Chapter 33

When Dominic heard that the duchess had been placed under house arrest, he thought it was for the best.

‘Ugh... Please stop causing trouble, Duchess Rihardt.’

As Dominic pulled weeds from the herb garden, the veins in his arm stood out more than necessary. The advance payment for the lumberjacks he was supposed to give today was ten thousand florins in gold. That was just the beginning. Ten thousand florins was only the start. He would have to clothe, feed, and house them, and take care of them if they got hurt. Once the work really started, money would flow out like a leak, disappearing without a trace. To call workers to this rural area, he always had to offer a premium, and now, in the spring, it was even more expensive. There were jobs everywhere, and who would want to come? His prediction was completely off. The damn mercenaries must have spread some rumors, because fifty people gathered at once. To manage that number, he needed more people, so he sent a message to Weimar to gather as many servants as possible. By the time summer came, the duchy would have nearly a hundred more people.

“It’s not his own money, is it? Who would be afraid to spend money and not be a noble... Tch.”

Every time Dominic pulled his arm back, a clump of weeds with a lot of dirt on their roots came out. As he continued pulling weeds, a massive pain hit the back of his head. He knew who did it without looking.

“Ah, Father! Why did you hit me?”

Dominic straightened up and glared at his father.

“Ugh. If you were going to drag me out to do this kind of thing after a long time of rest, you shouldn’t have hit me.”

“What have you done to deserve a rest? Even the duchess, who is half your size, works every day.”

“She’s possessed by a ghost that can’t work. I’m not. I want to rest today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life, living lazily and idly.”

Despite Dominic’s loud complaints, none of the mercenaries working in the herb garden looked at him. The Molis arguing with each other was nothing new. It would be strange if they didn’t fight. Ricardo, who had taken the small flower buds Dominic was holding, replanted them in the spot he had just pulled the weeds from. His large, rough hands were very meticulous.

“This is ‘valerian,’ an herb that helps with sleep. Where were your eyes when you confused herbs with weeds? You foolish boy.”

“Are you hitting your precious son just for a bunch of weeds? With those big hands?”

Ricardo, who was pressing the soil around the planted herbs, glared at Dominic over his shoulder.

“Just a bunch of weeds! You saw with your own eyes how hard the duchess worked on this herb garden, and you’re saying that? Are you showing off that you’re an uneducated mercenary?”

“Who’s uneducated? I’m suffering because I learned too much. Hey! Isn’t that Daniel?”

Ricardo, who had stood up and shaken the dirt off his hands, hit Dominic on the back.

“Ouch! Father!”

“Talking nonsense. What is that, that thing, to your lord?”

Ignoring Dominic’s grumbling, Ricardo looked at Daniel and stroked his chin.

“He’s quite fierce, similar to his prime. It seems his body is recovering.”

Dominic, who was wincing from the pain in his back, turned to look at Daniel again.

“Was there ever a time when... I mean, the lord wasn’t fierce...?”

Suddenly sensing an ominous aura, Dominic tapped his father’s shoulder.

“Father. Did you cause another accident without me knowing?”

“Me? Did I?”

Ricardo, who replied indifferently, and Daniel, who was approaching, were alternately looked at by Dominic, who then pulled his father’s arm.

“Alright. Alright, let’s get out of here first. Can’t you feel that he’s about to kill someone?”

“I can... feel it very well.”

As Dominic said, Daniel approached Ricardo like a predator that had spotted its prey. Dominic, recognizing the look in Daniel’s eyes, took a step back in shock, still pulling his father.

“Ah, Father. Daniel’s eyes...”

“They’re very red.”

Knowing this but not knowing what to do, Dominic pulled his father’s arm with all his might. But when Ricardo didn’t budge, he gave up and stepped forward, shouting.

“What the hell. What kind of trouble did you cause to make him like this?”

“Move, Dominic. Even a young one like you needs to live.”

“Is that what you say to your son...? Oh, he’s really going to snap!”

At first, the mercenaries just stared at Daniel running towards them, but as the situation became serious, they started to stand up.

“Hey, you guys. Why aren’t you holding your lord?”

Though they had been digging for three years, most of them had lived on the battlefield. The mercenaries, who could gauge the hostility of their opponents, felt the killing intent Daniel was emitting. As Dominic ran a few steps towards Daniel, they instinctively rushed to their lord.

“Hold him at once. At once. Or we’re all dead.”

As Daniel, who was running towards them, drew his sword, the mercenaries, except for Dominic, stopped in their tracks. Dominic, who was leading, also stopped when the tip of the sword touched his shoulder, pressing his boots into the dirt and tensing his legs.

“Move, Dominic.”

“Why, why are you doing this? What got into you all of a sudden?”

“I won’t kill you or your father if you move now. Choose. Do you want to die here?”

As Daniel applied force, the sword tip cut into Dominic’s shoulder shallowly but strongly.

“Ouch.”

Frowning, Dominic raised his arms and moved to the side. Even when he was out of his mind, at least he didn’t lie. If he said he wouldn’t kill, it meant he would only beat him until he was almost dead. Dominic judged that it was better to let him vent his anger and slightly turned his shoulder. At the same time, Daniel threw his sword to the ground and ran to Ricardo, throwing a punch. Dominic, who seemed to be turning away, quickly jumped between them.

* * *

“Hey! You said you wouldn’t kill!”

Dominic, who took the punch meant for Ricardo, fell like a felled tree and cried out.

“Hey! You said you wouldn’t kill!”

* * *

In the kitchen, Muriel, who couldn’t find Frieda, finally admitted that the young lady was not in the castle.

“Where did this young lady go?”

Frieda, who hated being locked in a room, always kept her word with Muriel. She knew from experience that if she didn’t, the period of being locked up would double. She had been missing since lunch, and despite searching the entire castle, no one had seen her. Her hat, which she always carried, was in the room, but where was she? In this weather, she wouldn’t go out without a hat. Muriel stared at the sunny sky and called a servant descending the stairs, thinking she might have gone to see Dominic, who was supposed to pay the advance to the lumberjacks today.

“Do you know where Dominic Molli is?”

“I don’t know about Dominic, but Captain Molli is in the herb garden. They might be together.”

Nodding, Muriel went back to the room, picked up a hat with a shade, and came out. Her steps down the stairs quickened.

“If this young lady gets a sunburn without a hat, what will she do?”

If she’s caught, I’ll double, no, triple the period of house arrest. Muriel, who was leaving Marian Hall, stopped Matilda, who was passing by the door.

“Matilda. If the young lady appears while I’m gone, send someone to the herb garden to let me know.”

Matilda’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes? You still haven’t found her? You’ve been looking for a while.”

“She doesn’t seem to be in the castle.”

“Heavens. Even knowing what will happen if she’s caught by the knight. Our lady is brave, indeed.”

“I’m going to the herb garden to find Dominic Molli, so make sure to let me know.”

“Yes, yes. Don’t worry, go quickly. I’ll put this bucket in the kitchen and look for her too.”

Nodding, Muriel ran out under the unusually clear and clean sky.

* * *

“Ugh. I thought I was going to die.”

Dominic, who had been knocked down and was crushing the herb garden, held his rapidly bruising cheek and signaled to the surrounding mercenaries.

“What are you doing, you guys! Quickly hold the lord.”

This was the only chance to catch the monster while he was using his fists. The mercenaries, who had been waiting for an opportunity, quickly rushed to hold Daniel’s legs, arms, and shoulders.

“Lord, calm down.”

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet.”

That’s why he only got this far with a punch. If he had been fully recovered, his jaw would have been completely broken. Dominic, whose jaw was slightly out of place but not broken, adjusted it while getting up. His head was ringing as if he had seen stars, and his body was slow to respond. One hit was enough, this should be enough to vent his anger. Dominic, who was still adjusting his jaw, asked the captured Daniel irritably.

“Why did you lose it?”

“I told you not to talk carelessly, Ricardo.”

Daniel, with nearly ten men hanging on him, growled at Ricardo. Despite his son’s jaw being out of place and Daniel glaring at him, Ricardo’s face was calm, even smiling. Dominic, who was touching his split lip, winced.

‘This old man isn’t senile yet.’

Unable to resist the combined strength of several people, Daniel, who could no longer move forward, shouted coldly.

“Let go and get lost!”

The mercenaries looked at Dominic silently, asking what to do. It was Ricardo who spoke first.

“Let the lord go and finish the work. If we don’t pull the weeds in advance, the hard-earned land will quickly become a mess.”

Ricardo waved his hand at the men holding Daniel.

“Stop fooling around. Hurry up.”

“Captain.”

“But Captain...”

The mercenaries, who hesitated, looked at Dominic, not Ricardo. In situations requiring rational judgment, following Dominic’s opinion was a hundred times better than following Captain Ricardo. Dominic, who was still touching his jaw, frowned and waved his hand at them.

“Dismissed for today.”

As soon as Dominic’s words were spoken, the mercenaries scattered from Daniel’s side and fled.

“Hey, what do you mean by dismissed? Why aren’t you coming here? You guys! We need to finish by today to show the lady tomorrow.”

“Father, just stay still.”

As Ricardo tried to stop the scattering men, Dominic sighed and held his father.

“I can’t take another hit. I’ll die.”

“Why did you step in and get beaten up?”

“Would you just watch your father get hit in front of you?”

“Anyone would think you’re very filial, you brat.”

“Would you be disappointed? I thought my jaw was dislocated.”

A cold, stern voice cut through their bickering.

“Both of you, shut up.”