The Person I Loved Hated Me - Chapter 23

Rhys was conducting a fact-check regarding the birth of siblings Isaac and Clara under the orders of his father, Sebastian.

He understood it needed to be done urgently, even without being explicitly told.

He also didn’t forget to contact his five-years-older brother Flurey, who served by Dian’s side, to warn him to ensure Dian didn’t lay a hand on Clara. Above all, this was crucial.

Flurey pressed him, saying, “Tell me why,” but Rhys was forbidden from speaking until certain facts were confirmed, so he kept silent even though it was his own brother.

“Father, it’s truly dangerous if we don’t hurry. His Highness is already fully intent on taking the girl under his wing.”

It was Flurey who, under Dian’s orders, had prepared the residence for Clara.

Fortunately, she hadn’t been taken in yet.

Rhys strongly requested Flurey to stop Dian by force if necessary.

He wondered how much his brother, loyal to Dian and unaware of the detailed reasons, would listen, but Rhys felt he was doing all he could.

“Still no reply from Grandfather, right?”

The confirmation with his grandfather (Ortol) was being handled personally by his father (Sebastian).

“Earliest would be the day after tomorrow. Given the nature of the matter, he might come in person. In that case, it would take about seven days.”

The letter Sebastian sent to Ortol was phrased vaguely to avoid drawing attention, yet if what Isaac said was true, its contents would be recognizable.

“So, there were no employment records for their mother… Dietrich?”

“Yes. No matter where we searched, there were no records of Dietrich working at the castle. However, the records for a certain period in the clothing department felt newer compared to those that followed. It matches the period she was employed. They might have been rewritten.”

The castle had a department handling clothing, responsible for alterations and creation of garments for the king and other nobles. Women from both families skilled in sewing and lace-making were gathered there.

They could question those who worked there at the time, but they were holding off to avoid prying and potential complications.

If the records had indeed been rewritten, the handwriting would differ, but it was likely Ortol’s doing.

Eivard, whom they were concerned about, was diligently working every day and showed no signs of contact with the Trulin Marquisate.

From Rhys’s perspective, he believed Eivard’s story about cutting ties with the Trulin Marquisate, but Sebastian remained cautious.

Frankly, Rhys thought the Trulin Marquisate was foolish. The fact that they were aiming for the next chancellor position with Eivard’s two older brothers showed the head’s incompetence.

Of course, the two weren’t incompetent, but they were no match for Rhys. If it were Eivard, he’d be worried.

Even if Trulin Marquis Reichheintz realized Eivard’s ability now, it was too late. Eivard had freed himself from the marquisate’s shackles and decided his own path.

He didn’t know about Eivard’s circumstances from childhood until entering the academy, but the marquisate was a pitiful family that failed to understand Eivard’s situation afterward and focused only on his top grades.

Eivard’s eldest brother, Ethan, originally wished to serve by Dian’s side, but it was Rhys’s brother Flurey who was chosen.

He probably intended to get close to the next king as a confidant and eventually involve himself in state affairs, but Ethan never won Dian’s trust.

Publicly, it was often thought that Ortol’s role in overseeing Dian’s growth gave him an advantage, but that wasn’t the case. Rumor had it Dian found the fussy Ortol annoying. It was purely Flurey’s ability that earned trust.

If Flurey and Ethan had been in the same year, Rhys imagined Ethan would have been “the Trulin Marquisate’s failure.”

“We plan to have the Trulin Marquisate step away from politics but who would have thought such a troublesome issue would arise now.”

Sebastian didn’t think highly of the Trulin Marquisate, which had begun to stain the Cartiver royal family. He had started taking measures to have them exit before the stain spread.

“Will Eivard’s disinheritance be in time?”

“Hard to say. If he’s disinherited, he likely won’t be dragged in, but a man like that seems like a major asset. I doubt they’d let him go easily.”

A man with such beauty was rare. Born into a high-ranking noble family, he excelled in his role as a knight. He ignored advances, which only increased his popularity among women.

From Rhys’s perspective, useless at sports—a knight who was also smart was incredibly enviable.

“Rhys, do you like that man?”

“I used to be scared of him, but knowing he’s unexpectedly straightforward, I think he’d be quite useful as an ally.”

“Well… even within the knight order, he’d be a waste to crush.”

Still, the fact remained that the Trulin Marquisate had tried to bribe him.

If Eivard were disinherited from the Trulin Marquisate and became a commoner without a title, the “former marquis house” label would stick, but he’d be much easier to handle.

The promotion that would come under Sebastian’s orders would undoubtedly be based on fair judgment.

“Anyway, we’re waiting for the retired one’s reply.”

“And Eivard’s contact with her until then?”

“Yes, I’ve forbidden it. You make sure to remind Flurey again.”

“My brother is a Dian-supremacist, after all. Even if he knew the secret, he might not speak of it for His Highness’s sake. It’s troublesome.”

Flurey undoubtedly acted as a member of the Winslet ducal house, prioritizing the prosperity of the Cartiver royal family.

But he was a bit too straightforward.

If, by any chance, Dian chose to cross the line, Flurey would definitely support him.

That’s why Rhys wanted to share the information from Isaac before that happened, but Sebastian’s strict order was to not spread it further until confirmation was obtained.

He could understand the hesitation to speak of what the late Lord Rhodias had kept secret without permission, but he wished they’d realize that some mistakes, once made, were irreversible.

Ten days later, a reply finally arrived from Ortol, who had retired to his territory. It simply stated, “Everything is as he said,” and only the messenger returned.