Ch.70Again, you? #1

Though it was only a few days, I spent an intense yet intellectually diminished time focused solely on eating and excreting.

During that time, the two women sometimes cooperated to extort as much as possible from me, and other times glared at each other in fierce competition for a larger share.

I struggled to mediate between them while in my bestial state, and because of that, I could confidently say we had developed a much deeper relationship.

The problem was that our relationship had become so deep that the subtle boundary I once felt had grown exceedingly thin.

“It’s all Jion’s fault.”

“It’s the Grand Duke’s fault.”

There were often times when I didn’t know how to handle the situation, but the increasing frequency of their consistent complaints seemed both bad and good at the same time.

That thought occurred to me as I watched them speaking in unison.

“Even though you know it’s inefficient, Your Grace, you still go around with the Grand Duke… Do you have any intention of dividing the labor now?”

“No way. I already don’t want to be separated from Jion, and having you around makes me even more anxious.”

It was a calm yet somewhat busy morning, with people engaged in their respective tasks.

Helena, working as usual in her office, furrowed her elegant brow.

She seemed bothered by Ellen’s suggestion, who was quietly sitting on the office sofa.

It was understandable, as the words subtly implied something else.

“It might sound presumptuous, but… I can guarantee the Grand Duke’s safety, you know?”

“I know that. The problem is the advances you’ll make toward Jion.”

“My goodness. Are you suggesting I would break my promise to you, Your Grace?”

When Ellen smiled slyly as if she didn’t understand, Helena shouted with a reddened face.

Anyone eavesdropping would have been so frightened by her fierce demeanor that they would have instinctively fled.

“It infuriates me that you plan to cleverly exploit that line! Even if you don’t share affection, you intend to do everything short of that, don’t you?! Right?!”

“Oh… you knew?”

Only then did the composure disappear from Ellen’s expression, replaced by a troubled look.

She genuinely seemed to think she wouldn’t be caught, but that was far from possible.

Helena, with her obsession over me, was too sharp for that.

“Of course I know. You were probably planning to enjoy everything from kisses to petting, but no way…”

“Tch…”

“Where do you get off pouting?”

Helena’s voice and expression showed no room for compromise, not even enough to fit a needle.

Even I, sitting beside her and focused on paperwork, could tell how unyielding she was.

Disappointed, Ellen briefly sulked like a child before taking out her bow and beginning to maintain it.

Even with her newfound power, it seemed her combat style and habits, ingrained in her body and hands, hadn’t changed overnight.

Especially after practicing them for so long.

“Right. We can argue later, but when paperwork piles up, it weighs on the mind. Let’s get to work first.”

“…Okay.”

Helena dropped her gaze to the stack of documents with a disgruntled voice.

Ellen was also absorbed in maintaining her weapon, looking somewhat deflated.

Perhaps it was because their conversation had ended so awkwardly.

If Helena were my subordinate, I could have soothed her with a simple reward, but positionally, I was still beneath her.

Although I had become a Grand Duke with a grand title, Helena was still my social superior.

We maintained balance only because Helena was head over heels for me.

“Hmm…”

Head over heels, huh.

I signed a document while recalling a fact I had momentarily forgotten.

Jion Krauser. Though my surname had changed when I became Grand Duke, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was a person of Altram.

Perhaps it was because my duties remained similar despite becoming a Grand Duke.

“This is a report?”

I picked up a document that didn’t require approval and read its contents.

It wasn’t particularly surprising, as they often compiled useful or important information into reports like this.

Most often, these reports detailed the conditions of other territories, and sometimes included vague rumors that were submitted just in case, making them quite entertaining to read.

I was grateful for them providing a reasonable excuse to take breaks while working.

However, the content of this particular report wasn’t exactly welcome.

“Jion, what’s wrong? Is there some bad news…?”

Perhaps due to my suddenly changed complexion.

Helena carefully inquired while examining my face, then lowered her gaze to the paper in my hand.

“It’s Killinear.”

Yes, Killinear.

The report contained information about Killinear, where I had removed Albus Killinear from his position after a duel and appointed Luke Killinear, the second son of the family.

Although the beginning and end were decided by a duel, from the perspective of the eldest son, Roth Killinear, it must have felt like a bolt from the blue.

With good achievements and education, not to mention being the eldest son, he was flawless, and his arrogance was a typical characteristic of Killinear and other nobles.

So he was virtually guaranteed to be the next Duke just by sitting still.

But Helena, who had no connection to him, ruined that smooth progression.

Only he would know the extent of his loss and anger, but one thing was certain: he had no intention of submitting, as evidenced by his political machinations bordering on civil war.

The document detailed the situation of Killinear and what had happened today.

In the end, Luke, who had unintentionally become the legitimate successor, had completely taken control of the Killinear duchy, stripped his elder brother Roth of all his rights, and confined him to house arrest.

“So the noisy household has finally quieted down.”

“I wonder if unnecessary commotion will arise again?”

“Who knows. Humans are animals pretending to be rational. No conclusion would be surprising.”

Animals pretending to be rational. A chilling statement, but I nodded, finding it quite plausible.

They could be friendly toward Krauser, hold a grudge, or have no thoughts at all.

I had no talent for reading the minds of distant people, and even if I tried to guess their motives through their actions, it might not be the correct answer.

I sighed deeply, feeling somewhat complicated, but Ellen, who had just finished maintaining her bow, said with a smile:

“Don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet. It’ll just give you a headache.”

Whatever happens, happens.

Having gone through a mercenary life where tomorrow was never guaranteed, I found her words refreshingly straightforward.

Some might say not to dismiss it as someone else’s problem.

But for me, it was a revelation with plenty to spare.

“You’re right. That’s correct.”

I gently set aside the report and picked up another document that needed processing.

If trouble arose, it would be a headache, but bringing that headache forward would only be to my detriment.

Realizing this anew made me feel both foolish and relieved.

◎◎◎

“Haah…”

Good things and troublesome things are inevitable.

Luke, the man who had newly inherited the title of Duke Killinear, stroked his short beard and leaned back against his chair.

It felt as if all the fatigue accumulated from walking around with tense shoulders until just yesterday had rushed in at once.

“It’s finally over. It took far too long.”

“Congratulations on your hard work, Your Grace.”

The Killinear butler, who had been quietly listening to Luke’s complaints, silently offered a cup of tea.

It was a cool tea, chilled to match Luke’s preference for cold beverages.

The tea leaves were, of course, premium quality, grown exclusively for the people of Killinear within the duchy.

“Mm. You’ve worked hard indeed.”

I feel alive.

Luke drank the tea heartily, reveling in the refreshing sensation that seemed to clear his insides.

He greatly enjoyed the feeling of the cold penetrating his throat and spreading through his body.

He had heard that cold things weren’t good for the body, but things that weren’t good for the body were often easier to consume.

For example, sweet things or extremely cold things like this.

“How is my brother?”

“He has given up resistance and is quietly under house arrest. For now, at least.”

“As he should be. I understand his anger since he was originally meant to inherit Killinear, but he needs to realize this is reality.”

Luke acted as if he were generously bestowing the victor’s mercy.

In fact, he was quite generous.

He too was arrogant, befitting a descendant of Killinear, but his arrogance was somewhat tempered by his position as the second son.

While he resented not being the heir, he had also accepted the reality that his elder brother stood in his way.

But then, an unexpected opportunity came to him.

It came from the Krauser side, with whom he had no friendship and could even be considered hostile in terms of factions.

To be precise, it wasn’t so much an extended hand as it was the result of Helena’s small revenge and irresponsibility, but to Luke, it was as good as an extended hand.

After all, he, who had no connection to the title of Duke, had now become one.

The power struggle until now was truly hellish.

Luke frowned as he recalled the series of dangerous moments: multiple assassination attempts, poisoning attempts, and attempts disguised as hunting accidents.

It felt as if his insides, which he had just cooled with the extremely cold tea, were boiling again.

There was a reason why he had confined his brother Roth rather than killing him.

It wasn’t out of exceptional brotherly love that he had reached this decision; it was to demonstrate that he possessed both the mercy and determination necessary for a ruler, showing both compassion as a family member and the capacity as a duke.

In fact, Luke knew that this decision had been very well received.

“Wait. Did you say ‘for now’?”

While cooling his anger, Luke picked up on a word the butler had casually mentioned.

It was a particularly concerning phrase.

“Yes, Your Grace. As you said, he seems to be behaving quietly for now.”

“That implies he’s showing signs of plotting something soon, doesn’t it?”

“What would an old man like me know… but at least, I saw no sign of resignation in his eyes. You might call it determination.”

How modest. Luke inwardly clicked his tongue at the old man’s humble attitude while slowly digesting his words.

Given that the butler, seasoned in Killinear, was unlikely to misread a person’s gaze, the mention of determination was surely factual.

This meant that even while under house arrest, his brother was still plotting something.

“Determination, you say? Butler.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Please command me.”

The aged butler bowed his head slightly at Luke’s call, waiting for orders.

He expected some measure to be taken to protect the hard-won position of Duke.

And from Luke’s mouth came an order within the range the butler had anticipated.

“Have someone secretly monitor my brother’s movements. Preferably agile individuals, so place requests with the thieves’ guild or assassins’ guild for those who are nimble. Or use someone from within, if you prefer.”

“I will follow your command.”

Either way would work, but it would be better to use someone easier to handle.

The old man, still with his head bowed, quickly calculated which direction would be best.

In the past, he had followed Roth, who was marked as the heir to the duchy, but that was in the past.

He was a man who followed the Duke of Killinear, not the heir, so he had no hesitation in taking steps to monitor Roth.

Luke also knew this, which is why he unhesitatingly gave orders to the old man, and had no doubt that the old man would live up to that trust.

After all, he was now the real Duke, acknowledged by all, unlike in the days when he was far from succession.