CHAPTER 41…..
If Veronica ever saw her husband’s face again, she was determined to slap him first thing.
It bothered her that she’d stormed out without landing even a single slap.
But when she saw that face—trying and failing to hide a look of sheer embarrassment while forcing a stiff, awkward smile…
“Pfft.”
A small laugh escaped her.
“Veronica?”
The Duke of Brimstone, spotting his wife, hurriedly rose to his feet.
As an afterthought, he also let go of Dante’s hand, which he had been holding.
Watching him fidget so restlessly—so unlike his usual imposing presence—Veronica burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
“Puhahaha—”
She had fully intended to scold him the moment she saw him.
But seeing him, who normally wouldn’t even glance at the Duke of Obel, sitting there holding hands and smiling as if resigned to the situation… she now understood Linaria’s claim that all those rumors had been fabricated.
Veronica realized she’d just gained a story to tease her husband about for the rest of her life—and she could finally laugh.
Linaria then explained that all of this had been staged in order to catch a traitor hiding inside Brimstone’s ranks.
“It’s true the Duke doesn’t particularly like me, but he doesn’t hate me enough to start a knife fight over it.”
Ahem.
The Duke of Brimstone cleared his throat after hearing her words.
“That’s not quite right.”
So… it was true he didn’t like her, and also true he disliked her enough for violence? That was a bit intense for business partners.
Still, since she had made her proposal knowing all this, it didn’t matter.
What did catch her off guard was what he said next.
“No uncle dislikes a niece who’s both kind and clever.”
It was as if he had never complimented anyone before—he seemed faintly embarrassed.
Not only Veronica but also Dante stared at him in surprise.
Under everyone’s gaze, the Duke awkwardly took off his outer coat.
“It’s unusually warm today.”
Naturally, everyone’s eyes then shifted to Linaria.
It felt like she had to respond somehow.
“Uh… yes. That’s true, Uncle.”
It wasn’t as if she could ignore a peace offering.
But perhaps the Duke had assumed she would snub him—because when she addressed him as “Uncle,” his embarrassed expression brightened.
“I never imagined Sir Connor would be that kind of man. I’m glad he was caught, and even gladder to hear you and the Duke of Obel are on good terms now.”
Veronica beamed.
“Since it’s a good day, shall we have a drink?”
At her enthusiastic suggestion, a servant brought wine.
“By the way, how have you been, Duke Obel? I heard you were convalescing for quite some time.”
“Thank you for your concern. I’m fine now.”
“That’s a relief. You know you were once considered one of the most handsome men of our generation, right? If you’re healthy now, it’s only right that such a fine face be seen more often.”
“Veronica.”
“What? Did I say something wrong? Don’t tell me you’re sulking because the rest of us in your age group hung out without you.”
“…”
“I’m sure the Duke knows himself that he was one of the ‘Four Great Handsome Men,’ right? Isn’t that so?”
“…Yes. I’m aware.”
“What was your nickname again? Something with ‘Black’…”
“That’s a bit…”
“Oh, right! The Black Prince! Or was it the Black Serpent’s Son?”
“…Yes… that’s correct…”
He seemed embarrassed that his old title had been revealed to his daughter.
Dante’s face turned bright red, as if he wanted to run and hide.
“Whenever you walked by, we’d squeal, ‘The Black Prince is here!’ Those were the days.”
“…I see…”
While Veronica was unintentionally teasing Dante, the Duke of Brimstone leaned closer to Linaria and lowered his voice.
“Are you really fine with not talking about it?”
“Yes.”
It meant the fact that Linaria had established a trading company and entered the glowstone business with his help.
She wanted to keep all this a secret from her father.
He would be disappointed to learn she had hidden something so important, but she had no choice.
‘Father must already suspect I might have returned from the future. Bringing Kaas into this was reason enough for suspicion.’
If he found out she had founded a trading company, it would only fuel that suspicion.
And to avoid drawing the attention of both the Imperial Family and Leviathan, it was better if the company owner appeared to have no connection to Obel.
‘Leviathan began to keep an eye on Brimstone earlier than I thought. If Obel and Brimstone joined forces, they’d try to crush us both.’
So it was best if their relationship continued to appear hostile.
Only the parties involved needed to understand the truth.
“I’m sorry it makes you look like the villain, but I have to ask.”
“If we call it settling past debts, then we’re even. No need to apologize.”
Even now, the Duke of Brimstone was calculating precisely. Meanwhile, his wife, the Duchess Veronica, was gleefully and mercilessly teasing the Duke of Obel.
They were a very contrasting couple.
It was hard to imagine how two such different people had married.
And the truth came out when the duchess drank heavily.
“I’ve liked you since I was ten.”
Her face flushed from drink, Veronica murmured,
“I even approached Margaret just so I could talk to you more.”
Margaret.
At the mention of her mother’s name, Linaria voiced a long-held question.
“Madam, is it true that Her Majesty the Empress and my mother were close?”
“Of course. They were inseparable. They might not have looked alike, but they stuck together so much they seemed like twins. I was even jealous sometimes.”
“Really?”
Veronica nodded.
So the Empress hadn’t lied—this was new information.
“Did you both know as well?”
“We did,” Dante said with a wry smile.
So Father knew too.
But Dante didn’t seem inclined to talk about the subject further.
“Those were good times. Now I wake up to find I have a grown son, and I’ve grown old.”
“Veronica, you’re still young.”
“Oh my, well compared to you, I’ll be young forever.”
Her tone was playful at first, but then she grew subdued.
“When I was little, even a one- or two-year age gap felt huge. But we’re nine years apart. You were so much more mature… it was frustrating and infuriating. Even now, it feels like you’re the only adult between us.”
He hadn’t treated her like a woman until she became an adult.
For more than a decade, she’d been stuck as just “that kid I know.”
Even though they’d now been married for longer than that, the sting of those years lingered.
“What good is maturing before you if, after meeting you, I’ve never acted my age?”
“…”
“Back then, and even now, I’ve been restless, afraid a younger, better-looking man would steal you away.”
It wasn’t the kind of line one expected from such a stoic man.
Everyone stared in surprise, and the Duke of Brimstone added shyly,
“I was called a thief a lot when we got married.”
“Mother, are you all right?”
“Mhm, my son.”
Auguste had arrived late at night. The moment she saw him, the thoroughly drunk Veronica threw herself into his arms.
“Veronica, let’s go home now.”
“No.”
Snorting, Veronica then latched onto Linaria, who was nearby.
The Duke of Brimstone had to pry her off with effort.
“Linaria, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, Uncle.”
Hearing the dry use of that title, the Duke flinched in surprise.
He had thought she’d only called him that earlier to lighten the mood—and wouldn’t again.
Even the first time, he’d found the word surprisingly pleasant to hear.
His lips curved slightly.
“Why don’t you wait here until the Duchess sobers up?”
“My apologies for intruding.”
At Dante’s suggestion, the Brimstone couple decided to stay a little longer.
As everyone went inside, Linaria spoke to Auguste.
“Aren’t you disappointed you didn’t join us? It was a meeting you worked hard to set up.”
Auguste had, in fact, deliberately encouraged Veronica to go out today—so that she and Linaria could meet naturally.
“You already explained to me that the rumors were false. That was enough for me.”
Since he was easier to meet than Veronica, Linaria had contacted him first.
But he had refused to attend the reconciliation meeting between the dukes.
“If the two of them went out together and then disappeared together, someone would have suspected something. We had to act as usual.”
Was that really all there was to it?
When Linaria stared at him, Auguste finally confessed with a reluctant smile.
“My parents love each other very much. Without those false rumors, they’d never even think of divorce. Sometimes it’s exhausting to be caught between them.”
“…”
“So it was better for me, as their child, to stay out of it. You saw for yourself today, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
It seemed Auguste had anticipated his parents’ public displays of affection and deliberately kept his distance. A wise move.
