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Chapter 36
After finishing his training, Alexis snatched the cookie from Elia’s hand and popped it straight into his mouth.
“Tastes good.”
“Shall I give you another?”
“If you don’t mind feeding it to me yourself? I’ve always wanted to try that.”
Elia chuckled softly and placed another cookie in Alexis’s mouth.
“Delicious.”
“Lady Elia, give me a bite too!”
Dmitri approached with his mouth wide open.
“Dmitri, that big mouth of yours is a threat to Elia.”
“Eh, that’s not…”
“The only one who gets Elia’s touch is me, her father.”
“Wow, so you’re openly calling yourself her father now?”
“Of course. Elia is my adorable daughter, after all.”
Dmitri gazed at Elia and Alexis with an envious look.
“Ugh, I swear I’ll get married soon and have a daughter of my own.”
Sadly, Dmitri was still a bachelor.
In fact, not just Dmitri—all the Iron Eagle knights were single men.
It was, without exaggeration, a complete disaster.
Surprisingly, the only ones in the ducal household with any semblance of romance were Felix and Jasper.
[Looks like they really do nothing but fight.]
‘Seems like it.’
Such battle-crazed fools.
‘They won’t all stay single forever, right?’
[Things might be different this time.]
After all, in the past, many of them had died at Elia’s hands.
‘This time will be different.’
She dearly hoped so.
* * *
Grand Duchess Christina had been in a foul mood lately. She could sense that things were unraveling. Even the emperor’s attitude had shifted.
“Emma, any news from the Cartellani dukedom yet?”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
“If you’ve been unable to dig anything up, there must be a reason.”
“It seems someone is deliberately interfering with information.”
“Interfering?”
“Yes. When I tried to learn more about the duke’s adopted child, not a single person seemed to know anything.”
“No one knows?”
“If no one knows, then you should have bribed or planted someone in the household to find out.”
“I attempted to bribe them, but it didn’t work.”
“What?”
“They grew angry instead when I offered them money.”
Emma had selected servants of the dukedom who looked like they could use money and tried to bribe them.
But all she got in return was a cold rejection.
“They all said, with one voice, that they would never harm the household.”
“Such loyalty.”
“It seems so.”
“And the matter of planting spies?”
“I tried several times, but every single one was discovered and expelled.”
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
Emma bowed her head with a troubled look.
“There must be a skilled person within the household capable of rooting out spies.”
As she trimmed the flowers in a vase, Grand Duchess Christina casually snipped off the head of a rose with her scissors.
“So, this is what it means to be a duke’s house…”
“I apologize, Your Grace.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Emma. Instead…”
Her eyes gleamed like a viper’s.
“This isn’t something we can just let slide.”
Emma prostrated herself on the floor.
“I’ll accept any punishment.”
The grand duchess smiled sweetly while holding the scissors, then suddenly seized Emma’s hair and lopped off a handful.
Holding the cut strands, Christina gripped Emma’s chin and forced her to meet her gaze.
“Emma, next time it won’t end with just your hair. If spies and bribes don’t work, then kidnap them. Torture always yields results—no one can withstand it forever.”
“I… I understand, Your Grace.”
Christina released her chin with a dismissive flick and turned away.
“You may leave.”
Emma nodded quickly and hurried out of the palace.
Unbeknownst to her, someone had been secretly watching and now slipped away into hiding.
* * *
Elia received a letter from Lapis.
“Hm, looks like the grand duchess is very curious about me.”
She had already noticed several people sent to poke around the dukedom, only for Norman and Meryl to drive them out.
[They couldn’t even buy anyone off with money? The loyalty of this household’s people is impressive.]
‘It really is.’
Someone had once tried bribing a few maids, but they all reported it to Norman instead. Norman had even helped the struggling maids financially afterward, encouraging them to always speak up about such things.
People naturally pledge loyalty to those who genuinely care for them. Masters who consider even their servants are rare.
Of course, there are always traitors in the world—but not in this household. They supported and relied on one another like family.
‘So, she might try kidnapping next?’
When persuasion fails, the whip usually follows.
The plan was obvious: abduct and torture the servants to get information.
The problem was not knowing who would be taken, or when.
Another thorny issue to solve.
‘I can’t protect everyone.’
But she could prepare.
Smiling faintly, Elia folded the letter and tucked it into her drawer, then activated her communication orb to speak with Lapis.
-What is it, young lady?
“I need a favor.”
-Name it.
“Get me a large supply of valerian root.”
-Just the root?
“Yes, that’s all I need.”
-What do you plan to make this time?
“A defensive sleeping powder.”
-An excellent idea. I’ll have it sent right away.
“Thanks, Uncle.”
-Think nothing of it.
After ending the call, Elia immediately went to see Felix.
He was busy brewing more potions for the Black Pearl trading company’s additional requests, with Jasper diligently assisting him.
“Young lady?”
“Uncle, we’ll soon be receiving valerian root here. Please store it.”
“Valerian root?”
“Yes, I’m going to make something.”
“Understood.”
“And here—take this.”
Elia handed him a check.
“What’s this?”
“Payment for all the hard work you’ve been doing making medicine.”
Felix’s eyes went wide at the sight.
“One thousand gold?!”
“Yes, a thousand.”
“This is such a huge amount…”
“The medicines you’ve made keep selling, and the profits are piling up. They say the capital is in a frenzy over it right now.”
“Really, to that extent?”
Lapis had mentioned that they couldn’t keep up with demand.
“That’s why I decided to reduce the supply.”
“Reduce it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Obviously, to sell at a higher price.”
If supply shrinks, demand will only grow more desperate. People will pay extra just to get their hands on it.
“You’ll make a fortune.”
“Exactly. That way, I can pour money into your research, give the duke more pocket money, and pull the household out of poverty!”
Felix’s eyes sparkled at the thought of increased research funds.
Two birds with one stone—it couldn’t be better.
“I’ll make sure to keep the valerian root safe.”
“Thanks, Uncle. I’ll leave it to you.”
Leaving his lab, Elia returned to the mansion. She ran into Alexis, who seized the chance to lead her into his office.
“Elia, I’ll be going to the capital tomorrow.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. I’ll probably be gone for several days.”
It was a long journey. Which meant she and Alexis would be apart.
“Will you miss me?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“That hurts. I was hoping you’d say you’d miss me.”
To be honest, saying she wouldn’t miss him was a lie.
But if she said she was fine, Alexis could leave with peace of mind. So she hid her feelings.
Maybe it was habit—she was always saying she was fine. Even when she secretly wished someone would notice her real feelings, she knew what reactions to expect, so she’d hold back.
“Actually, I will miss you. A little. But I thought I should say I’m fine.”
For once, she confessed her true feelings. She wondered how he’d react.
“Elia, I’ll miss you too. I hate the thought of leaving you behind.”
Alexis pulled her into a tight embrace.
How could someone not bound by blood shower her with such blind affection?
Even blood siblings turn against each other and kill—but Alexis, and everyone in this dukedom, were different.
Or maybe it was just that Elia had grown up in a harsh, loveless world.
“I’d take you with me if I could, but the capital is dangerous.”
He had no allies there. And Elia didn’t want to become a burden. The capital was still far too dangerous.
