Work Prophet
Chapter 407 - 25 This is a Family Discount (Happy New Year~)

Chapter 407: Chapter 25 This is a Family Discount (Happy New Year~)

Miss Rabbit somewhat understood why Pepp had wanted to speak with her in private earlier.

It involved an internal feud within the Arias family, indeed not quite fit for public disclosure.

But now, it was too late to ask Pepp to have a chat on the side, which would seem more like a cover-up.

Besides, Lady Ireya was only half-convinced by what the short, stout man opposite her was saying.

As if Pepp knew what Ireya was thinking, he had another guard bring out a wooden box.

The very sight of it put Miss Rabbit on high alert, and she perked up her ears and commanded, "Stop, don’t come any closer!"

Pepp took the box, intending to show its contents to the lady, but halted in his tracks upon hearing her command.

He simply opened the box on the spot and took out the item inside.

It was a silver brooch, shaped like a rabbit, with one of its ears showing some wear and tear.

"This brooch... is it Blanco’s?"

Ireya recognized its origin at a glance.

"Yes, Vanessa gave it to me."

"Why?"

"She and her son were passing through my territory, and I sent men to escort them a distance, um, and I also lent them some money."

"How much?"

"About a hundred gold coins."

"I wouldn’t have guessed—you’re quite generous, aren’t you?" said Miss Rabbit, scoffing.

"I was foolish at the time, deceived by her sweet words... It was only after they left that I came to my senses, but by the time I sent people to pursue them, they were nowhere to be found."

Ireya knew that the Marier family head was lying. This cunning, plump man had made a high-risk deal betting on an heir who had failed in the family’s internal struggle and was forced to flee their lands.

He was hoping that one day Blanco would return to Green Field, bringing him a return far exceeding one hundred gold coins.

However, Miss Rabbit couldn’t be bothered to further entangle with him in this matter and simply asked, "So what does that woman want by writing to you again, more money?"

"Hmm, about two months ago, she said she had found powerful allies and raised an army, preparing to seize back the position of family head for her son. She hoped I would sponsor her again with a sum for military expenses, about five thousand golden lions, and she also called on the Welch to join her forces.

"Of course, I refused her without hesitation. You succeeded in slaying the dragon, making a great contribution to the stability of the West, and everyone owes you a favor.

"Moreover, you defeated your brother in front of witnesses like Marquis Kuren and Sir Romero, rightfully becoming the head of the Arias family, securing your unchallengeable right to rule these lands.

"In addition, the family has just donated a large sum to erect a statue of the Life Goddess for His Majesty, and we simply can’t afford so much money right now. I could never agree to her unreasonable request. But afterwards, she... "

"What happened afterwards?" asked the lady, frowning.

"Afterwards, Lady Vanessa threatened me, saying if I did not cooperate with her, she would annex my lands, kill my people, but in consideration of the hundred golden lions from before, in the end, she would spare my life."

Pepp finished speaking, with sweat nearly soaking through his handkerchief.

"Are you afraid, Lord Pepp?" Ireya asked.

"Yes, a little."

"Are you more afraid I’ll hold you accountable for that hundred gold coins or of my stepmother’s army?"

"Both," said Pepp with a pained expression.

His answer elicited a wave of laughter. There were many nobles with little courage, but it was rare to find one as openly timorous as him.

Even the oppressive atmosphere previously brought by Hirodod had been largely dispelled by his comical display.

Miss Rabbit didn’t laugh—instead, she felt a bit of admiration for the rotund man.

In positioning himself so low, Lady Yilei found that even if she wanted to trouble him, she somehow couldn’t bring herself to do it.

It was like two people fighting in public, and one of them sprawls on the ground right from the start.

If you continue to kick him while he’s down, you’d appear to be the bully in the eyes of onlookers.

Pepp had even brought the letter Vanessa had written to him and handed it over to Ireya, with the air of a student submitting homework to a teacher.

Miss Rabbit didn’t trouble the Welch family head further and let him leave the castle with the others after the banquet ended.

In fact, by the latter half of the event, most people seemed distracted, evidently preoccupied with thoughts not related to the banquet itself—they were quick to stand up and take their leave the moment it ended.

Although Hernan looked a bit foolish, his death still had a significant impact on the Westlands.

He was the second major member of the Marier family to die.

After Priest Matina fled from Duolin City, Lake City was where she took refuge. The Marier family was the first to respond to her call, and it was there that the Church Protection Army was formed, fighting their way back to Duolin City.

Hirodod clearly had ample reason to launch an attack on the Marier family, even if this incident seemed more like an accident.

And one could only wonder what form of retaliation an enraged Judith would now unleash on the Blood Moon Association and Hirodod.

As for the young lady who had just turned nineteen, the guests were amazed at her luck.

She had managed to avoid both waves of Hirodod’s arranged attacks.

Particularly the golden rose, the ingenious and venomous design of its mechanism made many shudder.

Since Hernan was the one who died, Miss Rabbit wasn’t too frightened at the time, but afterward, she found herself increasingly terrified the more she thought about it.

Once most of the guests had dispersed, she took Greta and Ruby back to the study and had a maid serve three bowls of radish water, one for each of them.

Ruby and Miss Rabbit both finished theirs, but Greta only had a couple of sips before putting the bowl down and, seeing the lady’s gaze upon her, she said, "I’m finally beginning to understand why Merlin values you so highly. I didn’t expect you to not only be adept at commanding mice but also so skilled at reasoning."

"It’s not commanding; I treat them like family," Greta corrected, one word at a time.

But she was cut off as Miss Rabbit hugged her tightly, pulling her into an embrace, "Now you have one more family member! No, that’s two."

The lady then remembered Ruby and pulled her over too.

"You saved my life, and I declare that from today onwards, you both are my family!"

Greta rolled her eyes and struggled out of the Lady’s embrace, "Who’s your family? Do you ever ask for people’s permission before claiming relations?"

However, Miss Rabbit spoke as if she hadn’t heard, patting Greta’s shoulder kindly, "Now that we are family, about the debts..."

Greta, who had been full of sarcastic retorts, suddenly found herself speechless, and even allowed the lady to pull her back into an embrace.

"We can halve it."

"Shouldn’t it be completely waived?" Greta darkened upon hearing this.

"You owe me more than two thousand gold coins. Even halving it is a lot, a thousand," Miss Rabbit said, "This is a family discount. So tell me, will you accept it or not?"

Greta fell silent again, seemingly acquiescing to the notion.

This was probably the Bratis Continent’s version of the saying that money troubles can defeat even the bravest of heroes.