Anything But Study - Chapter 73

“Is waking up all there is? What about the prognosis?”

“I was told he is recovering quickly.”

For a brief moment, relief flickered in Hailon’s eyes.

That was a relief. It meant Melia would no longer have to be sad.

Seeing Hailon’s expression soften slightly for that brief moment, Calix felt reassured.

“If there is any further news, continue reporting it.”

“Yes, understood. Then I will return to escort you shortly.”

Just as Calix said, Hailon had an appointment scheduled for the afternoon.

“Right, I should go.”

He let out a faint, crooked smile as if he was looking forward to this afternoon.

***

“You’ve arrived, Hailon.”

“I greet Your Majesty.”

The place Hailon arrived at was none other than the imperial palace. The emperor had summoned Hailon, his nephew who had become the Duke of Alfred.

“You’re having a hard time at such a young age.”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

The reply was short and plain.

However, the emperor licked his lips a few times as if there was something he wanted, then soon brought up the main point.

“But now that you’ve become a duke, won’t it be difficult to remain alone like this without a partner? Hmm?”

Hailon sneered inwardly.

It did not deviate from his expectations at all.

The emperor had no interest in his father’s death. It was the same when his own sister died, so perhaps it was only natural.

All he cared about was using Hailon, the new Duke of Alfred, to expand his own faction even further.

By arranging a marriage with the daughter of a noble house he wanted to recruit into the imperial faction. And of course, he would make sure to secure some benefit for himself as well.

It was truly laughable how he acted as if the matter with Anastasia had been completely forgotten.

However, Hailon did not mind much.

Rather, it was what he expected, even what he wanted.

After all, he came here intending to offer a much larger bait.

“I was actually planning to speak about that as well.”

The emperor’s face brightened.

“Oh? Do you have someone in mind? Personally, I think the daughter of Count Alice would be the most-”

“I have no intention of marrying.”

“What?”

Displeasure appeared on the emperor’s face.

The plan he had just been forming about which noble house to connect Hailon with immediately twisted out of shape.

But the timing was delicate.

The emperor decided to step back for the moment.

“Hm, yes. I was being too hasty. It hasn’t been long since your father, the former duke, passed away. Once you’ve had time to collect yourself, you will probably wish to welcome a good woman. When that time comes, I will recommend someone.”

Instead of changing the topic, Hailon continued the conversation.

“I know what Your Majesty wants from my marriage.”

It was a blunt statement.

Words that did not suit the roundabout style of noble speech made the emperor’s expression darken with discomfort.

But Hailon continued speaking without concern.

“The House of Count Alice, the House of Marquis Rail, and the House of Count Torden.”

When Hailon first mentioned the families the emperor had in mind for his marriage, the emperor’s eyes wavered briefly.

“They have something in common. So, what if I were to offer you a deal regarding those potential matches?”

“Hmph, a deal? What do you mean?”

Hailon sneered inwardly. Still pretending to be dignified to the end.

As if he wouldn’t know what the emperor planned to gain in exchange for arranging a marriage with the House of Alfred.

“Recently, you’ve been quite troubled about military supplies, haven’t you?”

The emperor said nothing. Silence was as good as confirmation.

“The Tartinium mine owned by Alfred.”

Greed quickly filled the emperor’s eyes.

Seeing that desire, Hailon instead relaxed his expression.

“The House of Alice, the House of Rail, and the House of Torden….”

He leisurely drew out the end of his words, as if deliberately trying to make the emperor impatient.

“They don’t possess a mine superior to this one, do they?”

It was true.

In fact, what the emperor wanted most was Alfred’s mine.

It produced the largest amount of tartinium in the empire.

But under what pretext could he possibly take it?

That was why he’d already given up on the idea.

“…Are you serious, Hailon?”

The emperor was not someone who would abandon an opportunity that appeared right in front of him.

“Of course. Provided you promise me one thing.”

Hailon spoke as if it were a very simple matter.

“That Your Majesty will no longer involve yourself in my marriage from now on.”

The emperor coughed lightly and turned his gaze aside.

“Ahem, involve myself? I was only concerned as your uncle before I am the emperor. Your mother and the former duke are both gone, so I’m the closest elder you have left.”

Acting as if he weren’t obsessed with the profit right in front of him until the very end. But Hailon intended to let him believe he had been fooled.

“Is that so?”

“But since you say you have no intention of marrying, I cannot press the matter further.”

As long as the objective was achieved, what did the process matter?

“Thank you for understanding. I will gladly accept Your Majesty’s concern. I will come next week with the transfer documents.”

“Since you are offering a token of sincerity, I will gratefully accept it.”

“Then, I will take my leave.”

Hailon bowed briefly and left the audience chamber.

As he walked through the ornate corridors of the imperial palace toward the carriage, Hailon couldn’t wipe the smirk off his face.

‘His true intentions are painfully obvious.’

The emperor’s scheme was crystal clear.

He must be planning to get what he wants this time, and then later, pretending to know nothing, push for another marriage arrangement.

All the while subtly pushing forward other young ladies he might need.

As if Hailon would allow that.

He planned to specify the mine transfer as a condition so that the emperor would not be able to say anything else.

Besides, this deal was profitable for Hailon.

The Emperor doesn’t know yet.

Just how much of a burden Alfred’s Tartinium mines are.

This was a secret known only to a select few within Alfred’s circle.

Every year, the mine produced more minerals than any other family-owned mine.

But that was only good on the surface. The costs involved in actually extracting the minerals were astronomical.

Even so, Duke Alfred could not let go of the Tartinium Mine.

He wanted to find a way to utilize those enormous reserves.

Even if it meant operating at a loss.

The reason was quite simple.

To elevate the prestige of House Alfred.

He had done it simply because he refused to fall behind other houses.

The emperor would probably realize it later. Just how much money it took to extract the amount they had been producing all this time.

But what would it matter when he realized it?

By then the mine would already have been transferred, and the emperor’s handwritten pledge and signature promising not to interfere in his marriage would remain with Hailon.

“You’ve arrived, Your Grace.”

When he reached the place where the carriage was waiting, Calix greeted Hailon.

“How did it go?”

Calix opened the carriage door and asked as he followed him inside.

“He knew nothing.”

“As expected, it went well.”

Hiiiing. At the sound of the driver’s whip and the horses neighing, the carriage set off.

Silence flowed for a moment, but Calix was the one who broke it.

“Was that deal made with Lady Melia in mind?”

“No. Of course not.”

There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in Hailon’s answer.

When he saw the resentful look in Melia’s eyes, he realized it instinctively. There was no way things could return to how they were before.

He understood. He knew what her younger brother meant to her.

If there had been even the slightest possibility, he would have clung to her and apologized a hundred times over. But making her weigh him against her brother was something he could never do.

Even so, Hailon had no intention whatsoever of marrying another woman.

“No one.”

No one except her.

Because for him, there was only Melia.

***

The cold air of December winter filled his lungs. Outside, winter had fully arrived.

‘It feels like it might snow.’

Melia checked the weather outside and rolled up her sleeves, deciding she should prepare something warm today.

Soon, the sound of stew bubbling filled the comfortable kitchen, along with a rich, savory aroma.

“Wow, sister. It smells really good.”

Closing his eyes and breathing in the scent, Ervan slowly walked into the kitchen.

“Really? Come here for a moment.”

Melia beckoned to him.

Ervan, who had grown much healthier, recovered quickly after waking up.

He spent a long time unconscious because of the side effects of the new drug, but perhaps the medicine itself was effective, because once Ervan opened his eyes his condition improved noticeably.

To the point that he no longer needed treatment.

Ervan had already been discharged from the hospital and had regained his health.

Now he only visited the hospital once a month for a routine checkup, so he could live his daily life without any difficulty.

“Let me see. Sweet potato stew?”

“That’s right. Want to taste it for a moment?”

Melia scooped a ladle of stew and held it out to Ervan.

Slurp. After tasting it, Ervan broke into a wide smile.

“Wow! Sister, this is really delicious.”

“Really?”

Melia smiled happily.

She never thought she would be able to see Ervan this healthy again in her lifetime.