IHDOE Ch 80
The boy wore tattered clothes, his unkempt hair looking as though it hadn't been cut in years.
A gag muffled his mouth, and handcuffs bound his wrists. Blood trickled down through his hair, likely from slamming his forehead against the wall.
With reddish-brown hair, teal eyes, and the information displayed on the status window, this boy was undoubtedly the Marchioness' true nephew.
Why is her nephew locked up here? Then the person at the estate...
Realization struck, and a sickening dread crept up from her toes.
Did they pass off their own child as the Marchioness' nephew?
Bront and Catherine, the hunter couple, felt dizzy amidst the lavish party hosted in their honor.
The hunter's wife held up a diamond necklace the Marchioness had lent her for the party and spoke.
[Catherine] "Look at this, dear. Is this a real diamond?"
[Bront] "Heh, I suppose so. My, it's on a completely different level from fake cubic zirconia. Look how it sparkles."
[Catherine] "We must demand to keep this later. With just this, we won't have to worry about living expenses for the rest of our lives."
Expensive jewelry beyond what a lifetime of labor could buy, sofa cushions plush beyond imagination, and servants attending strictly to their needs. On top of that, there were cream-layered cakes, masterfully crafted macarons, and a whole roasted pig!
The endless luxury made their heads spin.
A maid poured wine into the hunter's glass, accidentally splashing a few drops onto his vest.
[Maid] "I am so sorry!"
The startled maid apologized hastily, but the hunter pointed an arrogant finger at her instead.
[Bront] "Hey, you! Do you think an apology covers it?! Can't you even pour a drink properly?!"
The butler noticed the commotion and stepped forward.
[Butler] "Is there a problem?"
Sputtering saliva, the hunter bellowed.
[Bront] "This maid splashed wine on my clothes! She's clearly mocking me!"
[Butler] "My goodness, we shall re-educate her properly."
[Bront] "Will education suffice?! A maid like this should be fired immediately! Fire her!"
The butler bit his lip at such insolence. He wanted to throw the man out of the estate on the spot, but he couldn't. The hunter was here as the Marchioness of Riermont's guest.
[Butler] "Calm yourself for a moment. We shall launder your clothes, so how about enjoying some cake in the meantime?"
The butler humored the hunter in a gentle tone. The hunter snorted as if yielding reluctantly.
[Bront] "Hmph, fine. Since you put it that way, I'll let it slide."
[Butler] "Then I shall prepare it shortly."
As the butler headed to the kitchen for cake, the hunter burst into laughter.
Normally, a mere hunter shouting at a butler who served a high noble house was unthinkable. Yet watching the butler grovel to humor him felt immensely satisfying.
The hunter turned to his wife and spoke.
[Bront] "When I saw the watch that child carried back then, I knew it was valuable, but I thought he was merely the son of some wealthy merchant at best. I never dreamed he belonged to a high noble like a marchioness."
The hunter's wife shrugged her shoulders and whispered softly.
[Catherine] "See what I told you? I said keeping him close would prove useful someday, didn't I? And from what I heard earlier, he might inherit a count's estate! Then our son becomes a count!"
Flushed with excitement at the thought, she turned toward her son, who was conversing with the Marchioness, and recalled the past.
They had first discovered 'Max' twelve years ago.
While searching for hunt, the couple had stumbled upon a baby drifting down the river. Wrapped inside the swaddling cloth was a pocket watch, easily recognizable as a luxury item.
[Bront] "My, this looks quite expensive. Selling it should fetch a decent sum."
[Catherine] "Take the baby too."
[Bront] "Why the baby? Taking him is utterly useless."
[Catherine] "Judging by this item, he's clearly from a wealthy family. His parents might come looking for him. Then we'll be his saviors and receive a fortune!"
The couple pulled the baby from the river, named him Matthew, and raised him alongside their own son, Gaiden.
Yet human greed knew no bounds.
Years later, as she watched Matthew and Gaiden walking side by side, the wife spoke up.
[Catherine] "Dear, Matthew has the exact same reddish-brown hair and green eyes as our son. Couldn't we pass off our son as that rich family's child?"
[Bront] "What? Ridiculous! We'd get caught instantly!"
[Catherine] "How would they know after so many years?"
[Bront] "Besides, will his family even come searching? If they don't, we're doing useless work."
[Catherine] "Still, you never know. If it succeeds, we won't just get a small reward. We might inherit an enormous fortune!"
After scrutinizing Matthew's physical traits, the couple had carved identical moles onto Gainden's back.
Living isolated in the forest away from the village helped immensely, since no one knew their family well.
Twelve years passed, and knights sent by the Marchioness of Riermont arrived.
Claiming urgent business before departing for the estate, the hunter locked Matthew—who had been working in the shed—underground to keep him out of the knights' sight.
And when the Marchioness finally embraced their biological son, the couple knew their gamble had succeeded.
Satina summoned Katan to break open the iron cage door and remove the boy's gag and handcuffs.
[Max] "Th-Th-Thank you."
Trembling violently, the boy bowed his head. He fidgeted with his fingers and stammered.
[Max] "I-I must work, or I'll be punished... B-Before Father comes, the work..."
The person who locked him here is likely that father.
Satina rubbed her forehead and let out a long sigh.
At least he's alive, so the worst-case scenario was avoided.
Startled by her reaction, the boy cowered and pulled back.
[Max] "S-Sorry. I'll work hard. P-Please don't be angry."
[Satina] "No, it's alright. I'm not angry."
She spoke in as gentle a tone as possible.
[Max] "I-I must work. If I don't, I'll be punished."
The boy climbed the stairs and diligently organized the animal hides hanging from the ceiling. Watching him perform tasks mechanically without prompting reminded her of a documentary on abuse.
If the Marchioness, who was currently enjoying the party at the estate without a clue, learned of this, she would weep tears of blood.
Did I really avoid the worst-case scenario?
[Satina] "Alright, first, will you tell me your name?"
[Max] "M-Matthew."
[Satina] "Right, Matthew. Someone wants to see you. Will you come with me?"
Max panicked at her question.
[Max] "N-No!"
[Satina] "Why not?"
[Max] "M-Mother said going outside is d-dangerous! Mother said... she'd be furious...! Outside is filled with monsters! F-Filled with beasts! Matthew will die! Dead!"
They had conditioned him thoroughly so he wouldn't wander outside and catch anyone's eye.
A sigh welled up from deep within her, but Satina suppressed it, mindful of the boy watching her reaction.
For now, bringing the boy to the estate and disclosing the truth to the Marchioness took priority.
Ultimately, the final judgment rested with the Marchioness, as did the punishment for the hunter couple who had deceived her.
How do I persuade him to come along?
Just as she wondered whether knocking him unconscious—though drastic—might be better, the boy's stomach rumbled loudly.
Ah, come to think of it, being locked up mid-meal means he's been starving this whole time.
She rummaged through her pockets for something to feed him and pulled out several individually wrapped chocolates.
[Satina] "Would you like to eat this?"
[Max] "Wh-What is this?"
[Satina] "Chocolate."
[Max] "Chocolate...? It looks... burnt."
Though initially repulsed by the dark chocolate, the boy couldn't resist his hunger and accepted the treat she offered.
The moment the chocolate melted inside his mouth, his eyes widened.
[Max] "D-D-Delicious! It's delicious!"
Having lived on a sparse diet under the hunter couple, the boy reacted with excitement to the unprecedented sugar rush. He stole glances at Satina, his desire for another piece completely transparent.
She waved another piece of chocolate and spoke.
[Satina] "If you follow me, you can eat more of this. Will you come with me?"
Unable to contain her joy over finding her nephew, the Marchioness drank heavily for the first time in a long while.
[Gaiden] "Aunt, if I go to the capital, will you buy me a horse too?"
Gaiden, seated beside her, asked in a clear voice. Though a bit shy at first, the boy had warmed up quickly, displaying a lively demeanor.
[M. Riermont] "Do you want a horse?"
[Gaiden] "Yes! A white horse!"
[M. Riermont] "Yes, of course. Buying a few horses like that is no trouble at all."
[Gaiden] "And if I go to the capital, my parents are coming too, right? I don't want to be separated from them."
[M. Riermont] "Of course. I shall secure a spacious, lovely residence for them so they can live comfortably."
[Gaiden] "If it's spacious, wouldn't cleaning be difficult?"
[M. Riermont] "I can assign maids to them. Everyone in the capital lives like that."
Her nephew's crude, clumsy etiquette appeared utterly endearing to her. Just then, a maid approached, delivering news that Satina sought her urgently.
[M. Riermont] "Miss Satina?"
[Maid] "Yes, she stated it was of the utmost importance."
Though reluctant to leave her nephew, the urgent message weighed on her mind. She left the party and headed toward Satina's room.
Upon entering, she encountered a boy with unkempt reddish-brown hair wolfing down chocolate cake.
[M. Riermont] "Miss Satina, who is this child? And what is this urgent matter?"
Satina offered a bitter smile.
[Satina] "This child is your true nephew, Max."
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