Chapter 106
However, he couldn’t bring himself to say such an embarrassing thing to his younger sister, so he just acted grumpy.
“This brat, I told you to study, and you’ve been reading nothing but romance novels, huh?”
“Ah, come on! Answer me seriously.”
“Even if the world splits in two, that won’t happen. How am I supposed to imagine it?”
Laszlo flicked Rinia’s forehead, scolding her. Then, with a sulky expression, he added:
“And finding a marriage partner for Idel isn’t that urgent. We’ve got a few years, so we can take our time and think it through—”
“Oh, wow! You’re so mean, brother.”
“And this mean brother happens to be the head of this household. Got it?”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying this. Within a few years, you’re going to get married—whether it’s because you want to or because His Majesty wants you to.”
“So?”
Rinia shook her head as if she was looking at a hopeless case.
“Do you think whoever becomes my sister-in-law will treat Idel kindly? Do you think she’ll just leave a young and pretty female steward alone?”
“Well…”
“And when the time comes, even if you try to find a marriage partner for Idel, it’ll look suspicious to your wife. So, it’s better to find someone for her before that happens. Isn’t that right?”
Laszlo had no response.
When Idel had once urged him to get married, he had asked her the same question.
‘What do you think will happen to you if I get married? Do you gain anything from it?’
What had her expression been like back then?
‘Ah, right. She looked like she might disappear at any moment.’
There wasn’t a single flaw in Rinia’s argument.
If he got married, Idel would quietly plan to leave the household before upsetting the new mistress. Whether that meant returning to the estate, seeking refuge with Barbara, or perhaps…
‘Don’t even think about that.’
He shook his head, recalling Idel trying to unfasten the carriage lock.
“Brother. Hey, brother?”
“I’m not deaf.”
“You were so quiet.”
Laszlo let out a long sigh.
“Fine, you’ve got a point. If it’s a minor noble without a title, Idel’s flaws shouldn’t be a big problem. I’ll try to find someone suitable—”
“But, brother, don’t overthink it too much.”
“What? Weren’t you just nagging me to hurry up and find someone? Are you playing word games with me?”
“No, that’s not it… I’m just saying that the right person for Idel might be closer than you think. So, pay attention to the people around you.”
Laszlo looked at her like she was talking nonsense, but Rinia smiled triumphantly to herself.
‘In the end, Idel will be too good to give to some minor knight, brother.’
Satisfied with her work, she stood up.
“Anyway, don’t forget what I told you today. Got it?”
As she turned to leave, Rinia was already busy plotting how to persuade Idel next. Meanwhile, Laszlo felt like he had been bewitched. He was sure he had been persuaded of something important—but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
When Idel still didn’t respond to the letter sent in his wife’s name, Dustin Canyon ground his teeth in frustration.
“That girl… She really intends to abandon her family.”
But he had no intention of letting Idel escape.
If she refused to come back, he would drag her back by her hair if necessary. In his precarious position, Idel—Laszlo’s trusted steward—was the perfect tool to secure a valuable connection.
As he pondered how to bring her back, he suddenly shifted his thinking.
‘No, that’s not it. I don’t have to bring her back to gain that connection.’
You didn’t need your own capital to start a business—you could attract investors by showing them a plan.
Feeling like he was taking a gamble, Dustin reached out to the Marquis of Winblair.
‘As long as Idel, a daughter of our family, remains Laszlo’s steward, the Marquis of Winblair will surely want to cooperate with me.’
And his gamble paid off.
Isaac, who had never given him the time of day before, agreed to meet with him.
Dustin steeled himself and visited the Winblair estate.
“I greet the Marquis of Winblair. Have you been well?”
“Oh, Count Canyon. It’s been a while.”
Isaac welcomed him more warmly than he had expected.
Once the servants had left and the tea was served, Isaac wasted no time and got straight to the point.
“So, what brings you here? Your letter seemed to suggest something urgent.”
Dustin put on an even more pitiful face than when he had visited Count Chrysus.
“I worried that I might be troubling you with family matters, but I have no one else to turn to…”
“What is it?”
“My lord, you must already know that my daughter Idel was handed over to Count Chrysus as a hostage.”
“Who doesn’t know that?”
Dustin let out a heavy sigh.
“His Majesty tore my daughter away from me. What parent could be at peace after that? I visited the Chrysus estate recently just to see her face.”
“Is that so?”
“Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I would never align myself with them.”
He made a disgusted face to emphasize his point, and when Isaac’s frown eased slightly, he pressed on.
“We want to bring Idel home, but whatever threats Count Chrysus has made, she’s too scared to even respond to my letters.”
“Hmm…”
“Please help us, my lord. Idel belongs with her family!”
His plea sounded like the desperate cry of a father—but Isaac simply observed him for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.
“Haha… Ahahaha!”
“My lord…?”
Dustin, flustered, called out to him, but Isaac only wiped his eyes after a long fit of laughter.
“Ah, Count. It’s been a while since I laughed like that.”
“My lord… I don’t understand what you mean…”
Seeing Dustin still pretending to be naïve, Isaac curled his lips into a cold smile.
“Let’s not beat around the bush, Count Canyon. There’s no need for pretense when it’s just the two of us.”
At those words, Dustin’s drooping brows lifted, and his sorrowful expression vanished, revealing his usual cold and shameless demeanor.
“That certainly makes things easier.”
“Your daughter is quite the hot topic these days. She managed to seize the steward position at Chrysus—something no one else could do.”
“Exactly. So, she could be useful to you.”
“And in return, you’ll reestablish your position in high society. Correct?”
When Isaac smiled knowingly, Dustin lowered his voice.
“If I can get Idel out of there, I can extract plenty of information about Laszlo. From what I saw, he trusts her quite a bit.”
“They even danced together—surely, their relationship goes deeper than mere trust.”
Dustin felt humiliated by Isaac’s insinuation that Idel was Laszlo’s mistress, but he held back his anger.
“Please help us. I’ve tried everything, but because she’s a ‘gift from the Emperor,’ it’s not easy to bring her back.”
“The biggest obstacle is that you signed away all rights to her, isn’t it?”
Dustin’s face reddened again.
“I had no choice at the time.”
“I understand. Anyone would have done the same to save their family.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Well, then… Let’s turn public opinion against Laszlo Chrysus. Make him the villain who cruelly separates a daughter from her grieving parents.”
Dustin’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“That was exactly my idea.”
“Attend every social event and spread your heartbreaking story. Nothing moves people more than a parent’s love for their child.”
Isaac’s offer was clear—he would help reinstate the Canyon family in high society and use public pressure to challenge the Emperor.
Dustin, sensing an opportunity, smiled genuinely for the first time in a long while.
“Thank you. I will do everything to ensure the old noble faction’s victory!”
Isaac returned his smile—though his intentions were far from benevolent.
‘How convenient. You’ve walked right into my hands, Count Canyon.’
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Idel’s father is like a hyena. Without shame! He will pay a high price.