NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Edior Viscount, Seized by Terror
“Damn it!! That brat!!”
I exploded with rage upon returning to the mansion. The intensity of my anger made the servants look uneasy.
“What happened, my lord?”
Evan, the head butler I trusted the most, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Everyone, return to your duties. I will hear what happened from the master,” Evan instructed the servants, who, though still uneasy, obediently went back to work.
I entered the office with Evan and took a seat. After a moment, Evan inquired, “My lord, what happened?”
“That Zafing brat forced me to retire. And he demanded that I hand over the family headship to Carmine.”
“Retire? Hand over the headship to Lord Carmine? What on earth is going on? Why would Lord Gazel interfere with the affairs of the Edior Viscount House?”
Evan’s questions were valid. Had I not been there, I would have vehemently opposed it too.
“It’s not Gazel!! It’s his son, Giorg!! He inherited the title of Zafing Marquess upon turning sixteen!! That brat accused Gazel of assassinating the former Zafing Marquess and implicated our Viscount House in it!!”
“Lord Gazel… assassinated… What about Lady Almada?”
“She was executed alongside Gazel.”
“Wh… Executed!?”
At Evan’s shocked voice, I continued, “That brat had evidence that money from the House of Zafing was flowing through Almada.”
“What…”
“Damn it!! That brat used that to force me into retirement.”
“How could…”
“That brat underestimated me. I’ll make sure he pays for this.”
“My lord, perhaps you could nominally hand over the headship to Lord Carmine while retaining actual control?”
“That brat declared himself Carmine’s guardian. He even said he’d send an assistant from the House of Zafing to oversee things.”
I spoke with bitterness. The way Giorg looked at me was as if I were beneath him. Why should I be looked down upon by some brat? The anger kept bubbling up.
“As expected of the Zafing Marquess,” Evan remarked.
I narrowed my eyes at Evan’s words. What was he saying? Praising that brat in front of me?
“Edior Viscount, doesn’t it strike you as odd?”
“What?”
“Why would the Zafing Marquess know about the funds that came into the Edior House through Almada? Hmm?”
Evan sneered coldly. I could only watch in silence as the atmosphere around him changed. Of course, I noticed he referred to Almada without honorifics, but the growing terror within me left me speechless.
“After Lady Elphil’s death, I wondered how Lord Giorg would handle things. Truly, he is worthy of succeeding Lady Elphil.”
“Wh… What are you saying…”
“To execute those two without hesitation and use it to take over the Viscount House… Truly remarkable.”
My suspicions grew rapidly. Evan had served the Edior House even before I became Viscount. His loyalty and competence were trusted by everyone in the household. But his current demeanor showed me that this trust was misplaced.
“Evan… You couldn’t possibly…”
In response to my question, Evan grinned. It was the grin of a lion about to pounce on its prey.
“Yes, exactly as you thought… Edior Viscount.”
With those words, Evan moved. In an instant, he was behind me, covering my mouth with his hand. A knife was pressed against my neck.
“Don’t make a sound. If you do, I’ll kill not just you but your entire family. If you understand, slowly raise your right hand.”
I obeyed, raising my right hand. Evan then released his grip on my mouth.
“Lord Giorg spared you because you still have some use. Personally, I think it would be quicker to just finish you off, but his methods are different.”
“…”
“From now on, don’t think about anything. If you interfere with his plans, I’ll eliminate your entire family. Never forget that we have not forgiven your family for harming Lady Elphil.”
“…”
I nodded repeatedly, my instincts telling me that any resistance would mean certain death for my family.
“Edior Viscount, any slander against Lord Giorg from now on will endanger your family’s lives. Of course, this applies not just to you but to your family and everyone in the household. Remember, I’m not the only one working for the Zafing Marquess… You understand what this means, right?”
I nodded again, trembling. The Evan I had trusted completely was now the most terrifying person in the world.
“Well then… my lord, make sure to carry out the Zafing Marquess’s orders properly. If you fail…”
“I… I understand.”
“Good. From now on, you will work diligently for the Zafing Marquess.”
With that, Evan smiled his usual smile, bowed, and left the room. As the door closed, sweat poured from my entire body.
(The House of Zafing… What kind of family are they? Evan has served my family for so long… If he was sent by the Zafing family, does that mean they have spies in every noble house in this country…?)
The thought left me speechless. The idea that the Zafing family’s eyes and ears could be anywhere was terrifying.
Evan didn’t kill me because it went against Giorg’s methods. And by revealing his allegiance to the Zafing family here, he showed that it posed no threat to him.
If Evan wanted to, I would be dead before I even realized it. And if I tried to call for help, I would be killed before anyone could arrive.
“I shouldn’t have messed with them…”
I muttered while clutching my head, hoping no one heard me, and quickly covered my mouth.
I finally understood the terror of the Zafing Marquess. I was only alive because I still had some use. Conversely, if I lost that use, I would be eliminated.
I couldn’t stop my body from trembling as I realized that Death was sitting next to me, grinning.
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