Chapter 148

Chapter 148

A few days later.

Migente Ivan entered the office with his father's medicine.

"Come here, Migente."

Lord Ivan, who was sitting in an armchair by the window with a tired face, called Migente.

"I brought you some medicine, Father."

"Well, yes, come here."

Migente looked at his father drinking medicine with a tired face.

The long-suffering chronic disease worsened and not long ago Lord Ivan was able to get up after he was bedridden. The family doctor said he shouldn't overwork himself like this but the Lord didn't listen.

Migente, who knows his father's sincerity that never turns back, decided, instead of stopping Lord Ivan, he shared the work by taking charge of the internal affairs of the territory.

However, that doesn't mean the worry for his father is gone.

"You'll be in big trouble, Father."

"This is not a problem."

Lord Ivan said with a mixed face.

He hasn't slept well a night since the landslide.

When he closed his eyes, the roar on the night of the landslide and the screams of people seemed to come back.

"The people of the lands suffer more than I do."

It was Lord Ivan who felt more responsible for this than anyone else.

And because he knew how his father felt, he silently helped his father with his work, but today he was carefully gathering his courage.

"Why don't you get some relief money?"

But Lord Ivan ignored the words.

He woke up from his seat, pouring all of the medicine left in the bottle into his mouth, and wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

"I'll be back late tonight. I'll deliver Triva wood to the Onyx estate. In the meantime, take care of the guests of the mansion."

"Isn't this just wood, just send people instead. No, I'll just go. Father, get some rest."

"No, I, the owner of the household, should show my face to ease their resentment."

"If you really want to help them, just accept the Imperial's relief."

"...I'm going to go now."

"Father!"

"Don't you know yet!"

Eventually, there was an old story between him and Imperial Family.

"There's nothing better involved with Durelli's Imperial Family! This happened because Ronchent brought the Imperial Family into Ivan's business!"

Lord Ivan, who screamed until his veins stood on his wrinkled forehead, stumbled for a moment.

Hence in an instant, Migente's eyes lit up.

"Father!"

Migente quickly approached Lord Ivan and helped him sit back in the chair.

"Whoa..."

Lord Ivan said with a deep sigh.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left the family to Ronchent."

"But my brother had a point. There will be a battle for the throne soon. So there is no harm in cooperating with the Empress' family, Angenas. My brother says that the Crown Prince is the First Prince anyway."

"Ha?"

Lord Ivan asked Migente with a snort as if he was elated.

"Now you've seen the Second Prince. How did he look? Do you still think the First Prince will be the Crown Prince, Migente?"

Migente avoided answering.

Lord Ivan clicked his tongue as if he knew it would.

"Okay. I knew my eldest son was not bright, but I didn't know he was blind.”1

“My brother’s judgment about His Majesty the Second Prince may have been wrong. If so, wouldn't it be even more important to receive a subsidy from the Imperial Family? It is the Second Prince's first assignment, so we should cooperate well."

Lord Ivan was silent for a moment at Migente's words.

Maybe he's changing his mind?

Migente waited anxiously.

But Lord Ivan shook his head soon.

"Angenas' money always has a tail. No matter how much the amercement is, you don't know what you'll say later if you get it."

Lord Ivan, who said so, stood up.

"It's right to solve it without the help of the Imperial Family, Migente."

"Father..."

Lord Ivan walked out of the office, and Migente, who was left alone, sighed like a habit.

His father was originally more of a person who liked to help others than to get help.

However, at a critical time, the illness worsened and anger at himself and distrust of the Empress were mixed.

They are denying the reality that they should receive any help.

As time passes, his father will understand, but it is the Northern citizens who suffer in the meantime.

“It can’t be like this.”

Then, Migente's eyes caught a piece of paper on the householder's desk.

It was an emergency report, seeing the red seal on it.

"His Highness, the Second Prince, manages the relief money himself and distributes food to the people of Ivan and nearby lands..."

Ivan was handing out relief supplies, but it was far from enough.

It was a problem that could be solved by leaving the North to buy food and manpower, but right away, Ivan ran out of money.

Looking down at the report for a moment, Migente folded it in half and put it in his arms.

"You may not be able to hide it completely, but you can buy time."

Migente, who was leaving the office so quietly, happened to see Perez driving back to the mansion.

It's already been five days since the Prince's party arrived in the North.+

In the meantime, Lady Lombardy and Sir Luman spent time leisurely in the mansion, but the Second Prince was so busy that he couldn't even face each other properly.

So he wondered, is it because they distributed food themselves.

After watching Perez from the window for a moment, Migente returned to his office.

And this morning he left the office again, simply picking up some of the papers he was reading.

It was strange.

What he's doing right now was a great deal.

Although he is a son, he could have been convicted of disobedience to Lord Ivan.