Saving My Bias from Mishaps (10)
“What did you just say…?”
Mason’s lips curled into a cunning smirk as he stared at the shocked expression on Hades’ face.
Hades’ eyes narrowed, glaring at the count.
As expected, this old man wasn’t going to let him have his way so easily.
“Are you pulling my leg?”
“Excuse me?
We are as serious as we can be.”
Hades clenched his teeth seeing Mason’s smile.
Both Count Rasley and Count Garen seemed to have agreed to these terms.
The pair avoided Hades’ glaring eyes and remained silent.
Although the two vassals had never expressed their dissatisfaction with Hades’ decision to appoint Abel as his heir, they were disappointed in the duke nonetheless.
More so because they were genuinely devoted to house Louvremont.
And because Hades knew how they felt, he forced himself to calm down and asked, “You must be aware of Heathcliff’s financial situation, yet you still demand a dowry of 8 billion nort.
Should I take this to mean that you are opposed this marriage to the bitter end?”
“Your Grace, I believe we have already stated that we respect your decision.
Our role is to merely obey, no matter which house you choose to establish a relationship with.
However, might I remind you that this is the marriage of the Great Duchy of Louvremont?
It’s a grand event the whole empire is eagerly paying attention to.”
Mason continued calmly, “One would want to know if the bride’s house is worthy of Louvremont.
As they lack the prestige and authority to rival the duchy, it is imperative that they show that they can prove they are on par at least financially.
Do you not agree?
Even if it’s just for the sake of having even the smallest excuse?”
Mason’s words were eloquent, and even though Hades felt an urge to slap him in the face, he had to admit that the count had a point.
As long as his vassals weren’t wholly opposed to his marriage, Hades was willing to make a compromise somewhere along the line.
It was for none other than Aisha’s sake.
Aisha wasn’t from a powerful house to begin with, so if this marriage was carried out by force, she would most certainly be looked down upon.
Not just by his vassals but also by the members of Louvremont’s branch families spread all over the empire.
Therefore, it would be wise to comply with the demands of his vassals and consolidate Aisha’s position as the duchess so that no one would have an excuse to look down on her.
“Or am I to believe that the Heathcliffs aren’t able to afford such a dowry, Your Grace?” Mason asked, tilting his head slightly.
He pretended to be clueless despite knowing everything.
Hades stared at him while silently musing before finally answering, “I assume that amount may cost them some financial stress, but I’m certain they can afford a measly 8 billion nort some way or another.
Very well.
I will relay your request to the Heathcliff barony.”
Mason became perplexed that the duke readily agreed to his demand instead of flying into a rage like he expected him to.
He was well aware that the Heathcliff barony was poor.
It wouldn’t be able to yield a single coin no matter how hard it was squeezed.
He wondered what it was that made Hades keep his calm.
The other two vassals sitting next to Mason also looked bewildered.
With a nonchalant nod, Hades rose from his seat.
“With that, I assume that this will be the end of the discussion regarding the marriage, so long as the Heathcliffs can prepare 8 billion nort in dowry.
If I hear any further complaints about my marriage or if I hear that my wife is being mistreated in any way, after paying such a large dowry coming to this duchy,”
Hades stressed one last time before rushing out of his office.
“I will hold the three of you accountable.”
* * *
I could tell from his expression that a problem occurred during the meeting.
It wasn’t totally unexpected, so I settled in the chair opposite him calmly and without showing much reaction.
After offering me a seat, Hades crossed his legs, closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and remained silent for a long time.
He looked exhausted as he slowly rubbed the tip of his nose with his finger.
I felt a little bad for him because he reminded me of myself during my previous life when I was virtually sleepless for an entire week finalizing my cover letters and résumés.
“Your Grace?”
“Yes.”
“Did they reject the marriage after all?”
Hades lowered his hand that was covering his eyes and immediately frowned.
“I told you.
I’ll make sure it doesn’t come to that.”
“Then what is it?”
“Just, haa… give me a moment.
I’m trying to figure out how to resolve this.”
There seemed to be a problem after all, but why would he have called me here if he wasn’t going to talk to me about it?
He should have called me after organizing his thoughts.
I watched Hades sat still with his eyes closed, when suddenly a thought popped up in my mind.
“Your Grace?”
“What is it?”
“Are your feet alright?”
“Feet?” Hades opened his eyes and asked, puzzled.
“I mean your soles.”
“What about my soles?”
“You absorbed the Childe’s injuries.
Wasn’t that done using your jewel core?
The ability to absorb another’s injuries.”
Hades seemed a little surprised by my question.
“You know about that?”
And why wouldn’t I?
I wondered how Hades would react if he were to find out that I knew the laws of magic in this world like the back of my hand.
I asked, making little effort to hide my annoyance, “Why are you treating me like a fool?”
“Well, considering you neither have a shred of magic within you, nor are you able to hide your core, I’m simply impressed that you know that such an ability exists.
I assure you, I am not treating you like a fool.
After all, I’m certain there’s no woman as intelligent as you, not to mention your deceptively good acting skills.”
For God’s sake, it wasn’t an act, I swear.
I felt a sigh coming out but tried to ignore that.
“It’s just common knowledge.”
“Hmm….”
For some reason, Hades was smiling, clearly amused.
I didn’t know exactly what he was thinking, but I knew he would say something self-centered again.
“If I did absorb the injuries and let it inflict my soles, were you thinking of applying ointment and bandages on it, like you did for Abel?”
I knew it.
“I appreciate the thought, but sorry to disappoint you.
I indeed absorbed the pain he suffered, but just because I absorbed his external injuries doesn’t mean that it’s reflected in the same area it affected Abel.
It seems you have a misconception in your knowledge.”
“Aha….”
That was something I wasn’t aware of, because the novel never really explored what would happen when someone absorbed another’s injuries without the power to purify them.
Hades was the only person shown in the novel who used the power of absorption despite not possessing the light element.
The injuries he absorbed from Abel in the novel were internal injuries and a mental breakdown, so there was no way I could know how the transfer of external injuries worked.
Anyway, I was rather piqued by this newfound knowledge.
Hades chuckled as he watched me nod eagerly.
“If you were so curious about it, you could have simply asked me right away.
I do wonder how you were able to get a wink of sleep last night, considering your concern for me.”
“Haah.” With a deep sigh, I rubbed my hands down my face a few times.
Sure, I’ll let him gloat.
“Why don’t you just tell me what your vassals told you?
It’ll be better for us to discuss a solution together.”
“They readily accepted that they can’t raise any further issue about the marriage on the one condition that an enormous dowry would be paid in return.”
Really?” I was pleased to hear the words that came out of Hades’ mouth.
I knew Hades’ vassals would try to stop the marriage in any way they could.
After all, the Heathcliff barony was a fief tucked in the corner and was second to none in poverty among the nobles.
They probably made that request thinking I wouldn’t be able to pay the dowry they asked for.
But that was where they were wrong.
‘Ufufu….’
It had been three years since I was reincarnated as Aisha Heathcliff in the Crescenta Empire.
My love for Abel never waned a little over these three years, but I only started chasing after him a year ago.
Now, then.
What would I have been preparing for the first two years?
There’s this one thing that’s not necessary for stanning, but still extremely helpful to have.
That’s right….
Financial power!
The reason I studied so hard to get a job and earn money in my previous life was all to spend it on my stanning luxury.
And that was no different in this place.
I felt the need to gain financial power so I could send gifts worthy of Abel, and using my extensive knowledge of this world, I managed to achieve satisfactory results in just two years.
At this point, I could bet Hades’ unharmed feet that I could use my own resources to freely control this empire’s finances at my will.
“So how much dowry did they request?”
“8 billion nort.
But you need not worry about it.
I plan on paying it with my personal assets that they know nothing of.
The problem is that I would be required to forge some documents to make it seem like the amount came from the Heathcliff barony….”
“Is that all?”
Easy as pie.
Hades seemed confused by my beaming smile.
“What do you mean ‘is that all?’”
“Don’t worry.
I can pay that much.” There was nothing I wouldn’t do to become Abel’s mom.
Hades then asked, furrowing his brow.
He obviously had no idea why I could be so calm, “But how…?
Where would you get such an amount?”
Because I couldn’t tell him the whole truth, I had to come up with an excuse.
Luckily, I knew Hades had done some research on my background.
This meant that he already knew about him.
“I can request that amount from Stan.
So you needn’t worry about it, Your Grace.”
“…Stan?”
“I believe you mentioned that you knew him.
Viscount Stanley Anning….
The sponsor of my family.”
“Ah, Viscount Stanley Anning.” Hades exclaimed out loud before suddenly falling into brief silence with a displeased frown.
Seeing his odd reaction, I asked him cautiously if there was a problem.
He replied with a stiff face, “You called him by a nickname….”
Nickname?
Did he mean… Stan?
“…It seems that you are quite close to him?”