7

In the place I took her to, Ayla briefly looked up at the sky blankly.

Then she lowered her gaze and asked me, looking at me.

"So, what is this...…?"

"I've temporarily buried it here. I couldn't just leave the body on the ground."

"What kind of world have you been living in?"

"I think it's mostly the same world as yours, Ayla."

Seeing the three tombs side by side, Ayla was dumbfounded, so I just said that for now.

By the way, even though it's temporary, I've also set up a tombstone. The epitaph hasn't been engraved yet, though.

"More than that, this is the Count's family tomb, right?"

"I've tried to show proper respect as a guest."

"Normally, guests aren't killed and buried, though. Were you really a petty thief? Or rather, did such a thing really exist?"

"If you're asking to see the people lying in the tomb… "

"No… no, it's fine."

Ayla sighed deeply, shaking her head as she spoke.

It seemed she wasn't shocked by the fact that I had killed someone. Rather, she appeared much more taken aback by the fact that the body had been buried in the Count's family tomb.

Ayla looked down at the three newly added tombs with a complicated expression and then spoke.

"Let me ask again. You owe the Count a debt, and you came to repay it, right?"

"Yes."

"Is that debt really a 'favor' debt? If you were such a person, you wouldn't have buried a petty thief in the Count's family tomb."

I bowed my waist, hands politely clasped in front.

"Since everyone becomes the same after death, I thought it would be fine to temporarily offer a corner of the empty land."

"With such a generous mindset, you didn't spare them, though."

"It's true I made an arrogant plan."

"It seems like you've heard something."

"Yes."

"Alright. Tell me. What exactly did they say that was so 'arrogant'?"

"Even though there are not many items in the mansion, they said there are two women."

"…..

"Thus, I judged it as a threat to this mansion."

"...I see."

Ayla fell into silence for a moment again.

"Then, tell me how and where you fought. I still can't believe it."

Unable to ask her to dig up the tomb again, Ayla gave such an instruction.

"As per headquarters."

I bowed to Ayla again and replied.

Only after seeing the magical tools I had set up, as well as the small but remaining traces of the fight and bloodstains, did Ayla finally understand that I had fought with someone here yesterday.

"And you didn't get even a scratch, right?"

"That's right. At least, the ones I saw yesterday were terribly incompetent."

"Are you disappointed that you couldn't enjoy it?"

"I apologize. I'm not the type to enjoy fighting."

"…Well, alright."

Ayla sighed deeply again and then spoke.

"Even though I don't completely understand why you're here… I do understand that you sincerely want to stay. I still can't comprehend that reason, but well, let me hear it. What are you planning to do next? You don't plan to just stay here, right?"

Ayla pointed to the garden path in front of the mansion with a gesture of her chin.

It meant for me to follow her.

I quietly lowered my gaze and followed behind her, keeping a few steps of distance. I didn't want to seem too friendly in case she would show resistance.

Ayla is very suspicious.

She wasn't like this in the past. She always seemed full of confidence, acting as though she believed she could handle anything in the world with just a sword.

Or, did she act like that? Or did she think she wouldn't enter such a world?

I still clearly remember her sitting alone in a place in the ballroom where no one could see her. Her blank stare out the window.

In this world, she must have fought to survive. For the future she wanted. But in the end, she couldn't change anything.

"Let me hear your plans for the future. According to your claim, your position here is both a butler and head maid, right?"

Ayla said with a sarcastic tone.

I wasn't particularly offended.

"First, I want to gather people. No matter how capable I am, it would be impossible to manage this huge mansion perfectly on my own."

"You're saying you're capable yourself."

"I am lacking, but still."

"Don't you think your tone is getting a little lighter?"

Ah, excuse me.

When I talk to Ayla, my heart lifts a little.

Even her irritated voice has that effect. After all, I had only watched from afar until now.

Without causing too much trouble to the Marquis family, I had a plan to neatly extract Ayla from this place.

I had worked hard for that. Even when my younger sibling participated and I sneaked into a ball I wasn't invited to, I didn't speak directly to Ayla for that reason.

"Actually, I haven't had proper sleep in the past two days. It's impossible to protect this mansion alone."

"Hmph."

Ayla scoffed.

"Are you planning to fill this mansion with the people you want, using such excuses? So that you can take over the Count's family at some point?"

....

Ayla's guess is strangely sharp.

She's right. I do want to make the Count's estate fully controllable.

"All I hear is that you want to bind me and the young lady."

Ayla's voice trembled slightly.

That tremble doesn't seem to be out of fear. It sounds more like a voice trembling with anger.

"…Ayla."

"Let me say one thing."

Ayla stopped walking.

"I'm glad the Count is dead."

"..."

I looked up and saw Ayla.

"I don't know what kind of debt you owed the Count. Well, in some sense, maybe you're right in saying you're here to repay that debt. But I have no intention of reminiscing or mourning the Count. He was just a hindrance to me."

Ayla's eyes were locked on mine.

Her gaze was still a little cloudy, but deep within, something seemed to be burning.

"He was a greedy old man who, at my father's age, lusted after me and younger girls."

"Ayla."

"Perhaps the 'debt' you have was something like that. Your family owed the Count, right? I'm not talking about money. The Count must have saved your father, or your mother from trouble, or your whole family."

"And now, you've come to repay that debt. How naive."

Ayla looked directly at me.

For some reason, I feel like I can see a little bit of what Ayla is hoping for.

What has Ayla been doing while staying here for the past month?

At first, I just thought she locked herself in her room, wallowing in sorrow… but maybe not.

Maybe she was preparing something.

The mansion's servants have all disappeared. Logically, that's not an easy thing. It's a strange story if they ran away without waiting for a close relative of the Count to take responsibility for the mansion and the remaining family.

"The debt, you don't need to repay it now. The Count is dead."

What if the servants who ran away were actually allowed to leave, by someone? Whether said directly, implied indirectly, or just suggested with indifference.

If those who were sold because of the 'debt' were just left to escape on their own…

Sending soldiers or knights might have been tricky, but considering the lack of loyalty from the Count's people, it would've been possible to persuade them with enough money.

If needed, they might have even written recommendation letters.

This is all just my guess, but if Ayla was indeed sending out the Count's people in this way…

…Perhaps she still hasn't given up.

My heart was pounding.

But, that won't do.

The Count's true wealth isn't just simple gold coins. It's the countless secrets and the 'debt' itself. The numerous documents sleeping in the vault, and the relationships connected through those documents, that's the Count's true wealth.

Those who will move to seize it will start to appear soon. Even if they run away like this, Ayla will surely be branded as the witch who assassinated the Count and will be hunted down.

"...Or is it not because of the debt after all?"

Ayla glared at me and spoke.

'Perhaps she has figured out that I'm not planning to run away just by forgiving the debt.

"Did you covet this mansion after all? Or was it the position of Count itself?"

…No, Ayla.

"How should I trust you? You're the kind of person who digs all kinds of traps around the mansion and kills those who attempt to invade without a care, all with a neutral expression."

"How can I make you believe me, Ayla?"

Ayla scoffed as though in disbelief.

"It sounds like you're saying I should just agree to whatever you say."

As I bowed politely, Ayla let out a short laugh in disbelief.

"Well, fine. Then, should I dance here naked—"

Ayla's eyes widened.

Then her mouth dropped open, and Ayla hastily shouted.

"Huh? Eh? Huh? Ah, no, wait, what are you doing right now!?"

Well, I'm in the process of getting naked, aren't I?