Chapter 28: The Proposal (2)

Late at night, Gemma came in to inform Eirene that Siaran was waiting, so she went outside. At the end of the leash in his hand was a dog. 

A dog, not a rabbit? 

As Eirene descended the stairs and carefully examined the approaching dog, she closed her eyes. Though a rabbit would have been equally dreadful, she couldn’t bear to see the dog wagging its tail despite blood flowing from its ear.

“That’s not a rabbit.”

“I didn’t have time to catch a rabbit, so I brought one of the dogs I raise. We agreed you would practice.”

When Siaran casually stroked the dog’s nape, it licked his hand appreciatively. Should she be grateful that he had only cut a small portion of the dog’s ear?

“Does it bother you? In a world where you’d kill people if necessary, what’s one dog?”

This was typical of Siaran, who placed little value on human life.

“You could have just made a small wound. Even if I heal it, the ear will remain partially cut off.”

“Even with this much cut away, its hearing won’t be affected. You didn’t say anything when I mentioned cutting a rabbit’s ear at dawn, but now you’re concerned?”

It was her fault for agreeing. 

Eirene took out her handkerchief and wiped the blood still flowing from the dog’s ear. 

Causing harm for her own benefit should be limited to once. Hadn’t she regretted killing uninvolved people at the mansion simply because they worked there, before she received this second chance at life? 

Poor thing, suffering through no fault of its own. Feeling sorry, she stroked the dog’s head, and it licked her hand just as it had done with Siaran.

“What’s its name?”

“Zeus.”

“That’s a fine name.”

At first glance, it could be mistaken for a wolf with its large build and luxurious fur and tail. If the creature had wanted, it wouldn’t have allowed someone to cut its ear, so it must be incredibly loyal.

“You can keep her after practice is over. She’ll serve you well if you feed and care for her.”

“No, thank you.”

Keeping a dog in her current situation was impractical. Honestly, it felt like an additional burden. She didn’t want the responsibility, nor did she have the emotional capacity to care for it. 

Once the practice disguised as healing was over, she would send it away immediately. 

Eirene made this resolution while running her hand down Zeus’s soft back.

* * *

By the time the Grand Duke of Dervel entered the Phineas domain, the sunset was coloring the sky. Though not an ideal time for a proposal, it wasn’t inappropriate either. 

Count Phineas’s eyes widened when he saw the carriage entering the mansion. It was the most splendid of all the Grand Duke’s carriages he had ever seen. 

Twice the size of a regular carriage, pulled by six white horses, with the family crest decorated in gold at the center. 

It seemed to announce how important this proposal was to Clive, which eased some of the concerns Count Phineas had harbored yesterday. 

But his worries resumed immediately upon seeing Clive’s subordinates entering. No, this wasn’t worry—it was fear. Instead of the usual attendants accompanying Clive, knights entered. Count Phineas recognized them immediately. 

The elite knights, composed of the empire’s most skilled individuals. These knights had contributed significantly to Clive’s war victories. 

After the war ended, everyone wanted to know who these knights were, but no information could be obtained. Despite attempts to discover their names, ages, or origins, all that was learned was that they had a blood alliance with Clive; nothing more. 

Clive rarely brought his knights with him, so why today? 

The signs were ominous. It was frightening enough that they had set foot on Phineas territory, but they were all armed as well. 

When the carriage door opened, Ulik, the aide, stepped out first, followed by Clive. With a neat uniform topped by fur the same color as his hair, he surveyed the surroundings with a cold gaze. 

His gray eyes made a full circle before landing on Count Phineas. This was not the look of someone coming to propose. His merciless gaze seemed ready to plunge a sword into Count Phineas at any moment. He wore the same expression Count Phineas had seen only once, long ago. 

When the Empire’s Rogue swings his sword, any living being nearby scatters like leaves. This advice and warning circulated among certain nobles. 

Although sometimes called a fool for stepping down from the Crown Prince position and causing problems, nobles who knew him never carelessly mentioned the nickname “Empire’s Rogue.” 

It remained a term used by ignorant commoners and some nobles, but anyone seeing Clive now would surely fall silent. His steps carried the dignity of royalty, but his face, devoid of even a ceremonial smile, looked more like someone coming to fight than to propose.

“We welcome the Grand Duke.”

Count Phineas greeted him as the representative, and the family members behind him bowed their heads. With just a slight movement of his chin, Clive acknowledged the greeting without speaking. 

His stern face softened when he spotted Eirene, a hint of a smile appearing. But upon seeing Aishe, he instantly reverted to his initial demeanor. 

The signs were indeed troubling. 

At Clive’s gesture, the knights dismounted. Their pitch-black cloaks fluttering in the wind seemed particularly threatening. Count Phineas, trying to somehow change the tense atmosphere, addressed the knights.

“It’s an honor to see the Grand Duke’s knights in person.”

“I didn’t expect anyone to recognize my knights.”

What? Was that not supposed to happen? Confused by Clive’s cryptic response, Count Phineas improvised.

“They look like knights to anyone, Your Highness.”

“I suppose that could be the case. Now I’d appreciate being shown inside.”

“Ah, my apologies. I was so captivated by the knights’ imposing presence that I… This way, please.”

The moment Clive entered, the knights who had been standing beside their horses formed a long horizontal line. They seemed to be establishing a perimeter, preventing anyone from leaving. 

The Countess, also sensing something amiss, exchanged glances with her husband. It was a situation where they couldn’t even begin to guess what was happening. Count Phineas swallowed dryly and gathered his wits.

* * * 

The sound of Clive’s heels, which had been following closely behind, stopped. They were in the center of the hall. When Count Phineas turned around, Clive commanded:

“Call all the servants.”

“Pardon?”

“The family is already here, so that’s fine. Just have all the servants gather.”

“Your Highness, why suddenly call the servants? Do you intend to propose in front of them?”

Having already tolerated the armed knights, this was too much. Clive’s rudeness had exceeded an acceptable level.

“There’s no reason why not, but that’s not why I want them here. If that answers your question, please proceed.”

His polite tone carried a razor-sharp edge. If the Count refused further, it seemed Clive might call in the knights waiting outside. Left with no choice, Count Phineas summoned all the servants, and everyone gathered in one place. 

The servants, murmuring and exchanging glances at this unexpected summon, fell silent the moment Clive began to speak.

“Eirene Phineas. And Aishe Phineas.”

As the two names were called in succession, a brief gasp rippled through the servants.

“You said Eirene was Aishe’s childhood name, but they are different people, aren’t they?”

The air froze. No one could even breathe. A heavy silence descended, so profound that even the sound of eyeballs moving could be heard. 

The Grand Duke knows everything. This was the simultaneous thought of everyone present. No one could refute it—not the Count and Countess, not even Aishe.

“Am I wrong?”

Clive asked one of the servants. The servant, looking back and forth between Clive and the Count and Countess, couldn’t answer and simply bowed their head deeply.

“I gave you an opportunity to tell the truth by waiting.”

Tsk. The sound of a tongue clicking was heard. Count Phineas, without moving, stared at Clive and muttered:

“This is a dream.”

From the moment he learned of newborn Aishe’s fate, he had prepared meticulously, never deviating, and consequently had deceived everyone perfectly. 

Though things had gone slightly awry when Eirene emerged from the basement, it merely accelerated what would have happened anyway, just as Siaran had said. 

Count Phineas raised his eyes to look at Siaran, who was standing behind the servants. He signaled for guidance on what to do, but Siaran merely watched with a calm face. 

The Count felt his head spinning. He considered stubbornly denying everything, but judging by Clive’s demeanor, denial would be futile. Clive had clearly grasped the situation and even brought his knights. 

The Count believed that Eirene, that damned girl, must have told Clive everything, but seeing her frozen in fear suggested otherwise.

“House Phineas and servants, listen. You had many opportunities to tell me about this. Seeing that you maintained your silence even after news of my coming to propose, I consider it your intention to deceive me until the end. The crime of deceiving the Imperial family cannot be substituted with anything else.”

“Your Highness!”

Betty rushed forward, interrupting Clive, then fell to her knees, clasping her hands together and weeping.

“What power do people like us have! You know well that we can only follow orders! Even if we wanted to tell you, we couldn’t say a word for fear of punishment…”

Sobbing, Betty began to wail.

“Huhu. My family, my family, sob, was at stake, so I couldn’t, waaah, even open my mouth!”

She cried loudly like a child.

“Are you saying you had no choice?”

At Clive’s question, Betty nodded her head rapidly up and down.

“Yes, yes!”

“You dare try to deceive me again.”

“No! How could I deceive Your Highness! It’s not true!”

“After promising silence in exchange for high compensation, now you deny it?”

Betty’s mouth fell open. She was so shocked that her tears stopped.

“Do you still not understand why I intended to punish even the servants?”

“Your Highness, I was wrong! Please forgive me!”

Count Phineas was on the verge of exploding. His head already ached, and now Betty was making things worse with her outburst. 

He needed to think. Think. 

This matter wasn’t something the Grand Duke could handle personally just because he was a member of the Imperial family. 

Normally, a general with Imperial soldiers under the Emperor’s orders would come to make arrests. But there was no one related to the Imperial family here except the Grand Duke. This meant he hadn’t informed the Emperor. 

Not informing the Emperor meant he intended to handle it personally. And personal handling suggested he wanted something. 

Was there still a chance? 

Before Count Phineas could decide, Clive, who had been speaking in a consistently heavy voice, raised it to call Ulik.

“Ulik!”

Bang! 

The doors opened forcefully, and the knights who had been waiting outside entered, surrounding the people of House Phineas.

“Your Highness!”

Count Phineas, who needed to appease Clive’s anger regardless of the situation, bowed deeply.

“Regardless of the reason, we have committed a grave sin. I truly apologize. But please understand this: we never genuinely intended to deceive the Imperial family. The loyalty House Phineas has shown to the Imperial family until now, Your Highness knows it well!”

“So now, are you asking me to consider your circumstances?”

Even without looking at Clive, Count Phineas could feel his gaze. Sharp like icicles hanging from tree branches in winter, it made it difficult even to breathe.

“Not at all! How could a sinner ask for forgiveness! I only implore you not to doubt House Phineas’s loyalty to the Imperial family.”

“It sounds like you’re saying you’ll endure any punishment.”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

Clive stood silently. Cold sweat trickled down the back of Count Phineas’s neck. 

After a long silence in the hall, Clive’s voice resonated. He proposed to speak separately, leaving the servants and knights behind.