“……”
Icarus’s lips quivered slightly. He barely managed to suppress the curse that threatened to escape and covered his mouth with his hand.
Icarus was examining Luciard’s body, checking to see if what Hestia had said was true.
Luciard’s body was covered in bruises, there was no place where injuries were not present.
It was enough to make one furious to see even a single wound, but seeing so many injuries made it impossible to continue speaking.
Feeling embarrassed, Luciard hurried to cover his wretched body.
“Since when…”
Icarus’s voice, trembling at first, gradually grew more forceful.
“Since when has it been like this? Who on earth…! Who did this to you?!”
As Icarus’s voice grew more agitated, Luciard turned to face him. Icarus’s eyes, tinged with red, were deeply furrowed.
‘It’s the same as that time.’
On the day of the funeral of the previous Duke and Duchess, when Icarus had approached him.
‘…There will be no one left to torment you anymore.’
His expression now was slightly different, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at him was the same.
A look that was both sympathetic and sincere, filled with undeniable pity.
At first, Luciard had thought that gaze was feigned (pretend), but now, it felt a little different.
‘It’s strange. There’s no way the Duke could dislike me.’
‘It seems to be because of that strange boy.’
Until now, no matter how kindly Icarus treated him, Luciad always had a wall built up in his heart.
It was a protective shield he built up because of all the bad things he went through since he was a kid. But now, that wall was beginning to break down.
“It’s okay, be honest with me. There’s no one here in the Duke’s residence who would harm you.”
Icarus reminded Luciard once again that he was his reliable protector, in case Luciard was too scared to speak due to his tormentors.
Luciard, who had been hesitating, mustered up his courage.
“…How do you see me, Brother?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I know very well who I am. An unwanted bastard, a fool, a parasite of the ducal family. That’s what everyone calls me.”
Icarus was so shocked that he couldn’t speak.
“Brother said you had no choice but to take me in.”
“Who told you that?! Was it perhaps the personal attendants I assigned to you?”
Seeing Luciard nod cautiously, Icarus rubbed his forehead in frustration.
“Luciard, this is all my fault. I only wanted to select trustworthy people so that you could live comfortably. I never intended to harm you.”
Icarus grabbed Luciard by the shoulders, looking him directly in the eyes, and earnestly pleaded with him.
Luciard quietly observed the desperate expression on Icarus’s face.
“Ha… It’s hard to believe, I know. I would think the same if I were in your place. But please, believe me. Why would I want to torment you? If I really disliked you, I would have acted as soon as I inherited the title.”
“…Then can you get rid of those people?”
“Of course. Are they the only ones? If there’s anyone else who’s mistreated you, belittled you, or ignored you, tell me their names. I’ll make sure they’re all gone from your sight. And if that’s not enough to satisfy you, I’ll do whatever else you want.”
Luciard’s eyes widened with surprise.
Seeing Icarus as someone who could deal with those who had previously tormented him made Luciard feel admiration.
Before bringing it up, Luciard had been worried they might hurt him again.
“But the ones who hurt me are…”
With Icarus by his side, he felt like there was no one to fear.
For the first time, Luciard, who now had someone to protect him, began to list the names of those who had tormented him.
***
**Later in the Story:**
“Please, Count, handle this matter. Those who cause trouble without knowing their place must be dealt with swiftly.”
“Understood. I will take care of that.”
After the wedding ceremony, the reception continued, and the guests gathered in small groups.
Among them were, of course, the branch families of the Winston lineage.
Victor Harbor, who had been suffering because of Derrick’s one-side choice, sought revenge by requesting a favor from Count Malrus Humphrey, who had the most influence among the branch families.
Though Victor had tried to manipulate Malrus with flattery, Malrus, having suffered losses himself, reluctantly accepted his request.
Harbor’s transportation business was essential to the southern region, and not only Frost but also the Humphrey family, other branch families, and even the Winston Ducal house relied on it.
However, two months ago, Harbor suddenly raised its transportation fees.
This wasn’t due to a downturn in business or the increased risk of bandits.
When asked about the sudden increase, Harbor claimed it was due to the Frost family.
‘Frost suddenly started charging a toll. You have to pass through Byron to get to the capital, and since they are charging a toll, we had no choice but to raise our prices.’
He blamed all the situation on Forst, making it seem as though Frost was entirely at fault, but regardless of the reasons, the fact was that they had started charging a toll.
To be honest, the new toll and increased transportation fees weren’t enough to cause financial strain.
But once one precedent like this was set, it could break the long-standing customs that had remained unspoken rules for many years, and others would start seeking their own profits, potentially leading to bigger problems down the line.
‘Tsk. What’s the Duke thinking?’
Icarus must also know that Derrick’s unreasonable actions were causing harm to many.
As the head of the family, shouldn’t he be the one to issue a warning first?
‘He’s young, so he probably lacks good judgment.’
This is why it’s inconvenient when someone incompetent is in charge.
Malrus was frustrated that all the effort and dedication he had invested in the previous Duke had been wasted in a single day.
The previous Duke and Icarus were entirely different individuals. Just because Malrus had a close relationship with the former Duke didn’t mean Icarus would be the same.
‘Perhaps this is a good opportunity to show who’s really in charge.’
Of course, in terms of rank, Icarus was superior to him. But the world doesn’t operate solely on title.
Since Icarus had been leading the dukedom at such a young age, there would surely be areas where he was lacking or struggling. He might need someone to guide him.
This was the perfect opportunity for Malrus to start by giving him a firm scolding and eventually embracing him, Being a mentor rather than just a subordinate would certainly be a better position.
As Malrus completed his mental calculations, he noticed something nearby.
“I saw the same thing at the hotel.”
“This fragrance is amazing. Are you sure it’s not made from olives?”
“What is this? My skin was rough, but it’s become incredibly smooth!”
The Frost Baron and his wife were promoting their new product to the guests.
“That soap was made by Frost?”
“It’s just a piece of soap, after all. Looks like he’s trying to start a business or something.”
Victor was desperate to bring Derrick down, no matter what.
‘A mere piece of soap? If he had used it himself, he wouldn’t be saying that.’
Malrus inwardly clicked his tongue at Victor’s pathetic behavior.
‘Scented soap, huh… This changes things.’
And so, he began calculating in his head.
Malrus was a thoroughly calculating person.
If something seemed beneficial to him, he would take it. If it seemed harmful, no matter how old the connection, he would cut it off without hesitation.
The only reason he had turned a blind eye to Victor’s obvious schemes and sided with him was that it appeared advantageous to do so.
“Count, as the elder of our branch families, shouldn’t you say something? Seeing them shamelessly selling goods in a place like this is embarrassing and could lower the dignity of our family.”
“Hmm, well, that’s not entirely wrong.”
Selling goods openly at someone else’s wedding was indeed an act that diminished the dignity of the nobility.
Of course, with so many distinguished guests gathered from across the country, there was no better opportunity than that.
Still, Malrus had business with Victor, so he made his way over to Derrick.
“It’s been a while, Baron Frost. How have you been?”
“It has been a while, Count. I should have greeted you first, but I didn’t get the chance.”
Derrick’s gaze briefly flickered toward Victor, but he maintained a smile as he shook hands with Malrus.
However, behind that smile, there was a clear sense of disdain toward Victor.
He had blatantly ignored the hand that Victor had extended.
Victor, his face flushed red, trembled as he pulled his hand back.
The last time they had met, Derrick had been agreeable and compliant, saying “yes” to everything, but now he seemed different.
There was a firmness in him that hadn’t been there before.
But, Malrus still had a job to do, so he cleared his throat and got straight to the point.
“I’ve heard that you’ve started charging tolls from Harbor, and as a result, transportation costs have increased. Were you aware of this?”
With a smile, Derrick nodded.
“I apologize. I only heard about it after the fact. I had already ended my business with Harbor.”
“Ended…?”
Malrus, having not heard of this, looked to Victor for an explanation, but Victor awkwardly avoided his gaze.
“Ahem, well, it’s difficult to get along with everyone. But Harbor is still a part of our family, isn’t he? Shouldn’t we be helping each other rather than causing problems? Not just for Harbor, but for the other branch families as well.”
“…Did Baron Harbor explain the reason for our falling out?”
“He said you flew into a rage and suddenly decided to start charging tolls.”
Derrick smirked and looked at Victor. Victor, nervously clearing his throat, pretended to cough.
“Do you remember the nationwide scandal involving a certain cosmetic product recently?”
“Yes, the Duke himself invented a treatment just in time, and the crisis was quickly resolved.”
“I was the first to discover that the cosmetic contained toxic substances. And it was Baron Harbor who suggested that I invest in that particular cosmetic business.”
Malrus widened his eyes slightly and turned to look at Victor.
Sweat began to bead on the back of Victor’s neck.
