135. Emile Bordain (1)

Perhaps it was a mockery, the corners of Emile Bordain’s mouth twisted in turns. Emile Bordain, who summoned Maxime, seemed somehow hesitant to pass judgment. Maxim knew that Émile Bordain was a man who could boldly say that he had failed the examination despite such overwhelming competition. The knight Maxim had dealt with was still lying on the floor, holding a broken sword.

“… Arsene Bern, Kyeong-eun,”

Probably will declare disqualification. Maxim sighed and closed his eyes. Everything that caught my senses was moving away. Their murmurs were far away. I was out of breath. The beating heart beat was far away.

If I didn’t pass the screening, what’s next for me?

Maxim felt the weight of Baek A in his hand. Drops of blood dripping from the tip of Baekah were heavy. As if he had set the time for his eyelids to open and lengthened them, Maxim’s vision gradually brightened. Emile Bordain’s mouth slowly opened, and Maxim’s ears began to hear the voice.

“You passed the examination.”

Maxim’s ears could not accept Emile Bordain’s words for a moment. Maxim’s mind very slowly chewed Emile Bordain’s words letter by letter.

In the examination, it passed.

On Maxim’s dumbfounded expression, the verdict of Emile Bordain fell again. The voice wasn’t particularly angry either. He calmly recited the verdict as if he were simply telling the obvious.

“The finals will go ahead as scheduled.”

A groaning sound was heard. It was the sound of the organizers surrounding Emile Bordain. Emile Bordain went on, not paying attention to the commotion around him.

“The final will be contested between Sir and Theodora Benning.”

Emile Bordain shook hands and bit the other organizers who approached him to question him. As if they had a plan, those who tried to present a different opinion backed off with a confused look on their eyes.

Maxime still looked at Emile Bordain with a bewildered expression. I still don’t know if I really passed the screening or not. what could be more Could it be that the Count dug more traps? Maxim asked a question without putting Baek-ah back in the scabbard.

“… Are you done?”

What a stupid question, Maxim thought as soon as he uttered it. The answer to such a stupid question was yes.

“Kyung said he passed the examination. Or, if you feel like giving up right now, I’ll be happy to accept it. Will you abstain?”

Emile Bordain’s sarcastic tone was still the same, but the meaning of the words was clearly conveyed to Maxim. What I feared did not happen. It went smoothly into the finals. Maxim’s body is finally starting to react to reality.

“… No, we will play the finals.”

Maxim retrieved Baek-ah into the scabbard and answered hastily. I heard Emile Bordain snort.

“There’s not much time left until the finals, so Sir, make sure you get back to work as soon as possible.”

Maxim’s heart started beating again. There was no time to reflect further on this review. Without even time to say hello, Maxim rushed out of the auditorium.

“… Tsk.”

Emile Bordain looked at the back of Arsene Verne as he ran away, then clicked his tongue. After Arsene left the judging room, a noise began to press Emile Bordain all at once, as if a dangerous glass had been spilled.

“No, Adviser Borden, despite the fact that the Treasurer and the Count are absent, aren’t you making the decision too hastily?”

“you’re right! You’re going to let that guy through! Shouldn’t I have been forced to hold on to it more? Or you should have made some excuse and said you didn’t pass the exam… .”

Emile Bordin frowned and looked back at the chattering organizers. The blue eyes glistening in the monocle made everyone hesitate, but they did not stop expressing their dissatisfaction and concerns.

“Please everyone be quiet.”

When Emile Bordain spoke briefly, their mouths fell shut like magic. Emil looked at them with eyes telling them not to ask any more questions, but a courageous person looked at him and asked.

“Aide, please at least give me an explanation that I can understand. If things go on like this, we will all have to deal with the Count’s wrath.”

A long sigh escaped Emile Bordain’s mouth. A cynical, always twisted gaze penetrated the questioner.

“There are too many variables. That Arsene Bern’s skills were far superior to what I expected. If such a person is forced to drop out, who knows what variables will arise? And,”

Emile Bordain raised his voice.

“If Lady Theodora were declared the winner of the final without any competition, there would be another noise. Wouldn’t the picture of winning by defeating a certain opponent at least in the final match be what the Count wants?”

“Aide, but… .”

“If you have any complaints, you can run directly to the arena where the finals will be held and declare that this finals are invalid, that Arsene Bern has been eliminated and that the winner of the martial arts competition is Theodora Benning.”

Like a mute who had eaten honey, the mouth of the greeting fell shut. Emile Bordain spat a sneer over the frown on his face.

“If you have the courage or ability to take care of that.”

Emile Bordain waved his hand and ordered them to disperse. A few nodded and backed off, a few tilted their heads as if they still didn’t quite understand, and started giggling among themselves. Emile Bordain sat in the chair of the judges until the end and watched the organizers withdraw.

You’ve taken on a really daunting task.

A long sigh escaped Emile Bordain’s mouth. The sarcastic, twisted look that shimmered in those blue, cold-looking eyes gradually faded. It was he who declared that he would jump into the fire carrying a pile of straw on his back, so should he be sweet?

“It’s a damn thing, really.”

Emile Bordain closed his eyes. After hearing that his daughter had returned to the palace, the fate of Emile Bordain was completely changed.

—

After Leon Benning became the head of the Benning family, the Borden family became more like a branch of the Benning family than a branch family because they became court nobles working in the royal palace after falling away from the main family.

At first, I was hesitant. When we first met, Leon Benning’s ambition was palpable. No matter how much he was a court aristocrat, he was still a low-ranking aristocrat who hadn’t taken his place. Emile, who judged that he could turn the situation around, grabbed their hands. Emile Bordeng agreed to cooperate with the Count and became an existence like Beninga’s limb.

The contempt was bearable. Even if the count treated him badly, it didn’t matter much. Under Benning’s protection, Emile Bordain was able to establish himself within the palace and make his family a full-fledged member of the aristocracy.

“Congratulations! What a pretty daughter!”

When I got Marion, I was happy as if I had the whole world. However, Emile Bordain was not aware of it. Marion’s birth would be the prelude to a tragedy that would soon begin.

Marion was beautiful. Even though it was beautiful, it was growing so beautifully. Hair like ebony, and the wife said that combing the child’s hair really felt like stroking silk, and she was delighted. Deep blue eyes like a deep lake lurking in the eyes, and features that were evident from a young age. All of them were in perfect harmony, creating an unrealistic beauty like a doll.

“Marion, if you grow up like this, it will cause a huge rift in the social world of the royal capital. To the point where all high-ranking aristocrats, maybe royalty, could propose to her just for her appearance.”

The wife looked at the sleeping Marion and said that in a voice of half expectation and half concern. It was perfect, as if it had sculpted even a face that was soundly asleep. Emile Bordain let out a big laugh and wrapped his arms around his wife’s shoulders.

“Wouldn’t it be great to see our youngest daughter grow up so beautifully? I look just like you.”

My wife smiled a little at Emile Bordain’s words.

“Iknow, right. But the eyes have a corner that resembles yours somewhere.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it. It really shouldn’t be like me.”

His wife’s hand rested on Marion’s head. As she brushed the black hair that covered her cheek, the wife let out a worried sigh.

“Can we stop cooperating with the parents?”

At his wife’s question, Emile Bordain hardened his face and shook his head. His wife’s fingers ran down Marion’s cheeks.

“I can’t quit. The Count will never tolerate a traitor.”

“But, it’s just a cessation of cooperation… .”

Emile Bordain shook his head resolutely at his wife, who blurted out her words.

“From the moment the Count held out his hand to me, he wouldn’t have thought of letting me go. If I held that hand, I would see the end. Because that is my responsibility.”

Emil’s voice resonated bitterly. The birds of the night roamed the dark night air with mournful voices.

“… gotta keep you Both you and the children.”

And, the moment the Count faced Marion, Emile’s determination was put to the test. Leon Benning looked at Emile with those inorganic eyes that had never changed since the day they first met and opened his mouth. He didn’t even seem interested in the teacup in front of him.

“Tell me straight, Emil. Send your youngest daughter home.”

Emile Bordain’s expression hardened like never before. Leon Benning didn’t seem to care whether Emile’s expression hardened or not. It seemed that he just wanted the answer ‘I understand’ to fall from Emil’s mouth. If I hand over Marion into the hands of the Count.

Emile bit his lip. It shouldn’t be like that, his head rang the alarm bell. There was no room for worry. Emile Bordain spoke the words he had never said to the Count.

“no.”

The Count’s eyebrows twitched. But Emil didn’t budge even when he showed his discomfort.

“Emil, I’m sure I didn’t hear you wrong.”

“You heard it right. Miss Theodora is there too, how can you say that?”

Theodora, too, was growing up to be a very beautiful and lovely young lady. The way she smiled while swinging her sword was to the point where it could not be said that she was inferior to Marion.

“The more hands, the better. And, my daughter is too much to be a noble lady of the court. And, your daughter will be able to prey on the nobles of this capital just for her looks.”

Emile Bordain had a line he had to keep. And at this moment, even if he put a knife to his throat, he couldn’t nod his head saying he knew.

“Again, Emil. Send your youngest daughter under Beninga.”

“Nope. Marion, I will never hand over my youngest daughter.”

It didn’t matter if this answer meant losing everything he had cultivated. Emile Bordain’s eyes flashed with the light of resistance. Leon Benning’s eyes grew even colder.

“Emil, I don’t like to say it twice or thrice. We’ve been doing well together so far, isn’t it reasonable to answer like this? She would be much happier if she became my foster daughter.”

resist Emile Bordain barely swallowed the nausea that was rising up his throat. That child’s appearance would be a very powerful weapon for Count Leon Benning, and Leon Benning would only consider that child as such a weapon.

“I can’t. No matter what other request you ask, I will not be able to grant you this request.”

“It’s not a request, it’s an order.”

“If it’s an order, I’ll be the first to reject it. We are in a relationship of cooperation, not a relationship of rulers and subjects.”

Léon Benning’s eyes grew cold at Emile Bordain’s reply, which did not lose a single word.

“Emil, I didn’t think you were this stupid.”

“I will be a fool for now, Count.”

Silence fell in the drawing room. Leon Benning was still staring at Emile Bordain with those sharp eyes, and Emile was striking them head-on. The Count changed his voice this time, as if trying to appease him, and spoke softly.

“I will do my best so that you can occupy the position of treasurer in the court, so please cooperate.”

“I will not be greedy for such a position.”

“I bet you don’t know how much my help played a huge role in bringing you to where you are now.”

“And the count also took care of a lot of contacts with people inside the palace.”

It was not a conversation between the head of a branch family and the head of the main family. Emile Bordain didn’t humble himself as much as he did now, and cut off the Count’s words with a firm voice. The Count asked Emil in an extremely low, emotionless voice.

“You will regret this, Emil. How about changing your words now?”

“Today’s competition will be something you haven’t heard of.”

Saying that, Emile Bordain put down the teacup. Then, he left his seat and stood up. Now, I didn’t even want to face the Count. There would be no aftermath, but the resolve to deal with the aftermath was already there.

“Your answer will change so many things.”

Emile Bordain left the drawing room, letting the Count’s words go in one ear. The count’s inorganic gaze seemed to cling to his back and not to fall off.

The Count’s warning was slowly becoming a reality. Once mentioned as a candidate for the next finance minister, Emil’s position plummeted in an instant, and the nobles who formed a faction began to reject Emil and gradually push him away from the center of power.

The frequency of the count’s visits to him increased. Emil did not give in. No matter how much his reputation fell in aristocratic society, no matter how much he was ignored at the court, Emil kept that line.

However, when the servants of the house disappeared one by one and gradually began to change into those sent by Leon Benning, even Emile Bordain could not help but feel a sense of fear. The Count was constantly sending unspoken warnings.

Her insistence on sending Marion as her foster daughter had long since disappeared. However, what the count wants to do is to make the head of the head of the head of the head of the arrogant branch family who did not obey his orders bow down again. Emil realized that this ordering would not end until the Count was satisfied.

And around the time when the count’s visits became less frequent and affairs in the royal family were quiet, Emile let go of his guard. I thought the Count was convinced that even that petty revenge had once again subdued Emile under him. The servants sent by the count still remained at Emile Bordain’s house under the pretext of surveillance, but they did not feel the previous unrest.

I shouldn’t have done that. I should have known that the quietest times are the most dangerous times.

It was time for Emile Bordin to leave the palace after finishing his court duties. Emile Bordain could barely make out the face of someone running towards him as his whole body turned to soot. He was not a man sent by the count, but a servant who faithfully served him until the end.

“master… .”

Faced with that figure, Emil’s heart sank with a thud. The servant stammered and spat out broken words.

“The mansion… The Borden family’s mansion… !”