Chapter 95

Four years old and blood.

Everything you eat, drink, and wear every day was provided by me, Ines.

You have to repay the debt you received from your parents if you want to be considered a good child.

Besides, noble marriages are not supposed to have room for feelings.

Sometimes feelings ruin everything so it might be better if you two are awkward or distant.

A stray lock of hair, like a petal blown out of place, flashed across his narrowed eyes.

That woman’s hair looked like a pale, faded pink petal that fell too early.

The duke’s expression tightened for a moment then he sneered.

“My daughter, Ines.”

I don’t yet know what schemes you hide but it won’t matter.

After all you are already in my palm.

The corner of the duke’s mouth tilted up.

“Yes.”

Maybe it’s time to let you struggle a little.

That way you’ll learn your efforts are useless.

In the end you will be the duchess and the child you give birth to will be the duke.

Then—

His relaxed fist clenched tight.

A sharp joy passed across the duke’s eyes along with deepening wrinkles.

At last the empire with its grand and glorious history will fall entirely into this grip.

The emperor?

That laughable fool is a puppet soaked in opiates who can’t tell heaven from earth.

I will place the crown on that empty shell and manipulate the empire from behind it. That has been my long-planned scheme.

Then even if a war ends in defeat or the people howl in anger I can always solve it by chopping off the emperor’s head.

Ha ha.

The duke let out a light laugh.

Although a crown prince exists his limbs and supporters have long since been cut off by me.

All that remains are low-ranking nobles and petty writers who have no power or money so they can do nothing.

The world turns on money and power.

And if the emperor dies suddenly or becomes useless for some reason someone to take his place will be needed without major upheaval.

The crown prince will become the new puppet.

“It won’t be long.”

Yes.

Soon.

After replacing the emperor like that the Valenstein house will reign as the sole hegemon.

My family will be recorded in history as the greatest family forever.

Even if the empire falls the Valensteins will rise from that chaos and flourish.

A satisfied smile lingered in the duke’s mind as someone came to him.

‘But.’

His sharp gaze that had been fixed on the air fell onto the desk.

A small portrait sat there.

A woman’s portrait with orange hair and green eyes so vivid the painting seemed alive.

‘…Melissa, was it?’

An irritated look crossed the duke’s face.

His hand moved up to stroke the tip of his mustache.

So Ines hid conversations with that woman from me and the second prince even dared to storm into Valenstein’s country villa with a sword to find her.

‘How annoying.’

Swoosh. The hand smoothing his mustache slowed.

The duke, narrowing his eyes as he groomed his mustache, clicked his tongue.

“I should make an example.”

Hm.

The duke narrowed his eyes for a moment and exhaled lightly.

Well I intended to leave her for a little while but…

“Ines.”

He decided he should prevent that obedient daughter from starting to crawl back up again.

It’s better to stamp out even the smallest sprout early to avoid trouble later.

“Poor thing.”

You must show her that hiding it won’t help.

The duke, still rubbing his mustache, said briefly.

“Take care of it.”

“As you command.”

A shadow that had appeared behind him bowed deeply.

* * *

“Madam!”

Mona the gardener, who had arrived early by the roadside, waved cheerfully.

“Over here, here—”

“You got here already!”

Melissa, her face brightening the moment she saw Mona, hopped out of the carriage.

The little girl who had been sitting beside Melissa grabbed the carriage door and scolded.

“Don’t run so fast!”

“All right—!”

Ugh, really not very noble-like.

Roro pouted and chased after Melissa.

They arrived at a smithy.

A place where sparks flew from hearths and furnaces bellows and anvils and people moved without pause.

“Woooow…!”

Melissa’s eyes glittered.

Even before they got close the heat from the blazing furnace washed over them.

Melissa smoothed her wide dress and peeked inside cautiously, excited by the flying sparks.

Men with their shirts off were glistening with sweat.

One worker pumped the bellows while another hammered hot metal on the anvil.

Each time the heavy hammer swung the ringing of iron was rhythmic and lively.

“Whoa!”

“Is that so amazing?”

“Yes!”

When Roro asked in a bemused tone Melissa could not tear her eyes away from the sight of a glowing bar plunged into water with a sizzling hiss.

“I’ve never seen such a big smithy!”

Of course there were smithies near the Village at the Edge.

A smithy is essential for forging farm tools and all kinds of iron goods used around daily life.

So the scene was somewhat familiar.

But a massive operation where dozens worked at once.

“That’s truly marvelous.”

While Melissa stood enchanted before a furnace large enough for five burly men to hold hands around, Mona led the way and waved.

“Madam this is Karen’s Hardware. We’ll do our shopping here today.”

“Yes!”

Melissa tore her eyes away from the red-hot molten iron flowing from the furnace and rushed after Mona.

“Hey slow down a bit!”

“All right, Roro come quickly too!”

Melissa slowed a little then grabbed Roro’s hand and began to hop along as if elated.

She must really be excited.

Roro didn’t understand but shrugged and hopped along with Melissa.

They moved right next to the smithy and found an entirely different scene.

“Welcome!”

A clerk standing in a neat wide shop called out and the other clerks responded in unison.

“Welcome!”

“Welcome to Karen’s Hardware!”

“Wow.”

What fantastic customer service.

Melissa was touched by the chorus of cheerful greetings from every corner of the shop.

If Demius saw it he’d probably wipe a tear thinking, “You’re moved by something like this” but Melissa was not simply charmed by the clerks’ service.

She was captivated by the energy and dynamism that filled the entire store.

It was a completely different sensation from the high-end jeweler or dress shop.

“So wonderful.”

Melissa’s heart thumped.

This store was directly connected to the smithy next door. It sold ironware forged at the smithy and also imported various goods from outside.

When she had gone out with Natalianne or Demius before she had only visited food-focused markets but today the head gardener Mona had said some broken items needed replacing so she’d followed along.

“Good idea to come out!”

Melissa clenched her fist again, overwhelmed.

Then she felt someone following behind her.

She turned slightly and saw the carriage’s guard standing behind her.

Their eyes met and the guard bowed slightly.

“The young master ordered protection.”

Ah. Melissa blinked and quickly said.

“Please take care of us.”

“Yes.”

The guard bowed crisply and then scanned the area with sharp eyes.

Come to think of it.

Melissa found herself idly fiddling with her empty ring finger.

‘Mimi couldn’t come out with me today.’

‘Lili.’

When she told Demius and Mona she’d be going to the smithy Demius had clutched at her sleeve as if about to cry.

‘Could you not go tomorrow or in two days maybe?’