Granny Linsa stood up, eyes narrowing.
It was true that she basically urged Marsha to steal the pumpkins, risking offending the young master.
But she did it because she believed the young master had been attacked recently, and even if he won, most, if not all, of his loyal guards would either be dying slowly from their wounds or leaving for Ingver Town to get some potions and be treated there.
So, there's a big chance that the young master was alone.
Not to mention, Marsha is an Exorcist—she should be able to steal the pumpkins unnoticed.
If Young Master Deklan ever asked about the stolen pumpkins, they could pretend not to know anything.
A perfect plan for the trash and timid young master.
Since Marsha hadn't come back, this could only mean that she was caught by the young master.
"Adrian, check what was going on," Granny Linsa urged.
But before Adrian could move, a loud, overbearing voice reverberated through the air.
"Who's in charge here?!"
It was a man's voice, Young Master Deklan's voice.
From the other end of the road, Deklan appeared to view—dragging Marsha by her arm roughly with his right hand, while his other hand gripped the white spear firmly. His face was twisted in anger, glaring at everyone around.
Deklan barged into Slosa Hamlet like he owned the place; his presence alone made the people around to make way for him without a fight. He walked towards the pot and shoved Marsha to the ground, still looking around for the one in charge.
"Let me ask you one more time, who's in charge here?" He repeated.
Almost instantly, the people looked in one direction.
Deklan looked ahead and saw two people approaching, their chins held high.
It was Granny Linsa and Adrian.
"Are you the one in charge?" Deklan asked, pointing at Granny Linsa.
"What seems to be the problem here?" She asked, meeting Deklan's gaze. "Who are you?"
"Who am I…?" Deklan chuckled, but it was a humorless one. "I never step foot in this place—but that doesn't mean you're allowed to not know who your Lord is. I'm young master Deklan, and I'm here to exact consequences for daring to steal from me."
"Young Master Deklan…?"
"He's the young master of the Tiernan House?"
People broke into a discussion as they looked at Deklan up and down in shock.
It was their first time seeing Deklan.
Granny Linsa's eyes narrowed as this was exactly as she expected.
She looked at Marsha, but Marsha avoided her gaze.
'Tch, useless woman,' Grannly Linsa clicked her tongue. 'You get caught by the trash young master?'
"I found this woman sneaking late in the night to my pumpkin patch," Deklan pointed at Marsha as he scanned the people fiercely, menacingly. "I've given you people the liberty to live on your own without my influence, and yet this is how you repay me?"
"Hmph!" Granny Linsa snorted. "What proof do you ha—?"
Swish!
Crack!
Granny Linsa stopped mid-sentence.
Her eyes widened.
She could feel a gush of wind brushing against her and then a sharp sting on her cheek.
Everyone gasped in shock and shuddered in fear.
At that moment, Granny Linsa touched her cheek and saw blood—she was cut.
Stiffly, she looked over her shoulder and saw the white spear stabbed through the wall of her house.
From here to her house was a good sixty yards away, so for Deklan—someone known to have no talent, someone who was nothing but ordinary—to hurl away a heavy spear that far and drive it straight through a wall was nothing short of insane.
Granny Linsa was shaken to her core, 'Isn't he… Isn't he supposed to be weak and timid?'
"Don't speak arrogantly in front of me," Deklan whispered raspingly, eyes steady and stern without a trace of timidness. He bears and acts like a proper overbearing noble. "I may not be an Exorcist, but that doesn't mean I'm helpless."
Adrian stepped forward, stretching his arms to fight.
Nobody talked to his mother that way, not even someone like Deklan.
But Granny Linsa placed her arm before Adrian, stopping him.
"Step back," She instructed, pushing him back.
Even though Adrian was reluctant to obey, he eventually stepped back.
'Marsha is an Exorcist, but she's useless right now,' Granny Linsa thought, holding back her frustration as Marsha could've taken Deklan, but she was too timid. 'I have to coax her again—later. For now, it's best not to instigate him.'
It was frustrating, but Granny Linsa decided to play it cool.
She clasped her hands together and smiled pliantly, "On behalf of the people, I apologize for causing such an inconvenience to the young master. I'll make sure, as the representative of everyone here, nothing like this will happen again in the future with all I have."
Deklan straightened his spine, chin held high.
He stared at Granny Linsa, who was surprisingly cunning and had good self-restraint.
But it doesn't matter.
"Do you not hear what I said?" Deklan sneered and tilted his head—before pointing at Marsha, who was still on the ground—unmoving like a statue. "I came here to exact consequences. I don't want something like this to happen again, so who'll be the one to do it?"
Hearing this, Marsha raised her gaze and looked at Deklan.
Her lips moved in question, but no words came out.
For everyone, it was clear what Deklan wanted.
An example—he wanted to make an example out of Marsha.
Even Granny Linsa lost her cool a little, surprised that Deklan went to such lengths.
'Tch… If I punished and humiliated Marsha, it's going to be hard to control her—again. But I can feel that he's testing me,' She thought, a bead of cold sweat running down her face. 'Forget it. It's better if she takes the blame than me. I'll deal with the aftermath later.'
Granny Linsa approached Marsha with deliberate steps.
Seeing this, Marsha looked at Granny Linsa in tears, shaking her head pleadingly.
But there was no warmth on Granny Linsa's face.
Only a hardened resolve to see this through to the end for the sake of not displeasing Deklan.
"Granny, please don't do this... I've been nothing but good."
"Nothing but good? How dare you?!"
Pah!
Everyone around flinched when a crisp slap landed across Marsha's face.
It took Marsha a second to realize what had happened, but Granny Linsa was relentless.
Pah!
"In that case, why did you steal from the young master? Who told you to steal?!"
Pah!
"Who taught you to disrespect the young master?!"
Pah!
Again and again, Granny Linsa slapped Marsha hard, treating her roughly in front of everyone.
Marsha kept telling her to stop, but she didn't.
Even when Marsha's cheeks turned red and swollen, Granny Linsa kept going while stealing glances at Deklan as if to check whether this was enough. But seeing no chance in his expression, she went even further.
Granny Linsa grabbed a handful of Marsha's hair roughly and shoved her to Deklan's feet.
"Apologize to the young master!" She roared. "Kiss his feet and apologize to him sincerely!"
On the other hand, as this continued, Deklan looked around the people.
Hmm… Most are sympathetic towards Marsha, but too scared to do anything. As expected, Marsha is known to be a kind woman, even to the people, and the people pity her situation. Fundamentally, these people are good—there are only a couple of rotten ones.
Once I pluck them out, the hamlet should be all good.
Just then, Adrian handed Granny Linsa a sword.
"A filthy thief like her should be branded so that others will know," Granny Linsa brought the sword and placed it on fire under Marsha's fearful gaze.
Deklan stayed still, looking down at Marsha with a calm gaze.
But inside, he was impatient.
Come on. How much are you going to endure until you change your mind?
She's clearly abandoning you to keep her—and her son well. It wasn't your idea to steal the pumpkins. It was her idea. Even so, she played along with the script and gave all the blame to you. She's not worth protecting. Just give me the cue.
Deklan was waiting impatiently for Marsha to make her move.
He did this to show her the real, undeniable proof that Granny Linsa was using her.
It should be obvious enough by now.
Now with Granny Linsa heating up the sword, Deklan was becoming more impatient.
If Marsha is still stubborn in a minute, he has no choice but to stop this act.
Just then, Deklan turned to the side, realizing something.
Is she shy? Kissing me on the cheek in front of people like this might be too mu—
Chu!
Something soft pressed against his cheek, causing his eyes to widen.
His nostrils were filled with the scent of clean sweat and wild herbs, a blend of earth and woodsmoke. It wasn't flowery, but it was more intoxicating than any perfume. Deklan turned to the side when Marsha finally pulled away.
No words needed.
Marsha only kissed him on the cheek and looked down at the ground, avoiding eye contact.
Finally, Marsha summoned her bravery and saw Granny Linsa for who she was.
It was her first time seeing Granny Linsa without a filter of memories and time.
See Granny Linsa for who she truly was as a person, and she didn't like what she was seeing.
Finally… Finally!
"Y-You… Are you out of your mind?!" Granny Linsa lost it when she realized that Marsha had dared to kiss Deklan on his cheek, instead of his feet. She immediately drew the heated sword and approached with wide steps. "A lowly woman like you dares? Who do you think you are?!"
Just as Granny Linsa was about to pull on Marsha's hair, Deklan caught her wrist.
She was stunned by this.
"It's fine," Deklan said with a flat tone. "That's enough."
Hearing this, Granny Linsa immediately dropped the sword and stepped away.
"Are you satisfied with the punishment, young master?" She asked with fake bravado.
Deklan smirked mischievously as he pushed Marsha to the side.
It's time to execute his next plan.
"Keep calm. Don't push her away." Deklan whispered to Marsha as he stepped forward.
'What's with that smirk…?' Grann Linsa's eyes narrowed, feeling a shiver run down her spine when she saw the smirk Deklan had for a fleeting moment. 'He's making me uneasy. Is this really the supposed trash young master of the Tiernan House?'
"Since the matters about the thief are settled, I'm going to move on to the next subject," Deklan announced as he scanned the crowd. "From my visit today, it's clear that I haven't done my job as your dear lord properly. So, I decided to start doing my best starting from now."
Granny Linsa stared at him in confusion and wariness.
But Deklan didn't care, "I heard there's a problem with the main road… this kind—and magnanimous lord is going to settle it for you! Cheer up, I'm going to settle the famine once and for all!"