The Noble Girl Living in Debt Chapter 9

The Ninth Story: Ten Gold Coins

TL: BabyDalyn

TLC: Agni, Kriz

Editor: Mysterious Editor No.3

First published on Ainus.h.i.+

Chapter 9 – Ten Gold Coins

Bernard returned home, jolted by the last carriage.

While his thoughts were still in a mess, Eric had swung by to report about the things which were broken by the incident that day.

He was informed that it was necessary to change all the roof tiles since they seemed to have deteriorated. That also applied to the ceiling and floorboards in the attic.

「So the ceiling also needs to be changed?」

「Because bugs seem to have came out from it」

Looking at the estimates, he unintentionally clicked his tongue.

「Also, about the materials for the roof―」

The plan was to use the same baked terracotta clay for the roof tiles, but it’s coating will cost extra.

「Apparently, the roof tiles were originally brown but was later painted blue.」

「Is that so?」

At that time, the mistress of the Orlellian household desired a house that seemed like it had came out straight from a fairy tale, the white wall and blue roof of the mansion was the outcome of such circ.u.mstances.

「Therefore, if we want the roof to have the same blue coating, it will come to this.」

「Mm?」

Eric handed over an additional quotation. Bernard’s eyes widen when he saw the figure.

「What is this!?」
「The blue paint appears to be costly.」

「The coating is unnecessary!」

「… No, for now it's fine.」
「Understood」

As it was, they were barely able to cover the expenses for the repairs, as things goes, the coating will be decided on a later date.
The next report was about Agnes' medical expenses which was less than they had estimated.

「Oi, what about the doctor’s hush money?」

「The doctor called was one of Dominic's acquaintance. His lips are sealed」
「Is that so……」

Even though her fever has gone down since this morning, but as she had no appet.i.te, she was still lying in bed.

Seems like he won't able to hear her story today.

「Even so, this is exorbitant」

The expenses totaled to ten gold coins.

It was the equivalent to two months worth of Bernard's wages as a knight.

The roof tiles had to be changed. Moreover, they had to ordered a special tile in order to match it which jacked the price up.

「It seems we can negotiate to pay by instalments.」
「Pay it all at once.」

「Understood」

As Bernard saw Eric off from the room, he let out a heavy sigh.

Every month, his family gave him funding but that mostly went into his servant's wages.
Having no choice but to somehow make ends meet, he hardened his resolve.

Deciding to refresh before dinner, he headed to the bathroom.

On the way, he stopped in front of the guest room where Agnes was resting.

He can’t help but feel curious toward the girl’s true nature

He simply wanted to know the reason why she glared at him five years ago.
Nevertheless, he hesitated if he should enter a lady's room. But, as the master of the mansion, Agnes was his employee. There wouldn't be any impropriety whatsoever.

Fortunately, there was no one around.

He planned to ask her and quickly leave, and opened the door.

The living room was in total darkness. Relying on the moonlight that shone in from the window, he proceeded to the bedroom.

Just in case, he knocked on the door but no one answered.

Considering it'll be a problem if he stayed for too long, he decided to enter the room without permission.

The room was only lit by a hand lantern beside the bed. As the light shone faintly, the room was dim.

「H,Hey…」

This time he tried to call out to her from the door, but there was still no answer.

Even so, feeling like he couldn't turn back empty handed either, he made long rapid strides towards the bed.

He thought of waking her up to ask her about the matters from five years ago.

The light illuminated her pale face that was covered by a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. Even in her sleep, she seemed to be in pain.

「Agnes Le Verges.」

With a low voice, he called her name. He thought she would not be woken up by his whisper. Nevertheless, Agnes opened her eyes slightly.

Even though he had walked into her room brazenly, the moment he met her eyes, he was startled and his heart beat fast.

He felt like he had done something wrong.

He couldn't read her emotions from her gaze.

Inside the quiet room, they stared at each other for a while, Agnes then muttered a surprising word.

「―Ah, mother!」

「I've always wanted to see you.」

Agnes held out her frail, trembling hand from underneath the duvet.

Bernard looked at it dubiously.

「Mo.. ther…」
「No, I'm not your mother.」

Bernard corrected her mistake while he grabbed her wrist, roughly shoving it back to underneath the duvet.

When he closely examined her face, she had heavy-lidded eyes unlike usual which he realised that she was half-lucid.

He heard that Agnes' mother had pa.s.sed away when she was a child.

Tears started to welled up in her eyes, all of this made him feel pity for her.

「…P, Please forgive me.」
「?」

Wondering if she had regained consciousness, he observed Agnes' expression. But her next word was beyond his expectations.

「―mother…」

When Bernard heard it, he lost it there and then.

Agnes continued to speak.

「No, I can't go there yet.」
「Don't go, don't go!」

Faced with her delirious words, Bernard ended up tsukkomi-ing.

「YOU! BACK TO SLEEP! NOW!」

Though he said so but Agnes's muttering was not yet coming to an end.

「To return the favor to Orlellian-sama, I will go―」
「Li–Like I said, you can't go there yet!」

After ordering her to "Go back to sleep already.", Bernard covered her up to her shoulder with the duvet, then left the bedroom.

After confirming that there was no one in the corridor, he immediately left Agnes' room.

Entering the bath, he thought about how increasingly mysterious Agnes' was.. What was the favor that she owed him? He tried searching his memories, but nothing came up.

He poured the hot water over his head, roughly washed his body and hair, before soaking in the bathtub.

―It's no use, I don't get it.

He'll just postpone the investigation on Agnes for now.
The next day, Gigille reported that Agnes' condition was getting better.

She herself said she was ready to work, however Gigille ordered her to take more rest as a precaution.

「Master, will it be alright?」

「Thank you.」
「Today, we'll begin the repairs for the roof and the attic so it probably won't be a suitable environment for her to rest.」

「Well, nothing we can do about it.」

He instructed Gigille to properly look after her. When it was time for the coach to arrive, Bernard left the house.

In the morning Lazare came to greet him.

「I'm sorry. I was worn out yesterday.」

Since Agnes did not show up, he a.s.sumed that she was not in the orphanage.

Bernard ought to have talked about the matters regarding Agnes, but he hesitated.

Unfortunately in that moment, Lazare had to leave the room to attend an a.s.sembly as part of his duties.

While he was fl.u.s.tered for missing the opportunity to talk, somebody came to visit him.
He was a little surprised looking at the familiar visage before the opened door.

―Ernes...o...b..rthelemon

The second prince's guard and the second son of a Marquis's household.
In his memory, he was the lowest of the low. A fellow who ran around chasing after girls while still on duty.

The last time he saw him was three years ago, during a tea party held by the second prince. Seeing the surprised look on Bernard's face, Ernesto greeted him as if it was the first time they had met. He had probably forgotten the events three years ago.

「Yo, good morning—–」
「Ah!! ―」

Then, Bernard remembered.
Three years ago he met Agnes by chance in the rose garden when she was trying to get away from Ernesto’s pursuit.

He thought this might have been what she was referring to as the favor and reward, feeling relieved that the mystery was solved.

「―You, for you to suddenly raise your voice, did I surprise you?!」
「Ah, forgive me.」

When he received his identification, Bernard came to his senses.

Since the captain was absent, it was alright for Bernard to handle the matter as the vice captain.

Ernesto flumped onto a couch after been prompted to sit

「So what is your business?」

「Ah, I want you to search for someone.」

He took out a piece of paper and put it on the desk.

On the paper, there was something like a sketch of a person whose gender was indistinguishable.

At the top of the paper there was "The person who finds her: Ten Gold Coins " written on it.

「This is―?」

「Hah!?」

Ernesto haughtily stated his affairs, seemingly unable to search for her by himself, and shoved the paper even further to Bernard.

「There is a gold reward for this magnificent task. Consider it an honor」

「Umm, rather than that, on whose orders was this from?」
「Mine.」

He thought it was unlikely to happen.

There was no reason for the ‘third division special a.s.sault corps' to take on a mission from an individual.

「Why do you want to search for Agnes Le Verges?」

「Ah, I want to take that unfortunate lady as my mistress」

All of this for the purpose of taking her as a mistress. Bernard looked at Ernesto with an inconceivable look plastered on his face.

「If there are no orders from above, we can't accept a mission from an individual.」
「Normally, yes.」

Which is why there's a reward of ten gold coins, Ernesto calmly said.

「Sheltering a lady from the Le Verges house might incur His Majesty's wrath, do you understand how dangerous this is?」

Those words were also directed back at him. He can't foolishly go into it half-heartedly.

「That's why there are ten gold coins.」

「That’s right. No one will ever find out if I hide her in a place like a bas.e.m.e.nt.」

Moreover, Ernesto gave another tempting proposal. He made use of his authority as one of the royal guards

「Supposing you find out Agnes Le Verges' whereabouts, in addition to the gold coin, I’ll also recommend you for a promotion at the a.s.sembly」

However, Ernesto warned him not to openly spread the word out. Even with the personage of the same corps, he straight out said that it can only be made known to 5 people at most.

「If such rumors were spread, I'll be in trouble. Ah, by the way ―」

Ernesto took out a leather bag with gold coins from his pocket.

「This is?」

「…」

Before him, Bernard gave a deep sigh.
Regarding this matter, he decided to leave the entire thing up to the captain and requested Ernesto to leave.

「Well then, I'll leave it to you.」
「…」

Without even replying, he silently shut the door.

Good Day everyone!

BabyDalyn here, this is my first project with the Ainus.h.i.+ group and I hope you'll take care of me.
Especial thanks to Kriz who invited me over, Agni for helping me with the miscellaneous stuff and those who encouraged me and help me throughout my very first work. Apologies for the trouble I have caused while doing this work.

This story "The n.o.ble Lady Living in Debt" is one of my favorite story with a misunderstood protagonist so I wanted to continue it and share it.

Once again, thank you for the support and I’m looking forward working this with everyone. Please do take care of me.

I hope you will like this continued translation.