Well. Where were there people who weren’t magicians a thousand years ago? According to records, elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons, and fairies actually existed at that time.

“This way, please. Baron Landgritz is waiting for you.”

I was guided past the entrance to the reception room.

By the way, the corridor from the entrance to the main hall and reception room is truly splendid.

When I stayed here, it was a neat and dignified space that seemed modest at first glance.

‘Now it just feels like nouveau riche.’

Even the reception room is disgustingly luxurious.

“Welcome, Lieselotte.”

“Welcome, Duchess Daiern.”

As the door opened, Nergal rose to greet me.

Beside Nergal was his wife, Baroness Eldena Tilip Landgritz.

“The weather outside is cold. Thank you for inviting me.”

The table set for tea time was circular.

My seat was prepared right next to Nergal, with one more empty seat beside it.

I pretended not to notice and pulled my chair a bit more to the side.

Exactly to the middle position between the Baroness and Nergal.

Nergal stopped me with a flustered look.

“Wait, Lieselotte. It’s better to leave that seat. One more person will be coming.”

“Oh my. That can’t be, brother. I came because I was told it would be an intimate family gathering. Or perhaps I have a new family member I don’t know about?”

I smiled innocently, and Nergal brazenly smiled back.

“I also invited the person who will soon be your husband.”

Crazy bastard.

“Husband? You haven’t forgotten that I’m still in the mourning period for my spouse, have you?”

After saying that, I deliberately clapped my hands and exclaimed “Ah!” as if I had realized something.

“If you’re talking about Leopold Hose…”

“Ah, it’s not him.”

Nergal’s face contorted as he waved his hands before I could finish speaking.

“…I’m sorry about that man. He has been diligent and loyal by my side, so I thought he would be suitable as your new match.”

“What an interesting thing to say, brother. You thought someone loyal and diligent would be a good match for me. I wonder why loyalty is a condition for a husband.”

“I thought he would treat you well without having other thoughts because he’s loyal. Especially since he’s always looked at you differently. Besides, weren’t you kind to Leopold Hose? I thought you had feelings for him too.”

It was such nonsense that I didn’t know where to start pointing out how absurd it was.

Think about it.

A vassal dared to have feelings for the daughter of the master’s family.

The difference in status is so great that immediate punishment would not be enough.

Not only letting that slide, but choosing him as a husband candidate?

“It seems you were trying to insult me to the end by marrying me off to a man of common birth, brother.”

“That’s not what I meant. I just thought since you had a hard time with a husband who held a duke’s rank, next time it would be good to have someone of such low status that they wouldn’t dare oppose you.”

“And additionally, someone loyal enough to bring Daiern to you, brother, right?”

“That too, might be a reason, but…”

“But the really interesting point is elsewhere. How on earth do you think that me being kind to Leopold Hose is proof that I have feelings for him?”

“…It wasn’t?”

Ha.

It was so absurd that I couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

But just as I was about to stand up and leave, the Baroness pulled on Nergal’s sleeve and stopped him from speaking.

Thanks to that, my emotions also subsided for a moment.

Biting my lip, I decided to calmly explain his stupidity.

“It’s hard to list all the idiotic things you’re saying right now, brother, but since we’ve come this far with blood ties, I’ll talk to you for a moment.”

“I-idiot, you say?”

“Yes, an idiot. You were never fit to be Baron Landgritz in the first place.”

“Your words… are too harsh.”

“Are they harsh? From age five to twenty-two. For a full 17 years, I was the one educated to inherit the Landgritz barony. Not you, brother.”

I deliberately smiled brightly.

“While I was following the previous Baron day and night learning about high society, what were you doing, brother? Ah, were you gambling, or were you having a good time fishing and hunting with the children of other nobles?”

“…That was all for the family. You know too, don’t you? That Landgritz has a lot of money but lacks the family influence to advance into central politics.”

“Just one thing, brother. If you cared for Landgritz so much, you shouldn’t have ignored the previous Baron’s will. When the previous Baron passed away, you sold me off as a second wife to Daiern and took the baron title, so I thought you were making a big gamble with Daiern as the stake this time.”

“…Stop that talk now.”

“Ah, no. The real gambling was actually separate.”

What do you mean stop? I still have more to say.

“I’m talking about the Envar Merchant Guild that the previous Baron founded. When you took the baron title, you chased out the guild master at the time, Saul Rogier, but it seems the new person you appointed wasn’t very skilled.”

“Lieselotte. I told you to stop.”

“Yes, so after using your sister and the previous Baron’s will as stakes for what you call the family’s glory, what you got as dividends in the end was…”

I deliberately looked around the excessively luxurious reception room once more and sneered mockingly.

“Just these things, I see.”

“Lieselotte!”

Nergal finally couldn’t hold back and jumped up from his chair.

He looked like he was about to hit me, but the Baroness immediately stood up and grabbed his shoulders, restraining his actions once again.

Actually, that was funny too.

If he really intended to hit me, he would have shaken off Eldena’s thin arms easily.

Nergal may be an idiot, but he’s not a complete fool who can’t see an inch in front of him.

He knows well that he is merely a baron, and that I standing before him am the Regent Duke acting as proxy.

‘So he also knows that if he lays a hand on me, it will cause problems.’

Selective anger management was activated.

Nergal eventually sat back down.

Breathing heavily as if excited, he glares at me with eyes similar to mine.

“Duchess. I know it’s not polite to interfere between siblings, but I’d like to say something. Actually, Nergal has always cared a lot for the Duchess…”

“If you know it’s not polite, I’d prefer you didn’t open your mouth, Baroness.”

I could guess what she was about to say.

I didn’t want to engrave those disgusting words in my ears, so I cut off the Baroness’s words as well.

Care? Who cares?

‘Nergal, that person cares for me?’

If my late grandfather had heard this, no. Even if Master Rogier, who should be in the mansion now, had heard it, he would have burst into laughter while pounding the ground at this ridiculous nonsense.

‘Right, so out of care he ignored the letters I sent asking for help?’

During my 10 years of marriage, I informed Nergal several times about my husband’s violent tendencies.

But the replies I received always contained similar words.

‘Endure it. Everyone lives like that.’

It was the same when I lost my first child, and when I miscarried the second.

The only blood relative I had to pour out my piercing pain and deep sorrow to was Nergal, but…

Even then, the letter Nergal sent me was terribly cold.

‘Pull yourself together. You can have children again next time.’

I found out later. At that time, Nergal was busy using Daiern’s power to conduct business.

So he didn’t want to cause any issues with Daiern by speaking out about my situation.

‘And then he talks about caring for me, about doing it for the family.’

Nergal’s words were just self-justification. It was all about himself.

He said it was for me, for the family, but in reality, he didn’t care about my opinion or the family’s welfare.

This bastard. I felt miserable for having cared all this time, thinking he was still family.

My affection had dried up.

Even breathing in the same place as him was unpleasant.

It felt like my Landgritz, which I cherished, loved, and once wanted to protect, had completely disappeared in 10 years.

No. Perhaps it had already vanished long ago.

Maybe I alone had lingering attachments, I alone had been clinging and obsessing.

So now it’s right to let go.

Because I’m not Landgritz, but Daiern.

“Come to think of it, Baron Landgritz.”

Having completely lost my expectations, I no longer felt the need to call him brother.

“That business you conducted with Wilhelm York Baden recently was a gambling den, wasn’t it…”

At that moment, Nergal’s body, which had been trying to say something more to me, stiffened.