# 62
---
Naturally, it was a family that produced civil officials rather than knights, and for that reason, Joseph Rexton was a very unique figure within the family. Not that Joseph himself cared, however.
Joseph Rexton's father, Baron Richard Rexton, was also a prodigy who was tirelessly called a genius, and during the previous Duke's tenure, all the documents of the castle were under his control. He was a walking indexer who could find the relevant document like a ghost just by reciting the necessary information. His eldest son and Joseph's older brother, Gilbert, was also a prodigy no less brilliant than his father.
Of course, since there was nothing to do at the ducal castle under Marquis Rinko, the family's fortunes were declining unspeakably.
However, the wait was worth it. Joyful news arrived that Joseph had returned escorting His Excellency, and the awake Madame finally summoned Mrs. Rexton to the castle. For the first time in a long while, the Rexton father and son went to bed in good spirits. However, their deep sleep was chased away by a rough voice.
“Father!!! Brother!!!”
“…Joseph?”
“You’re confident in organizing documents, right?!!”
“Joseph?!!”
The second son, who had appeared after more than ten years, showed up like a thief in the middle of the night and dragged him and the eldest son to the Duke's castle.
“It’s urgent, really urgent! Alright, come on, go inside now!”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but when day breaks and things get better....”
Baron Rexton’s murmuring, as he was dragged into the castle, faded away the moment he was pushed into a huge room.
“…….”
“…….”
Except for the second son, the Rexton father and son were left speechless by the scene in the room. An enormous amount of documents, which looked undeniably stolen, were stacked as high as a person. And shadows flickered between the papers, suggesting there were people there.
While they looked around as if entranced, Joseph, who had brought his father and brother along (?), proudly called out to someone.
"miss!!"
miss?
While the surprised Rexton father and son looked back at their relative at the same time, Joseph moved his massive frame flexibly this way and that, slipping through the piles of documents.
“What are you doing carrying something like this around? Please give it to me! I can just put it over there, right?”
Thank you, Joseph.
Even the gentle voice coming from beyond the documents. They were stammering, unable to grasp the situation at all, when someone appeared to clear their minds.
“What are you doing coming the latest!”
“Ack! H-honey?!”
“Seriously!! I promised the Godmother that you and Gilbert would be the first to arrive! But now you are the last ones!!”
Mrs. Rexton appeared holding a steaming teapot and angrily spoke in a low voice.
“Snap out of it! Hurry up and follow me!! Gili, button up your shirt, and you, comb your hair properly!”
The Rexton father and son, who had been following her as if entranced and looking around, realized belatedly that this was the Duke's chambers. And surprisingly, they were not the only ones suddenly summoned in the middle of the night.
“Lotus?”
As Baron Rexton muttered his friend's name, the man with his nose buried in the documents lifted his eyes slightly and smiled. Furthermore, familiar faces could be seen here and there among the piles of documents.
“Didn’t I tell you? You were the last one!!”
Her expression, which had been as fierce as a leopard, changed the moment she emerged from the pile of documents blocking her view.
“Oh my— Miss, would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, Mrs. Rexton. I’ve had enough. Thank you.”
Take it easy. You'll hurt your health. Now that these people have arrived, too. Ohohoho.
Mrs. Rexton grabbed her son and husband by the collar with a bright smile. Then, they met the eyes of the very person who had turned the Duke's castle upside down.
At that moment, the father and son vaguely pictured a vast golden wheat field. They felt as if they could sense the scent of wheat carried on the green breeze blowing. His vivid golden hair, as if adorned with gold, glistened in the thousands of lights burning from the ceiling, and his verdant green eyes appeared clear.
“What are you spacing out about?”
The faces of the father and son in the Rexton turned their heads simultaneously in the direction from which the voice came, contorting as if they were about to cry.
“…Madam!”
As Eliza smiled while leaning back comfortably on the sofa, the Rexton father and son quickly ran to her and knelt on their left knees. Eliza pulled her lips into a smile and affectionately patted their shoulders.
“Richard, you haven’t changed at all. Oh, Gilbert. You’ve grown up since I last saw you.”
“Madam.……”
As Richard Rexton's eyes welled up with tears, Eliza shook her head slightly. If they were to catch up, even days and days wouldn't be enough. The first thing they had to do tonight was not to reminisce.
I need your help.
Then, Baron Rexton's eyes changed.
I have been waiting for that word alone for a long time.
Eliza, pleased with their firm gaze, personally helped them up. Then she signaled to Grace, who was waiting on one side. As Grace approached, Eliza introduced her to Baron Rexton.
“Over here are Baron Rexton and the Younger Baron. The Baron managed the archives during the previous Duke’s tenure, so he will be of more help than anyone.”
Grace reached out her hand to the Baron.
“Nice to meet you, Baron Rexton. I am Grace Taylor.”
This is Richard Rexton. Please let me know if you need anything. I will do my best.
As the three exchanged light greetings, Eliza pushed them from behind.
Now, now, hurry up and get moving.
As the Rexton father and son moved to sit on either side of Grace, Grace moved as if she had been waiting and explained the necessary details to the two of them.
“The most important thing we need to find out from these vast documents is where Richmond’s gold disappeared to.”
“I had a hunch, but it looks like he eventually touched the gold.”
Grace Taylor raised her eyebrows as if it were the most natural thing in the world and briefly explained how the contents organized so far and the divided work would be wrapped up.
A player recognizes another player. Baron Rexton, who was an expert at paperwork, saw right through Grace Taylor to realize that she was just as skilled at it as he was.
And after a few hours had passed, Baron Rexton became convinced that she had at least overseen all the documents of the Duke of Taylor's household.
Grace had a huge desk brought in and removed all the chairs. Then, placing the documents the officials had brought one by one onto the desk, she began to retrace the past ten years of Richmond. The aura emanating from her slender figure was cold and chilling.
You found it correctly. Please put this document over there.
“Sir Gilbert Rexton, could you summarize these documents into a single page?”
Just as a general's ability greatly influences victory or defeat in war, the ability of the person in charge was extremely important in the war among bureaucrats against documents.
During the tenure of the previous Duke, their direct superior was none other than Marquis Rinko. Everyone inwardly wondered who would give them orders instead of Marquis Rinko, but it was a truly useless worry. The officials, who had initially been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material and wondered when they would ever finish reading it, were moved by Grace's attitude of calmly and coolly revealing the truth.
“Miss, I found you!!”
“Here it is!”
“Oh, so this document and this document will be connected?”
Baron Rexton, who had been watching Grace while resting for a moment, spoke to his wife who had approached him.
"I've been thinking, honey."
"yes?"
Marquis Rinko is going to be quite flustered.
"why?"
"To seize the Duke's castle, you need three things, you know? Troops, administration, and an inner fortress."
Right?
Baron Rexton grinned.
“Your Excellency controls the military, and the Grand Madam controls the inner fortress; then, the only thing left is administration, which controls bureaucrats like us.”
Mrs. Rexton followed his gaze and looked at Grace. Elderly officials were engrossed in conversation while holding documents around Grace.
Her wrinkled mouth formed an arc.
That person over there is taking care of that.
Marquis Rinko must be feeling a bit anxious.
The small whispers of Baron and Mrs. Rexton seeped into the damp air and disappeared.
* * *
Baron Rexton was wrong.
“Damn it, fuck it!!!”
This was because Marquis Rinko's insides were not just burning a little, but were being turned upside down.
“You, you, you deceitful vermin!!”
The Duke was slowly tightening the noose around his neck. As soon as Count Rwen was driven out, he marched into the castle accompanied by armed knights and brought them inside.
There was no way to stop it. With Count Rwen, who commanded the garrison and knights, losing power, all command had fallen into the Duke's hands. It was said that the garrison, the soldiers under their command, and the knights inside the castle had also sworn allegiance to the Duke.
Of course, some of them were still in the Marquis's grasp, but the problem was that the tide had turned. It was obvious that the motley crew of nobles would side with the Duke and the Grand Madam's faction, seeing this as their chance.
Furthermore, what was even more shocking was that, following the Marquise's lady-in-waiting, even her attendant had lost his authority within the castle. Now, no maid or servant in the castle worked for the Marquis Rinko household.
And his officials came one after another, weeping and wailing.
Marquis! You must protect me at all costs.
"Marquis, I am very afraid. What should I do? Please?"
The Marquis's head was like a volcano on the verge of eruption. It was hot, scorching, and suffocating, as if lava were filling my body. I wanted to beat him all up and kick him out.
“You should have done some thinking before coming here!! You couldn’t even have said something like, ‘Let’s overcome this predicament together!’”
Just as his neck was stiffening from anger, his son came to visit.
“Father, I have something important to tell you.”