Chapter 171

Nellusion looked startled as Nerys suddenly returned to find him just after they had parted.

“What’s wrong, Nerys? Did something happen?”

The place the attendant guided her to was a gathering that, while mixed, consisted mostly of noblewomen with daughters. Under normal circumstances, the Duchess should have attended with Valentin.

But since she was separated from the Duke, her appearance could provoke unnecessary gossip, so Nellusion had no choice but to come instead. And that seemed to please the noblewomen even more.

The noblewomen glanced and chuckled quietly as Nellusion stood at the wide parlor door. Ignoring the glances—some of which scanned her as well—Nerys spoke weakly.

“Big Brother, can I go in first…?”

“Why? Are you not feeling well?”

Nellusion reached out with concern and touched Nerys’s cheek.

Unlike Cledwyn’s cloak, which carried the cold, calm scent of snow, Nellusion’s hand reeked of heavy perfume.

There was a time, long ago, when she used to like that scent. But perhaps because she had just resolved to leave the ducal estate, it felt unpleasantly sharp today.

A suffocating scent, pretending to be a harmless floral fragrance, but ultimately clouding the senses and forcing its will on others—just like Nellusion.

Nerys subtly drew her body back. Then, as if spooked, she wore a sorrowful look.

“I just… I just want to go inside. Can I… please?”

“Of course. You must be tired. It’s understandable. Let’s go.”

Nellusion promptly escorted Nerys out of the room. Several gazes followed them, alternating between the backs of both brother and sister.

As they neared the end of the corridor where there were no ears nearby, Nellusion whispered.

“You’re sure you’re not sick? Should I call for a doctor?”

“I’m not sick. I’ll explain when we get back to the estate. But were you in the middle of an important conversation? I hope I didn’t interrupt. Should I have gone in alone?”

“It wasn’t anything important. Just small talk, really.”

“There were ladies giving me sharp looks. I’m sure some of them were hoping to talk more with you. They must resent me.”

Nerys’s weak voice carried a hint of playfulness.

Nellusion quickly picked up on her testing tone. He stared at her for a moment, then smiled slightly.

“Did it bother you?”

A blunt, unfiltered question, completely devoid of humility. Her eyes wavered.

Those beautiful, clear eyes were unlike anything Nellusion had seen before. His chest tightened, as if someone had clenched his heart. His throat was dry.

He wondered how she would respond. Would she say she was offended? Or would she remain silent, knowing his status?

What was the basis of the trust she showed him?

Nerys, meeting Nellusion’s gaze, smiled as if painted. It was a polite and warm smile, but for a fleeting moment, Nellusion thought he saw something cold flicker in her eyes.

Contempt?

Impossible.

He muttered to himself like a fool.

Nerys liked him. She had always followed him since childhood. And how could she not? He had been kind to her all along.

Yes, there was no way.

It wasn’t a belief grounded in certainty, but closer to hope. Still, Nellusion chose to believe it. He was, after all… a smooth liar.

Even to himself.

Nellusion, regaining his smile, quickly covered up what he had said.

“I just thought you might be upset. You don’t know them, after all.”

“I’m not entirely unfamiliar. Some of them were still at the academy when I enrolled. And I wasn’t upset. You’re such a charming man, Brother. Even I would be drawn to you.”

In her previous life, Nerys had indeed been deeply fond of Nellusion. Recalling those days, she delivered the line with all the sincerity she could feign.

Nellusion was relieved, unaware of just how anxious he’d been deep inside.

“Thank you for saying that. Let’s go inside.”

❖ ❖ ❖

“What? What do you mean the investigator did what?”

The Duke of Elandria was aghast upon hearing what Nerys had experienced that day. Nellusion’s face was just as grim.

On her way to the investigation, the imperial investigator had taken Nerys down a suspicious path and tried to kill her—claiming it was on the Duke’s orders.

Although her account was completely truthful, Nerys deliberately left out the part where she had mentioned Camille first. As a result, the Duke and Nellusion interpreted the incident as the assassin from the Silver Moon appearing solely to sow discord between Nerys and the ducal family.

And because she also omitted the part where Cledwyn and Dora saved her, making it seem as though the assassin had simply abandoned the mission midway, the idea of “sowing discord” solidified as truth in their minds.

“Hah, Her Highness…”

With a pale face, Nerys said what the Duke hadn’t managed to.

“She said all that so loudly in the palace… I was scared someone else might hear. Of course I knew it was a ridiculous accusation the moment I heard it, which is why I told you right away, but still… someone could’ve misunderstood.”

“Right. Thank you for telling us quickly, Nerys. That must’ve been terrifying.”

Nellusion gently rubbed her arm and looked into her eyes with affection.

The Duke, too, agreed with his son’s sentiment. He was still reeling in shock.

The estate’s situation was far from good. Debtors, speaking politely, sent letters daily asking about repayment dates, and the Emperor was pressing for tribute.

Do as usual. Pay what you owe. Praise the Imperial family as always. Visit the palace daily to prove your loyalty.

But how could anything be done “as usual” in this situation?

The Duke knew well: the Emperor wasn’t urging them out of ignorance—he knew of their troubles. He simply saw an opening and sought to crush them.

To keep them from getting any funny ideas.

That might be all for now. But once he found an excuse, the Imperial family would take everything it could from the Elandria line. They must suspect the alliance between House Wells and Elandria had grown strong enough to defy the throne.

‘Damn Imperial family.’

This oppressive power play was precisely why House Elandria had reason to seek independence from the Empire.

Though there were bigger reasons.

‘They couldn’t have done anything without Elandria.’

The Imperial family’s sole claim to legitimacy was being the direct descendants of the three heroes who slew the evil dragon.

But to the Duke—and to every Elandria Duke before him—this was unjust.

The dragon had been defeated together, so why was only the descendant of the hero from Bistor granted such absolute favor?

Why must the other two lineages kneel, bow their heads, pay taxes, and send hostages?

Though the crown had given them the title of Duke, the Imperial family had never truly compensated the other heroes’ lines. Others, like the Grand Duchy of Maindulante or House Grünehals, who weren’t even of heroic descent, had received equal or higher titles.

If all they got was a paltry reward, what meaning was there in loyalty and trust? Not a single Elandria Duke had failed to ask that question.

And this Duke finally felt it was time to receive a satisfying answer.

Nellusion had been special from birth. He’d inherited the most favorable traits from both parents. Intelligent and sweet-spoken, he won people over easily. But what the Duke valued most was his cold rationality.

Even as a child, Nellusion made chillingly accurate judgments and seized any benefit without hesitation.

The foolish Crown Prince couldn’t even compare. That’s why the Duke believed it was finally time to realize the family’s secret ambition. He envisioned a perfect future that would be fulfilled through his two children.

And now that even a girl from the Jeweled Eyes lineage had been born in a collateral branch, everything was falling into place.

So why, at this moment, was his wife acting so irrationally?

And why, now, was the Imperial family getting in their way?

Though the Duke was confident in his plans, the situation spiraling out of control brought him a mix of unease and fury.

‘Princess Camille already considers us her enemy.’

Princess Camille never stood out. She rarely appeared at lavish social events, and even when she did, she didn’t flaunt her rank.

Thus, the public believed Camille was shy and reserved, and that the Emperor and Empress gave the Crown Prince position to Abelus because he was more fit to rule.

What nonsense.

The Duke knew even old nobles twice Camille’s age couldn’t command loyalty the way she did.

Yet the Imperial couple had still chosen Abelus.

‘She’s the type who wouldn’t hesitate to kill her own parents if they stood in her way.’

Even her parents couldn’t fully understand her mind—she always carried a blade inside her.

And now, that blade looked ready to stab House Elandria. They could lose everything—their standing, the collateral branch with the Jeweled Eyes.

House Elandria had long known that Camille was targeting Nerys. Adrian had made that clear the first time he sold her out.

‘Duke, do you know how much I had to pull for this? Her Highness the Princess wants the girl too. But if she enters the palace, she’ll cut ties with me forever.’

They had thought it ended once she came to the estate. The investigation was still ongoing, but how long could that last?

But things had begun spiraling out of control. Camille now planned to accuse the Duke of staging an assassination attempt within the palace.

That sinister mind had already made its decision.

The Imperial family would crush everything Elandria currently held.

‘Or maybe… maybe she only wants one thing.’

The Duke glanced at Nerys and changed his mind.

Maybe Camille…

‘Knows about her ability.’

There had never been a recorded case of a Jeweled Eyes bearer appearing outside the Imperial family. No one should have known what Nerys could do.

But for Camille to act this aggressively… perhaps she had figured it out. Maybe the Imperial records did contain the truth.

The ability that a long-ago, honest Elandria once possessed.

“You’ve done well, Nerys. Go get some rest.”

Now that she had emerged from the palace, the Duke had no choice but to hide her for a while. Until they were ready to fend off Camille’s attacks. He couldn’t let sucqqaluable tool be taken.

‘Maybe I’ll just lock her away in some villa.’

At his gesture, Nerys bowed politely and left. Nellusion quickly followed to escort her to her room.

Watching his son’s back, the Duke felt a slight discomfort. While it was true that Nerys was important, Nellusion was being overly kind to her.

Surely, his clever son knew he could never marry a penniless collateral girl.

He must have simply been alone too long. In pursuit of the perfect partner for his ambitions, Nellusion had yet to even be engaged.

‘I should find a suitable young lady for him to be betrothed to soon.’

So that Nellusion could remember his duty.

With that thought, the Duke sighed. He was exhausted.

Knock knock. Just then, a cautious knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open and a young man entered. Confirming it was Joseph Caron, Nellusion’s childhood friend and trusted knight, the Duke frowned.

“Nellusion’s not here.”

“I know, Your Grace. That’s why I came now.”

Everyone in the household knew how loyal Joseph was to Nellusion. So for him to want a private word?

The Duke eyed him with suspicion.

Joseph swallowed and said,

“I saw the Grand Duke of Maindulante at the palace today. He was with Lady Truydd. They seemed… very close.”