot when she makes her debut in society, but if she doesn’t have a proper engagement ceremony, it’ll be even harder for her.”
At Harold’s words, Magda nodded her head eagerly next to her.
“I know, but it’s okay.”
“Yes?”
“Because there’s a way to get a decent engagement party ready in a week.”
The servants and I were even more confused by Kellerhan’s words.
As a servant said earlier, it’d be impossible in a week unless the 12 Angels came down, but what…?
Kellerhan turned his head, and I, who had been staring at him, made eye contact with him.
He grinned as he rolled his eyes sideways because he was stabbed by doubts.
“I’ll go to the Marquis of Binkler family.”
He said so.