I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 135

CHAPTER 135

“Ah.”

Lionel’s steps slowed momentarily as he groped for the memory of who it might be.

“Ha.”

Soon, he came to a stop in front of a figure. 

Lionel tilted his head to the side.

“Eben Floyd?”

As if confirming the name, Eben nodded.

“Yes.”

Eben smiled.

“Do you remember? We met even before the summer royal ball, right before I entered the academy.”

“Hmm… I’m afraid…”

Lionel’s gaze wandered.

“I don’t remember?”

“…Is that so.”

Eben’s face turned grim.

He doesn’t remember him? 

That can’t be!

Eben had been a prominent figure in high society until Lionel appeared, even admired by the second princess, Lottie!

‘But not anymore.’

With Lionel’s appearance, Eben felt pushed aside.

Unable to overcome the shock, Eben, partly intoxicated, ended up submitting his application to the academy.

‘And it’s because of him that I ended up at the academy.’

As Eben swallowed tears inside, Lionel stared at him intently.

That guy.

He knew him as someone who constantly hovered around his master.

But he had almost forgotten about him until now.

“Ah, Marquis Eben Floyd?”

He heard the master’s story and realized.

He had heard strange rumors about his supposed younger sister.

“I used to like him.”

He learned a shocking truth.

His master had made such a stunning statement that he could have dropped his teacup, but the master was busy eating cake.

The master was quite something.

‘She was cute though.’

He remembered how the master used to eat cake with two forks, alternating between two types, and then elegantly cutting a piece for him.

‘That was cute too.’

Thinking of the smiling master, Lionel smiled faintly. 

A scream erupted from behind.

Anyway.

“Marquis Eben Floyd.”

It wouldn’t hurt to send him a little warning.

“I remember now, very clearly.”

Especially since this guy’s father had been getting on Lionel’s nerves since forever.

Now it had quieted down a bit due to the quarrel between Stella and Leonard over the throne.

But still, whenever he seemed to forget, he popped up and dazzled both him and the master.

The guy’s father seemed to be fond of him.

“You recently graduated from the academy, right?”

“Oh, yes. That’s right, but…”

Just a slight, very slight twist of the head.

“Um, aren’t you Duke Marcus?”

“…?”

As Lionel slowly turned his head towards the source of the voice, there was Betty, smiling cheerfully.

“Ah.”

She was the girl the master cherished. 

A smile blossomed on Lionel’s face.

“Are you here to see Her Highness?”

“That’s right. Is she awake?”

“Yes, yes, she woke up a while ago! Hmm, but she might be back to sleep now.”

“Still, I should go check.”

“Yes! Besides, Her Highness was looking for you, Duke Lionel.”

At Betty’s words, Lionel blinked as if he couldn’t believe it, then responded with a voice full of joy.

“She was looking for me?”

“Of course! When she just woke up, she looked around eagerly.”

Imitating the just-awakened Lottie, Betty looked around.

“But since you weren’t there, her eyebrows did this.”

Betty’s eyebrows drooped in a sulky manner. 

Seeing this, Lionel chuckled softly.

That sight cheered Betty up.

“She didn’t say anything, but I know, I know everything.”

Looking around discreetly, Betty lowered her voice.

“It was a search for you, Duke Lionel.”

“She was looking for me.”

She was looking for him. 

Lionel’s laughter deepened.

As his face reddened with joy, people behind him collapsed with a thud.

Even Betty, who was standing in front, closed her eyes as if dazzled.

“Not now, let’s go quickly.”

Lionel walked away with Betty.

All that remained were Lionel’s laughter and the fallen people.

“What, what was that?”

Eben, still inexplicably eerie, was rubbing his neck.

‘What was that just now?’

Even though warm, almost hot summer sunlight poured in from more than a dozen windows.

Strangely, Eben felt cold. 

Starting from his bones, he shivered involuntarily.

His head drooped.

He should go back.

He should go back and call a physician, take medicine, or at least sit by the fireplace.

But his body wouldn’t move.

“Eben.”

It was Marquis Floyd who pulled the trembling Eben back to his feet.

The Marquis, almost identical to five years ago, looked down at his son, who turned blue.

“Haven’t I told you to take care of yourself?”

Tsk, he clicked his tongue.

“I’m sorry, Father. I guess I overdid it yesterday.”

Eben quickly rubbed his face. 

Color returned to his cheeks.

“Anyway, did you meet the Empress?”

After nodding, the Marquis moved silently.

His face was dark.

The reason the Marquis and Eben came to the palace today was to ask a favor from the Empress.

Seems like it’s not going well.

Eben quietly followed the Marquis. 

Before they knew it, they were alone, with no one around.

“Eben.”

Confirming there was no one around, the Marquis spoke.

“It seems we need to hurry up with your sister’s marriage.”

“Milia’s marriage? With whom…?”

Ah, there was a catch. 

The person whose name came up recently.

Eben desperately shook his head.

“Father, that’s not it. He’s from another country, and besides, doesn’t he already have two wives?”

The person whose name came up was a royal from another country.

He was twice Milia’s age, with two wives and five children.

Even the eldest grandchild was the same age as Milia.

Sending Milia to such a man? 

Eben wasn’t particularly close to Milia. 

Her constant screaming was annoying, and her loud prancing around in makeup every day was irksome. 

But still, she was his sister.

“Father.”

She was his sister. 

Sending his beloved sister, who loved this place, to that distant country, and as the third concubine of an older man? 

That was out of the question.

“Father, you love Milia, don’t you?”

Eben grabbed onto the Marquis’ sleeve, looking at him with desperate eyes. 

The Marquis smiled down at him with a determined look in his eyes.

“Yeah, I love Milia. Doesn’t Milia love her father as well?”

“Yes, Milia loves you too.”

Eben’s face brightened.

Alright, if he sincerely speaks up, his Father will listen to him about Milia’s marriage.

“So, when she gets there, Milia will listen to me well. Unlike that girl who defied me after being made into nobility.”

Eben’s heart started pounding.

The man now being mentioned by his father was the Empress.

‘I knew the Empress had some issues with Father, but openly insulting the Empress like this?’

Whether he knew his son’s feelings or not, the Marquis continued his soliloquy-like speech.

“Besides, considering Milia’s personality, even if she goes to an empty place, she’ll listen to me even more to come back safely. Don’t you think so, Eben?”

…Ah.

“And I’ve also arranged your marriage partner.”

Eben blinked slowly.

His mind hadn’t fully processed the information yet, but his mouth moved as usual.

“Who?”

Eben forced an expression onto his face.

“Who is it, is it perhaps the Second Princess…?”

“Who would marry that mongrel!”

Tsk!

The Marquis’ face twisted in disgust as if merely mentioning it was dirty.

“Your marriage partner is Princess Stella.”

“Stella?”

Eben, taken aback, questioned.

“But she’s my cousin, isn’t she?!”

“That’s even better. Noble blood won’t flow out.”

“And, Princess Stella already has someone she loves…”

“What does that matter? Eben.”

The Marquis patted Eben’s shoulder.

“You just wait. I’ll arrange the princess for you.”

The Marquis turned his head and muttered quietly.

“It’s even better that she has a lover. Once we kill him, she’ll be so distraught that she’ll be easier to manipulate.”

The Marquis walked ahead, and Eben…

“…”

He couldn’t bring himself to walk behind him.

He just stood there, unable to move, with his head spinning.