Chapter 88
“Huah…!”
Leonhard let out a deep sigh, clutching his trembling chest. Hestia supported his back.
“We practiced together yesterday, remember? Just do it like that.”
“…Yeah! I’ll do my best!”
Hestia, Leonhard, and Luciard were making their way to the platform where the Emperor was seated.
They needed to greet the Emperor in order, starting with the Duke’s family.
Since there were no nobles with a title higher than Winston except for the Duke families, their turn came quickly.
Leonhard took a few deep breaths and stepped forward.
“I greet His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire. I am Leonhard Winston of the Winston Ducal House.”
After Leonhard’s respectful greeting, Hestia and Luciard bowed as well.
“Oh, so you’re Leonhard Winston. I was saddened to hear about the duke and duchess.”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Thanks to your grace, I am doing well now.”
“I see. And behind you are…?”
“Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Hestia Frost, the newly appointed guardian of Leonhard Winston.”
“I’ve met Lady Frost a few times before. I must admit, I was surprised when you were chosen as the young duke’s guardian. How is it, young duke? Did you make a good choice?”
“If I could go back in time, I would choose Hestia again. She has been incredibly supportive of both me and Winston.”
“I see. That’s wonderful to hear.”
Emperor Sylvester smiled warmly and nodded, then shifted his gaze.
The moment his eyes met Luciard’s, Luciard immediately bowed in greeting.
“I greet the Sun of the Empire. I am Luciard Winston.”
“Luciard…?”
“I am the younger brother of the late Icarus Winston, and Leonhard’s uncle.”
“Oh!”
Sylvester wasn’t the only one surprised; members of the Grand Duke Florence family standing nearby were also visibly startled.
“I recall the duke once said he was looking for his younger brother…”
“Wasn’t Lady Frost appointed as a guardian because Sir Luciard was absent?”
As murmurs spread among the nobles, Gabriel stood silently, staring at Luciard.
Chloe nudged her brother’s side.
“Luciard… wasn’t he in the same year as you? I think I saw him a few times at the academy.”
Gabriel closed his slightly agape mouth and masked his surprise.
“…Yes, we were in the same year.”
He looked at Luciard with a meaningful expression.
“Gabriel, wasn’t Sir Luciard your classmate?”
When the Emperor mentioned him, Gabriel put on a gentle smile and replied,
“Yes, Your Majesty. Although we were not in the same department, we crossed paths often. It’s been a while, Luciard.”
“Indeed, Gabriel. It has been a while.”
“You didn’t show up at graduation. Everyone was wondering where you had gone. What have you been up to?”
“I wanted to broaden my horizons, so I traveled the world for a while.”
“How… unique.”
“You’ve been traveling the world? How romantic!”
Unlike Gabriel, who seemed uneasy, Sylvester showed interest.
“When did you return to the Empire?”
“A little over a month ago. I only recently heard the news about my brother, so I returned a bit late.”
“…I see.”
Sylvester gave an expression of sympathy, holding back his words, as there was a child who had lost their parents right in front of him.
“Regardless, it’s good to see you. Let’s talk more in detail when we get the chance.”
“It would be an honor, Your Majesty.”
Since many others were waiting to greet the Emperor, they stepped back.
Hestia wrapped her arm around Leonhard’s shoulders, easing his tension, while Luciard leaned toward her to speak.
“They seem to get along surprisingly well. What happens to the guardianship now that Sir Luciard is back?”
Chloe looked to Gabriel for answers, but he, too, seemed conflicted and said nothing.
“Mother.”
Gabriel turned to Lacie, who met his gaze with a cold look and mouthed, “Later.”
Understanding, Gabriel nodded, then watched Luciard’s retreating figure.
Tsk.
He clicked his tongue silently.
Whether Luciard would bring favorable or unfavorable winds was uncertain…
‘I hope nothing goes wrong with my plans.’ he thought.
“Thankfully, we got through it without any issues.”
“Don’t relax just yet. You never know who might ask questions later.”
Back in their seats, Hestia and Luciard whispered so only they could hear.
To be honest, they had expected questions about the guardianship after Luciard’s return, and they had prepared multiple answers in advance. However,
But with people waiting in line, there hadn’t been time for a long conversation.
‘Should I be relieved or not?’ Hestia pondered.
“Miss Hestia.”
“Yes, young master?”
She looked down at the small hand tugging her dress.
“Can I eat some of the snacks over there?”
He pointed to the refreshments laid out by the royal family.
“Of course. Shall we go together?”
“Yes!”
Hestia took Leonhard to the refreshment table. Luciard, however, stayed behind.
‘It’s been so long since I’ve attended an event like this. It’s exhausting.’
Despite only having a brief conversation with the Emperor and exchanging a few words with an old classmate, Luciard felt drained.
He glanced at Gabriel, who wore a friendly expression but occasionally sent cold looks his way.
‘Still the same as before.’
Luciard had always been sensitive to others’ moods, so he quickly noticed Gabriel’s subtle hostility. Most wouldn’t have noticed, though, given Gabriel’s excellent composure.
‘But he seemed a bit surprised.’
Was it because Luciard had disappeared for a while? If so, it was understandable.
Hestia and Leonhard were busy enjoying their snacks, and the Frost couple was still waiting to greet the Emperor.
Thinking he would stand idly for a while when Luciard’s thoughts were interrupted.
“Isn’t this… Sir Luciard?”
A voice called out, bright with recognition.
The speaker was a thin man with a goatee, giving off a sly impression.
“It’s been too long. I’m Victor Harbor.”
“Ah! Baron Harbor…!”
Luciard suddenly realized that Victor Harbor was a member of the same branch family as the Frosts. Though he wasn’t as familiar as Derrick, Victor often visited the Winstone estate, so Luciard recognized his face.
‘I don’t recall us being on friendly terms.’
Victor was one of those who looked down on Luciard for being illegitimate. In fact, Derrick was the only branch family member who had ever treated him kindly.
Victor greeted Luciard with a smile, saying, “For a moment, I thought the Duke himself had returned. You’ve grown so much since I last saw you. When did you come back? I didn’t hear anything about it.”
“About a month ago,” Luciard replied calmly. “I’ve been busy and must have missed the chance to inform everyone.”
Victor’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “It’s fortunate you’re back. I was worried Winston might fall apart without you.”
Victor suddenly started rambling, and Luciard furrowed his brows.
“So, what’s been happening?”
Victor, noticing Luciard’s interest, lowered his voice and leaned in.
“As you know, Miss Frost has seduced Lord Leonhard and taken control of the Winstone family’s power.”
As expected, the conversation went in this direction. Luciard narrowed his eyes.
“She must have done something during the funeral to manipulate things. Otherwise, how could she have been chosen as the guardian over Count Humphrey?”
Luciard’s expression grew sharp, though Victor didn’t seem to notice.
“Not only that,” Victor continued, “she’s been rejecting proposals, cutting support, and favoring her own family. It’s disgraceful! She’s clearly been ordered by her father to act this way.”
‘She prefers to do things herself, not rely on others.’ Luciard thought to himself.
Having worked closely with Hestia, Luciard dismissed Victor’s words. He had approached him with some hidden agenda, which Luciard had already figured out.
“Also, recently she forbade Count Humphrey from approaching Chest and stopped him from visiting the estate. The 18-year-old girl is so arrogant now that she has the Duke’s backing.”
Victor kept venting his frustration about Hestia, but Luciard, who had been silently observing him, suddenly spoke.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, I mean, now that you’re back, it’s all good. You’ve gotten rid of that arrogant girl, right? Now, we in the Harbor family can finally breathe easy.”
“Got rid of her…?”
Luciard paused, realizing Victor thought he had dismissed Hestia and brought Leonhard here alone.
“Did you come here alone, my lord?”
“I came with my wife.”
“Anyone else with you?”
“Who do you mean by ‘anyone else’?”
“Did you not come with Count Humphrey or any other branch family members?”
“Well, I know some other families might have come, but I believe Count Humphrey couldn’t make it this time. He was too busy with work.”
“I see. But how did you know I was here? Did you see me with His Majesty?”
“With His Majesty? I didn’t see that. There were too many people gathered, so I couldn’t tell who was talking to whom. I just noticed a redhead, and thought you might be back.”
Victor’s explanation made sense; it was too crowded for anyone to know exactly what was going on.
“Well, if you ever need my help, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Victor said confidently, “The Frosts can be persistent and ruthless. Even if you’ve gotten rid of them for now, they might come back. Don’t let your guard down, and make sure to handle them firmly. Even though we’re from a branch family, the Harbor family is much more trustworthy than the Frosts.”
Luciard couldn’t help but remember how Victor had once looked at him with disdain. Now, he was acting so friendly, and it made Luciard want to laugh, though he held it back.
“I’m afraid that won’t be necessary.”
“Haha… what?”
Victor was puzzled as Luciard’s back was turned.
“Aunt!”
Hestia and Leonhard had arrived side by side behind Luciard.
