Chapter 95

Shortly after, a cold reply returned. Eleanor quietly nodded. His words were correct.  

“Today, I called you because of Professor Adlen’s letter.”  

“Did the professor sent you a letter, Your Grace?”  

Eleanor looked at Logan with surprised eyes.  

“He proposed the idea to you, but you seemed hesitant, so he contacted me directly.”  

Logan spoke in a detached voice.  

“I wanted to inform you and seek help, but I thought you wouldn’t welcome my contact, so I refrained from reaching out, Your Grace.”  

Once again, there was a feeling that something was being hidden. Eleanor explained, as if making excuses, the reason she hadn’t informed Logan of the matter.  

“I understand what you mean. I just needed clarification, so I called you to ask whether the enactment of the law would have meaningful effects.”  

Unable to bear seeing her flustered, Logan reassured her that he hadn’t misunderstood, so it was fine. Although the lingering tension between them wasn’t pleasant or joyful, the essence of Logan Claven as a man was kindness.  

“If they can’t abandon them even in mental institutions, won’t they discard them in places no one knows about? Or worse, kill them within their own families?”  

“I think it will be effective.”  

Eleanor cautiously opened her mouth.  

“The cost of admitting children to mental institutions is higher than the cost of programs provided by the Claven Foundation.”  

“……”  

“Furthermore, if campaigns are conducted alongside, advocating for these children to find jobs or integrate into society, the effects would be even greater.”  

Logan nodded at Eleanor’s explanation.  

“Alright. If you say it’s fine, then that’s enough for me.”  

Then, as if the business was concluded, he ended the conversation.  

“Apologies for making you move so suddenly without notice. You may return now.”  

Logan rose from his seat, his footsteps echoing as he turned his back to Eleanor. Turning her gaze to where he was heading, Eleanor watched the wide, lonely back of the man standing against the sunlight.  

Perhaps this really was the last time. Only leaving him lonelier.  

“……Your Grace.”  

Eleanor impulsively called out to Logan. The man’s expression, which always seemed somewhat relaxed when looking at her, was now tightly shut. Nevertheless, she wanted to apologize at least once. She wished to say that she simply hadn’t known, that it wasn’t because she had never loved him.  

“Do you have something left to say?”  

Logan asked. Eleanor’s lips quivered. Impulse swept over her. Though it was already past, and the chances of him accepting were slim, wasn’t it worth confessing?  

Eleanor raised her chin slightly and took a step forward.  

“The matter in question is unrelated to the issues between you and me. The Claven Foundation will continue to support it, so you don’t need to worry.”  

Logan’s voice stopped Eleanor in her tracks.  

“Your Grace, I……”  

“You won’t be called for the same matter again, so you needn’t worry about that either.”  

She wanted to say that wasn’t what she meant. But the indifferent eyes staring at her rendered Eleanor powerless.  

“If anyone seeks your help, Usher Fitzman, your husband, can assist them. I won’t worry about that either.”  

Husband, Usher Fitzman. That single title clearly revealed the thorn lodged in Logan’s chest.  

“……No.”  

“What do you mean?”  

“Usher is not my husband.”  

“Of course, I know he isn’t your husband yet.”  

A sneer appeared on Logan’s face. That ridicule seemed to ask if she thought he was foolish enough not to grasp such a simple fact.  

“But you’ll marry him eventually, won’t you?”  

“I……”  

“You couldn’t even wait for that brief moment and requested His Majesty’s approval for the marriage. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”  

Logan questioned. Eleanor froze in shock at the unexpected inquiry.  

“Requested His Majesty to approve the marriage?”  

Eleanor asked, her eyes wide open. Logan turned away, his face weary.  

“Your Grace, please tell me.”  

“Why ask me that?”  

Logan sharply retorted. Eleanor, who had followed him with a couple of steps, hesitated and stepped back. Logan approached the table and picked up the newspaper spread wide across it. With a sigh, he handed the newspaper to Eleanor.  

<Logan Claven – Eleanor Hudson – Usher Fitzman, The Love Triangle Shaking The Social World>  

The headline of the article featured cut-out photos of Eleanor, Logan, and Usher.  

***

“Have you rested well?”  

It was a rather late time to ask such a question, as the late lunch had already passed.  

“It is thanks to the grace bestowed by you, Your Majesty.”  

“It is merely a small courtesy that can be extended to a warrior who participated in the Great Peace War. Would you call that grace?”  

However, if the question came from the King, time was irrelevant. Usher expressed his gratitude toward the King seated at the head of the table. Though the King claimed it was no great favor, he seemed very pleased with Usher’s words.  

“The grace I can bestow upon you is something else entirely.”  

The King leaned leisurely against the back of his chair and spoke. Usher, who had been idly staring at the neatly arranged tea table, turned his gaze back to the King. The King watched the subtle anger and betrayal simmering in his otherwise gentle and kind violet eyes with satisfaction.  

‘Usher Fitzman?’  

‘I greet the King of Ledan.’  

Two days ago, early in the morning, Usher’s gaze had been far more ferocious when he came seeking him.  

‘Hmm. What brings you here so early in the morning?’  

‘Please dismiss the people around us.’  

‘They are all my people. There’s no need for that.’  

With eyes flushed red, his unexpected visit made the King wonder if Usher had come to exact revenge for being sent to the battlefield. The King dismissed the servants nearby as Usher requested but instead brought the guards closer.  

‘Sit comfortably and speak your mind.’  

The King gestured toward the sofa in front of him. Usher strode over and took a seat. Though his attire was neat, his movements lacked elegance. If he had spent three years wandering the streets with lost memories, it was understandable. The King tried his best to understand Usher.  

‘I heard that proper compensation is given to war heroes.’  

‘Hmm, that’s correct.’  

The King nodded, wondering if Usher was upset about being excluded from the rewards after returning late from the war.  

‘I also want proper compensation.’  

‘Naturally. What do you want?’  

In truth, the grueling efforts of soldiers like Usher stemmed from the peace treaty the King had signed. He was, in a sense, the cause of their hardships. Thus, the King felt obliged to show at least some sense of responsibility.  

‘I want to marry Eleanor Hudson.’  

‘Eleanor Hudson? Who is that…?’  

The King paused as he repeated the unfamiliar name.  

‘The Eleanor Hudson of the Hudson Viscountcy?’  

‘Yes.’  

‘Logan Claven’s fiancée?’  

It wasn’t hard to figure out who she was. Logan Claven’s fiancée, someone the King considered an adversary. But to ask for another man’s fiancée as his own bride? The King blinked in surprise, his face filled with confusion. The other servants in the reception room were equally astonished.  

‘Eleanor was originally my lover.’  

‘Eleanor Hudson was your lover?’  

At the King’s question, Usher nodded. The King stroked his smoothly shaven chin with a troubled expression.  

‘Regardless, that was in the past. She is now the fiancée of the Duke of Claven.’  

‘…Eleanor wants to come to me.’  

It was a difficult request. The King didn’t hide his troubled feelings. The guards stood still like statues, yet their ears perked up at the intriguing conversation.  

‘Besides, if Eleanor were seen moving between two men who are friends, she would be the one receiving criticism. You wouldn’t want that for her, would you?’  

The King spoke to Usher in a conciliatory tone. He wasn’t particularly interested in Eleanor Hudson, but he thought it would be too harsh a fate for her.  

‘If you want something else, I will grant it.’  

The King spoke with a dignified air. However, Usher did not back down.  

‘The only thing I want is her.’  

Interesting. The King thought so as he observed the flames burning in Usher’s violet eyes.  

‘Give me some time to think.’  

And so, the King deliberated on whom to choose and how to present his decision.  

***

“After much thought, I realized, as you know, I cannot force a marriage.”  

It was no longer the era of absolute monarchy. Though much power and authority still originated from the King, he could no longer openly impose his will on others. Doing so would immediately spark debates about the abolition of the monarchy.  

“Moreover, I was pleased that Logan Claven chose to lower his own influence by marrying a young lady from such a modest family.”  

When the war broke out, Logan had pushed for the construction of interregional railways as part of the rear support. The King had no choice but to proceed with the temporary project before Logan’s return.  

However, after Logan reclaimed his position, the project officially moved forward, much to the King’s displeasure. He had been closely monitoring the possibility of a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Persis. Then, as if by chance, Logan announced his engagement to Eleanor.  

And now, Usher Fitzman had come to seek a way to bring Logan down.  

“But your love is also pitiful.”  

“…”  

“I feel inclined to help you.”  

It was a sentiment that made one want to shout for joy.