Chapter 8. Disruption in Social Circles (2)
From the moment he arrived at the office, the smile did not leave Stefan’s lips.
It wasn’t just because the breakfast was so satisfying, or because the weather was warm for a midwinter.
“You seem to be in a particularly good mood today.”
“Does it look like that?”
Stefan arranges things on the table with a hearty smile, as if he had no intention of hiding it.
It was only questionable for Marcus, who was unaware of the circumstances, but it was also a good thing.
If the boss is in a bad mood for no reason, I would try to find the root cause and solve it, but that wasn’t the case either.
“I wonder if it’s too much to say that you’re enjoying yourself alone.”
Marcus was originally a man who did not know much about farming.
Nevertheless, the fact that he made such a joke out of regret was because he was curious about the source of his joy.
Stefan knew that too, so the smile on his lips grew even thicker.
It was rare for Marcus, who had been by his side as his right-hand man, to express his intentions so openly.
“Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon.”
“Yes?”
At the unexpected answer that came back, Marcus let out a dumbfounded sound.
It’s not that I’m telling you, but what does it mean to know. A sense of uneasiness crept in as if something was about to happen.
‘How can today be a day… … .’
It won’t be smooth. It was a moment I couldn’t even swallow.
smart.
There was a knock on the door and a familiar voice came from the other side.
It was the servant in charge of the gatekeeper who stood at the entrance.
– Family lord, the Soga lord of the Ipretz family asks to see you.
“Well, come in.”
Why did he come at this early hour?
Marcus felt the uneasiness that had enveloped his entire body a moment ago become more and more evident.
Although there is no basis, I heard one certain inference.
There is something related to the visit of Sogaju from the Aifretz family and the smile on Stefan’s face.
“I am sorry to see you so early even though I know you are busy with public affairs. Sir Stefan.”
“Greetings are fine, so come sit down. It looks like you have a story you want to tell.”
I asked for tea from Marcus, who was standing next to me, and he too came over to the sofa and sat down.
Stefan also knew early on why Ludwig had come to this place from the wind.
It’s probably because of the matter that he passed on through his daughter.
Rather, it was surprising that there was no embarrassment on his face. I was looking forward to seeing the scene coming in while sweating profusely.
However, I also liked the manly face that was more manly than before.
I also thought that I was not looking at the wrong person.
“You must have heard the story from your daughter.”
“That’s right. He wanted me and Emilia to get engaged.”
“In conclusion, yes. I’m sorry for not letting you know beforehand.”
He had already finished talking with his father, Carol.
No matter how powerful the Bayemurn family was, he couldn’t decide the marriage of Sogaju of the Eifretz family at will.
Ludwig’s eyes didn’t change much despite his deep consolation.
I didn’t come to hear an apology in the first place.
I had never thought of a man named Stefan as an ignorant and oblivious person who didn’t even know that he had to inform him in advance.
I just wanted to hear it. Why did you suddenly decide to do this marriage talk?
“Drink. Come to think of it, it seems like yesterday that I wanted to have a drink with you, but I couldn’t even achieve it.”
It was probably around Ludwig’s coming-of-age ceremony that he made such a promise.
To think that something that had been put off for a while still remained an unfinished plan, which made Stefan really regret it.
“There will be plenty of opportunities. I look forward to it.”
“It’s good. When that day comes, I will bring out the secret wine that I have forbidden even my wife to drink.”
Liquor that the head of the Bayemurn family had been saving. He must have had a value that he could not have imagined on his own.
Even though it was burdensome from the fact that the two of them were working on a masterpiece, I wondered if the stomach juices would flow backwards if alcohol was the world’s famous liquor.
Please hope that your stomach will hold up well that day.
“Where do you want to hear from?”
“It’s everything. The reason why you suddenly made this decision, let alone the reason why I was the target.”
“Right.”
Stefan noticed that he was vaguely aware of the reason for the sudden marriage discussion.
Even so, the purpose of visiting this place was just to confirm his reasoning.
I tilted the teacup in front of me and looked into his eyes.
A calm expression without the slightest distraction or confusion.
indeed. The more I looked at it, the more I felt that I wanted to make this marriage story real.
“It’s been 16 years since I got my daughter… No, 17 years. I think I raised it with great value. Although this is not something I would say as a father who watched calluses sticking to his hands and feet as he swung his sword.”
There was an unusual sense of self-help in Stefan’s words.
He did his duty even while the construction was busy in order to raise him in the hands of his parents with his wife as much as possible without entrusting it to someone else’s hands.
Still, it seemed to be lacking. Effort and results do not always match. It was a very harsh reality.
“I believe that respecting one’s will is more important to one’s children than not to get water on one’s hands.”
“He is too. I learned a thing from you.”
“It is an overestimation.”
From Ludwig’s point of view, Stefan was a man who loved his children more than anyone else.
Although I don’t know how that would look from a third person’s point of view, he had his own firm intentions and the way he respected Emilia was different.
It was a rare case for the heads of other aristocratic families who used to wield their children according to the educational policy while keeping them in their pockets like gold leaves.
“The editorial was long. In any case, he is a precious child. It means that it would be a waste to entrust it to the children of other families, such as idiots.”
“You are honest.”
“I am only telling the truth.”
Even though he made a remark that disparaged the children of other noble families without adding or subtracting, Ludwig did not feel that it was arrogant.
Well, even if the other person was the head of a ducal family, he would have told the truth openly.
There is a certain amount of power, and there is a certain amount of power. Ilshin’s ability to back it up as well.
Even so, there must be only one thing that did such a trivial thing.
It is difficult for one hand to handle ten hands, even for the Bayern family.
If he doesn’t bring up even the marriage story of his grown-up daughter for no good reason, rumors about his lack of footing will circulate in the social world. Those with heavy hips really liked gossip to chew on others.
“Do you want me to be your shield?”
The fact that he roughly inferred, the words that Stefan gave himself.
When Ludwig, who had finished organizing based on the two pieces of information, asked for confirmation, a soft smile spread across his lips.
“In conclusion, it will be so.”
“What would you do if I refused?”
“At that time, I will have to find another way. This is the one who tried to proceed with the matter without asking the person concerned.”
With a smile that couldn’t be understood from his heart, Stefan spoke indifferently.
“It’s like a fake engagement.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s not that I hate Emilia. I just don’t like the situation.”
“Hoo.”
A short exclamation came out of Stefan’s mouth at this fairly bold answer.
He thought that if he was Ludwig, he would talk a little more roundabout or wrap it up nicely so as not to go against his own heart.
“There could have been other ways. I can only wonder why it was a fake engagement.”
“Because it is the simplest and cleanest solution. Don’t you think so too?”
“I agree that it’s concise, but I can’t agree that it’s neat.”
Surely, if he heard the news that he and Emilia were getting engaged, the number of flying insects that would try to cling to her would also decrease.
However, there was also a fatal flaw behind it.
“We can’t continue this engagement forever, can we?”
“It will.”
Unless they actually get married, it will eventually lead to a divorce, and that fact will also flow to the social world.
Putting aside herself, at that time, Emilia would have to suffer from rumors that would no longer exist.
“That kind of noise can be dismissed. The Bayemurn family has that much power.”
“Even if you stop leaking, you can’t change their thoughts. There will also be people who think nonsensical things about Emilia.”
It was a theory. Stefan was well aware of that.
Still, what led the conversation in this way was to find out what he thought of his daughter.
It seems that the results are quite satisfactory.
“What do you wish for?”
“Please take other measures. I think this is an unbecoming Sir Stefan solution.”
“In my eyes, it just seems like he’s trying to avoid this marriage talk because it’s burdensome. Are my eyes wrong?”
try to avoid
If it was me not long ago, it might be. No, it certainly would have been.
It’s definitely the qualification to stand by her side, the ability. I must have tried to cover up this marriage talk somehow by talking about nonsense like that. It was clear that he was trying to avoid it by pretending to be for her sake.
But not now.
I only wish for her happiness. If marriage talk with himself was the best way, he would have proceeded as it is.
However, there was an obvious hole in this plan.
Even though he was doing it for Emilia, he couldn’t really guarantee her future. This huge hole called contradiction.
“In the past, Sir Stefan would have been right. But not as much as this time.”
“This is truly a remonstrance for my daughter… Is this what you mean?”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing his clear answer, a small, unbearable laugh leaked from Stefan’s lips.
I thought it was a one-sided love of a daughter who was lacking, but it didn’t seem to be like that. It seemed that he needed to revise his thoughts a little.
“Then let me change it for you.”
“Yes?”
Ludwig’s pupils dilated at the words he didn’t understand.
Change it, what do you mean?
“Doesn’t that mean that there is no problem if the dam is not made? Then I’d like you to try making it.”
“That means… … .”
The breaking of the engagement did not take place. There was only one thing that said.
Ludwig was not an idiot, so he could understand the meaning behind Stefan’s words, but doubts arose as to whether he was speaking seriously.
Indeed, ‘why?’ There was no choice but to ask.
“You are misunderstanding something. I wanted to tell you that from a while ago. Where would you like to hear it?”
“Yes… Would you please let me know what you think?”
For some reason, the position was completely reversed from a moment ago. It was only because of one word that Stefan had uttered.
Ludwig waits for his mouth to open with his momentum quickly diminishing.
Stefan, who had already quenched his throat with the cooled tea, opened his mouth.
“In the first place, I had no intention of ending this marriage talk with a fake engagement. If you don’t like this marriage talk itself, it would be right to break it, but if not, I was going to push through to the end.”
“If you were thinking of pushing through… … .”
Ludwig could not deny the reality as long as he had heard this far.
But I still didn’t understand. Stefan’s words only meant that he had marked himself as a son-in-law.
“Of course, I don’t mean that you and my daughter want a formal relationship right away. However, in order for the relationship between people to change, change and justification are necessary.”
“In other words, you said that you planned this time to make that justification… Are you?”
“I guess so.”
What kind of lightning bolt is this? No, Ludwig had to see it as a good thing.
It was just that I felt like I was struck by lightning because I was hit in the back of the head by a pumpkin that rolled in like a vine so out of the blue.
“Is my daughter lacking much?”
“Oh, can that be? However, Emilia’s will is… … .”
It wasn’t enough, so it overflowed, so it was a plate where I had to add more money, but in this situation, I couldn’t afford to talk about such trifles.
“I never asked, but I believe you can.”
It was true. Because I never really asked.
However, if this marriage story goes successfully, his daughter will surely be in a position to welcome him with open arms.
However, since he couldn’t reveal his daughter’s heart with his own mouth, he just cut off the conversation moderately at this point.
“The most important thing to me was your doctor. Do you see how he cares for his daughter? It seems there was no need to ask.”
“Sah, I apologize. Sir Stefan.”
In a way, it was safe to say that he was the first to approach Emilia with a sinister mind.
Ludwig felt guilty for not being able to respond to Stefan’s message asking him to cherish his daughter. Of course, he was concerned because he did not know Stefan’s intentions.
“Don’t apologize. Rather, because I am a person like you, I can trust my daughter with confidence.”
She was a child who had been reluctant to meet people from some point on and couldn’t even approach her parents, herself and Yulia.
Such a daughter came to draw a person, wanted to meet her in person, and at some point, she would just recount the story about him all day long.
Even though it was a story from when they hadn’t met yet, a man who had eyes for her daughter would surely be trusted. I thought so.
Regardless of his personal ability, he was a man I truly liked, even leaving behind his family.
And what happened a little while ago made me more certain. He said he would always cherish his daughter.
“Then I will ask you one last time. This engagement, what are you going to do?”
Even though he knew that the answer had already been decided, Stefan asked again.
Ludwig smiled lightly at him and recalled Emilia’s face in his mind for a moment.
It was to further solidify his decision.
“I’ll do it. No, please let me do it.”
“That’s a good answer.”
Stefan nodded with a hearty smile, and said that he wished well, and the talk of marriage ended with this.
Afterwards, Ludwig’s mind was torn apart when he asked in a playful tone what he liked about his daughter.
In this way, the upheaval that would blow upon the social world was foretold.