Chapter 14
On the way back to the mansion, Lianus wore a dark expression the entire time.
Kartia’s request and the look on her face wouldn’t leave his mind.
He had been so flustered that he hadn’t even asked why she was looking for the survivor. That made him feel like a fool.
What was the point of always being told he was mature and grown-up for his age? He couldn’t even properly accept or refuse a request from the one he had feelings for.
“Lianus.”
As Lianus was getting out of the carriage, Marquis Tristan, who had just returned from an outing, greeted him warmly.
“You’re back now. Did you meet with Her Highness?”
“Yes, Father.”
Lianus’s expression grew darker as he answered, and the marquis couldn’t help but look puzzled.
But then, realizing what might be troubling him, the marquis chuckled and patted his son on the shoulder.
“Are you upset over the engagement and the letter of betrothal? Didn’t I ask for some time to prepare myself for it as well?”
Lately, Lianus had been persistently asking for the letter of betrothal to be sent quickly, but now, after meeting the princess, he looked even gloomier.
At times, Tristan thought he might as well proceed with it quickly if Lianus liked her that much—but a marriage alliance with the royal family wasn’t a simple matter, and Lianus was still far too young. He wished his son would think more carefully.
“That’s not it.”
But contrary to the marquis’s expectations, Lianus looked far more serious.
“You fought with Her Highness, didn’t you? I’ve told you countless times to let the lady win. What good is it for a strapping young man to defeat his dainty, lovely fiancée?”
Tristan was about to launch into one of his usual speeches about how listening to your father would lead to an easier life, but when he saw Lianus biting his lip and bowing his head, he went silent.
Tristan knew what kind of boy his son was. This wasn’t something trivial.
He gestured for them to move somewhere more private and headed to a quieter part of the estate.
Lianus followed quietly, unsure how to convey Kartia’s request.
His father wasn’t the kind to misunderstand, but… it could still be misinterpreted.
“Let’s talk here for a bit.”
They eventually reached a bench deep in the garden, and the marquis patted the seat next to him.
When Lianus sat down, the marquis told him to take his time and speak when he was ready.
Thanks to his father’s patience, Lianus tried to gather his thoughts, though it wasn’t easy.
Thankfully, Tristan waited silently. After a long while, Lianus finally spoke.
“Her Highness… made a request of me.”
“I see. What kind of request?”
“It’s… a request that could endanger the House of Tristan.”
“A request that could risk the survival of our house… That’s hard to imagine.”
What kind of request could a seven-year-old princess make that would endanger a noble family like House Tristan?
As his father’s expression grew more complicated, Lianus, still chewing his lip, finally blurted it out:
“It’s a request I should obviously refuse, but when I think of Her Highness, I want to grant it. But I don’t want to put my family in danger, and I also don’t want Her Highness to be disappointed. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m weighing my family’s lives against Her Highness’s disappointment. I know I should refuse, and because I know that, I’m scared to face her disappointment.”
The marquis listened patiently and then gave his response.
“I can’t say anything unless I hear what the request actually is. Giving advice without knowing the full story is worse than saying nothing at all.”
“Her Highness….”
Still hesitant, Lianus eventually revealed that Kartia was searching for a survivor from a noble family that had been annihilated a year ago.
Even while relaying her exact words, Lianus wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do.
“A survivor…”
After hearing the full story, the marquis stared at the dry ground in silence, his thoughts racing.
Children didn’t really know what had happened back then.
Sometimes they overheard their parents talking or listened to careless chatter, but this was different.
Everyone had been terrified that their own house would be implicated. They had all seen the Emperor lose his mind and go on a bloody rampage, and the memory was so terrible that no one dared speak of it.
Tristan Marquis, too, had gone to the palace daily, even as he imagined his own children covered in blood, begging the Emperor to stop.
Had it not been for him and a few others who stepped in, several more noble houses might have been destroyed, and the palace would have been drenched in even more blood.
“Father…”
“Lianus.”
Marquis Tristan’s voice was firm.
“What worries me isn’t the request itself. I’m worried that another storm of bloodshed will descend on the Empire.”
“Because if it’s discovered that Her Highness is searching for a survivor, His Majesty won’t stay silent?”
There was no guarantee anyone involved—those who helped or even Kartia herself—would come out of it alive. That’s how dangerous this was.
But Tristan shook his head.
“The important thing is why Her Highness is looking for the survivor. What if it’s for revenge?”
“I… I hadn’t considered that.”
“Can you say with certainty that you truly understand Her Highness? Or, if you saw your own mother die before your eyes, could you be sure you wouldn’t dream of revenge? No one can know for certain.”
Lianus had no words. He realized now how narrow his perspective had been.
While his father was looking far ahead, he was stuck wavering between yes and no.
“Besides, Her Highness is the only heir to the throne right now. Given how the Emperor is acting, he’s unlikely to take another consort. If Kartia inherits the throne, we must consider what kind of rule she’ll lead, especially if she holds hatred toward the nobility.”
Tristan didn’t care much about the Empress’s family or whether Kartia had a legitimate claim to the throne. The real issue was that her childhood had been far from normal.
If the current Emperor was already so ruthless, Kartia might be even worse.
If Kartia chose the path of tyranny, it would be the duty of loyal vassals like Tristan to stop her, even at the cost of their lives.
“I think this is something we need to discuss with someone else.”
“Someone else? Who do you mean?”
“Well… most nobles these days are too busy watching the Emperor’s mood, so there aren’t many left who truly care for the Empire’s future.”
After a short silence, Tristan looked at his son, who had grown visibly discouraged, and smiled warmly, ruffling his hair.
Coming to him for advice instead of acting rashly on Kartia’s request had been a very good decision.
Having a cautious and thoughtful son like Lianus was a great blessing. He felt deeply grateful.
So he decided to ease his son’s worries, even just a little.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Her Highness doesn’t get into trouble because of this.”
“But if you talk about this with someone else, couldn’t word leak out?”
“It’s possible. But I’ve thought of the perfect person to talk to.”
“Who is it?”
“Duke Ivia. He used to be the captain of the Imperial Knights, and his son, Sir Zervan, is the current captain. Their family has served the royal family loyally for generations. If anyone understands Her Highness’s position and won’t spread a word, it’s him.”
The houses of Tristan and Ivia weren’t particularly close.
Tristan often opposed the Emperor’s views, while the Duke and his son would obey the Emperor’s commands even unto death.
But there was no one more suited to consult about this matter. Even during last year’s chaos, the Duke had followed the Emperor’s orders while still offering loyal counsel.
“I’ll meet with Duke Ivia tomorrow and discuss it. I’ll let you know what we talk about once I return, so don’t worry too much.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Good.”
Just as the marquis was patting his son on the shoulder, Lianus hesitated to stand and turned back toward his father.
Tristan raised his eyebrows, asking what it was.
“Have you ever seen the Ivia heir, Father?”
“The Ivia heir? You mean Kaiyan Ivia?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen him. Why?”
“Well…”
Lianus’s face flushed red as he hesitated, then finally said something that made Tristan laugh so hard the entire garden echoed with it.
“Her Highness’s maid said… that Lord Kaiyan was extremely handsome…”
“What?!”
Tristan burst into laughter, slapping the bench and clutching his stomach, while Lianus, now completely red-faced, ran back into the mansion.
