CHAPTER 75………………….
At that moment, Liana opened the door, stepped inside, and frowned as she looked back and forth between the two men.
“Big sister.”
Ban noticed her first and stood up from his seat. Kaves also greeted Liana with a slightly surprised expression.
“You’re early. I heard you were in a meeting at the estate.”
“I just finished and was on my way to the palace. I heard you had something to say, so I dropped everything and came—but what’s with this mood? Why are you both sitting here looking so gloomy? Did you fight or something?”
“Fight? No. We were just thinking for a bit.”
At Kaves’s reply, Liana glanced sideways at Ban. Ban smiled and nodded as well.
Clearly something had happened, but the two men weren’t saying anything. Liana considered pressing them for answers, then gave up and changed the subject.
“So what’s going on? What’s so urgent all of a sudden?”
At her question, Kaves picked up the letter lying on the table. Seeing the sender’s name—Rudia Mertens—written on it, Liana’s eyes lit up.
“Looks like Rudia has handed it over to us.”
“For now. Preparations are in the final stage. We can move immediately.”
“Should we proceed right away?”
At Kaves’s question, Liana thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“I wouldn’t recommend moving right now.”
“We need to hurry. If we miss this, we might never get another chance.”
“I know, but we still have to wait.”
Her eyes shifted and landed on Ban, who was standing there blankly. Ban tilted his head at her sudden gaze, and Liana narrowed her eyes.
“We need to consider Rudia’s position too.”
“……”
Kaves, who had been urging action, fell silent. Liana slowly spoke as she looked over her young fiancé.
“If Rudia withdraws from this matter, things will get complicated with Lady Elian. She hasn’t completely let go, but she did directly express her intent to step back and made a request to the imperial family. That alone will put her in a difficult position. If we start stirring things up right away, it’ll only make things harder for her.”
Ban, who had been listening to Liana’s precise analysis, raised his head. Her gaze fixed on him.
“We need to give Rudia time to sort things out. So Ban, listen to what she has to say.”
“Understood.”
“Kaves, keep a close eye on their situation. Move according to how things change, but don’t react immediately. Let’s avoid stirring things up unnecessarily and making things worse.”
Liana relaxed her expression and lightly patted both men on the shoulders. She comforted her younger companions—each a head taller than her—and worked to coordinate the situation. They were trying to find a path through a blocked road.
“Either way, there isn’t much time left. Whether it’s long or short, once time passes, they’ll show their fangs first. There’s no need to drag Rudia in front of those fangs right now.”
The puzzle in her mind was slowly coming together. Liana had spent her entire life trying to complete a puzzle where no one would get hurt. Her hands, searching for the last few remaining pieces, were anxious and hurried—but there was no need to struggle recklessly.
Time was on their side.
Liana smiled brightly.
“It’ll be over soon.”
The Pelieten region, though located in the provinces, resembled a major city thanks to the wealth of its ruling family, the vastness of its territory, and its position as a commercial hub. Many merchant groups passed through the area, so there were plenty of inns—among them several luxurious establishments suited for the wealthy and nobility.
Inside the most famous and extravagant hotel, in its most expensive room, a young man and woman sat facing each other. To outsiders, they might appear to be lovers, but the atmosphere between them was heavy and oppressive.
The woman, slightly older but strikingly beautiful, stared silently at the middle-aged man across from her. The man, with neatly styled blond hair, seemed uncomfortable under her gaze and turned his head away. But the woman didn’t let him escape and pressed him relentlessly.
Eventually, exhausted from avoiding her, the man sighed and spoke.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect you to come all the way here.”
“It’s not exactly a place I can’t come to. Is it really so strange for me to visit?”
“No, not at all. I was just worried that someone of your status might come to harm…”
“I know you’re not actually worried, so don’t bother.”
Her cold reply cut through the air. The man fell silent, staring blankly at her before regaining his composure.
“By the way, I heard that the tax reform proposal His Highness Prince Delfor presented this time is both realistic and highly profitable. For such a young prince to propose something so meaningful—”
“You can praise my child later at the palace. Count Pelieten, do you really think I came all this way just to exchange pleasantries with you?”
“…No.”
“Since we’ve met again like this, you should be reporting on the progress of our business, not talking in circles…”
Her words came slowly. Lady O’Connell’s sharp eyes gleamed as she examined him. Her fingers twitched—long and thin like spider legs. Feeling as if she might ensnare him in a web at any moment, Count Pelieten bit down hard on his lip.
“Sitting here like this, do you think it means we’re on the same side now?”
At that moment, a cold, sharp sensation touched the back of his neck. Something trickled down. His eyes trembled. He wanted to turn around, but instinct told him that doing so might cost him his life.
“Count.”
At her call, he turned his gaze back. Her slender hand slid up along his neck and tilted his chin upward. Goosebumps spread across his body.
“Y-Yes…!”
“You were the one who came to me first. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”
“I haven’t.”
“People come to me every day, carrying expensive treasures, begging for what they want. And they all say the same thing.”
Lady O’Connell smiled faintly.
“‘If you help me, I’ll gladly give my life.’ Do you think I believe that?”
“Th-that…”
“Count, it wasn’t me who asked to make your daughter a member of the imperial family—you did. And I asked for the two mines owned by your mother. It was your decision to deal with your own mother and take those mines to make a deal with me. Did I force you?”
“No…”
“Then tell me—”
Her gentle smile turned icy. Her fingers tightened around his jaw, pulling him up from his seat.
“What kind of logic is it to say you want to back out now?”
“Th-that’s…”
“What, have you only now realized your actions are immoral? Feeling guilty at last? How amusing. After hiding your mother for ten days, ignoring the cries of that old woman searching for my son—only now you come to your senses… tsk.”
The count shut his eyes tightly. He couldn’t take back what he had to say.
“I’m sorry. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t kill my own mother for my ambition or even for my daughter’s happiness.”
“Foolish.”
Lady O’Connell muttered and released his face. Watching him collapse back into his chair, she spoke calmly.
“In the imperial family, it’s common for parents to kill their children. Siblings kill each other. Do you think it’s strange for a father to kill his child, or a child to kill their parent? Even the emperor fears assassination from his grown children. What you’ve done is nothing unusual.”
“I know. But… I just can’t. I can’t abandon my mother who raised me—or Elian, who cherishes her grandmother so deeply…”
“I thought you’d understand after all this persuasion…”
“Pardon?”
“You’re a fool, Count. I thought as the head of a noble house, you wouldn’t be swayed by emotions—but how human and slow-witted you are.”
Her fingers twitched.
Suddenly, an overwhelming force crushed him down onto the table. His face was pressed against it, making it hard to breathe.
“Ugh—!”
“Listen carefully. From the moment you came to me, there was no escape. Whether you like it or not doesn’t matter. What you must do is simple.”
Her hand rested gently atop his head, as if soothing a child.
“Kill your mother, hand over the mines to me, and become my loyal hound. Simple, isn’t it?”
“Mmph!”
“If you refuse, then you’ll have to watch your daughter’s future be destroyed while you cling to your mother. That naïve princess of high society—crushing her pride and ruining her future is not difficult for me. Think carefully. Which comes first: your mother or your child?”
With that, she stood and walked away. The oppressive force behind him vanished instantly.
“Haah—!”
Gasping, Count Pelieten sprang to his feet and touched the back of his neck. His hand came away slick with warm blood.
He looked around frantically—but there was no sign of anyone.
“……”
Grinding his teeth so hard it almost made a sound, the count trembled.
Human greed knows no end. Everyone desires something.
But he could only curse his own foolishness for stepping one step too far.
He had only wanted a little more.
Just a little more.
