Ch#87
Spoils of War
Duchess
By Lemon Frog
Episode 87
She wasn't unaware of that possibility. She had considered it several times, but the conclusions were always similar, so she had deliberately tried not to think about it.
"As for me... I would accept whatever disposition is decided. I've already received great favor from you, Count, so it would be shameless to wish for more."
Laslo disliked the expression on Edel's face as she said that.
She seemed to be trying to smile, but she couldn't fully erase the sadness embedded in it.
"Every time this comes up, I recall that moment when you tried to open the carriage door while it was moving. You seem like someone who could die at any moment when things get too hard to bear."
"Ah, no! I didn't mean it that way......"
"People who want to live have greed for life. So, have some greed. Got it?"
He looked displeased at Edel, who bowed her head apologetically, then rose from his seat.
For some reason, he felt angry and heartbroken.
"Marquis Winblair!"
The door to Isaac's office burst open roughly, and a furious Liandro strode in.
Isaac felt a surge of irritation at his rude demeanor but showed no sign of it, instead asking with a worried face.
"What happened, Your Highness? You don't look well."
"Do I look good? I heard Count Bliss tried to sell Angela to that lowly mercenary scum?"
"Angela... you mean the daughter of Count Bliss's second son...?"
"Yes! How many times have I said I must make her my wife!"
"Ah......"
Liandro had fallen head over heels for Angela the moment he saw her at the party and had been whining tirelessly ever since about making her his empress.
.
*What? Making the daughter of a second son—not even the heir's daughter—his empress? What an idiot.*
Isaac swallowed his rising anger again. Liandro was the one who needed to become emperor. He couldn't yell at him. Not yet.
*He's useful. I have to endure until then.*
If Liandro, who wasn't very bright and lacked composure, lost his spirit, it would be harder to push him as emperor material.
Isaac smiled as kindly as possible.
"Where did you hear that rumor?"
"Does the source matter? The woman who's supposed to be my empress is being humiliated?"
"Of course it does. If false information was passed to you, Your Highness, they must be punished."
"What? False information?"
Isaac nodded, roughly guessing who among Liandro's possible informants it might be.
"Count Bliss has no intention of linking Angela with Count Creaser. If anything, Angela is the one being aggressive."
"What? You mean Angela fell for that guy or something?"
"We can't know her true intentions, but it's certain Angela is the enthusiastic one about the marriage talks. And Count Creaser rejected the proposal."
"What? Is he insane? How could he reject Angela? That guy must be into men! Investigate it."
Isaac barely suppressed a sigh.
"From Count Creaser's perspective, there's nothing to gain from marrying the daughter of Count Bliss's second son. He'd scrutinize even a powerful figure's daughter, let alone one from a non-heir."
"But she's so beautiful?"
"Remember this: A pretty face is utterly useless."
But such advice fell on deaf ears for a man in love. It only stirred resentment.
"Laslo might need to weigh conditions for his wife, but I, who will be emperor, have no reason to. The emperor himself is the greatest power."
"That's true, but......"
"I'm making Angela my empress. Bear that in mind and arrange a meeting with her. I can't wait any longer."
- 3 -
Isaac nearly clicked his tongue at Liandro's stubborn obsession with Angela but paused at a sudden thought.
No. An empress from a powerful family wouldn't help me at all.
Bringing in a daughter from an influential house would only dilute the gains to be shared.
In that case, there was no reason not to make Angela his empress as Liandro wished. A house like Count Bliss could be crushed like an ant.
"True, Your Highness is of marriageable age now, and I've delayed your marriage matters while handling more pressing issues."
"A little delay...? I'm already twenty-eight! Any longer and I'll be treated like an old man!"
"My apologies. In any case, I'll have my wife host a tea party and invite Miss Angela."
"Really? When?"
"I'll prepare it soon."
Liandro clenched his fist.
"This time, I'll definitely win Angela's heart. Don't stop me."
"Your Highness, you mustn't reveal your identity yet. The assassination threat......"
"Then give me some plausible status! So Angela can lean on me!"
Until now, Liandro had used the identity of 'a distant nephew of Marquis Winblair studying abroad.' But with no apparent title to inherit and being a foreigner, it held no appeal for marriage prospects.
Isaac was annoyed that Liandro, who had toyed with many women before, was suddenly fixated on Angela, but since he was indeed of prime marriage age, he nodded.
"Understood. Then... say you're the heir to Til Armand in Phes."
Phes, a small kingdom near the empire, had a region called Til Armand secretly owned by House Winblair. Not small compared to imperial territories, it had amassed enormous wealth from vast silver mines.
"That should please Miss Angela."
"You should have done this sooner, tsk. Fine. Hurry and prepare the tea party... and call a jeweler. I need to pick a gift for Angela!"
"Understood. How about calling in a skincare specialist for some care too?"
"Oh, good! I need a haircut as well."
.
Thanks to Isaac accommodating everything he wanted, Liandro left in high spirits, unlike when he arrived.
It seemed a harmonious end on the surface, but Liandro didn't notice the cold glint in Isaac's eyes staring at his back, and Isaac missed the suspicious smile playing on Liandro's lips.
After Angela left, Laslo grew concerned about the rumors she had mentioned.
"The rumors about your household's 'butler' are widespread. Going from laundry maid to butler in just a year, and then immediately replacing the servants to suit her taste... She's quite capable, isn't she?"
It was blatant slander, but not something easily fabricated without intimate knowledge of the mansion's affairs.
He immediately summoned Nathan.
"Investigate where the rumors about our house are coming from. It feels like someone who knows us well is maliciously spreading them."
"Hmm. It probably isn't the current servants. We explained thoroughly about such matters during hiring."
"...Did you threaten our house servants?"
"At the butler's request. That woman has a surprisingly sharp side."
Laslo was startled to hear Edel had requested it. The person who built personal bonds with the servants and earned their respect didn't hesitate to use threats for confidentiality.
*I did tell them to use Calliope for background checks when hiring, but I didn't expect such thoroughness...*
While Laslo was surprised, Nathan, in full practitioner mode, briskly listed next steps.
"First, we'll investigate those dismissed from the mansion. If nothing turns up, we'll expand to current servants and those hostile to the house."
"Focus on those Angela Bliss has contacted."
"She must have reached out to more than one or two, but digging will reveal suspects. It'll take time, so don't rush us."
Nathan grumbled exaggeratedly and left.
However, he returned with the investigation report just two days later.
"Didn't expect to find something right away from the top priority targets. Is this woman bold or just stupid...?"
He handed Laslo the report on Marsha Bohen.
Laslo, reviewing it, let out a scoff of amusement as well.
"A woman fired without references is working as a maid in a proper noble house?"
"Yes. Owen Barony. They're related by marriage to House Rivil, a branch of Marquis Tollein's family, and Viscount Aiks, a vassal of House Winblair, is friends with the Owen Baron. Broader connections include House Milton and House Teshian investing in Owen Barony's business."
In short, they belonged to the old nobility faction.
"Too many suspicious ties."
"At any rate, to those schemers, it's a perfect household to exploit. Owen Barony is trying to raise its profile in society lately, so they had every reason to accept such a proposal."
The Owen Barony, aiming to expand business and increase wealth, would have employed Marsha regardless of whose suggestion it was, letting her spread tales as if she knew House Creaser's internals intimately.
Society folks obsessed with gossip would have visited under the pretense of refined tea, grilling Marsha about House Creaser.
.
