Chapter 7
At first, Amon thought it was nothing but absurd nonsense.
Amodo was an estate that Diane would take with her as part of her dowry after marriage. Of course, until that happened, it was land under Amon’s management as the heir to all the rights of the Lauren family.
‘But suddenly the owner changed?!’
When he went there himself to confirm the rumor, what he discovered was that Diane had completely deceived him.
But there was something even more important than that.
“Soon the rumors will spread to the capital as well. People will find it strange that you—who supposedly suffered from a fever—sold the land for such a cheap price. Of course, they won’t openly question the reason, but until you leave, you should be even more careful with your behavior.”
“I understand what you mean.”
“That’s all I came to say. Until your audience with Her Majesty the Queen is over, don’t show any signs of it and behave quietly. Ilias is extremely perceptive.”
With a distorted expression, Amon waved his hand as if he were exhausted.
It was absurd that Diane seemed determined to completely ruin the Lauren family, but what could he do? When something went wrong, it was never the person who left who had to clean it up—it was always the one who remained.
Watching Amon, who probably wanted more than anyone to end this complicated relationship, Elena quietly turned around.
Leaving the study, her pale face climbed the stairs with heavy steps. Behind her footsteps, the clock announcing five in the evening echoed like a long shadow.
* * *
That evening, Ilias attended his first official banquet since returning to Kadef.
The dinner hosted by the Haden Royal Palace was held to celebrate his recovery.
Even counting everyone seated around the long table, there were fewer than ten people. At the very top sat the King and Queen, followed by the Crown Prince and Princess, along with their spouses.
“So, what are you planning to do about the matter with the Lauren family?”
Princess Rene, who had been waiting for an opportunity throughout the meal, asked casually.
At once, everyone’s gaze turned toward Ilias, as if they had been waiting for this moment.
Yet the man at the center of the question merely tilted his wine glass.
“Hm? You should make a decision quickly for Miss Diane’s sake too. She must have been waiting for months for you to sign the annulment papers. Besides, if she’s going to find another husband, shouldn’t she hurry as much as possible?”
“That’s true. A clean resolution is necessary. If only for the sake of the Lauren family, which can’t move forward or backward in its current state.”
Others subtly joined in agreement with Rene’s urging.
With an indifferent expression, Ilias looked at his cousin and his older relative.
“I didn’t realize my marriage attracted this much attention.”
His tone was somewhat sarcastic yet relaxed—it was simply the way he spoke.
‘He’s been like that since he was a child.’
Watching him set down his glass, Rene leaned forward.
Until now, Ilias had always acted as though he had no interest in marriage. Though a member of the royal family, he had taken a completely different path from most nobles, who married as soon as they came of age.
“It’s because there’s a bride I really want to introduce to you. A young lady who would suit the position of mistress of the Heinrich house perfectly.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to drink the tea before it gets cold?”
Honestly, how could you even continue a conversation like this?
Just as the Queen had hinted earlier, Rene’s attempts to probe Ilias’s true intentions failed again and again. Seeing how her cousin refused to give even the smallest opening, she clicked her tongue in frustration.
Still, she couldn’t simply back down.
Now that Ilias held the entire Heinrich family in his hands, placing someone beside him with deep ties to the royal family would be the safest possible shield.
Softly, Rene pressed again.
“You’ll announce the annulment within the next few days, right? Tell us clearly.”
But Ilias merely glanced at the clock.
Unable to watch any longer, the Queen finally spoke herself.
“Duke Heinrich.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Since this is advice for a nephew I cherish, I’ll speak frankly. I was the one who arranged this marriage, so I’ll personally see it concluded as well. There’s no need for you to worry. I’ll even take responsibility for finding a new match for you.”
After all, Ilias had never shown much interest in marriage to begin with.
The Queen had already decided to send someone to the Lauren family the very next day.
In fact, this banquet had practically been arranged just to say those words.
As expected, Ilias gave no particular response.
Assuming she understood her nephew’s intentions, the Queen was just about to suggest ending the dinner when—
“I intend to stay in Kadef from now on.”
Until now, Ilias had diligently carried out his role as a diplomatic envoy. His low voice was steady and clear.
“That also means I will marry by my own choice and take a wife.”
“……”
“……”
Then did that mean the annulment would proceed as planned?
After that, he would meet another bride—a new marriage partner who guaranteed greater benefits.
Those familiar with Ilias’s personality accepted this as the most plausible conclusion.
But his next words rendered such speculation meaningless.
“The matter with the Lauren family will be decided entirely by me. Therefore, I ask that the royal family refrain from worrying about it.”
On the surface, it sounded like a very polite request.
However, everyone seated at the table immediately understood that Ilias was declining any further interference.
At last, after a suffocating silence, the first person to speak was Rene, whose impatient nature often made her complain that she ended up at a disadvantage.
“So you’re saying you won’t end things with the Lauren family? Why? Didn’t you already decide to end it after returning to the country?”
“Did we?”
“What?”
Faced with his calm question, Rene’s patience finally began to wear thin.
Watching the one-sided conversation, the Queen exchanged a glance with the King.
The King had already grown quite frail. Although he remained present to maintain the appearance of strength, even a short banquet was difficult for him.
The moment when the Crown Prince would inherit the throne was approaching quickly.
And now the exceptionally capable Ilias had declared his intention to settle permanently in Kadef. The Heinrich family, already steadily expanding its influence, now stood above many noble houses.
‘Ha… this must all be the work of Martin Heinrich—the old duke who endured silently for decades.’
Without realizing it, the Queen clenched the hem of her dress tightly beneath the table.
‘Who would have thought Count Lauren would die in such an accident…’
Clicking her tongue inwardly, she swallowed her regret.
Count Lauren had been firmly aligned with the palace. That was precisely why his daughter had been married to Ilias.
But Amon, who inherited the title, was far from reliable.
Which meant someone more trustworthy had to stand beside Ilias.
Still, the Queen decided to take a step back—for now.
After all, Ilias had mastered the art of hiding his thoughts since childhood. Pressing him further would yield nothing.
Signaling Rene to stop, the Queen lifted the corners of her lips into a bright smile.
“I understand what you mean well enough, so let’s end things here for today. When I heard my nephew was on the brink of death, my heart was in knots for months. Now then—shall we all raise a toast? To the recovery of Duke Heinrich.”
To anyone looking, Ilias hardly seemed like someone who had recently been ill.
The Queen deliberately emphasized the word recovery, mocking the situation.
Yet Ilias, lightly raising his glass, appeared completely unbothered. He even expressed his thanks leisurely.
“Thank you for the invitation. The fact that I can stand here today is entirely thanks to the palace’s concern.”
“I’m very grateful to hear you say that.”
On the surface, it was nothing more than polite conversation accompanied by smiles.
But no one present failed to notice that the Queen’s wariness—and hostility—was directed squarely at Ilias.
* * *
The Count Lauren family was based in Lauren Territory, not far from the capital, Bago.
Of course, Elena had no place in any of it.
At least Amon, unlike his late father, did not blindly believe in curses or superstitions. That much was fortunate.
For Elena, it was almost a relief that he simply told her to leave wherever she wished once everything was over.
“Look at this. These are all invitations addressed to you, miss.”
“Invitations?”
“Yes. Spring is the season when parties and gatherings begin, after all.”
