The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

I stood on a large dome-shaped athletic field completely encased in black mana stones.

Moreover, though Lucian had clearly summoned me…

“And why is Sir Gebino here too?”

“Special training prepared by His Highness the Archduke for Your Highness. I am the instructor assigned for Your Highness’s training.”

No matter how many times I asked to confirm I hadn’t misheard, Gebino’s response remained unchanged.

“This is all special conditioning to fortify Your Highness’s physical body.”

I had mentioned Liam might be the prophesied Great Demon Beast, but this? Strengthening me to somehow overpower Liam by force?

“Of course, we will also continue Ability training. As you can see, this field is encased in highly concentrated black mana stones at maximum output. Specially constructed to prevent any ability detection across the entire Empire.”

“Is going to such extremes really necessary?”

“Yes, run another lap please.”

While preparing Beatrice’s wedding during palace visits, I also underwent Lucian’s special training regimen.

However, before long, I had to abandon the training for an entirely unforeseen reason.

* * *

“How about relocating the Roati Company’s headquarters to the imperial capital?”

On a visit for Beatrice’s wedding gown measurements, she abruptly proposed this to me.

“You mean transfer the entire Roati headquarters to the Empire, not just open a branch, Your Highness?”

“Why not? It would only benefit the Roati Company, would it not?”

As the tailor’s hands brushed her shoulders to take measurements, Beatrice scrunched her face in displeasure.

The tailor nonchalantly recorded the numbers on parchment before extending the tape measure towards Beatrice’s waist.

“Your words are reasonable, but I must ask why you would aid me to such an extent?”

Batting away the tailor’s hands from her waist, Beatrice instead suddenly grasped mine.

An utterly disconcerting action for both the tailor and myself.

“The Roati Company rather appeals to me, you see.”

The moment those words left her lips, goosebumps erupted across my entire body.

The divine power aura emanating from Beatrice’s fingertips enveloped my skin in an unpleasant, chilling sensation.

Planning a wedding extended far beyond merely decorating the venue and preparing food.

As the bride was the day’s centerpiece, the planner would closely attend to her – fitting the gown, styling her hair, even brushing away stray petals from her face, necessitating frequent physical contact.

Though I had steeled myself from the outset for this intimacy in planning Beatrice’s wedding, her touch elicited a revulsion far exceeding my preparedness.

‘Is this why revenge plots so often fail – the sheer difficulty of enduring such repulsiveness?’

Then Beatrice compounded that very revulsion I felt.

“You have rather delicate hands for the Roati owner, don’t you?”

My stomach roiled queasily, as if I might vomit at any moment.

Yet suppressing it, I calmly extricated my hand from Beatrice’s and retrieved some fabric samples from Madam Huron.

“It seems I have yet to particularly endear myself to Your Highness. I’m simply not one for cloying sweetness, you see.”

Holding the samples against Beatrice’s skin tone by tone, I pretended to evaluate which complemented her best.

“You may be unaware, but money is my sole criterion.”

“Which is precisely why you appeal to me. My least favorite type is the sickeningly saccharine for no reason.”

“Accenting this lace with gemstones would be quite lovely.”

I busied myself focusing on the work, acting oblivious to Beatrice’s words.

“Think it over. I can help secure a prime location near the palace district. Money is no object – I intend for everyone to devote the next few months solely to my wedding.”

“My apologies, but could you clarify exactly how much ‘no object’ entails? I dislike ambiguity, you see.”

Hearing my response, Beatrice threw her head back, cackling raucously.

“Simply name any amount. I’ll provide you a blank check.”

* * *

Immediately upon returning to Felosite, I consulted Lucian and Sylonne about Beatrice’s proposal.

Slouching askance on the sofa, Lucian shook his head, arms folded.

“She’s quite the avaricious woman, isn’t she? Deceptively so.”

“Deceptively, you say?”

“A shockingly rustic woman, rarely seen levels of gaudiness.”

“Rustic? Surely you don’t judge a woman solely by such superficial factors! That’s just wrong!”

As I blurted out indignantly, Lucian’s lips quirked in amusement.

“I see. It seems you have raised my standards considerably.”

Lucian’s playful remark widened Sylonne’s eyes even further.

“Oh my. Did I just hear something absolutely scandalous?”

Shaking her head vigorously, Sylonne covered her ears.

“So what will you do?”

Letting out a brief chuckle, Lucian questioned me seriously once more.

Truth be told, I had more or less decided during the carriage ride back.

“If I refuse this offer, Beatrice will likely take offense and turn hostile. Yet having a base in the Empire could aid our plans.”

“I’m of the same mind. Though of course, with one condition.”

For some reason, Lucian’s expression seemed almost giddy as he mentioned a condition.

“What kind of condition?”

“That I personally serve as your escort.”

Though hindered by my Felosite roots, Lucian Felosite, the Archduke second only to the Emperor in this Empire, would personally guard me?

“Don’t even joke about such nonsense.”

“I have no intention of sending you defenseless to the imperial capital. Above all, we must plan beyond the wedding itself. So heed my words.”

Lucian’s resolve proved firmer than I anticipated.

Changing tactics, I tried appealing to Sylonne instead.

“Can’t you try to talk some sense into him, Sylonne?”

“Think it over. If Sister can’t, how could I? Besides, brother does have a point…”

“For once, a statement I can agree with.”

But that wasn’t all.

Not just Lucian, even Sylonne insisted on accompanying the Roati Company’s imperial capital relocation.

“Sir Gebino and Sylonne, along with essential remaining knight personnel, will stay behind to guard Felosite Palace.”

Of course, Lucian swiftly issued this decisive order, refusing to leave Felosite completely undefended, however briefly.

“Why don’t you just remain here too?”

“No, I’ve decided, so let’s not discuss this further.”

“What about the territory? I may be important, but consider the people living in this Felosite domain. Didn’t you originally marry me to protect the commoners here? To prevent this domain’s downfall?”

Unintentionally, I had overstepped again, but were my words incorrect?

If this vast territory’s most powerful ruler departed, who would safeguard its inhabitants?

“Ah, but I’ll still be here, won’t I?”

It was my grandfather-in-law, the former Archduke Heinrich Felosite, who had entered.

“It wounds me that you always seem to forget this old man’s existence.”

“Grandfather!”

Lucian rose to bow upon seeing his grandfather.

“Leave Felosite to me. Though aged, I’m still somewhat stronger than that worthless grandson of mine, am I not?”

This was Lucian’s cue to retort, yet strangely, he only let out an awkward chuckle.

The peculiar shift in atmosphere between grandfather and grandson felt off.

“Wait a moment!”

Taking a step forward, I raised my hand skyward.