A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 154: The Duke of Embergreen (2)

“The Duke of Embergreen is currently located on a hill at the entrance of the ducal territory.”

“...Why there?”

“We don’t know for sure... but he headed that way after the road was blocked.”

According to the knights walking ahead of us with the Lady, the Duke of Embergreen was situated on a nearby hill.

“What will you do? Are we heading there? Or shall we enter the duchy and enforce the lockdown...?”

“...No point in being afraid now.”

And with the Lady’s decision—clear and unwavering—our destination was set: the hill where the Duke awaited.

“...Excuse me, you’re not telling me you haven’t even held hands yet, right?”

“......”

“Oh dear, poor Lady. What kind of hopeless man did she end up with...”

Trailing behind the Lady, I sighed and turned slightly as Clara, her personal maid, kept trying to chat with me.

“And why are your eyes always so narrow? Can’t you open them like a proper man?”

“......”

“Anyway, you’re seriously saying there hasn’t been any physical contact? Ugh, aren’t men supposed to have at least some sense?”

Her persistence finally forced a sigh out of me, and I reluctantly opened my mouth.

“Do you really want to know that badly?”

“...Y-yeah. I do.”

“Then may I ask why?”

She rolled her eyes around a bit, glanced toward Meredia up front, then leaned in close to whisper.

“Do you have any idea how many relationship questions the Lady’s been asking me lately?”

“......”

“What do you think it felt like when Lady Meredia, that Meredia, nervously asked me how to seduce a man?”

I couldn’t be sure, but if what this maid was saying was true, it must have been quite a shock.

“And it didn’t stop there. The questions kept escalating, until finally she asked me how to... well, how to sleep with a man.”

“...That’s not really something a count’s daughter or a personal maid should be discussing.”

I tried to stop her, glancing toward the Lady, since her words were getting increasingly inappropriate. But Clara only thumped her chest and raised her voice slightly.

“Of course I wouldn’t say these things anywhere else! But you’re the person involved!”

“......”

“So just tell me a little. As her personal maid, I have the right to know everything about the Lady!”

Her eyes gleamed with mischief rather than duty, but still... she had a point.

“She asks me all those questions, but never tells me how things actually went...”

“......”

“Honestly, if you two have made any progress, most of the credit probably goes to me. So come on, just a hint...”

Just as I suspected, she must have caught on to my thoughts—her impassioned face suddenly stiffened and then turned completely expressionless.

“...All clear.”

“......”

“...Sir.”

What now? I looked ahead to find Meredia glaring coldly at her.

Watching Clara salute in perfect servant posture before her mistress made me realize—perhaps surviving in House Embergreen required this level of shamelessness.

– Twitch. Twitch...

Sure enough, the moment Meredia turned her eyes forward again, Clara slightly tilted her head toward me, ears perking up.

‘How is she still Meredia’s personal maid?’

Considering the Lady’s personality, they seemed polar opposites. It felt like a miracle she hadn’t been dismissed.

“...We kissed.”

“...No way.”

Since her barrage of questions was wearing on me, I dropped that whisper. Her eyes went wide.

“...Hey, but did you use tongue?”

“Oh, that’s important.”

Thinking back, Sasha really was too good a maid for me.

Speaking of Sasha, she’s probably working hard even now, having voluntarily given up her vacation. When we return to the mansion, I’ll make sure she gets a paid leave—even if I have to force it.

“So... how did the Lady react?”

“...Haa.”

“Did she lead the kiss? Or was it you, surprisingly?”

Trying to ignore her, I continued walking. But Clara just kept pressing on with her questions.

“By the way, did you know the Lady’s ears are her weak spot?”

“......”

“She pretends not to care now, but back in the day, every time I washed her ears—eep!!”

And as expected, she crossed the line.

Her whole body spasmed, and she collapsed to the ground.

“...Tsk.”

The reason, of course, was the crimson glare of the Lady’s jewel-like eyes as she looked back.

“Excuse me...”

“Shall I help her up?”

“...The Lady actually really likes being held.”

As I knelt to help the smoldering wreck of a maid, she muttered that like a solemn deathbed confession.

‘Yeah, I already know that.’

It seemed she had decided to face divine punishment to pass along such a “precious” piece of information. Unfortunately, I’d already experienced that first-hand many times.

“Lady Meredia. Your maid is dying.”

“...Leave her. She’ll crawl back on her own.”

“Haha...”

At least Meredia’s face, which had been rigid the whole time, had finally returned to her usual icy calm.

Wait... did the maid do all that on purpose to lift her mood?

– Sliiiide...

Just then, the maid—still lying face down—lifted her thumb.

“Your personal maid is quite the character.”

“...Indeed. Should’ve purged her long ago.”

“That’s a joke, right?”

I turned back toward the Lady, brow furrowed. But hearing her voice, I had to ask.

“Yes, it’s a joke.”

She sighed and added,

“She’s the only one I’ve ever had who I could call a friend.”

“...Ah.”

“When we were young, we used to play together. We both got beaten by the Duke of Embergreen more than once. If she took her clothes off ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) now, I bet she’s got some scars that look just like mine.”

No wonder she could joke around like that in front of Meredia—it came from history and resilience.

“Want me to strip and show you?”

“No.”

“Then stop looking behind and watch where you’re walking. We’re about to face the Duke.”

Ignoring the faint trail of smoke behind us, I sped up my pace. That’s when I spotted a silhouette up ahead and furrowed my brow.

“That must be...”

“...Hah. He hasn’t changed.”

Even from a distance, the man standing with his back to us, clothes fluttering in the wind, gave off a staggering presence.

– Tremble...

At that moment, Meredia’s hand began to shake again.

“...Hey, sorry but...”

“You want to hold hands?”

“...Yeah.”

I gently clasped her trembling hand, and we stepped forward together.

‘Is this... a first meeting with the in-laws?’

Except this time, I had no intention of showing any respect to the elder.

***

“You’ve come.”

As Meredia and I walked further forward, we slowed down at the deep voice that rang from ahead.

“...The view from up here is always a sight to behold.”

There was no particular tone or meaning to his words, yet the sheer force behind his voice put all the knights around us on edge.

“Unexpected, though. I didn’t think you’d come alone, but to think you’d bring him along.”

Standing calmly in this tense standoff, the Duke of Embergreen chuckled to himself.

“Well, I suppose I should see just what kind of man my only daughter decided to bring before me.”

“...Don’t call me that. It’s disgusting.”

Meredia barked sharply, but—

– Sliiide...

The Duke slowly turned to face her, and she involuntarily flinched and bit her lip.

“Still, you’ve improved. You used to recoil in terror the moment our eyes met.”

Even aged, the Duke of Embergreen exuded a terrifying aura.

He looked nothing like a noble—more like a seasoned war general. His body was hardened, his face deeply wrinkled, hair completely white.

Yet the composure and intensity in his presence was like an old tiger sizing up its prey.

“Well, well... seeing your face again makes the scar on my eye throb.”

“......”

“You know full well, don’t you? That scar is what made your era possible.”

With a chilling smile so like Meredia’s, he touched the long scar slashing across his right eye.

“If not for this blind eye, I wouldn’t have handed the house over to you.”

“......”

“But I’m satisfied. A scheme that devious? Even the victim can’t help but admire it.”

Though his tone was soft, every word carried a cold, murderous weight.

“So, how does it feel to sit at the top?”

“......”

“You seem to be adapting quite well.”

As he spoke on, veins began to rise on Meredia’s face.

“Just like I did when I clawed my way up from nothing to become Head of House.”

“...Shut up.”

“Haha. Even a failure like you can’t deny we share the same blood—” 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“I said shut up.”

Finally, she snarled back, radiating an aura as fierce as his.

“You no longer belong here.”

“......”

“I’ve warned you enough. Let me make it clear.”

The Duke looked mildly intrigued by her boldness.

“Leave now. Or I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“Hah!”

He burst out laughing, as if he’d heard something absurd.

“And who gave you that authority?”

“Consider it a final courtesy—from the Acting Head—to an old man who lost his authority along with that wretched eye.”

Meredia smirked, and the Duke’s expression darkened.

“You’ve grown insolent, daughter.”

“You’ve grown uglier.”

With their bitter exchange, the already frigid air turned glacial.

“Knights—draw your swords.”

“...Yes, my lady.”

Meredia was the first to draw steel.

“I’ve issued my warning. Don’t claim ignorance now.”

Eyes full of hatred no daughter should show a father, she stepped forward.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t come here today to see you.”

Then, the Duke pulled something from his coat and waved it.

“I came to see your fiancé.”

“...What?”

His gaze shifted to me, and I clearly saw a sly smile creep across his face.

“You, of all people, should understand the meaning of this letter.”

And I couldn’t just brush off his words.

Because what he held in his hand... bore my father’s seal.