WPVMVA Chapter 66

“Thank you, really, thank you so much, Your Grace!”

“…!”

“I don’t know how to express how sorry and grateful I am… If I could express this feeling, I would do anything! Your Grace, I’ll really do my best! From now on, I’ll work even harder to find evidence, and I’ll do anything that would be helpful to you!”

Ashid’s handsome eyes narrowed slightly at her words. He asked her in a meaningful voice, “Anything…?”

“Yes!” Daniela answered brightly. Then she suddenly stopped and closed her mouth. ‘Ah, but being told to die or give up all my property would be a bit difficult…!’

She hoped he wouldn’t demand something like that. Just as Daniela was about to hastily add a condition, Ashid spoke.

“Then, will you spend time with me, just the two of us, again?”

“…What?”

“It would be nice to have trivial conversations like this, or go out for a leisurely walk or a meal. Any time, in any way, just give me your time. That’s all I need.”

‘For now.’ Ashid finished the sentence in his head.

He didn’t hope for her to love him right away. No, he desperately wished for it, but he knew it couldn’t happen yet. So, he wanted her to give him her time, so that her heart might turn toward him.

‘It must be very difficult for her to keep longing for Adrian, who doesn’t love her and will soon be engaged to someone else.’

He would stand by her until the end. He would be gentle with her with all his heart and try to give her whatever she wanted. He would be her pillar of support when she was struggling.

Then, wouldn’t she naturally open her heart to him?

‘Being persistent and holding on to one goal is my specialty.’

Just as he had endured with all his might since he was five years old for the sake of his mother’s revenge, he was confident in his ability to endure.

Thinking that, Ashid moved his hand as if to slide it out from hers, and interlaced his fingers with her. Daniela’s face flushed even more, and she nodded.

“Ah, okay…”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Ashid replied, looking at Daniela with a gentle, sweet gaze.

A few days later.

Lysander came to see Daniela and Gray, with dark circles under his eyes. He then handed them the script he had finished after staying up all night.

Daniela and Gray’s eyes widened in surprise as they read the script. Unlike his previous work, which was moderately entertaining despite the difference in social status between the two protagonists, this one was more exciting and thrilling because it was a revenge story. Furthermore, it was a good blend of adventure and romance, making it so engaging that they couldn’t stop reading in the middle.

Crucially, the motive for revenge was the death of a father, not a mother, so even if those who watched the opera were reminded of Empress Julia and Ashid, they could deny it and avoid any problems.

Daniela put down the script with a satisfied look and said to Lysander, “Good. Let’s put it on as soon as it’s ready.”

“Yes, Duchess.” Lysander replied with a proud look.

And a few days after that, Lysander’s second play opened. The thrilling and exciting revenge story became a huge hit, even more so than the previous one. The word was out that not only the royals and nobles of the Ashilad Empire, but even nobles from neighboring empires and kingdoms were secretly coming to watch the opera in disguise.

People talked about the opera whenever they gathered, and the front of the theater was packed with people trying to buy tickets every day. There were even rumors that there weren’t enough workers to count all the gold coins they were earning daily. The whole country and even other nations were captivated by Lysander’s theater and his opera.

All but a few people.

“Damn it! Those accursed, worm-like bastards!” The Duke of Rodyon crumpled the Imperial newspaper and threw it on the floor, spewing vulgar curses.

When that wasn’t enough to appease his rage, he stomped on the crumpled newspaper repeatedly until it was flattened, as if it were Ashid’s face.

The Marquis of Cadogan, his neck veins bulging, tried to calm him down. “Calm down, Uncle. You’ll collapse at this rate.”

“Calm down? Do I look like I can calm down? Damn it! You saw that opera or play, didn’t you! So you must know why I’m so angry!”

“…”

“I can’t even stand to see that cunning Duchess doing charity work, throwing money at lowly people, and saving her husband’s face. And to make matters worse, this kind of cheap opera is becoming a trend and getting on my nerves!”

He roughly pushed the Marquis of Cadogan’s arm away and slumped into his office chair. The Marquis of Cadogan looked at him and backed away. He didn’t want to get hit by an object the Duke might throw if he irritated him in this situation.

Sure enough, the Duke of Rodyon started throwing whatever was on his desk. Small, beautiful sculptures, a bottle of black ink, and a paperweight crashed into the wall and bookshelves, shattering into pieces.

When there was nothing left to throw, the Duke of Rodyon slammed his fist on the desk and shouted, “What the hell is the identity of that Lysander Wiltz or Wills guy! Who gave him the money to create such a damn opera!”

“…”

“Didn’t the spy you planted say he didn’t know anything either?”

“…Yes, Uncle.”

“Damn it, he’s unnecessarily thorough! And that makes it even clearer who gave him the money!”

The Duke of Rodyon growled. Yes. There was only one person who would dare to do this. Ashid Carlyle Albrik, that bastard. It was certain. The Duke ground his teeth and muttered in a sinister voice.

“…Ha! Does he think we won’t notice that he changed the person who was unjustly murdered by his enemy from his mother to his father, and the protagonist’s identity from a royal of the Empire to a prince of an unknown kingdom?”

The more the Duke of Rodyon thought about it, the angrier he got, and he slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair.

“That cunning bastard, he must be trying to use such a shallow trick to stir up public opinion again and make it a public issue, is that it? Huh! Does he think that’s possible? That damn brat! I should have set fire to his main mansion, not just his villa…!”

“…Shall I have someone carry out that plan now?” The Marquis of Cadogan asked cautiously.

The Duke of Rodyon roared again. “You fool! Haven’t you heard the news! When his villa burned down, that bastard immediately drove out all the servants who worked in it, including our spies! And he’s been throwing out or locking up anyone who shows even the slightest suspicious behavior, so our spies haven’t been able to contact us for a long time!”

“I-is that so… I’m sorry. Claire, that girl… no, Princess Blackwood has been so bothersome lately that I haven’t had time to properly read your letters or the spy’s reports…”

“Hmph! …It’s alright, I suppose. There’s no helping it for now, you have to appease her. We need the power and wealth of her family for our sake and for His Majesty’s.” The Duke of Rodyon snorted and waved his hand. Having calmed down to some extent, he brought his fingertips together and muttered thoughtfully.

“…What are we going to do? We can’t just sit back and watch that damn opera continue to be performed… Don’t you have any good ideas?”

“I don’t. No good idea comes to mind.”

“Damn it… Even Empress Augusta looks like she wants to go see that opera… In a situation like this, if we try to pick a fight, we’ll surely face a backlash from the royals and nobles who are obsessed with that opera.”

“I know. Ha… Should we make an issue of the content and have a religious trial against that Lysander or whatever his name is and his theater company?”

When the Marquis of Cadogan suggested this, looking frustrated, the Duke of Rodyon shook his head with a grim face.

“No. We can do that later, after we’re sure that that Grand Duke bastard or his followers are behind him. If we put him on trial now, there’s a good chance that only a clown will be punished. The Grand Duke will cut off the tail and get away.”

“…You’re right. I didn’t think it through.”

“For now, let’s put people around that Lysander bastard and the Grand Duke and watch them. We’re sure to catch their tail eventually.”

“…”

“That’s when we’ll definitely get rid of that Grand Duke bastard and that girl, the Duchess.” The Duke said that, his icy eyes gleaming.