Dad, I will Listen to you - Chapter 25
Chapter 25
I heard there was a minor incident in the Earldom of Icar. Already on edge from having to stay apart from Ellie for so long, the news put him even more on alert.
Karl burned the letter and leisurely rose to his feet. It was time to retrieve his Ellie.
The journey from the Duchy of Arost to the Earldom of Icar didn’t take long. As Karl stepped out of the carriage, Roxand greeted him.
"What brings you here, Your Grace?"
"I came because I heard my son-in-law committed an act of discourtesy."
Karl smiled languidly.
"Ah, nothing of the sort occurred. If anything, the rudeness was on my part..."
Roxand bowed his head deeply. I’ve been disloyal. No matter his lord’s intentions, he should have shown due respect.
Even if a minor conflict had arisen, a noble who had once sworn fealty didn’t lightly switch allegiances. So he willingly lowered his head, fearing any disadvantage to his lord.
"No, who was rude or not—you know that’s irrelevant."
Roxand assumed Karl knew the full context of the conversation. He bowed even deeper. Karl paid him no further attention. What interested Karl was their next destination.
"So, where did you say they went?"
"Two days ago, they left for the nearby Duchy of Callist."
"...Oh?"
Had they anticipated his arrival, or was it mere coincidence?
The relationship between the House of Arost and the House of Callist was far from amicable. The Callists were ultra-conservatives who had vehemently opposed this marriage, citing the collapse of imperial discipline—though Karl privately knew the Duke of Callist had once considered his own daughter as a match for Leopold. To lose such a splendid son-in-law to a nobody like me—no wonder he’s furious. But it was almost laughable. How adorable.
"Right. Understood."
Before boarding his carriage, Karl fixed Roxand with a long, silent stare.
"If you value your life, I suggest you never speak of Ellie’s temperament, actions, or words while she was here. I’m not known for my patience, you see..."
His meaning was unmistakable. Roxand nodded stiffly.
"Then until next time. Let’s hope it’s not under unfortunate circumstances."
Having said his piece, Karl boarded the carriage, which soon departed smoothly.
It didn’t take long for Karl to find Ellie and Leopold. The Duchy of Callist was small, and the pair stood out far too much.
"Dad?"
Ellie blinked, a skewer of grilled chicken in her hand. They’d only been apart for about a week. He’d expected an exuberant reaction, but surprisingly, Ellie remained composed.
"...What brings you here?"
"I heard my stallion caused trouble, so I came to check. Any problems?"
Karl grinned.
"The honeymoon ends here."
Leopold’s brow furrowed sharply. He’d deliberately withheld their destination, even sending back the carriages and supplies prepared for the honeymoon. Yet Karl had tracked him down faster than expected.
Leopold was more than a little disappointed.
"Ehh? No! Ellie wants to play with her darling more!"
Ellie ducked behind Leopold.
"...Ellie?"
Karl’s expression twisted with betrayal, like a man stabbed by someone he trusted. Leopold tried to suppress his smirk by thinking of something sad.
"...Ahem. Hah, is that so?"
But he couldn’t hold back his laughter. Hearing Leopold’s derisive snort, Karl’s face contorted further.
"You won’t even hug your own father? Ellie, you’ve changed."
"Dad was the one who got mad at darling first!"
Leopold watched the father-daughter quarrel with deep satisfaction. Ellie, who had always been a daddy’s girl, was now taking his side. This was extremely gratifying.
"...Darling?"
Karl’s frown deepened impossibly.
"You’re calling that scoundrel ‘darling’ now?"
"How dare you call my darling a scoundrel! I hate you, Dad!"
Karl’s gaze snapped to Leopold. His eyes burned with questions—How did you bewitch her?—but Leopold merely shrugged. He owed Karl no explanations.
Besides, he hadn’t done much. He’d simply loved Ellie—physically, emotionally, in every way that mattered.
"It seems I need to have a long talk with my daughter."
Karl bundled Ellie into the carriage.
"Wait here."
As Ellie was whisked away before his eyes, Leopold lunged for the carriage door—but it was already moving. Left standing alone in the dust, Leopold blinked in disbelief.
Karl had abandoned him, a member of the imperial family, on the side of the road like trash. It was a moment of utter humiliation for royal dignity.
***
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