Chapter 83

Belwood, cornered by the Duke Dragoon, found himself in a tight spot and, half-escaping from reality, looked at the angry duke with a carefree expression, tightly holding the letter containing secrets given to him by his mother.

Impressive as it was, he thought, it wasn't as terrifying as an angry wife. In his half-conscious state, he pondered this.

He had no grand beliefs as his wife claimed.

The Lovain family had always been broad-minded about marriage...

Or rather, because they lived in such a remote and poor area, they had no choice but to find their own partners, as they couldn't be picky about who they married.

It would be easy to answer Meria's question with "gladly," but that wouldn't be fair to the children, who he had raised to believe they should find their own partners.

His wife, who was sitting next to him, would never approve of such an unfair act.

Suddenly, he remembered what his wife had said in the carriage on the way here.

"You just need to respond as the Lovain family, whose motto is humility and prudence."

Humility and prudence.

What exactly was she asking him to be humble about in this situation?

Besides, he was hungry. The smell of warm bread was particularly pungent.

Belwood no longer cared.

He looked at Meria again.

Then he shook his head firmly.

"I'm a carefree noble who has no interest in the rise and fall of the family. If you ask me to think about the future of the family, I have no idea how to judge it. I'll leave it to my capable children!"

"...Well said, Belwood. You won't regret this?"

"I wish I could say I won't... but I'm full of regrets every day! Hahaha!"

With that, the viscount stood up.

He had just defied someone he absolutely shouldn't have in this situation.

He had no intention of staying to watch the rest of the meeting from here.

As soon as Belwood stood up, Cecilia also stood up, as if they had planned it in advance.

"Wait. We're not done talking yet."

Meria glared at the couple.

"That may be, but I'm too hungry to continue."

Bel hung his head in embarrassment.

"Really, a man who defies me shouldn't make such a pitiful face just because he's hungry. Moonlit, your territory borders the Lovain territory, right? Has there been any change in your wheat production over the past ten years?"

The entire hall held its breath as Viscount Moonlit, who had been suddenly called out, answered with his forehead almost touching the table.

His son, Tud, had also been admitted to the Royal Academy's E class this year, so he was allowed to sit at this table today.

"Yes, the climate has been stable recently, so there hasn't been a significant change... However, we have been using seeds provided by the Lovains, and the results have been promising. We have recently switched to these seeds for all our winter wheat, and we expect a 30% increase in yield."

Meria nodded and threw the tax revenue data of the Lovain territory, which had been increasing by 3% annually, in front of the man with the hooked nose who had criticized Belwood's research earlier.

"How many more years of research will it take to achieve that scent enhancement?!"

Belwood immediately snapped to attention and answered.

"Yes, sir! If you give me three more years, including this year, I will make it happen!"

"I'll double the budget. In return, submit detailed reports twice a year!"

"Yes, sir!"

"And one more thing. Your son has already been approached by the daughter of the Revalance family, and given the recent events, it wouldn't be surprising if the royal family and other influential nobles start to consider a marriage alliance. If you receive any marriage proposals from other families, report to me before responding! Is that clear?"

The hall buzzed with excitement.

Belwood returned to his carefree demeanor and looked at his wife.

"If you can promise that."

His wife smiled and answered.

Belwood shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but no matter how much I try to reason with that headstrong girl, I don't think she'll consult me before making a decision. She might already be married at this very moment."

Meria slumped in her seat.

"What kind of noble is that... Are you still the lord of your territory?"

"Our family's motto is humility and prudence."

Belwood puffed out his chest.

"Do you have no intention of showing a little service to a poor old woman who can't even support her granddaughter's love? If you're too greedy, you might trip and fall!"

Cecilia smiled.

"Do you like being greedy, my lord?"

With that, she turned and left with her husband.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea as they walked through.

Bel casually grabbed a piece of bread from a tray on the way.

◆

After the regular meeting.

Meria, who had moved the venue from the guest house to the duke's residence, scolded the steward who was attending her.

"Are Jild and Avenir waiting? Call them immediately!"

Soon, the two appeared, and Meria, holding the investigation report on the Lovains, crumpled it and smiled at Jild, the head of the intelligence department.

"Cecilia Lovain is probably a commoner by birth, a modest and gentle beauty who supports her husband and laughs like a young girl. That's what you reported to me, right?"

Meria's smile vanished.

"Where? She's a king's material! If I had known about her 20 years ago, I would have adopted her into the Dragoon family and made her my successor. I told you to prevent me from being embarrassed, but are you blind?"

Jild, prostrate on the floor, could not answer.

However, since the Lovain family had come into the spotlight, Viscountess Cecilia had never appeared in public.

All the scouting for the Lovain family had been done by the viscount himself or his eldest son, Grimm.

It was only natural to make assumptions based on past information, and it was harsh to hold the intelligence department responsible.

The steward, considering these factors, tried to mediate for his master.

"My lord, I have also reviewed the background data of the intelligence report. After marrying into the Lovain family, there were no notable episodes, and in social settings, she supported her husband and rarely spoke, which is consistent with the numerous testimonies and today's observations.

The issue is before her marriage...

We have thoroughly investigated the records of the Royal Academy and other high schools across the kingdom for the past 40 years, but found no information matching her. If she had married into a noble family from abroad, there would be records, but there are none. This suggests a commoner who did not attend school due to family circumstances. The intelligence department's judgment that she is a commoner is reasonable. Of course, given her current demeanor, this theory is highly questionable. She is likely a former noble who, for some reason, did not attend a higher school and was removed from her family's registry. It is likely a family of some standing, but why such a person has such a background is unclear...

It has only been two months since the family came into the spotlight. No faction could have done more, and it is fortunate that only the Dragoon family has had direct contact with Cecilia Lovain. The fact that a gag order was imposed on today's meeting is a wise decision."

Meria grunted and sat down in her chair.

"There are so many people. A gag order is just for show. It will leak soon. Nix, you seemed to sense something from that couple. You were so aggressive at first, but then you became as quiet as a borrowed cat. I want to hear your thoughts."

"First, about Viscount Lovain. When I first confronted that carefree man, shouting and pointing a spear at his forehead, he didn't blink or change his expression. He said the killing intent was fake. This made me reconsider and observe his actions more carefully. His claim of having no martial talent seems to be true. However, whether due to the influence of 'Eternal Battlefield' or his wife, it is clear that he has been through many battles and is not easily intimidated."

Meria handed the crumpled report to Nix.

"This is Belwood's academic record from his noble school days. Looking back, his grades in life sciences stand out. While this alone is not conclusive, he is likely a type of gifted individual who excels in a specific field. Such individuals often have social issues due to their specialized intelligence. He is calm and collected, but his lack of interest in things like being scolded by me or you, or his son's admission to the Royal Academy's A class, suggests a brain structure that doesn't engage with such matters. He views his son's academic success only from the perspective of his own interests, such as the protection of the Claubia forest. He has little interest in his son, so he doesn't care about his school life. Normally, a parent would try to guide their child in the direction they want, but Belwood lacks the interest to do so. His social skills are better now, but a review of his student papers and anecdotes would confirm this. Anyway, let's move on. How did you see Cecilia?"

Nix recalled Belwood's behavior today. He was beyond the level of a "carefree" person, especially when he prostrated himself on the table in front of the lord.

And his wife—

"...As a fellow warrior, she is unfathomable. At first, it seemed like a trivial domestic dispute over Belwood's infatuation with a baker's daughter, but I couldn't see any way to win. When my wife called the Lovains cowards, Viscountess Lovain had completely disappeared. Her face was pale, and her heartbeat seemed to have stopped. There was no trace of the residual magic that usually leaks with each breath. I couldn't measure her potential, but in terms of martial prowess, she was in a different league from anyone else in the room. I was only thinking about how to ensure the lord's safe escape if she were to go berserk."

"...That killing intent was probably a show. She had been hiding behind her husband, but with her son's admission to the Royal Academy, she probably decided it was too difficult to keep hiding. In any case, a confrontation at today's meeting was inevitable. By restraining you, she aimed to gain an advantage. While not necessarily a martial expert, her potential is undeniable. Her potential matches her capabilities.

Jild, thoroughly investigate the noble families in the country, especially those with martial reputations. The key to the Lovains lies with Cecilia."

"Yes, sir!"

"Also, the Lovain family's second son, Beck Lovain, is said to be in the Dragoon private army. I'll transfer him to your unit, and you should evaluate him directly."

"Understood."

"Really, they all do unconventional things and claim 'humility and prudence are the Lovain family's motto'... Are they making fun of me?!"

No one answered Meria's question.

Thank you as always!

I'll take a break for one or two days starting tomorrow!