Chapter 30

“Sigh…”

 

“Don’t be that afraid of my uncle.”

 

Evan said it casually, but I found him threatening! With those huge hands, he could probably wrap my entire face in one palm! And were his eyes… getting sharper by the second? Or was that just me?

 

“Evan, you should’ve attended that banquet.”

 

“Yeah. I really should’ve gone.”

 

The banquet they mentioned was the one I attended with the duchess—a truly miserable day for me. Rumors about my engagement to Evan had just begun to spread, and people were confused. Right then, the duchess took me to a banquet. And not just any banquet—one where all the retainers gathered.

 

Thinking back on it still makes me feel like I’d been a monkey on display at a zoo. The judging looks, the expressions saying, ‘Who on earth is that lady?’ And the duchess’s words were something else entirely.

 

“Mother said it was an enjoyable banquet.”

 

“Well… she did have a good time…”

 

She stood me right at the center and bragged about me endlessly. She puffed me up over the smallest things.

 

Now that I think about it, did she do that on purpose? Back then, hardly anyone acknowledged me as Evan’s fiancée. Not that it’s very different now.

 

“You two, stop chatting and come here.”

 

The duke called to us from afar.

 

A large table was laid out with all sorts of dishes. The duchess arrived soon after. And somehow, I ended up joining the family for dinner.

 

“Teorus, I heard Karaan came by. Did he leave already?”

 

“Yes. Said he had work piled up.”

 

“That child still lacks social grace.”

 

After venting lightly about her younger brother, the duchess turned her gaze to me.

 

“By the way, my dear daughter-in-law.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I heard the news.”

 

The duchess smiled kindly at me, and the duke and Evan each added a word.

 

“Yes, I heard it too.”

 

“It was an expected outcome.”

 

They were talking about me, but excluding me from the conversation. I stopped eating my dessert. The Duke added, “You should be proud. You achieved something no one else could.”

 

Evan leaned in and whispered an explanation.

 

“They mean the trade with the Zeiran Empire.”

 

Only then did I understand. I scratched my cheek awkwardly. Since it didn’t feel like something I had accomplished on my own, praise from newspapers or others never felt real.

 

“There were quite a few side effects from such a drastic move, but that can be dealt with over time.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The empress’s behavior is suspicious.”

 

The duke tapped the table lightly with his finger. Watching him, the duchess spoke to me gently. The tone was soft—what she said was not.

 

“The empress seems to see you as an enemy, dear. You’ve stopped Prince Fedeshar from being poisoned several times. It’s only natural she finds you bothersome. It’s because our little one is so capable.”

 

‘That’s not comforting at all…’

 

I expected as much, but hearing I’d caught the empress’s eye made my head throb.

 

“And you’re part of the Weiss Duchy now, are you not?”

 

Strictly speaking, not yet… but neither Evan nor the duchess corrected him.

 

“She hates the duchy growing stronger. Over the past few years, she’s joined hands with my elder brother, using the crown’s unstable succession as an excuse to push him forward.”

 

With Evan still bedridden, many had begun eyeing the duchy. The hope that the title might fall to them since Evan was said to have little time left.

 

But the duke was firm. His stance naturally influenced the subordinate nobles. Meaning lines were drawn cleanly—those who would fall, would fall.

 

The cadet branch started causing trouble, and several nobles shifted their loyalty toward them. At the top of that branch was Evan’s uncle.

 

“Thanks to that, the division is clear. We’ll remove the nobles who need removing.”

 

“So the empress is using your uncle to take over the duchy. He’s in a tight spot. He’s really willing to become her puppet?”

 

“He’s never been a clever man.”

 

The duke and Evan criticized him sharply, and rightly so. The duchy had never bowed to the royal family, a precedent set over generations.

 

I fell silent. I was tangled in every part of their discussion.

 

Evan becoming ill? My fault.

 

The empress trying to swallow the duchy? Because the successor’s future was unclear—also tied to me.

 

The duchy being under closer scrutiny? Again, my fault.

 

I had unintentionally drawn her hatred by saving Prince Fedeshar. He should have died from the Alosi poison, yet I saved him, erased House Blanc from the world, and elevated the duke’s prestige. Does the empress know I was behind all of that?

 

There was also that academy incident—whether the empress orchestrated it or not—when Fedeshar was poisoned again. I saved him then too. He reminded me of Evan, and watching everyone hesitate out of fear of the empress disgusted me.

 

Officially, I only saved Fedeshar once at the academy. The emperor offered a reward, but I refused—saying it was simply the right thing to do.

 

“Um… is it possible she suspects I uncovered the poison’s identity…?”

 

“Highly.”

 

The duke replied firmly. My head drooped. Tears welled up.

 

‘Well… what can I do? I brought this on myself.’

 

No point crying now. It was clear the empress saw me as a threat.

 

Seeing my dark expression, Evan seemed concerned.

 

“Will Lep be harmed?”

 

“Harm? If harm comes, we fight. But she won’t move easily. She’s only watching for now. I mentioned this once before.”

 

The air grew heavy. The duchess broke it with a playful remark.

 

“Well of course it’s a hot topic! Everyone asked about my daughter-in-law at the banquet today. I stayed too long chatting, so I was late.”

 

She laughed brightly, and Evan agreed naturally. I feared what exactly she had said.

 

“I also met Lady Charlotte there.”

 

“My mother?”

 

The duchess nodded calmly.

 

“We talked for quite a while. Well, as always, it didn’t end pleasantly.”

 

But judging by the slightly raised corner of her lips, she seemed to be the one who won in the end.

 

‘In that case…’

 

I thought about the situation at home. I hadn’t returned on a day like this—Mother must be furious. I groaned quietly.

 

You’d think they’d get along by now, but they were still at odds. And the reason was me.

 

Then the duchess made a gentle suggestion.

 

“Dear, your graduation is coming soon, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What are your plans afterward? You should start attending social gatherings. Avoiding them isn’t a solution.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Mother had said the same. But what could I do? I simply didn’t fit in. Still, I knew nobles had to live a noble’s life.

 

“And you should marry Evan soon.”

 

“Oh, that… I’ve decided to think about it.”

 

Wouldn’t want people to say we’re not family. I gave the same answer Evan had given earlier. This time, Evan replied instead of me. The duke looked puzzled and asked bluntly, “Evan, you said that?”

 

“…Lep seems a bit overwhelmed.”

 

I glanced at Evan. He had clearly been disappointed earlier, but he seemed to have collected himself. Now he even smiled at me.

 

“Don’t mind what Mother said, Lep. Here.”

 

“Mm…”

 

He gently placed the fork back into my hand when he noticed I’d stopped eating.

 

“Don’t pressure Lep.”

 

To my surprise, Evan’s voice sounded almost like a warning. I stared at him wide-eyed. The duke and duchess didn’t react—just watched him quietly.

 

“Yes, son. I trust you’ll handle it well.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Now, back to what we were discussing. Won’t you come look at dresses with me? You’ll need them for upcoming banquets.”

 

“Dresses?”

 

“Yes. Come to think of it, we haven’t given you much.”

 

“Oh, no! You’ve already given me so much!”

 

Absolutely untrue. They had given me more than enough. The duchess claimed she hadn’t given me any dresses, but once she sent me an entire *mountain* of them and caused chaos in my house.

 

And the duke? On my first day at the academy, he purchased a piece of academy land as a gift—now it was used as a greenhouse that Pat managed.

 

So it was easier to tell them what I wanted beforehand. Otherwise, I’d end up stepping on another landmine.

 

“Think about it—when was the last time you attended a banquet? Ages ago. And fashion trends have changed. Your measurements too. You need new dresses. I heard from your mother too, that you show no interest in dresses whatsoever. It’s because you haven’t been exposed to them.”

 

The duchess looked positively thrilled at the opportunity to spend money.