Chapter 43: Oberon’s Sister

‘This cannot be!’

 Duke Hersher couldn’t believe what he had heard with his own two ears.

 It was hard enough to believe that ‘the’ Edmund and Clea had a secret meeting, but on top of that, he was even considering a deeper relationship with her.

 But since he heard it directly from Edmund himself, the Duke couldn’t deny it this time.

 He addressed a figure who happened to appear before him.

 “Sir Philip, it’s been a while.”

 “Ah, Duke Hersher. It has indeed been a long time. Have you been well?”

 “I just met with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

 “I see.”

 He wanted to confirm once more.

 Whether the conversation he just had was an illusion or not.

 “His Highness told me. That he has someone he promised a future with.”

 “My, that has reached your ears as well.”

 “……I didn’t quite catch who this person is. Could you perhaps tell me?”

 “Didn’t you say you just met with His Highness?”

 Oberon was quite perceptive.

 He thought that since Edmund had granted an audience to Duke Hersher, he must have definitively settled the marriage issue with Aria Hersher.

 Oberon had even received news that Edmund and Clea had gone out together for a date late last night.

 Having predicted that something had transpired between the two, he could sufficiently guess how the conversation between Edmund and Duke Hersher had gone.

 So he roughly sensed why the Duke was asking him this question now.

 ‘It seems he can’t believe the truth.’

 It seemed like he wanted to hide his suspicion that Edmund might be using rumors because he didn’t want to marry Aria.

 Oberon recognized that the Hersher family’s position had become quite awkward in this situation.

 The Hersher ducal family was very close to the current emperor, Odin, like his hands and feet.

 But considering the complex relationship between the future emperor Edmund and his wife-to-be, Clea, and the Grand Duke-to-be Lloyd and Aria who was once called the future crown princess…

 Thinking about the complicated relationship between these four people gave Oberon a headache.

 Hoping the Duke would face reality as soon as possible, Oberon told him the truth.

 “I feel uncomfortable telling you directly who it is, but I can assure you that the person His Highness mentioned is indeed correct.”

 “……So it’s true.”

 Through Oberon’s answer, the Duke realized his thoughts had been read.

 But he wasn’t uncomfortable.

 Having realized the truth, he was surprisingly calm.

 Perhaps because he had received such a huge shock when he first heard it directly from Edmund, the second time was somewhat more acceptable.

 “Then where is she now?”

 The Duke, who had never believed rumors, decided this time to believe the rumors he had heard.

 According to rumors, Clea Odoi had left the mansion where she lived and was now living with the Crown Prince in his palace.

 No one knew who had spread these rumors.

 He thought it was absolutely unreliable, but now the situation had changed.

 “I cannot arrange for you to meet her.”

 “I see. Thank you for telling me.”

 “I haven’t told you anything, Duke.”

 After hearing Oberon’s words, the Duke moved on.

 He realized how complacent he had been all this time.

 He had let his guard down because Edmund had never allowed anyone by his side until now.

 Among the high-ranking families whose members could become Edmund’s partner, Aria was the only one without a fiancé. And Edmund wasn’t the type to have secret meetings with women who had fiancés.

 He thought that if he just waited, his daughter would eventually take that position. So he had only created an atmosphere within social circles, careful not to appear forceful.

 As much as he regretted his complacency, his heart was in turmoil.

 When all was said and done, Aria wasn’t even Edmund’s fiancée yet.

 He found the current situation frustrating, unable to even express why Edmund was having secret meetings with someone else instead of Aria.

 Duke Hersher wondered.

 If he intervened now to rectify the situation, could this absurd situation be salvaged?

 ‘I’ll need to move quickly then.’

 Determined to make Aria the crown princess by any means necessary, his steps quickened.

 * * *

 “Has he left?”

 “Yes, he has left.”

 Clea had been watching Duke Hersher’s retreating figure from a distance.

 Oberon, who had noticed Clea’s presence early on, had chosen his words carefully.

 He had even considered the possibility of her appearing directly in the middle of their conversation.

 ‘That would be the worst-case scenario.’

 Duke Hersher took great pride in his family.

 If Clea herself had appeared here, there was no telling what the Duke might have said to her face.

 And since she wasn’t the type to quietly listen, it would likely have escalated into an argument.

 He wondered what would happen if Edmund heard about that, a small curiosity arising.

 “So in the end, Oberon, it seems you’ve decided to acknowledge me.”

 “I made it clear before. I will act on your behalf from now on.”

 He had promised to help her take revenge on Lloyd Persi, who had once been her fiancé.

 Clea still thought he had been joking.

 But Oberon was not joking at all.

 Even now, he was busy mobilizing his people to investigate all sorts of wrongdoings committed by Lloyd.

 Some of them included things prohibited by the Empire, leaving him speechless.

 The more Oberon investigated, the more he realized that the power of rumors was greater than he had thought.

 He planned to make Lloyd take responsibility for his wrongdoings that had been overshadowed by the bad rumors about Clea.

 Although people weren’t talking about it much yet, it was only a matter of time before it spread.

 The misdeeds committed by the heir to the grand ducal family, the highest-ranking family after the imperial family, would be thoroughly exposed.

 Despite this, Oberon’s mood was very low.

 The more he prepared a counterattack for her, the greater his guilt toward Clea grew.

 Clea was a victim who had consistently suffered at Lloyd’s hands without being able to speak up loudly in her defense.

 It was wrong that this manifested as harassment toward Aria. But at least Oberon concluded that Clea hadn’t unilaterally bullied the blameless Aria without reason.

 Oberon’s sense of debt added weight to his resolve to show loyalty.

 “By the way, I noticed His Highness the Crown Prince has his buttons done up all the way again today.”

 “So?”

 Oberon cleared his throat and looked at Clea.

 However, Clea gave him a puzzled expression, not understanding what he was getting at.

 “Could you please show some restraint? I’m afraid someone else might see.”

 “What’s wrong with that?”

 “What do you mean, what’s wrong?”

 “I like to leave my mark on what’s mine. That way, no one else will set their sights on it.”

 Clea said this while revealing her sharp canines in a grin.

 The reason why Edmund desperately hid his neck was fully revealed. Oberon got goosebumps seeing her weapon.

 Clea smiled, seemingly enjoying the sight of Oberon shrinking back.

 “Besides, there have been people eyeing Edmund lately, so shouldn’t I be on guard?”

 “There’s no need for that. I think just showing the ring on your finger would be enough to deter anyone.”

 “My, you have a good eye.”

 “Are you saying I have a good eye when you’re wearing it so obviously?”

 Oberon could roughly guess what had happened late last night.

 When he entered the Crown Prince’s palace early in the morning, his bedchamber was a complete mess.

 Some items in the room were damaged and scattered about, and empty bottles of alcohol were strewn everywhere.

 And what’s most embarrassing was Edmund’s exposed upper body.

 Traces of the previous night were deeply engraved on his body, enough to make Oberon’s head throb.

 Blushing at the mere thought, he tried to change the subject by mentioning something else.

 “By the way, did you know my younger sister recently returned from studying abroad?”

 “Ah, I did hear about that. Oberon, I never thought you would have a younger sister.”

 “I treated her like she didn’t exist. It’s not something to worry about. Anyway, my sister hopes to meet you.”

 “Me, of all people?”

 “Yes. She seems very curious about you.”

 Clea, having no recollection of Oberon’s sister Ruphia, was quite curious about her existence.

 It was surprising that she wanted to meet her.

 “If her goal is to harass me, I’d rather pass.”

 “If she were to meet you to harass you, would I have brought it up?”

 “You might have. Who was it that made me sign a confidentiality contract?”

 “Please forget about that.”

 “How could I forget? I still vividly remember how you glared at me and rushed in when it came to matters related to Edmund.”

 “Ha!”

 Oberon seemed annoyed as he pounded his chest and glared at Clea.

 Clea watched Oberon’s frustrated appearance while laughing.

 “Still, she is a daughter of the Philip family, so I should meet her.”

 “I should warn you in advance, she’s quite an eccentric child.”

 “I was also called an eccentric child when I was younger. So one shouldn’t be certain before meeting someone in person.”

 “Since it’s a meeting between two eccentric people, perhaps you’ll get along well.”

 Clea was somewhat looking forward to it.

She was curious about what kind of freshness Ruphia Philip would bring.

 Meanwhile, Oberon, who was watching her from the side, barely held back a sigh.

 ‘I’m not sure if arranging this meeting is the right thing to do.’

 He had reluctantly asked Clea because his sister kept insisting at home that he arrange a meeting.

 When he continued to refuse, she threatened to visit the imperial palace on her own, leaving him with no choice.

 He had sincerely hoped that Clea would reject the meeting.

 But contrary to his wishes, Clea accepted immediately.

 He earnestly prayed.

 ‘I hope nothing happens.’

 He already had a mountain of work to do.

 As someone who didn’t want more work, Oberon hoped that nothing would happen except for the two becoming friends.

 He just wished they would sit across from each other, have a light cup of tea, and be done with it.