Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 42

Ever since that fateful day of the assault, Lobelia hadn’t ventured beyond the confines of the hotel. She had orchestrated a clever ruse, convincing the attackers to falsely declare their mission a triumph.

When offered their escape in exchange for a tidy sum, the assailants obediently followed Lobelia’s directives, and they vanished from Merdanion as if fading into thin air.

“Could it truly be this easy?” he wondered aloud.

Upon receiving the news that the gunmen had supposedly succeeded and that Catherine Hayard remained imprisoned in her hotel room, paralyzed by fear, Marlon erupted into laughter.

“Didn’t I tell you not to worry?” he grinned, slapping Viscount Rohan on the back.

However, Viscount Rohan’s countenance darkened, betraying his discomfort as he feigned interest in his breakfast. He detested the deeds carried out in his name, and this incident only solidified his growing suspicion that Marlon viewed him as a disposable pawn.

“You don’t appear well,” Marlon observed, detecting the ghostly unease that haunted Viscount Rohan’s expression.

“What’s bothering you? Did you truly believe I would abandon you?”

“Well, you see…,” Viscount Rohan stammered, embarrassed.

Marlon drew nearer, draping his arm over Viscount Rohan’s shoulder.

“I suppose you worried over nothing,” he said with kindness. “Do you truly believe I could discard someone who’s devoted a decade to my service? Tell me, do I strike you as heartless?”

Viscount Rohan found himself rendered speechless, sweat forming on his brow.

“N-no, not at all,” he managed to say.

Marlon shook his head emphatically, repeating the word “no” for emphasis. As fear washed over Viscount Rohan, Marlon ceased his repetition and focused on him.

“I will never abandon you,” Marlon assured him with a smile, a smile that concealed a multitude of thoughts. Regrettably, Viscount Rohan remained oblivious to its true nature.

“Is that a promise?”

“Of course. Absolutely.”

Viscount Rohan inquired with a trembling voice, and Marlon reaffirmed his pledge multiple times, the usual smile never leaving his face.

“So, you can trust that I’ll always stand by your side.”

Marlon spoke with a smile, though it concealed a different truth. Viscount Rohan, however, failed to discern the hidden layers beneath.

“Really?”

“Without a doubt. Never.”

Viscount Rohan inquired hesitantly, and Marlon reiterated his vow with his customary smile.

“So, you’ll continue to serve me faithfully.”

“Yes, Rohan, I’ll give my all.”

Viscount Rohan’s countenance brightened.

“Do you remember what needs to be done first?” Marlon inquired, lowering his arm from Viscount Rohan’s shoulder. Perplexed, Viscount Rohan met his gaze.

“Catherine Hayard. We must locate that woman! Seven hundred million menich… No, let’s settle for five hundred million, then return to the mines.”

“Of course,” Viscount Rohan mused internally, “five hundred million menich is still quite a sum, isn’t it?” But a sharp look from Marlon swiftly convinced him.

“Very well, let’s get to it!”

Upon hearing Marlon’s directive, Viscount Rohan hastened to grab his hat and cane before departing from the office.

****

In the elegant hotel setting, Lobelia’s lips curled into a smile as soon as she received word of Viscount Rohan’s arrival.

“I knew he would come today,” she thought, her disguise impeccably executed. Lobelia had left Joachim behind and ventured out of her room alone, making her way toward the hotel’s reception room.

Before entering the drawing room where Viscount Rohan patiently awaited her, Lobelia paused to check her reflection in a smooth glass window.

“Perfect. My hair is delightfully disheveled, my complexion is as pale as can be, and my lips are subtly bluish.”

Her hair had become a chaotic mess thanks to Joachim, who had persistently tugged at her wig throughout the day, while her pallor and the tint of her lips were the result of skillful makeup.

Satisfied with her appearance, which made her appear as if she hadn’t slept in days, Lobelia nodded to herself and entered the drawing room.

“Miss Catherine!”

Viscount Rohan couldn’t quite hide the twitching corner of his mouth as he beheld Lobelia’s disheveled countenance. Despite his attempt to exude sympathy, the slight quirk at the edges of his lips betrayed his true emotions.

Seated in front of Viscount Rohan, Lobelia wore a gloomy expression on the surface while secretly reveling in her success.

“…”

Lobelia took her seat and remained silent, patiently waiting for Viscount Rohan to initiate the conversation. He scrutinized her, then cautiously spoke.

“I’ve heard you’ve been through quite a lot.”

Deliberately, Lobelia shuddered, biting her lip and casting her eyes downward.

Viscount Rohan observed Lobelia’s trembling form with an odd sense of satisfaction. Her desperate display was a far cry from the haughty demeanor she had exhibited when she had arrogantly refused his offer of 2.5 billion Menich to repurchase the mine.

Of course, he mused to himself, no matter how intelligent this young lady may be in theory, she falls short in practice.

Viscount Rohan surmised that Lobelia had been thoroughly frightened by the assailants and had lost all will to resist.

“Oh, I can imagine,” he continued without waiting for Lobelia’s response. “It must have been a harrowing experience for you, the likes of which you’ve never encountered before.”

Lobelia decided it was time to speak up.

“I… I’m utterly terrified,” she stammered, clasping her hands together for effect.

“I never thought that simply purchasing a mine would rile you up so much,” she continued, feigning innocence. “Perhaps it was something I should never have coveted.”

She stole a glance at Viscount Rohan’s face while pretending to shed a tear. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, much like a wild animal presented with fresh prey.

“It would be wonderful if someone were to return the mine…”

“Sell it back to Evelentia!” Viscount Rohan quickly bit on the bait.

“Then all our problems would vanish. Once she gets her hands on it, Miss Catherine, you won’t have a care in the world…”

“No!”

“Excuse me?” Viscount Rohan’s eyes widened at Lobelia’s outburst. She had never imagined uttering that word.

Lobelia pressed her hand against her chest, feigning breathlessness to heighten her charade of anxiety. Just as Viscount Rohan was about to speak again, she quickly found her voice.

“They insist the mines should be returned to the people of Merdanion. But if I were to hand it over to Evelentia, they would threaten me once more.”

Viscount Rohan’s expression contorted oddly. Knowing that those monsters had been dispatched by Evenlentia, he couldn’t openly express his frustration.

“We shall ensure your protection, Miss Catherine,” Viscount Rohan assured her, dabbing his brow with a handkerchief to mop up the cold sweat.

“Truly?”

“Absolutely! I swear it on my family’s honor.”

Lobelia played along, seemingly convinced by Viscount Rohan’s words. With the teasing done, it was time to set her trap.

“I do wish to return the mine, but…”

She trailed off, fidgeting with her clasped hands.

“But what?” Viscount Rohan perked up his ears. Lobelia leisurely counted the seconds in her mind, speaking when the imaginary second hand reached ten.

“There’s one issue. The miners are unwilling to go to Evenlentia.”

“You mean Silveston Pramer’s group?”

Viscount Rohan’s face twisted, and Lobelia nodded.

‘Silveston Pramer deserves this,’ Viscount Rohan thought. He knew about the long-standing animosity between Evelentia’s Merdanion branch and Silvester.

If only I had treated you more leniently.

Regret filled him, but even if Viscount Rohan had chosen to forgive Silvester, Marlon would never allow it. Marlon… What would the Count’s reaction be in this moment?

After brief contemplation, Viscount Rohan made his decision.

“Don’t worry, we’ll dismiss them all.”

Marlon would readily fire Silvester Pramer and his group, regardless of whether Silvester sought revenge or if the miners and their families under him suffered.

“Well, I don’t think that will suffice.”

Viscount Rohan cocked his head at Lobelia’s words.

“Why not? Unless there’s a contract explicitly stating that the miners cannot be terminated…”

“I wrote such a contract,” Lobelia interjected.

Lobelia interrupted Viscount Rohan’s attempt at humor with a resolute tone. She then retrieved the envelope she had brought with her when she initially entered the drawing room. Viscount Rohan’s face drained of color as he inspected the envelope’s contents.

Lobelia proceeded to explain the contract’s contents methodically and at a leisurely pace.

“You actually drafted a contract that guarantees employment even if the mine changes ownership?!”

Viscount Rohan exclaimed in bewilderment after comprehending the contract’s implications.

“Yes, precisely. So I cannot sell the mine unless Evelentia signs a clear contract to retain Mr. Silveston and the miners under his employ.”

“Are you out of your mind? Why would you create such a contract?”

Viscount Rohan’s hands crumpled the contract due to the force with which he grasped it.

Lobelia frowned slightly. Though it was just a duplicate, seeing someone tamper with another person’s contract made her feel uneasy.

Viscount Rohan promptly smoothed out the contract on the table, ran his hand over the creased parts, and began to scrutinize its contents.

“Union… I see. A labor union must have formed. How easy it must have been for them to organize a union after encountering such a foolish mine owner. The union has been duly approved and notarized by the court? Haha…”

For a brief moment, Viscount Rohan seemed to forget that Lobelia was seated before him, muttering to himself instead.

He raised his handkerchief to mop his brow.

“I can’t make this decision on my own.”

“Oh,” Lobelia let out an exaggerated sigh, feigning a tearful expression.

“Must I continue managing Mine Number 9 indefinitely?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. But… may I borrow a copy of this for now?”

“As many as you like,” Lobelia replied with a faint smile. Viscount Rohan, engrossed in reviewing the contract, failed to notice the subtle smile on her face as he left her drawing room.

****

“What? How significant can such a contract be?”

Upon receiving Viscount Rohan’s report, Marlon slammed his fist onto the desk and declared, “In any case, once the mine is under our ownership, it doesn’t matter what that Hayard woman wrote in the contract. We’ll simply steamroll through it.”

“But…” Viscount Rohan began, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“But Miss Catherine is quite stubborn. She won’t relinquish control unless a clear contract to employ Silvester and his group is signed…”

“Interesting.”

Marlon snorted, taking the contract from Viscount Rohan and perusing its contents.

“I know how to handle those folks.”

Marlon’s gaze focused on the signature section at the bottom of the contract. He glanced at Catherine’s neat signature and the Miners’ Guild seal alongside it.

“Who’s the representative of this union?” he inquired of Viscount Rohan.

“Oh, well… I believe Silvester likely established the union himself and signed as its representative,” Viscount Rohan answered.

“You’re probably right.”

With those words, Marlon set the contract down, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He turned to Viscount Rohan, his smile taking on a sinister quality.

“The union has a critical vulnerability.”

Marlon raised his index finger and waved it through the air, and Viscount Rohan’s eyes followed the motion.

“What’s the weakness?”

“It operates by majority vote. All we need to do is use the union members to oust Silvester. The rest is a piece of cake.”

Marlon’s eyes gleamed with dangerous intent.