CHAPTER 70………………..
“Duke Obel.”
“……”
“Duke Obel!”
“Ah.”
Dante, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to his senses at the sound of his name.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
“His Majesty the Emperor is waiting. Shall we proceed?”
“Let’s.”
Several days had passed since Linaria had dropped her bombshell about leaving.
Now, Dante had entered the palace to have an audience with the Emperor.
After waiting—since another guest had arrived before him—he followed an attendant down the corridor.
That was when he spotted a head of red hair that seemed familiar.
The face was new, but Dante knew immediately who it was.
“Duke Ignas.”
“Eh? Eh?”
It was Noah.
“I saw you when you were very young, but you were still babbling then, so this is practically our first meeting.”
“Y-yes…”
“Allow me to introduce myself. Dante Obel.”
“…Noah Ignas.”
Noah seemed flustered, unable to meet Dante’s eyes.
But Dante kept his gentle smile as he spoke.
“I hear you’ve been meeting my daughter quite often these days?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
Nod, nod.
Noah bobbed his head earnestly.
Linaria was a good person.
Even when he acted clumsily, she never got annoyed.
She always matched his pace and waited for him—time spent with her was precious, and comforting too.
And now, before him, stood her father.
For some reason, Noah felt he had to speak his true feelings.
Just as he was about to open his mouth—
“Has my daughter ever said anything that might have seemed strange to you? Even the smallest thing.”
“Strange?”
“Like… something about the future, for instance.”
“N-not at all. Besides, Linaria and I aren’t like that…”
“My apologies.”
Dante cut him off firmly.
“She’s already made it clear to me that she has no feelings of that sort. I know the two of you are not courting.”
“……”
“What I wanted to say was… No. Forget it. I’m rambling to the wrong person.”
Noah blinked.
‘Something about the future’? He had no idea what Dante meant.
‘Why did I even think that…’
Still, Dante couldn’t shake the thought that Linaria might have experienced death.
The sudden closeness between her and Duke Ignas only fueled that suspicion.
Perhaps something would happen to Noah in the future, and Linaria, knowing this, had tried to change it.
Had she let slip anything to Ignas about it?
That was why he had asked—but it yielded nothing.
‘It would be most accurate to ask Kaath, but…’
Kaath adored his daughter. If Dante questioned him, it was almost certain Linaria would hear of it.
“If you ever face hardship, you can confide in me. After all, you’re my daughter’s friend.”
“Th-thank you, sir.”
Noah bowed deeply.
Leaving him behind, Dante entered the audience chamber.
“I greet the light and sun of the Empire.”
“Duke Obel. You look much better than last time. Sit.”
Dante took a seat opposite the Emperor, his gaze naturally drifting to the portraits spread across the table.
They were all portraits of young noblewomen.
“You must have passed Ignas on your way here. I introduced him to some potential brides.”
The Emperor offered an easy explanation.
“To my eyes they’re all splendid young ladies, but apparently not to Ignas. I told him to take his time, yet he flatly refused.”
Dante instantly understood.
The Emperor was clearly mindful of the rumors between Noah and Linaria.
That was why he had left the portraits out on purpose.
But Dante feigned ignorance, keeping his composure.
“Isn’t Lord Brimstone also still unmarried?”
“True. But the situation is a bit different. Ignas has had no proper guardian for so long—he needs guidance.”
“Duke Ignas must have very high standards. From what I see, there isn’t a flaw among these young ladies.”
It was a neat answer.
Dante guessed that Noah’s drained appearance had been the result of enduring the Emperor’s matchmaking.
“If you know of a suitable young lady, introduce her to Duke Ignas. It’s a shame for a youth like him.”
“I only know my daughter. If I were to recommend anyone, I’d have to recommend her.”
Ha ha.
The two men laughed politely, though both hid daggers behind their smiles.
“So—you said you had something to discuss. What brings you here despite your illness?”
“Count Lowell, Viscount Marte, Viscount Barnes, Baron Bowen.”
Dante suddenly reeled off several noble names.
“I request their dismissal. Each of them has contracted with Leviathan or Brimstone.”
“Hmm. On what grounds?”
“They publicly insulted my daughter.”
“So you’d drag adults into a children’s quarrel?”
“I’ve already sent letters to their parents. And yet, they only apologized to me.”
Even with Linaria standing right there, they had looked only to him.
True, they had insulted the entire Obel household—but the victim was clear.
Had he not been there, would those young ladies have even pretended to apologize?
“Seeing both children and parents bow only to power, I made up my mind.”
Dante loved his daughter enough to lay down his life for her.
But what was the point of love if it was twisted in others’ mouths into a weapon that cut her down?
Love was proven only through action.
“I must protect my daughter.”
Dante’s crimson eyes gleamed sharply.
“You could’ve simply asked Leviathan or Brimstone to handle it directly. Why come the long way around?”
“You know as well as I do they would refuse me.”
“Leviathan perhaps, but with Brimstone… yes, that would be troublesome. Is Lady Obel doing alright?”
“…Yes. I’ve been consoling her.”
So even the rumor that Linaria and Lord Brimstone had drawn blades against each other had reached the Emperor.
“That’s a relief. But dismissal, you say? I understand the circumstances, but this is far too personal a matter to grant as-is.”
“I believe the grounds are sufficient.”
“For a noble, dismissal is worse than execution. Let me think on it further.”
“……”
“Even I cannot speak lightly of dismissal. I ask your understanding.”
The Emperor tried to slip away like a snake.
At that moment—
Bang!
The doors burst open.
“Y-your Majesty!”
Ignoring the flustered attendants, the Empress entered.
“…Lilian?”
“So you had a guest.”
Of course she had been told he was here, but she feigned ignorance shamelessly.
“You’re always welcome. For you to seek me out yourself—I should declare today a holiday.”
The Empress did not respond.
She cast a glance at Dante, then sat at the Emperor’s side.
Unlike her doll-like coldness, the Emperor poured out honeyed words to win her favor.
“So you even proposed a match for Duke Ignas?”
The Empress, half-listening, looked at the portraits.
“Fitting, since Maximilian has been inundated with marriage proposals lately—it’s been troublesome.”
“It’s about time for that.”
The Empress turned to Dante.
As if she had only just noticed him, her tone was sly.
“It’s been ages, Duke Obel. You must have a daughter of marriageable age. She must be troubled by suitors as well.”
Dante laughed it off.
Linaria hadn’t received a single proposal.
The Empress clearly knew that—and was deliberately prodding.
“So, what brings you here? A man like you wouldn’t trouble His Majesty over something trivial.”
Dante explained briefly, and the Empress nodded.
“They dared insult the duke’s daughter. Dismissal isn’t out of the question.”
“……”
“But the real problem is that Lady Obel lacks the qualifications.”
“Being my daughter is qualification enough.”
“A noble without a contracted beast is a disgrace.”
“……”
“And I hear troubling rumors as well.”
“You mean the scandal?”
“Ah, so you know. That makes it easier. She hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet. Until then, wouldn’t it be better if she broadened her horizons outside the system?”
“You mean to drive my daughter out?”
“Drive her out? That makes it sound like punishment. I’m merely saying she should have time to clear her head. Did I say something unreasonable?”
“No. You’re right.”
The Emperor backed her.
And suddenly, Dante couldn’t help but recall the words Lord Brimstone had once said to him—
“Do you truly think His Majesty is in his right mind?”
