The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella - Chapter 17
“Grandfather.”
“I left this matter to you, yet you’re merely dragging your feet. Is it because you want me to keep seeing such pathetic things?”
Edmund’s eyes widened, then he showed a sulky expression.
Perhaps because he was in front of his grandfather.
It was the first time since they had met that he showed such a childlike expression.
“I was merely following protocol.”
“All for what? Those who can chatter away won’t be left to do so anyway.”
At that, Edmund openly sighed.
“Times have changed since you were in charge, Grandfather.”
“What?”
“Even if their foul intentions are clear, if we bury people without following procedures, wouldn’t the royal palace send an investigative team?”
“Is this my fault then?”
“Of course. This is all thanks to the peace treaty you helped negotiate, Grandfather.”
Tsk.
The Duke clicked his tongue and playfully grabbed his grandson’s head.
“You rascal.”
“Ah! Grandfather!”
“Kids these days are all soft with their laws and norms. What, should I overturn it all again? Start another war?”
“Don’t say such terrible things!”
Count Bluewood listened to the conversation between the grandfather and grandson, trembling.
His trembling grew more and more intense until it was uncontrollable.
Because Duke Valkyriesen had risen from his seat and was approaching him.
“That’s why you’re still naive. To us, laws and norms are nothing more than wordplay.”
Valkyriesen stands above the law.
This statement was coming from a man who was a hero of an era and a lasting figure in history.
Rather than sounding arrogant, the oppressive atmosphere felt crushing.
“Count Bluewood.”
He had to tilt his head back fully to see the face that bore a cruel smile.
It was the most gleeful expression he had seen yet.
“My soft-hearted grandson went out of his way to ask me to consider the possibility that you were wrongfully accused.”
So, as you see, I patiently waited.
He spoke slowly, chillingly, like draining the blood from the Count.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Y-Your Grace. It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding?”
“I knew nothing about it! It was all, all, the, the, the butler acting on his own…!”
The Duke tore off one earring he was wearing and threw it at the Count.
“Ugh!”
The Count looked down at the earring that had hit his cheek and fallen.
If you wore one on each side, you could hear all the conversations exchanged by the person on the other end, a magical earring.
He turned to look at the young lord, sweating profusely, and noticed the same design of blue earring in Edmund’s ear, closing his eyes tightly.
He thought it was enough to appear well-behaved in front of just the Duke.
The decision was in his hands, after all.
But it turned out the Duke had intended to punish them from the start, and it was actually the young lord who had shown mercy.
But now, even that one chance has flown away.
Kicked away by his own doing.
It was over.
“What shall we do?”
The Duke suddenly placed a hand on his other ear and asked.
In his opposite ear hung a golden, glittering ear cuff.
A design utterly unbecoming of Valkyriesen, delicately crafted with flowers resembling bluebells, decorated with small pearls and gems.
―Squeak squeak.
From beyond the earring, the sound of squeaking could be heard.
The squeaking sound was unmistakable, even when listened to again.
Yet, the Duke continued the conversation calmly.
“I will handle it as you have instructed.”
―Squeak!
And that, with the utmost respect.
A figure the Duke would speak so respectfully to?
In the Sylveria Kingdom, other than the king and queen, there shouldn’t be many…
Could a harvest mouse have that kind of status in the other world?
Count Bluewood couldn’t believe it.
‘So then… what is this squeaking about?’
What’s going to happen?
“Lady Ratzen.”
“Yes?”
“Come here.”
Hesitant at first, Elodie soon decided and stretched out her arms towards him, asking to be picked up.
Duke Valkyriesen took the child from Sera and asked,
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
