C137
"Brother...!"
Liena thought her heart would collapse at the sudden appearance of her brother.
"Why is my brother here? What about the territory?"
"Why else? I came to persuade you."
Leandro responded with a confused expression.
"My father asked for it. Maybe you'll listen. I heard you haven't seen our father or Leheim recently and haven't responded to their letters."
"Because those two only oppose my actions. They also said that creating a new business would definitely be impossible."
"... Anyway, let's go home and talk. Although they are lovers, you shouldn't stay too long in His Highness Mikhail's palace."
"Yes, if my brother Leandro promises to persuade both of them, I might return."
"That won't work. Honestly, I'm against it too."
A fine wrinkle appeared between Leandro's brows.
"Public opinion isn't very good either. It's only been a few months since the unfortunate incident happened. Do you really need to establish a new guild right now?"
"I can manage public opinion well."
"It may work for now, but I can't guarantee it will last."
"Fine. If you keep acting like this, I won't talk to you!"
"Liena."
"... My brother has changed too. In the past, you used to say, \"Don't worry about what others think, and do what you want!\""
Like Duke Cassius and Leheim, Leandro had also changed.
"Why is everyone changing suddenly?"
Is it really because Cassius is descended from a demon that divine power doesn't work?
Leandro looked at Liena with pity and then spoke with a resigned voice.
"That's it. As expected, my persuasion didn't work either. Rather, explain what I heard earlier. What do you mean by saying I got married because of you?"
"What? Well, you must have misheard."
"I heard it clearly. Before that, what did you mean by reward and living a comfortable life?"
"It was nothing. I said it like that because I was the one who brought together my older brother and sister-in-law."
Liena did her best to defend herself, thinking that she couldn't get away with it at all.
"Indeed, the atmosphere was a bit strange."
However, Leandro looked alternately at Liena and Ethel with suspicious eyes.
"What is your relationship with Ethel? Is there something between you two that I don't know?"
"It's not like that! It's just that my sister-in-law holds a grudge against me for the divorce and interferes with everything..."
"Alright, enough of the nonsense."
Ethel, who had been observing the siblings' discussion on the other side of the river the day before yesterday, spoke up.
"It's been a while, Leandro."
"Yes... Viscountess Lucibiu."
"Oh, you no longer call me wife. Have you finally realized that we are divorced?"
"... After going down to the territory and being away from my family, I had a lot of time to look back."
Leandro's eyes looked helpless as they glanced downward.
"It's too late, but I can finally face my mistakes. If it's alright with you, I would like to visit to apologize formally."
"..."
Ethel remained silent for a moment at the unexpected words.
A fresh breeze passed by her side.
It was a late autumn wind that found no warmth, much like the relationship between two people who were now strangers.
"There's quite a wind."
At that moment, Terence took off his coat and wrapped it over Ethel's shoulders.
"It's okay because I have a cloak."
"Even so."
"Terence will feel cold."
"I can't help it. One of my charms is a healthy, disease-free body."
"Is that so?"
A smile appeared on Ethel's face as if she couldn't resist.
"..."
Liena was behind Leandro, so there was no way to know what kind of expression she was making while watching the two people.
Ethel, wearing the prince's coat over her cloak, looked at Leandro and opened her mouth.
"It's okay. I'll give you the chance to apologize. Please arrange a meeting and come back later."
"Thank you."
"I'll let you know then. What is the relationship between the Duke Cassius's younger sister and me?"
"What?"
Ethel smiled proudly at Liena, who was surprised, and then walked away.
"So, goodbye."
After a while, the carriage carrying Ethel and Prince Terence left Duke Luciano's residence.
Liena's body trembled. Are you going to tell Leandro everything?
"No. That can't be possible."
It was clear that it was a lie intended to upset her.
Talking about the past of the two couldn't leave out the fact that Liena returned and her past life's story.
As much as Leandro suspected the story he had just heard, he wasn't pure enough to believe such an absurd tale, and Ethel knew it well.
So, this was just a superficial move to provoke Liena. She is sure of it...
"I'm anxious!"
As Cassius and Roland had already changed their attitude towards Liena, it was challenging for her to calm her anxiety.
At that moment, Leandro, who had been following the direction where the carriage had disappeared, grabbed Liena's arm.
"Let's go home too."
"No, I don't want to! Why should I?"
"How long are you going to stay in the imperial palace? The three of us are waiting for you to come back."
Those words shook Liena.
The main reason she decided to stay in the imperial palace was to appease Ethel, who was in the annex.