“Your Highness the Grand Duke, if it’s alright with you, could you stay at our castle for a few more days?”
Iana, who had been observing the situation during the interim visit, wore a look of surprise.
‘It’s going as the Grand Duke said.’
She immediately turned her gaze to Charles, curious about how he would respond.
However, Charles’s expression remained the same as always.
“Didn’t you say an important guest would be using this room?”
“That is…”
As Karion hesitated for a moment, his uncle spoke up first.
“Is there anyone more important than Your Highness the Grand Duke? There is no such person.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s embarrassing, but there’s been a bit of a dispute between our families… So I was hoping to seek advice from Your Highness the Grand Duke, who has ample experience in war.”
At that moment, Charles silently turned his back and looked out the window.
“…?”
His sudden action caused Karion and the people of the Dietrian family to exchange puzzled glances and whispers.
Slowly, even the murmurs faded away.
An uncomfortable silence followed, like walking on thin ice.
But Charles remained silent.
Unable to bear the tension any longer, his uncle shot another glance at Karion.
Under his uncle’s urging, Karion forced himself to speak.
“Your Highness the Grand Duke…”
“Count Dietrian.”
Charles called out in a low voice, hands clasped behind his back. Karion gritted his teeth, trying to suppress his anger, and offered an apology.
“I was a bit reckless earlier.”
“Reckless, you say?”
The people of the Dietrian family murmured, unaware of the situation in the backyard.
“Count Dietrian.”
Charles called out to Karion again, but Karion continued to speak.
“So please, calm your anger…”
Charles cut off Karion’s words with a chilling voice.
“Even when using people, manners are necessary.”
Seeing that things were getting out of hand, his uncle stepped forward to speak.
“Y-Your Highness, using you? What do you mean by that…”
“How dare you!”
In that moment, Charles shouted sharply and slowly turned around.
“Are you trying to use me in the conflict between the two families?”
Charles’s eyes were straight and deep.
A gaze that pierced deeply into the hearts of men, like that of a judge.
The people of the Dietrian family, overwhelmed by Charles’s imposing presence, all wore frightened expressions.
But Karion alone glared at Charles with a face full of suppressed anger.
Charles approached the Dietrian family members with slow steps.
Standing with the sunlight behind him, Charles’s shadow stretched long, like a massive and absolute being.
As he drew closer and looked down at them, he asked,
“Do you think that if I stay here, the Lecels family won’t attack?”
“…!”
Karion and the Dietrian family members were left speechless, as if struck at their core.
Iana thought as she watched Charles.
‘The Grand Duke was accurately aware of the situation. He knew how the Dietrian family would act…’
Charles read the unfolding situation and accurately predicted the actions of his opponents.
It seemed he was responding in the very manner they feared the most, down to his gait and gaze.
“Y-You’re saying you want to use the Grand Duke? We were merely asking for your help…”
His uncle tried to deny it and make excuses.
Charles’s gaze turned to Karion.
“Count Dietrian, I’m sure I warned you not to speak nonsense in the backyard.”
“That’s!”
As Karion couldn’t hold back his anger and tried to argue, his experienced uncle bowed deeply.
“I apologize. We were in a hurry and unintentionally made Your Highness uncomfortable.”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
Seeing his uncle’s demeanor, the Dietrian family members began to bow their heads one by one.
Only one person.
Karion stood tall, staring at Charles.
“Does Count Dietrian have no feelings of remorse towards me?”
At Charles’s words, the uncle, who had been bowing his head, pulled Karion’s hand.
“Karion! Do you know whose fault this is?”
“…”
Karion, who had been holding out, slowly bent at the waist, almost folding in half.
His clenched fists trembled slightly.
Though Iana couldn’t see Karion’s face, the humiliation was conveyed through his tightly clenched hands.
All the Dietrian family members bowed their heads towards Charles.
“Very well. I will accept your sincerity and stay here for a few days.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
The Dietrian family members straightened their backs, pleased.
At that moment, Charles suddenly spoke up.
“However, let me make one thing clear.”
“…?”
“This is, after all, because you asked me to stay.”
At Charles’s words, his uncle replied happily.
“Of course! We will do our utmost to ensure that Your Highness does not get embroiled in the conflict between the two families.”
Iana quietly watched Charles through the crack in the door.
‘He subdued them without using force.’
The power to read people’s hearts.
Charles, who read the unfolding situation and predicted the actions of others, felt truly remarkable.
Just then.
Achoo-!
Roo, who had been sleeping, suddenly woke up and sneezed loudly, shaking his droopy ears.
Immediately, Karion turned to look at the middle door.
‘Oh no!’
Iana quickly pressed herself against the wall in surprise.
“Did you hear something…?”
As Karion spoke, Charles naturally changed the subject.
“We don’t have time. I’ve sent the declaration of war, so the Lecels family will be arriving soon.”
“Is that so?”
His uncle replied with a worried expression.
“Quickly send a messenger to the Lecels family, saying that I am currently staying at the Dietrian castle.”
Charles issued orders like a commander who had fought many wars.
“Thank you, Your Highness. Then we will take our leave.”
A moment later, the sound of the Dietrian family members leaving echoed, and the door closed.
“Ha…!”
Iana finally relaxed and let out a big sigh. Then she looked at Roo and scolded him.
“Roo, you almost got us caught.”
Achoo-!
Roo shook his ears again and sneezed right in Iana’s face.
Roo’s saliva and snot dampened Iana’s face.
“Roo is being quite rude to you.”
Charles, who had approached the middle door, picked up Roo and took a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her.
Iana wiped her face with the handkerchief and asked,
“By the way, how did you know? I mean, how people would move.”
“That’s my job.”
Charles replied as he set Roo down on the floor.
Bouncing.
Roo happily jumped around the guest room.
Watching Roo with a fond smile, Charles continued.
“The position of a lord requires one to read the hearts of people.”
“…”
“When disputes arise among the residents, one must mediate and find a compromise, so one must constantly observe the hearts of people.”
Iana thought for a moment and then mustered her courage to speak.
“I want to learn too…”
“…?”
“The ability to read people’s hearts, like Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
* * *
After leaving the guest room, Iana entrusted Roo to Vera and headed to her own room. As she walked, she recalled what Charles had said.
“Given Count Dietrian’s temperament, if persuasion fails, he will try to see it through to the end.”
“So what should I do?”
“Leave room for negotiation. Allow for the possibility that he might give up halfway without pushing to the very end.”
Iana paused for a moment in front of her door, deep in thought.
With a sudden burst, she opened the door, and as expected, Karion was lounging on the sofa.
For a moment, their gazes locked sharply.
Karion asked in a sharp voice,
“Where have you been?”
“Why? Were you worried I might tell our brother that you tried to hit me?”
“What?”
As Karion was about to get angry, Iana sat down in the opposite chair and spoke gently.
“Karion, when our brother sent a declaration of war, it means he has no intention of backing down.”
“So you want me to become a man who divorces just a month after the wedding? I can’t do that.”
Iana thought as she watched Karion speak so resolutely.
The reason Karion was so adamant against divorce.
It wasn’t just his pride and possessiveness over her.
‘It must be because of the purpose of this marriage that Karion so desperately wanted.’
“If we quietly divorce now…”
Karion cut off Iana’s words.
“I’ve told you several times that I won’t divorce!”
“I will divorce, but we can maintain the military alliance with the Lecels family.”
“What?”
Karion’s eyes wavered. Then, with a face that showed he couldn’t understand, he asked,
“If you’re going to maintain the alliance, then why would you want a divorce?”
“Because I don’t like you.”
“What, you don’t like me?”
Iana continued as if ignoring him.
“From now on, you have two choices. Either maintain the alliance with the Lecels family and divorce, or go to war against the magic legion…”
“…”
“There are no other options.”
“Iana!”
At her words, Karion jumped up from his seat and shouted.
Knock knock.
At that moment, there was a hurried knock on the door, and the voice of a guard could be heard.
“Count, the Lecels family’s magic legion is approaching the outer castle of the territory.”