C137
"Brother...!"
Liena thought her heart would collapse at the sudden appearance of her brother.
"Why is my brother here? What about the territory?"
"Why else? I came to persuade you."
Leandro responded with a confused expression.
"My father asked for it. Maybe you'll listen. I heard you haven't seen our father or Leheim recently and haven't responded to their letters."
"Because those two only oppose my actions. They also said that creating a new business would definitely be impossible."
"... Anyway, let's go home and talk. Although they are lovers, you shouldn't stay too long in His Highness Mikhail's palace."
"Yes, if my brother Leandro promises to persuade both of them, I might return."
"That won't work. Honestly, I'm against it too."
A fine wrinkle appeared between Leandro's brows.
"Public opinion isn't very good either. It's only been a few months since the unfortunate incident happened. Do you really need to establish a new guild right now?"
"I can manage public opinion well."
"It may work for now, but I can't guarantee it will last."
"Fine. If you keep acting like this, I won't talk to you!"
"Liena."
"... My brother has changed too. In the past, you used to say, \"Don't worry about what others think, and do what you want!\""
Like Duke Cassius and Leheim, Leandro had also changed.
"Why is everyone changing suddenly?"
Is it really because Cassius is descended from a demon that divine power doesn't work?
Leandro looked at Liena with pity and then spoke with a resigned voice.
"That's it. As expected, my persuasion didn't work either. Rather, explain what I heard earlier. What do you mean by saying I got married because of you?"
"What? Well, you must have misheard."
"I heard it clearly. Before that, what did you mean by reward and living a comfortable life?"
"It was nothing. I said it like that because I was the one who brought together my older brother and sister-in-law."
Liena did her best to defend herself, thinking that she couldn't get away with it at all.
"Indeed, the atmosphere was a bit strange."
However, Leandro looked alternately at Liena and Ethel with suspicious eyes.
"What is your relationship with Ethel? Is there something between you two that I don't know?"
"It's not like that! It's just that my sister-in-law holds a grudge against me for the divorce and interferes with everything..."
"Alright, enough of the nonsense."
Ethel, who had been observing the siblings' discussion on the other side of the river the day before yesterday, spoke up.
"It's been a while, Leandro."
"Yes... Viscountess Lucibiu."
"Oh, you no longer call me wife. Have you finally realized that we are divorced?"
"... After going down to the territory and being away from my family, I had a lot of time to look back."
Leandro's eyes looked helpless as they glanced downward.
"It's too late, but I can finally face my mistakes. If it's alright with you, I would like to visit to apologize formally."
"..."
Ethel remained silent for a moment at the unexpected words.
A fresh breeze passed by her side.
It was a late autumn wind that found no warmth, much like the relationship between two people who were now strangers.
"There's quite a wind."
At that moment, Terence took off his coat and wrapped it over Ethel's shoulders.
"It's okay because I have a cloak."
"Even so."
"Terence will feel cold."
"I can't help it. One of my charms is a healthy, disease-free body."
"Is that so?"
A smile appeared on Ethel's face as if she couldn't resist.
"..."
Liena was behind Leandro, so there was no way to know what kind of expression she was making while watching the two people.
Ethel, wearing the prince's coat over her cloak, looked at Leandro and opened her mouth.
"It's okay. I'll give you the chance to apologize. Please arrange a meeting and come back later."
"Thank you."
"I'll let you know then. What is the relationship between the Duke Cassius's younger sister and me?"
"What?"
Ethel smiled proudly at Liena, who was surprised, and then walked away.
"So, goodbye."
After a while, the carriage carrying Ethel and Prince Terence left Duke Luciano's residence.
Liena's body trembled. Are you going to tell Leandro everything?
"No. That can't be possible."
It was clear that it was a lie intended to upset her.
Talking about the past of the two couldn't leave out the fact that Liena returned and her past life's story.
As much as Leandro suspected the story he had just heard, he wasn't pure enough to believe such an absurd tale, and Ethel knew it well.
So, this was just a superficial move to provoke Liena. She is sure of it...
"I'm anxious!"
As Cassius and Roland had already changed their attitude towards Liena, it was challenging for her to calm her anxiety.
At that moment, Leandro, who had been following the direction where the carriage had disappeared, grabbed Liena's arm.
"Let's go home too."
"No, I don't want to! Why should I?"
"How long are you going to stay in the imperial palace? The three of us are waiting for you to come back."
Those words shook Liena.
The main reason she decided to stay in the imperial palace was to appease Ethel, who was in the annex.
However, now that it's clear Ethel is the enemy, the original purpose has disappeared.
But the reason she hadn't left the imperial palace until now was because she hoped Duke Cassius and Leheim would deeply regret and no longer oppose Liena's actions.
"But I don't think now is the time."
Liena looked at Leandro, who was staring at her with stern eyes.
He didn't seem to have any intention of bowing to Liena first.
Duke Cassius and Leheim, who sent Leandro, were probably no different.
"Well. For now, let's go home and then use the blessing to turn them back into my old father and brothers."
Even if demon blood stands in her way, if she takes her time and tries constantly as in the past, it will definitely work.
"... Well. If my brother really wishes it, I will go home after the banquet..."
It was when Liena pretended not to win and said she would follow Cassius to his house in the city.
"What are you doing?!"
Mikhail jumped out of the newly arrived imperial carriage with an angry voice.
"Mikhail!"
"Liena, I'm sorry. I'm very late."
Originally scheduled to attend the banquet with Liena, he ended up attending late after receiving a sudden call from the emperor.
"What a disappointment! Young Duke Cassius!"
Mikhail forcefully removed Leandro's hand holding Liena's arm.
"I thought you were an older brother who loves his younger sister, but you're trying to take her by force!"
"No, it's not like that! My brother..."
"Liena, stop. You are family, so there's no need to unconditionally protect them."
A stern look turned towards Leandro.
"I've never liked you. You showed ugly jealousy when I said I was dating Liena. You allied with your father and younger brother and always tried to monopolize Liena."
"Your Highness the Prince. At that time, I..."
"I don't want to hear excuses!"
While Mikhail shouted, a murmur began to be heard from the entrance of the banquet hall.
Still, the hostess suddenly left the place and did not return for a long time.
As attendees looked out with a growing sense of doubt, a commotion broke out between the prince who had arrived a while ago and Duke Cassius, who was said to be currently in the territory, so they couldn't help but attract attention.
"What happened?"
"Why is His Highness Mikhail so angry?"
"Is the Little Duke trying to drag the princess by force?"
Finally, many of the banquet hall attendees came out and surrounded the three people.
It was the moment when the banquet organized by Liena turned into chaos.
Mikhail looked at the crowd and his crying lover, then grabbed Liena's hand.
He then raised his voice in front of everyone.
"I know there are quite a few people whispering about Princess Cassius staying in my palace."
Indeed, no one openly brought up the topic, but there was no way to say anything good about an unmarried woman who stayed in the prince's palace for a long time.
There was even a bold person who said that the reason the Emperor did not dismiss Princess Cassius was that he had half-surrendered to Prince Mikhail.
"Would such gossip have occurred even if the princess and I were about to get married? Therefore, I hereby declare."
He pulled Liena and held her in his arms.
"I, Mikhail Petus Asteroth, am engaged to the woman I love, Liena Cassius!"
It was truly an explosive statement that made the people gathered there forget what they wanted to say.
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That night, after returning to the villa, I was told about what happened at the banquet.
"I can't believe it happened right after we left... It's a bit surprising."
Terence, who was sitting in front of me, responded to my words.
"Mikhail, idiot, you're digging your own grave."
Originally, the engagement of a direct member of the royal family should have been made after enough discussion between the imperial family and the other family, but Mikhail made the declaration arbitrarily.
"What will His Majesty the Emperor's reaction be?"
"Well. There's a high possibility that he'll be angry, but surprisingly, he may accept the engagement."
However, Terence added.
"In that case, the intention would be to completely give up Mikhail as the successor and receive a large dowry from Cassius."
At that moment, someone came to see us.
"I am a servant of Her Majesty the Empress."
The servant who secretly visited the annex in the middle of the night bowed courteously.
"Her Majesty said she would accept the offer from Viscountess Lucibiu."
I silently raised the corners of my mouth.
It seemed that someone had finally made a decision about Mikhail's foolish behavior.
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