My lady wants to greet
When the autumn harvest season ends, the kingdom is gripped by the harsh cold of winter. It causes heavy snow, disrupting transportation in most places, which leads people to stockpile food and stay in their homes, awaiting the arrival of spring. This is the common way of surviving winter in this world.
Despite the challenges, the majority of monsters are unable to cope with the extreme cold. With the threat of monsters, the natural enemy of humanity, diminished, this season is often considered the safest time of the year.
However, for the nobility, the winter season becomes the busiest time of the year. While they typically need to protect their territories from monsters, they no longer have to do so during winter. Instead, they engage in various social activities, particularly the gatherings and parties where they strengthen their connections. This marks the beginning of the so-called "social season."
The Valiaz family, holding the title of Duke and leading a major faction among the nobility, is no exception. During this period, all family members, except for Milady, who usually resides on her estate, stay at the family mansion in the capital. I am with Milady in the courtyard, waiting to welcome her family members.
Lined up neatly with the servants, we watch as an object in the distance gradually approaches from the sky. Soon, a group of wyverns, each carrying a basket, comes closer and gently lands in front of us.
There are two carriers in total.
As Milady watches with a nervous expression, the doors to the baskets are opened by approaching servants, and finally, the individuals inside become visible.
"Oink... It's fast, but this carrier is still too cramped," the man grumbled as he emerged from the carrier, bearing the same golden hair as Milady.
In stark contrast to the elegant Milady, the overweight man, whose hefty frame had caused the basket to sway, seemed to relish the feel of solid ground beneath his feet. He indulged in this sensation, much like someone savoring their first steps on solid earth after a long absence.
Following his descent, a group of young maids with refined features surrounded him. Without hesitation, the man's round face contorted with delight as he embraced the maids, boldly fondling their rear ends, seemingly indifferent to the presence of onlookers. While the maids initially furrowed their brows in discomfort, they soon surrendered to the situation and cast their eyes down, offering no resistance. Such behavior suggested that these actions were nothing out of the ordinary.
Stepping forward elegantly, Milady extended a greeting, adjusting her skirt as she spoke, "It's been a while, dear brother."
As Milady stepped forward to greet her brother, elegantly adjusting her skirt, it was indeed regrettable that this grace was entirely absent in the man before her. He was none other than Zane Valiaz, Isabella's brother and the heir to the Valiaz ducal family.
Silence followed her greeting, and Isabella's brother briefly glanced in her direction. However, he did not respond, instead directing his deep crimson eyes toward the servants who were standing nearby, as if searching for something.
"What, is that maid not here?"
"Eins is currently outside."
"Hmph, then there's no need for her to be here. Let's go."
"....Yes."
It seemed he had been looking for Eins, but as she was currently outside attending to an errand, she was not present. Upon learning this, Zane's face clearly displayed disappointment. He lost interest and walked by Milady, heading toward the mansion.
Zane's departure, and the maids who followed him with lifeless expressions, appeared somewhat eerie.
"Brother..."
"Milady, please don't be upset."
"It's alright. I'm sure my brother was just in a bad mood."
Silence enveloped the room as her brother walked away, his figure disappearing into the mansion. Milady watched him with a sad expression, and although I felt compelled to say something to comfort her, she turned to me with her usual smile.
But that couldn't be the case.
To the best of my knowledge, that man had never shown any interest in Milady. Her smile appeared more like a façade to me.
"Cr~ow~!"
"Ah...!"
"What?! Uwa... Toh!?"
Suddenly, breaking the heavy atmosphere with an affectionate tone, someone jumped in. I instinctively moved aside, narrowly avoiding a collision. The person continued past me, almost stumbling but managing to regain their balance just in time.
Tch... Falling clumsily would have suited you better.
"Oh, come on, it's not like you needed to dodge!"
"I apologize, Madam Roberia. However, it would be wise to refrain from such inappropriate actions."
As I sighed internally, I faced the approaching woman. Her golden hair and appearance bore a striking resemblance to Milady, but she appeared somewhat older, more like an adult. It's no surprise since she's Milady's biological mother.
"Don't be so stiff. No need to feel embarrassed."
"Don't worry about me."
"You're as distant as ever... but I have to say, that's part of your charm."
While speaking, Roberia, Milady's mother, pushed her bosom against my chest and gave me a seductive look. Indeed, her beauty and physique were top-notch as befitting Milady's mother. A regular man would likely be captivated by her allure.
But, she was merely a woman. Her deep crimson eyes only displayed submissive desires toward a man, and the nobility I witnessed in Milady on that day was nowhere to be found. Therefore, the woman before me was just a mere vessel, and her seductive female form, along with the scent of her matured perfume, were nothing more than irritating elements to me.
"Um... Mother..."
"Oh, you're here? So, what do you want?"
Milady, who had been completely left out until then, finally gathered the courage to address Robelia. However, the eyes she had previously directed toward me now bore a hostile gaze, as if she were looking at an enemy. Milady stood frozen in place.
While Robelia was speaking and holding me as if I were her property, I remained steadfast in my commitment to Milady. We should have nothing to do with this shallow woman, who, driven by envy, dares to insult her own daughter just because she's younger and more beautiful.
"Geez, you've spoiled the good mood I was in. Crow, please reconsider what I told you."
"I've already rejected your advances multiple times."
"Oh, I haven't given up, dear. Visiting me would be better for you than staying with my daughter."
"That's not for you to decide."
Robelia, ignoring Milady, turned her attention back to me and tried to seduce me with her words. Though I managed to keep my composure, the ongoing exchanges were testing my patience. Who would willingly follow someone who insults the person they love? What a despicable creature!
"Very well, let's call it a day for now. If you ever change your mind, feel free to visit me anytime. You're always welcome."
"..."
"Shall we go?"
"Yes!"
Robelia appeared content after expressing her thoughts. She let go of me and gracefully walked away with a group of men who had been waiting for her, leaving Milady standing there, still frozen in place.
"Milady..."
"Why are you patting me?"
"I was thinking, Milady, that you are truly remarkable."
"What do you mean..."
After the tumultuous welcome and with the servants gone, Milady remained alone in the courtyard. As I continued to pat her head, I hoped to see her usual smile. Her family consisted of terrible people. Her brother only thought of using women for his desires, her mother was consumed by envy of the young and beautiful Milady, and her father viewed others as mere pawns.
In such a despicable family, Milady was the only one who, although somewhat spoiled, had grown up relatively normal. I didn't want to see her beautiful face clouded by their influence.
So, for a while, I continued to pat her head, hoping to see her usual smile.
"Sorry for having you hide like that."
"No, it's not your fault, Sir Crow. Given that man, we had no choice."
"I can't afford to lose you..."
Late at night, I walked through the mansion's corridor with Eins, who had joined us after most of the mansion's occupants, including Milady, had gone to sleep. She had been absent during the day because introducing Eins to Zane would have led to complications.
Zane, Milady's brother, was well-known for his fondness for women. He regularly used his family's power and influence to take women he liked by force. It wasn't as bad in the capital, but in his own territory, countless women had suffered because of him. When we met earlier in the day, he had several young maids with him, and it was likely that all of them were his mistresses.
For some reason, a few years ago, he had become fixated on Eins and had been trying to claim her. So far, we had managed to handle it, given the delicate nature of her role as the head maid for Milady. But with no other maids serving Milady, we couldn't risk making Eins his mistress. It was an inconvenience, but we couldn't simply eliminate the heir of a ducal family without a good reason. Normally, he stayed in his territory, so it wasn't a problem, but during this time of the year, it was unavoidable.
Regrettably, to avoid any encounters with Zane, we had to keep Eins hidden most of the time.
"That is..."
"Hm?"
As I pondered this troublesome situation, Eins noticed a maid approaching from down the corridor. The maid's steps were unsteady and weak, as if she might collapse at any moment.
"Are you alright?"
"N-No!"
I couldn't leave her alone. I reached out to assist, but she reacted with a pained expression and pushed me away, as if experiencing muscle cramps. She seemed to realize her mistake only after pushing me, and her face contorted with anguish. I was briefly taken aback, but upon closer inspection, I recognized her. She was one of the maids who had been with Zane earlier.
"I-I'm so sorry! I'm just dirty..."
"Eins, please offer her your shoulder."
"Yes, of course."
The maid was visibly shaken, repeatedly bowing in apology. Given what she had likely endured a moment ago, it was entirely understandable. Eins seemed to share the same sentiment and readily offered her shoulder for support.
Looking at her again, the condition of her body was dreadful. Her skin bore red marks, as if she had been whipped, and there were areas of evident bruising, as if she had been hit repeatedly. Even though magic could heal her wounds to some extent, this level of abuse was excessive.
"At this hour, the servants' bath should still be available. Let's head there."
"Um, well..."
"Sir Crow, should I call Zwei?"
"Yes, you're right. We'll bring our healer as well. We'll also need contraceptives..."
As we walked down the corridor, I arranged for the necessary personnel and medications for her treatment. It was late at night, but fortunately, my subordinates were competent, and her treatment would be completed promptly.
"Ugh... h-hic... hic..."
"Is something the matter?"
"I... hic... haven't been treated this kindly in so long..."
As we talked, the young maid, Serina, started sobbing, her eyes streaming with tears. I learned that she originally came from a noble family, but due to her family's estate mismanagement and the resulting debts, she had been sold as a last resort.
While officially, this country prohibited all forms of slavery except for criminal slaves, in practice, many individuals like her had their rights stripped away and were sold. Despite her role as a maid on the surface, Serina was essentially a commodity, with all her rights bought by Zane.
"Thank you so much!"
"Don't mention it. If you ever run into trouble, feel free to seek our help."
"Mr. Crow..."
After we finished cleaning Serina's body and tending to her wounds, our part in this was over. She smiled at my responses and kept bowing as she expressed her gratitude, then quickly left.
"Well done, Sir Crow."
"Ha..."
I appreciate Eins' straightforward praise, but honestly, I wish she'd cut me some slack. I'm not so insensitive that I didn't notice the last expression on Serina's face and the emotions she had conveyed.
It seemed she had misunderstood that I had helped her out of goodwill, but that was far from the truth. With her cooperation as a servant of Zane, she could prove to be helpful in understanding his troublesome actions. From the looks of it, she would likely cooperate with us willingly in the future.
"....."
As I pondered this, I recalled her story from earlier.
The Valiaz family, with its enormous wealth, was also involved in moneylending. It was probably from there that her family had borrowed money. With the power of a ducal family like theirs, it would be easy to target and bankrupt specific noble houses and acquire the daughters unable to repay the debts as a result. It was one of Zane's methods for obtaining women.
Given her relatively attractive appearance, it wasn't surprising she caught his eye. In other words, from the moment she was targeted by him, her life was in jeopardy.
I can't help but feel sorry for her, but this world operates on the law of the jungle. In this harsh reality, the weak often become victims of the strong.
Of course, I can't allow Milady to fall victim to this cruelty. To protect her, she'll need to give it her all.
Turning in the opposite direction of where she went, I headed to my beloved Milady's bedroom where she was sleeping.
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