Chapter 008: Billy Kutcher
At last, the day the Rowt family had long dreaded arrived—a day that came sooner than expected, nearly a week ahead of schedule.
Just three days ago, they had been speaking anxiously about the matter. Yet suddenly, a delegation appeared at their doorstep, as though this moment marked the turning point of their fears. It only deepened their suspicion that something was hidden behind this proposal, something they couldn't yet understand. Rowt couldn't fathom what anyone could possibly want from their family by dragging them into this game. They were a destitute noble house with a title already fading into irrelevance. As they often said, it made no sense—by any measure.
The delegation, bearing the bride-to-be, arrived in a horse-drawn carriage flanked by mounted knights. Their arrival that very morning only heightened the anxiety already weighing on the Rowt household. The man who dismounted—dressed in the finest, most distinguished attire among them—offered no pleasantries. Without delay, he greeted Rowt and Ash.
"Good morning, Baron Galina," the man said with unsettling confidence. "I am Billy Kutcher, emissary of His Grace, Grand Duke Griffith. We are here to escort your daughter to Alpen—immediately."
His greeting was formal, but every word felt like a blade—sharp and laced with judgment. Billy's gaze, filled with haughty disdain, swept over their faces as if they were nothing more than dust beneath his feet. His arrogance was palpable, as though he were sizing up creatures far beneath him. Ash, already unsettled by the man's demeanor, glared at him with tightly restrained fury. A chill swept through the room, growing heavier with every breath as tension mounted. Each of Billy's words was a subtle insult, diminishing them all, even if Rowt's noble title was legally undeniable.
Ash felt a growing unease twist within him. A strong, rising dislike he could no longer contain. Billy's blatant disrespect toward his father—a baron—was an open provocation. This was more than mere arrogance. This man was deliberately trying to humiliate their family. The atmosphere thickened with the pressure of unspoken conflict, as though the whole world was holding its breath before the inevitable explosion.
From the start, Rowt had sensed something off about Billy's presence. Now he was certain there was a larger scheme at play—something beyond the delegation, beyond the proposal. Still, he couldn't yet grasp what exactly the Grand Duke's envoy was plotting. The weight of it all bore heavily on his shoulders.
The Rowt family held themselves back, striving to remain composed even as their dignity was being trampled. They welcomed Billy into their home with hesitant politeness, though discomfort clung to every corner of the room.
"Sir Kutcher, I believe there's been a misunderstanding," Rowt said carefully, his voice calm though turmoil roiled within.
"A misunderstanding, Baron Galina?" Billy replied, his voice ringing with a sharper edge. His tone was unmistakably condescending—an insult wrapped in courtesy.
Rowt, unlike his son Ash who had studied at an academy, had once been a mere commoner—a hunter—before he was granted his barony. He wasn't well-versed in the formal etiquette of the elite or the subtleties of social rank.
"Sir... why have you suddenly come to collect our daughter with such ceremony?" Rowt asked, doing his best to maintain civility.
"We are simply carrying out Grand Duke Griffith's wishes, acting on the response to his proposal—which, I might remind you, you accepted," Billy replied, once again with a grating lack of grace.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I believe there's a serious misunderstanding that we need to clear up," Rowt insisted, still trying to hold onto proper decorum.
"A misunderstanding, Baron?" Billy cut in before Rowt could finish. "The Grand Duke doesn't make mistakes."
He added, his tone increasingly smug, "His Grace has acted properly and according to the reply you sent."
"But that letter wasn't—"
"Then it's settled," Billy interrupted again. "This is simply the consequence of your letter."
Ash and his grandfather, Ay, were now openly infuriated by Billy's conduct. He had shown no respect whatsoever to Baron Rowt.
Regardless of how poor Rowt was, by the standards of society, he was still a baron—nobility appointed by the king. Billy, on the other hand, was nothing but a servant with no title at all.
"But sir," Rowt tried again, "I believe we must discuss this further. As of now, we truly feel there has been—"
Once more, Rowt couldn't finish. Billy, basking in his borrowed authority, showed no intention of engaging in real dialogue. He wielded the Grand Duke's name like a weapon, pressing down on the Rowt family at every turn.
"We've traveled from very far—" Billy began again, only to be cut off, this time by Ash.
"Sir Kutcher!" Ash barked, his voice firm and sharp. "That's enough!"
His tone was a clear warning. "My father is still a baron, and you will show him the respect he deserves."
Billy cleared his throat, clearly startled by Ash's rebuke. "Ahem... Very well. Forgive me, Baron Galina. I am still new to this task—I hope you'll understand."
His tone was more composed, but the insincerity behind his apology was obvious. "Forgive my boldness, Baron, but surely you understand that your behavior—your reluctance—amounts to an insult to His Grace, the Grand Duke. Returning a delegation after accepting a noble proposal... This could be considered a grave offense."
Though his speech was more polished now, many flaws remained. Still, for Rowt and his family, it was better than the relentless arrogance they'd endured earlier. Every sentence Billy uttered seemed designed to corner them—always with the Grand Duke's authority looming behind him.
"But sir, I still cannot agree to this!" Rowt declared, his voice rising with newfound resolve.
"Baron, are you aware that by doing so, you risk provoking the wrath of His Grace?" Billy warned, puffed up with false confidence.
He was merely a servant, but his boldness knew no bounds—buoyed by the shadow of his master's power.
Ash clenched his fists, struggling to keep his anger in check. Every word Billy spoke chipped away at his patience. Even Ay, though much younger, held his composure admirably—more than most boys his age could.
Rowt and Ash said nothing, forced into silence by the painful truth of their position. They were noble in title, but insignificant in the grander schemes of power. A Grand Duke, even above a baron, was beyond contestation—untouchable, even by the king himself. That was the reality. And it could not be escaped.
"Please, sir. I'll prepare my things now," said Atthy. Her voice was calm, yet heavy with resignation. She bowed politely, then turned toward her room—her steps swift but burdened with unspoken sorrow.
Rowt and Ash signaled for Billy to sit, hoping to end this grim meeting quickly. Billy took his seat, still wearing an air of arrogant triumph, convinced that everything was already his.
Meanwhile, Rowt and Ash followed after Atthy. They needed to speak with her—before it was too late.
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"Atthy!" Ash called out, his voice strained with concern.
"Father..." Atthy replied, her voice gentle, though pain lingered beneath it.
"Atthy, please don't do this!" Rowt pleaded. "We'll find a way out of this!"
"Grandfather," she said softly, trying to ease their fears. "He's right. The delegation is already here, and given our position... we have no power to refuse."
She looked into Rowt's eyes with quiet understanding—trying to show him that this was the harsh truth they had no choice but to face.
"But Atthy..." Ash protested, despair creeping into his voice. "This whole thing... it's not right. I can feel it—something's wrong with this proposal. We can't let you go with him!"
"Father, I understand," she said, steadier than before. "But we can't run from it any longer. It's better to face it head-on now."
"But you'll be facing it alone!" her grandfather cried, his voice trembling. "No! I'll go with you!"
"Grandfather!" Atthy exclaimed, exasperated, her eyes brimming with tears. "Not in your condition!"
A few days ago, Rowt's leg had been crushed by a carriage wheel. Recovery had been slow, worsened by his age.
"Then I'll go!" Ash offered quickly.
"Father... you're due at military training next week. If you go, there will only be three people left at home. Grandfather is injured—what about Gaff and Dimi?" She looked at him seriously, worried about those left behind.
"But Atthy..." both Rowt and Ash said in unison, their voices full of helpless concern.
"You raised me and taught me everything. I wasn't raised in luxury like other noble girls. You raised me to be strong. I will face this. I can face this. Trust me," Atthy said with a hopeful smile, even as fear lingered in her heart. "If things improve here, one of you can come after me. But maybe you won't have to. I'll only be at the Grand Duke's estate for a short while—maybe a few days. Once I refuse his proposal, I'll come home. Maybe in a month—or even sooner."
"Atthy... I'm sorry," Ash said, his voice thick with regret. "I can't even be there for you."
"Father, Grandfather... you've protected me since before I was born. Don't worry about me now," she said gently. "We've lived in poverty, but we've never lost our dignity. Grandfather—you may be old, but to me, you're still the brave hunter I grew up admiring. I am who I am because of both of you. Atthaleyah Galina is not weak. I can do this. Trust me... I have to go—for our family."
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