Chapter 85

Chapter 85

It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

In my childhood, a woman named Karen came to see me as a relative and exchanged jewelry. At that time, Evan told me that he would be a warm family member. I hadn’t forgotten those words for a long time.

And, honestly… Up until now, he had been a warm family to me. Even if there was a slight sense of distance, he was always kind and always gave in to me. So, no matter how much I cried out that the only way was to escape and endured until now, I couldn’t help but be shaken because I was a human being.

However, on the other side of the shaking, my life was at stake.

‘I can’t die a dog death.’

When I remembered the dog’s death, just two words, I was able to make up my heart.

‘…I can beat everything else, though I can’t beat Matilda.’

Duke Icard’s helpless expression was vivid even in front of a girl who looked just like her. He didn’t even have the intention of trying to change his mind somehow.

“Yes… Thank you.”

In the end, I had no choice but to answer clumsily, and Evan smiled brightly and rang the bell to call the attendant.

“Bring me another lemon shortcake.”

“Yes? Evan, there’s still cake left.”

“No. On average, you ate a bite of cake for every four sips of tea, but today you eat one for every three sips.”

“…Huh?”

“Of course, data can change in two months that we haven’t seen. It is the first time in eight months that the ratio of drinks to food has changed… Anyway, going at this pace, there is not enough cake.”

“Huh… Well, yes.”

He quantified everything.

Perhaps, it was the kindness that was packaged in a way, so there was definitely something strange about it. Anyway, I glanced at the next letter.

‘As expected, this is coming…’

It was a letter I had been expecting six years ago… That letter I knew would come when I won the bid for the music box instead of Seymour.

‘Yeah, I should put aside complicated thoughts for now and earn some money.’

The sender of the letter was Elanie.

‘…Even if it’s a bit awkward, beggars can’t be choosers.’

* * *

As Evan began to share Duke Icard’s work in earnest, he was given a capable lieutenant.

It was the eldest son of the Ehias family, who had been a vassal of Duchy Icard for a long time, Nathan de Ehias. Although he was a little afraid of Evan, he was always satisfied with his master in his heart, in that he was always rational and clear in his dealings.

Despite that, one day, Evan suddenly made a nonsensical order.

“Get me a diamond necklace from the East Continent.”

“What? Even if you want to get them, you can’t. As far as I know, not even a hundred have been released to the Empire…”

Nathan stuttered in surprise.

The Master, who had no contact with the eastern continent, suddenly wanted to go there. However, it was impossible for him to make something that was not even there, no matter how it was for Young Duke Icard.

“A hundred? That’s enough. Then, go check the list of owners. Intimidate one of them… No, there will be room for a deal.”

“….”

Of course, stealing what was there was entirely possible.

“What is the time limit?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Well, I think the Young Duke and I will have to work almost all night long.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Evan replied casually.

“Of course, it’s a secret for Laria.”

It was only then that Nathan realized it was a gift for Laria.

Evan’s wife, Laria Rose Icard, was a sickly but very kind and beautiful woman. Nobody said it, though everyone was afraid of losing her like Matilda. She was so kind that if Evan told her he would save her somehow, she would feel pressured, and she was more likely to say no.

“If possible, I want to give it the day she went to the Palace.”

“What…? The Palace?”

“She’s going to see Princess Elaine. She told me six years ago that she was very impressed by her beauty.

“…Ah.”

“To not make her be discouraged in the slightest.”

It was nothing for his master to remember in detail what had happened six years ago. Evan knew all the little habits that Laria herself did not know.

Honestly, it was a little…

‘It’s a little out of the ordinary.’

Behind her, he said all sorts of shameless things (in a positive way.) Meanwhile, in front of Laria, he couldn’t even hold her hand.

“Laria has even sent a maid to ask her shop. She’d done such a great job, and I can’t help but support her.”

Nathan sometimes thought that he was doing this behind the scenes seemed a bit pathetic. Though that was the wrong idea.

“How sore her throat must have been from instructing Lisa. When Lisa said she couldn’t get it, Laria said it was okay and smiled, so her facial muscles must have suffered.”

Evan didn’t always seem absent, but right now, he seemed absent. While never expressing it in front of Laria, behind her, there was a fuss to somehow be nice to her.

“By the way, Young Duke.”

So Nathan asked something he had been curious about for a long time.

“I don’t think that 1% of your sincerity is expressed to Miss Laria.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

Evan replied bluntly.

“Not even 0.01 percent.”

“If you care so much for Miss Laria, why are you always fussing behind the scenes? You can say that you like her and die of joy in front of her and attack her with gifts.”

“Laria will be burdened.”

“Lord Evan’s life is so burdensome to be burdened by… the husband’s love.”

At that, there was silence between them for a moment.

Evan muttered in a slightly split voice, “…I can’t hear her say she was sorry because she was sickly again.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want to create trouble between us.”

“Is love difficult…?”

“It’s difficult to make the love come true.”

He spoke slowly and then glanced away completely from Nathan’s face, which still didn’t understand.

A strange expression appeared on Evan’s face as he was reviewing various documents and reports. It was strange that he married before they even liked each other. It felt like obligations other than emotions in a relationship followed from the beginning.

Even so, everyone at Duke Icard’s residence said, ‘The two of them get along well, but the second generation…’

There was a time when they cracked down on them once because they kept saying the same thing. However, Kalaudin never spoke of succession to him or Laria. Evan thought it was his own consideration, so he was grateful.

Evan, who had been stuck at his desk for a while after sending Nathan away, got up slowly. He headed to Duke Icard’s office, which was lit up brightly even in the middle of the night.

“Father.”

Kalaudin was always the same in his memory. He was always engrossed in all sorts of things in the office with a cold, cool expression.

On one side of the desk in the office were pictures drawn by Laria as a child.

“Yes. Did you do everything you were asked to do?”

“We sent two people to the Ozburg area and decided to close the Fabiane mine.”

“Yes, I see.”

Kalaudin said without changing his expression.

“It would be good to watch the Serbina case as well. No matter how much Duke Orlando becomes a toothless tiger, he is still a target of caution.”

“That is very strange.”

Evan replied slowly as if he was going to talk about it when the topic came up.

“Sometimes, Duke Orlando’s activity has diminished and things have definitely gotten easier.”

“…That’s true.”

“This is what I came up with while reviewing things from the past again.”

It was just that they hadn’t talked yet because there hadn’t been much conversation. Nonetheless, it was something Evan had been questioning for a long time.

“I have a feeling that something good is going on with Duchy Icard.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“There have been times when crises that could have gotten bigger just passed smoothly, and there are times when things can get a little more difficult. Still, there are also some tendencies that are easily resolved.”

“….”

“For example, father is not good at drinking with His Majesty the Emperor. But, didn’t he get the image that he was on good terms with the Imperial Family thanks to the Medal of Honor?”

Even though he didn’t mention it, there were a lot of things that happened like this. For instance, Ludvana and Rosalind’s work was soon over before it got any bigger.

“That’s right… But, how do you attach the reason as luck?”

Kallaudin muttered, squinting his eyes.

“If there is any reason… I’ll have to crawl on my knees to show my gratitude.”