How to Protect My Sub Male Lead Dad

Gallota narrowed his eyes and silently stared at Yenna.

“The Princess of Berg?”
“Yes. The one who dared to tear her corsage at the banquet. She is said to be one of the most respected women in Berg.”
“If I marry into the Berg nobility, the Emperor will be pleased as well.”
“Not just pleased, but His Majesty might acknowledge Your Highness.”

Yenna’s sweet words seeped into his ears.

Until now, no one from the Eastern royal family had married a high-ranking noble from Berg.

Moreover, marrying the daughter of Prince Berg, who was also the Emperor’s beloved granddaughter. Even though outwardly they scorned Berg, inwardly, the Eastern Emperor couldn’t deny his recognition.

However, Gallota had to consider practical issues.

“Why would the Emperor willingly send his only granddaughter?”
“There are ways to make that happen too.”

Hearing Yenna’s whisper, Gallota frowned.

“It’s risky, but if that’s the only way, then so be it. But why is the Saint willing to go this far?”

To this, Yenna chuckled sardonically.

“Because I need her gone to get what I want.”

 

* * *

 

I stood there, unable to utter a word, gazing down the window.

In the front yard of the mansion, rough-cut meats were piled up like mountains.

“Is that what Prince Gallota sent?”
“He sent you everything he caught on the hunt yesterday.”

Said Brantley while leaning against the wall in a chilling voice.

“But why would he send me all that…?”
“It’s probably better to just burn them all.”
“?”

I looked at him in confusion.

Brantley said to me in a reliable manner, “Don’t worry. Leave it to me. I’ll dispose of everything without leaving a trace.”
“I-I’ll just send them back!”

I managed to stop Brantley and told Sherry to send back the meat.

As I watched the gifts being carried away again, Brantley said, “That bastard, the way he looked at you at the banquet was weird. I hope he leaves for the Eastern Continent soon.”

His tone was bubbling with disgust.

‘Lately, Brantley seems to express his emotions a lot more.’

I observed Brantley with curiosity.

 

***

 

But that wasn’t the only strange thing.

“Why does the envoy want to sign a peace treaty all of a sudden?”

I shook my head in disbelief. I wasn’t the only one puzzled by the news that arrived early in the morning. The professors at the academy were bewildered too.

“Suddenly wanting to forget past conflicts and not antagonize each other seems like goodwill.”

Brantley muttered cynically.

As I pondered, “Perhaps… Is something wrong with them? Did they eat something bad?”
“Seems more convincing than suddenly having goodwill, doesn’t it?”

It was behavior that couldn’t be understood. And requesting a friendship treaty as a ‘gift’ made it even more so.

“I thought they would demand a more difficult gift,” Brantley said.

I shared the same thought.

“I guess there must be some other trickery involved? I’ll have to ask Grandfather about it later.”

I was on my way to meet Grandfather.

He had a schedule to meet with high-ranking nobles and ambassadors, so I had to wait, but we planned to have dinner together afterward since Dad would also be attending.

That’s when I noticed the palace messenger walking towards us from the opposite direction.

“Y-Your Highness!”

For some reason, he seemed flustered as he hurried over to Brantley and me.

“W-Where are you going?”
“I’m going to the waiting room to wait for His Majesty.”
“T-Then, allow me to escort you there.”

The messenger led me to the waiting room on the opposite side.

Brantley stopped him with a stern face.

“Ahh!”
“The waiting room is that way.”

In a chilly tone, Brantley pointed, and the messenger looked back and forth between Brantley and me, unsure of what to do.

His reaction was odd.

“What’s the matter?” I asked. Then we guided him to a secluded corner to enquire, “Relax and tell me what’s going on.”
“W-What happened was…”

As the messenger hesitantly opened his mouth. From the other side of the corridor, I heard a rumbling sound, and someone came stomping out.

My eyes widened in surprise.

“What is that madman talking about? Does he want his tongue pulled out before he leaves Berg!”

The person pouring out rough words with a face full of anger was none other than Dad.

It was rare to see him so excited and unable to control his anger.

His demeanor was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

Following behind Dad, Viscount Munich hurriedly rushed out.

“Your Highness, if you leave in such a hurry…”
“Isn’t it better than cutting off the throat of that deranged envoy..,” Dad yelled.

He rarely raised his voice like that.

‘What on earth happened?’

I thought he was going to meet with the envoys along with Grandfather.

Brantley, the messenger, and I hid in a corner unnoticed by Dad.

“Your Highness, please calm down. Surely His Majesty wouldn’t approve of Gallota’s arrogant demands?”
“How dare he mention Hanelope’s name with his filthy tongue thrice. That piece of…!”

Dad chewed on his words, struggling to contain the boiling anger.

“How dare he ask for Hanelope as a bride in exchange for a marriage alliance.”

I doubted my ears.

‘Me as a bride? For a marriage alliance?’

Did Gallota want to marry me? But I heard he only demanded a friendship treaty!

Just then, a clatter was heard from beside me.

Brantley, holding a decorative piece from the corridor, smashed it against the wall.

His jaw clenched with anger, and his eyes filled with fury.

I listened to Dad’s words carefully, “Isn’t it customary for countries to form marriage alliances as a sign of goodwill? Let’s form a marriage alliance before the friendship treaty?… Haah… The more I think about that bastard’s gibberish, the clearer the conclusion becomes. The friendship treaty was a mere bait from the start.”
“His Majesty firmly refused on the spot, so Gallota must have understood.”
“Does he think that I don’t know rumors about that b*stard? He’s infamous even in the Eastern Continent. How dare that filthy sc*undrel mention Hanelope!”

Munich’s efforts to make Dad calm were futile. In the end, he had to return to the meeting helplessly.

After Munich left, Dad called for Maxim.

“Spare no effort to gather any information that could harm Gallota. He placed his eyes on someone he shouldn’t have dared to. So he must pay the price!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”

After Dad and Maxim left, I could finally breathe normally.

“It seems like Gallota has lost his mind. Did he expect me to agree? He’s overly confident. Otherwise…”

But I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Brantley’s expression beneath the mask was too frightening.

His silver eyes were devoid of emotion. It was unsettling how calm he was, almost as if he were planning something sinister.

I quickly grabbed Brantley’s hand.

“What are you thinking…!”

Brantley suddenly hugged me tightly.

I was engulfed by his embrace, and I could hear his irregular, rough breaths in my ear.

“I won’t let you go. Never. I’ll never let you go…”

His desperate voice trembled. I was startled by his sudden intensity and tried to pull away from his embrace.

But he held me even tighter.

“Brantley, you’re suffocating me…”
“Should I kill him? That b*stard.”
“What?”

I was taken aback and looked up at him in surprise.

His silver eyes gleamed with madness. It seemed like he would really do what he said.

“Brantley I’m not going anywhere.”

I urgently whispered as I sensed someone approaching.

“Brantley, someone’s coming.”

His eyes regained clarity and we quickly separated from each other.

Just then, I heard the voice of the man I least wanted to hear.

“It’s fortunate to find you here. What a coincidence!”

I looked at the owner of the voice.

Sharp eyebrows, a handsome face with defined lines, and almond-shaped eyes that didn’t hide their deep emotion towards me.

“No, it’s fate, I suppose.”

It was Gallota.