Chapter 119
“I thought it was just a passing amusement, but I never expected you to keep up that nonsense for two years.”
Luciard smirked mockingly.
“…Your language is getting rougher.”
Although Luciard had relearned noble etiquette and speech after receiving guidance from Hestia, he still lost his composure whenever Gabriel was involved.
“If we break off our engagement, Gabriel will definitely propose to you.”
“N-No way…”
When Luciard looked at her with cold, silent eyes, Hestia recalled Gabriel’s past behavior.
“…Yeah, I guess he would.”
There was no doubt that Gabriel was the type of man to do such a thing.
“Sigh… Why is he like this? Maybe he doesn’t like me—maybe he actually hates me?”
Hestia seemed anxious at the thought of Gabriel actually confessing to her.
Luciard, who had been watching her closely, suddenly asked,
“Either way… you don’t want that to happen, right?”
“What? You mean the Grand Duke confessing to me?”
When Luciard nodded, Hestia frowned in disgust.
“Are you crazy?! Absolutely not! You know what kind of person he is.”
Luciard’s lips twitched slightly.
“Ahem, but most young ladies are desperate to be involved with him. They even say he’s the perfect husband.”
“So what? He’s impossible to read. He acts kind and considerate, but no one knows what he’s really thinking. I hate people like that.”
Not only that, but whenever she had to dance with him or he kissed her hand out of formality, an unpleasant sensation always crawled over her skin.
‘I’ve decided to trust my instincts from now on.’
She was already rejecting him on an instinctual level—what kind of nonsense was a marriage proposal?
But she had to admit, if she and Luciard broke off their engagement, strange men would probably start approaching her.
‘Being engaged has been pretty convenient.’
She didn’t have to hear her mother nagging about marriage, and no one dared to make sneaky advances. Plus, she always had a reliable partner for parties and events.
Being with Luciard even gave her a certain sense of superiority.
His looks were flawless, and with his recent successful business ventures, his reputation had risen even further. Compared to ordinary noblemen, he was on a whole different level.
Whenever they were together, she could feel the jealous and envious gazes of other noblewomen.
But now, it was time to be more careful. People were starting to wonder when they would actually get married.
It was best to break off the engagement now while both of them had the highest reputations, so they could move on with minimal trouble.
It was a little disappointing… but what could she do? This was the best choice for both of them.
“Anyway! You should get ready to take over as a guardian! You’ve already learned everything, so why are you dragging this out?”
When Luciard still looked dissatisfied, Hestia scolded him sharply.
After a moment of silence, Luciard moved.
“I wasn’t going to say this, but…”
He suddenly started flipping through the papers on his desk.
“I messed up.”
He then handed her a document.
Hestia flinched, stunned by the bombshell he dropped so casually, like he was just saying, ‘I’m hungry.’
“What?! A mistake? Let me see!”
She checked the document and clutched her head when she saw the incorrect financial figures and miscalculated project direction.
“How could you mess this up?! Fixing this will take forever!”
“Right?”
“Don’t ‘right’ me! How were you planning to handle this?!”
“…It’s a secret.”
“Ugh, seriously? Are you joking right now?”
When Hestia pressed her throbbing temples, Luciard lowered the document and tilted his head slightly.
“You can just help me.”
At first glance, he seemed expressionless, but if she looked closely, his eyebrows and lips drooped slightly, and there was a hint of regret in his eyes.
He looked like a guilty puppy after making a mess.
Hestia found herself speechless for a moment.
“Ugh… Fine! But just this once! You always do so well, and then suddenly make mistakes like this!”
Even as she grumbled, a small smile tugged at her lips.
Seeing that, Luciard secretly smiled as well.
At the Same Time
Meanwhile, Leonhard was in the library, taking a lesson.
His tutor was Louis, whom Melvin had introduced to him.
Louis was an outstanding scholar and had maintained a good relationship with Melvin. Since he needed money, he immediately accepted Hestia’s offer, which provided not only a generous salary but also a research lab and living quarters.
For Louis, it was a highly satisfying arrangement.
He could conduct his research without financial worries, had a stable place to live, and most of all, his student was both bright and diligent, making teaching a rewarding experience.
Louis smiled as he checked Leonhard’s completed homework.
“Excellent work. You’ve done well.”
“Really? I wasn’t sure about question three, but I guess I got it right!”
“Yes, you got everything correct. Could you tell me which part confused you?”
“This part here was a little tricky.”
Leonhard’s approach to learn more made Louis smile even more.
“Now I understand! So this is how it works?”
The fact that Leonhard organized his notes even when he wasn’t asked to made him all the more admirable.
“Now that we’ve finished checking your homework, let’s begin the lesson. Recently, we’ve covered the history of the Empire and other kingdoms. Today, we’ll go deeper into the most pressing issue— the Novelli Civil War.”
“Oh! I was curious about that! Tia and Uncle are accepting Novelli refugees, right?”
“Yes, exactly. But first, you need to understand how the war started.”
At Hestia’s request, Louis had prepared this lesson so Leonhard could understand the situation they were dealing with.
Leonhard himself was deeply interested in the matter.
“So, it’s basically a fight for the throne?”
“Yes. As you’ve learned, power struggles aren’t limited to royal families. Even among nobles, succession disputes often lead to conflicts.”
“Everyone should just get along… like me and Uncle!”
“That would be wonderful. But, young master, you must realize that your case is extremely rare. Even now, in some noble families, uncles and nephews are fighting over titles.”
“Yeah…”
As he grew older and continued studying, Leonhard came to realize just how extraordinary Luciard’s decision was.
Giving up his own claim to pass the title to his nephew was easier said than done.
“Not to mention, Lady Hestia’s role as a guardian is almost unheard of.”
Despite handling the affairs of the duchy, Hestia still took time to explain everything in a way Leonhard could understand.
Going out of her way to do so was proof of her care for him.
“I’m really lucky, aren’t I?”
“Yes, young master. You must have done many good deeds in your past life.”
“Hehe.”
Leonhard grinned brightly and said,
“But I’m not the only lucky one! His Majesty also has a great uncle, right?”
He was referring to Sylvester, the young emperor, whom he had met two years ago at the Milky Way Festival.
Since then, they had occasionally spent time together at official events.
Though their meetings were brief—usually only 30 minutes to an hour but there was a bond between them.
They were the only ones who could truly understand each other’s situations.
To outsiders, it simply looked like Sylvester doted on Leonhard.
“Hmm…”
Leonhard tilted his head at Louis’s ambiguous response.
“Why? Do you think Duke Florence is after the throne?”
“How could I possibly know what someone of his status is thinking? But… the duke is still acting as regent, isn’t he?”
Sylvester was now 17. Next year, he would turn 18 and officially become an adult.
“Of course, ruling a country requires much more knowledge than managing a noble household, so he might still be in training. But tell me, has His Majesty ever personally led any policies?”
“Well…”
Leonhard hesitated.
He couldn’t think of any.
If anything, the only decision Sylvester had personally made was accepting Novelli refugees and establishing refugee camps in the northern and southern regions.
Other than that, there weren’t any major accomplishments he could claim as his own.
“This is just my concern. Please forget what I said. The Grand Duke might step down from the regency once His Majesty comes of age.”
“…Okay.”
Leonhard replied weakly.
In the past, he would have thought the adults were just misunderstanding things. But now that he had gained more knowledge, even he found it a little strange.
‘Tia and Uncle told me I would inherit my title at 15.’
Not long ago, he had spoken briefly with Sylvester, who mentioned that when he was younger, he had also been told the Grand Duke would step down from the regency once he turned 15.
However, even now, as Sylvester approached adulthood, the Grand Duke still hadn’t relinquished his power.
Leonhard had a lot to think about, but his lesson wasn’t over yet.
“Ahem, let’s get back to the lesson. The Novelli civil war, which started as a battle for the throne, has been going on for nearly four years now. Many lives have been lost, and suffering continues across the land.”
Hearing about the horrors of war made Leonhard frown.
“But recently, there have been rumors that the war is coming to an end.”
“Ending…? You mean it’ll be over?”
“Yes. The second prince’s faction has been winning multiple battles, slowly gaining the upper hand. One of the biggest reasons for this is the support of the Blaze Mercenary Corps.”
“Blaze…! That’s the mercenary group Uncle created!”
“Yes, it was founded by Lord Luciard.”
Though Luciard had established the group, he had to step down as its leader. Instead, his second-in-command, Lavio, took over and led the Blaze Mercenary Corps.
When they had parted ways two years ago, the mercenary group had only six members. But now, it had grown into a massive group with over 300 warriors.
Their reputation was unmatched—every battle they fought ended in victory.
“I miss Lavio. I still see the others from time to time.”
“Some of them occasionally visit the Empire, don’t they?”
“Yeah! They come every two or three months to report to Uncle and check on the refugees. It should be about time for them to visit again.”
“I see. When they come, be sure to ask them about the future of the battlefield. We rely on various sources to make predictions, but they’re directly on the front lines. They’ll have the most accurate information.”
“Yeah! I’ll do that.”
“Now, let’s continue…”
As the lesson resumed, Leonhard’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
-ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ-
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
-ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ-
