I Just Needed Someone to Hate - Episode 9.1

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The new prime minister election of the Daatro Empire took place at the beginning of the year. The radio broadcast changed the atmosphere when the traces of the New Year’s festival had not yet been erased from the streets.

As expected by the imperial citizens, the result of this year’s vote was the re-election of Prime Minister Nikolaus Colt. The majority of the House was filled with ruling party members, so Prime Minister Colt, as the party leader, did not have to vacate the official residence he had been using for three years.

Therefore, the official visit of his only son, Edmund Colt, would have undoubtedly attracted the attention of the imperial media. However, Edmund, who contacted only his father’s close aides through his uncle, humbly boarded the familiar limousine in front of the deserted station.

As a man who attracted attention with his appearance alone, there were many eyes watching, even on the quiet street.

“It feels like just yesterday when you left for boarding school, but you’ve already returned as such a fine young man.”

Only after the door clicked shut was a warm greeting offered from the man’s side.

“I hear you’re working as your father’s chief aide now, Norman.”

“Yes. It’s been quite a while. I’m honored that you remember. Now, I should probably call you Count Colt instead of Master Edmund. I was delighted to hear the news through your uncle.”

The man called Norman replied, reminiscing about the past.

Edmund Colt graduated from Hamilton Boarding School and, upon entering Alfred Royal University, immediately moved his residence to the mansion of his uncle, Duke Senovick. The reason was that Alfred Royal University was nearby.

That decision was the last time the young master returned. He thought it was quite unusual that he, who had only sent greetings by letter, was now making a move.

Edmund gave a formal smile that seemed to distance himself from this welcome and replied.

“I thought I should at least offer my congratulations to my father.”

Nikolaus Colt Cabinet, Re-launched: Can the Underworld Forces Be Repelled?

Edmund’s gaze was directed at the Prime Minister’s face on the front page of the morning paper between them.

“Everything went according to my father’s wishes, didn’t it?”

Indeed, it was as he said.

The Prime Minister lived a life befitting a member of a prestigious political family. He seized everything he wanted.

However, this inscrutable only son was the Prime Minister’s sore spot. Norman opened his mouth to fill the awkward silence.

“Yes. He will be delighted that you have come to visit, young master. It would be nice if you graduated from the military academy as His Excellency the Crown Prince’s close aide, or if you became a member of the House and aimed for a ministerial position but politics isn’t the only answer.”

“Still, I’m just a disappointment to my father.”

“That’s because he had such high expectations for you. There’s also something I’ve always wondered, even though I understand it in my head.”

“……”

“Why don’t you want to live as a Colt?”

“Is there a reason?”

Edmund said, carelessly putting down the newspaper with the face of the new Prime Minister, his father.

“I just find what I do more interesting.”

The temperature in his voice was quite cold. It was different from when they exchanged greetings, creating a strange feeling. Norman quickly tried to change the subject to avoid the inexplicable sense of unease. The hot potato, regardless of status, was quite useful.

“I see. By the way, have you heard? It seems that Marquis Mergoville has managed to maintain his preliminary in-law relationship with the family of the Speaker of the House of Lords. An engagement announcement party will be held soon.”

Was it because of the light from the car window? It seemed that a shadow fell over Count Colt’s face for a moment. Norman, who was carefully examining his face, made a slip of the tongue.

“As you know from seeing it yourself, young master, the scale of this year’s New Year’s party at that mansion alone was enormous.”

As you know from seeing it yourself, young master.

At those words, a sharp gaze turned towards Norman. He realized his mistake, but Norman continued to speak nonchalantly.

“And now an engagement announcement party. Such luxury while everyone is refraining from spending and struggling to endure this global depression. That vixen’s vanity is soaring.”

Edmund chuckled inwardly and waited for his father’s aide to finish speaking before replying.

“I didn’t realize you’d become so talkative after not seeing you for so long.”

“It’s an old man’s rambling.”

Norman replied awkwardly and got to the point.

“Anyway, I’m glad that you’ve taken the time to visit. It’s fortunate that the Empire is noisy with useless gossip. If we could take this opportunity to create a place where you can meet the Prime Minister’s people.”

“I believe my refusal has already been conveyed to my father.”

The chief aide reflexively raised his silver eyebrows and looked at the fine young master.

“Offering my greetings to my father is enough.”

The answer was quite direct, but there was no hint of consideration for the person who might be offended in his voice. But his smile was so wonderful.

He didn’t seem like an opportunist trying to return to the family in line with his father’s re-election at all.

“Yes. I understand.”

Norman didn’t believe that Edmund was a frivolous person who would show up just to offer a single greeting. Then why?

Then he quietly recalled that Edmund had recently shown his face at this year’s Mergoville family New Year’s party. Simple interest in gossip?

He had overlooked that point and only thought that he had returned. Not to the substantive space of the Empire, but to the Colt family led by his father.

The falling snow piled up, covering the silence in the car.

Starting with the end of the New Year’s festival, the days became colder, and the air was filled with the scent of winter. The reverberation from the clock tower in the square was particularly loud.

❖ ❖ ❖

“It’s a touching moment. Prime Minister Colt, who led our great Daatro Empire through a time of darkness, is re-elected as Prime Minister with the support of the imperial citizens. The Prime Minister is heading to the Imperial Palace to lead the cabinet once again with the permission of His Majesty the King.”

Cheers were heard, followed by the Prime Minister’s voice.

“We will surely, definitely, triumph over the barbarians who have invaded our economy and trampled on our right to enjoy security. With this, our noble Daatro will become prosperous once again! I swear to the proud imperial citizens.”

It was the New Year.

On the radio, the new Prime Minister was raising his voice triumphantly. It was a harsh season, with more sighs coming from in front of radios here and there than the youthful voices marveling at the falling snow.

The footsteps of two maids echoed in the antique but old mansion hallway.

They were on edge, knowing that the mistress would not be in a good mood. Everything seemed frozen except for the hot basin in their hands.

If you lined up the imperial citizens who did not want the Prime Minister’s re-election in this land, Mergoville would surely be in the top ranks. To put it simply, the ruling party was not the side they had bet their daughter on as a large stake. Considering the backing of those who would become their in-laws, it was a natural course of action.

“Madam. It’s Claire.”

The maid who was not holding the basin knocked on the huge door.

“I’ve brought the newspaper and the wash water.”

Claire’s other hand lightly supported the tray with the newspaper on it.

“Come in.”

With a light permission, Claire opened the door and led the maid with the wash water into the room, followed by herself. The mistress of the Mergoville family, with red half-moon glasses on the tip of her nose, was sitting on the sofa reviewing documents. For someone who had heard the news she least wanted to hear, she was overly calm.

“You can leave it there. Oh, and take away the newspaper.”

Her gaze, which had been glancing at the basin, bounced to the newspaper on the tray. It would be the morning paper containing the news of the new Prime Minister’s election.

A cold reception to unpleasant, unexpected news.

“Yes, madam. We’ll be on our way.”

“Wait.”

Without much effort, the mistress stopped the maids who were turning to leave.

“What about her?”

The gazes of the two maids met the eyes of the family’s mistress.

‘If it’s her…’

The mistress has two children, but today her interest would be in the young lady.

❖ ❖ ❖

Under the same Mergoville roof, a group of maids wearing the same color clothes walked. However, it was in the opposite direction from those who had headed up the stairs earlier.

Led by the head maid, who was checking the notebook in her hand, the steps of the following maids quickened. Among the familiar group, there were a few faces she hadn’t seen before, so Martha kept glancing back.

They were foreigners with good skills, experts in managing the young lady’s clothes and accessories, and they received only half her salary.

The mistress of the mansion especially cherished that point, but Martha was always suspicious. They were recommended, but they didn’t seem to be in good enough shape to save the face of the previous owner.

Compared to their appearance, they were too high-level personnel, and they would sometimes steal glances at the young lady. When she told the housekeeper, Mrs. Ronfert, about this, all she got back was a cynical question of whether she was afraid of losing her job.

But this was not slander. Whenever they asked her about the young lady’s whereabouts or schedule in a strange accent, pretending not to, Martha felt a little chilly.

Still, she was glad that they didn’t directly serve the young lady. But today….

“The madam said that she would use them from today because they are good with their hands.”

The head maid said without looking back, and Martha’s shoulders twitched as if her inner thoughts had been exposed.

“I could see you glancing when you turned your head on the stairs. Martha, you come and walk with me. You will open and close the young lady’s door.”

As Martha hurried her steps to match the head maid’s pace, the head maid spoke again.

“There was a variable in the prime minister election.”

Nevertheless, the fact that the young lady would meet her fiancé today remained unchanged.

So their job was to help the young lady look her most perfect today, a predictable story followed.

“It was unexpected that the shadow cabinet (opposition party) did not come to power, but nevertheless, the fact that Lord Rex is the lifeline of this family remains unchanged.”

Therefore, they had to make the Mergoville family’s young lady the center of attention that would shake the Empire, as the madam expected.

The head maid continued with a somewhat explicit story. Martha summarized what she had heard anyway.

Dress her well and dress her nicely.

That’s what they had to do now.

The second knock echoed in the Mergoville family.

“Come in.”

It was the most fragile yet intimidating voice Martha had ever heard. It might be a contradictory story, but perhaps it was natural.

Their young lady, Vivianne Mergoville, is a classic aristocratic woman. From meals to bedtime, she relies on the hands of servants but reigns over them. She was oppressed by customs and institutions instead of being protected by imperial law.

As instructed, Martha opened the door and waited for the people to enter, then closed it.

“Head maid greets you. The madam ordered us to prioritize the young lady’s adornment, so we will be serving you this morning.”

The head maid walked forward and said. Martha followed and stood next to those who had stopped in their places.

In the silence, a figure is seen from the back. Her body was nicely thin, but it gave the impression of being frail. There were rough marks on her arms that looked like they would break. Even with such a body, the young lady who was shown in the media was always smiling. Her smile was so beautiful that it was hard to forget.

It wasn’t that she was unusual, but the entire Empire was like that. While calling Vivianne Mergoville a vixen, the public was enthusiastic about her.

The aristocrat of this era. The strategist of the underworld. The fiancée of the second son of the Speaker.

The seemingly cruel life was even glamorous from afar.

‘That’s why the imperial citizens are more enthusiastic. While branding her with the scarlet letter of a vixen, they constantly want to know more.’

Seeing that, it feels like hatred is an existence attached to the two sides of love. It also seemed like intense emotions were being converted into enthusiasm.

‘Well, the young lady is worthy of it.’

In the continued complete silence, the young lady, Vivianne Mergoville, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, turned her head. At the same time, air containing coldness flowed in through the gap in the window.

Was it because the season was winter?

Her white skin looked paler, and her long black hair contrasted brilliantly in that light, swaying around her slender waist.

Time seemed to have stopped, and silence lingered for a while.

Half of the maids here were veterans who had worked for a long time, but even they couldn’t hide their faces of admiration.

“I heard. Everyone’s here.”

Young Lady Vivianne Mergoville smiled. That alone explained the silence earlier.

Imperial citizens who have learned equality do not believe in blue blood. If you take off the dresses from the aristocrats and put rags on them, they will look the same as commoners.

But those who blindly believe in such teachings would never have seen a real aristocrat.

Even knowing that Vivianne was made to stimulate such fantasies, every moment was so dizzying that it was surprising.

Therefore, even Martha, who knew the inside story, was sure to believe it. Even though she was hiding such marks on her body, she was definitely happy. She was grateful for the choices that made her the protagonist of the front page of the society section, and she enjoyed every moment of her life.

In any case, she was no longer a powerless accessory of her fiancé, but the protagonist of this glamorous tragedy.

Because she was the Empire’s underworld strategist that the media was talking about.

What broke Martha’s reverie was the voice of Young Lady Vivianne.

“The maids who brought me the early morning tea told me. It seems that my mother took care of it. She sent her most cherished ones and the ones with the best skills.”

Vivianne looked over the servants with a kind gaze. Even the word “early morning tea” seemed not to be pretentious when it flowed from her mouth.

“Yes. I know that you are scheduled to meet Lord Ludwig Rex today.”

At the head maid’s words, Vivianne gestured while facing the dressing table mirror. Martha walked forward and picked up the comb.

The head maid stood next to Martha and continued to speak.

“It’s been quite a while since you’ve met like this, just the two of you. The story of your engagement announcement party will be discussed. Yesterday, the madam said that it was the first time the two of you would meet since the opposition party came to power.”

“Prime Minister Nikolaus Colt was re-elected, breaking my father’s expectations.”

“It’s a pity.”

“Say whatever you want about that.”

It was a voice that didn’t feel any emotion.

Her face, indifferent to such variables, events that determine the value of life, seemed quite inhuman.

“Still, Lord Ludwig Rex seems like a good choice.”

“I see.”

Martha glanced at the smile reflected in the mirror.

If that kind voice reminded her of the young lady who was no different from a year ago, these solid appearances made her realize that she had changed.

“Also, the madam asked if Lord Ludwig Rex could attend the engagement announcement party. As you know, Lord Rex is not someone who values ​​transactions with the Mergoville family.”

“……”

“What about the two New Year’s parties, including last year, and what about the businesses that were supposed to be managed under delegation from Rex? They say that there is almost no profitability. Although it is before the wedding, the madam was greatly disappointed in Lord Ludwig Rex’s attitude towards the young lady. So, she told me to convey that Lord Rex’s attendance at the engagement announcement party is a non-negotiable matter.”

“Okay. Tell her that I will convey my mother’s wishes when I meet him today.”

“I’m sure you’re looking forward to seeing your fiancé alone for the first time in a while.”

“…Yeah. He’s kind in public, though.”

“But today’s schedule for the young lady is an unofficial meeting.”

“It’s all done.”

At the head maid’s voice, which interrupted Martha’s words, Vivianne’s eyes opened softly.

As emotions slowly filled her infinitely weak mouth, as if a flower was blooming, Martha and the maids forgot even the head maid’s words and could only look at the one and only result of their hands.

“Thank you.”

An attitude of dignity that does not allow one to read any emotions, intentions, or intentions, and if this is a masquerade, it is as if she is wearing the most perfect mask.

“I know why my mother cherishes you.”

Even if the entire Empire hates her. Even if her fiancé treats her coldly and her family doesn’t even care. Even if the media uses her as a subject for sensational newspaper articles and points fingers at her every day, calling her a ‘vixen who sold the blue blood and superior intelligence of the aristocracy’.

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