“What? The Rachels family sent a declaration of war?”
Karion's sharp gaze immediately fixed on Iana.
Iana responded in a calm voice.
“Karion, I clearly told you. Think about why your brother sent me here alone.”
“Is that what you call talking?”
“But you ignored my words and brushed them aside.”
As Iana lowered her voice, Karion glanced at Charles and the guards, commanding in a low tone.
“We're in public. Be civil.”
Iana disregarded his command and continued speaking.
“You were trying to brush it off with a meal and a few nails in the rabbit cage, like tossing a candy to a crying child.”
“Is that all my husband needed to do? What, did you want him to kneel?”
“What did you say?”
“Iana, honestly, what did I do so wrong? I didn’t actually take your biological sister into my arms. It’s you, the narrow-minded one, who can’t accept even a mistress.”
Iana spoke firmly in response to Karion's brazen words.
“And that’s why I’m leaving you.”
“What?”
“Because you lack discernment.”
“This is why you shouldn’t speak nicely to people or beasts. They can’t understand a word.”
Just as Karion raised his hand to slap Iana,
Charles quickly turned and stood in front of Iana.
Whack-.
Karion's hand struck Charles's back hard.
The sound echoed through the backyard forest, it was that loud.
“Your Grace!”
Iana looked up at Charles with a shocked expression.
Charles's eyes suddenly changed. They were the eyes of a predator ready to tear into its prey.
As the situation spiraled out of his control, Karion lost his composure and shouted.
“Your Grace! Why do you always interfere in my family matters?”
At that moment, Charles turned around and spoke in a chilling voice.
“Count Dietrian, remember this.”
“What now?”
“This was initiated by Count Dietrian.”
As soon as Charles finished speaking, he quickly turned and grabbed Karion's wrist. He then forcefully twisted it behind Karion's back and pushed him against a nearby tree.
Thud-.
Karion collided with the tree, leaves falling all around.
“……!”
Iana and the guards watched the scene in astonishment.
“Let go! Let go of me!”
Karion twisted his body in pain, but Charles twisted his wrist even harder.
“Count Dietrian, what you should be worried about now is not the war with the Rachels family.”
“Then should I worry about Your Grace's back?”
“Whether it was intentional or a mistake, you laid hands on a member of the royal family. That’s what you should fear the most.”
Karion growled and spat out in response to Charles's words.
“This is all because Your Grace unnecessarily interfered in my family matters.”
“Then you shouldn’t have acted so recklessly.”
Charles twisted Karion's arm even more.
“Ah!”
Karion screamed, looking as if he would die from frustration.
At the sound, the rabbit in Iana's arms burrowed deeper into her embrace in surprise.
After a long struggle, a weary Karion spoke up.
“Let go! No, please let go.”
“Apologize first.”
“……”
Even under Charles's firm command, Karion hesitated, unable to speak.
“It seems you haven’t reflected enough.”
As Charles prepared to twist his hand even harder, Karion hurriedly said,
“I-I’m sorry. I made the mistake of laying hands on Your Grace.”
Charles slowly released Karion's hand.
Karion grimaced and moved his wrist around.
“I hope you don’t repeat the same mistake again, Count Dietrian.”
Charles walked toward the inner palace, signaling Iana to follow him.
She quietly trailed behind him.
At that moment, Karion suddenly spoke up behind Charles.
“Your Grace, there’s something I forgot to mention.”
“……?”
Charles turned to look back.
“A significant guest is coming today, so I think you’ll need to clear the guest room.”
Karion smirked with a sly smile. But Charles, with a meaningful expression, said,
“Understood. We’ll leave as soon as we’re ready. But…”
“……”
“You must not say anything else later.”
“Of course not. I’m a bit busy, so I’ll take my leave here.”
Karion nodded arrogantly.
Charles politely asked Iana as if nothing had happened.
“Then, could you help the Countess prepare to leave?”
“Yes, I will, Your Grace.”
After finishing her words, Iana followed Charles.
At that moment,
Bang! Bang!
They heard the sound of something being smashed from behind.
When she turned around, she saw Karion wildly smashing the rabbit cage with a wooden stick.
‘Hopeless.’
Iana shook her head and hurried after Charles.
* * *
That afternoon, about twenty members of the Dietrian family gathered in Karion's office.
Bang!
An uncle slammed his fist on the table as he read the declaration of war.
“To think they would dare send a declaration of war over a breach of familial duty?”
A family man beside him asked.
“Should we report this to His Majesty the Emperor? Isn’t war between nobles strictly prohibited?”
“War is not allowed. However, if the Rachels family is willing to pay the war tax to wage war, that’s a serious matter.”
The uncle replied with a dark expression.
In the Rubena Empire, war between nobles was impossible. But there was one exception.
The war tax created by the current emperor.
If a war broke out between nobles, they could pay the war tax as a way to atone for their sins.
In reality, it was a system created to fill the royal treasury and strengthen the power of the great nobles loyal to the emperor.
The powerful great nobles could attack weaker nobles anytime they wanted as long as they paid the war tax.
Karion clenched his fists, looking as if he would explode with anger.
“It’s just a maid from the Rachels family. Isn’t it excessive to say that’s a breach of familial duty?”
“It’s extremely excessive. They’re picking a fight with us for no reason, and we must show them our strength.”
The people around him strongly agreed.
At that moment, Karion's cousin cautiously spoke up.
“However, there are some rumors…”
“Rumors? What about them?”
Karion pressed for an answer sharply.
“Why, nobles tend to distance themselves from families with a history of treason, not knowing where the sparks might fly. They took in that maid from the Rachels family with that burden…”
“……”
“Now that the maid has been taken in, the husband of the noble lady from that family has taken her as a mistress? It seems that alone has generated sympathy for the Countess. So, it’s understandable that the Marquis of Rachels is furious.”
“It's not like he officially made her a mistress. They just spent one night together, so why is everyone in an uproar?”
The uncle interrupted Karion's words and shouted.
“Why are you embarrassing the family by touching such a maid?”
“Uncle!”
Karion looked at him in shock.
The uncle spoke firmly.
“Divorce. You need to wrap this up with a divorce.”
“I should divorce, but I won’t do it in such a ridiculous manner under duress.”
Karion firmly refused.
His cousin beside him spoke with a dark expression.
“Then, are you really going to go to war? Honestly, while our family has the wealth and reputation, we are far outnumbered by the Rachels family.”
“Wait!”
At that moment, the uncle seemed to have a good idea and urgently asked.
“Karion, is Duke Ervin still here?”
“Yes, but he’ll be leaving for the palace soon.”
“Then we can ask Duke Ervin for help.”
Karion frowned at the uncle's words.
“What for?”
“To ask him to stay here for a while.”
“Excuse me? What does that mean…?”
“If Duke Ervin is here, the Rachels family won’t dare to attack.”
“That sounds good!”
The family members around them enthusiastically agreed, seeing it as a clever idea.
In that moment, Karion recalled Charles's words from the backyard.
“We’ll leave as soon as we’re ready. But, you must not say anything else later.”
‘Could it be that Duke Ervin anticipated this situation?’
“Since the Duke is leaving, it would be wise to look for other alternatives.”
Karion expressed his dislike but the uncle stood up abruptly.
“Then let’s try to persuade him. We need to buy ourselves some time to come up with a plan.”
* * *
At that moment, in the guest room where Charles was staying.
Iana and Charles were sitting on the sofa, talking.
“Do you really think the family members will come as Your Grace said?”
“Just wait and see. If there’s at least one sensible person among the Dietrian family, they will come to find me.”
Iana hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
“Your Grace, I appreciate your help earlier, but I hope you won’t do that again in the future.”
“I must respectfully decline that.”
Charles's attitude was firm.
“I’m worried that it might put you in a difficult situation because of me. I can handle my own matters…”
“Then should a woman watch a man get beaten? I was not raised that way.”
Creak-.
The door opened slightly, and a senior knight quietly said,
“People are coming!”
Iana quickly entered the connecting door to the guest room while holding Lou. She then slightly opened the door to observe the situation.
A moment later, the voice of the senior knight came from beyond the door.
“The Count has arrived.”
“Let him in.”
As the door opened, Karion and the members of the Dietrian family rushed in.
“You could have said your goodbyes later in front of the inner palace, so what’s going on?”
At Charles's words, the uncle lightly nudged Karion. Then Karion, with a grim expression, spoke up with difficulty.
“Your Grace, if it’s alright with you…”
“……”
“Could you stay at our estate for a few more days?”