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Chapter : 35
“Even if you don’t go that far….”
“I will.”
His attitude as he spoke, firmly holding her hand, was resolute. Really—so stubborn.
“…Do as you like.”
“Yes, I will.”
Perhaps even her reluctant consent made him happy; the broad smile on his face was a little annoying. Had Raiden always been this headstrong?
It felt unfamiliar and strange, since he had never strongly asserted himself about anything except work.
“Sleep well, Frea. I’ll be going now.”
“Thank you for today. Get home safely.”
He gave Frea, who was seeing him off, a gentle smile, slowly released her hand, and climbed into the carriage. Sitting down and opening the window, Raiden didn’t take his eyes off her.
‘…This is making me embarrassed for no reason.’
Soon the carriage departed, and after watching it fade into the distance, Frea went back into the mansion.
“Miss, you’re back? You came home early today.”
“There was something to take care of. Where are Father and Mother?”
“The marquis is in his study, and madam has retired to her room.”
Greta spoke as she took the coat Frea handed her. As Frea turned toward the stairs, Herman approached from the dining room.
“Welcome back, Miss. What would you like for dinner?”
“I’m not hungry. I have something to say to Father, so don’t let anyone disturb us.”
“…To the marquis, you mean?”
What could the young lady want to say? As Herman looked flustered, Frea sharpened her tone slightly.
“Why? Are you worried I might say something I shouldn’t?”
“N-no, not at all. It’s just that you usually don’t….”
He trailed off and avoided her gaze. It was only natural that her behavior seemed strange. Until now, she had never been the one to speak first to Marquis Valche about anything.
He never really listened to her or treated her seriously, so how could she have spoken? She had simply listened to what the marquis said and faithfully done what he ordered.
That was the attitude expected of the marquis’s daughter, the conduct she was supposed to show.
But now, it was different.
‘The deal is over, so there are no restrictions. I don’t need to cater to him anymore.’
For the sake of living independently, she no longer had to keep doing all the things she had accommodated until now. Having found a new path through Raiden and the Bethelheim ducal house, she no longer needed to be tied to Marquis Valche and this family.
“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything strange.”
If anything, it would be good news for Marquis Valche. He would finally be able to wield the “power” he had long yearned for, on par with the Vinok ducal house.
“Even if you hear loud voices, don’t come.”
“…Understood.”
It was a warning to stay put no matter what they overheard. After hesitating at Frea’s unusually sharp gaze, Hessman nodded.
Greta followed behind her as she went up the stairs. Watching Frea’s back, he swallowed hard.
‘It’s like last time. I can’t get used to seeing the young lady like that.’
Her posture was straight as always, but a firmer air than usual emanated from her. At her different demeanor, Hessman couldn’t hide his unease.
‘It feels like something big, something that’s never happened before, is about to occur.’
It seemed as though a fierce wind would soon blow through the once-peaceful marquisate because of Frea. He tried to calm his pounding heart.
Knock, knock—
“Father, it’s me.”
When Frea knocked on the door to Marquis Valche’s study, his voice came from inside a moment later.
“Come in.”
After signaling to Greta, she turned the handle and went in. As Frea approached the desk where Marquis Valche sat, he set down his pen and lifted his pipe.
“What brings you here? You’re back, yet you don’t go to your room.”
“There’s something I need to tell you. I accepted the engagement proposal from Duke Bethelheim on my own.”
“What did you say?”
The marquis, who had been blowing out smoke, froze and looked at her. Seeing her calm expression, he sprang to his feet and shouted.
“You…! How dare you! You accepted it on your own, ignoring me, the head of this house?!”
“I’m the one who was proposed to, not you, Father. The right to answer should belong to the person concerned.”
“Frea Valche!”
He shouted at her, then tried to suppress his anger as he spoke.
“Ha… How could you accept so easily? Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity this is, to just so casually—”
“You were planning to accept anyway, weren’t you? Or were you going to refuse? The father I know wouldn’t do that.”
“……”
“You might have agonized over it, but in the end you would have agreed to my engagement to the duke. Because it’s the best choice for you and for the family.”
To gain power, honor, and prestige even greater than that of Duke Vinok—that was what Marquis Valche had long desired.
Forming a marital tie with Bethelheim while currently hiding under Vinok’s shadow was practically the same as cutting off the ties he had built with Vinok so far. But having endured in silence all this time, he would surely see this engagement as an opportunity.
Even if his relationship with Duke Vinok collapsed, he would have a new power to stand beside—the Bethelheim ducal house. If they became in-laws, even as betrothed families, the influence of the ducal house would soon become the strength of the marquisate.
And that strength would become the marquis’s own power. There was no way he would let such a chance slip by.
‘If you thought I knew nothing, you were gravely mistaken.’
Frea knew better than anyone the inferiority complex Marquis Valche harbored toward Duke Vinok and his house.
He was always saying things like, “Someday our marquisate will surpass the Vinok ducal house,” or “If I can beat Frederick, I’ll do anything.” How could she not know?
‘You probably wanted to drag this out, squeeze as much as possible out of Bethelheim, and create a more favorable situation. But I won’t do you that favor.’
She had no intention of handing over the initiative of this engagement to a man who saw his daughter as nothing more than a tool to satisfy his lust for power.
Having long since passed the age of majority, she herself was the one who would be the principal party to this engagement.
Frea gazed steadily at Marquis Valche, whose face had twisted. Seeing him clench his fist as if he might throw the pipe at any moment, she spoke again.
“But I’m a little surprised. I never thought you’d be so ready to cut ties with Duke Vinok.”
“……”
“You’ve been wanting to vent all the resentment you’ve held back, haven’t you?”
He flinched at her words, then scowled even more as he replied.
“Of course I have. Do you know what I’ve suffered because of Frederick? If we form ties with Bethelheim, I’ll finally be able to stand against that brat and the Vinok ducal house on equal footing.”
“I’m sure. You might even surpass them.”
“I will surpass them. Now is the time. I will—absolutely make it happen.”
The eyes of Marquis Valche, which had been blazing with excitement, gradually grew calmer, but this time they glittered with swelling greed. Watching him get carried away on his own, Frea curled her lips and said,
“You’re expecting so much—what a shame. That plan of yours will never come true.”
“…What did you say?”
At that moment, as he brought the pipe back to his mouth, his face twisted once more.
“What do you mean by that?”
“If the duke and I become engaged, you and our family will indeed be able to wield influence with the ducal house backing you.”
As the prospective in-law family of Bethelheim, considered the greatest among noble houses, their status and power would likely become very different from what they were now.
They might stand shoulder to shoulder with the Vinok ducal house, comparable to Bethelheim—or perhaps wield even greater influence.
“But that’s all. Don’t order me to use the ducal house’s power for you or for this family.”
She intended to use her engagement to Raiden to secure her independence, but she had no intention of stepping forward for Marquis Valche or the family.
“Why not? Even as a prospective daughter-in-law, you’re practically part of the ducal house. Not using that power would be a waste.”
“I don’t think it’s a waste at all. I won’t interfere with whatever you do using the ducal house’s power. Just don’t drag me into your ambitions.”
“Frea!”
Marquis Valche raised his voice once more. Right now, he couldn’t understand what his daughter was thinking.
To say she wouldn’t use an opportunity that had fallen into their laps like a gift from heaven—did she really not know how foolish that was?
Frustration deepened, and his face twisted even more.
