4 - Not Your Son, But Your Father
Chapter 4
"…Eve."
"It's because of the marriage contract, isn't it?"
I told Charles what he was curious about.
The fact that there was a marriage contract written by my grandfather and the late Grand Duke Calakis was already an open secret.
Although few people knew the details.
Charles frowned. His face, attractively tanned by the sun, was full of worry.
"Does it have to be Eve who gets married? Can't we hire a skilled Wizard to break it?"
"Well…"
I trailed off ambiguously.
Charles didn't know that I was planning to kick the Young Lord of the Calakis family to the curb and marry the head of the family.
Fortunately, before Charles could get suspicious, Reina drew attention.
"Eve is too good for it. She could be the future Empress if she wanted to."
I'd rather start a rebellion than marry the Prince who asked me about my chest size.
I only thought to myself and smiled softly.
"I'm sorry for making you worry. I didn't know I was being followed either."
My conscience had quit working a long time ago.
"Why is that Eve's fault? I'm the one who's upset that I couldn't protect you properly. Anyway, it seems the rumors are just rumors. Even Count Bertrand, who is famous for being a playboy, wouldn't be as rude as the Young Lord. I hope he trips and cracks his head open on the way."
As Charles grumbled, Reina, who had been tense all along, burst into laughter for the first time.
"Pfft, ah, I'm sorry. It's just too funny to imagine."
Thanks to Reina's laughter, the other young ladies gradually began to regain their composure.
Soon, everyone joined forces to criticize Gilbert.
"How could he treat Maybia like that? I wonder if he treats other women even worse?"
"Did you see his eyes earlier? They were so fierce. If we hadn't been there, he might have forcibly taken the young lady away."
"The way he treats ladies is just the worst. What on earth is His Grace the Grand Duke doing? I don't know why he's letting the name of Calakis be tarnished."
As I listened to the young ladies talking, Charles tentatively suggested.
"Maybia, how about increasing your security?"
"If the Young Lord does that again, like we did to His Highness the Prince, we'll break his head, pfft."
Reina, who had burst into laughter again, lowered her head. I gladly responded to Reina.
"There was such a method. I'll keep it in mind."
Suddenly, Charles took my hand.
"Eve, if you have any difficulties, be sure to tell me. I've only been receiving from Eve all this time, so I can't even lift my head, but I'll repay you like this."
"Um, I don't think I've given you anything?"
"Too much modesty is not a good thing! Eve has always taken care of me, right? Like when I couldn't find a partner to accompany me to the party, and when you told me that my sister's boyfriend was a piece of trash… And…"
"Okay, I'll be sure to ask for your help."
I deliberately nodded enthusiastically.
Charles smiled brightly.
"Good. Then shall we go for round two now?"
I got home at eleven o'clock that night.
* * *
Pale blue eyes were fixed on the report.
The man looked as noble and lazy as an ancient god said to rule the underworld.
He was unrealistically beautiful, and his actions were also unrealistic.
It had been three hours already.
'How long will he be looking at it?'
'How should I know?'
The knights, who were keeping their places without making a single sound, exchanged glances.
Even though they were in a position where they had to do whatever they were told, they couldn't help but wonder what was going on in their lord's head, who had been staring at the report for more than three hours.
If they didn't know what was written in that report, they would have mistaken it for a treasure map.
The youngest knight's face gradually became filled with worry.
He was overjoyed that his lord had come out of his bedroom for the first time in a long time, but it was clear that his condition had worsened.
Especially mentally.
'Captain, did you hear the sound of the page turning?'
'No.'
'…Then does that mean he's been looking at the same part all along?'
The knights looked at each other in turn.
And they decided to stop thinking about it together.
The Grand Duke Calakis they served was the owner of a vast land that made most small kingdoms look ridiculous.
Until 500 years ago, the north was just a white wasteland teeming with Magical Beasts.
However, the first Grand Duke Calakis succeeded in driving the Magical Beasts to the northernmost part and making most of the land, including the northwest and northeast, habitable.
Since then, the Calakis family has reigned as the ruler of the entire northern region, commonly known as Esmeralda.
Even though the current Grand Duke only came out of his bedroom a handful of times, even the Emperor could not look down on the Grand Duke while standing in the north.
However, this was not only because the man was the 'Grand Duke Calakis'.
It was because he was Edith Khalid Calakis.
The Star Lord of the northern sky.
The King of Magical Beasts.
Until Gilbert came out of the north, the Imperial family had been erasing the presence of the Calakis family.
They also desperately tried not to offend the Grand Duke.
He had enough power to rule the world even without the background of Calakis.
Originally, the man, who would have been in a position to be subjugated by a hero, was spending his days bored and dull because he was too strong.
Suddenly, the Grand Duke's shadow showed an ominous movement.
It twisted strangely and spat out a small, pitch-black bird.
"Caw! Caw!"
The bird that suddenly appeared flew to the Grand Duke's side as if it were nothing.
It kept crying as if it was sulking, and the way it opened and closed its beak was quite ferocious.
"Caw! Caw!"
The Grand Duke reluctantly took his eyes off the report.
Then the Familiar in the form of a crow transmitted a video as if it had been waiting.
The Grand Duke's adopted son, Gilbert Calakis, was currently in the capital, unable to control his emotions and destroying things indiscriminately.
[How dare you ignore me! Do you know what position I will be in the future!]
The sight of him glaring at the air with bloodshot eyes was a sight to behold.
[I am the one who will become the head of the Calakis family! I will definitely kill that bitch with my own hands!]
The video ended with shards of broken pottery drawing blood on the servant's face.
The Grand Duke put down the report at the short but intense mess.
A cold, deep-rooted silence descended.
The knights no longer even exchanged glances.
The Grand Duke, who had turned his head, quietly opened his mouth.
"…I was going to watch to see how far he would fall, but he's too ugly."
It was a concise comment. And there was a slight hint of annoyance mixed in.
The fact that the Grand Duke, who was generally indifferent and uninterested in everything, had revealed his emotions to this extent meant that he was very uncomfortable.
'If I make a wrong sound now, I'll die.'
The knights held their breath as much as possible, thinking the same thing. Some knights even held their breath completely, saying they could hold it for 10 minutes.
The Grand Duke recalled the late Grand Duke Calakis, who had passed the title on to him, a complete stranger, and died, feeling unpleasant.
The late Grand Duke was the only person who was not afraid even after seeing him manifest his abilities.
Although he had annoyed him by creating a completely useless contract.
No, if the only thing he had been forced to take on was just a piece of paper, he wouldn't have felt as wronged as he did now.
Originally, he wasn't going to do anything.
He had long been tired of taking care of a child that he had started half-heartedly, and Rigen wanted him to stay still.
Before Gilbert left for the capital, Rigen had pleaded.
Please trust Gilbert just once, who had been overshadowed by him.
If Gilbert went to the capital, he would surely return as a hero, so please don't interfere so that he could fully realize his potential.
At the time, the Grand Duke had answered with silence. After all, he didn't care whether Gilbert ruined the Empire or split it up.
By keeping Gilbert and Rigen alive and not kicking the Grand Duke's seat, he was doing his part.
But now someone he had never met was calling him from the capital. They wanted him to be on stage.
"…Caw?"
The crow tilted its head, seeing the Grand Duke's expression.
Before he knew it, he was looking at the report again.
The report containing information about Maybia Astin Morgana.
It's not like she's asking him to marry her, she's saying she'll marry him.
Unless she's completely lost her mind.
"Ah, this is annoying after all."
The Grand Duke muttered in a cool baritone and put the report in his arms.
The knights who were watching were stunned by the way he was careful not to wrinkle it.
At that moment, the adjutant, who had sworn allegiance to him, came in and knelt on one knee as if paying homage.
"Star Lord, all preparations are complete."
"Depart as soon as it dawns tomorrow."
"Star Lord will…"
"I'll go first."
The Grand Duke got up. A smile hung on his lips, which were relaxed and languid.
Marriage.
"I can't let my wife's hands get dirty."
It was annoying, but it seemed like it would be fun.
