The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

“Karena!”

“My child!”

“Sister!”

At my gesture, everyone present was startled and called out to me simultaneously.

“Ah, I’m not trying to use my special ability… It’s about these two gentlemen here.”

The huge Felosite family surrounding me all tilted their heads in unison.

Their expressions seemed so odd that I nearly burst into laughter, but I held it in and continued what I was going to say.

“Have you two made up by any chance?”

My question didn’t elicit a straightforward response from either Grandfather or Lucian that they had reconciled.

They merely shrugged with awkward expressions or cleared their throats.

However, from their childish behavior, I could easily infer that Lucian had finally begun to open his heart, and their relationship would gradually improve going forward.

Though he still addressed Lucian in a grumbling tone, I no longer sensed any malice from Lucian towards his grandfather like before.

I just couldn’t discern what catalyst had changed Lucian.

It wasn’t for lack of trying to ask, but I simply couldn’t get the answer I wanted from him.

Well, since the result was good, it was probably fine.

Thus, we decided to leave the Felosite territory to Grandfather and began preparations to relocate to the imperial capital.

And the most crucial issue for the Roati Company – money.

The total amount I will charge Her Highness the Princess for the wedding is 1 million tiums.

As the magnanimous Roati Company, I sent a letter to Beatrice demanding 1 million tiums.

“Is that even a real amount? I’ve never even seen that much money.”

Even Hailey, adept at financial management, was taken aback by the astronomical sum.

“Wouldn’t it be more surprising if she agreed to pay it?”

Yet surprisingly, during our next palace visit, Beatrice handed me a check for 1 million tiums.

“So you’ll be relocating the headquarters to the imperial capital now?”

With an attitude like trying to win over a child with cookies.

For the relocation preparations, we had to consider more variables than expected.

Not just in case our plans succeeded as envisioned on the wedding day, but also contingencies for potential failure required appropriately allocating personnel.

First, Sylonne and Gebino would remain in Felosite.

Since Lucian and a minimal elite force would be heading to the imperial capital, Felosite needed remaining high-ranking personnel to lead the others.

Above all, we needed someone who could make life-or-death decisions in the worst-case scenario.

Relocating the Roati headquarters proved even more complicated.

Most employees had lived their entire lives in Felosite, with virtually no knowledge about the Empire.

Moreover, their families resided in Felosite, adding further considerations.

Most crucially, we intended to use the Roati headquarters’ accommodations as our base camp to finalize plans, so it had to comprise only trustworthy individuals.

This was my idea for a way everyone could be happy.

“Existing Felosite employees at the Roati main branch will continue working at the Felosite branch location. Even though the main branch is relocating, there will be no discrimination or salary cuts whatsoever.”

Upon hearing the headquarters was transferring to the Empire, employees seemed worried, but after my words they became relieved, letting out sighs from all around.

“Then how do you plan to operate the imperial capital main branch?”

Lucian looked puzzled at my statement that I wouldn’t take any headquarters employees besides my aide who knew my identity and Hailey.

“We’ll do it the same way we’ve been operating – undercover.”

“Under…what?”

“In disguise. As an undercover organization.”

Our most trustworthy people in the Empire would be the Felosite Palace knights and servants.

If we disguised them as Roati staff members, there should be no major issues.

Moreover, the Felosite Palace servants far surpassed the headquarters employees in competence.

“And I’ll be taking Eloise. For Beatrice, we’ll say Lorraine was expelled from the Felosite Palace and joined the Roati headquarters.”

Lucian created new identities by handpicking the knight personnel.

The same applied to the servants, except for Eloise whom Beatrice was already familiar with.

“For the most part, I’ll deal with Her Highness the Princess while disguised in a mask. But you only need to handle Beatrice when we have to be in one place at the same time.”

Though Eloise disliked facing the imperial nobles again after the previous investiture ceremony experience at the palace, she was braver and quicker at adapting than anyone.

“Just trust me, Your Highness.”

As practice, Eloise had even personally written the few letters recently sent to Beatrice, so there were no concerns.

Jonathan also decided to accompany the knights as a healer.

From a week before departing for the imperial capital, the designated knights and servants attended the Roati headquarters instead of the Felosite Palace to learn and acclimate.

Thus, we meticulously prepared down to the smallest details before relocating to the imperial capital.

As always, situations didn’t always unfold as expected.

For the first few days in the imperial capital, living conditions proved more challenging than anticipated for our new team members.

Since most were experiencing the Empire for the first time, the discomforts were more than just one or two.

Even I, who had lived in the imperial palace before being exiled to Felosite, felt so uncomfortable upon returning to the Empire that I wondered how I had previously lived there.

The biggest issue was that our Roati headquarters base camp ‘Roati Manor’ lacked electricity.

Of course, it wasn’t just the manor – the entire Empire had yet to adopt widespread electrical power.

In contrast, Felosite already used electricity routinely at modern-day levels.

Considerable physical labor and manpower were consumed just lighting fires here and there within the large manor to illuminate the interiors at night.

“This clearly won’t do.”

Finally, Lucian resolved to shut all the manor’s windows and draw the curtains before commencing remodeling work.

Using precious mana stones brought from Felosite, electric lights were installed in each room, and a communication stone network was established to connect the manor interiors with shops in the imperial capital’s city center.

Of course, these convenient items created solely through Felosite’s technological prowess couldn’t be revealed to others.

After several days of remodeling and construction, the Roati Manor and shop were finally fully equipped.

Outwardly indistinguishable from other imperial buildings, it was in fact a concentrated embodiment harnessing all of Felosite’s technological capabilities if examined closely.

Ostensibly located right near the imperial palace for His Highness the Crown Prince’s wedding, for us it was the optimal location to deal with Beatrice and Liam.

* * *

After barely adapting to life in the imperial capital, I visited His Highness the Crown Prince’s palace alongside the tailoring team from Felosite and Jonathan.

It had been a very long time since meeting with just Liam alone, without Beatrice.

Of course, it was my first time as the Lord Roati.

Liam appeared increasingly haggard and emaciated.

His sunken eyes were ringed by dark shadows.

‘What happened to reduce you to this state, Liam…?’

During the measuring process, I noticed strange markings all over Liam’s body.

Invisible to ordinary eyes, but detectable by my Ability, were holes where his Ability was leaking out.

Liam’s ‘Ability of Wind’ couldn’t fully permeate his body, with faint blue wisps flickering across his arms, neck, and elsewhere.

Most areas that should have been filled with his Ability were instead blocked by some inky blackness obstructing the luminous glow.

With a dazed expression after the measurements, Liam collapsed onto a long velvet sofa.

“Is it… all over now?”

“Your Highness still has our premium service remaining.”

“Premium service?”

Liam uttered the words weakly, as if lacking the strength for more.

“If you simply lie down on that sofa as you are now, our masseurs will give you a massage.”

I nudged Jonathan behind me, pushing him towards where Liam lay.

Hurriedly whispering in Jonathan’s ear, I said in a low voice:

“Examination, examination!”

The bewildered Jonathan began kneading Liam’s nape, pretending to massage him.

“Then I shall begin.”

From Jonathan’s hands massaging Liam’s head, a white glow emanated.

Slowly, under the guise of a massage, Jonathan proceeded with a physical examination.

From the head to the neck, then past the shoulders towards the back-

“Aaaaarrrggghhhh!”

Liam began screaming terribly.