Dad, I will Listen to you - Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Chaos erupted when Elia and Leopold returned to the estate, thoroughly drenched. Elia washed up in the guest quarters while Leopold used the bathroom adjoining Count Roxand's chambers. Though Elia glared at Leopold with pursed lips, the presence of too many onlookers left her no choice but to comply.
Freshly bathed, Elia sipped warm milk as she waited for Leopold.
"Lady Elia, might I have a moment of your time?"
Roxand had requested his aide to detain Leopold—a rare opportunity, given how the man never left Elia's side.
"...Huh? Sure."
He led her to the garden, choosing his words carefully. Fear of her influence made him hesitant to cut straight to the point.
"How are you finding married life?"
Asking about a marriage barely two days old was absurd. Roxand swallowed a sigh—he might as well have announced his ulterior motives outright.
"Leo treats me well! So I like it!"
Elia's expression was inscrutable, but Roxand's face brightened at her answer. It might be premature, but if Karl were to die, Leopold could potentially claim the dukedom...
"Have you considered granting His Highness the ducal title?"
He decided to be direct. Surely Elia held some affection for Leopold.
"Dukedom? I'd have to ask Dad."
"You mustn't mention this to Duke Karl."
The words spilled out too urgently. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead—he'd been reckless.
"Why?"
Like father, like daughter. He scrambled for an excuse.
"Never mind. Please forget I said anything."
He exhaled, chiding himself for his carelessness.
"Why? Did you say something weird?"
Elia tilted her head.
"Why?"
It didn't take long to realize her question held no hidden meaning—just pure, unfiltered curiosity. A sliver of doubt crept in. Was Elia... dull-witted?
"Marriage is about mutual support, is it not?"
"Marriage is like that?"
His doubt solidified into certainty. Watching her listen with childlike earnestness, a faint hope stirred.
"Yes. If you were to make your husband a duke, His Highness would be very pleased."
But whether a dull-witted Elia could actually aid Leopold remained to be seen.
"You mustn't let His Grace find out you plan to make Leopold a duke."
He lowered his voice, whispering as though sharing a grave secret.
"Why?"
"Because His Grace dislikes the idea of Leopold inheriting the title."
"If Dad doesn’t like it, Ellie won’t do it."
"But you’ve sworn marital vows. This is your duty."
"Hnn, what’s a marital vow?"
The conversation kept derailing. Elia asked questions at every turn, and Roxand answered patiently—though growing increasingly uneasy. Elia wasn’t just naive; she was something else entirely. Her lack of basic knowledge stunned him.
"If it’s too difficult, you could always grant the title after Duke Karl passes."
Seeing her hesitate, Roxand pressed harder.
"Passes? What’s that?"
And that’s when he hit the wall.
"Passing is... like falling into an eternal sleep. No movement, no breath, no waking."
Elia’s pupils dilated violently, as if the concept had never occurred to her.
"Dad... just sleeps forever? And I can’t see him?"
Her eyes welled up.
"...? All people die, my lady."
The idea of Karl lying motionless was shocking enough, but Roxand made it worse.
"Then Leo will die too? And Roxand?"
Her voice trembled.
"...Yes, eventually."
"Waaah, no! Sniff... Don’t die!"
She abruptly hugged him.
"Not—not immediately!"
Roxand stiffened, hands raised awkwardly, fumbling to console her. But soothing her once the tears started was impossible.
Sniffle... Hic...
She was a grown woman, yet her understanding mirrored his seven-year-old grandson’s—no, worse. At least his grandson grasped decorum. Elia had none.
"Elia?"
And then, the worst possible timing—Leopold arrived.
"...What is this?"
His gaze was icy. Roxand straightened nervously.
"Well, you see—"
Roxand confessed the conversation he had with Elia. Leopold stared at him without saying a word. The situation was quite awkward.
Leopold was a man who moved solely by his own whims. Seizing the throne was just because it seemed amusing, and he couldn’t stand being ignored by Gerald—that was all. He had no grand ambitions.
“I appreciate that you’re thinking of me.”
But he wasn’t particularly fond of blind loyalty born from excessive faith in him. He hadn’t lured them with sweet words. Some had sworn allegiance on their own, while others supported him simply because they believed Gerald was unfit to be emperor.
Amidst it all, his gaze was drawn to Elia, who kept sniffling and clutching his sleeve, begging him not to die. She was just too adorable.
“Even if my brother has no brains, do you really think the empire would collapse? If His Majesty had any sense, he would’ve abolished that damned law allowing only the eldest son to inherit the throne.”
Roxand fell silent.
“But haven’t you all benefited greatly from primogeniture too? Not to mention using it to keep the Aroast Ducal House in check. And let’s not forget the countless people who’d have to surrender their positions immediately if they weren’t protected by law—do you really think that’s possible? And they’d oppose me becoming emperor anyway.”
Leopold’s voice was icy as he spoke.
“I’m bored of this now.”
And then, he realized exactly why he was drawn to Elia.
“So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t fill my wife’s head with nonsense.”
Elia never calculated political gains or saw him as a pawn. She always treated him just as Leopold. And that was incredibly precious. The higher one’s status, the harder it became to ignore others’ expectations—yet Elia made it possible.
“I hear your second grandson is quite clever. So you’re trying to use me, but I’ll have to decline now.”
Everyone cherishes their own offspring, after all. He wasn’t unaware of their intentions—seeing their fates clearly laid out before them, they sought to make use of Leopold. But back then, he needed their help if he wanted to become emperor, so he had tolerated it. Now, he didn’t.
“…Are you saying you’ll abandon everything you’ve built up until now?”
“What exactly have I built? The idiot Gerald just self-destructed on his own. What a fool.”
Leopold tightly grasped Elia’s hand.
“…This displeases me. I can’t stay in this estate any longer.”
With a swift turn, Leopold strode away, pulling Elia along by her tightly held hand.
“Leo! Darling! It hurts!”
“Ah, my apologies, my lady.”
He had gripped her so hard that red marks bloomed on her skin. Leopold fidgeted guiltily as he stared at her hand. Elia placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“You just stormed off in a rage! Roxand was teaching me how to make you love me more…!”
Though she hadn’t understood most of the conversation, she had picked up on Leopold’s anger toward Roxand through tone and inflection.
“You don’t need to do anything to be utterly lovable, my lady.”
The anger that had been boiling inside him melted away absurdly at just one sentence from Elia.
“Really?”
“Yes, more than enough.”
Looking into her sparkling, innocent eyes, Leopold tugged the corner of his lips into a smile.
***
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