Chapter 7
At the same time that Idel fell into a deep sleep, the oil lamp was still burning in Laszlo's bedroom.
"This is annoying."
Although his chest was exposed through the loosely tied robe, he did not feel cold because he was lost in thoughts about the weary captive he was suddenly burdened with.
“Edel Lancaster…”
The first time he saw her, the daughter of the infamous Count Canyon and soon to become the second wife of the Duke of Lancaster, was two years ago.
Laszlo still remembers that day clearly.
—
"How are you, Count Crisis? Isn't the Imperial Banquet a magnificent sight?"
A victory feast to celebrate the end of the final war of conquest and the establishment of the empire's borders.
The grand banquet hall in the Imperial Palace was so dazzling that it was painful to the eyes, and so crowded that it was difficult to think properly.
Emperor Demarcus, who had decided oddly to make him the center of attention, called him “Count Crises” in a sarcastic tone, as if to annoy him.
"Good."
Laszlo stifled another sigh and answered nonchalantly.
For him, the bright and noisy Imperial Palace was far less beautiful than the sight of a field beneath a carpet of stars.
Furthermore, the people here were not friendly towards him either.
"Is this the mercenary who was accounted for this time?"
“Yes, I heard. Just thinking about him trying to reconcile us makes me feel sick.”
“What is His Majesty the Emperor thinking about the face of the Creator of the Earth? Really.”
People despised him without making much effort to hide it. But Laszlo despised them just as much.
'These people are as vulgar as they always have been.'
He could not tell whether the nausea he felt was due to the mixed scents of the different perfumes or the malice of the nobles.
Having accurately predicted this situation, DeMarcus remained rude.
"Is it difficult to tolerate? These people aren't very important to you, are they?"
“Nothing here holds any importance for me.”
“Hmm. That’s something we’ll have to see in the future.”
He had no desire to become a nobleman, not even a little, but the cunning and shrewd Emperor Demarcus persuaded him in a way that made it impossible to refuse.
He shouldn't have made a deal with such a cunning man in the first place.
'I should have curbed my greed for money.'
Naturally, even this greed for money was not for Laszlo's own sake.
This was simply to ensure that his younger sister, Linnea, could marry into a better family and have a strong support system. People envied Laszlo, who had suddenly become a nobleman and incredibly wealthy, but he didn't welcome it. It was clear how he would treat commoners and former mercenaries turned noble.
It was also clear how his sister would be treated in the marriage market by nobles.
"the curse…"
Thinking about it made him even angrier.
Laszlo deliberately clicked his tongue loudly so that Demarcus could hear him, but he continued to perform his role as the emperor's guard by carefully scanning his surroundings.
What kind of conversations were taking place behind the flapping propellers? The guards were all at their posts. These people had a very sinister look in their eyes…
As these thoughts raced through his mind, his gaze suddenly stopped on a particular corner of the banquet hall.
"What is that woman's name again?"
Although she didn't cause as much of a stir as him, she has been the subject of discussion recently.
“They said she’s the Duke of Lancaster’s new wife. She’s much younger than I thought. I know the marriage business in these circles, but…”
The daughter of Count Canyon, who would become the wife of the Duke of Lancaster, who was over sixty years old, looked to be in her early twenties at most.
It was understandable that the opportunistic Count Canyon would be desperate to forge ties with one of the Four Great Families. But it was unfortunate that the Duke of Lancaster, who had children and long-standing mistresses, and who represented the faction of the old-style nobility, would accept this marriage.
'No matter how much he prefers young, beautiful women, marrying a girl young enough to be his daughter is simply senile.'
On the other hand, they seemed like a perfect marriage. If she truly hated being married to an old man, she would have run away. The fact that she was standing there smiling meant that, like her father, she had traded her beauty and youth for power.
It was somewhat surprising to hear that she was praised for being a “perfect noblewoman” in appearance, character, and morals, but upon reflection, that is probably a rumor spread by her father.
'That obedient and gorgeous face must also be the result of careful calculations. With a father like Dustin Canyon, it's hard to imagine the daughter being any different.'
But it was hard to deny that she was beautiful.
Her pure blonde hair, her smooth white skin, and her deep green eyes that reminded us of a dense forest were captivating.
Although she possessed typical social beauty, there was something about her that subtly drew attention, making it difficult to describe her as merely “typical.”
Despite knowing about the whispers about her being sold as a young wife to an aging duke, she maintained a calm smile, an upright posture, and an elegance that seemed almost natural and experienced.
'She's my complete opposite.'
It was difficult to determine exactly what the opposite was right away, but at that moment, it seemed that way.
'Well, it's not like we'll ever exchange words.'
So he had to look away. But strangely, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Perhaps it was because the Count of Canyon and the Duke of Lancaster were standing by her side, or perhaps it was the faint sadness that seemed to emanate from her.
“…László.”
“…”
"Hmm. Unexpected."
Demarcus's voice calling him snapped Laszlo out of his thoughts, and he realized too late that the emperor was speaking to him.
"Did you call me, Your Majesty?"
"Idyll Canyon. Did you hear it's going to be Idyll Lancaster soon?"
Laszlo felt a shiver run down his spine when DeMarcus precisely located the spot where he was looking.
“I was looking after the Duke of Lancaster as per your instructions, Your Majesty.”
“Tsk. Another beautiful young woman has been sacrificed for her father’s greed.”
DeMarcus clicked his tongue, seemingly unconcerned with Laszlo's excuse.
Laszlo did not expect him to continue with some meaningless chatter, but unexpectedly, he stopped and moved on to another topic.
—
Why has something he didn't give much thought to two years ago come up again now?
“True, it is impossible that the Emperor would rescue her and bring her here just for me. The Emperor’s gift of the Lancastrian women as spoils of war had another purpose.”
It was certainly a warning to their enemies.
However, Laszlo still felt uneasy, and he clearly remembered Demarkus's look as he looked at him.
“László. Don’t you need a woman?”
Laszlo did not miss the cheerful tone in those words.
"Damn it, that cunning bastard! What exactly is he after?"
In this situation, he couldn't say he didn't need her. It was unsettling to hand over the survivor of the Duchy of Lancaster to just anyone, and if he didn't take her, the future she would face would be unimaginably horrific.
No, given the way she was in the carriage coming to the palace, it was more likely that she would have killed herself before ending up in such a situation.
“As proud as she was to have lived as a duchess, she would rather die than become a slave.”
Laszlo despised such pride in the nobility.
Having grown up witnessing all kinds of death and survival and constantly escaping from the killing fields, the nobles’ idea of “death rather than living in disgrace” seemed weak and cowardly to him.
However, there was room for some sympathy for Idel.
“It is clear that the Duke’s family did not accept her despite her ambitions. If that were not the case, she would not have been left alone in the ducal castle when everyone else had fled.”
Especially since the place she escaped to was just a storage room on the top floor.
She may have been completely unaware of the Duke's family's rebellion plans. Even if she had known, there might have been no way for her to intervene.
On the other hand, Count Canyon was aware of the plans for rebellion. He defended himself pathetically, claiming he had merely been used, but neither the Emperor nor Laszlo believed him.
However, to obtain crucial information to strike at the Duke's family, they had no choice but to make a deal with him, and Edel was not part of that deal. Count Canyon did not beg for his daughter Edel's life; instead, he severed all ties with her.
“The truly wicked are people like him. That woman must have been foolishly believing only in her father.”
Laszlo had that in mind when he brought Edel, realizing it would be troublesome.
It was also true that the maids continued to resign because of Linnea's thorny problem.
“A woman who was once a duchess will find it very difficult to live as a maid. There may be conflicts with other maids.”
He knew that. But there was no other position he could offer her. And he was under no obligation to treat her specially.
If Adele cannot break free from her past as a duchess, she will undoubtedly face worse. If she accepts reality, she can live a life that isn't so bad.