119 – 52. Conclusion (4)
“T-then I’ll go back! Take it easy, Ian!”
“See you later, Eri.”
“Yes…. Ian…. I lo-ve.”
“Love me?”
“Oh, no, it’s… I don’t know!”
Blushing, Eri bowed deeply and fled as if escaping.
As I stared at the closed door, a bitter laugh escaped involuntarily.
‘I never thought she would be so embarrassed.’
Even in ordinary times, Erzébét seemed like someone who couldn’t say awkward words like ‘I love you’ or ‘I like you.’
The Eri that Ian had observed so far always displayed a rigid attitude in everything.
Think of it as a cliché often borrowed from characters in novels or games, like a cold ice princess with such a characteristic.
It might be even stranger to expect romantic words to come out of the mouth of someone with such traits.
Of course, that was one of the reasons.
‘Still, attempting to say something like ‘I love you’ is a significant improvement.’
The reason he didn’t feel regretful even though he never heard a formal greeting like ‘I love you’ from the woman he promised the future to was that.
‘Eré’s real charm is the clumsy appearance that occasionally shows through the effort to behave rigidly. Well, she becomes a completely different person when drunk. But that’s avoidable.’
There’s no disappointment if you don’t expect.
Ian, not being a fool, decided to focus on the other charms Erzébét possessed at the moment, rather than thinking about something that couldn’t happen immediately.
“Now that Eri is resolved. What’s left now, four?”
Starting with Ria, childhood friends Celia and Bianca, and even Reina.
Thinking about how to convey this fact to them made Ian’s head ache gradually.
Ian’s thought was simple. Taking responsibility for precious people who became connected after starting with Eri, like heroines in the original work.
In simpler terms, it meant he had no intention of giving up on people like Reina just because Eri was the first precious person to him.
Of course, Eri was the first and precious person to Ian. However, it didn’t mean that others were of lower priority.
They were all important, precious, so he couldn’t imagine them going to others.
‘Of course, if this were Korea, polygamy wouldn’t be allowed. I would have had to choose only one person without hesitation. But that’s not the case now.’
Even if it was said to be boring and dull, the medieval era was not without its flaws.
Polygamy. This world was a place where it was allowed. As long as you had the ability to hold a bouquet of flowers in both hands or have a bouquet in your hands and feet, no one would find it strange.
Now that I couldn’t go back to Korea and had decided to live here, it was only right that I take responsibility for them.
“The problem is that they will all soon become people with monstrous abilities.”
If too much power is concentrated, it is inevitable to receive jealous gazes and pressure.
But I was already prepared for that.
Ian was not a patient person who would let the heroines be sent away to other men just because it was convenient for him.
“That’s why I decided to take responsibility for everyone. That’s why I started with Eri.”
There were laws regarding marriage in the empire. Naturally, there were also rules regarding polygamy.
Among them, what stood in the way of Ian’s plan was the difference in status of the wives.
“The status of the first wife must always be higher than those who will be added later. If it were just concubines, it would be different, but if multiple legitimate wives are taken, this rule must be followed.”
To put it bluntly, in order for Ian to embrace everyone else, Eri must be the first wife without fail.
Of course, if Eri chooses to reject the proposal or if she has reservations about bringing in other heroines as wives, it would become difficult.
“I already expected that. Ian, you can do as you wish.”
“She accepted the proposal. And she didn’t seem to have any objections to others being added.”
Our ruthless Ice Queen nodded lightly as if to say, “What’s the big deal?” and gave her permission.
That was the moment.
“Now there’s nothing stopping me except for giving the ring to the others.”
The green light began to enter the path towards the happy future that Ian had designed.
Now, all that was left was to run like crazy.
“To achieve that, I must completely swallow the family.”
Ian, who nodded slowly, got up from the bed.
***
Ian, who confidently strode out of the room, headed straight for Kilian’s office.
Given that the succession was confirmed, there was a need to quickly take over the family seat.
Of course, since it had already been decided that Kilian would pass the Volkanov to Ian, there would be no problem even if he gathered the departed and declared, “From today, I am the head of the family.”
But still, he couldn’t just casually brush off the once-in-a-lifetime family succession ceremony, could he?
He didn’t plan on calling the imperial nobles while setting off fireworks and holding a grand event. But that didn’t mean he wanted to keep it simple and leave a glass of water untouched.
“I’ll gather a few suitable people and let Father hand it over according to tradition. Yes, that’s right.”
Since he had to receive the duke’s title at the imperial palace, he needed to finish the succession ceremony before they called him to hurry up.
With that goal in mind, Ian found himself on the third floor of Kilian’s mansion, where his office was located.
“What? She went to take care of your mother?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Ian couldn’t help but sigh at Schuken’s cautiously worded response.
It wasn’t because his father had temporarily left his seat.
It wasn’t because he had gone on a distant expedition; he could have just gone to the clinic inside the mansion to find her.
The reason Ian reacted like that was simply because Schuken mentioned that Letitia went to take care of her.
“She was said to have fallen into a coma right before transferring to Astalgia. But it’s still not resolved? How critical of a disease is she suffering from?”
“I apologize. When you and the young lady returned from the battle, I asked the high priests of Edenria whom we visited for the treatment of the Lord and Lady.”
“Please continue.”
“The treatment of the young master and the young lady was in a state nearly healed by the saint, so the priests accepted our request and began to treat the mistress. However, according to their words… they said it was an incurable illness.”
“Treatment… is impossible?”
It’s not just difficult, but impossible? What on earth does that mean?
They are high-ranking priests, individuals selected and sent directly from Edenria to treat the heroes of the continent who dealt with Lucifer.
If they were in their right minds, Edenria would have sent priests of the highest caliber for such a mission.
They were beings comparable to those who come to serve the empire after being appointed as priests, surpassing the novice priests who come to fill their achievements.
“Even they say it’s an illness that cannot be cured.”
Thinking differently, it must be a situation so serious that it could happen anytime now.
If that’s the case, it’s not the time to stay like this.
“Where is Mother now? Is it the treatment room?”
“No, it’s not. It seems appropriate to create a comfortable atmosphere, so she is currently in the bedroom. Would you like to go right away?”
“I’ll go right away.”
Having grasped the situation, Ian quickly headed to the bedroom where Letitia and Kilain were supposed to be.
He could see it.
“You came, Ian…”
“Ian?”
Letitia, struggling to breathe heavily while receiving concentrated treatment from the priests, and Kilain sitting in the chair next to the bed, holding her hand, both showing surprised reactions to Ian’s sudden visit. Looking at them, Ian spoke.
“Can I have a moment to talk with Mother?”
As if proving that the words “further treatment is meaningless” were true, the priests quietly left the room as soon as Ian finished speaking. And as Kilain left the bedroom last, Ian shifted his gaze to Letitia.
“Sorry… Ian….”
“What on earth is going on? Can you tell me?”
“That…”
He held her trembling hand. Only then did the composed Leticia carefully reveal the cause of this situation.
“Ian, I don’t have much time left.”
***
Leticia Aslry.
She, the beloved of the novelist Aslry, first met Kyrline during her academy days.
Despite being noble, she wasn’t from a prestigious family and wasn’t particularly wealthy.
To succeed, she needed the academy’s diploma, not just any diploma but one with high grades.
The one who reached out to her at that time was Kyrline.
In order to defeat Kaien’s party, known as the heroes of commoners, Kyrline began gathering the best talents. That’s how their fate began.
At first, they gathered for outstanding grades, but as they spent time together, they grew closer. By the time of graduation, Leticia’s goal was not the academy’s diploma but being with Kyrline.
“When we were heading to where the carriages were parked after graduating from the academy, Kyrline rushed over and handed me a ring.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Was Eris blessing their tender love? Kyrline, who sought her out when she was about to leave alone, said:
“Let’s get married.” With that one word, he turned back the carriage sent by her father and came to Volcano. After marriage, he took his place as the head of the family.
It was a series of happiness, and she thought only good things would exist in her future.
However, tragedy struck at an unexpected moment.
“My father, who came to see me on the day of the wedding, left me with these words. The women of the Aslry family, when they give birth, contract an incurable disease, drastically reducing their lifespan.”
Seeing the child born between her and her loved one was an incredibly important matter.
There were things that strengthened the bond between a couple’s relationship. But for Killian, who was an illegitimate child, having someone to carry on the family name was necessary, so the existence of a child was essential.
Having a child could mean death. Most people would hesitate. But Letitia was different.
“I decided not to tell Killian. If he finds out about this, he will refuse to have the child. That’s why I kept it a secret and gave birth to you.”
She didn’t care if her lifespan was shortened. Letitia loved Killian that much. Seeing the face of the child born between them was her goal.
She wanted to shower them with love and show them a life without any shortcomings.
It is the parents’ duty to fulfill everything their children want.
Letitia, who had been unable to do what she wanted due to the limitations of money, wanted to live a life that was not bound by money, just like her children.
“I will love you so that you won’t have to live a miserable life. I made that promise… “
However, in the end, she gave her first child the worst life as a gift.
Ian Volkanoth. Despite being the eldest son of a viscount, he wore tattered clothes and lived by eating only what he shouldn’t eat.
In this spacious mansion, there was no one on his side. Everyone ignored and abandoned him.
The worst life that didn’t even seem real. But what was even more frightening was that it was Letitia who led Ian to such a life.
That fact tormented her.
“I’m truly sorry, my son… I’ve thought countless times why I did that to you, but I can’t remember. It’s as if God was playing with me.”
“…”
Letitia’s hand interlocked with Ian’s hand, as he silently listened.
Her hand, which had become infinitely cold, seemed to be losing its vitality.
“I’m sorry. What I did… I don’t know what I did…”
Ian could only silently watch her tears, which showed no signs of stopping.