The Viscountess is Clever [Romance/Kingdom Building]

Clink... Clink...

The gentle, rhythmic clinking of fine porcelain and silver utensils echoed softly through the castle’s dining hall as the Viscount and Viscountess ate their dinner together in relative quiet.

“I will likely be quite late coming to bed tonight, as I am working to construct a legal defense for Jeckson before your brother formally moves to escalate the entire murder charge to the Capital,” Miller noted, taking a calm bite of his meal.

“I see...” Francesca replied, floating somewhat absentmindedly in her own heavy thoughts as she lifted a forkful of food to her lips. “It is honestly quite odd... Ivan hasn’t taken a single aggressive action regarding the whole murder situation for the entire day. He didn’t even bother to attend dinner with us tonight,” she mused aloud, finishing her bite.

“That is precisely what worries me the most. He has apparently spent his whole day playing with the children,” Miller replied, picking up a crystal carafe and pouring himself a fresh glass of water.

“Children?” Francesca asked, raising an eyebrow in genuine confusion.

Miller took a quick sip before answering, “Last night, a young girl arrived at our castle gates alongside a group of other local orphans. Lord Ivan personally instructed Kenny to assign comfortable rooms to all of them last night, and he has been spending his entire day today keeping them company.”

“He is simply... playing with kids? When he holds such a massive political leverage opportunity right in the palm of his hands?” Francesca mumbled under her breath, completely bewildered.

Though Miller didn't catch her quiet mutterings, he continued, “Meanwhile, his knight, Sir Albert, has been frantically moving around the town trying to hunt down Randell.”

“Randell? As in our former castle butler?” Francesca asked, her confusion deepening.

Miller looked at her with slight surprise. “Didn’t you know he was our source? He is the broker who has been selling off high-level information recently. That is precisely how I was able to track Lord Ivan’s initial movements down in the northern territory.”

Taking a slow sip of water, Francesca pondered the news. “Doesn’t that mean Randell possesses some evidence that we could use in our favor? What official reason did Ivan give for aggressively hunting down a peaceful citizen of Ironwood?”

Miller finished his main plate as the house servants smoothly stepped forward to clear the table and serve the evening dessert course. He answered, “He claims Randell has been illegally selling off LeonCraft ducal intelligence without their consent, so they are looking to apprehend him and put him on trial alongside our administration... Of course, that is very clearly a thin cover story.”

“Of course it is. Randell must possess evidence or documents that would allow us to prove Jeckson’s innocence,” Francesca scoffed, taking another small bite as her mind raced.

She paused, looking across the table at her husband. “Say... Miller?”

“Hmm?”

“If... and this is purely a hypothetical scenario,” she began, stopping her fork midway to her plate. “If you were given the power to save everyone in a crisis by giving up... a deeply important, priceless personal item belonging to you... would you do it?”

Miller went silent, falling into deep thought as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “How important is this item you speak of? And why? I suppose my answer would depend on the context...”

“There might be a distinct chance that handing it over... let's say, might ultimately kill you,” Francesca replied, forcing a soft, delicate smile to hide her rising anxiety.

“I would,” Miller replied instantly, without a single second of hesitation. He placed his spoon onto his dessert plate and took a small bite.

Francesca stared at him, bewildered by his immediate response. “I mean... handing it over would save everyone with absolute certainty, but there is only a high probability or chance that it might kill you in the process, you know?”

“And even if that wasn’t the exact scenario, I don’t know what role I am playing in your hypothetical... but if I am still the Lord of this Viscounty in that situation, then I would do so regardless of whether my death was a chance or a certainty.”

Taking a cloth napkin, Miller calmly wiped the corners of his mouth, his red eyes looking straight into hers with unwavering conviction.

“Because simply by putting myself in direct danger, I am able to protect everyone who depends on me, right? As their Lord, that is not a sacrifice… that is simply something I am obligated to do” With a gentle smile, Miller stood up from the dining table.

Francesca was still finishing her meal as he leaned down to kiss her forehead softly. “I will be heading to my office to work now. Don’t worry, Francesca… I will find a way to protect our territory from your brother’s and father’s schemes.”

With those reassuring words, he turned and walked out of the grand dining hall.

Leaving Francesca alone with her heavy thoughts, she continued eating in silence.

I am so sorry, Miller... but I am nowhere near as selfless as you are. I simply cannot bet my life on a terrifying uncertainty so easily, not when I have finally been given a true second chance to live my life exactly as I want!

“What... what on earth do I do...” she muttered under her breath, taking her napkin to gently wipe her mouth.

“Your Ladyship...” a household servant suddenly stepped forward into the dining hall, bowing respectfully. “Lord Ivan has requested a private meeting with you in the parlor.”

Francesca’s breath hitched slightly. Is it finally time? Is he finally stepping forward to play his true hand?

“Inform him that I will be arriving shortly,” Francesca replied, her expression turning uneasy as her hand tightened into a white-knuckle grip around her cane.

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