I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 91

 

The Duke of Lysianthus picked up Leen’s letter from his desk.

 

“You came sooner than usual this time.”

 

Leen’s letter had taken a little longer than the others to reach him. It was addressed to someone other than the Duke.

 

The letter began with the usual greeting, and I read on, finally getting to the point.

 

The Duke laughed out loud when he saw the words.

 

[This is about a friend of mine.]

 

“My story.”

 

With a faint smile, he resumed reading the letter. His face hardened as he read on.

 

[…This happened, so I think my friend is trying to decide whether to keep in touch with the boy after she graduates. What do you think?]

 

The Duke quietly set the finished letter down on his desk.

 

“…Things have gotten complicated.”

 

He had to prevent Leen from taking the surname of another noble family.

 

Someone had waited years to add Lysianthus to her name. He was about to ask her if she would be his daughter again, thinking they were close enough.

 

‘I had taken Leen’s advice and asked my wife’s permission.’

 

When I first told her that I was considering the idea of adopting a child to Lysianthus, she was very much against it.

 

But when I explained about Leen, she was surprisingly enthusiastic.

 

— ‘Wait, her name is Leen?’ 

 

— ‘Yep. She’s currently enrolled at Arena Academy, and she’s the same age as Carson.’

 

— ‘What does she look like?’

 

— ‘Black hair, black eyes. She’s pretty and intelligent, I’m sure you’ll like her.’

 

— ‘…I’m sure she’ll make a perfect addition to our family.’

 

— ‘Yes, I know it’s a bit of a surprise, but Sylvia, Leen is a really good… what?’

 

— ‘How about we start decorating her room tomorrow?’

 

Her change of demeanor was disconcerting, but I was assured of her approval.

 

And to take it away from another family by the easy means of marriage.

 

The Duke’s eyes flashed sharply for a moment.

 

“Ten years is too soon.”

 

He snapped his fingers, and a figure leaped out of the void and bowed before him.

 

“You summoned me, Your Excellency.”

 

“I will go out.”

 

“Shall I prepare a carriage or horses?”

 

“It is urgent, so I will travel by magic. Tell Sylvia I will be back before dinner.”

 

As soon as the Duke finished speaking, a magic circle formed at his feet.

 

The servant watched the Duke’s figure fade into a blur and thought to himself.

 

‘It’s been a while since he’s gone to bury someone.’

 

The Duke arrived in front of Leen’s dormitory building. He hadn’t been inside the dormitory building since Leen scolded him years ago.

 

The grounds where the dormitories are located are also under the jurisdiction of the Arena Academy, so it doesn’t change the fact that he broke the no-outsiders rule, but whatever.

 

The security enchantments of the academy were no barrier to him.

 

He waited in front of the dormitory for what seemed like an eternity before Leen, neatly dressed in her school uniform, came into view.

 

It was the first time he had ever seen Leen in uniform, and it made him realize how young she was.

 

Just barely into adulthood.

 

Despite the size difference, it was hard to believe that she was the same age as my son Carson.

 

Then, Leen spotted the Duke and tilted his head.

 

“Mister?”

 

The Duke pushed his thoughts into a corner and approached Leen.

 

“So, it’s really you, isn’t it? What brings you here unannounced?”

 

“I received a letter.”

 

“For the letter? You could have just told me in a letter.”

 

“I don’t think it’s something I should tell you in a letter.”

 

Though she didn’t show it, Leen was surprised.

 

Judging by the timing of the letter, he hadn’t received it for a while. She wondered if she had made a mistake, given his expression.

 

“You shouldn’t start with the conclusion.”

 

“What?”

 

After a moment of freezing, Leen realized that the Duke’s words were the answer to her question in the letter.

 

A sinking feeling came over her.

 

Whether he knew what she was thinking or not, the Duke spoke earnestly.

 

“You must not be deceived by the noblewoman’s words that she has taken a liking to you.”

 

“…I’m pretty sure I wrote it down as being about a friend.”

 

The Duke rolled his eyes and pretended not to hear.

 

“Did the lady say that she took a liking to you by speaking ill of her son? She’s quite the fox.”

 

“She’s talking about my friend.”

 

Leen let out a small sigh.

 

‘If I’d known this would happen, I should have said it was my story from the beginning,’ Leen thought.

 

“More than that, may I ask why you think the lady is like a fox?”

 

“Listen, it’s not because she likes you, she just needed a powerless puppet without a family name.”

 

“…A puppet?”

 

Leen echoed, somewhat shocked, and the Duke nodded slightly.

 

“You see, she wanted to ensure that her power would last long enough to take a commoner’s child as her daughter-in-law.”

 

What he had told her wasn’t a tall tale. It was a plausible story. Leen’s eyes wavered slightly.

 

“…But, it didn’t seem like the lady was lying to me.”

 

The Duke silently laid a hand on Leen’s head, and when she brushed it away, she asked questioning

 

“You once asked me to be your daughter, when you had only met me a few times.”

 

The Duke lowered his lost hand somewhat grimly, then looked at Leen as though nothing had happened.

 

“Maybe she truly did take a liking to me, like you did.”

 

“It doesn’t matter if she likes you with the purest of hearts.”

 

He rattled off reasons as if he wasn’t joking.

 

“I’ve also heard that the Young Master of a rival family is obsessed with you, and you’ll definitely be in danger if you’re caught between the two.”

 

“That’s…”

 

It was something Leen had also thought about.

 

Except that instead of worrying about endangering herself, she was worried that she would cause a rift between the two families.

 

“No matter how much the elders of the two families like you, do you think they’ll put your well-being above their own?”

 

The Duke shook his head slowly.

 

“No matter which of the two families you’re attached to, the moment you’re at a disadvantage, you’ll become the other’s plunder.”

 

“Ah…”

 

My head popped like I’d been hit with a hammer.

 

I’d always promised myself to keep a cool head and face reality. But now my resolve had become muddled and soaked in vain dreams.

 

If the academy was a small well, the social circle was a lake.

 

There would be plenty of younger, kinder, and better-looking girls than me.

 

Where did I get the idea that his love would last beyond graduation?

 

Perhaps I was drunk on Carson’s kindness to me, trying to hold on to a fragile hope.

 

Leen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Wishing for the other’s happiness from a distance.

 

‘This must be love.’

 

Indeed, Hans had already arranged a place for me to stay after graduation. It’s where I’ve put all the money I’ve made on selling painkillers.

 

However, Hans had already arranged a place for me to stay after graduation. I decided to put the money I’ve earned from the painkillers in the Count’s estate.

 

I was prepared for Rex Begonia to go on a rampage after I left.

 

Although I had made a fortune from other medicines, my wealth from painkillers was even greater.

 

In recent years, it had been exported to many countries, not just the Lagras Empire.

 

At this very moment, somewhere, painkillers were being sold. No matter what retribution Rex Begonia would be exact on the Count, it would not suffer economically.

 

The ‘economic’ part was a blind spot, but it was the best I could do.

 

Leen’s eyes widened and she thanked the Duke.

 

“Thank you for your advice, it has helped me make up my mind.”

 

At Leen’s firm reply, the Duke, thinking he’d put out the fire in a hurry, slowly got to the point.

 

“Actually, there is another way.”

 

“…What is that?”

 

“Adopting you as my daughter.”

 

“Is that still an option?”

 

The Duke nodded slightly, as if it was obvious.

 

“Not really, but my wife was talking about grandchildren the other day.”

 

“Grandchildren?”

 

At the mention of grandchildren, Leen made a curious frown.

 

Suddenly, she remembered that the old man’s son was the same age as her.

 

Since it was the end of the year, his son would probably be an adult past his birthday, and he might be able to see his grandchildren in a few years.

 

Nobles often married early to produce heirs.

 

“I think my wife is getting lonely, so why don’t you become our daughter, and of course I have her permission, as you advised.”

 

…?

 

How the hell did the grandchild story get there.

 

“Why do you have to come to that conclusion, when your son gets married and has children?”

 

The Duke, who spoke in clear fluent tongues, couldn’t answer the question very well.

 

In fact, he had long ago given up on the idea of grandchildren. He didn’t think his son would ever be able to marry anyone.

 

But he couldn’t tell Leen this right away.

 

‘If they realize that Carson’s personality is so corrupt, they won’t want to marry him.’

 

It was for similar reasons that he had not revealed his identity to Leen.

 

The Duke knew that the rumors about him were not good. He also knew that most of the rumors were true, not exaggerated or false.

 

If Leen found out who he was…

 

‘There’s a high probability she’ll run.’

 

It would be reassuring to have a written contract, or at least a verbal confirmation.

 

The Duke opened his mouth, hoping that Leen might hear him out.

 

“If you become my daughter, you have nothing to worry about. Whatever you want to do, I can support it.”

 

The Duke added with a twinkle in his eye.

 

“Unless, of course, your choice of mate is not acceptable in my eyes as your father.”

 

Leen finally let out a small laugh, as if he had already adopted her as his daughter.

 

“From the look in your eyes, I don’t think I’ll ever get married.”

 

The Empire was large, and the nobility was numerous. But the Dukes could be counted on one hand.

 

The Duke of Lysianthus, in particular, could be said to hold the most power in the empire outside the imperial family.

 

‘Even if you are of high rank, you can’t compare to the two dukes.’

 

Leen excused herself, trying not to offend him.

 

“I really appreciate the offer, but I want to remain the daughter of my late parents.”

 

The Duke was at a loss for words. If she said it like that, he had no reason to convince her.

 

Just then, as if remembering something, Leen brought up another topic.

 

“Oh, and when I graduate, I’m going to move out on my own, far away from the capital.”

 

The Duke’s brow furrowed slightly.

 

It would be harder to meet and convince her if she was far away from the capital.

 

“…What about the change of address?”

 

Leen paused for a moment. It was hard to tell, especially since she was on the run from Rex Begonia.

 

She’d cut off all contact with her friends, except for Hans, who was involved in the business.

 

…I hope you don’t mind me telling you, since you have nothing to do with Begonia.

 

If anything, he might be safer than Jane, who’d been a constant presence at the Academy.

 

“I haven’t memorized the address yet, I’ll give it to you in a letter later.”

 

“What’s the name of the manor and town?”

 

“I’m going to the village of Abseur, on the Gharir estate.”

 

“I’ve never heard of either of them.”

 

Leen smiled awkwardly at the Duke’s hushed words.

 

She couldn’t help it. It was a small, tiny village that didn’t even have a name on the map.

 

‘It’s a good thing the empire is vast.’

 

Finding someone hiding in the expanse of the Empire was like finding a needle in a haystack.

 

No wonder tracking magic was the first spell the empire cast on criminals.

 

Leen’s pride in her country had been ignited.

 

The Duke repeated the name over and over again in his mind.

 

‘…Gharir Abseur. I like the sound of that.’