The steward looked at the emperor with a dumbfounded expression, and the emperor, seemingly amused by his reaction, gave him a playful look.
“You think so, yet you keep him close?”
“Have you already forgotten how powerful the Grant Archducal family was back then?”
House Grant was one of the oldest families in the empire, alongside the imperial family. The military force they accumulated while ruling the northern region for so long was nearly equivalent to the rest of the imperial army, excluding the northern forces.
“The late archduke was a loyal and good man. That he committed treason? Ha. A donkey laying eggs sounds more plausible.”
The late archduke had been a long-time friend of the emperor. The emperor was one of the people who knew his character best.
“Then why…”
Instead of answering, the emperor turned his gaze out the window.
Being in this position sometimes required making heartless decisions. Expelling House Grant had been one such necessity for the emperor.
Seeing that the emperor had no intention of answering, the steward bowed his head. Just then, the emperor’s voice reached him.
“Incompetence is, by and large, the greatest sin.”
Marquis Redwood was like a wolf. How he managed to trap the archduke was unknown, but if someone of the archduke’s stature could fall for the schemes of a marquis, then it revealed a different kind of incompetence. That was the first reason why the archduke had to die.
The second reason was that the emperor could not afford to reveal his own incompetence to others.
The archduke who raised a rebellion marched on the capital with the entire northern army. It was Marquis Redwood who defeated the archduke and his formidable force. At that time, the emperor had a thought:
The archduke may not have been that kind of man, but what about his descendants?
If they harbored disloyal thoughts—if they intended treason, not because they were deceived by the marquis’s schemes but out of genuine conviction—then the one who would wear the emperor’s crown in the future might not be him but rather the archduke’s lineage.
Thus, the emperor resolutely severed ties with his friend, took his friend’s life, and sent his friend’s children and grandchildren to the battlefield.
The ties he had heartlessly cut came back to him after ten years. Even after stripping away the title of the great Grant Archducal family, Lyle had slain the empire’s enemies and gained merit.
“The lesson I learned is that even those with great abilities must not be given too much authority. Yet, I can’t treat them too poorly either. After all, the fate of a ruler who loses the people’s trust is always a miserable one.”
If you leave a sharp blade sheathed, it will rust. But wield it too much, and it will harm those around you.
At the right time, to the right extent.
“This kind of delicate balancing act is truly exhausting.”
The emperor sank wearily into the plush seat of the carriage.
***
Every day was busy. Invitations arrived daily at the Grant Archducal Mansion, and inquiries from those hoping to join the Grant Knight Order poured in.
It showed just how special the emperor’s reward had been. Three prime estates in the north, along with an annual stipend of one million gold.
Of course, the reward for Archduke Grant was expected given his achievements, but even the rewards for the knight order were not insignificant.
Leo Bonaparte, for instance, was the hottest topic in high society. As the second son of a count, he wasn’t originally in line to receive a title. With his future as the next commander of the Imperial Guard, a viscountcy was practically guaranteed, which wasn’t a bad prospect.
However, thanks to his contributions, he received a barony. The day he became the commander of the Imperial Guard, it would be natural for him to be granted the title of count at the very least. Plus, the annual stipend of five hundred thousand gold was no small sum. News of countless marriage proposals flooding in for the newly rich young man even reached Elaina’s ears.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Do I?”
Lyle had been busy all day meeting those aspiring to join the knight order. It wasn’t until dinnertime that Elaina finally saw him. He patted Knox’s head in greeting before sitting down. Just as Elaina noted, he did indeed seem to be in good spirits.
Elaina knew why.
Gran, Prix, and especially Pendita—these lands held special meaning for Lyle. Pendita, often called the northern capital, housed an ancient castle. It had been abandoned for ten years, nearly reduced to ruins.
“When are you planning to visit Grant Castle?”
Lyle gave a half-laugh at Elaina’s question, as if she had read his mind.
“Grant Castle?” Knox asked Elaina, curious.
She smiled brightly at the boy’s question. “Pendita has Grant Castle. When Archduke Grant ruled over the northern estates, it was the castle where he and his retainers stayed.”
“Wow?”
Knox’s eyes widened in awe. He looked at Lyle, as if asking if it was true, and Lyle nodded.
“It’s been neglected for so long that it’s dangerous to enter without repairs, but I plan to visit before the year is out.”
“C-can I come too?” Knox asked cautiously, his excitement palpable.
A castle.
The idea of a castle used by ancestors he had never seen filled the boy with both pride and curiosity.
“Of course. I’m planning the visit during your academy break.”
“R-really? Really?! Really, truly?!”
Knox jumped up, unable to hide his excitement. He had been expecting to be refused for safety reasons, and his voice was full of joy.
“Yes, really.”
Lyle’s lips curled into a gentle smile.
After dinner, back in their room, Elaina spoke to Lyle again.
“A million gold a year is a lot, but it won’t be enough for the castle repairs.”
Property, especially a mansion, quickly deteriorates if left unused. Grant Castle was already old, and after ten years of neglect, it must have deteriorated significantly.
“So, I have someone I’d like you to meet—Nathan’s cousin, whom I mentioned in a letter.”
Elaina told Lyle about Drane, including the things Drane had hinted to Nathan. Lyle’s expression grew serious as he listened.
“What do you think?”
“I see no reason to refuse.”
While Lyle could subdue monsters for his people, dealing with finances was not his expertise. He could turn to Duke Winchester for help, but relying on him indefinitely wasn’t an option.
‘So, about half a year remains now.’
Summer was passing. Only half a year remained of his marriage to Elaina.
“The five-year tax exemption granted by His Majesty is the key.”
Unaware of Lyle’s thoughts, Elaina clenched her fists with determination. The five-year tax exemption was an enormous privilege.
Nathan’s sachets and Drane’s plan to develop a land route through Mabel would provide the House of Grant with a stable source of income.
‘And yet, the original medicine I requested from Nathan is still unfinished.’
When Elaina initially planned this marriage, she had only been thinking of the medicine Nathan had made in Moonshadow. Reality, however, had turned out even more dramatic than the story.
All three lands granted by the emperor had suffered poor harvests for years. She hadn’t predicted that when asking Nathan to make the medicine, but if he succeeded, it would undoubtedly be of great help to Lyle’s lands.
“Alright, I’ll send a formal invitation.”
“An invitation?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”
Elaina glared at Lyle. Even if he had been busy with the knight order, there were things one simply shouldn’t forget. Lyle laughed at her silent pressure, revealing that he was joking.
“That’s not funny.”
“As if I could forget.”
The first thing Lyle did upon their return to the capital was confirm the masses of evening primroses blooming beside the fountain. The sight of the bright yellow flowers swaying in the summer breeze was truly remarkable.
“It’s the first event where we’ll present the Grant Archducal Banquet Hall, so of course it’s important. And someone reminded me of that incessantly.”
The “someone” responded seriously to Lyle’s joke.
“It really is important, so no matter how busy you are, make sure you don’t skip dance practice.”
Lyle raised his hands in surrender at Elaina’s stern warning. Satisfied, Elaina raised her brows, pleased with his reaction.