Chapter 46 : To a House with Nothing (3)

The Frost Duke Family

The Frost family, said to have been founded by Frost, one of the four heroes who defeated the Demon King in the past, is a family of heroes.

And fitting their grand reputation, they are the only family in the kingdom that holds the title of Duke.

At least until ten years ago, this family had a tremendous influence on the kingdom’s politics.

In particular, with the engagement between the Crown Prince Jaiha and Lana Frost, the Frost family’s power was expected to grow even stronger.

However, with Lana Frost’s exile, the Frost Duke family’s position suddenly fell to the ground.

The Frost family had to shoulder the infamous reputation of Lana Frost.

This was a death sentence for the nobility in a kingdom that values honor above all.

The Frost family barely survived, and if they had been any other noble family, they would have collapsed long ago.

But the Frost family’s trials did not end there.

The heir, Theodore, who was supposed to become the next Duke, not only killed the heir but also betrayed the kingdom and sided with the Empire.

[This is an obvious betrayal.]

[Could it be that the Frost Duke family intended this?]

[That can’t be possible. It was all Theodore’s solo action.]

As a result, the Duke had to go around explaining everything, one by one, even though it wasn’t befitting of someone in such a position.

Naturally, the Frost family’s reputation fell into complete ruin.

Thus, it wasn’t so strange that the Duke now drank alcohol.

While the middle-aged man, holding a silver goblet, was about to take a drink, he saw a familiar face.

The face he had longed to meet in his dreams now stood before him in reality.

The man’s scarred hand tightened around the goblet, and in that instant, he crushed it.

The wine that spilled from the goblet poured over his hand, releasing a strong scent, but he paid it no attention.

His eyes, filled with malice, were fixed solely on Theodore.

“You’ve appeared before me, despite betraying your family and country.”

The only reason the Frost name had been granted to the child of a lowly concubine no one acknowledged was because Theodore’s talent was exceptional, and they had placed their hopes on it.

However, Theodore had betrayed that expectation in the most visible way possible.

He tossed aside the tremendous position of heir to the Duke and, without hesitation, sided with the Empire.

“You trampled on our hopes and future. How can you show your face so shamelessly before me?”

“You are the one who abandoned my only family first.”

“It was to save everyone! I could not forsake the entire family for the sake of just one person!”

Even with his words filled with scorching anger, Theodore stood firm, confronting the Duke without hesitation.

The Duke had abandoned his family first.

“Still, you should have fought until the end. If you were truly family, you would have.”

“Such nonsense…!!”

“If Mirina had been in the same position as Lana, would you have exiled her so quickly?”

“…”

“Of course not. You would have used all the influence and wealth of the Duke family to prevent it. You would have tried to buy time, if nothing else. Am I wrong, Duke?”

Theodore could never forget that day.

The day the unjust exile was handed down, without even a protest, and the sight of them urging his sister, Lana, to leave quickly.

If it had been Mirina Frost instead of Lana Frost, would they have sent her away just like that?

Of course not. They would have used every trick to protect her, no matter what.

From the very beginning, it had been clear. No matter how hard he tried, he and Lana Frost were never truly family in the Duke family.

He had foolishly realized this too late.

And so, he had lost his only precious family.

Now, he would not let that happen again.

Just as they had chosen their family, he would protect his own.

“It’s not the time to point swords at each other.”

Finally, the one who intervened was none other than Wolfgang Leonhardt.

With her beautiful, flowing white hair, the Duke’s gaze naturally shifted to Wolfgang.

“You are…?”

“Nice to meet you, Duke Frost. I am Wolfgang Leonhardt of the Empire.”

“…You mock me.”

“Your eyes betray it. I can see that child in your gaze.”

Ten years is not a short time for a human.

Just as mountains and rivers change, so too do humans.

Yet, despite that, the Duke immediately recognized her.

Lana Frost.

A child born of a lowly girl who had been sold for money.

But the gap between the Lana Frost the Duke knew ten years ago and Wolfgang Leonhardt now was so vast it could not be compared.

The Duke took hold of his cane.

But it was no ordinary cane.

From the handle of the cane, a sword was revealed.

“Speak. Ten years ago, why did you come to me after I exiled you? Was it for revenge?”

“If I had come for revenge, the Frost family would already be ashes.”

“Arrogant and insolent. Yet, I sense a fierce power in your voice, like that of a beast.”

How many people in the kingdom could say they would erase the Frost Duke family?

Even the Church, the very center of power in the kingdom, was struggling to remove the Duke family.

But Wolfgang Leonhardt’s words carried a power that the Duke could not ignore.

He already knew a fair amount about her.

She was a war hero of the Empire, the savior who led them to victory in the Winter War.

If she had truly come for revenge, the Frost Duke family would be gone by now.

But if she had another purpose, perhaps there was a way out of this hopeless situation.

That was the Duke’s decision.

“Fine, I’ll hear you out.”

After all, staying idle would only accelerate the family’s downfall.

Before that happened, he needed to make a move.

Even if it meant making a deal with the devil.

It must have been when I was four years old.

There was a huge commotion in the family around that time.

My father always had a grim expression, and my mother would curse everyone, including my father.

But I never knew the full reason behind it.

Whenever I asked the family, they would avoid answering.

Even my father would get angry, saying he didn’t know.

In the end, I gave up trying to find out the truth.

The truth didn’t matter much anyway.

After all, I was a genius born into this family, destined for greatness.

I had been told that if I worked hard, I could become the kingdom’s strongest swordsman.

“The kingdom’s strongest swordsman… If I could become like my brother, that would be so amazing.”

I truly, truly didn’t want to admit it, but there was a time when I admired Theodore.

He was known as the kingdom’s strongest swordsman and was the perfect knight, worthy of becoming the next Duke.

The reason I started practicing the sword was because I wanted to become like him.

I believed that with enough effort, I could become like him one day.

But that belief was brutally betrayed.

The news that Theodore had betrayed the kingdom and sided with the Empire reached me.

At first, I thought it was just some ridiculous rumor.

Probably slander.

It couldn’t possibly be true.

It couldn’t be him.

I remember not wanting to accept the reality back then.

I already knew what had happened. He had discarded the position of heir and gone off to join the Empire.

But even then, I didn’t want to believe it.

Then, the moment I saw him wearing the Empire’s uniform, standing alongside the Empire soldiers, I could no longer see him as my brother.

A traitor. 

A villain.

The betrayal of my trust erupted as uncontrollable fury.

But even with all that anger, the axe that carried my true feelings failed to strike the traitor’s neck.

The Empire’s soldiers were stronger than I had imagined.

What was especially maddening was their leader.

With white hair and golden eyes, she resembled the Saint, but the power she wielded was far greater than the Saint’s.

Not even the royal guard or the kingdom’s strongest guardian, the Guardian Dragon, could even hope to win against her.

But that woman, Wolfgang Leonhardt, was different.

She was an absolute monster, a bottomless pit.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t see a way to win.

She was a first.

“Father, you’re thinking too much.”

“What…”

“Sometimes, you have to trust your instincts. There’s always a way out.”

This was something I could only sense through instinct.

But her instincts were telling me clearly.

It wasn’t the Saint I should be following.

It was her.

With a fierce smile, Mirina spoke.

“Lord Leonhardt, let’s have a clean fight.”

“If I win?”

“As the next Duke, I will lend you my strength. And…”

“And?”

“I will acknowledge you as my sister and serve you.”

To put it simply…

If she wanted to be treated as a sister, she had to win.

And her challenge was met with eagerness.