"Young master, how can I help you ?"
One servants asked obviously. After the main chef retire, he is supposed to be the replacement. So, his position and credibility is quite high.
From a commoner's perspective, he is already living a dream life but against me, he is nothing but a disposable pawn.
"Huh ? What do I need ? I need your damn life..." Saying I punched him in stomach, after he fall on the floor, I picked a knife from the table and put It against his neck, in the process, I scratched a little and some drops of blood fall over the floor.
"Young master, please have mercy on this poor servant. What did I even do wrong ?"
The chef turned pale with fright and quickly begged for mercy.
"So, you don't know your wrongdoings ?"
I held his neck with my left and put a little force at the knife on the other one.
"No, really not. I was working fine yesterday and becaue, the work load for past two days was high due to young master's birthday, I don't even have time to breathe."
The chef was so scared, he peed his pant. Seeing this I let go of him in disgust and asked from a distance.
"Then, what did you and dev talk about last evening ?"
I got straight to point.
Hearing this, the chef has a sudden realisation and begin to explain the long process of how Dev earned my mother's praise yesterday and came to him to celebrate. They drink to celebrate but because the chef was tired he went to sleep early and doesn't remember what happened after.
Next, it was several other servant who explained his different actions, varying from difficulty in walking, mumbling strange words and many more.
Finally, it was my turn to show the injury I had gotten because of the vase breaking in my arms and it were three long scratches on my arm, chest and armpit.
"No, it's impossible...My son doesn't even drink, you are lying." Su Yaoyao retorted in a fierce voice.
But was left speechless after a few servants make her shut up with their encounters.
"By the way, Young master. What is this person's relationship with dev and why are we explaining it to her ?"
A female servant asked with some curiousity.
"Her adopted son."
I answered nonchalantly.
"F*ck really. You really don't know what kind of person, your own son is ? Take a look at this, he is my brother, hey open your mouth. Say 'aaahh', see this happened when the last time he was invited by your son to drink but because of the last shot, he made him like this."
The lady pulled a boy around the same age as me. At first glance, he looked healthy and fine, but when he was ordered to open his mouth their was not a single tooth in his mouth. Apparently, all of them were knocked out by dev last time because of some dispute over a glass of drink.
Seeing the boy who is living on thin porridge for the last few weeks, Su Yaoyao doesn't know what to do. So many people can't lie to her, can they ?
" It's seem this guy was a bigger pest than I thought he would be."
I gave an empty sigh.
By the time my words fall, Su Yaoyao has already slumped on the ground. After hearing from so many witness and the medical test taken in dungeon has already proven Dev guilty.
Didn't it was enough to prove, she raised the child in wrong manner ?
"No it's all lie. It's a nightmare, right ? If I woke up, evrything will be alright. Yes that's right.. that's right"
Apparently, she has a little mental breakdown as streams of warm water begin to flow from emerald eyes.
Some female servant wants to soothe her but I ruthlessly sent them away.
"Miss Su, you can't break like this. Please have some faith in yourself." I hold her by shoulders while trying to force some sense in her mind.
"Young master, please help me. My son in really not a bad person"
She begin to cry more harder, for her dev was her last relative. If he died because of it, she will be all alone.
Seeing her cry, I felt bad. Instinctively my body moved before my mind as it embraced her tightly. I could only act helpless for this once.
" *Sigh, Miss Su, you also know this type of incidents aren't what noble Household have power on. Someone officers from imperial court are already dispatched and the traitor will be dealt accordingly to the current law of Empire. Even, I wants to, I can do nothing about it."
"But I beg you, I will do anything you ask me. Even if it's mean to exchange my life for his."
When she said it, her eyes were still covered in tears but there was unusual firmness in them as if she is ready to embrace the worst outcome - Death.
( She finally took the bait..)
"Since you said this, although I can't change the Imperial court's decision, it's more than enough to reduce his punishment." I gave her I don't want to look.
Hearing this her cry disappear in a blink.
"What do I need to do ?"
"Become my slave wife"
I said with three points of seriousness and seven points of hesitation.
"What are you talking about?"
She looked at me with a bewildered expression. Even in her dreams, she didn't expect such outcome.
"Any crimes against nobels are punishable by death, especially the three great duke households andh family are most important figures after royalty. To alter this rule, we need to make equivalent sacrifice like exterminating the family, or violating the woman of assualter's family. There is also the method to voluntary give up on your human rights and become a lifetime slave."
"Though, the first two are short term punishment, spending 5 years of my life under your service, I don't want to see you in pain. So, I suggest the third, becoming a slave. Though it will be humiliating but what if I accept you as a slave wife, it will be a different story. Normally, children born from slaves are also slave but the slave wife are made to make the family prosperous and to make the woman you like understand your love. You could not only enjoy the privilege and status equivalent to a second wife but also your child can inherit my fortune."
"I… I…"
Although she had mentally prepared herself before coming here, my directness still caught her off guard.
Seeing her hesitated attitude I smiled lightly, after all, it was not me who was in a hurry.
"You should look at this first before making a decision!"
I took out a recording crystal and after, adjusting her sitting pose in my lap, I played it ignoring her shocked expression.
Inside the video, dozens of knight were shown with wooden spear, playing in a dark and dump space, why wooden spear you ask ?
Because no knight will allow his spear to be put in such a filthy place as a male's ass, especially someone like Dev doesn't deserve to be tortured by their rusted spears let alone the battle one.
This scene alone contributed more than the previous events combined, if previously she wants to save Dev's life then, now it was about relieving his misery.
"A gentle reminder, they aren't the people of Volt Household but individual who either themselves are offended by Dev or their family members has suffered some kind of grievance under him."
I reminded her "kindly" that it has nothing to do with him, if they changed his preferences.
With each passing second her powerlessness increased and it causes her to become more and more anxious.
" Think about it. If my mother has not personally taken you under her wings, if we weren't respecting your brother's sacrifice for the Empire and Volt Household, can a person like Dev stay here. He was safe because we were protecting him but not anymore. If today, he can bite the hand that feed him, I don't know what will happen Tommorow."
Saying I let go of her my embrace and stand up, clearing the dust from my clothes.
From her eyes, she seems to be accepted my proposal but there is some worry in it ? Is it about if I will really help her or not. In that case..
"If you only know how to cry then, cry about it. I was an idiot to think I could help you because of our five years old relationship. I have still a lot of things to do like meeting the neighbouring baron's daughter Victoria for a date and here I am wasting my time on you. I was thinking of helping you but you don't want it then, what can I do ?"
I tried to throw as much as tantrum as possible, to make her bewildered, to cause chaos in her mind. To make her believe I wasn't the cause of the problem but the solution to it. That I was only trying to help but she is being unreasonable.
After two or three minutes passed, I heard her sobbing has completely subdued. She used her sleeves to wipe the tears and after making a decision, she stood up and bow to me as she made a request.
"Young master..Please make me your slave wife..."