“…Viscount?”
“Ah, my apologies. I’d heard the Baroness of Greze was beautiful, but seeing it in person is truly something else. Forgive me.”
Despite his awkward smile of apology, Viscount Viche kept sneaking glances at Cassia.
Her silver hair, pure and delicate, and her translucent skin, it was like untouched snow. He held his breath, unable to stop glancing at her.
She looked like even a single touch would leave a mark…
She was bundled in thick winter clothing, but that only made her all the more alluring. He couldn’t help but wonder if the hidden parts of her were just as flawless.
As he stared blankly at her, his view was abruptly blocked by a large shadow. Zester, who had been smiling like a fool moments before, now stood before Cassia with a grim expression.
‘So the dog has been well-trained.’
The Viscount shrugged and let out a low chuckle, utterly unfitting for the heavy atmosphere.
“Well then, I’ve prepared a grand feast to welcome our Baron and Baroness after such a long journey. Please, come this way.”
The Viscount turned and entered the castle first. When Zester didn’t immediately follow and remained rooted with a displeased look, Cassia tugged his arm.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
“…Right.”
Was he overreacting? The way the Viscount looked at Cassia made Zester uncomfortable. When Drian hugged Cassia tightly or held her hand, it was aggravating but it didn’t give him this dirty feeling.
“Hm?”
Before they fully entered, Zester pulled Cassia into a tight hug. Startled, Cassia found herself awkwardly pressed against his chest.
“What is it, Baron?”
“…Honey.”
…is what he wanted her to say. Seeing him pouting his lower tip, Cassia found it so absurd that she snorted with laughter.
***
The reception of the Viche Viscounty was quite generous.
Plates lavishly laden with thick-cut roasted lamb were placed before the Viscount, Zester, and Cassia. Then came smoked fish with pickled cabbage, whole grain bread, a meat stew simmered to tenderness, and vibrant, colorful vegetables for dessert. There was even cream and honey sauces to pair with the meats, extravagant by Greze’s standards.
The table groaned under the weight of all the expensive dished while Zester’s eyes had grown wide.
“I tried to prepare something special, but I hope it suits your tastes.”
“Ah, this is a lot. You didn’t have to go to such lengths…”
Unlike Zester, who seemed impressed, Cassia was baffled by his reaction. What was so great about all this?
In territories with limited military forces, it was customary to host and reward reinforcements and treat them generously upon their return. In Ruberno, after a territory war, they would treat the soldiers to wine and meat for days.
Even before Cassia came to Greze, Zester had frequently gone on expeditions to Viche Viscounty. If he had been treated to meals like this everything, he wouldn’t be so surprised now.
‘So after giving him loose change, he didn’t even feed him properly. What a tight-fisted old snake.
Cassia glanced at Zester, whose eyes were shining like someone who had never seen fine food before, and she opened her mouth.
“I heard you and the Viscount have known each other for quite some time but I suppose this is the first time the Viscount has ever treated you to a meal like this, Honey?”
“Huh? Ah… I don’t think I’ve dined with the Viscount before…”
Zester murmured, trying to recall.
Now that he thought about it, other than the Viche Viscounty, he was always offered food and a place to rest in other place when he went for reinforcements.
Of course, many of these offerings weren’t that great. After all, not many nobles had enough decency to be courteous to the so-called stray dog who went anywhere he was called. Still, unlike Viscount Viche, they knew to stick to the bare minimum of manners.
Zester, oblivious to noble etiquette, never gave it much thought. He didn’t even realize how insulting it was to fight and return home for meager compensation without even being treated to a single meal.
Cassia sighed sharply, already understanding the situation.
Viscount Viche, glanced back and forth between Zester, who nodded absentmindedly, and Cassia, who had a strange expression, and quickly interjected.
“Haha, I always meant to host you properly, but the timing just never worked out. I’ve felt guilty about it, so I’m glad we could finally do this.”
“This is more than generous. Thank you, Viscount.”
Cassia exhaled deeply at the sight of her husband, innocently thanking the man who had not only thoroughly exploited him but also disregarded him.
‘Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised after he came back with a worthless stone for a reward after that magic stone conflict in Havelyn. How can someone be so ignorant of the ways of the world?’
The Viscount glanced at Cassia’s darkened expression and coughed a few times to shift the conversation.
“By the way, Baroness, I believe you wrote me directly about discussing compensation.”
He struck first. Cassia looked sharply at the Viscount, who rested his chin on his hand and was leisurely looking at her.
“Huh?”
Zester was taken aback by the Viscount’s words. He knew Cassia had been invited, but he never thought she had written a letter about the compensation issue directly.
“I sensed a lot of dissatisfaction in your letter, and I must admit, it caught me off guard. I feel I should’ve taken more initiative in addressing this matter before you had to bring it up yourself.”
“You are correct. It is not proper noble courtesy to make the party doing the hard work to bring up such matters.”
Gasp. Zester’s breath caught in surprise. As tactless and dull as he was, even Zester could sense the sensitive nature of the conversation and the sharpness in Cassia’s words.
He had thought the compensation issue was something Cassia thought of on her own. She casually mentioned discussing the issue during the visit with the Viscount, so he assumed that was the case. But apparently, she had already expressed her dissatisfaction in writing.
Now it was getting tense. Zester watched the Viscount’s expression stiffen and started pondering when and how he should intervene.
He didn’t have to wait long.
The Viscount relaxed in his seat and asked.
“I recall the terms being similar to our past dealings…I suppose this means you’ve been harboring quite some dissatisfaction all this time, Baron. You could’ve said something sooner. It’s a shame and a little upsetting that my first interaction with the Baroness had to be over such a delicate matter.”
“Ah, Viscount. Dissatisfaction? I…”
…wasn’t…
Zester flinched and trailed off under Cassia’s piercing gaze. Cassia picked up after Zester’s interrupted words.
“Not at all. Lord Baron has never once expressed dissatisfaction about his dealings with you, Viscount. He was simply unaware that this was a problem that needed to be handled. But Viscount, you said yourself that this is something you should have addressed. So what exactly do you find upsetting?”
“Hahaha… well, the Lady Baroness and I had never even met before…”
“I don’t see how that is a problem…? I believe I was quite respectful to you in my letter…I wonder how else you would have liked me to phrase it. I merely requested a revision as I believe the current contract for military support is unreasonable. Or perhaps, you were hoping our Baron would continue to risk his life for scraps without complaint?”
“Now listen here, Baroness.”
“Yes, I’m listening. Please go ahead.”
He tried to cut her off, feigning anger, but when the floor returned to him, he had nothing to say. Because he knew fully well that she was telling the truth.
As the Viscount sat there, mouth opening and closing wordlessly, Cassia smiled brightly.
“As I’ve said many times, we are here to help you, Viscount. As the head of a prominent noble house, I’m sure you understand that those who receive help should respond in kind…To us nobles, etiquette and formality come first and foremost and I doubt that that a man as magnanimous as you, Viscount, would have intended to behave like a petty man. I’m sure it was simply because you’ve never dealt with any house but Greze, that you aren’t familiar with the going rates of the market.”
You ask for reinforcements but don’t even offer proper compensation. Are you even a noble?
Sensing the underlying message behind Cassia’s smile, the Viscount was seething.
‘Why is she so good at running her mouth?’
He had intended to use his age and status to suppress her but seeing her acting so brashly, he knew that would be difficult. Sweat trickled down his back as he quietly ground his teeth.
Cassia delivered the final blow.
“Surely…you never intended to exploit our simple Baron, Lord Viscount.”
He lost. There was no point saying anything more. This impudent noblewoman obviously wasn’t going to back down. And that idiot husband of hers just sat there, gaping like a fish out of water, offering no help to silence his wife.
The Viscount silently accepted defeat in the verbal spar and reached for his wineglass to prepare for round two.
“Very well. It seems this has upset you quite a bit, Baroness Greze. I admit I have overlooked some aspects. In that case, let us discuss the compensation anew… Baron, what do you think? What would be an acceptable adjustment for your compensation?”
If the wife is too sharp, aim for the foolish bastard instead. The Viscount leaned his chin on his hand and met Zester’s eyes as if inviting Zester to speak freely.
But Zester wasn’t flustered this time.
Because Cassia had told him something before they came.
『When we discuss your compensation, the Viscount might try to exclude me and ask only for your opinion. He might say something like, ‘What amount do you have in mind?’ When that happens, don’t bother thinking about. Just say you’d like to hear what he has in mind first. I’ll take care of the rest.』
“If I may, I’d like to hear your thoughts first, Viscount.”
Honestly, to Zester, considering his long-standing collaboration with Viscount Viche, he didn’t think 1 million silver was that small. But he knew Cassia was sensitive about this issue and he had zero desire to go against her wishes and earn her disapproval.
The Viscount raised a brow at Zester’s calm response then he nodded slowly, pretending to ponder his answer, though inside, he was fuming.
‘This fox of a woman has completely whipped this dog!’
Even the slight upward curve of her lips seemed mocking like she could see through him. That angelic face, was she actually a devil?
“Hmm. In that case, I can add another 1 million silvers to the upfront payment.”
“…What?!”
Zester was startled and Cassia frowned. Clearly, her gullible husband thought 1.5 million silver as an advance payment was a generous offer.
“How about that? Does that satisfy you?”
Zester, who had been about to nod immediately, froze on the spot. Because Cassia’s hand had slowly reached out under the table. His wife’s soft hand brushed between his thighs and his senses which were already alert due to the situation immediately focused on that area.
‘W-W-Why? All of a sudden? What is she doing?
Zester turned to the side, his face blazing red, only to be met with her prettiest smile, right as her fingers started caressing him gently.
But that dream-like didn’t last long.
“Ack!”
A pair of sharp claws pinched hard at the inside of his thigh and Zester reflexively yelped, rubbing the spot as pain shot through him. Across the table, the Viscount looked bewildered.
“Ohoho… I guess you aren’t quite satisfied with that, Baron.”
Barely able to keep his expression straight, Zester glanced at Cassia’s profile with a grimace on his face then he was started by the words that came out of her mouth.
“500,000 gold for the upfront payment and 500,000 gold for a successful expedition. I think a total of ten gold bars would be a fair deal, Viscount.”
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