I Seducing the Black-Hearted Duke Wasn't Me - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 34
“What’s this? Who are you, approaching me so familiarly… Ah. It’s you, Alberto.”
The count, irritated, lifted his head, and his brows naturally drew together.
A man who had suddenly approached and spoken to him as though they were old friends. He was the master of House Cronel.
House Cronel bordered House Valentine’s territory directly.
With similar rank and fortune, the two families were naturally spoken of as rivals.
Yet there was a clear difference between the two houses.
‘Hmph. Hearing it through the grapevine, he’s still trying to curry favor with the marquis to scratch out some connection with Zacharias. Pathetic fool. As if he has time for that instead of properly managing his own domain.’
Gerard Valentine, smirking slightly, stifled a snort of derision in his heart.
As always, he was preparing to needle him where it hurt.
“Ha, ha. Gerard, you didn’t come here for a drink because you’re feeling bottled up inside, did you? If that’s the case, I’d feel a bit sorry.”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
“My goodness, you mean you don’t know yet?”
The Count of Cronel spoke with genuine delight.
“This time, House Zacharias has decided to join hands with us Cronel. And they’re even laying roads for us, no less. Ha, ha!”
“…What?”
“And that’s not all. From now on, the Roar Trading Company’s primary route will pass through our domain. In fact, we’ve just finished settling the toll question as of today.”
“What did you just say!”
“This man. Why get so excited? Wasn’t it all your own greed that started this?”
The Count of Cronel, laughing heartily, clapped Gerard’s trembling back with good-natured slaps as he spoke.
“I hear you notified the marquis that you’d raise the toll fivefold? Quite the nerve you’ve got there. Well, thanks to that, we’ve made out like bandits. Ha, ha!”
“……”
“You must have a lot on your mind. With troubles over your children as well, why did you have to be so greedy… If the marquis’s trading company doesn’t pass through, that land would have no profit at all. But you still have to pay taxes regardless—what a fix you’re in. Holding on to it is just a loss!”
Gerard Valentine’s golden eyes wavered.
‘Road development, tolls, agreements… what is all this?’
Then what of House Valentine? What of our land!
“Get out of my way!”
He shot to his feet, shoving the Count of Cronel aside—the man who had been scratching at his raw nerve—and rushed out.
“What’s happened? The marquis was supposed to reroute around here? No, that’s impossible. The Duke Blanche promised it wouldn’t happen!”
“If I raise the toll, naturally others will follow suit.”
“Ha, ha, don’t worry. As long as what the marquis deals in is plants, they won’t be able to reroute. The goods would lose their value.”
“He’d have no choice but to bow down to you.”
Yes, the Duke had said exactly that!
“This way I’m the only one who loses everything!”
Half-drunk, his eyes bloodshot, the count scrambled into his carriage.
His destination was the Valentine Estate.
He had to get back quickly and find out what in blazes was happening. Otherwise, he might not just lose one thing—everything could come crashing down.
* * *
“It looks as though the Count of Valentine has finally thrown in the towel.”
“There’s really no other choice for him, is there?”
I looked at Leon, who had just entered the study, and his assistant as I spoke.
He nodded, as if he’d expected as much, casting his gaze toward the pile of letters stacked on one corner of the desk.
‘Hmm. Though I’m starting to find it tedious.’
By today alone, it was already twelve.
What? Letters left behind by messengers sent from the Valentine Estate.
Even when I’d sent word that I had nothing more to say and they should leave, the Valentine Estate kept sending people, while I continued to ignore them.
Apparently deciding that wouldn’t work, they’ve now taken to sending letters instead—and this was already the twelfth one.
‘I’ll have to tell them to stop sending letters altogether.’
Thinking thus, I lifted my head.
On another side, there were stacks of letters in various colors.
“What are those, Erna?”
“The lords of the territories that thought this was their chance and tried to raise tolls like the count did. They seem to have realized they’re in hot water.”
“Dear me. They should have known to stay put and keep their eyes open. Now they want to back out after touching the flame?”
My sentiments exactly.
When I unexpectedly appeared flustered by the toll issue with the Count of Valentine, others saw it and thought, “Oh? This actually works?” So they committed the outrage of pressuring me themselves by using tolls as a pretext.
But that was only a few days ago, and the situation reversed in a heartbeat.
Realizing their mistake, they hastily sent apology letters like this.
‘Now they’re saying it was a mistake, or that there were problems in the administrative process. Spouting such utter nonsense.’
“Well, it’s not a bad result. This time we’ve filtered out those who were trying to strangle both Roar and Zacharias.”
“You’re terrifyingly sharp.”
“I prefer to keep things clear and decisive.”
“I’d do the same. If something doesn’t sit right with me, I cut it clean.”
“Of course.”
At her frank answer, he smiled faintly.
She’d half-worried he might take offense at such bluntness, but thankfully he seemed unbothered.
He even nodded, as if he’d expected nothing less.
“By the way, Count Oscar submitted a divorce petition this morning. It looks like he and Sylvia Oscar really are going through with it.”
“Is that so? So it came to that in the end.”
“For House Oscar, it’s actually fortunate. There are no children between them yet. If there had been, the succession would’ve become terribly complicated.”
Perhaps it was better that everything had unraveled now.
House Oscar had always been quite favorably disposed toward House Zacharias.
Though it meant public humiliation, he’d probably had no wish to compound matters by making an enemy of them.
‘The Count spent as bail for his son Jerold alone—enough to run the estate several times over. And that’s before you add the reparations owed to both the Marquis and the Duke.’
It was quite possible House Valentine would have to sell not just their lands but their very manor.
And this, perhaps,
‘has less to do with me than with Leon’s involvement.’
He carried royal blood.
When she reviewed the submitted indictment, she found charges carefully woven in—charges of deception against the imperial house itself.
That had sent the fines and restitution into the astronomical.
In other words, it was a price on his life.
“It’s been troublesome all this while, but thanks to this matter, everyone’s learned to keep quiet. So it’s not entirely without benefit.”
“Exactly. It’s shown the world what happens when you cross the Marquis of House Zacharias and the Duke of House Bernstein.”
This incident had shifted how people regarded Leon.
Until now, he’d been the temple’s figurehead priest—kind, evenhanded, dispensing warmth to all equally, the very image of an approachable clergyman.
But his true identity was the master of House Bernstein, and the imperial prince.
“In any case, I’m sorry for calling you here so abruptly this morning.”
She swept the letter into a box and turned to face Leon.
“The Count’s affairs are settled now. I thought it was time to bring this matter to a close as well.”
“At last—can I hear your answer today?”
“Yes. Thank you for your patience.”
She nodded.
“I’m the one who asked you here, but I’ve been so caught up in affairs. I kept you waiting far too long.”
“It’s all right. Waiting and watching was quite enjoyable, actually.”
She murmured that she was glad, then drew an envelope from the drawer.
The very envelope containing their Engagement Certificate.
“I’ve decided to accept your proposal.”
In that moment, Leon’s face shone with a radiance unlike anything she’d seen before.
Like someone who’d longed for something for ages and at last held it in their hands.
‘Why does he look so happy?’
He’d spoken of duty, conviction, things like that.
She didn’t fully understand it, but since he seemed satisfied, she supposed there was no harm in that.
Quill in hand, she reached toward the papers.
She was about to sign the blank space when—
“Oh, but I’d like to confirm something first.”
“What is it?”
At the question of whether she minded asking just one thing, he turned to look at her.
His smile was brilliant, as if he could answer anything at all.
But it didn’t last.
“Jerold Valentine—the one in prison. It was you who did that to him, wasn’t it?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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