Chapter – 29.
Rooting Out the Traitor
Yessica unfolded the contract Vivace had presented.
<Engagement Contract> 1. Salifé Ert will do his utmost to protect the life of Viterne Marquis as promised to Yessica Viterne. 2. Yessica Viterne will provide Salifé Ert with information regarding the White Spinel. (However, the presence of Lisanna Faylock is permitted.) 3. Salifé Ert and Yessica Viterne shall not take other lovers during the contract period. (However, the contract may be annulled by mutual agreement should either develop feelings for another.) 4. Salifé Ert will cooperate with and ensure the safety of Yessica Viterne in exercising her authority regarding the Frenaton. 5. This contract, formed by mutual agreement between both parties, may be amended at any time by mutual consent.
Yessica, who had been slowly reading the contract, raised her eyes and looked at Vivace.
”Something very important is missing.”
“Something important… you say?”
“There’s nothing about sleeping arrangements.”
“Ah, that’s right… Huh?”
“The part about sexual matters is missing.”
At Yessica’s words, Vivace’s mouth fell open as he alternated his gaze between her and the documents in her hand. He had seen many noble young ladies, but this was the first time he’d encountered one so bold.
’Does she have no shame?’
For Yessica, who had lived a previous life, this was an obvious point. In such contracts, the most important thing wasn’t trust between people. ‘Physical contact.’ That was paramount.
Having seen many young ladies who, after drawing up prenuptial or engagement contracts, were violated by men and forced into tearful marriages, this was the most crucial clause for Yessica. Above all, women were the weaker party in this Ert Empire.
”What do you take His Highness for!”
“What do I take him for? I see him as a man.”
Yessica fanned herself with her fan and placed the contract back on the desk. She knew better than anyone that Salifé Ert wasn’t that kind of man, but Yessica had no intention of conceding.
In the Ert Empire, no matter how influential a woman was in high society, a single sexual scandal could send her plummeting into the abyss. Well aware of this, she parted her red lips again.
”I’ll write that part in myself.”
“Young lady!”
As Vivace clutched his head, Yessica whispered while fluttering her fan.
”If you don’t like it, will you take my place?”
“No! Of course not!”
His face bright red, Vivace said no more. Watching him with satisfaction, Yessica took out a pen right there and added clauses up to number ten.
Watching her write from beside her, Vivace spoke up as if truly curious.
”Your penmanship is unique.”
“Naturally. This is a script passed down only to the direct lineage of the Viterne Marquis family for generations.”
The Viterne Marquis family was a prestigious house. And as a family guarding the border, communication among its members was of utmost importance.
Since spies could infiltrate the household, the script used by the family’s representatives was always unique. To prevent forgery, they even changed the script periodically according to a schedule.
That sequence was known only to her father, the Viterne Marquis, and herself.
”I don’t think the script was like this before…”
“Before?”
When Yessica sharply retorted, a flustered Vivace closed his mouth. Previously, Yessica rarely had occasion to write letters. Her mother wrote them on her behalf almost exclusively.
’How does he know my handwriting?’
Realizing once again that there were more people surveilling the Marquis’s household than she thought, Yessica felt the need to hasten the housecleaning.
”First, the intruder here seems to be a man.”
“That’s correct. Judging by the size of the handprint, there likely isn’t a woman with hands this large.”
“Given how he touched it, he’s probably left-handed and a swordsman.”
“How did you…”
It was something Vivace had also noticed, but when Yessica mentioned it, he was genuinely startled. He knew she was different from ordinary young ladies, but he hadn’t realized her observational skills were this sharp.
”If he were right-handed, the handprint here would be from his right hand. And the callouses suggest a swordsman.”
“To deduce all that from just a handprint… That’s incredible.”
Muttering with sincere admiration, Vivace added,
“Your lord is an even more incredible person, isn’t he?”
It was true, but Vivace couldn’t bring himself to nod. Influenced by Salifé, he subconsciously thought women were inferior to men, though less so than the average Ert Empire man.
But Yessica Viterne was someone who overturned his notions entirely. With determination, drive, and observational skills surpassing most men, Vivace was genuinely impressed by her actions, which would make most men hesitate to even present their cards.
”Young lady, you seem even more incredible.”
“I hope that feeling of yours doesn’t change.”
Seemingly not displeased, Yessica hid her face behind her fan and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Seeing her expression, which seemed genuinely pleased, Vivace found his face reddening unbidden.
”We caught him!”
Alter entered Yessica’s room. If the door had been closed, he would have knocked, but an unmarried noble young lady could not be alone in a room with a door closed with a nobleman. It was a clear path to scandal.
So, Yessica had deliberately left the door wide open. She had also noticed the Viterne Marquis’s servants passing by and peeking into the room. And their admiration for her wisdom.
”So, it was this person.”
Yessica’s gaze darkened. It wasn’t an unfamiliar face. She seemed to have glimpsed him during the knights’ training sessions. He seemed unremarkable, yet he had betrayed the Marquis’s house.
Yessica constantly recalled her memories to not forget her previous life, but she couldn’t remember a face like his at all.
”This man betrayed the Marquis’s house.”
“My goodness, does Father know?”
“Not yet.”
From Alter’s indignant expression, deep anger was evident. Knowing Alter, that was to be expected. For him, who adhered strictly to chivalry, it must have been unbelievable that a trainee knight, not even a full knight, had betrayed the lord he served.
’But it’s too much.’
The emotion Alter was showing was too intense. He was venting his fury as if betrayed by someone he trusted. Watching him for a moment, Yessica addressed the kneeling man.
”Why did you betray the Marquis’s house?”
“I did not betray the Empire!”
“I didn’t ask if you betrayed the Empire. I asked if you tried to betray the Marquis’s house.”
“……”
The man remained silent, his face red. Yessica’s blue eyes turned toward him. The man, who appeared to be a trainee knight, seemed around Alter’s age.
Seeing Alter’s hands trembling with the force gripping the man’s shoulders, Yessica fluttered her fan and called Vivace.
”Yes?”
“Go and bring Sir Cern.”
“Me?”
“Then? Should I go?”
At Yessica’s words, Vivace, who had been wearing an absurd expression, reluctantly shuffled his feet as he moved. She sensed his reluctance to go to the end, but Yessica never gave him the answer he wanted. After Vivace left, Yessica asked Alter.
”You answer, Sir. Who is this man?”
“A man who entered the Marquis’s knight order with me.”
In his attitude, as if he didn’t even want to utter the name, Yessica opened her fan to hide her face.
”He’s not a knight yet, so he must be a trainee knight.”
“That is correct.”
Alter answered on behalf of the silent man. The veins bulged on the hand gripping the man’s shoulder. Just from that, one could tell how much anger Alter was suppressing.
Each time she asked a question, the man kept his mouth shut. From his actions, she could guess. How insignificant he considered her.
’I’ll have to wait until Sir Cern arrives.’
Having often seen such men, Yessica didn’t want to waste her mental energy needlessly. Their stories were always the same. They didn’t want to talk to a woman like her; they’d rather have a man summoned.
’Making things difficult for himself… he’s about to lose his life.’
If it were up to her, she wouldn’t kill him immediately, but things would be different once Cern arrived. Though he hadn’t received formal knighthood, Cern wasn’t the type to tolerate such individuals.
Judging by his eyes, he seemed to have some grievance and wanted it recognized, but to Yessica, it didn’t seem unfair at all.
”A traitor, of all things.”
Her quiet voice resonated in the room just as Cern entered with a perplexed expression. Having likely heard the whole story from Vivace, his expression soon turned grave as he bowed to Yessica.
”Young lady.”
“Welcome, Sir Cern.”
“I heard there is a traitor to the Marquis’s house.”
“He’s right here.”
Yessica pointed at the man with her closed fan. Sir Cern’s eyes widened as he recognized the man’s face.
”Basel! What is the meaning of this?!”
“This is all the young lady’s fault!”
At Basel’s sudden outburst, Yessica’s eyes widened in surprise. Thinking she should hear what nonsense he was spouting, Yessica let him be. However, at Basel’s shout, Alter wore an even more shocked expression.
