Everything changed the moment the new master of Larson revealed his claws. Starting with head maid Eva, all of Eleanor’s people at Larson were replaced with Kian’s own.

The shock of these changes hit hard, especially after such a long period of restraint, yet no one could stand against his relentless advance.

Thus, the main building, which had been engulfed in chaos for a while, quickly settled into a new order. Meanwhile, the former Duchess, now relocated to the annex, withered day by day like a cut flower replanted in unfamiliar soil.

Despite dismissing her loyal subordinates and evicting her from the main building, Kian maintained a certain level of respect toward the former Duchess. He didn’t reduce her living allowance, assigned her a personal maid, and ensured her meals were prepared as usual.

The problem was that this only covered the bare minimum to maintain her dignity. He refused to approve any budget for hosting parties or engaging in social activities as the lady of Larson.

The reason was simple: Eleanor von Larson was no longer the lady of Larson. Officially, she was the former Duchess, and the position of “Duchess of Larson” remained vacant.

She had been working for a very long time to bring in a daughter-in-law to her liking, but Kian acted completely indifferent about the vacant lady’s position, showing no interest whatsoever in any engagement.

The embezzlement case involving the former head maid Eva seemed to be resolved without explicitly digging into Eleanor’s family affairs. However, this incident made it impossible for her to freely associate with her family. Kian would have allowed Eleanor to spend the rest of her life at her family home if she wished, but she stubbornly refused to leave Larson.

It took less than half a year for a thoroughly isolated person to go mad.

* * *

“How is her condition?”

“It seems her nervous exhaustion has worsened, my lord.”

In the Duke of Larson’s office, Kian was receiving a report from the physician about the former Duchess’s condition. As usual, he didn’t even lift his eyes from his documents.

“I heard from the maid that she often refuses meals. Apparently, she complains about poor digestion and lack of appetite.”

“Those are also connected symptoms of nervous exhaustion…”

“I see. Her condition is quite concerning. What should I do?”

The physician bowed his head once more in response to Kian’s attentive yet somehow indifferent reaction.

“Well… since nervous exhaustion is essentially a mental illness, there’s not much that can be done beyond keeping her mind at ease…”

“Very well. Then I shall focus on managing the main house properly so she won’t have anything to worry about in the annex.” Kian smiled faintly and slowly nodded.

The physician couldn’t look him straight in the eye, worried he might have made some mistake. The new master of Larson wasn’t particularly oppressive, but there was something unpredictable about him that made him difficult to deal with.

“I’ve prescribed herbs that help with appetite and digestion. Since her insomnia seems to have worsened, I’ve also prepared medicine to help her sleep at night…”

“Please do your utmost for her. Don’t worry about the cost of medicine. If you need anything, tell Richard and I’ll get whatever is necessary.”

Though he’d heard she wasn’t his birth mother, the physician noted that despite Kian’s outward indifference, he was clearly devoted to her care.

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

“You’ll be generously compensated. Please visit her daily from now on, and report to me at this same time every day, just like today.”

Kian was indeed sincere. Nothing interested him more than receiving reports about the lady of the annex withering away day by day. While he still felt indebted to Joshua, considering what he had endured in the past, Joshua would surely have to understand this much.

Kian himself had endured countless verbal abuses from this woman who constantly invoked Joshua’s name. He had been struck with a belt across his back, sometimes slapped across the face, and occasionally locked in dirty, cold places under the pretext that such places suited his common blood.

Yet Kian never laid a hand on her and was even treating her mental illness—something invisible to the eye. As the one paying for her treatment, it was certainly his right to hear about her progress.

He had merely placed her in a comfortable annex without any troubles, not even locking the door. Moreover, he had never once verbally abused her.

Since the noble former Duchess couldn’t bear to see her adopted son’s face, he sent the physician to inquire after her health instead of visiting her directly. How much more respectful could he possibly be?

Seeing how well-suited he was to looking down on others with detachment, he truly was a Larson, even if only half-blooded.

* * *

Upon receiving a report from Richard, the butler of Larson, Kian personally headed to the third floor of the main building. There stood the heir’s room, which had once belonged to Joshua von Larson and was now Kian’s.

Night had already fallen, and a heavy downpour raged outside. In the unlit room, a woman with disheveled hair and rumpled clothing caressed the books on the bookshelf one by one. In one hand, she tightly clutched a small, worn notebook.

Kian dismissed the confused staff at the doorway and entered the room alone.

“You seem unable to sleep. Should I tell the physician to change your medication?”

“No, the medicine isn’t the problem. I miss my son… I’ve been lying awake for days now.”

Eleanor wore a faint smile, finding some inexplicable pleasure in the moment.

“You must miss him dearly.”

“Of course. It’s natural to miss someone more deeply when you haven’t seen them for a long time.”

Kian knew that the son she spoke of wasn’t him. Could there be a word less fitting to describe their relationship than “affection”?

“This room remains exactly the same.”

Of course it did. This was Joshua’s room, and Kian had to be Joshua. Since the day Joshua was buried at sea, Eleanor had forbidden any changes to this room.

But today something seemed strange. Despite the wide-open window letting in the fierce rain, she appeared completely unbothered.

“He was a brilliant child from an early age. Before bed, you know, he preferred these long stories over simple fairy tales. He particularly loved this story about a hunter. This is a new copy I got for him because he read the original until it was tattered.”

Kian knew this as well. It was one of the books Joshua had recommended that night on the deck.

“He was excellent at swordsmanship too. Never lost to anyone. And his horsemanship? Even the most unruly horses would become docile the moment he took the reins.”

Her face looked dreamlike as she recalled the past.

“He was my blessing, my everything. Since I never saw his body with my own eyes, I endured by believing he must be alive somewhere.”

Suddenly, the expression vanished from her wrinkled face as their eyes met.

“With a half-wit like you… standing in his place.”

“You must have found me unsatisfactory in many ways. It must have been difficult for you to tolerate me.”

Kian nodded compliantly, raising the corner of his mouth.

“Well, what could I do? I’ve decided to accept it now. If Joshua were alive, he would never fail to return to his mother. He was such a thoughtful child. That sweet boy would never worry me like this.”

“And so?”

Eleanor approached him eagerly, her eyes gleaming.

“So, I want you to have Larson. In other words… I now recognize you as the true master of Larson.”

“Thank you.”

Has she finally gone mad? It would be a shame to put her in a mental institution—he wouldn’t be able to see this entertaining spectacle often.

Despite Kian’s mocking laugh, she apparently had more to say.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet… Kian. I think it’s time to tell you now.”

“Please speak freely.”

“The master of Larson should know about the ‘Mermaid’s Sea.'”

Suddenly, he remembered Joshua mentioning the “Mermaid’s Sea” that night. He had said they would pass through it at night, and though the memory was vague, he seemed to have found it fascinating.

“I know about it from Joshua.”

“Then do you know how to handle the ‘Mermaid’s Sea’? Even Joshua didn’t know that. It’s the duty of the head of the family and a family secret that’s only revealed when one inherits the title.”

Her smile, stretched to the point of trembling, looked somehow grotesque. Her eyes, forced into a smile, were bloodshot, perhaps from lack of sleep.

“Come, come, I’ll tell you in detail. Listen carefully.”

Eleanor von Larson giggled continuously. Though she seemed deranged, paradoxically, she looked more pleased than in any other moment he had seen her.