Free Web NovelChapter 18: County is not comfortable
All eyes were on Vincent.
He slightly shrunk in his seat but wasn’t as flustered due to not feeling any fear or nervousness.
Having gone through extreme pain during his vein opening, surviving those strange visions, and finally accepting his identity as Vincent D’Arc, there were visible mental changes in him.
The identity of a ’virgin neet’ was slowly fading.
After the initial surprise, Vivienne said, "You will go to the county?"
"Yeah?" Vincent couldn’t understand why his mother would ask such a question.
"But you hate the county." It was Vanessa who spoke this time.
The servants nearby nodded.
Vivienne lightly nodded too. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Vincent was speechless. ’Just... just how difficult this old Vincent is going to make my life...’
Vincent looked at his sister and visibly sighed. "I am a changed man, Vanessa."
He took a sip of tea to calm his mind.
Vanessa stared at him for a good few seconds, at a loss for words. For the first time, she was unable to respond to an argument he made.
Vivienne looked at Vincent and took a sip of tea. She couldn’t understand the new him whatsoever.
’How exactly did he start cultivating and what caused the changes in his Heart? In the initial stages, such major changes are unheard of.’
Noticing nobody retorting him, Vincent felt relieved.
’Okay, so nobody is looking at me strangely for calling her Vanesssa at least.’
Vincent still hadn’t looked at their profiles to know their names. He just made an assumption with his gut feeling and went with it.
This was a gamble.
He was ready to make an excuse saying he hurt his head or lost his memories when his vein opened and whatnot, but it seems like that won’t be necessary.
"Vincent." Vivienne called out.
"Yes?" Vincent turned to her.
"The county is not comfortable." Vivienne emphasized.
"The taverns there are filled with workers." Vanessa added. "It reeks of sweat and loudness. If you’re thinking of having an escapade, then keep this in mind."
"I understand." Vincent said while looking at her. He was starting to accept the fact that his family and others would keep thinking of him as a wastrel.
The damage by his predecessor was done and there was nothing he could do about it than slowly change people’s mind.
"But I’d still like to go." Vincent said plainly.
Vanessa went quiet while Vivienne put her teacup down and said, "Very well. When do you wish to leave?"
"Is it possible to leave now? I want to reach that place as soon as possible." Vincent said, wanting to control the damage as much as he could.
Vivienne did not answer him. Instead, she turned to Anastasia, who was silently standing behind Vincent this whole time.
"Make arrangements for departing in an hour."
Anastasia did not show any change of expression on her face. She merely bowed and left like a true professional.
"An hour?" Vanessa’s eyebrows were raised. She turned to Vincent and asked, "You don’t want to rest tonight?"
Vincent shook his head. "As I said, I want to reach that place as soon as possible."
Vanessa was thoroughly shocked this time.
She was wondering whether this was really the brother she knew or an imposter.
She turned to her mother for an answer.
Vivienne could tell what Vanessa might be thinking and shook her head in response, suggesting even she didn’t know the cause.
Vanessa was baffled further.
"Mom." Vincent’s call made the two ladies look at him.
Having their attention, Vincent asked, "How much authority do I have? I mean, what all things can I or cannot do?"
This question might make the ladies suspicious of him, but Vincent was willing to cross those bridges if needed. His brain was actively preparing excuses for all the oddities he was displaying.
"You’re the heir of D’Arc House." Vivienne answered without asking him any question. "In D’Arc County, your authority is second only to mine."
’Oh wow. I can do a lot of stuff then.’ Vincent thought and nodded at his mother’s answer.
"Then I have another question."
"Go ahead." Vivienne replied.
Vincent hesitated for a moment before awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.
"How rich are we exactly?"
Silence filled the hall.
Vivienne: "..."
Vanessa: "..."
The servants: "..." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
The look of utter disappointment on everyone’s faces flustered Vincent.
He held the teacup in one hand and shook his other one dismissively. "It’s okay. It’s okay. If the budget is tight, I can think of some other solution for the miners."
Another round of silence ensued.
Vanessa slowly covered her face with one hand.
The servants looked down and tightly shut their mouths. Their shoulders trembled slightly.
Vivienne closed her eyes for a brief moment. She could be visibly seen taking deep breaths.
The atmosphere somehow became heavier than when the mines were discussed.
’Did I... did I say something wrong?’ Vincent wondered and tilted his head in confusion.
Vivienne opened her eyes and looked at her son.
She had to take another deep breath, before saying, "My sweet sweet child... what makes you think we are poor?"
Since the day she had Vincent and Vanessa, she always ensured that they never lacked anything.
The D’Arc House possessed mines, rail lines, factories, shipping contracts and territories vast enough to rival entire duchies.
Even the Royal Family treated the D’Arc House with respect.
To Vivienne, the very idea of her children worrying about money felt absurd.
Hearing such affectionate words suddenly made Vincent uncomfortable. He wasn’t spid*rman, but his senses sure were tingling.
’Seems like I stepped on a land mine. I need to tread carefully.’ Vincent thought and did a light cough.
"I was thinking of doing something for the miners but didn’t know the financial conditions of our house. I can’t just distribute gold recklessly, can I?"
Vivienne usually had a neutral expression and was a reserved lady, but this time she knitted her brows and felt genuinely puzzled by the question.
"Even if you drained the county treasury into gold coins and handed them out by the handful, it would not register as a meaningful loss."
She took a pause.
Then she added, almost as if clarifying something obvious:
"We are not short on money, Vincent."
The silence this time was heavier than before.
Vincent thought about what his mother said.
He pondered over it for a good few seconds.
Nobody interrupted him.
He then looked straight at his mother and asked,
"So... we’re like... upper middle class?"
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Vivienne closed her eyes and actually had to take a deep breath.
The servants’ shoulders trembled uncontrollably. They kept their heads down and didn’t dare to look up.
"We control the mines that produce it, Vincent." Vanessa was the one to comment this time. "You would just be moving money between our own hands."
"We are not ’middle anything’."
"Alright." Vincent nodded in understanding, though he still understood nothing.
’I might actually ragebait them if I ask any more questions. Better to figure it out slowly.’
It was at this moment that Anastasia appeared in the main hall and said with a respectful bow, "M’lady, the preparations are done. The young master can leave anytime."
Vivienne turned to Vincent as she heard this. There was still a lingering disappointment on her face.
"Do you want to leave?"
"Yes." Vincent nodded and stood up.
Anastasia brought a long coat and placed it on Vincent’s shoulders, preparing him for departure.
"Telegram home before sunset everyday." Vivienne instructed.
Vincent nodded and put on a hat, ready to leave.
"I’ll be back in a few days."
Vincent bid farewell to his mother and sister, who waved at him as he left.
With Anastasia as his attendant once again, Vincent left the mansion in a hurry.
Staring at his departing back, Vivienne couldn’t help but sigh. Tonight was quite overwhelming for her.
"Mom." Vanessa’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
Vivienne turned to her.
Vanessa stared in Vincent’s direction and said, "I feel like I should follow him."
Vivienne was silent for a second.
She then nodded. "It’s his first endeavor. Don’t interfere with what he’s doing. Maintain distance while keeping watch."
"Understood." Vanessa said and left the hall to prepare for her departure.
With both her children gone, Vivienne closed her eyes and leaned back on her chair.
Without turning to the brown-haired maid standing beside her, she said softly, "Get me another cup of tea, Linda."
...
The rain had stopped. The ground was damp beneath the carriage wheels.
Vincent sat inside, staring out through the fogged glass.
There was a sudden change of plans. He was not heading toward the train station.
His carriage followed the scent of rust and burning coal, moving into the industrial district whose skies looked bruised due to the constant smoke.
