Chapter 148
A few days later.
Migente Ivan entered the office with his father’s medicine.
"Come here, Migente."
Lord Ivan, who was sitting in an armchair by the window with a tired face, called Migente.
"I brought you some medicine, Father."
"Well, yes, come here."
Migente looked at his father drinking medicine with a tired face.
The long-suffering chronic disease worsened and not long ago Lord Ivan was able to get up after he was bedridden. The family doctor said he shouldn’t overwork himself like this but the Lord didn’t listen.
Migente, who knows his father’s sincerity that never turns back, decided, instead of stopping Lord Ivan, he shared the work by taking charge of the internal affairs of the territory.
However, that doesn’t mean the worry for his father is gone.
"You’ll be in big trouble, Father."
"This is not a problem."
Lord Ivan said with a mixed face.
He hasn’t slept well a night since the landslide.
When he closed his eyes, the roar on the night of the landslide and the screams of people seemed to come back.
"The people of the lands suffer more than I do."
It was Lord Ivan who felt more responsible for this than anyone else.
And because he knew how his father felt, he silently helped his father with his work, but today he was carefully gathering his courage.
"Why don’t you get some relief money?"
But Lord Ivan ignored the words.
He woke up from his seat, pouring all of the medicine left in the bottle into his mouth, and wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
"I’ll be back late tonight. I’ll deliver Triva wood to the Onyx estate. In the meantime, take care of the guests of the mansion."
"Isn’t this just wood, just send people instead. No, I’ll just go. Father, get some rest."
"No, I, the owner of the household, should show my face to ease their resentment."
"If you really want to help them, just accept the Imperial’s relief."
"...I’m going to go now."
"Father!"
"Don’t you know yet!"
Eventually, there was an old story between him and Imperial Family.
"There’s nothing better involved with Durelli’s Imperial Family! This happened because Ronchent brought the Imperial Family into Ivan’s business!"
Lord Ivan, who screamed until his veins stood on his wrinkled forehead, stumbled for a moment.
Hence in an instant, Migente’s eyes lit up.
"Father!"
Migente quickly approached Lord Ivan and helped him sit back in the chair.
"Whoa..."
Lord Ivan said with a deep sigh.
"It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have left the family to Ronchent."
"But my brother had a point. There will be a battle for the throne soon. So there is no harm in cooperating with the Empress’ family, Angenas. My brother says that the Crown Prince is the First Prince anyway."
"Ha?"
Lord Ivan asked Migente with a snort as if he was elated.
"Now you’ve seen the Second Prince. How did he look? Do you still think the First Prince will be the Crown Prince, Migente?"
Migente avoided answering.
Lord Ivan clicked his tongue as if he knew it would.
"Okay. I knew my eldest son was not bright, but I didn’t know he was blind.”1
“My brother’s judgment about His Majesty the Second Prince may have been wrong. If so, wouldn’t it be even more important to receive a subsidy from the Imperial Family? It is the Second Prince’s first assignment, so we should cooperate well."
Lord Ivan was silent for a moment at Migente’s words.
Maybe he’s changing his mind?
Migente waited anxiously.
But Lord Ivan shook his head soon.
"Angenas’ money always has a tail. No matter how much the amercement is, you don’t know what you’ll say later if you get it."
Lord Ivan, who said so, stood up.
"It’s right to solve it without the help of the Imperial Family, Migente."
"Father..."
Lord Ivan walked out of the office, and Migente, who was left alone, sighed like a habit.
His father was originally more of a person who liked to help others than to get help.
However, at a critical time, the illness worsened and anger at himself and distrust of the Empress were mixed.
They are denying the reality that they should receive any help.
As time passes, his father will understand, but it is the Northern citizens who suffer in the meantime.
“It can’t be like this.”
Then, Migente’s eyes caught a piece of paper on the householder’s desk.
It was an emergency report, seeing the red seal on it.
"His Highness, the Second Prince, manages the relief money himself and distributes food to the people of Ivan and nearby lands..."
Ivan was handing out relief supplies, but it was far from enough.
It was a problem that could be solved by leaving the North to buy food and manpower, but right away, Ivan ran out of money.
Looking down at the report for a moment, Migente folded it in half and put it in his arms.
"You may not be able to hide it completely, but you can buy time."
Migente, who was leaving the office so quietly, happened to see Perez driving back to the mansion.
It’s already been five days since the Prince’s party arrived in the North.+
In the meantime, Lady Lombardy and Sir Luman spent time leisurely in the mansion, but the Second Prince was so busy that he couldn’t even face each other properly.
So he wondered, is it because they distributed food themselves.
After watching Perez from the window for a moment, Migente returned to his office.
And this morning he left the office again, simply picking up some of the papers he was reading.
It was strange.
What he’s doing right now was a great deal.
Although he is a son, he could have been convicted of disobedience to Lord Ivan.
So he has been thinking about it for a few days.
But strangely, there was no more hesitation in his heart.
After finding out what the Second Prince was doing today, it seemed that the boiling water in his heart had calmly subsided.
Knock, Knock.
"This is Migente Ivan. May I come in for a moment, Your Highness."
Migente knocked on the bedroom door of Second Prince.
"Come in."
Perez had just taken off his coat.
"What’s going on, Migente Ivan?"
"I’ve got something to offer you."
Migente handed over the documents he had in his hand to Perez.
"This is..."
"The exact damage reported by the Lords of the landslide-hit area and the amount of compensation they requested from Ivan. With these documents, the Prince will be able to distribute relief money to each region without my father’s consent."
* * *
It’s already been 10 days since I came to Ivan.
In the meantime, I have been busy taking Lombardy’s engineers to visit where they need them and coordinating the delivery of wood that Lombardy bought from Pellet’s Corporation to the North.
Even today, for me, who had no time, Violet came to the Ivan mansion and reported on the affairs of the Pellet Corporation disguise as a private visit with flowers.
"From tomorrow, the door to the second warehouse will be open. 50 of them will be distributed equally to Ivan and the remaining 130 to the surrounding territories."
"Isn’t it slower to open the warehouse than planned?"
"They don’t seem to have enough people to carry the wood."
"It would be much faster if we bought people from somewhere else. Although it’s expensive because it’s harvest time."
"The Zonic Estate, the Southeast of Ivan, is said to be buying manpower from the Capital from today."
"Really? Did you have any money left?"
Fortunately, even one territory is accelerating its recovery as Lord Ivan continues to insist on not receiving the Imperial relief.
Then, the cold wind from the open window shook my body slightly.
"The Northern part is already in the middle of autumn, Belmont."
"When summer is over, the days get cold like this. Dress warmly, Lady Florentia."
"My father sent me as much thick clothes as I did through Ivan Branch of Gallahan Clothing Store."
I said, pointing to the neatly arranged clothes on one side of my bedroom.
"But that’ not all, it’s coming again tomorrow morning."
Then Violet said with a small smile.
"Lord Gallahan must be worried, too. Isn’t it the first time that Lady Florentia has left Lombardy?"
"That’s true, though. There’s not much time left until we get back to Lombardy. It looks like I’m going to go back without even trying it on."
I said so and picked up the dress my father had sent me.
It was a dress decorated with dark rose silk and thin black lace that could make my green eyes stand out more.
I have to change now.
"Let me help you, Lady Florentia."
"Will you? Thank you, Violet. I just need to change my dress."
With Violet’s help, I changed my clothes and sat down in front of the dressing table to choose the right accessories.
"Well, of all these things suits you perfectly."
What she chose was a Ruby hairpin that Perez gave me a long time ago.
"What’s wrong, Lady Florentia?"
"This hairpin. Doesn’t it look good on the dress I’m wearing now?"
"Yes, it’s like a pair of accessories."
But Perez is coming to dinner tonight.
I had that thought first.
I fiddled with the hairpin with my fingertips and eventually put it in my hair.
It looks good, but it’s weird not to use it on purpose.
"See you at Pellet Corporation tomorrow, Violet."
Having confirmed that it was time for dinner soon, I greeted Violet and opened the bedroom door.
And,
"Huh?"
Maybe he was going to knock on the door, but I ran into Perez, who was raising one hand, right in front of me.
"Hi, Perez."
I said hello in a casual voice.
But Perez looked somewhat surprised.
The red eyes stare straight at me strangely.
"...Hello, Tia."
Perez, who had not spoken for a few seconds, greeted slowly.
"I’m here to escort you."
"Well, yeah, thanks for your concern."
"You’re..."
Perez looked over my door and said to Violet.
"You’re from Pellet Corporation, aren’t you?"
He already seems to know who Violet is.
"She knew I was in Ivan’s estate, so she came to say hello. We’ve been a close relationship since I was young."
"I see."
Perez nodded and reached out to me.
It meant to escort.
I hesitated for a moment, looking down at the hand.
It’s just an escort.
My heart, which had been pounding since I encountered Perez a little while ago, beats more loudly.
My head was unintentionally and vividly depicting the events on the shore of the lake.
Perez’s body temperature, low voice, and red eyes looking at me.
And Perez’s beautiful body under the moonlight...
Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!3
I held Perez’s hand with a relaxed smile as casually as I could, holding my head back.
We walked down the hall without talking.
There was inevitably an awkward atmosphere.
Ivan’s employees, whom I encountered from time to time, were greeting.
No, maybe I’m the only one who’s awkward.
Because Perez was staring at my side face that only looked forward.
"Oh, now we have arrived."
Fortunately, it wasn’t that far from my room to the dining room.
The distance felt was a bit different.
"It’s not that far, right?"
I said that a little and tried to let go of Perez’s hand.
"...Perez?"
But Perez’s hand wouldn’t let go of my hand.
Rather, it has been held tighter.
"We, we have to open the dining room first..."
"Tia."
I tried to pull out one more time and Perez rushed to call me.
Now his face was just around the corner.
"You use the hairpin I gave you."
I winced my shoulders unknowingly at the sound I heard right from my ears.
"Yeah, it’s pretty! I usually use it often!"
"Really? I’m glad."
Perez said with a smile.
It was a smile that only raised the corners of his mouth, which is not different from usual.
But why does that smile look more seductive today? ╥﹏╥2
It was hard to see Perez’s face anymore, so I lowered my eyes.
"...Huh?"
And I had to be surprised one more time.
No, I was genuinely surprised to the point where I couldn’t compare a moment ago.
It was because my hand was holding Perez’s hand tightly.
As if I didn’t want to let go of those big, warm hands.
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