“Ah, I am the assistant to Baron Falern of this region. Knowing you must be weary from your long journey, I implore you to recuperate at the manor, if it wouldn’t be too presumptuous.”
Amy let out a thoughtful hum. This situation wasn’t surprising, as she had anticipated it.
Noah, as the rising grand lord owning vast territories in the north, naturally attracted people wanting to make a good impression.
They would usually have to visit every manor along the way to the North for various receptions, but they disguised themselves as commoners and traveled here to avoid commotion.
Amy and Noah silently exchanged glances.
‘What should we do?’
‘Well, what to do?’
Seemingly unaware of their hesitation, Baron Falern’s assistant energetically began issuing various orders to his subordinates. It seemed they had been waiting all along the road to the North.
‘Why are they so desperately waiting?’
This village, strictly speaking, wasn’t part of the North. It wasn’t Noah’s territory. Yet, why were they so eagerly waiting for him?
‘A bad premonition…’
Amy glanced at the assistant’s rat-like face and cunning eyes and inwardly clicked her tongue.
Unaware that he had just shattered Amy’s first impression of this domain, the assistant with a sleazy smile gently said,
“Please, Your Grace, allow me to escort you.”
“…….”
Noah, however, ignored him and kept his gaze solely on Amy. She silently nodded. Noah then stood up and said,
“Lead the way.”
“An honor to meet you, Duke of Noidelman.”
Upon arriving at the manor, a middle-aged couple greeted them at the entrance. They were Baron and Baroness Falern.
“So you are Amy, the steward. I’ve heard much about you.”
The baroness’s eyes twinkled as she tightly grasped Amy’s hand, which felt cold and slimy. Amy forced an awkward smile and distanced herself from the baroness under the pretense of attending to Noah.
She quickly scanned their attire. Despite being a small and not wealthy domain, the baron and baroness wore expensive fabrics fashioned in the latest capital styles.
‘And those jewel ornaments are genuine?’
A poor domain, yet a greedy couple. She had a rough idea of why they had been invited.
“…….”
Noah, who was receiving the baron’s hospitality, glanced back and forth between Amy and the baroness’s attire, then grimaced silently.
“Come, come, don’t just stand here, please come inside.”
The baron, feigning heartiness but with a sly smile, led them inside. Amy followed Noah quietly.
Servants lined up on both sides of the entrance, bowing to greet them. Amy observed them closely; they all looked shabby and worn out from fatigue.
“You can’t have the Duke eating poor-quality food at a lowly inn. We have prepared a banquet, please enjoy it.”
The baron stroked his beard, putting on airs. Amy thought skeptically,
‘We’ve almost finished eating already…’
However, upon reaching the banquet hall and seeing the spread, her expression soured even more. The food was cold and some of it undercooked. It was clearly hastily prepared.
“…….”
The baron and baroness, noticing Noah and Amy’s reactions, scolded the maids unnecessarily.
“You dare to insult our guests. I am ashamed to face the Duke!”
Not satisfied with just that, they dragged a young maid forward and took down a whip hanging on the wall to strike her.
“!”
Noah and Amy were shocked.
‘That’s enough, really.’
Unable to just stand by and watch the maid being beaten, Amy quickly stepped forward to intervene.
“We have finished our meal at the inn. Please show us to our rooms. His Grace is tired from the journey.”
With a signal from Amy, Noah awkwardly covered his mouth and pretended to yawn. The baron and baroness then overreacted with excitement.
“We have offended our esteemed guests. Please, this way.”
They gave Noah the best inner chamber and a reasonably good one for Amy. Noah’s eyelids were already heavy with sleep, having been on horseback since dawn, except for meal times. Amy insisted on attending to him personally, sending away the servants and the baron and baroness.
Thud, the door closed, and the sound of footsteps receded. Noah then lowered his voice.
“Is the mercenary captain here? Report to me.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
