Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Zachary held the hand that caressed his forehead. At the same time, his eyelids were lifted. The pure white sunlight he hadn’t seen in a long time poured into his eyes like they were waiting for it.

A voice mixed with joy resounded.

“Ah, you’re finally awake!”

As Iellie smiled brightly while holding his hand, the man’s eyes curved as he smiled at her.

“You’ve always been by my side?”

“Of course, you slept all day.”

Answering him, she narrowed her eyebrows lightly as she examined Zachary’s complexion. Iellie asked worriedly.

“How are you feeling?”

“My body…”

One of Iellie’s hands touched his forehead. She put her hand on his forehead and measured his body temperature.

“Well, fortunately, the fever seems to be gone now.”

Phew.

She sighed. Nonetheless, her beautiful face contorted all of a sudden as if she would get angry at any moment.

“Then, it’s time to get scolded.”

“…Len?”

Zachary looked at her, rather bewildered at her sudden change of attitude. Still, crossing her arms, Iellie opened her mouth.

“You, who told you to be sick like that?”

“What?”

“I hear you didn’t sleep well right before the funeral.”

She reprimanded Zachary in a sharp voice before raising her hand and pinching his cheek.

“It’s painful if you overdo it like that, really.”

“Ouch, it hurts.”

“Of course, it should hurt because I pinched it for you to say it hurt.”

Saying so, Iellie narrowed her eyes again while the man in front of her stroked his tingling cheek. Surprisingly, her hands were hot.

“…Sorry.”

“I’m tired of hearing you say sorry now.”

Iellie shrugged her shoulders.

Zachary took a deep breath. When he woke up after the long illness, his mind was clearer than it was. Because of that, it seemed that the numerous emotions that had weighed on his heart seemed to have eased a little.

He paused.

“Len.”

“Yes?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Iellie glanced back at him at his word. The look in his eyes as he gazed at her was serious. He parted his lips again.

“Exactly how my father died… I think you should know now.”

The death of the previous Duke… It was a story that Zachary had been trying to avoid mentioning all along. As she thought so, Iellie stiffened her shoulders.

“…My father committed suicide.”

Even though she knew that, Iellie was surprised by the following words.

“In order to pass on the title safely to me without interference from the Imperial Family.”

…It was something absolutely unbelievable. Staring at him, she asked without knowing.

“Is…is that true?”

“Yes. It’s so like my father, isn’t it?”

Zachary’s face was expressionless when he said that. His face was trying to hide the turmoil in his mind.

“As you well know, ordinary nobles must obtain the approval of the Emperor in order to inherit the title.”

Iellie nodded her head slightly. Didn’t Duke Hessenweitz lower himself in front of the Imperial Family because of that? He was afraid there would be problems with Zachary inheriting the title.

Meanwhile, he went on with a low voice.

“But, there is only one way to inherit the title without obtaining permission from the Emperor.”

“What is that?”

“When the family head suddenly dies, and there is only one legitimate successor to the family head.”

The moment she heard that, she realized why the previous Duke had chosen to die.

“At that time, it is possible to succeed to the title without the Emperor’s permission.”

“…No way.”

Iellie froze in place. A chilly silence passed. Zachary confirmed her words.

“That is right.”

“Well, then…….”

“My father deliberately took his own life to pass on the title to me.”

Zachary recalled his memories of the time. It was a cold, knife-like memory he actually never wanted to recall.

On the day the Duke died, the Duke called Zachary into his room late in the evening. He sent a message saying that they should have a cup of tea together after a long time.

But the father-and-son were not close enough to chat together. With a slightly puzzled face, Zachary entered the Duke’s room. The Duke greeted him.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, Father.”

The Duke welcomed him with eyes that Zachary did not know what he was thinking. As if it was true that the Duke wanted to have a chat, the Duke took the tea himself. It was Rielon tea that Iellie had once prepared for the Duke.

‘Len.’

Zachary bit his lip at the thought that was suddenly stabbing him in the chest. Are you doing well? Zachary was a little confused by the sudden rush of longing. Then the Duke pushed the teacup.

“Drink.”

“…… thank you.”

Zachary moistened his lips with the tea. A cold silence flowed between the father and son. The Duke took the teacup with a thoughtful face, unknown what he was thinking. After a while, the Duke raises his gaze slightly and looks at Zachary.

“The newly crowned Emperor is wary of Hessenweiz.”

The Duke, who had been caressing the surface of the teacup, opened his mouth in a calm voice. Zachary nodded his head.

“I know.”

“Do you know why his vigilance is so severe?”

“I do not know. In my opinion, even though the new Emperor was crowned…….”

Zachary slightly raised HIS gaze. The Duke silently watched his son’s impatient face.

“…… I think it’s because he knows that the forces in the north still don’t support him.”

“right. Still, it’s not like HE skipped the successor class in vain.”

said the Duke in a languid voice. After that, in a very light voice, he asked his son a question.

“Then what does he want?”

“He will try to somehow separate the two people of Hessenweitz, who are not on good terms.”

The two had a light conversation. However, unlike the voice, the actual content was not light.

“Especially since Iellie, the cushioning material, is gone, it will be much easier for him to drive a wedge than before.”

Hearing his son’s plain reply, the Duke leaned back in his chair. He asks, resting his chin.

“Then I will ask.”

“…….”

“There is only one way to loosen the Emperor’s guard before we get swayed by his alienation.”

The Duke’s voice was relaxed. Unsure of what his father was up to, Zachary narrowed his brows.

“Also, so you are able to perfectly inherit the title of Duke…….”

His gaze, as blue as the sea of ​​ice, looked at Zachary, searching inside him. The Duke continued his words in a casual manner.

“…… It’s also a way to get the sympathy and unity of the North at once.”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me what an effective way to do that is?”

Zachary was silent for a moment. The Duke was obviously testing him. Moments later Zachary opens his mouth.

“…… One of the two people from the duchy, the central point in the North of the country that has a bad relationship with the imperial family, must disappear.”

Hearing his answer, the Duke raised his eyebrows. The son’s face doesn’t seem like even a needle could go in.

“Because there are two direct bloodlines of the Duchy alive now.”

Even though it was a remark close to blasphemy, the Duke looked rather satisfied. The Duke gave a clear answer.

“You’re smart, that’s the correct answer.”

“…….”

Zachary looked strange. It was rare for the Duke to praise himself so openly.

“If you think about it for a bit, it’s something you can figure out, isn’t it?”

“But I didn’t think you could come up with a way.”

The Duke smiled. It was a long way from Zachary inheriting the title. The imperial family would not grant permission with excuses here and there. Zachary had already had a history of running amok in front of the Emperor, and he was not on good terms with the Emperor. To catch a fault, the reason would be inexhaustible.

“Then why are you asking this question?”

“I think it’s time to seriously think about the issue of succession.”

It was an ambiguous answer. Zachary narrowed his brows, and the Duke, savoring the scent of his tea, took a sip.

“Still…… You are not very wise when it comes to people you love.”

After that, he opened his mouth in a relaxed voice. Zachary hardened his shoulders. The Duke met his piercing gaze as he glared at him.

The Duke smiled as he looked at the blue eyes he had inherited from the Hessenweitz bloodline.

“Zachary.”

“Yes.”

“Have you still not given up on Iellie?”

Zachary bit his lip softly at the sudden question. Iellie. No name was as devastating as that one.

“…… If I stay by her side, the chances that Len will be happy are very low.”

“That means you haven’t given up yet.”

“…….”

He was hit hard. Zachary held his breath. He was annoyed by his father who kept asking random questions.

“I…….”

The Duke stared at Zachary with strange eyes. Zachary, trying to decide what to say, let out a long sigh.

“…… There’s no way I can give up Len, right?”

Zachary said in a groaning voice. The Duke, who was drinking tea with an elegant gesture, suddenly opens his mouth.

“I did too.”

“Yes?”

“I couldn’t give up on Adele all my life.”

“…….”

After taking a sip of tea, the Duke looked at Zachary. There is a slight remorse in the Duke’s eyes.

“Therefore. When Adele gave up her own life because of you.”

“…… Father.”

“I swore never to forgive you all my life.”

This is something that Zahcary already knows. He doesn’t understand why his father would talk about his mother all over again.

“I know. How can I hope for Father’s forgiveness?”

Zachary smiled faintly. The Duke, whose throat is burning, drinks the tea once more and then continues.

“However.”

Does he have anything more to say? Zachary looked at the Duke with a twisted gaze. The Duke smiled lightly.

“Even if I can’t forgive, at the end of death…… It is possible to forget about it.”

“What?”

“Cleaning up and letting go of hatred, I think Adele will understand that much.”

Hearing the Duke’s words, Zachary’s face turned bewildered. However, the Duke continued again with a clear face.

“I thought about it a lot.”

“…… Father?”

“I don’t have much time left… … What can I do for you?”

The Duke looked at Zachary with an expressionless look. Something his father can do for him? Zachary was just confused.

Now? They are not friendly enough to care and care for each other.

“So I am determined to finally let go of this old hatred.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s true that I hated you, but I was always thinking about you.”

The Duke ran his thumb across the smooth top of the teacup. There is not much time left to smell the scent of Rielon tea. The fact was something he did not regret. Rather, he felt a sense of relief from completing the old task.

“I will choose the moment I die.”

“Wait, I don’t understand. What is it now…….”

“You said it. To avoid being checked by the imperial family, one of the Duchy’s direct lineage must disappear.”

The Duke tilted his head at an angle and said to Zachary. The Duke’s blue gaze curved gracefully.

“If either of them had to disappear, wouldn’t it be right for me to disappear as I have only a few days left to live?”

“What are you saying!”

Zachary unknowingly raised his voice. As if predicting his own death, the Duke was talking like that. However, the Duke, who was still looking at his son’s angry face, whispered softly.

“Remember, Zachary.”

Zachary stiffened his shoulders in shock. The Duke’s eyes looking at him were serious. He spoke right away.

“The things you choose make up your life.”

There is a strange heat in the depths of the Duke’s pupils. The Duke said with force in a low voice.

“If I don’t disappear at this point…… You will never be able to inherit the title of Duke.”

“I don’t need the title of Duke anymore!”

Zachary raised his voice sharply. It was true. The reason he tried to obtain the title of Duke, at least once, was only because of Iellie. To protect Iellie. But she’s no longer with him.

“No, you will need it.”

But the Duke calmly declared. Zachary’s eyes trembled slightly. The Duke said as if it was a natural thing.

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