Chapter 23
Rory Rolls was filled with regret. No matter the money offered, no matter the women involved, he should never have gotten entangled with the House of Count Paul Heredian. But what use was regretting it now? None at all. His vision seemed utterly dark.
The prestige of his family had already plummeted to the ground with no signs of recovery, and all the family businesses had gone bankrupt one by one. Without drinking, he couldn’t bear the reality. But fleeing was too frightening—because of Lorencia.
Honestly, he had thought countless times about running away, but the last words Lorencia had said to him made his skin crawl, making it impossible to leave the mansion:
“Goodness can hide faults, but faults cannot be hidden by any goodness, Rory Rolls Young Master.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You could have concealed Miss Sophie’s matters somehow. But the current situation of Rory Rolls Young Master cannot be hidden by any goodness.”
“How do you know about Sophie?”
“Does it matter how I know? Isn’t the upcoming duel of honor what matters?”
“Cancel it at once! You monster!”
“As a monster, I’ll give you one warning. Do not send a proxy to the duel, nor abandon all honor and flee. And on the day of the duel….”
Rory Rolls’ brown eyes flickered with a fearful light, as if struggling to suppress the terror. Unable to endure it, he reached for alcohol. Without drinking, he couldn’t possibly withstand it.
“There’s no way I can beat Prince Luans in a duel of honor!”
How could an illegitimate child who had been locked away at the Count’s mansion know about Sophie? No—he was a monster; perhaps he had the power to read minds. That thought made goosebumps break out all over Rory Rolls’ body. He wanted to run, but what if he fled and got caught?
Lorencia had promised that she would part ways when necessary after using him adequately. He knew he had to wait, but fear consumed him.
“Now that I think about it, I’ve been trapped from the start.”
It had been suspicious from the beginning that the House of Count Paul Heredian had officially registered such an unattractive, unremarkable illegitimate child. Most female illegitimate children were registered for political marriages, which required them to be beautiful.
But Lorencia clearly had not been registered for any political marriage. She had been used to test whether he could wield the monster’s power.
“Damn it!”
The thought of being used made Rory Rolls’ anger rise higher than fear or anxiety. Even if he was at the bottom of high society, being exploited like this felt unfair.
“Die if I do this, die if I do that.”
Rory Rolls drank the entire bottle at once. As he wiped the alcohol from his mouth with the back of his hand, the sound of a door slamming echoed. Adrian and Lancelon had arrived.
“Crown Prince Adrian!”
“Sorry to come suddenly, Rory Rolls Young Master.”
“Not at all, Your Highness.”
Rory Rolls flattened himself to the ground as soon as he saw Adrian.
“No need to lie flat like that, Rory Rolls Young Master.”
Staggering to his feet, Rory Rolls hiccupped.
“The mansion was deserted.”
“That’s because, with the rumors spreading recently, the businesses went bankrupt one after another. So most of the staff quit the mansion.”
Adrian and Lancelon frowned slightly at the smell of alcohol but smiled sympathetically at his words.
“Your Highness, what brings you here?” Rory Rolls asked, eyeing Adrian.
“Lorencia Young Lady asked me to deliver a letter to you and then part ways.”
Rory Rolls’ face brightened momentarily, but soon turned pale.
“I’ve never exchanged letters with Lorencia Young Lady, Your Highness. So what letter is this about…?”
Adrian narrowed his eyes and smiled, leaning close to whisper gently into Rory Rolls’ ear:
“There will be one. A letter from the House of Paul Heredian…”
Adrian smiled faintly, recalling Lorencia’s words before leaving:
“The current flower of high society is Ilina. But the flower Ilina has built in high society is like a sandcastle. Even a small wave could destroy it.”
The figure who had become the focal point of high society was Ilina of the House of Count Paul Heredian. Despite her youth, she wielded enormous wealth and influence, leading noblewomen in balls, banquets, and tea parties.
Thus, it was difficult for Charlotte, who had just begun establishing herself in the Isshtre high society, to become the flower of high society.
“So, what letter are you asking me to deliver? And how does this letter relate to the flower of high society, Lorencia Young Lady?”
“Once you read the letter, Your Highness, you will understand my meaning.”
“Very well. I shall personally retrieve the letter Lorencia Young Lady desires.”
“Currently, Ilina is engrossed in playing the role of a kind younger sister caring for the poor illegitimate sister. Naturally, she seems solid as the flower of high society. But if the letter written to Rory Rolls Young Master exists, it can destroy Ilina’s seemingly solid castle built on sand, even with just a small wave.”
A chill ran through Rory Rolls’ body. No one trapped like him could possibly have devised such a plan.
“Why create this position, replace the flower of society, and what does Lorencia Young Lady gain from it?”
“Of course, there is something to gain. That is why this position was created.”
“What is it?”
“My life.”
Lorencia said she was doing this to save her life. It was an unexpected answer.
“Even as a lowly illegitimate child, I want to live. Honestly, I do not wish to live, but before my mother passed, she told me to live. She said a chance to live an ordinary life would come someday. I believed that chance had arrived, and I created this situation to seize that opportunity. And I offer the position of the flower of society in exchange for my life.”
Lorencia’s calm, low voice felt as if she had experienced the very bottom of life. Her words about wanting to live carried no trace of falsehood.
Above all, Teishar, who sat beside Lorencia, looked deeply shaken and sorrowful at her words.
“Your Highness, please stop questioning Lorencia Young Lady now.”
There were many questions he wanted to ask, but Teishar glared fiercely at Rory Rolls and Charlotte like a mother cat protecting her kittens, and he could ask no more.
Adrian continued to question Rory Rolls about the letter. Though he disliked speaking to a drunken man, he endured the foul smell for the sake of obtaining it.
“If it is a letter from the House of Paul Heredian…” Rory Rolls hit his dizzy head with a thunk, trying to recall. Then he remembered the first letter Ilina had sent.
He clearly remembered putting it inside his desk.
“The letter is here.”
Staggering to his desk, Rory Rolls opened the drawer and frantically searched. He handed both letters sent by Ilina to Adrian.
“Here they are.”
Adrian checked the envelopes, confirming the seal of the House of Paul Heredian.
“So this confirms that I’ve been rejected by Lorencia Young Lady, correct, Your Highness?”
“If the letter is certain, yes. Congratulations on the breakup.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. This letter is definitely from the House of Paul Heredian. It was indeed sent by Ilina Young Lady…”
Trailing off, Rory Rolls’ lips first curved into a smile, then slowly drooped. Realizing that with this letter, he could change his reputation, he felt a surge of hope. But the letter was already safely in Adrian’s hands.
“Seeing the letter, I guess you understand how important it is, Rory Rolls Young Master.”
“I see…”
Adrian smiled leisurely. Rory Rolls could only stand frozen, unable to respond.
Outside Stopu Mansion, Adrian took out the letter Ilina had sent Rory Rolls and read it. The letter asked him to escort Lorencia at her debutante ball, teach her the first dance, and instruct her in social dances.
In return, the letter promised fair compensation and listed Lorencia’s details: her small stature, frail body, and willingness to do anything she was told.
The contents shocked Adrian. Only after reading the letter did he fully understand Lorencia’s words.
“Abuse wasn’t just done by Lady Anne. And this letter isn’t just a small wave. It’s a huge wave.”
Thinking of Ilina, who played the kind younger sister publicly while manipulating society, Adrian felt disgusted.
He sighed and folded Ilina’s letter back into his pocket.
“Sir Lancelon.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“If I become Emperor, I must establish laws regarding illegitimate children.”
“Your Highness, illegitimate children are evidence of adultery. The noblewomen may strongly oppose this.”
“The crime of adultery should not punish the child. Blaming the illegitimate child for adultery is merely an excuse to vent anger. No child is born wishing to be illegitimate.”
“Indeed, Your Highness.”
“After this Lorencia Young Lady matter, I’ve decided that illegitimate children need protection.”
Her frail body and sunken cheeks revealed the abuse and hunger she had endured. Thus, Teishar said nothing while attending Lorencia.
“I was short-sighted, Your Highness Adrian.”
“No, Sir Lancelon. You’re right. Changing people’s mindset is not easy. Seeing illegitimate children as the result of adultery naturally angers noblewomen. So we must find a way that minimizes harm for both the nobles and the illegitimate children.”
Lancelon smiled. Adrian had a talent for speaking lightly about heavy topics, but he fully understood their weight. Every word he spoke was a responsibility. Lancelon looked forward to what Adrian would say next, knowing it would make the Empire more peaceful.
“You’ll help, won’t you, Sir Lancelon?”
“Of course, Your Highness Adrian. I will act alongside you.”
