7. Day 1 (6)

Shesam squeezed the handle of his bag, and turned his gaze towards the countess, Belverassa. To her, he tried to appear as humble as ever.

She wore a flashy outfit with matching jewelry. Although Belverassa seemed proud, at her age, her beauty could only be considered as striking. At the sight of her yellow diamond pendant, which hung and shone repulsively around her neck, Shesam desperately wanted to spit.

Does she even know how many horses we have to give up to raise money for that pendant!?

The number of invoices the countess sent him without permission was equivalent to dozens of war horses raised by the Count Ruth family.

A few years ago, a few good quality war horses were enough to cover those invoices. However, in times of peace like the present, finding a buyer for war horses with rough temperaments was difficult.

Belverassa wouldn’t know a thing about Shesam’s hardships. He had to secretly sell of the horses that the count had brought.

Moreover, yellow diamonds were now prohibited items.  Neither buying nor selling them should be possible—

—as such, where on earth did she get it?

“…I’m about to go see the count, it’s about Lady Lorona…”

“Oh, that reminds me, that girl is dead, isn’t she?”

Belverassa unpleasantly furrowed her eyebrows as she snorted in frustration.

“She died in an accident, even though her engagement had just been annulled… she was the prince’s fiancée, so I want her to remain beautiful even in death. Lumina was also disheartened because of this…”

“…Tch!”

Belverassa showed no hint of mourning towards her stepdaughter—Lorona. In fact, there wasn’t even a tinge of sadness. On the contrary, she was complaining about her death.

Shesam desperately clenched his teeth so as to not get angry at her wickedness. He just wanted to shout at Belverassa for delaying his meeting with the count.

“Well, well, thanks to her death, Lumina will become the new Countess of Ruth. Therefore, I’ll have to thank her. Don’t you agree, Shesam?”

“…Yes.”

“Are you going to meet my husband to carry out the procedures? Also, the property under the name of Lorona will also belong to Lumina, correct?”

“That’s right. I’ll need the consent of the count to rewrite the documents under the name of Lady Lorona. Thus, I’d like his confirmation.”

“I see, then hurry up! What are you waiting for!?”

What selfishness—!

Shesam wanted to scream in anger. However, all he could do was bow down and rush to board the carriage.

He couldn’t even bear to share the same air as Belverassa any longer.

As soon as the coachman closed the door, he exhaled deeply.

“…What should I do from now on?”

Shesam would be 24-years-old that year. He was old enough to have a wife.

However, every time he witnessed the financial condition of Count Ruth, which was becoming direr, he couldn’t dream of his own marriage.

He was so busy that his parents dared not mention the topic of marriage to him.

The count was indifferent to managing his territory and properties. All he did was meaninglessly spend on military equipment.

Meanwhile, his wife believed that just because she was the countess, she was entitled to squandering their money.

The daughter born between the two was as spoiled as her mother. As such, Shesam was busy every day due to the invoices imposed by them.

Lorona was the only supportive one.

Lorona, who was beautiful and excellent from an early age, became the fiancée of the prince and worked hard every day because of that.

She rarely wished for anything, and she had the humbleness to mend her frayed dress herself.

Shesam was aware that she was a kindhearted person. However, she caused a few emotional ups and downs since it was difficult for others to understand what she was thinking.

Shesam, who had succeeded his father and became the new accountant of Count Ruth at the age of eighteen, was about to die from financial dire straits every day.

By the time Shesam was 20-years-old, the count family had already been cornered to the brink of collapse.

If that were to be revealed, he’d be branded as incompetent. As an accountant, he’d be held liable. Afterwards, the only fate that would await him was his demise. Every day was miserable for him.

It was Lorona, who was only 14-years-old at the time, who asked Shesam, “Are you okay.”

At that time, he was too overwhelmed and didn’t have the slightest intention of doing anything.

With her gentle voice and worried gaze, Shezam forgot his identity as a servant and tearfully complained of the count’s tense situation.

“Shesam, I’m truly sorry. You’ve been through a lot. It must have been difficult.”

Lorona, who was only a little girl, said that and apologized to Shesam.

Her little hand gently stroked his head.

Eventually, Lorona started a business and cooperated with a commoner merchant. She began to deposit a certain amount of money into the count’s family every month.

When they were about to run out of money, they’d think of a solution together. When they had to reduce the number of servants, she always made sure the dismissed servants had a new place to work so they wouldn’t get lost along the way.

Taking advantage of the merchant’s debt and corporation, Lorona arranged a contract on exceptional terms.

It was all a credit-backed transaction that Lorona built through her business.

During the last five years, the only reason both Count Ruth and Shesam were able to survive was because of Lorona.

But with Lorona’s death, it wouldn’t be possible to sign a new contract in the future.

Without Lorona—a capable businesswoman, and also the crown prince’s fiancée, who’d cooperate with the Count of Ruth?

“Lady Lorona…”

Shesam, who mentioned Lorona’s name with a fleeting voice, noticed that his vision was distorted.

Tears welled up on his eyes, blinding him. It wasn’t the future of the count’s family that he was struck by—it was because of Lorona’s death.

“Lady… how did you die?”

Shesam finally realized that he was sad.

His body seemed to have finally understood that he was overwhelmed by Lorona’s death. He was suffering from grief so deep that he could barely breathe.

“I won’t know what to do when you’re gone…”

Lorona never showed her emotions on her face. But she always took good care of Shesam, and she would always speak kindly to him.

She was always gentle, amiable, and kind to everyone. She never got angry at her family, or her at fiancé who didn’t care about her. She’d just forlornly sigh.

I regret not being able to help you.

I should’ve thanked you more.

I should’ve told you, how much you’ve saved me.

It was pitiful how Shesam, a mere servant, was unable to do anything.

Covering his face with his hands, Shesam wept over Lorona’s death.

Fortunately, the sounds of the carriage’s wheel drowned his voice, but of course, that did not mend Shesam’s grief.

***T/N: Okay I’m legit getting teary-eyed. So far, Shesam is the only one who genuinely grieved for her. Can’t wait for the haughty biach Belverassa to SUFFER.