The Lady Flies Above the Running Villain

That was hardly the kind of thing a father would say when trying to get rid of his precious, pampered daughter.

No, it wasn’t just inappropriate; it was downright rude.

If another family had pulled a stunt like this, the head of the family would have drawn his sword and charged without a second thought.

Knowing that, there’s a reason I used such an expression.

It’s to gauge the value that Sylvia Eleanor holds for Creed Eleanor.

“Hooh, you want me to sell her? That’s quite an interesting proposal. Tell me more.”

‘Bingo.’

And as I expected, Creed Eleanor immediately took the bait.

He licked his glistening lips, slowly creeping forward as if he’d found a tasty morsel.

So, to this man, Sylvia is just a nuisance, nothing more, nothing less.

According to Sylvia before my regression, it was her father who ordered her to be locked in her room, and it was also her father who arranged her engagement with me.

I made a slight guess based on that, but I never thought it would be so spot-on.

“It’s simple, Lord Eleanor. I used the metaphor of selling, but of course, I’m not a slave trader, so I didn’t come here to buy her with money.”

“Hmm, I suppose not.”

What a fucking nutjob.

No sooner do I say that I didn’t come to buy her with money than a hint of disappointment flashes across his eyes.

Could it be that this man was willing to hand over Sylvia right away, even if it was such an absurd proposal?

He’s definitely more insane than I thought.

At the same time, he’s a bastard who doesn’t even deserve to be called a father.

“So, I’m proposing a sort of contract marriage.”

“A contract marriage?”

Barely suppressing the urge to punch him in the face, I put on the best friendly smile I can muster and get to the point.

Creed Eleanor’s eyes cloud with doubt, and he nods as if demanding a more detailed explanation.

“Yes, are you perhaps aware of my current situation?”

“Of course. The rumors have spread all the way to Kaintreche Castle.”

“Then this will be quick. Although I was lucky enough to achieve some decent results this time, I’m still far behind my brother when it comes to securing the position of head of the family.”

“Why is that? I heard that the Lyarde family decides on the next head of the family with just one duel.”

I don’t know if he genuinely thinks so, or if he’s deliberately acting to test my intentions, but he asked as if he was puzzled.

“My situation is a bit special. For the past 15 years or so, I’ve been living as the Lyarde family’s failure.”

“Indeed…. So, it’s not enough to dispel the doubts all at once, is it?”

“Exactly. That’s why I need a trump card to get ahead of my brother.”

Only then does Creed Eleanor’s eyes narrow, as if he’s realized the significance of my words.

Since he’s greedy, he seems to have a good head for that sort of thing.

I don’t know if I should call that a good thing, though.

“That’s the engagement with that child, isn’t it? You’re going to use the Eleanor family name, is that it?”

“Yes. I don’t know if I should say this in a place like this, but my father, in particular, is aiming to get closer to the Imperial Palace.”

“Building a friendship with the Imperial Family…. If you think about it that way, it’s a good choice.”

The head of the family may look like this now, but in the past, the Eleanor family had produced empresses and had a stellar reputation.

Although some time has passed and it may not live up to its former glory, I’ve often heard that even before my regression, they had a very close relationship with the Imperial Family, so their power is still great.

When I mentioned that point as a justification, Creed Eleanor nodded as if he was convinced, leaned back deeply into the sofa, and got to the point.

“Then, conversely, what will you give me?”

“If I become the head of the family, I will give you 10% of the Lyarde County’s profits.”

“10%…!? Just for handing over that child?”

“Yes. If you doubt it, I’ll even write a contract.”

10%, it’s just 10%. It’s actually an absurd proposal.

Especially since Lyarde County is located in the center of the Empire, it acts as a central trade route connecting all sorts of places, so the profits from the commercial district there are not to be taken lightly.

Creed Eleanor knows this, so he’s reacting so strongly.

“Hmm…. Okay, I understand how sincere you are about this proposal. But then, is there a reason to tell me this? It would be easier to hide your intentions and pretend to approach that child with a pure heart.”

However, the seeds of doubt haven’t completely subsided, and he stared at me with snake-like eyes, tapping the armrest of the sofa so hard it made a noise.

What he means is that it would have been better to play the prince in a fairy tale and pretend to genuinely love her, no matter if she’s called a witch by the world.

He’s not wrong. No, he’s scarily right.

In negotiations, there’s no more foolish act than fully revealing your situation.

The moment you make the other party aware that you’re in a weak position, the negotiation becomes a headache.

In that sense, this is already a failed negotiation.

But there’s a good reason why I didn’t do that.

“Yes, that’s a valid point. But there are also disadvantages if I do that. If I abandon her, I’ll also be burdened.”

“Indeed…. So, you have to wear the mask until the end.”

First, if I proceed in that way, I’ll be in a position to take responsibility for Sylvia.

Of course, it’s not difficult to take responsibility for her. No, it’s what I wanted.

However, responsibility doesn’t just mean carrying her on my shoulders.

It also means that she could get caught up in things because of me.

As someone who already has the fight with the ‘Eyes of Dawn’ in mind, that’s something I never want.

Sylvia just needs to live a peaceful and ordinary life as she is, without knowing anything.

From the beginning, this negotiation is just a stepping stone for that.

“And secondly, even if I honestly say this, there’s very little chance that Lord Eleanor will try to play games with me.”

“Huh, why is that?”

“Because we have a common interest. A man who wants to get rid of the witch who’s dirtying his house, and a man who wants to take over the family using that witch as an excuse. As the saying goes, extremes meet, don’t they?”

Here, I took a bold, direct approach and gave a bitter smile.

Then, he, who had been leaning back deeply on the sofa, looked at me with surprised eyes, and then, likewise, gave a bitter smile, jumped up from his seat, and asked for a handshake.

“Ha. Ha! I like it, I like it a lot! Lord Lyarde is so indifferent, not recognizing such talent all this time!”

“You flatter me.”

As I grasped it, Creed Eleanor shook my hand vigorously and burst into a hearty laugh as if his lungs were about to turn inside out.

At that point, the outcome of the negotiation was as good as decided.

＊＊＊

After the negotiation, I got permission from Sylvia’s father and headed to her room.

Even if it’s nominally a quasi-engagement, to send a man she’s meeting for the first time alone to her daughter’s room without any watchful eyes.

I could once again realize how he’s treating Sylvia, and I was about to curse.

Anyway, I need to tell Sylvia this news quickly.

Knock knock.

– Yes, who is it?

“It’s Kyle Lyarde. I’ve come to say hello before leaving.”

I answer the sweet voice that comes from behind the door.

Thump! Thump!

No sooner had I said that than I heard a sound like an animal stomping from inside.

I wondered if something was wrong with my ears, so I tried to pick my ears and bring them closer to the door.

“Lyarde-gongja! I’m sorry. I’m in such a state….”

“Ah, no. It’s okay.”

The door opened with a force that seemed like it would break, and Sylvia appeared from beyond.

Her eyes, which shone with different red and blue lights, were the same, but her slightly disheveled hair and somewhat comfortable clothes were different from the Sylvia I had seen before.

As expected, a beauty looks good in anything.

Sylvia herself is bowing her head as if she’s embarrassed, but it’s just a gracious sight to me.

“I came to see you briefly before leaving. I have something to tell you.”

“I see. If it’s going to be a long story, maybe inside the room….”

“It’s okay. I’ll tell you briefly and leave.”

“…Is that so.”

When I shook my hand firmly as if to reassure her that I wouldn’t cause her any trouble, I felt a hint of disappointment flash across Sylvia’s eyes for a moment.

Must be my imagination?

“First of all, as a result of talking with Lord Eleanor, it has been decided that I will buy the gongnyeo.”

“Excuse me? B-Buy?”

Sylvia was flustered and blinked her eyes at the sudden words.

Well, a man she met for the first time today suddenly said that he would buy her, so she must have thought that this guy was really crazy.

I wanted to express it in a roundabout way if possible, but if I just said engagement or dating, it would only add to her misunderstanding.

Besides, only by drawing a line like this can I prevent her from worrying about me unnecessarily.

Even before my regression, she treated even that country bumpkin like a fiancé with all her heart, so this is the right direction.

“I didn’t explain it well enough. In short, after negotiating with Lord Eleanor, I will own the gongnyeo for the time being. Outwardly, it’s a quasi-fiancée relationship, though.”

“So, you mean I was sold to Lyarde-gongja by my father.”

“…I guess so.”

Was that too direct of an expression?

I felt sorry for her as I looked at her bowing her head, but I can’t help it now.

From the beginning, I borrowed such an explicit expression to tell her what kind of person Creed Eleanor is.

Although her heart may be devastated, she has gained the right to escape the cage for a while under this pretext, so from now on, she only needs to enjoy this happiness….

“Then, what should I call Lyarde-gongja? Master? Young master?”

“…Huh?”

I was looking down at her with sunken eyes when I blurted out a dumb sound at the sudden surprise attack.

In response, she looked up at me with a playful expression, then jumped up and down in place, shaking her head vigorously from side to side.

What’s with this attitude, as if she’s been waiting for this?