“Regret? How could I possibly know that at this moment? I’d only find out after I’ve lived through it.”
“Exactly. That’s why it’s just wishful thinking. If I could know for sure, I’d call it a condition. But right now, it’s nothing more than a wish.”
In the world governed by Count Sharon’s rules, neither separation nor divorce is permitted. Marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Naturally, as parents, they want to ensure that their daughter won’t regret her decision later.
However, while Letticia appreciated their concern, she wished the conditions were a bit more specific. If there were clear standards to meet, Ezkhiel might gain more confidence.
“Then, is there nothing else? Like hoping for more success?”
“Even if he aims for a higher position, the only thing left is becoming the Emperor’s Chief Aide. And that’s bound to happen once His Majesty ascends the throne, isn’t it?”
Letticia momentarily forgot how high a position the Chief Aide was. Besides, the Emperor was still in his forties—he wasn’t going to drop dead tomorrow. So, seeking further advancement was pointless.
“Then, what should I do to help Ez gain more confidence? Father, you weren’t exactly obedient when you married Mother either. Can’t you at least share how you overcame that?”
“Sir Bright and I have different personalities, so I don’t know if my methods would work for him. Unless he changes his mind after hearing what I have to say.”
“Still! Something—anything! I can’t stand watching him like this!”
Faced with his daughter’s frustration, Patrick sighed, crossing his arms before responding.
“First, it’s important to draw a clear line regarding whose opinions matter. While it’s true that public opinion is something to consider, you mustn’t mistake the loud voices of a few for the consensus of the many. Don’t let yourself be hurt by the reckless words of those who speak without responsibility. Instead, focus only on the opinions that truly matter.”
“But are there a lot of those loudmouths?”
“Fewer than in my time. Back then, I even received formal duel challenges.”
It seemed Camilla’s words were true. Patrick shook his head, his usually composed face twisting in frustration.
“Even after convincing the Marquess and receiving the Emperor’s approval, there were still those who thought they had the right to demand I ‘know my place.’ I lost count of how many fools threw down their gloves, saying they’d free Camilla if they won. I remember considering shooting them with a hunting rifle more than once.”
“And what did people around you say? They didn’t actually side with those idiots, did they?”
In principle, challenging an engaged man to a duel over his fiancée was sheer madness. However, a skilled manipulator—someone adept at stirring public opinion and playing political games—could still sway the atmosphere in their favor.
Fortunately, Patrick wasn’t someone easily fooled by such tactics.
“Some of them tried to provoke me, saying that if I were a real man, I’d accept the duels. But when I pointed out that it was outright insanity for someone to challenge an heir to a forbidden duel, they shut up. A few of those fools were dragged away by knights, and after that, no one dared to say such things again.”
“So, there’s no need to entertain unreasonable demands?”
While one approach was to accept nonsense demands only to crush them afterward, like with Viscount Paulette’s incident, it was still an irrational strategy.
Letticia hoped Ezkhiel would never have to resort to such tactics. But given the nature of people like Lord Jarvis, she worried they might even push for illegal duels.
Patrick answered with a complicated expression.
“It depends on the situation, but if you don’t have to acknowledge their nonsense, then don’t. Instead, make others see how absurd their demands are. To do that, it’s wise to secure allies with strong influence in advance.”
“Allies with influence…”
As Letticia repeated the words to herself, Patrick offered another hint.
“People like that are usually weak against those in a superior position.”
“Superior… you mean…?”
Lord Jarvis was the son of a Marquess. That meant that to be in a position superior to him, one would need to be at least a Duke. Among the dukes Letticia might encounter in social circles—
“If that person still owes you a favor, this could be a good chance to settle it. But only if you’re comfortable with it.”
Patrick, reading his daughter’s thoughts, calmly suggested a solution. It wasn’t something she would like, but it was undoubtedly effective.
***
“My lady, a message has arrived from Sir Bright.”
“Alright, leave it here.”
Receiving the communication device from her maid, Letticia waited until the door was closed before speaking in a bright voice to her lover.
“Ez, you got off work early today?”
– Yes. His Majesty reduced the workload assigned to His Highness, which gave me a bit more free time.
Despite saying that, Ezkhiel’s complexion hadn’t improved. In fact, his already pale face seemed even paler. Unable to hold back her concern, Letticia spoke up.
“If you have free time, why do you look like that? Don’t tell me His Highness made you rewrite your theater review again because he didn’t like it?”
– No, he was satisfied with it. Her Highness the Princess’s advice helped a lot.
Ezkhiel’s gentle response only made Letticia more frustrated. If Matthias pulled something like that again, she would seriously consider going to the back alleys and hiring an assassin.
– By the way, Letty, have you finalized the guest list for the charity concert?
“Guests? I’ve already sent out all the invitations. Why do you ask?”
– If there’s still room, His Highness would like to attend as well.
“His Highness at our concert?!”
Letticia was so shocked that she repeated the question, and Ezkhiel nodded.
– He wants to observe the state of noble donations. He asked for a list of upcoming charity events with large-scale attendance and high public interest, and the concert happened to fit the criteria.
“Ah…”
For a moment, Letticia wondered if Ariette had already agreed to attend, but realizing that Matthias had a perfectly reasonable motive, she felt unexpectedly relieved. It seemed that he still had at least some level of competence as the crown prince.
‘Has he not made much progress with Ariette yet? Or maybe he’s still in the early stages of denial…’
She couldn’t recall the exact timeline of Matthias’s descent into madness in the original story. But considering that Ezkhiel was still managing to leave work on time, it was probably still early days.
From a personal standpoint, Letticia didn’t particularly care about Matthias attending. But as a member of the concert’s organizing committee, she knew that having the crown prince as a guest was a great honor.
– Lately, His Highness has been extremely interested in charitable events and welfare. He even consults lower-ranking officials for their opinions. If you send him an invitation, he will definitely attend.
“Alright. I’ll discuss it with the committee and prepare an invitation within a few days.”
– Thank you, Letty.
Ezkhiel sighed in relief and smiled at her acceptance. Seeing that expression, Letticia felt an irrational surge of resentment toward Matthias.
‘That bastard Matthias should at least double Ez’s salary and vacation time.’
How many subordinates in the world would willingly work for their superior even after officially clocking out?
If Matthias couldn’t even ensure Ezkhiel had proper rest, he didn’t deserve to be called human.
– Um, Letty… More importantly, did you receive the letter I sent this morning?
While Letticia was silently cursing Matthias in her mind, Ezkhiel, sounding even more drained than before, asked about the letter he had sent her.
“The one that arrived today? Yes, I received it.”
– …Then, can you do as I asked?
“You mean ignoring the Baroness if she comes looking for me?”
– Yes.
Ezkhiel nodded firmly, his expression troubled as he continued.
– It seems that a photo of us leaving the theater was taken and published in a social magazine… She found out about our meetings before I could tell her myself.
“She actually saw that? It’s just a third-rate gossip paper—barely anyone pays attention to it.”
– Apparently, she did… Just the fact that it was published at all was humiliating enough for her. She was furious.
“I suppose that makes sense by old noble standards.”
Letticia responded casually, and Ezkhiel gave a weak smile.
– I was worried it might have caused you trouble, but it doesn’t seem like much of an issue.
“It’s not like it was published in Lucinella or anything. Making a fuss over this just makes her look ridiculous. So, you’re saying she might come to confront me because she’s angry?”
– …Yes. That’s why you don’t have to engage with her. There’s no point in letting her upset you.
It was the first time Ezkhiel had spoken so firmly about something, which surprised Letticia. The fact that he was talking about his own mother made it even more unsettling.
– If she does come, either my brother or I will handle her and take her back. You don’t need to deal with her. Just make sure the gatekeeper doesn’t let her in. This is a family matter, and you don’t need to get involved or get hurt because of it.
Hearing the words ‘you don’t need to get hurt’ made Letticia’s expression harden.
Did that mean Ezkhiel was the one who was going to get hurt?
