The Viscountess is Clever [Romance/Kingdom Building]

“Ah, the children have finally left?” Albert commented as he stepped into the guest room, adjusting his armor.

“So... you weren’t able to find this Randell?” Ivan completely ignored his comment, sitting calmly on the sofa as he looked up.

Albert let out a heavy sigh, sitting down opposite him. “That’s quite unlike you, my Lord, but he must have really gotten one over on us this time. He got us with a decoy... so fine, I will admit he slipped away.”

Albert leaned back, adding, “But that realization actually tells us something vital: Lord Miller hasn’t been contacted by him either. The rat is on the run entirely by himself.”

“Hmm... that is very true. Lord Miller wouldn’t have to resort to constructing complex legal defenses if he was actively harboring Randell,” Ivan replied, a slow, calculated smile forming on his face as he stood up. “Maybe it’s finally time then. Now that we know for certain they don’t possess a single shred of physical evidence against us...”

Ivan walked up to the main door and called out for a passing household servant. “Is Francesca still at the dining hall?”

The servant bowed. “Her Ladyship has just finished her dinner, my Lord.”

“Please request a private meeting with her right away,” Ivan instructed smoothly.

“I will convey the message immediately and return with her reply, Lord Ivan,” the servant said before hurrying off.

“I will be waiting in the parlor,” Ivan mused to himself, turning down the hallway with an expectant smirk as the servant went to deliver the request.

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

“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.

Stepping out into the grand hallway, her cane clicking softly against the marble floor, she was surprised to spot Miller walking down the adjacent corridor toward the parlor as well.

“Miller?” she called out.

He turned around, his expression softening as he walked over to meet her.

“I thought you said you were heading straight to your study to prepare a case?” she asked, gently interlocking her arm with his.

“I was,” Miller replied, matching her pace. “But Lord Ivan sent a messenger requesting an urgent audience with me, saying it was of paramount importance.”

He wants Miller there as well? Francesca thought, her mind racing.

Miller looked down at her. “What about you?”

“Well, it seems he wants to meet with both of us together,” Francesca replied softly.

Miller smiled, giving a firm, reassuring nod as he adjusted his arm to hold her properly, walking side by side toward the parlor doors.

Tak... Tak...

The rhythmic sound of Francesca’s cane reverberated through the quiet corridor as they reached the parlor entrance. Pushing open the grand double doors, they found Ivan already comfortably seated inside, swirling a glass of wine as he waited for them.

“Ah... you two are here,” Ivan greeted them with a brilliant, welcoming smile.

“It is getting quite late, Lord Ivan... what could possibly be the emergency that required us to meet so urgently?” Miller asked calmly, pulling out a chair and helping Francesca sit comfortably beside him.

“Oh, nothing grand,” Ivan chuckled softly to himself, leaning back in his chair. “I was simply reminiscing about the past... and wondering to myself if a certain selfish hypocrite would ever finally do something genuinely redeeming in her life.”

A sharp, dangerous glare shot straight from Francesca’s eyes, while Miller sat down next to her, raising an eyebrow in silent warning toward her brother.

“Though the main reason I requested your presence is because I wanted to discuss our current pressing issue… specifically, the unfortunate death of one of my squires down in your castle’s dungeons,” Ivan added smoothly, lifting a glass vessel to pour a measure of dark wine before offering it to Miller.

Taking a small, polite sip, Miller set the glass on the table and replied, “Regarding that matter, Lord Ivan... I entirely understand if you feel compelled to escalate the case directly to the Imperial Investigators in the Capital. But I was hoping you could grant us a short grace period to investigate the incident ourselves. A fair chance to properly get to the bottom of what really transpired?”

“Yes... we simply want a brief window of time,” Francesca added, swallowing her pride slightly to tack onto Miller's request.

Ivan picked up his own glass of wine, took a small gulp, and then set it back down onto the polished wood. “No, no, please do not misunderstand me. I am not here to pressure or rush either of you regarding this unfortunate matter.”

He smiled warmly, continuing, “In fact, why I invited you both here tonight is rather the exact opposite.”

“I am actually thinking of dropping all criminal charges against your vassal entirely.” Raising a single index finger, he added, “Though, of course... on one single condition.”

There it is... Francesca’s heart instantly began to race against her ribs. She reached down, picked up her glass, and took a quick drink of wine to steady her trembling hands.

“You likely already know what it is... Francesca,” Ivan added, his eyes locking directly onto hers. “And accepting my offer might just fix our long-strained relationship as well.”

“You... are still clinging to that?” Francesca asked, placing her glass back down as her voice tightened. “That absurd dream of a library?”

Miller’s eyebrow raised higher in genuine confusion as he looked between the two siblings. “A library? What exactly are you two talking about?”

Ivan simply offered Miller a charming, pleasant smile. “Yes. Precisely that.”

Tapping his fingertips rhythmically against the wooden table, Ivan's smile softened into something deceptively somber.

“You see, Lord Miller... I am fully willing to drop murder charge against Lord Jeckson Libert right this second, if Francesca is willing to surrender a certain antique necklace she received as a wedding gift from our late mother.”

He leaned forward, his voice dropping into a thrilling whisper.

“I want The Azure Tear.”

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