Chapter 246

Chapter 246

He found the Duke’s mention of Deatrice amusing. The Duke was likely here to offer some sort of persuasion rather than engage in true negotiation, perhaps to say something like, “For Deatrice’s sake, you should stop this.” But if he was going to say that, shouldn’t he at least have brought Deatrice along? Or did he think he could bring her back eventually? If that was the case, the Duke didn’t understand his daughter at all.

How could Deatrice ever return to him through any kind of persuasion?

There was no answer to this situation, except perhaps meeting again at the Duke’s funeral.

Lucius, openly bored, slouched in his chair and looked down at his hands.

Seeing this boyish attitude, the Duke only tightened his grip on his cane.

“If you don’t want to reunite with Deatrice at my grave, you should stop.”

Lucius responded with a smooth smile, as if he’d just heard something amusing.

“Ah, I was just thinking the same thing. I didn’t know we had something in common, Your Grace.”

“So you really intend to kill me, Deatrice’s father?”

“You won’t see her again in your lifetime, Your Grace. You know that. Deatrice will never return to either of us.”

“I will make her return.”

The Duke clung to his last thread of hope.

“I’ll make sure Deatrice returns to you.”

Lucius stared at the Duke in silence.

The Duke’s quick mind couldn’t decipher the meaning behind Lucius’s expression. Was he tempted by the offer, or had he been filled with contempt all along?

When Lucius finally spoke, it became clear it was likely the latter.

“Father and daughter, both cowardly.”

Lucius spoke with a tone of disdain.

He had once employed every dirty trick to separate her from him, but now he was willing to sell his daughter for his own sake. It was utterly disgusting. The Duke seemed to realize what Lucius hadn’t explicitly said.

“I’m sorry.” The Duke, setting aside his pride, finally apologized.

“I know I did terrible things to you. I was blinded by my ambition for my child’s success and pushed you into the abyss. But I truly didn’t know your parents had been married. To me, it was just about turning Connor Fenry’s bastard into Chris Fenry’s.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. What surprises me is your capriciousness in deciding Deatrice’s partner based on your convenience.”

“Deatrice would understand if it meant saving her relatives.”

“More precisely, to save you. But neither I nor Deatrice will accept that. It’s too late.”

“It’s not too late.”

For whatever reason, the Duke spoke confidently. Lucius responded silently, giving the Duke a moment of power.

The Duke paused before speaking again.

“I will relinquish the dukedom.”

He said it as if it were a monumental decision. Lucius frowned, trying not to laugh, and replied.

“Are you confident you’ll win this war against me, Your Grace?”

Lucius continued, as if the Duke had been under some delusion all this time.

“Killing you and taking the dukedom is just a matter of time for me. There might be some delays due to the trial that will follow… but eventually, I’ll win. Look at the situation now. The lives of your followers are in my hands.”

“But if that happens, you’ll never have Deatrice.”

“…”

“What you want is both the dukedom and Deatrice, isn’t it? I’ll give them both to you. To ensure the succession of the dukedom, your marriage will be essential. What better excuse could there be? All I need is a few years. After that, I’ll hand everything over to you. Isn’t it better to resolve this without bloodshed? I know you don’t want death. If I’m wrong, you can take my life right now.”

The final statement was almost solemn.

Lucius realized that the Duke understood his situation better than expected and had even a clear insight into Lucius’s position. After tapping his sword with his fingers for a moment, Lucius finally lowered it.

“I’ll give you three years.”

“That’s—!”

“Also, you’ll need to hand over half of your wealth immediately. The documents for succession should be prepared right away, and we’ll need the Emperor’s approval.”

“…Very well.”

“Let’s finalize everything with signatures, then.”

“And my relatives?”

“I’ll release them at the same time.” With that, Lucius gave a slight bow and turned to leave. Just as he was about to exit, he leaned back in and added,

“You’re going to visit Deatrice, aren’t you?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll have my men inform you of her location.”

Lucius gave a slight nod and left. Only then did the Duke realize that Lucius had kept Deatrice’s whereabouts hidden all along.