MTEF 37

Chapter 37

The door to the reception room closed quietly.

Now, only the three of them remained inside, without a single servant present.

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Before Ronin had even taken his seat, Richard casually removed his coat and draped it over the back of a chair. Every movement radiated composure. No matter how one looked at him, he did not resemble someone who had just walked into the heart of enemy territory.

Without realizing it, Ronin touched the back of his neck. Suddenly, it felt difficult to breathe, and once he became aware of it, the suffocating tightness became impossible to ignore.

Thud.

At that moment, Calion reached out a hand toward Ronin.

He was offering to take his coat.

Caught off guard, Ronin reacted a beat too late.

“Ah… thank you.”

Richard’s gaze refused to leave Calion’s fingertips.

Despite the blatant scrutiny, Calion showed not the slightest sign of discomfort.

With unhurried movements, he neatly arranged both Ronin’s coat and his own before personally preparing tea and liquor.

A bottle of the North’s strong liquor was placed before Richard, while warm tea was served to Calion and Ronin.

Richard stared at the liquor for a moment before his expression changed in an instant.

“So this is the famous Northern Nyum? The drink they say can knock out a grown man after just three cups.”

Wearing a picture-perfect smile, Richard emptied the liquor in one gulp.

Ronin unconsciously frowned before quickly smoothing his expression.

“It seems the liquor suits your taste.”

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy it, but I certainly don’t mind drinking it. Won’t Your Grace have a taste as well? I doubt I could match Your Grace’s capacity, but I thought I might at least keep you company.”

“I’ll save that pleasure for another occasion. Marquis, there is something I’d like to ask regarding what you said earlier…”

Richard continued speaking, the smile never leaving his face.

“His Majesty desired only one thing from this marriage—that our Empire would grow even stronger. To honor His Majesty’s noble will, House Alistair gladly accepted this union. I imagine Your Grace shares the same sentiment as House Alistair.”

“…”

“However, circumstances have changed somewhat.”

“Changed… you say?”

Richard slowly nodded.

“As you know, a new child was recently born into my family. The infant is still only a newborn, but should that child awaken as an Omega…”

He deliberately let his words trail off.

No further explanation was necessary.

His meaning was obvious.

This marriage was no longer necessary.

At Richard’s words, Ronin held his breath.

If he didn’t suppress himself now, it felt as though every emotion bottled inside him would spill out.

He had already heard several days ago that his half-sibling had been born.

The baby’s secondary gender remained unknown.

There was no need to rush.

At least, that was what he had believed.

Father is prepared to abandon me… based solely on the possibility that my sibling might become an Omega…

Ronin lowered his eyes to his own hands.

His fingers, gripping the teacup as though searching for something to hold onto, looked pitiful.

He slowly steadied his breathing.

Not yet. That’s right… it’s still too soon. There’s still room to talk with Father.

Besides, jealousy was considered one of the gravest moral failings.

If his father discovered that he couldn’t even control his own emotions, the moment he was discarded would surely come much sooner.

While Ronin struggled to contain his anxiety, Calion’s gaze never left him.

He’s barely holding himself together, but he’s wavering.

It was obvious who was shaking Ronin Alistair.

Richard Alistair… Is this also part of an act?

The chances seemed slim.

Even before leaving for the North, something had felt strange during the conversations between Ronin Alistair and Richard Alistair.

Apparently, they were far from an ordinary father and son.

Even so, there’s no reason for me to help him.

They weren’t close enough for that.

There was always the possibility that the two were deliberately pretending to be at odds.

Besides, perhaps Richard Alistair truly wants this divorce.

As Richard himself had said, this marriage had been arranged according to the Emperor’s will.

Even if a new Alistair had been born, it was still nothing more than a possibility.

That alone was insufficient reason to defy the Emperor’s wishes.

I don’t know what you’re planning, Richard Alistair, but I have no intention of letting things proceed according to your design.

Calion finally spoke.

“In that case…”

That brief introduction alone drew both men’s eyes toward him.

Meeting each of their gazes in turn, Calion continued,

“Marquis, are you saying that you now believe this marriage to be unnecessary?”

“Regrettably, that is correct. And what is Your Grace’s opinion? In truth, that is precisely why I came all the way here.”

Richard’s eyes locked onto Calion’s face.

They searched carefully for even the smallest clue.

“His Majesty wanted nothing more than legitimacy and stability. We wanted the same. If that need has now been fulfilled, there is no reason for either side to continue binding the other.”

Despite his words, his expression and voice remained remarkably persuasive.

Calion picked up his teacup once more.

This time, however, he simply set it back down without taking a sip.

“I understand your position, Marquis.”

Ronin’s gaze immediately wavered.

His eyes, fixed on Calion, darted toward his father before returning again.

In a steady voice, Calion firmly declared his own stance.

“However, I believe more time is required before such a judgment can be made.”

For a fleeting moment, interest flickered across Richard’s face.

Then he once again assumed a look of troubled concern and spoke with practiced sincerity.

“More time… Ronin has already remained in Your Grace’s territory for four months.”

Richard turned his gaze toward Ronin.

“And yet, not a single rumor has reached us that this child has made any contribution to the North. As a citizen who dreams of a stronger Empire, and as a noble charged with serving His Majesty, what could be more embarrassing than this? Though I am his father, I still possess a sense of shame. I cannot ask for even more time simply for the sake of my own child.”

Ronin couldn’t bring himself to look up.

Every single word Richard spoke pierced straight through him.

But Richard had no intention of allowing Ronin to retreat.

“Ronin.”

At the sound of his name, Ronin forced himself to raise his head.

Richard looked directly into the eyes of both his son and his prey.

“Did you ever say that you wanted this marriage?”

“I…”

Then why have you accomplished nothing more than this?

The unspoken accusation wrapped tightly around Ronin’s throat.

“I…”

He tried to speak once again.

And once again, he failed.

Anything he said would only sound like an excuse.

Richard did not press him any further.

Instead, he turned his attention back to Calion.

“Your Grace, if I have been discourteous, then I sincerely apologize. However, I raised this unpleasant subject for the sake of protecting all of us.”

Calion quietly nodded.

It was not because he agreed with Richard’s words.

But at that moment, one thing became perfectly clear.

Richard Alistair and Ronin Alistair do not share the same intentions.

Calion looked at Ronin Alistair’s pale, bloodless face.

If that expression was an act, then Ronin Alistair belonged not in the North—

but on the stages of the capital’s grand theaters.