How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke - Chapter 221

Ilyn turned to look at him, her expression not at ease. At that moment, Aden finally relaxed his stern face.

“It’s a joke.”

“What?”

Ilyn turned to him in a flash. Aden led her into the carriage.

“Whatever you do in the palace, it doesn’t matter, but the fact that you violated the ‘independence’ granted by Biflten is what matters.”

****

Aden said he wouldn’t return to the palace until he was invited again.

“You don’t have to worry too much, lady.”

The day after returning from the palace, while Aden went to look at the people of Delrose for a moment, Ilyn was looking out the window. The place with a garden embroidered where there would never be a garden in winter didn’t seem much like Biflten’s territory.

A gardener who admired the sun was crossing through it with large scissors in hand.

“The relationship between Biflten and the royal family has always been like this.”

Etra had no intention of leaving the worried lady as she was. Ilyn turned her gaze from the window to look at her.

“Always?”

“Yes. In fact, His Grace, the former Duke, got along so well with the sun, to the point that it was strange.”

With a slight tilt, Etra poured tea into a cup. Ilyn smiled faintly at the sound that soothed her heart.

Even Etra, who had felt so unfamiliar when she first brought tea to the winter region, now brewed it as if she were a sun person herself.

“Although disputes like this have happened before, there was no armed conflict to worry about.”

“…Because Biflten is far away?”

Because the mansion is far away, is it not pleasing to the royal family’s hearts? Ilyn nodded slightly at Etra’s question.

“Yes. That’s one reason, but more than anything, what the emperors despised the most was Biflten’s ‘independence.'”

“Ah…”

That made sense. According to what Eni had explained before, the independence of the regional lords was inevitably threatening to the royal family. The statement that they wouldn’t have to report to the royal family every time they moved troops was practically equivalent to saying that if the Duke of Biflten changed his mind, he could turn his sword towards the royal family.

However, that statement was made without understanding the circumstances of the winter.

“Most of the troops would be busy dealing with the monsters.”

Ilyn’s quiet words made Etra laugh.

“Yes, that’s right. But the royal family wouldn’t know about such circumstances in Biflten. They wouldn’t want to know either.”

So they want to take away our independence. Ilyn lifted her teacup.

“By any chance, has the former Duchess also come to the royal family for a marriage proposal?”

Etra shook her head.

“No, as far as I know, this is the first time she’s proposed a marriage,”

even though she wasn’t without the Bride of the Sun. As Ilyn took a sip of her tea, she tilted her head slightly.

“The fact that they violated the independence granted to Biflten is what matters.”

Judging from Aden’s words, it seemed that the provision of independence also included not needing marriage approval.

“It seems like the royal family suddenly changed their attitude.”

The fact that Biflten had been granted independence wouldn’t be publicly known. If you were from the noble class, anyone would desire that independence.

“Yes, Mllo assumes that someone from the palace must have leaked the information.”

Recently, the only one who had particularly disliked Biflten was Duke Roen. Did he deliberately inform the Emperor of it, not planning to send the information himself?

“And perhaps, if something happens…”

Her throat must have been dry. Etra swiftly refilled the empty teacup of the usually slow-drinking Ilyn.

“Don’t worry, milady, there are Delrose people willing to lay down their lives before you.”

She bowed deeply.

****

A little while later, a letter of invitation arrived at the Biflten mansion for Ilyn. But it wasn’t from the palace.

“Ah, is it the place that the maid is from?”

It was an invitation to a tea gathering sent by Countess Danette. Aden, who handed the invitation to Ilyn, squinted as he observed it.

The Moena family had already investigated thoroughly. They had looked into every detail of how the Moena family acquired their title, how they managed to hide it even while committing illegal acts, and even the financial state of their territory.

However, unless they were planning to muster military forces and trample, Aden had no use for that information. Instead, he chose to pass it on to Ilyn.

In social circles, Ilyn would know better how to make use of this.

“…”

Ilyn carefully read through the information Aden had given her. The most crucial point was that the current Moena Duke had acquired the title through adoption.

“I acquired the title through adoption, it seems.”

According to imperial law, noble families could only adopt minors under the age of twenty. This allowed the current 37-year-old Moena Duke to fake his age on paper as 19.

There was almost no chance that a nameless local noble forging documents would lead to a report to the royal family.

“You should know about your enemies before you move.”

Aden whispered softly. While having enemies wasn’t a good thing, the presence of steadfast Delrose allies gave a warmth unlike any other time.

Ilyn smiled softly.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ilyn knew that was the Delrose way.