TDS 11

Chapter 11

Inside a large reception room.

“Look at my son’s teeth, Duke Shablin. My son isn’t even married yet!”

Count Colson pointed at his son’s mouth while trying to hold back his anger. Joseph then proudly said, “Hee~,” and showed the empty space where his front tooth used to be.

Even I, hiding in the corner, opened my mouth in shock.

Rest in peace, front tooth.

May it rest well…

Joseph’s face was also badly bruised, like someone had punched him many times. Even Duke Shurman couldn’t hide the pity on his face.

Count Colson suddenly burst out with tears in his eyes.

“I raised my son well! No one ever said he was ugly. Even I thought he was quite handsome. But… but it turns out his good looks were all thanks to that front tooth!”

“……”

Duke Shurman clenched his teeth.

“Do you know how it feels to see your son’s face looking empty every time he smiles? You wouldn’t know! Your son at least has a perfect face! But my son—! The one thing that made him look decent is gone!”

“…Even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn’t have an excuse. I’m truly sorry.”

“My son used to look nice, but now he looks stupid! When I see his face, I feel like he looks slow or foolish, and it makes me want to cry!”

“I sincerely apologize.”

“His whole body is bruised too. I thought he turned into a dairy cow!”

Joseph also complained, his blue and swollen face looking very wronged.

Meanwhile, I looked at Joseph carefully.

Honestly… even before losing his tooth, he didn’t look that great.

In fact, without the tooth his sly face looked a bit gentler. He even looked kinder now.

Duke Shurman quickly signaled with his eyes. Servants from the duke’s house brought in five expensive wooden boxes.

They placed them neatly in front of Count Colson and Joseph.

The duke said,

“I know nothing in this world can bring back a lost front tooth. But if possible, please calm your anger with these. I prepared more than what you might expect.”

The servants opened the boxes.

At that moment, sunlight from the window reflected off the objects inside. The light sparkled across the entire room like a mirror ball.

I quickly covered my eyes.

What?! How many jewels did they bring?!

There were five boxes full of them!

Count Colson and Joseph’s eyes widened.

Even they could tell this compensation was extremely generous—far too luxurious and elegant just for a broken tooth.

The shining jewels proudly showed the wealth and status of the Shablin ducal house.

“Your Grace, Duke Shablin!”

Joseph suddenly stepped forward as if he had just remembered something.

“I still haven’t received an apology from Marquis Shablin. After humiliating me like that, he didn’t even send a letter! I’m so embarrassed I can’t even meet ladies anymore. How can I show my face in high society? It makes me want to cry!”

Joseph finished with a trembling voice.

Duke Shurman sighed deeply.

“As you know, Leonardo still has many shortcomings. He doesn’t have the generosity to admit his mistakes yet. He must reflect on himself alone. I will teach him well so that one day he apologizes to you.”

“But instead of reflecting, he was playing poker at the club until dawn today—”

Thud!

Count Colson stabbed Joseph in the side to make him shut up.

Hmm.

Watching this scene made me feel a little sad.

When I looked around, I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling uncomfortable. The duke’s people, including Nocturne, also looked unhappy.

Grandfather hasn’t bowed his head, but this still feels humiliating.

What kind of family was the Shablin Ducal House?

It was one of the most powerful families in the empire—among the top five after the imperial family. They had tradition, power, and enormous wealth.

People even joked across the empire:

“In my next life, I hope I’m reborn as a dog in the Shablin household.”

Yet now they had to speak so carefully to a family like the Colsons, whose authority wasn’t even worth the dirt under the Shablin family’s nails.

And this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

At least because Duke Shablin personally handled these situations, the nobles’ anger toward Leonardo hadn’t exploded into open rebellion.

Because of Father, Grandfather’s reputation is suffering. Such a noble man… and he has to deal with this.

I wondered if Marquis Leo had ever seen scenes like this himself.

While I looked at the duke with pity, Count Colson hesitated.

“Well… anyway, since you have been so generous, my anger has eased. Your Grace also has sons, so I believe you understand my pain.”

“Of course. I’m ashamed I could only offer this much. I will also personally introduce you to the best doctor among my family’s physicians. And the medicine will use only the finest ingredients.”

“Such kindness! Truly worthy of Duke Shablin.”

The conversation between the duke and the count became warm.

But Joseph’s eyes were shaking nervously.

Since I had been watching him carefully, I noticed immediately.

“I-I don’t need a doctor! Just one box of these jewels is enough to heal all my wounds! I’ll go see my own doctor now. I must remove these bruises as soon as possible. Haha!”

Joseph laughed awkwardly and signaled to his servants to take one of the boxes.

He looked ready to run away immediately.

So I quickly walked toward the adults.

“Are you going to use that to pay your gambling debts now?”

“Hmm?”

“?”

Everyone suddenly looked at me when they heard the voice of a small child.

Last night, I asked Abbott to investigate Joseph Colson. I had a feeling there was something more than just his unpaid club bills.

Through a friend who worked at the Colson household, Abbott learned about Joseph’s situation.

Joseph secretly had huge gambling debts his father didn’t know about.

Because Count Colson tried to stop his gambling, Joseph’s money sources were completely cut off.

But his debts kept growing.

That’s probably why he dared to provoke the empire’s most famous troublemaker.

Is he crazy?

He was trying to steal money from the ducal family while Marquis Leo was causing trouble!

Count Colson looked confused.

“Gambling debts? Who is this child? My Joseph doesn’t gamble anymore! He promised me it was the last time.”

Then he glared fiercely at Joseph.

“Isn’t that right, Joseph? You didn’t go gambling again, did you?”

“N-no!”

Joseph shook his head desperately.

“Of course not! That child is lying! Don’t joke like that, little kid!”

As expected, he denied it.

So I tugged on Duke Shurman’s clothes.

“Grandpa! I’m telling the truth. The owner of the Rutemund gambling house keeps asking that man for money every day.”

“T-that’s ridiculous—!”

Joseph suddenly covered his mouth after speaking without thinking.

Count Colson’s face darkened frighteningly.

“If you don’t believe me, go to Rutemund! And people said that man started the fight with my dad first! He said things like, ‘May your father bite a rock while eating breakfast!’ and ‘May your father trip on a rock while riding his carriage and bite his tongue!’”

“What?”

“That’s not true! That child is lying! You shouldn’t falsely accuse adults! Marquis Shablin bumped into my shoulder first!”

“Grandpa! Please clear my dad’s name! You can investigate and find the truth! That man let my dad hit him on purpose! He wanted Grandpa’s money!”

“……!”

“W-What is going on?”

Duke Shurman looked back and forth between Joseph and me, speechless.

Finally, Count Colson shouted to his aide.

“Go to the Rutemund gambling house immediately and find out if what this child said is true!”

“Yes… it’s true, Your Excellency.”

“What?!”

The confirmation came back so quickly that Count Colson looked like he had bitten his own tongue in shock.