Chapter 66
Belietta glanced at me and slowly lifted the corners of her mouth.
Leaning back in her chair, she let out a long, steady breath.
Then, as her wandering gaze landed on me, she broke into a broad smile.
Bozeborn is supporting the royal family and the council.
If it’s related to Rippleton, there’s only one thing that matters.
“Bozebourne is no longer opposed to the policy that revokes Rippleton’s conscription authority.”
It all came down to Rippleton’s survival.
***
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here.”
Venisia’s voice flowed slowly as she surveyed the lavish room filled with luxury.
A man sat in a chair, his eyes following Venisia’s movements.
Gilad Leodrick Bozeborn.
He was the current Duke of Bozeborn and Velietta’s father.
Gilad looked at Venisia, who was gliding around the room, with a face full of discontent.
Unexpected guests bring misfortune.
That was a saying in Bozeborn.
Gilad didn’t even glance at the teacup in front of him, and as he glared at Venisia, who was still standing, he finally spoke up.
“What brings you here?”
“Do I need a reason to visit a friend’s house?”
“A friend? What a nice little lie. Didn’t you threaten to cut all ties with me, Venisia?”
“Still remembering something that happened over 15 years ago? You’re still so petty.”
Venisia smirked and fiddled with a painting hanging on the wall.
It was obviously a valuable masterpiece.
She stopped in front of the huge painting that took up half the wall and looked up.
Gilad frowned, clearly displeased with Venisia’s dismissive attitude.
“Petty? That’s not something you should be saying. You’re the one who publicly embarrassed me over nothing,” he shot back.
As Venisia observed the painting, she lowered her head slightly and slowly turned around.
Her eyes casually flicked over Gilad’s stiff face.
Gilad glared back, his eyes filled with rage.
Venisia smiled cynically at his fierce gaze before looking away.
“‘Nothing’… Gilad, my old friend. Do you still not understand that our relationship is like this because of your ‘nothing’?”
Venisia reached out and rubbed the painting, furrowing her brow.
“It was 600 lives. Young blood that believed they could safely return under the orders of the royal family and the empire, now cold and lonely in a foreign land.”
“That was unavoidable.”
“Sure, it was unavoidable. There was no way to bring them back from a land guarded by over 100,000 savages. But if you made that decision, at the very least, you should have taken responsibility for it.”
Venisia turned with a cold expression and walked toward Gilad.
A burly knight standing next to Gilad tried to block Venisia with his arm, but she lightly shoved his shoulder aside.
Even with just a light push, the knight stumbled back.
Gilad met Venisia’s advance with dry eyes, not blinking.
“Gilad. What responsibility did you take for that? You didn’t compensate the families at all and even tried to shift the blame.”
“The compensation was sufficient. It’s just that greedy people sold the dead soldiers to fill their own pockets.”
“Even if you’re right, the empire should have compensated them. It would have been inadequate to pay tenfold for the lives of soldiers abandoned while carrying out orders under the empire. But you didn’t do that. That’s why our relationship is like this now, Gilad.”
“That’s not acceptable.”
The knight stepped forward again, placing a hand on Venisia’s shoulder to restrain her.
Venisia glanced at the hand on her shoulder, then lifted her gaze to meet the knight’s eyes.
He was still just a young knight, bright-eyed and inexperienced.
Venisia stared into his eyes for a moment, then smirked before suddenly slamming him to the ground and kicking his helmet off.
“Cough!!”
“What do you think, Gilad? Is it okay to cut off the arm of someone who dared to lay a hand on me? That’s also unavoidable, and all it takes is compensation, right? What do you think?”
“Ahhh!!”
As Venisia flexed her arm, the knight’s elbow twisted painfully from shoulder to wrist.
He let out a horrified scream.
As the door swung open, knights who had been waiting outside rushed in.
“Are you okay…!”
It was Gilad who stopped the knights from drawing their swords as they checked the situation inside.
He raised a hand to signal them to back off, then turned his gaze back to the knight lying on the floor.
“Seems like you and I just don’t match. No, Ripton and Bozeborn have never really been a good fit. We’ve just relied on each other out of necessity.”
“Ugh…”
“Let him go. I don’t think you really want to leave a young knight crippled.”
“That’s not my call. It’s yours, Gilad.”
Venisia laughed mockingly, causing a small sigh to escape from Gilad’s lips.
With a face that had softened a bit, he nodded at her.
Venisia watched this silently, then relaxed her grip.
As her hold released, the knight scrambled to hug his injured arm and got up.
“Get out of here.”
The knight glanced back and forth between Gilad and Venisia, biting his lip before turning to leave the room.
When the door closed behind him, the atmosphere in the room shifted as Gilad’s expression hardened again.
“I have no regrets about my actions. Even if I could go back, I would make the same choice again. In the end, what matters isn’t the choices of the past, but the choices we make going forward. Don’t you think?”
Gilad stood up and examined the painting Venisia had been looking at, a smirk creeping onto his face.
“Since you hate beating around the bush, let me be direct. I’m going to announce the engagement between Bozeborn and Ripton.”
“You’re planning something pointless. I’ve already heard and seen too much; do you really think I’d allow such a thing?”
“That’s not your choice to make. Think carefully. If it’s just about money, Bozeborn isn’t necessary. But Ripton has maintained an army of thousands for over a century and has never had its powers diminished, despite all the accusations of rebellion. What do you think the reason is?”
As Venisia frowned, a grin spread across Gilad’s lips.
He brushed past Venisia, giving her shoulder a light pat.
“Bozeborn and Ripton have been precious allies for a long time. I don’t want that alliance to break.”
“Seems like you’ve ignored and neglected Ripton these past few years.”
“I apologize for that. No matter how precious the alliance, it can’t be more important than my daughter.”
“Pathetic…”
Gilad chuckled heartily as he paused in front of the painting, looking up at the giant figure of the goddess depicted.
Turning around, he looked at Venisia.
“My daughter and your son will get married. Velietta will become the Grand Duchess of Ripton and will soon inherit the title of Duke of Bozeborn. That would give her immense power that could rival even the royal family.”
“You still can’t shake off that insatiable desire for power, even with age. Chasing after a fleeting illusion—doesn’t that ever get old for you, Gilad?”
“Coming from someone sitting at the highest position in the empire, that’s rich.”
Gilad met Venisia’s sour gaze with a relaxed one as he casually placed his hands behind his back.
“While I believe Ripton has already made its decision, Bozeborn will investigate the truth and legitimacy of that decision to nullify it and enforce the engagement we made years ago. If you oppose it, Bozeborn will have only one path left to take. I hope it doesn’t come to that, Venisia.”
“…”
Venisia slowly relaxed her expression in response to Gilad’s provocative words.
Straightening her slightly hunched back and shoulders, she smoothed out her wrinkled clothing.
Then, with a calm face, she faced Gilad and spoke softly.
“You live such an easy life. Well, considering Bozeborn is known as the sky above the royal family, I suppose nothing is impossible for you. But remember this, Gilad. No matter how much you try, Ripton will not move. And don’t forget who was leading those 600 soldiers you abandoned that day.”
As Venisia turned and roughly opened the door, she glanced back at Gilad.
With a hardened face, she twisted her lips at him.
“I still firmly believe that you’re the one who killed my man.”
Turning her gaze from Gilad, who took a step forward with a stiff face, Venisia left the room and closed the door behind her.
Standing quietly in front of the closed door, she peered out into the silent hallway, frowning as she turned away.
Her footsteps filled the hallway heavily before they slowly faded away.
