After saying goodbye to Roanne, Medric and Eve returned to the guest quarters of the Grand Duchy.

Though he seemed to have heard their conversation with Roanne, he remained silent.

‘Perhaps he didn’t hear?’

Only when they reached the guest quarters and were about to enter the room did Medric finally speak.

“Is that what you want?”

Of course he had heard.

“The fall of the Grand Duchy.”

Eve briefly recalled what she had said to Roanne earlier.

“Yes, that is what I want.”

She couldn’t help it even if he scolded her.

What Eve wanted lay beyond the fall of the Grand Duchy.

Medric made a bitter expression.

“…I see.”

Then he opened the front door of the guest quarters.

“You must be tired. Go in and rest.”

‘…Is that all?’

Medric didn’t say anything more.

It felt strange that he was letting her go so easily.

‘I thought he would say something.’

Eve looked at the open door of the guest quarters before slowly stepping inside. Confused by his behavior, she wondered if she should say something.

‘No, no.’

Then she shook her head. There was no need to bring up a topic he wasn’t raising and create unnecessary problems.

“Thank you for setting up the barrier today. Thanks to you, I was able to have a conversation with the Grand Duchess.”

Eve greeted him and went into the room, closing the door behind her.

From beginning to end, there wasn’t a single thing Eve had accomplished without Medric’s help.

‘I’m the one who asked for a divorce first, yet I keep receiving his help…’

She was worried that she might end up depending on him even after divorcing Medric.

She should distance herself from him. She should let him go for his own sake. But because of his help whenever she needed it, she couldn’t.

‘Yes, I should be more careful from now on.’

She made that promise to herself.

She approached the bed, closed her eyes, and flopped down.

“It’s okay. You can’t always get everything you want.”

Besides, today had been a productive day.

Roanne Habsburg. Though currently powerless, she was the Grand Duchess of the Grand Duchy and once the First Princess of Ptotr. Gaining her as an ally would be immensely helpful in the future.

‘Just keep moving forward like this.’

Eve composed herself before exhaustion set in. There was still much to do, and mountains of decisions to make. She couldn’t afford time to be tired.

She needed to organize what to tell the Grand Duke at the next audience with Grand Duchess Roanne.

But today, she felt particularly tired.

Perhaps she could think about the rest tomorrow.

She couldn’t fight the drowsiness that was closing her eyes. Eve surrendered to the encroaching sleep.

***

Late at night, while Eve was asleep, there was a knock on the door of the guest quarters where Medric was alone.

The person who quietly opened the door and entered was Airix.

“Is my wife asleep?”

Airix nodded in response to Medric’s question. Medric spoke while checking some documents.

“I’ll be away all day tomorrow, so protect her well. See if anyone is following her or if the Grand Duchy sends anyone.”

“Yes, understood.”

Medric briefly continued speaking as he gathered the documents he had checked and stood up, putting on his outer coat.

“Has he arrived?”

“Yes, he’s waiting downstairs.”

“I’ll go now.”

He glanced once at the firmly closed door of the guest quarters before immediately leaving the room with Airix.

‘…The fall of the Grand Duchy.’

Medric thought about what Eve had said to Roanne earlier.

In her previous life, what she had wanted was a change in the royal authority of Ptotr.

What she wanted now was slightly different from her previous life.

Perhaps she was drawing an even bigger picture.

Not just the fall of the Grand Duchy, but also the reform of Ptotr.

Others might scoff at the possibility of such a thing. But in her previous life, even without Medric’s help, Eve had risen to the top of the revolution and fought against the country. With the backing of the Archild ducal family now, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

‘Even if we divorce, she’ll have the Baron Hesse’s estate, so she’ll be fine. The treason of the Modga family won’t be brought up again.’

Medric looked at the castle rising high outside the window. In the darkness, the castle bathed in moonlight looked sharp and keen.

After learning about Ivan’s death and hearing Eve’s request for divorce, Medric had begun thoroughly preparing for the future. Events could happen at any time, and the future could change at any moment.

Medric had consistently sought and acted on ways to change the future in which Eve died.

He checked if there was any information he had missed, if there were any obstacles in her path, and removed them one by one.

If she died, there would be no future for Ptotr. A country covered in plague would become unmanageable. Just like that hellish previous life…

Medric closed and opened his eyes, thinking of the Ptotr of his previous life flashing before him.

‘I will never let that happen.’

By now, Medric and Airix had arrived at the back of the building.

In the moonlight illuminating the dim dawn, a human figure was visible.

The person, like a black shadow, approached Medric first and bowed.

He was wearing a cloak and hood emblazoned with the Maltein ducal family crest.

“Duke of Archild, pleased to meet you. I am Rudel Maltein.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

Rudel Maltein was the brother of the Duke of Maltein and the great-uncle of Kuzan Maltein. Though he ruled over a large territory including the village of Arante and personally held the title of viscount, his current situation was not good.

The two men exchanged brief greetings and shook hands. Medric immediately felt Rudel’s rough palms and the back of his hands, understanding how much he had suffered.

“To be honest, I didn’t think you would come. With the travel ban in place, it must not be easy for you to move around, and the letter I sent requesting to meet you didn’t even state a reason.”

“If a reason is needed, one can be created. What’s important to me is meeting someone who can offer help.”

Medric took a step closer to him. Now closer, the two men could see each other’s faces in the moonlight.

“As you know, I’m not in a position to be picky. Having lost the village of Arante, I’m now at risk of losing my title as well.”

“Arante village… I’m sorry. I saw it before coming to the Grand Duchy, and it was completely devastated.”

“…It’s all my fault for failing to contain the plague.”

A bitter smile appeared beneath his face.

How could failing to contain the plague be his fault? Rudel had tried to save the village. He had spent his fortune to bring in doctors and divine power users. But that alone wasn’t enough to contain the powerful plague.

The Duke of Maltein, not wanting to be entangled in unpleasant affairs with the royal family, had consistently feigned ignorance about Rudel Maltein’s situation.

The ducal family that supported the country had abandoned both the village and its people.

Medric, looking at him, spoke:

“I’ll be direct. I want to join hands with you, Viscount.”

The viscount stared blankly at Medric with his mouth open. Medric added:

“I will fulfill what you desire.”

“Then I… what should I give you? I have no wealth or honor left.”

“I no longer need wealth or honor.”

It was a statement that would make others envious, but it was understandable because he was an “Archild.”

Confused, Rudel asked:

“Then what should I do…”

“You know about the subjugation campaign being held this year, right?”

Rudel swallowed hard and nodded. He listened tensely to what Medric would say next.

“I need you to recruit knights to participate in it.”

“Ah…”

“What, do you dislike the idea?”

“No, not at all.”

Rudel waved his hands as he spoke.

“I was just wondering if that’s really enough. If so, aren’t you taking too much of a loss, Duke…”

Medric frowned at his words.

“Viscount, you’re in a desperate situation. When someone makes an offer, you should quickly accept it and take the advantage. Do you have the luxury to worry about someone else’s benefit?”

“That’s… but doesn’t a relationship come from trust? I don’t want to take advantage of a deal with the Duke of Archild, which might become a long-lasting connection.”

Rudel said, fidgeting with his clasped hands. His words revealed his principles.

Medric slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

It seemed he had found the right person.

“Very well. Let’s do this then. While we can’t revive the village of Arante, I will petition the royal family regarding your title and restore everything, including your title.”

Medric reached out to Airix, who handed him prepared documents. Medric scanned the documents once more before handing them to Rudel.

“In addition to recruiting knights for the subjugation campaign, I need you to help me form a noble alliance.”

“A noble alliance… you say?”

Rudel accepted the documents from Medric with wide eyes.

Among the Maltein, Marvel, and Archild ducal families, especially the Maltein and Archild families had poor relations, making an alliance difficult. With all noble families trying to curry favor with the royal family rather than uniting, royal authority remained strong both in the previous life and now.

Tension and fear appeared on Rudel’s face.

“The detailed conditions are written in those documents. Read them carefully, and please send your answer via communication stone by tomorrow.”

He swallowed hard.

“Then I’ll be waiting for a favorable response.”

Medric left those words and turned to leave. Airix also briefly bowed to Rudel before following behind Medric.

“Will he accept the conditions?”

When Airix asked, Medric glanced at him and answered:

“He’ll definitely accept.”

His voice was full of confidence.