Ms. Claire Was Furious On Our Behalf
“Well, it was all put into action by Count Barsler. Anneliese was definitely not involved.”
“Of course. I have merely offered my wisdom to him. As for what he decides to do with it, that is solely up to him.”
The moment Ms. Anne said this with a smile, Ms. Claire stood up and shouted.
This atmosphere… It reminded me of when she berated Sebastian and the others… Ms. Claire was clearly having no more of this.
I myself had seen people suffer in person, and did not like the way that Ms. Anne was speaking.
“How can you talk so casually!? People have suffered from this illness! You may claim that she is blameless, but no one will be satisfied by such an answer! Anne! I see that you do not even feel a morsel of guilt!”
“While I did think of ways for him to make a profit with the magic tool, it was father who actually did it.”
I had never seen Ms. Claire look so angry as she shouted.
She was definity more passionate than she was with Sebastian.
Mr. Ekenhart looked overwhelmed by this, but Ms. Anne continued to look calm and unbothered.
…Perhaps women were strong against the rage of other women… Or Ms. Anne was just special.
In any case, I agreed with Ms. Claire.
I had seen the sick children at the Ractos orphanage and suffering residents of Range village.
They had coughed in pain while others watched with dread. So it was no wonder that Ms. Claire was angry.
Even Sebastian and Ms. Lyra were scowling a little.
“It is true that Count Barsler was the one who acted! However, you had the power to stop him! In the first place, the disease never would have spread had you not suggested it! Surely you understand that!?”
“Go and look at the people who are suffering! I will not hear you say that they are not like us! There would be no nobles without common folk! They do not exist because of you! It is thanks to them that we have this position! And yet your plan has hurt them… You cannot be forgiven for that!”
While Ms. Anne was indifferent at first, Ms. Claire’s words started to overwhelm her.
Ms. Claire was right that nobles only existed because of the common folk…
Without them, you could shout as much as you want that you’re a noble, but there would be no one to hear you.
Mr. Ekenhart also seemed to agree with Ms. Claire, as he was nodding his head.
…However, did he forget that he was one of the causes for her anger?
“…Don’t worry. She’s not angry at you, Leo.”
As Ms. Claire shouted angrily, Leo curled her tail and pushed her face towards me.
When she was still a maltese, she hated angry shouts and loud voices… Most small dogs were like that. I suppose she was remembering those times then.
And so I petted Leo to calm her down.
But now that I think about it, Silver Fenrirs were the most powerful of all monsters… And yet Ms. Claire was able to intimidate one… Well, Leo was likely just an exception.
“But…I really haven’t done…”
“So you still don’t understand! Regardless of what your purpose was, I am saying that merely suggesting a plan that hurts people is a crime!”
“…But you see, things weren’t going very well financially and…”
“You think that gives you an excuse to hurt people!? You are not fit to be a noble!”
“But we haven’t hurt our own people!”
“Oh, so it’s perfectly fine to hurt the duke’s people!? What monstrous logic! People are people. It should not matter on which lord’s lands they live on! And yet you…”
Anne continued to be overwhelmed, but seemed to be trying to shift the blame by thinking of excuses.
However, this just made Ms. Claire even more angry, and she continued her remonstrations.
…Perhaps it would end if Ms. Anne was remorseful and apologized.
Thanks to Ms. Claire’s fiery rage, everyone else who was watching gulped.
While it was wrong for her to make such suggestions, it was indeed Count Barsler who acted on them.
And while Ms. Anne was not guiltless, it may not be possible to have her punished.
Though, I still thought it was necessary for her to admit that she had done wrong.
“You still don’t see it… In that case… Good Leo!”
Suddenly, Ms. Claire changed tactics.
Leo had been so calm a moment ago as I petted her, but she now barked in alarm.
“Please go closer to Anne so that you two can play thoroughly!”
“What! Ms. Claire! You!”
“Sorry, Leo… There is nothing that I can do.”
Leo looked at me as if asking for help, but I doubted there was anything that I could do to stop Ms. Claire at this point.
As I apologized and looked away, Leo barked like an abandoned puppy.
Sorry, Leo… I am powerless now… You don’t have to forgive me… I cannot do anything, and will not be able to save you…
“Hey, wait one moment! Ms. Claire!”
Leo herself did not have any negative feelings towards Ms. Anne, but she seemed to feel that Ms. Claire was angry at her, and she was not enthusiastic about it.
However, Ms. Claire was not about to back down.
Ms. Anne screamed and looked like she was ready to run away, but Ms. Claire went around and pushed her back so that she moved towards Leo.
It cannot be helped then… Leo seemed to sigh as she stood up and lumbered towards Ms. Anne.
“Hey! Don’t lick my face…stop…!”
“Do you still refuse to see the error of your ways?”
After Ms. Claire demanded it, Leo hesitantly started to Lick Ms. Anne’s face.
As Ms. Anne was terrified of Leo, this had a great effect, and she became very rigid.
“…Well, as you can see, Claire and Anneliese have always gotten along very well…”
“Father. Have your eyes rotted in their sockets!?”
“…Very badly, I meant to say.”
Mr. Ekenhart had just started to talk again after seeing that all of Ms. Claire’s anger was now directed towards Ms. Anne.
However, upon hearing his words, Ms. Claire shouted angrily, and he revised his statement.
Mr. Ekenhart. You really have no authority in spite of being a father and the lord of the house…