Chapter: 28
A Debt of Malice
When Dorothy next encountered Lady Kedrid, some days had passed.
The woman was in high spirits, bustling about with her entourage like a retinue of guards, animatedly spreading her news.
“Ah, Dorothy.”
Their eyes met, and Lady Kedrid’s lips curled upwards.
“Everyone, here comes our poor, dear Dorothy.”
With practiced ease, she drew the crowd’s attention and launched into her tale.
“I made an inquiry with the Information Guild, and it seems the girl has found herself in quite a predicament.”
Lady Kedrid shrugged her shoulders as if performing a dance step.
“Is there anyone here willing to offer our poor Dorothy a helping hand? Let’s all do our part to aid her.”
Her tone was dripping with mockery. It seemed the previous incident had dealt a blow to her pride after all.
Lady Kedrid was a notorious gossip, spreading rumors to everyone in Salbrus who didn’t know her. It was a somewhat malicious act, obvious enough even for the oblivious Dorothy to notice.
The people around her wore awkward expressions. Though Dorothy was generally well-liked, openly confronting Lady Kedrid was no easy feat.
“Debt?” Dorothy, who had been quietly listening to Lady Kedrid’s spiel, finally spoke up.
“Yes, that’s right, debt.”
Lady Kedrid replied as if she’d been waiting for this.
“Oh my, was it a secret?”
“…”
“Well, that’s understandable. It’s a rather difficult thing to admit. But since it’s already out, why not seek help from others? It might even be an opportunity.”
She smiled broadly as she continued.
“It’s better to ask for help before the debt collectors come banging down your door, wouldn’t you say?”
“Forgive my impertinence, but may I ask where you heard this rumor?”
Even when openly ridiculed, Dorothy remained unruffled. If anything, she was impeccably polite to the very end.
“Hmph, well…”
Lady Kedrid seemed momentarily flustered by the unexpected reaction. But she quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat, confident she still held the upper hand.
“From the Information Guild, of course.”
“The Information Guild?”
“Yes, that very place—if you have the coin, they’ll give you any information in the world.”
Lady Kedrid continued, her gestures as exaggerated as a clown’s.
“That very Information Guild, where the fees are higher than even contracts for murder! The very place that doesn’t take just anyone’s commission, but only through trusted acquaintances!”
She had deliberately used an exaggerated tone to intimidate Dorothy, but contrary to her expectations, Dorothy’s reaction remained placid.
“I’m listening. Please, do go on.”
Dorothy even smiled faintly, almost urging her to continue… Once a story was started, it had to be finished.
Though she found it odd, Lady Kedrid pressed on.
“What I mean is, I have connections there. I frequent the Information Guild.”
“So, the information you received was obtained through a formal commission to the Information Guild?”
“Yes, that’s right. You’re not going to tell me I shouldn’t meddle in others’ affairs now, are you, Dorothy?”
Lady Kedrid retorted boldly.
“After all, people have a right to know.”
“No, I’m not particularly angry. It’s more that…”
Dorothy said,
“I’m just curious if the Information Guild even truly exists.”
“Of course it does.”
“‘Recently, Dorothy Vane has been hounded by loan sharks due to debt.'”
“Yes, that’s what I heard.”
“You asked Mrs. Horton, who works in my household, to tell your maid to say that to you, didn’t you?”
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Lady Kedrid’s face paled.
“Let me ask you again. Is this truly information you paid for and received from the Information Guild?”
“…”
“If it is indeed true, I believe I would have to seriously confront them about it. Because I have no debts whatsoever.”
From Dorothy’s words alone, the people present began to grasp the situation.
“What? So, claiming she had dealings with the Information Guild was a lie?”
“She must have heard servants’ gossip and spread it around as her own.”
“Oh, come on, we don’t know that for sure yet. Surely Lady Kedrid wouldn’t scheme like that?”
“You think?”
In their closed-off society, servants acted as the most powerful intelligence network. Information gleaned from working under someone was considered highly reliable. But using that information to wield power and manipulate was a different matter entirely.
“That’s not true!”
As the tide turned against her, Lady Kedrid finally raised her voice.
“How dare you! This is outrageous! Spreading such vile rumors about me…”
“Ah, well then, shall we go to the bank together?”
Dorothy inquired politely and courteously.
“I can show you my transaction records anytime. I was at the bank just recently, as a matter of fact.”
“…”
“If that’s inconvenient, we could go to the Information Guild together.”
“Oh dear.”
“Since it’s already out in the open, you could even receive some help yourself, couldn’t you?”
Dorothy didn’t believe Lady Kedrid had acted on a mere whim. She could sense the woman’s malice, recognized it for the deliberate cruelty it was.
And that made her all the angrier.
“It might even be an opportunity for you.”
Her words simply wouldn’t come out as kindly as they usually did.
‘If she had just insulted me, I might have let it slide.’
Her fist clenched unconsciously.
‘But involving Lady Rose… that truly angers me.’
By now, Dorothy’s own expression had cooled considerably.
“My Lady, I have already secured testimony from a maid who works in your household.”
“…!”
The false rumor about Rose’s broken engagement was likely Lady Kedrid’s own fabrication. When she couldn’t dig up any real information, she must have simply embellished things to her liking. She probably assumed public opinion was on her side, and that Rose, confined to her home, would have no chance to defend herself.
“I also have testimony from people you questioned about my creditworthiness before spreading those falsehoods about me.”
She must have done her own fact-finding before spreading the rumors. That was likely why she had never been exposed as a liar before. She must have learned about Dorothy’s straightened circumstances after her mother passed away and before her engagement to Charles ended, and immediately set about spreading the tale.
“What! So you’ve been strutting around, invoking a nonexistent Information Guild?”
“Ah! So it was her who spread those false rumors about my shop!”
The first to erupt in fury, now that Lady Kedrid’s lies were clearly exposed, were the merchants. It seemed quite a few had suffered, directly or indirectly, from the woman’s machinations.
“Repeating hearsay! Spreading baseless rumors! This is utterly absurd!”
“How do you plan to answer for all the harm you’ve caused us?”
“Yes! Take responsibility!”
As the voices grew louder and more accusatory, Lady Kedrid bit her lip.
“She’s running away!”
“She’s trying to flee without even explaining herself!”
In the end, unable to withstand the barrage of criticism, Lady Kedrid fled the scene.
“Executor! In Salbrus…”
“A letter has arrived?”
“No!”
“Then get lost.”
Brandon’s eyes would light up briefly, only for him to turn away with a bored expression. For days now, his superior had been obsessing over that blasted letter.
“That’s not it!”
“Then what.”
“The Earl of Allot has begun to move. He’s started digging into your background, Executor.”
“Oh? Well, isn’t that something?”
“…”
“Truly terrifying and astounding!”
The voice was utterly devoid of any soul or emotion.
“No, but sir…”
Cameron clutched his throbbing temple. The Earl of Allot—a name that sent shivers down one’s spine. And yet, his superior showed not an ounce of tension upon hearing that such a man was investigating him.
“It seems he learned you’ve been frequenting Salbrus lately, and he’s headed there himself. His carriage departed this morning, they say!”
“…!”
“I didn’t mean to pry into your personal affairs, sir. But I thought you should know!”
Finally, his superior shot up from his seat. The reaction was far more intense than Cameron had anticipated. When he heard the Earl was heading to Salbrus, Brandon looked as if a specific face had flashed through his mind.
‘The Keyshner girl, who’s supposed to be in Salbrus? Or perhaps…’
Before Cameron could even finish his thought, Brandon was already striding towards the door.
“Cameron! Send a carrier pigeon to Salbrus. Tell them the Earl of Allot is on his way there.”
I’m heading to Salbrus myself right now.
With those words, Brandon rushed out of the council chambers.
