NRAL | Chapter 84

~Chapter 84~

A Fool Is Hard to Use

Baron Griffiths, enraged by the insult he hated most, jumped up from his seat.

His friends hurried to hold him back, but the baron was unstoppable.

Just like Damian, he was the kind of simple-minded man who lost control once he got emotional and never thought about the consequences.

“What? Did I speak too honestly? But it’s something everyone already knows, isn’t it? That the Baron willingly acts like a servant to my brother-in-law.”

“Ha! A brat who still has milk on his lips dares to…!”

“Brat?! Why you—!”

The fight broke out instantly.

Drunk and overheated, the two nobles threw insults at each other and soon started throwing punches.

Other nobles and knights tried to stop them, but it was useless.

The crowd that had been enjoying the dogfight quickly lost interest in the animals and turned their attention to the far more entertaining noble battle.

If they’d been allowed, some might have bet money on who would win.

‘It couldn’t be easier.’

Milo watched as Damian landed punch after punch on Baron Griffiths, and slowly reached into his pocket.

His fingers brushed against the hilt of a small dagger.

Damian was completely distracted.

Even his knight was too busy trying to stop the fight to pay any attention to Milo.

Should I stab him now?

Milo’s hand lingered on the hilt as he watched Damian wrestle with the temptation.

This was his chance. After months of waiting, he could finally have revenge for Maya.

But after a moment’s hesitation, Milo slowly pulled his hand out of his pocket.

It was empty.

‘Because she promised.’

Eleanor Astria—the most elegant and noble woman he had ever met—had looked him in the eyes and promised.

That she would bring Damian to her.

That she would give him the chance to carry out revenge with his own hands.

Trusting in a noble’s promise was foolish. Milo, who had lived on the streets since he was a child, knew that better than anyone.

But he didn’t trust the promise. He trusted her.

Her bloodied legs.

Her eyes brimming with hatred.

Her voice, cold and resolute as death, saying she wanted something worse than death.

“I’ll trust you, my lady. Because I believe the revenge you’ve planned will be far crueler and more hurtful than anything I could do now. And I won’t regret waiting.”

Milo murmured to himself and left the noisy gambling den.

***

The story of Damian Astria and Baron Ronnie Griffiths throwing punches in a Salisbury gambling den spread like wildfire in less than a day.

Young, hot-headed noblemen fighting wasn’t rare.

But this incident drew particular attention for two reasons.

First, the setting of the fight.

Two high-ranking noble heirs fought in a low-class dogfight den?

Older nobles clicked their tongues, complaining about the decline of their society’s dignity.

Some even said the Astria family’s honorable name—carried since the founding of the Empire—was now tarnished beyond repair.

And second…

“Did you hear? The Grand Duke Royster is interested in that fake noblewoman!”

A scandal between Eleanor and Karsian Royster had exploded—on the very same day.

“He even broke off another engagement to go after her, they say!”

“Are they getting married now?”

“No way. I mean, sure, she’s beautiful, but he would never marry someone of unknown origins. Maybe keep her as a mistress, but not a wife.”

“Still, even if she’s fake, would the Duke of Astria really let their daughter end up a mere mistress?”

“…By the way, did you hear about Damian Astria? That family can’t catch a break these days.”

Grand Duke Royster was always the center of high society’s attention.

So when rumors involving him spread, even people who didn’t care about gossip were suddenly all ears.

Normally, the story would’ve faded quickly and been replaced with another scandal.

But instead, the gossip grew stronger, which meant Damian’s disgrace only spread further.

“Damian Astria!!”

By the next morning, Duke Astria’s voice boomed throughout the mansion.

Having only just been released from probation, Damian was now caught fighting in a gambling den—shaming the family once again.

The duke, already exhausted from managing Arlo’s affairs, was furious beyond reason.

His useless son had managed to add yet another problem to his hectic schedule.

‘He’s going to get beaten again, just like last time.’

Eleanor, hearing the Duke’s furious voice, could already predict Demian’s future: about a week of house arrest, followed by a beating hard enough to leave him unable to move for days.

Though that was lighter punishment than the many beatings she had personally endured, Damian clearly didn’t see it that way.

“S-Sir, I’m sorry, but the young master packed a few things and ran away from the house…”

Apparently, his last beating had hurt quite a bit—so much so that the moment he heard his father was looking for him, he fled as if his life depended on it.

He’d have to face the Duke eventually, and yet he fled without a plan.

So very Damian. Stupid, impulsive, and utterly thoughtless.

His sudden disappearance threw the Astria estate into chaos.

The Duke, half out of his mind, took his anger out on everyone: the servants who failed to stop Demian, Nora who had spoken with him the night before, and Eleanor, who had been getting on his nerves lately.

Thankfully, Eleanor wasn’t whipped again.

Not because the Duke had any sudden change of heart—but because Eleanor was soon to meet Karsian Royster, and if he hoped to “sell” her well, she couldn’t have any visible scars.

Knights were sent out urgently to track down Damian.

But somehow, the fool managed to stay hidden for several days.

The one truly troubled by his absence was Eleanor.

He’s not… dead somewhere, is he?

Given all the enemies Damian had made, it wasn’t impossible.

Even excluding herself and Milo, there were plenty of others who hated him.

Dying alone in some ditch somewhere?

It almost suited him.

But it would be a shame.

She had already prepared his grand finale—and she wasn’t about to let that go to waste.

Especially when she had made a promise to Milo.

This is why idiots are so hard to use.

You couldn’t expect logic from someone like Damian.

Impulsive and brainless, he acted purely on emotion and often made reckless decisions.

Too unpredictable to be useful.

Eleanor sighed deeply and shook her head.

If he were really dead, we’d have heard something by now.

The lack of any news only meant one thing—he was still in hiding and doing it well.

And today… was the day the Duke left to inspect the Astria lands.

Knowing Damian, she figured he’d grow homesick and return the moment he confirmed his father had left the capital.

So really, there was no need to worry unless he still didn’t return by tonight.

***

“Have a safe trip, Father.”

As the Duke prepared to leave, his two daughters came out to see him off politely at the front entrance.

Nora, who had once followed him around with sweet affection, now stood silent and composed.

After experiencing his cruelty firsthand, she had learned the safest way to behave.

“Ellie. You’re meeting Grand Duke Royster this afternoon, correct?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. Be sure to extract as much as you can from him. If you act foolishly, you will be punished severely. Do not misstep.”

“Of course. I’ll do my best not to disgrace you.”

Satisfied, the Duke turned and left.

A dozen servants and knights followed him.

The large carriage rolled away down the smooth road.

The two Astria daughters turned and went their separate ways.

Since the day it was revealed that Luke was Nora’s real sister, Eleanor and Nora hadn’t exchanged a single word.

But the air between them had grown even more tense.

In the past, Nora used to make crude insults at Eleanor.

Now, she simply stared—silent and still, her eyes wide and unblinking.

So unusual that passing servants would shrink away in fright.

And Eleanor? She ignored her completely.

No mocking, no taunting—just silence.

The truth of Nora and Luke’s relationship still sat heavy on her heart.

But after their meeting at the townhouse, Eleanor had been able to shake off her guilt.

It had allowed her to proceed with Damian’s trap without hesitation.

***

“You’re back, my lady?”

As Eleanor reached her room, climbing the grand stairs, Hilda peeked out from behind a mountain of dresses.

Clearly, she had already started preparing outfits for Eleanor’s meeting with Karsian.

“Shall I pick something calm and modest again, like usual?”

She asked with a pout.

She knew Eleanor always avoided looking too dressed-up around Karsian.

It made sense—but it still hurt her, as someone who took joy in making her lady look beautiful.

But today… Hilda’s wish would finally come true.

“No. Not today.”

There was no need to hold back anymore.

Not because she didn’t care what he thought.

No.

For the first time in her life, Eleanor wanted to look beautiful—for someone.

Even knowing how much Hilda would tease her later, she still said:

“I want to look as pretty as I can… Will you help me, Hilda?”

Hilda saw the soft blush on Eleanor’s cheeks—and in that moment, something snapped in her brain.

All thoughts of teasing were gone.

All that remained was a strong determination.

Today, she would make Eleanor so stunning that everyone’s jaw would drop.