The relatives frowned.
“Why are you entering hand in hand with such lowly blood?”
“Indeed. Hmm. They don’t even look alike, so how can they be blood-related?”
“Exactly. She doesn’t even resemble Lady Marianne, who she claims as her mother. It’s more likely that she is actually the child of a tavern maid.”
“I don’t think she’s Lady Marianne’s daughter. Just look at that dress. Her greed is evident, so it seems she’s lying for money, just as that guy Sybel suggested.”
Whether they thought she couldn’t hear them or wanted her to hear, the relatives’ derogatory remarks made Rose’s shoulders tremble.
All the comforting words Ian had given her on the way here seemed to evaporate from her mind.
Clicking his tongue internally, Ian lifted Rose up in his arms.
As gasps were heard from all around, Rose buried her face in Ian’s shoulder.
Ian gently patted her back and whispered,
“They must be jealous because Rose is so cute.”
Though Rose shook her head in denial, Ian just smiled, finding her even cuter.
Once Ian sat down in the main seat with Rose in his arms, the startled relatives began to take their seats one by one.
They signaled to Count Kale with their eyes.
Receiving their signal, Count Kale was about to take the lead in asserting dominance.
“Rather than talking endlessly, it would be better to prove it first. Sebastian, bring in Logan.”
At the mention of Logan, the previously silent relatives began to murmur again.
“Could it really be that Logan?”
“Wasn’t he expelled?”
“It can’t be that Logan, can it?”
The murmuring stopped immediately as Logan entered, accompanied by the sound of the breathing music box.
Logan, who had always picked fights with the relatives during the former duke’s time, made Count Kale’s face stiffen.
Ian placed the music box that Logan carefully brought onto the long wooden table.
“This is the breathing music box, given by the grand wizard to the first duke.”
The relatives’ gazes instantly focused on the music box.
Although they had heard of it, it was their first time seeing it in person.
The delicate craftsmanship and the gemstones intricately embedded made it seem too beautiful to have been made by human hands.
The emblem of Loenbaum, a rose set with diamonds, was engraved in the center.
Despite the passage of time, the music box retained its brilliance, and the greed in the relatives’ eyes was unmistakable.
Ignoring the relatives, Ian called softly to Rose in his arms.
“Rose.”
“Yes?”
Feeling encouraged by the sudden quiet, Rose lifted her head slightly.
“Do you remember what’s uncle said for what you need to do today?”
Rose’s large eyes rolled before she nodded.
“Then blow on it gently.”
Following Ian’s fingertip, Rose looked at the music box and her eyes sparkled.
She seemed to have forgotten her earlier fear in the face of the beautiful music box.
Ian turned Rose so the relatives could see and handed her the music box, whispering quietly.
“Blow on it.”
“Blow?”
“Yes. Something even more beautiful will come out.”
“Something more beautiful?”
The relatives, who had been entranced by the music box, snapped back to attention at Rose’s voice, looking back and forth between the music box and Rose.
A week ago, the relatives, driven out by Ian’s declaration, had gathered at the nearest territory, the Viscount Lev castle, to discuss countermeasures.
But they had no plan.
Since the Duke decided to take out the ‘breathing music box,’ Sybel’s claim became irrelevant.
<Breathing music box.>
That was not just a beautiful ornament. As the name ‘Breath’ implies, the moment a descendant of the Loenbaum Dukedom’s bloodline breathes on it, a mysterious phenomenon occurs.
Even if they tried to question the legitimacy of Rose as a child born out of wedlock, the Emperor had already acknowledged her as a direct descendant, leaving no room for dispute.
The moment the music box reacted, Rose would be recognized as a legitimate lady.
“Shall we try it?”
The relatives flinched at the gentle voice soothing the child. However, both Ian and Rose kept their eyes fixed on the music box.
“Whoo.”
Rose blew on the music box, which fit snugly in her small hands.
Everyone’s eyes turned to the music box.
“Th-that!”
“Hooo.”
A pink rosebud-shaped light began to form above the engraved rose in the center, slowly blooming into a flower.
As all the petals fully opened, the rose spun, scattering light particles, and the music box began to play a beautiful melody.
“The music box…”
“It’s true… she’s a direct descendant.”
“This can’t be…”
As the melody of the ‘breathing music box,’ signifying her legitimacy, filled the grand hall, the relatives’ faces turned pale.
It was the first punishment’s dirge for the relatives.
“She is indeed Lady Marianne’s blood.”
At Count Kale’s words, Ian nodded, lifting one corner of his mouth.
He then spoke firmly.
“Since the music box has proven her bloodline, anyone who questions Rose’s origin will be punished for disloyalty to the direct line. Rose will be titled as a ‘Lady’ and will be treated as the heir unless an heir is born.”
“Treat her as the heir?”
“Are you saying you’ll designate her as the heir now?”
The relatives murmured.
There had never been a case where a woman inherited a title, even if they had to bring in a son-in-law.
The relatives, shocked by the declaration, looked at Count Kale.
Their gazes pleaded for him to somehow resolve this situation.
Count Kale clenched his fist to suppress his rising anger.
With a forced smile, he said,
“Duke, may I request a private audience?”
Ian nodded.
“Sure. I allow it.”
Ian set Rose down and handed her the music box.
“Hold this and play with Fenrex.”
When Rose nodded, Ian gently kissed her forehead.
“I’ll talk with those grandfather and be back.”
“Yes.”
As Rose waved goodbye as she learned from the carriage, Ian waved back.
Once Rose left the meeting room, Ian’s gentle smile vanished instantly.
Ian nodded as if to say ‘follow me’ and then stood up first.
***
The private meeting room was a small lounge next to the meeting room.
Ian, seated in a single armchair, crossed his legs.
“Let’s keep it brief. The child is waiting.”
Count Kale clenched his fist again at Ian’s insolence.
Even the previous Duke, who was quite stubborn, had been respectful to him.
That was because Count Kale’s ancestor was a direct descendant, not a relative.
Born as the youngest son of the 9th Duke, Count Kale’s ancestor had no ambition and didn’t care about wealth as long as he had enough to eat.
He fell in love with a commoner who shared the same mindset.
When the 9th Duke opposed his marriage to a commoner, he renounced his rights and removed himself from the dukedom’s records.
Living happily as a commoner, he died the same year his child was born due to an epidemic that swept the empire.
The commoner woman, struggling to survive after losing her husband, wrote a letter to the 9th Duke just before she died, requesting that he take in her child.
Although heartbroken by his beloved youngest son’s death, the 9th Duke didn’t accept the child with common blood as a direct descendant.
Instead, he gave the child a new name and incorporated them into the relatives’ line.
Over time, this story was forgotten by most, but each Duke remembered it and treated Count Kale’s family well.
Ian was the only one who showed such insolence.
‘Arrogant brat.’
Suppressing his rising anger, Count Kale recalled what he needed to say and smiled broadly.
‘Let’s see how long you can keep smiling.’
He took a contract from his jacket pocket, placed it on the table, and slid it toward Ian.
“Forgive me for bringing this up, but we can’t delay this any longer.”
“What’s this?”
Ian picked up the contract.
It was the same unfair contract he had found in his study.
An interest rate of 45%.
No installment payments allowed.
The entire principal and interest had to be repaid at once, and all by-products from monster subjugations had to be sold through Count Kale’s merchant group as collateral.
“The guarantee was manipulated.”
At Ian’s words, Count Kale stroked his beard and nodded.
“Yes, that’s right. You didn’t have anything else to offer as security besides something manipulated.”
“And the repayment date was a month ago?”
“Yes. The time has passed, but since you didn’t say anything, I had no choice but to request a private audience.”
It was an audacious statement.
A month had passed since Ian had returned. Why demand repayment now? It was clear to anyone that the debt was intentionally allowed to grow, with the 45% interest rate being used as leverage.
Count Kale gave a regretful expression at Ian’s silence.
“I understand you haven’t had much time to grasp the situation since your return. Although my family operates the merchant group, the owner is someone else, and they can’t wait any longer.”
‘Does he think I don’t know that the owner is just a puppet?’
Ian decided to see how far this would go and put the contract down.
Seeing this, Count Kale began to speak.
“I understand that you can’t repay it immediately. Although I wish to help, I also have my own circumstances. To give you more time, I need someone else’s guarantee. The only people I know are from the relatives’ families, so to ask for their cooperation….”
“I shouldn’t recognize Rose as a direct descendant, right?”
Count Kale put on a fake sad expression, which Ian found laughable.
“That’s right. I know you care for Lady Rose, who was born to Lady Marianne, but the timing now….”
“I’ll repay it.”
“Yes. This is your last chance… Pardon? What did you just say?”
“I said I’ll repay it.”
Ian rang a bell on the table beside him.
With a knock, Logan entered, carrying a teacup.
Logan placed the tea in front of Ian and handed a check to Count Kale.
“This check is guaranteed by the Sherwood Merchant Group. The interest has been calculated up to today, so the amount should be accurate.”
Count Kale accepted the check with trembling hands.
It was genuine.
Moreover, the amount was precisely what had been calculated for the threat.
‘How did he come up with this money?’
“So this contract is unnecessary.”
As Ian sipped his tea and spoke, Logan swiftly picked up the contract and tore it in half.
“Is that sufficient?”
Count Kale bowed his head, his face rigid.
“Thank you for your grace.”
“Well then, let’s end this private meeting.”
Ian placed his teacup down and stood up.
“Ah, by the way, I heard you broke a chair in the meeting room earlier. Sebastian will send you an invoice, so make sure to pay it before you leave.”
The sound of teeth grinding could be heard.
‘They say the best of the five blessings is strong teeth. Tsk, tsk.’
Clicking his tongue internally, Ian left the lounge.
“Logan.”
“Yes.”
“Get rid of all the spies. And tell May to prepare to trade the monster by-products.”
“Yes!”
Logan nodded vigorously.
