CHAPTER 95…………………………………………..
Riena blankly asked the duke,
“Father, what do you mean? Stop doing business…?”
Duke Cassius set down his utensils and looked at her intently.
“I mean exactly that. From what I see, it would be better for you to stop doing business now.”
“Why?”
“It’s only been a few days since the corruption of the Iver Merchant Guild was exposed and it collapsed. Why are you trying to start another business already?”
“I can do well this time! I was just unlucky before.”
“Riena.”
“Elliot Rude is currently under arrest, and I’ve deliberately distanced myself from Cecil Iver. I’m not sure which of the two is the traitor yet, but either way, neither of them can interfere with me anymore.”
That had been the problem plaguing Riena these past few days.
One of the two—Elliot or Cecil—was certainly the traitor, but she couldn’t determine who.
When Elliot took all the blame upon himself for her, she had believed Cecil was the traitor. But afterward, Elliot’s behavior had been strange.
“Elliot Rude didn’t say anything else. He only said it would be best if you and he stayed apart.”
Mikhail had forced a visit, using his authority, to meet Elliot—who was otherwise barred from all visitors at Riena’s request—and relayed this to her.
She couldn’t understand it. Why would Elliot, who had followed her so fervently, say such a thing? Once suspicion took root, her trust in him wavered.
There was another circumstance that fueled her doubts.
“By the way, I saw corn bread in his cell that didn’t look like official prison rations.”
Suspicious, Mikhail had looked into the matter.
Because Elliot was a serious state criminal under national scrutiny, outside food should have been impossible.
Moreover, as far as Riena knew, Elliot had no family or friends who would look after him.
“The guards reported that Terence personally brought the bread and ordered it delivered to Elliot. Why would he grant him such convenience?”
Though he didn’t say it outright, Mikhail seemed to suspect Elliot was collaborating with Terence.
Even while thinking there would be no reason for Elliot to sacrifice himself in her place if that were true, Riena still couldn’t fully trust him.
She knew too well that Elliot was fundamentally a self-serving man.
So she decided to exclude both Elliot and Cecil from her side.
As for Tara, whom Elliot had once suspected, Riena put her on hold. There were a few questionable points, but losing her too would be a painful loss.
Despite Riena’s logical explanation, Duke Cassius did not waver.
“Even so, there’s nothing to gain from you doing business in this situation. It’s better to lie low for a while.”
“Then I’ll put up a proxy! I’ll handle everything behind the scenes. Father, please.”
“A proxy has limits. You went too far while running the Iver Merchant Guild. If that Elliot fellow hadn’t stepped in, it would have been a disaster.”
“…Are you criticizing me?”
“I am not criticizing you. I am teaching you. I cannot claim to be the most law-abiding man myself, but you went too far.”
“Father, you know you’ve changed lately, right?”
Riena bit her lip, her voice trembling.
“Is it because of Uncle Caden? Ever since you reconciled with him, you’ve been cold to me.”
The duke’s former chief steward often visited the estate now. Sometimes the duke even went to see him first.
“Did he say something to you?”
“Caden has nothing to do with this. I simply judged that you’re carrying too heavy a burden right now.”
With a gentle expression, Duke Cassius spoke as if soothing her.
“Riena, you’ve worked hard managing this household and the territory’s internal affairs.
And on top of that, you ran the merchant guild. It must have been an enormous burden. I believe that, exhausted as you were, you made poor judgments and touched things you shouldn’t have.”
“Father?”
“Now leave the territory to Riandro there and this house to me. Don’t run a business. Live ordinarily like other noble ladies. I won’t oppose it outright, so try dating His Highness Mikhail as well.”
Riena’s eyes widened. The duke, who had always disapproved of her relationship with Mikhail, was now urging her to date him.
“You’ve definitely changed, Father. Don’t you think so, Brother?”
She looked to Reheim for agreement, but he avoided her gaze.
“Well… Father does have a point. When you were imprisoned in the imperial palace, do you know how worried we were?”
“Brother!”
“You don’t have to shout; I can hear you. Honestly, I wish you wouldn’t do anything dangerous—business or otherwise.”
A powerful shock swept over Riena. The two of them had changed.
Once, no matter the situation, they had trusted her and rushed to fulfill whatever she wished to do.
When did it start? When did they change?
She could remember exactly—the day they discovered the time capsule left by the duchess.
Duke Cassius rose and approached Riena, gently brushing her shoulder.
“Whether you manage the household or not, whether you earn great sums through business or not, you are still my beloved daughter.”
Reheim added,
“That’s right. The fact that we are family won’t change.”
“So stop doing reckless things and rest. If you truly want to do business, you can do it later—after the Iver Merchant Guild incident has faded from memory.”
Riena saw genuine concern in the duke’s eyes.
It reassured her a little. Even if he had changed, he had not stopped loving her.
“…All right. I’ll step away from managing the household.”
“You’ve made a wise choice.”
“But I have no intention of giving up business.”
“What?”
“No matter how much you are my guardian, even if this comes from concern, you cannot restrict my actions.”
Even before her beloved father, Riena declared her will boldly.
“Because I am an independent human being with free will—your daughter, not your possession.”
For a moment, Duke Cassius was speechless, then tried again to persuade her.
“Think again. No matter what you say, I will not support your business.”
“Even if I starve?”
The duke squeezed his eyes shut.
“Yes. Even if you starve.”
“Even if I skip lunch and dinner?”
“…It will be painful, but it can’t be helped.”
“You really have changed. Still, it’s fine. It doesn’t have to be your help.”
Just as Duke Cassius was about to ask what she meant, one of the ducal servants rushed into the dining hall.
“Your Grace, it’s an emergency! At the main gate right now…!”
Hearing the rest, the duke’s eyes widened as he hurried outside. Riena and Reheim followed.
When they emerged, a large black carriage was crossing the main gate into Cassius’s townhouse.
It bore the black mountain goat emblem of the ducal house.
“That’s…!”
Before the astonished duke, the carriage stopped in the courtyard. The door opened, and a stiff, elderly man stepped out.
“Father!”
The old man was Roland Cassius—the former Duke of Cassius and father of Edmund Cassius.
“What brings you here, Father?”
Roland frowned at the sight of his son.
As a man who once struck fear into the people of Cassius, even the nearby servants instinctively lowered their heads.
“Grandfather!”
But at the sweet voice calling him, the man once known as the Devil of Cassius instantly changed expression, breaking into a beaming smile.
“Oh my! Is our adorable little bunny here too? I rushed all the way here because this grandpa missed you!”
Riena ran and threw herself into Roland’s arms.
In a back alley of the imperial palace, a man with his robe pulled low climbed into a carriage waiting by the roadside.
“What is going on? You’re suddenly leaving on a journey?”
The man pulled back his hood and asked urgently.
He was Terence Belver Asterot, the Second Prince who had gained public recognition after exposing the corruption of the Iver Merchant Guild and earning one achievement after another.
And the one who had summoned such a distinguished person to a carriage—while sitting comfortably inside—was me.
I tapped the luggage beside me and grinned.
“As you see. I’m leaving now.”
“…Where are you going?”
“Andala Province.”
“That’s quite far. Shouldn’t you prepare more before departing?”
“My heart is in too much of a hurry. I can’t wait even a little.”
“How unusual. You’re always so calm.”
“I’d like to go with Vineta, but they said I need your permission.”
“Of course you may take her. As long as you remain within imperial territory, Vineta will be responsible for your protection.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. I was able to earn merit in the Iver Merchant Guild case thanks to you, Idel.”
Terence’s expression darkened as he glanced around the carriage.
“But is Vineta alone enough for a journey to Andala? You might encounter bandits.”
“Then would you assign one more guard? There’s someone I particularly want.”
His eyebrow twitched slightly.
“Who is it? Is it one of my subordinates?”
I raised my hand and pointed at him.
“…Me?”
Terence made a peculiar face—half relieved, half regretful.
“I sincerely wish to accompany you, but I’ve been busy with other matters lately.”
“Hm, I think you’ll have to come.”
“Pardon?”
“Because from this moment on, I plan to kidnap you.”
At those words, Terence looked utterly flustered.
