TYMKM 03

Chapter 03

Besides the helmet, other pieces of armor, such as metal greaves and gauntlets, were scattered across the floor. They were things he had left lying around after telling everyone not to touch them because he would maintain them himself.

As the Duke polished his steel headpiece, he spoke sulkily.

“I think I’ll devote myself to the Goddess once I’m over forty.”

“Crazy talk.”

“Perhaps the only one who will recognize the pure soul inside this filthy body is the Moon Mother.”

It sounded like a joke, but there was also a fair amount of truth in it.

His younger brother completely ignored his brother’s lament.

“I’m not telling you to go out and seduce some extraordinary woman and bring her home. I’m saying you should at least look around at what’s already on the table.”

His brother was an infuriating man who refused to have relationships with women or even try anything because he was so hung up on finding true love. When it came to romance, he always carried himself like a complete loser.

“Even if she’s a woman from some poor rural estate, what does her family lineage or background matter as long as she has a good character? If she’s struggling financially, you could approach her more easily by offering to support her. Don’t look for some flashy, extravagant woman. Find someone plain and frugal. Surely there has to be at least one woman like that in this vast land.”

The Duke lacked nothing in terms of title, wealth, or bloodline.

Therefore, what he needed to gain from marriage was neither the prestige of his wife’s family nor a political alliance.

“That’s enough, Dero-Dero. I’ve told you over and over. I have no desire to get married. Flirting with women isn’t my hobby.”

Whenever the Duke wanted to avoid a conversation, he deliberately adopted a playful tone and used affectionate nicknames.

But for Desidero, who had to listen to him, those words were often enough to make his blood boil.

“Who said I want to watch you date someone? You need an heir.”

An heir to succeed Nix Feroa.

That was the one and only thing Desidero wanted.

“Marriage is already hopeless. And you’re talking about a son…?”

Duke Feroa muttered awkwardly.

He thought that if the family needed an heir, they could simply have his father produce another child. There was no need for him to do it himself.

“Once Father comes back, the succession issue will resolve itself naturally. He can take a young wife and have a healthy little brother…”

“And someone who thinks that way picked a fight with the Crown Prince?”

“When did I pick a fight with him? That bastard started it.”

The mention of the Crown Prince immediately made the Duke bristle.

Nix had originally traveled all the way to this distant place to meet the King. He wanted to ask for help rescuing his father, who was being held prisoner in an enemy country.

However, the King was too busy with affairs of state to attend his daughter’s wedding.

The Crown Prince, who attended in his place, was the sort of person whose presence was more likely to hinder Nix than help him.

When their father came up again, Desidero became even more sarcastic.

“Someone who thinks that way also skipped the banquet?”

“…I sent a gift.”

“What good are all those gifts? You know perfectly well how insignificant a gift feels and how quickly it gets forgotten when it doesn’t come directly from the person himself.”

As his younger brother’s expression grew increasingly frightening, the older brother’s voice gradually became quieter.

Desidero was nearly ten years younger than him, but he was the one person who could make the man weak.

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself over that. Even if things go badly and we fail to rescue Father, if he doesn’t make it back alive, then I suppose we’ll just have to accept it as our family’s fate.”

An unfortunate death in prison after being unable to pay a ransom was hardly unheard of for a conquering monarch who had gone to war far from his homeland.

Moreover, the enemy had demanded an absurd condition for his return without even providing proof that he was alive or dead.

Nix himself therefore wasn’t holding out much hope.

Their demand was the return of Richfield, the territory Nix Feroa had taken.

But that territory had already been transferred to the temple, and the reclaimed holy land was under special protection.

Nix intended to attempt negotiations over other lands near Richfield, but to do so, he would need to reach an agreement with the other feudal lords, including the royal family.

“I know it won’t be easy either way.”

The man muttered.

In truth, his affection for his father was not particularly deep.

Loyalty was another matter.

As for Desidero, he actually came closer to disliking their father.

That was only natural. Their father had treated him as though he were not even his son.

His biological mother had died giving birth to him, and the only person Desidero considered family was his brother, Nix.

Perhaps because of that, he tended to be even more obsessed than Nix himself with the authority and reputation of Duke Feroa.

“Father rots to death in prison, and my brother wastes away as a bachelor… Then what? Am I supposed to just sit there and watch the title pass to someone else?”

The young man asked coldly.

If Nix failed to leave an heir and the direct line of the family ended, all the Feroa family’s wealth and title would pass to his uncle.

Although Duke Feroa was a man who constantly roamed the battlefield, he was still young enough that the title was more likely to pass not to his uncle himself, but to his cousin—the uncle’s son.

The Duke spoke regretfully, as though he had never considered that possibility.

“Right. I forgot to set aside a sizable inheritance for you before I die. I should write my will as soon as we return to Loudhill. Things are peaceful for now, but there’s no telling when I might be sent back to the front.”

“Brother!”

“Freed, if I ever seem to have completely forgotten about this conversation, remind me.”

The Duke tapped his temple with his finger, insisting that he absolutely would not forget, while addressing the attendant who had become the witness to his verbal will.

Freed silently nodded, maintaining his perfectly straight posture.

He remained steadfastly behind Desidero.

His younger brother was irritated by the way his older brother kept changing the subject.

But eventually, he regained his composure and spoke.

“You may have come up empty-handed, Brother, but I didn’t. I finally found someone.”

“Found someone?”

When Duke Feroa repeated the question, Desidero gave him a meaningful smile.

He turned toward the attendant standing behind him and gave an order.

“Freed, go bring Lanram here.”

The attendant silently nodded again.

He gave a slight bow before leaving Desidero’s side to carry out the order.

The only person left bewildered was Duke Feroa.

“You found someone?”

“That’s right.”

Desidero replied smugly.

In fact, the two brothers had come to Saltcoast for completely different reasons.

Desidero had no interest in their father’s situation.

He had heard a rumor that an exceptionally skilled herbalist lived here.

That was why he had followed the trail all the way to this distant place.

Desidero desperately wanted to cure his brother’s skin disease.

If he could somehow restore the man’s shattered self-esteem, that would be enough.

The young man was willing to crawl through every corner of Bigland if necessary to find a solution.

This was hardly his first attempt.

He had already tracked down virtually every physician of any reputation in Bigland and brought them before Duke Feroa.

“This time, you can really get your hopes up.”

That was what he always said.

It had all begun when Desidero heard that the daughter of Lady Mentos, who had suffered from leprosy, had been completely cured.

There was certainly some exaggeration in the rumor, but there seemed to be no doubt that the young daughter of House Mentos had suffered a serious illness and had benefited from the medicine of some healer.

Desidero had even visited Lady Mentos personally to obtain more information.

He confirmed that the mysterious apothecary was particularly skilled in treating skin disorders, but unfortunately, she was reluctant to share anything beyond that.

“There was a reason Lady Mentos kept quiet about it. I wondered why someone that skilled hadn’t become more widely known… but she’s Tilamin.”

The young man revealed the unsettling fact with an expression suggesting that it bothered him.

The Duke’s reaction was exactly what he had expected.

“Tilamin?”

The man frowned.

Even if the treatment had been performed for the sake of healing, if her methods involved heretical practices, then it was certainly something worthy of condemnation.

It was understandable that she had kept it secret out of shame.

Desidero had only barely managed to learn that the apothecary lived somewhere in Saltcoast.

And at last, the eyes and ears he had scattered throughout the region had found her.

Knock, knock.

Right then, the attendant politely rapped his knuckles against the door.

“Come in.”

Desidero answered in a welcoming voice loud enough to be heard clearly through the door.

The door to the large reception room opened.

Following behind the upright attendant, a woman quietly stepped inside.

She had long, luxuriant, jet-black curly hair.

Her cheeks were so red that they seemed as though they might carry the scent of roses.

She was short and petite.

A woman.

…A woman.

Nix Feroa stopped polishing his helmet and froze like a mouse that had just encountered a cat.

Tichite Lanram had an older biological brother who was two years her senior.

He was older only in age. When it came to responsibility or maturity befitting an elder brother, he did not possess even as much as a cat’s claw.

“Nilgi! How many times do I have to tell you? I told you to put the clothes you wear at the drying racks separately in the small basket.”

Lanram angrily separated the work clothes her brother, Nilgi, had carelessly tossed aside from the clean laundry.

Fishy water dripped from the clothes he had taken off.

The thought that the foul smell of fish had probably seeped into the laundry made her irritation rise.

The man being scolded did not even bother to respond with a sleepy complaint.

He could never bring himself to leave his bed until the sun was already high in the sky.

“Get up, Nilgi. How long are you going to sleep like that?”

She pulled at the blanket, but what she really wanted to take away was his laziness.

Instead of the blanket that had been stolen from him, the man pulled a pillow over his head and groaned.

“Just ten more minutes…”

Lanram barely acknowledged his words as she sniffed around.

She checked whether the blanket had developed any strange odors as well.

Then she continued nagging the man lying there like a cocoon.

“What incredible weather. Have you forgotten what day it is?”

“…What day is it?”

“It’s finally Ham Party Day.”

The Pig Princess was marrying the Lord of Salt.

Their wedding was colloquially known as the “Ham Party.”

It was a rare joyous occasion in the kingdom, which had finally regained stability after the long war came to an end.

Guests had gathered from all across Bigland to celebrate the union of the princess and the lord, and every day the flow of people and gifts passing through the city gates seemed endless.

That was why everywhere was packed with people these days.

“Gillian is going crazy trying to make a fortune while he’s here.”

Lanram lamented that her brother was lying around like this without making the slightest effort or showing any ambition.

“…Make a fortune? How’s he supposed to do that?”

After his pillow had been taken away and he could no longer insist on sleeping, Nilgi finally reacted for the first time.

His murmuring voice was still half lost in a dream.

“He likes fooling around with salt, doesn’t he? He asked me about herbs. He said he was going to dry them, grind them up, and mix them into salt.”

“And you told him how?”

Nilgi hated it whenever his younger sister shared her knowledge with other people, despite the fact that he himself had not taught her any of it.

Perhaps he considered that knowledge their family’s only useful and reliable source of income.

Regardless, that knowledge belonged to Lanram, not Nilgi.

“I know a lot about herbs, but I don’t know much about salt. I told him I couldn’t be certain what kind of reaction would occur when the two were mixed.”

“Don’t associate with Gillian. Every time I look at that bastard, all he seems to think about is using you.”

There is no man in my life who wants to use me more than you do.

Lanram kept the thought to herself, dissatisfied.

When she did not immediately give him the answer he wanted, Nilgi’s eyes narrowed.

“What’s with that expression?”

Apparently, he was fully awake now.

He abruptly threw off the blanket and interrogated Lanram.

“Did you actually fall for that bastard?”

He was extremely wary of his younger sister getting a lover.

It was not because he cherished his family.

He was merely worried that his source of income might disappear.

“Did you sleep with him?”

Nilgi’s interrogation became increasingly persistent.

Lanram let out a deep sigh, regretting that she had said anything at all.

Whenever the conversation turned in this direction, she found it so humiliating and uncomfortable that she could barely stand it.

“Why can’t you say no? Huh? Did you sleep with him? I’m asking if you did.”

“What difference does it make whether I did or didn’t? Why do I have to report something like that to you?”

“You stupid whore.”

When Lanram responded defiantly, Nilgi raised his hand above his head.

Without a trace of affection, the man struck the woman across the head with his palm.

“I told you not to sleep with men for free. If you’re going to sleep with a man, at least get paid for it. Didn’t I?”

“Ah!”

A scream escaped Lanram.

Nilgi continued striking her head several times, putting all his anger into each blow, and then kicked her thigh hard enough to knock her down.

“How many times do I have to tell you before you understand? No man is genuinely interested in a Tilamin woman. They’re all just bastards approaching you because they want to have their way with you somehow. How many times do I have to warn you before you get it through your thick skull? Huh?”

Nilgi was a short and slender man, but Lanram was even smaller and more delicate than he was.

Once he deliberately began using his strength against her, she had no way of resisting him.

Crouched on the floor, Lanram thought bitterly.

Even if Nilgi was right, she would rather be struck on the backside by a man she actually liked than have her head beaten by her own blood brother.

That would be far less humiliating.

Unable to endure it any longer, she screamed.

“I’ll do it only with a man I want! I’m not taking money! If you like it so much, why don’t you do it yourself, Nilgi?”

“What? You filthy little whore.”

Naturally, Lanram’s resistance only enraged Nilgi further.

He repeatedly beat the crouching Lanram as she covered her head.

The one fortunate thing, at least, was that he avoided striking her face.

Nilgi was always like this.

They had to pretend to be a close brother and sister when they were outside.

In truth, Lanram knew the easiest way to escape his violence.

Give him money.

Whenever she sobbed and told him where the drawer containing her money was, the man would finally stop punching her, as though his anger had been appeased.

It was a frequent occurrence between the siblings.

People said there were many problems in the world that money could solve, but the fact that money could also be the way to escape domestic violence was bleak indeed.

“…You’ve saved up quite a lot?”

Sniffling, the woman took out an amount of money large enough for the man to use for gambling.

When she threw it at his feet, he eagerly gathered it up and stuffed it into his pocket.

“Yeah, Tichi. I know that. I know you’re a capable woman who can make money without doing things like that.”

Nilgi said it as though it were a compliment.

She hated the sight of him.

He had just beaten her senseless with his eyes full of rage, yet now he looked awkward and embarrassed as though nothing had happened.

It made her skin crawl.

And the sight of him grinning happily at the thought of running off to the gambling table with her money disgusted her.

“Hey, are you going out?”

“……”

“When someone asks you a question, answer.”