(128) For your self-destruction (3)
“I will see to it that the maid who carelessly sold her master’s information is punished. The Duke has no need to interfere.”
At Ariana's cold voice, Catherine, who had been turning blue, knelt down.
"Oh, Princess. Selling your information? That's not happening. I didn't do that."
Ariana looked down at Catherine, who was speaking desperately.
"Until five years ago, Viscountess Ruel was the daughter of a farmer living on the Duke of Obelius's estate. Then, by some stroke of luck, she caught the eye of Viscount Ruel, and they married, huh?! He's 45 years older than her, and she can't even get out of bed."
The color drained from Catherine and Duke Obelius's faces.
For the two of them, who didn't know that Ariana had the Northern Territory branch guild leader as their informant, they couldn't help but be amazed at her intelligence.
“There are those who saw her having a quiet meeting with a high-ranking nobleman of the same age before marrying Viscount Ruel.”
Ariana tore her eyes from Catherine and stared at Duke Obelius. Duke Obelius realized he had fallen into a trap from which he could not escape.
Ariana had a witness, and Geor turned to Ariana's side. If Ariana alone had spoken, there would have been a way out, but if Geor also came forward and claimed Duke Obelius's guilt, even non-existent charges would be fabricated.
"It's no exaggeration to say that his ambition has been ingrained since five years ago, when he arranged for a farmer's daughter to marry Viscount Ruel. As soon as Catherine became Viscountess Ruel, she entered the Castle of Chase as a maid."
Ariana took a step toward Duke Obelius. Duke Obelius involuntarily took a step back.
Ariana was small but immense. It felt like standing before a lord.
“What punishment should be given to the maid who sold her master’s information?!”
Ariana no longer even used honorifics toward Duke Obelius. Unable to bear those piercing blue eyes, Duke Obelius averted his gaze.
“Tell me, Duke. What punishment would the Duke give to such a maid?!”
“Taking away what she has and driving her out...”
"No, Duke. I heard before how the Duke dealt with a servant suspected of being a spy. He beheaded him on the spot without even hearing an excuse."
Catherine gasped.
“Please, please spare me, Princess. I, I was just afraid... I just did as the Duke commanded... But my loyalty to the Princess was sincere. Please spare me. Please spare me, Princess.”
Catherine had assumed Ariana wouldn't kill her, given their years of friendship. But Ariana spoke without even looking at Catherine, who was desperately pleading.
“Geor, kill her.”
At that moment, Geor's sword glowed.
Catherine died on the spot without even realizing what had touched her neck.
It was fortunate that Catherine died on the spot, as she wouldn't have to deal with the pressure that would follow.
Duke Obelius blinked, staring intently at the devastation unfolding before his eyes. He felt compelled to say something, but even breathing was difficult.
What the hell is this woman? Who is she?
Why does a woman who was abused by her mother and then barely managed to find her father exude the aura of a warrior who has fought in hundreds of battles? Does she display the resolve of a monarch?
Duke Obelius realized he had misjudged Ariana, but it was too late.
"Duke. From the beginning until now, I have never, not even for a moment, sought the position of little Lord."
“Oh, Princess...”
"But the Duke has tried to kill me time and time again. Perhaps once the affairs of the estate are settled, you will attempt my life again..."
"Oh, no. I didn't do anything like that. You're misunderstanding something."
"You still say that, Duke? Don't you understand why I try to talk to you calmly instead of treating you like Catherine?"
Duke Obelius swallowed dryly.
"Even with the information I've gathered so far and Geor's testimony, the Obelius family won't be safe. Not only the Duke, but your wife, your children, and your extended family will all have to shoulder the responsibility. That responsibility will not be light. Something as simple as investing in perfume is no small matter."
That was true.
Ariana was no longer an ordinary Princess. She was the cherished daughter of his lord, a precious figure known throughout the continent as a "saint," yet she was not met with opposition from the temple.
If it were known that he had attempted to kill such a Princess, it wouldn't end with more than losing his title and being banished. Ariana had a reputation for swaying people's hearts with a single word, even with no evidence.
Duke Obelius had to accept that he had been utterly defeated by the young Princess.
"Princess."
He knelt down.
"I will return to my fiefdom, work to stabilize the people's hearts, and recover what I lost through my own mistakes. Without your permission, Princess, I will not set foot in the capital. If that doesn't reassure you, then end it with my life. My wife and children will know nothing."
Even as the Duke of the East knelt and bowed his head, Ariana's expression did not change.
“Well, what should we do? Geor, what do you think we should do?”
“As you wish.”
Geor's answer pierced Duke Obelius's heart.
Now, Duke Obelius had no choice but to accept that Geor was not his son. Geor was not Geor Obelius, but Geor White.
“I heard from Uncle Langster that before Geor came to House White, the Duke was a good man who looked after his lands well and was not afraid to fight for his people.”
“...”
"When people have more in their hands, they want more. When greed clouds their vision, they even crave what isn't theirs. The Duke must have been human, too, because he was human."
"Princess..."
“If I spare you now, the Duke will try to kill me again someday.”
Duke Obelius raised his head.
"No, Princess. That would never happen. It wouldn't happen."
"It doesn't matter. I don't believe in vows made in the face of death. But Duke, I will be lenient."
Ariana held out her hand. Duke Obelius reached out and placed his trembling hand on Ariana's.
Ariana patted Duke Obelius on the arm after she had raised him to his feet, as if she were a feudal lord above him.
"You've left your territory empty for too long, Duke. I hope that won't happen again."
Returning to Chase Castle, Geor glanced back at Ariana. Ariana's figure, riding her horse, was upright and beautiful.
Ariana, who had been staring straight ahead, opened her mouth.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“...I knew you were going to kill him.”
“The Duke of Obelius?”
“Yes. He committed a crime.”
He really thought so.
He thought she was being taken to clearly show the Duke of Obelius's death and to warn him not to harbor other thoughts.
He never dreamed that Ariana would spare Duke Obelius's life.
Ariana said calmly.
"To kill Duke Obelius, we need a justification. We have no choice but to reveal what he did, and if that were to become known, the Obelius family would be in trouble."
"...Yes."
“My brother is from the White family, but people still remember you as the second son of the Duke of Obelius.”
Ariana looked back at Geor.
"If your reputation falls, it won't benefit the White family. You don't have to thank me. It was an unavoidable choice on my part."
He knew that wasn't the case.
If Duke Obelius's actions were to become known and Geor's reputation were to suffer, Geor could simply be removed from the position of little Lord of the East. Geor wasn't the Lord's biological son. Furthermore, Ariana, the legitimate heir, was still in the East.
So this was Ariana's consideration.
Consideration solely for Geor.
She, who could kill a maid who had been with her for years in an instant, saved the Duke of Obelius for herself.
His heart was warm.
“Thank you, Ariana.”
Ariana smiled brightly.
“Don’t mention it.”
Even though only Catherine had left, the room felt empty. She thought she hadn't given her her heart, but she couldn't ignore the memories they'd accumulated over two years.
Still, she had no choice but to kill Catherine. Those who are driven by money will be driven by money again. Catherine had several opportunities to leave the Duke of Obelius and pledge her loyalty to Ariana.
However, she continuously relayed information about Ariana to Duke Obelius for two years and gave up the opportunity to save her life.
'I don't know if keeping Duke Obelius alive will be beneficial or detrimental.'
Ariana thought of Geor thanking her.
'That's about it for now. If he comes after me again, then even Geor will be left speechless.'
Ariana hoped Duke Obelius would abandon his greed and focus solely on his own domain. Then, neither the Obelius family nor Geor would be harmed.
'By the way, what are the Third Prince and the Western Lord doing?'
Ariana heard the Emperor severely reprimanded the Third Prince and the Western Lord for the perfume incident. Ariana helped the people by releasing a cure, but the problem didn't end there.
The government must recover the secretly embezzled funds and restore public support. While there's no longer a need to purchase treatments, the victims will still need to be compensated handsomely.
'With Count Gabion dead, the investors will have to take responsibility. Among them, the Third Prince, the Western Lord, must bear the greatest responsibility to stabilize public sentiment to some extent.'
But the Third Prince won't have that much money.
He must have invested all the money he had secretly kept in his back pocket into the perfume business.
"The same will apply to the lord of the West. If he used the national treasury, there would be no answer until the taxes arrive next year. And since it's already known that he lost the national treasury through his own negligence, he can't collect additional taxes."
If Ariana knew the Third Prince, he would be harassing the Western Lord right now. The Western Lord, unable to let go of the Third Prince's bond, would likely be forced to take on the responsibility for the Prince's share as well.
'Then there is only one thing for the lord to do.'
The Western Lord is never a man who would sacrifice himself.
"It's a bit late now that I'm gone, but something similar to the past is about to happen. Who will the Western Lord throw away this time?"
Ariana remembered Helena, who had hung the portrait of the Northern Lord in her room and was excited about marrying this man.
'Helena, will you be the one to save the West?'
“I will see to it that the maid who carelessly sold her master’s information is punished. The Duke has no need to interfere.”
At Ariana's cold voice, Catherine, who had been turning blue, knelt down.
"Oh, Princess. Selling your information? That's not happening. I didn't do that."
Ariana looked down at Catherine, who was speaking desperately.
"Until five years ago, Viscountess Ruel was the daughter of a farmer living on the Duke of Obelius's estate. Then, by some stroke of luck, she caught the eye of Viscount Ruel, and they married, huh?! He's 45 years older than her, and she can't even get out of bed."
The color drained from Catherine and Duke Obelius's faces.
For the two of them, who didn't know that Ariana had the Northern Territory branch guild leader as their informant, they couldn't help but be amazed at her intelligence.
“There are those who saw her having a quiet meeting with a high-ranking nobleman of the same age before marrying Viscount Ruel.”
Ariana tore her eyes from Catherine and stared at Duke Obelius. Duke Obelius realized he had fallen into a trap from which he could not escape.
Ariana had a witness, and Geor turned to Ariana's side. If Ariana alone had spoken, there would have been a way out, but if Geor also came forward and claimed Duke Obelius's guilt, even non-existent charges would be fabricated.
"It's no exaggeration to say that his ambition has been ingrained since five years ago, when he arranged for a farmer's daughter to marry Viscount Ruel. As soon as Catherine became Viscountess Ruel, she entered the Castle of Chase as a maid."
Ariana took a step toward Duke Obelius. Duke Obelius involuntarily took a step back.
Ariana was small but immense. It felt like standing before a lord.
“What punishment should be given to the maid who sold her master’s information?!”
Ariana no longer even used honorifics toward Duke Obelius. Unable to bear those piercing blue eyes, Duke Obelius averted his gaze.
“Tell me, Duke. What punishment would the Duke give to such a maid?!”
“Taking away what she has and driving her out...”
"No, Duke. I heard before how the Duke dealt with a servant suspected of being a spy. He beheaded him on the spot without even hearing an excuse."
Catherine gasped.
“Please, please spare me, Princess. I, I was just afraid... I just did as the Duke commanded... But my loyalty to the Princess was sincere. Please spare me. Please spare me, Princess.”
Catherine had assumed Ariana wouldn't kill her, given their years of friendship. But Ariana spoke without even looking at Catherine, who was desperately pleading.
“Geor, kill her.”
At that moment, Geor's sword glowed.
Catherine died on the spot without even realizing what had touched her neck.
It was fortunate that Catherine died on the spot, as she wouldn't have to deal with the pressure that would follow.
Duke Obelius blinked, staring intently at the devastation unfolding before his eyes. He felt compelled to say something, but even breathing was difficult.
What the hell is this woman? Who is she?
Why does a woman who was abused by her mother and then barely managed to find her father exude the aura of a warrior who has fought in hundreds of battles? Does she display the resolve of a monarch?
Duke Obelius realized he had misjudged Ariana, but it was too late.
"Duke. From the beginning until now, I have never, not even for a moment, sought the position of little Lord."
“Oh, Princess...”
"But the Duke has tried to kill me time and time again. Perhaps once the affairs of the estate are settled, you will attempt my life again..."
"Oh, no. I didn't do anything like that. You're misunderstanding something."
"You still say that, Duke? Don't you understand why I try to talk to you calmly instead of treating you like Catherine?"
Duke Obelius swallowed dryly.
"Even with the information I've gathered so far and Geor's testimony, the Obelius family won't be safe. Not only the Duke, but your wife, your children, and your extended family will all have to shoulder the responsibility. That responsibility will not be light. Something as simple as investing in perfume is no small matter."
That was true.
Ariana was no longer an ordinary Princess. She was the cherished daughter of his lord, a precious figure known throughout the continent as a "saint," yet she was not met with opposition from the temple.
If it were known that he had attempted to kill such a Princess, it wouldn't end with more than losing his title and being banished. Ariana had a reputation for swaying people's hearts with a single word, even with no evidence.
Duke Obelius had to accept that he had been utterly defeated by the young Princess.
"Princess."
He knelt down.
"I will return to my fiefdom, work to stabilize the people's hearts, and recover what I lost through my own mistakes. Without your permission, Princess, I will not set foot in the capital. If that doesn't reassure you, then end it with my life. My wife and children will know nothing."
Even as the Duke of the East knelt and bowed his head, Ariana's expression did not change.
“Well, what should we do? Geor, what do you think we should do?”
“As you wish.”
Geor's answer pierced Duke Obelius's heart.
Now, Duke Obelius had no choice but to accept that Geor was not his son. Geor was not Geor Obelius, but Geor White.
“I heard from Uncle Langster that before Geor came to House White, the Duke was a good man who looked after his lands well and was not afraid to fight for his people.”
“...”
"When people have more in their hands, they want more. When greed clouds their vision, they even crave what isn't theirs. The Duke must have been human, too, because he was human."
"Princess..."
“If I spare you now, the Duke will try to kill me again someday.”
Duke Obelius raised his head.
"No, Princess. That would never happen. It wouldn't happen."
"It doesn't matter. I don't believe in vows made in the face of death. But Duke, I will be lenient."
Ariana held out her hand. Duke Obelius reached out and placed his trembling hand on Ariana's.
Ariana patted Duke Obelius on the arm after she had raised him to his feet, as if she were a feudal lord above him.
"You've left your territory empty for too long, Duke. I hope that won't happen again."
***
Returning to Chase Castle, Geor glanced back at Ariana. Ariana's figure, riding her horse, was upright and beautiful.
Ariana, who had been staring straight ahead, opened her mouth.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“...I knew you were going to kill him.”
“The Duke of Obelius?”
“Yes. He committed a crime.”
He really thought so.
He thought she was being taken to clearly show the Duke of Obelius's death and to warn him not to harbor other thoughts.
He never dreamed that Ariana would spare Duke Obelius's life.
Ariana said calmly.
"To kill Duke Obelius, we need a justification. We have no choice but to reveal what he did, and if that were to become known, the Obelius family would be in trouble."
"...Yes."
“My brother is from the White family, but people still remember you as the second son of the Duke of Obelius.”
Ariana looked back at Geor.
"If your reputation falls, it won't benefit the White family. You don't have to thank me. It was an unavoidable choice on my part."
He knew that wasn't the case.
If Duke Obelius's actions were to become known and Geor's reputation were to suffer, Geor could simply be removed from the position of little Lord of the East. Geor wasn't the Lord's biological son. Furthermore, Ariana, the legitimate heir, was still in the East.
So this was Ariana's consideration.
Consideration solely for Geor.
She, who could kill a maid who had been with her for years in an instant, saved the Duke of Obelius for herself.
His heart was warm.
“Thank you, Ariana.”
Ariana smiled brightly.
“Don’t mention it.”
***
Even though only Catherine had left, the room felt empty. She thought she hadn't given her her heart, but she couldn't ignore the memories they'd accumulated over two years.
Still, she had no choice but to kill Catherine. Those who are driven by money will be driven by money again. Catherine had several opportunities to leave the Duke of Obelius and pledge her loyalty to Ariana.
However, she continuously relayed information about Ariana to Duke Obelius for two years and gave up the opportunity to save her life.
'I don't know if keeping Duke Obelius alive will be beneficial or detrimental.'
Ariana thought of Geor thanking her.
'That's about it for now. If he comes after me again, then even Geor will be left speechless.'
Ariana hoped Duke Obelius would abandon his greed and focus solely on his own domain. Then, neither the Obelius family nor Geor would be harmed.
'By the way, what are the Third Prince and the Western Lord doing?'
Ariana heard the Emperor severely reprimanded the Third Prince and the Western Lord for the perfume incident. Ariana helped the people by releasing a cure, but the problem didn't end there.
The government must recover the secretly embezzled funds and restore public support. While there's no longer a need to purchase treatments, the victims will still need to be compensated handsomely.
'With Count Gabion dead, the investors will have to take responsibility. Among them, the Third Prince, the Western Lord, must bear the greatest responsibility to stabilize public sentiment to some extent.'
But the Third Prince won't have that much money.
He must have invested all the money he had secretly kept in his back pocket into the perfume business.
"The same will apply to the lord of the West. If he used the national treasury, there would be no answer until the taxes arrive next year. And since it's already known that he lost the national treasury through his own negligence, he can't collect additional taxes."
If Ariana knew the Third Prince, he would be harassing the Western Lord right now. The Western Lord, unable to let go of the Third Prince's bond, would likely be forced to take on the responsibility for the Prince's share as well.
'Then there is only one thing for the lord to do.'
The Western Lord is never a man who would sacrifice himself.
"It's a bit late now that I'm gone, but something similar to the past is about to happen. Who will the Western Lord throw away this time?"
Ariana remembered Helena, who had hung the portrait of the Northern Lord in her room and was excited about marrying this man.
'Helena, will you be the one to save the West?'
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