Oblivious to the onlookers, Diana and Roderick’s affectionate exchange irked Nathan.

Leaving Nathan behind, Diana went inside with Roderick.

Raising kids is useless, Nathan grumbled. Felice approached him with a smile.

“Welcome, Mr. Nathan. I’ve heard a lot about you from your brother.”

Nathan’s face, which had been relaxed, sharpened like a honed blade. He appraised Felice from head to toe.

“Roderick’s younger brother?”

“Yes, I am Felice Schwarz, Roderick’s brother.”

Under his sharp gaze, Felice knew Nathan disliked their family name and understood his personality. He was skilled but not as much as Roderick, more of a thinker than a fighter.

“Hmm, I don’t like weak men.”

“What?”

“My sister is the best.”

“Ha ha, of course, your sister-in-law is the best.”

“Listen here, Roderick’s brother.”

As Nathan encircled Felice’s neck with his arm, the tension was palpable. Felice was startled but stood firm.

“Uh, yes?”

“Shall we have a thorough, physical conversation?”

“Body conversation?” Misinterpreting it as a physical confrontation, Felice was alarmed.

“What?!”

Nathan’s expression became strange too. What is this guy thinking?

“Nathan, brother?”

Startled. At the gentle voice of Diana from afar, Nathan stiffened.

“Come here quickly. Stop bothering innocent people.”

The women of the Beatus family are most dangerous when they speak kindly and politely, especially using honorifics.
Nathan, like a tamed wolf, quickly complied with Diana’s words.

Felice marveled at Nathan being led away as if he was on a leash.

Indeed, our sister-in-law! She’s like a beast tamer. Even the behavior Roderick showed was unbelievable. He seems to have even captivated our father, right?

Smirking, Felice turned away with his eyes growing cold.

His blue eyes were filled with malice as he gazed at the servants who looked at Diana with disdain.

Felice murmured to himself while smoothing his lips.

“Why do these ignorant fools keep showing up?”

Sighing, he hoped his brother wouldn’t hear this. He had already controlled those who couldn’t leave the castle to prevent them from spreading malicious rumors in the territory.

“Robert, why do you keep repeating the same mistakes?”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

The butler standing beside him bowed deeply.

“If anyone dares to harm even a hair on our sister-in-law, cut off their hands. If anyone dirties her ears, cut off their ears.”

The butler bowed again without a word.

“I don’t understand when our castle became a playground.”

It was a clear reference to Irene. Although the Duke tolerated her, Felice would act himself if she crossed the line.

She had already crossed it when she entered his bedroom naked, but he had let it slide.

Felice didn’t flinch, driving Irene away with a smile. He wasn’t attracted to any woman and wasn’t swayed by her clumsy seduction.

The Duke knew the truth but tolerated Irene’s actions, hoping that Felice would have a child soon.

It was absurd. With the eldest son still alive, being treated like a breeding horse. A cruel smile crossed Felice’s handsome face.

In his mind, there was no scenario where Roderick would die. His brother wouldn’t die.

“I can break the curse of this family!”

Felice had to hold his breath at Diana’s words. He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help hearing them.

Diana’s words sounded like salvation, claiming she could save his brother.

He felt like he could give her everything. He was willing to offer her the position of Duchess and even give Roderick the title of the head of the family.

What is the title of the head of the family worth? If she wanted territories beyond the North, he was willing to start a war to offer them to her.

“Ensure that sister-in-law’s belongings are always of the highest quality.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Oh, and how is my sister?”

“There has been no contact from her for several days.”

Felice briefly thought about his younger sister who married off a year ago.

The curse of the Schwarz family seemed directed at everyone but Felice.

Although Roderick inherited the family’s madness, his sister also seemed affected, like their mother.

People thought her stuttering and grotesque face were part of the curse.

Felice had hoped she would fare better away from the family, even if it wasn’t a curse.

“No news is good news, I guess. Inform me if there’s any contact.”

Was it really good news? Perhaps he should have checked more thoroughly. As a secondary male character, Felice would eventually regret it, but that was still far off.

“Aren’t you going to greet the Duke, brother?”

“Why should I?”

“What kind of rudeness is that? Didn’t I teach you better?”

In the guest room lounge, Nathan sprawled on the sofa as if he owned the place.

“Etiquette? I’m really tired.”

Nathan yawned, showing an exasperated expression. That cheeky frog, always the same as ever.

“I’m relying on you and Noel. As my older brother and representative of our family, you should greet the Duke.”

Clearing his throat, Nathan straightened up and said boastfully.
“Right, I’m older than you.”

Pretentious, just for being two years older. This guy always had a weakness for being praised.

“But who’s Noel?”

“Don’t you remember? The bastard child of our house.”

“Was there such a thing? That gentleman had some ability, huh? Going around so frail and then having a child before dying?”

Indeed, the Duke of Beatus had been bedridden, close to death, for a long time.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t know since you were never at home, but a maid brought him and left, demanding money.”

She also couldn’t recall anything about the bastard child until she died and came back, so it was natural for Nathan not to remember either.

But was her memory correct? She suddenly felt doubtful.