Chapter 78
“Due to circumstances, I’m sorry I couldn’t visit Rheinland in person.”
“Not at all! I know how busy Lord of Nuremberg must be.”
Jonas lifted the corners of his lips faintly as he watched Ferenzo wave his hands in denial.
Graham Lanchtein was a man Jonas himself found difficult to deal with. Though they were both nobles from the West, he was cut from a different cloth than Jonas.
On top of that, many nobles still regarded Lanchtein as the true representative of the West. Nobles, by nature, were a people who valued legitimacy.
To such people, of course, the representative of the West would be none other than the Lanchtein family, the most ancient and prestigious house. And Jonas did not like that one bit.
“The goods I urgently requested this time—thank you for sending them right away. I’m already looking forward to your abilities.”
“Haha!”
“The future of the Lanchtein family is truly bright.”
At Jonas’s praise, Ferenzo smiled sheepishly, his lips spreading in a foolish grin.
Tsk.
Jonas clicked his tongue inwardly, though his outward expression remained gentle.
“By the way, is it true that Lord Nuremberg is feeding your knights Stief?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“To think a mere plant could strengthen an order of knights that much… how fascinating.”
At Ferenzo’s question, Jonas replied with a meaningful smile.
“It’s only to ease fatigue, nothing more. Stief is effective against exhaustion.”
“How did you come to know that?”
“Haha, don’t people learn through failure?”
Jonas lifted his teacup to his lips, a sly smile spreading across his face.
Failure.
The first to teach Jonas the bitter taste of that word had been none other than his own daughter—Ludiana.
At the thought of her, Jonas’s eyes darkened. But the excited Ferenzo failed to notice.
“To learn from failure… that is truly fitting for Lord Nuremberg! I must take that lesson to heart myself.”
“Haha. Young heir, such troubles won’t befall you. You must continue to rise without stumbling.”
Jonas’s green eyes flashed sharply.
* * *
The main hall of the Pianus estate bustled with people.
Ludiana and Carlos entered together and approached Brown.
“Brown, you’re looking well.”
“Carlos! It’s been too long.”
Though he could no longer wield a sword, Brown’s everyday life was unaffected. Following his older brother Nelson Bins, he had found work at Roembec Press.
Seeing his old comrade looking so cheerful, Carlos grinned widely. As he followed Carlos’s lead, Brown’s eyes caught sight of Ludiana at his side. Immediately, he pressed his hands together politely.
“Greetings, Lady Roembec.”
“Please, feel free to call me comfortably.”
“No! I could never.”
Brown shook his head firmly.
Ludiana pursed her lips, troubled, and turned her gaze toward Carlos.
Aspiring once to be a knight, Brown carried himself like one in every respect. Ludiana had asked him countless times to address her less formally, but he had stubbornly refused.
“He’s a bit stiff. Please understand.”
Carlos leaned closer to whisper. His breath brushed her ear, making Ludiana startle, her palm flying up to cover it.
“Ah, was that ticklish?”
“You…!”
A low laugh slipped past Carlos’s lips, muffled by the hand covering his mouth. Ludiana scowled and glared at him, but he only laughed harder, his shoulders shaking.
“Carlos.”
At last, her stern tone cut through. Suppressing his mirth, Carlos bent closer with an apologetic bow.
“Sorry. I won’t laugh anymore.”
As she tilted her head upward to meet his face, her eyes fell upon the strong line of his jaw and the shape of his throat. Watching it shift with his deep voice made her chest tingle inexplicably.
Ahem.
“Lady Ludiana!”
“Sister!”
Her flustered gaze shifted as Nelson and Irene approached from the far end of the hall.
Usually dressed in uniform while serving as Nelson’s guard, Irene, for once, wore a green dress, skirts swishing as she hurried toward them.
“Irene, I told you—there’s no need for you to stay by my side tonight.”
“Oh, please! It’s not like I want to stay by your side either. But I have a duty to honor my sister’s request.”
“She’s right,” Ludiana said with a smile.
Nelson and Irene, arms crossed, glared at each other. Yet strangely, their cheeks were flushed.
“See? I was right!”
Ahem.
“Ludi.”
Carlos, chuckling at their banter, leaned in toward her again. Feeling the motion, Ludiana jerked her head aside, worried his breath might brush her ear again—only for his lips to end up mere inches from hers.
“Ah…!”
Ludiana’s face flamed crimson. Irene, Nelson, and Brown all widened their eyes in shock.
“Well then! We should, ah, go over there!”
“Y-yes, indeed. So many guests tonight!”
Quick-witted Irene smacked Nelson’s arm and dragged him away. He caught on quickly, pulling Brown along as they vanished into the crowd.
Blink.
Still frozen, Ludiana stared, while Carlos smiled wickedly at her. Every movement of his seemed etched in slow motion, searing into her senses.
Finally, she lifted her gaze to meet his steel-blue eyes. They curved faintly, his breath brushing her ear as his low voice teased.
“Ludi. Not here, of all places.”
“What! No, it’s not like that—!”
Her face burned bright red, like the crimson hue of Stief. As she stumbled back, Carlos caught her hand and waist at once.
“Careful, Ludi.”
A servant carrying drinks brushed past behind her. He’d only acted to prevent her from bumping into them. Even so, Ludiana froze stiff in his arms.
Once the servant passed, Carlos released her. But her body remained locked in place.
“Ludi?”
“Ah…”
Her violet eyes trembled as they met his. Regret surged within him for letting go so quickly.
I want to hold her.
But if he embraced her now, it would only embarrass her further. He stepped back, forcing a smile as he turned away.
“By the way, why assign Irene as Nelson’s guard?”
“Huh?”
“Nelson Bins’s protection. You could have left that to the knights.”
Suppressing his rising desire, Carlos pressed again.
“Ah.”
Snapping out of her daze, Ludiana cleared her throat and looked away. Though her face had returned to normal, the tips of her ears still glowed faintly red.
“I do trust Irene’s skills… but more importantly, with her by his side, Jonas wouldn’t dare touch Nelson recklessly. Not with a Roembec there.”
“Well, true. Roembec is hardly just another house anymore.”
Carlos nodded, satisfied.
“Besides, now that Nelson has the title of Roembec Press, Irene’s protection seems unnecessary, doesn’t it?”
“That may be so, but…”
From the very first issue, Roembec Press launched with a daring campaign: free distribution to anyone, regardless of status, for two months.
Afterward, subscription fees were set at half the price of rival papers, and collected monthly.
As a result, nearly every commoner in the capital subscribed within the first week. Their readership already rivaled one-third of the Imperial Press’s circulation.
Though founded for commoners, Roembec Press had instantly become the second most influential paper in the capital.
Ludiana glanced across the room to see Irene and Nelson still bickering with Brown in between them, Irene’s bright smile shining all the while.
“I think it’s fine as things are now.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“More than that, the Phaidon issue is the bigger problem.”
Carlos’s gaze returned to her, thoughtful.
Casimir’s furious outburst at the nobility council over the stagnant investigation was well-known.
“I suspect Graham Lanchtein will make his move soon.”
Indeed, the Lanchtein family’s recent actions were troubling, clearly aimed at framing someone from the East as the mastermind behind the incident.
If the East is accused, the fledgling Eastern Academy will suffer a fatal blow.
Casimir seemed equally determined not to let this matter slide.
There was undoubtedly something between Nuremberg and Lanchtein. Yet decisive proof of their connection remained elusive.
Pieces of suspicion lay scattered, but no link to tie them together.
“Ludi. Let me handle this.”
Her downcast eyes lifted to him. From this close, she had to tilt her head far back to meet his gaze.
“You don’t have to protect everything on your own anymore. I haven’t just been idling all this time.”
Carlos looked down lovingly at her wide eyes, reaching out to caress her cheek. She flinched at the touch, shoulders trembling, but his hand did not stop.
