Chapter 14

Who would have known?

Even the Marchioness of Lancaster, the hostess of the salon, probably didn’t expect that two people, who became the talk of high society, would take a quiet walk together in her garden.

‘Even I, the person involved, didn’t know…’

One was a gentleman envied by every woman in society.

The other was a lady with golden hair so beautiful it made people sigh just to look at her.

Just standing together, they looked like a perfect painting. At least on the surface.

“You seem very happy, Sir Ian.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play innocent. You didn’t really need to come. Did you want to see people’s surprised faces?”

“More than that, I wanted to see Diana flustered, looking around nervously.”

What a really mean personality!

“Isn’t that a bit strange for a taste?”

“Ultimately, things turned out just as you wanted. It’s ridiculous to say I’m stalking you when I’m such a diligent and kind partner.”

I wish I could just keep quiet.

Diana, with her arms crossed, had the urge to step on the shoes of the man leading her.

The day she handed over her handwritten will to the man in front of her, she asked two favors.

First, to attend the royal palace ball as her partner soon.

Second, to send a bouquet to the Marchioness of Lancaster’s regular salon.

Different requests, but one goal:

To prove that the heir of a prestigious duke family was completely captivated by Diana Wellington.

“I can’t agree with the word ‘kind.’ You’ve been quite cold, haven’t you?”

“Are you talking to me, Diana?”

“No, not you. Didn’t you see the people who kept trying to get the Duke’s attention? Like the Rumill sisters…”

“Who are they?”

Ignoring completely?

Diana remembered the two sisters who became even less noticeable than plankton the moment Ian appeared.

Poor Ellen Rumill shot a fierce glare at Diana when Ian kissed her hand.

She kept looking for a chance to talk to Ian, but ended up like soggy seaweed pushed to the edges with a sad face.

‘You should have been nicer.’

I felt a little pity, but if you say “people like you are beneath me” to someone’s face, that’s your own fault.

“Thank you for keeping your promise, but you went too far. Just wait and see what all those ladies will say tomorrow…”

“If you have time to worry about meaningless gossip, you should focus on running the casino.”

He cut off Diana’s worries sharply.

His voice was so cold and sharp that it quickly wiped away all useless thoughts.

“One year won’t be long enough. Especially when your life is at stake.”

“…I plan to do that even without your rush.”

His attitude was so harsh it was hard to believe he was the same kind man from before.

Will I ever get used to that face?

“Do you have any specific plans?”

“It’s not the time to say yet. But I want to check a few things for preparation.”

“Please say.”

“I heard the royal casino was built because of the exiled nobles from Olpano. Is that true?”

Ignoring the cold stare that could freeze the midday sun, Diana changed the subject.

“The reason for founding it? Is that important?”

“Of course. It helps to operate it properly with the right direction.”

I thought it was a reasonable question, but Ian’s smile grew even wider.

Why is he smiling like that?

“Did I ask something strange? If it’s hard to say…”

“No. I was just surprised by an unexpected question.”

That face was surprised?

Ian’s expression was still a mix of joy, sadness, anger, surprise, and fear all at once.

His narrow-eyed smile was like a perfect makeup mask.

Even if I see that face my whole life, I don’t think I can read his true feelings.

“How much do you know about the Olpano Kingdom, Diana?”

“I know as much as everyone else does.”

The Olpano Kingdom shares a border with Emeral.

Since it has the longest coastline on the Morato continent, it developed through maritime trade and accumulated great wealth.

The kingdom’s people value modesty and a simple life under the rule of the Pasha, their national leader.

“In Olpano, drinking and gambling are forbidden by law, except for the Pasha’s bloodline. Only those who build good deeds can resist temptation.”

“Drinking and gambling aren’t temptations, but entertainment.”

“Good point. And because of that, many exiled Olpano nobles have considered naturalizing here in Emeral.”

“That’s ridiculous. They naturalize because of entertainment?”

“It’s not that simple.”

Diana hurried to keep up with Ian’s long strides so she wouldn’t miss a word.

Every time his long legs took a step, she had to move twice as fast.

“They were allowed what only the Pasha could enjoy. It’s natural to want that freedom in a foreign country.”

Ian’s calm voice somehow sounded joyful.

“Do you know that in the last 20 years, a power almost as strong as the Pasha has appeared in Olpano?”

“You mean the clergy?”

“Exactly. You know well.”

The Olpano Kingdom is too large for just one Pasha to govern.

So the Pasha sent clergy members who also acted as administrators respecting local autonomy and culture.

That choice became an irreversible mistake.

The clergy who settled under the Pasha’s order soon allied with local power holders.

Together they hid huge assets.

The clergy held influence almost equal to the Pasha’s edicts.

The local lords openly enjoyed illegal alcohol.

“Seven years ago, following a trade war between Olpano and Rezerv, Emeral accepted many exiled nobles. Most were local officials allied with the clergy. Their financial power remains strong.”

The trade war ended five years ago.

The exiled nobles settled in Emeral no longer respected the Pasha.

They realized that their lifelong pursuit of modesty was meaningless.

“We can’t prohibit drinking and gambling for these exiled nobles. There isn’t even a legal basis.”

Ian shrugged.

“The problem is that gambling doesn’t only destroy themselves.”

Most Olpano exiles are wealthy even in their homeland.

They indulged in entertainment they never had before and spent huge money.

For a while, Emeral’s downtown was noisy and lively but also seriously harmed.

The stakes Olpano nobles bet during the day equaled several months of a regular family’s living expenses.

Because of that, all the hidden poor people rushed to the gambling houses.

Public safety worsened, and gambling halls were crowded from morning till dawn.

More than that, many people were dragged into gambling itself.

Curious crowds increased because casinos were always full.

“Ordinary people who try gambling for fun quickly lose their sense of money.”

If you bet a year’s salary, you might win ten years’ income.

Once they realize that, people lose reason to work honestly.

More people began going to casinos instead of workplaces.

Some even borrowed money recklessly or committed fraud just to sit at the same table as exiled nobles.

Violence and murder related to gambling started increasing.

The damp madness spread like mold and ate away at the kingdom.

“The king decided that this problem needed to be controlled. So he planned to establish a royal casino.”

“…Is it really logical to fix gambling problems by building a casino?”

That logic is seriously strange.