Chapter 32
“Even if she talks about wanting to die, when faced with a possibility, people want to live. Yekaterina Offenbach is human too. Unless she faces a direct threat with a sword, I can’t let her die this way.”
She didn’t seem desperate for death nor drowned in despair.
Whatever her reasons for wanting to die, he was confident he could change her mind. Leonid had no doubts about this.
Thus, the problem was more immediate.
“She insisted on repaying me for staying at the mansion, offering to work as a mercenary or stand guard….”
“Isn’t that good? For an Offenbach, she seems to have some conscience. Since it’s come to this, why not make use of it? No one will blame you.”
“Yekaterina Offenbach was received as a guest of Rostislav. That couldn’t happen.”
“Why? If she offers herself, why refuse? Just accept it.”
“If I do, it’ll look like I brought her in for that purpose from the start. I already owe Yekaterina Offenbach enough by involving her in our plans.”
“You’re too principled. Neither you nor she seems flexible. Birds of a feather, it seems.”
A perfect match.
Yuri, finding amusement in his words, chuckled lightly, then pointedly waved his finger.
“Lenny, you always want to be the good guy. I’m not complaining; I like that about you.”
“What are you getting at?”
“That you can’t always be the good guy to everyone.”
Yuri smiled gently, his youthful face briefly taking on a wise air.
“There are times when it’s much easier not to be the good guy. If the situation turns in your favor, use everything at your disposal and crush what needs to be crushed. Even Yekaterina Offenbach’s situation. She’s practically offering herself on a silver platter, why not take it?”
“That’s not what I want.”
“Naive talk. If the other party won’t bend, you need to learn to bend.”
Leonid frowned at that, remaining silent.
Yuri watched his friend’s troubled expression, then smiled as if nothing was wrong.
“If it’s too hard, do you want to pass Yekaterina Offenbach to me? I could lock her up in a spare villa or something.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Then what will you do? Just so you know, I won’t accept failure. Ruslan is eagerly waiting to take my head.”
Ruslan Pavel, Yuri’s half-brother and the rival in their contest for the throne, was the name of the person Yuri was competing against for the right of succession.
“Of course, I have no intention of handing over Arlan either. I’d rather hang that guy’s head on the city walls,” Yuri added, laughing nonchalantly.
The succession struggle is commonly referred to as the ‘Arlan War’.
Those unfamiliar might think it refers to a civil war within the Arlan imperial family, but the real reason lies elsewhere. Only the person who ascends to the throne is entitled to use the royal family name ‘Arlan’.
Unlike other empires where all imperial offspring are given the imperial family’s name, in the Arlan imperial family, only the emperor has the right to bear the name Arlan.
Arlan is both the proof of the emperor and the designation that only those bearing the name Arlan are recorded as the imperial family.
Thus, members of the imperial family who are not the emperor follow the surname of their maternal family.
In Yuri’s case, it’s Oleg from his mother’s family. For Ruslan, it’s Pavel from the empress’s family.
Effectively, the Arlan War ends up being a war among noble families with the actual Arlan imperial family notably absent.
Of course, not all such sibling rivalries result in bloody conflicts.
It’s just that Yuri and Ruslan’s case was an unfortunate exception.
Thus, Leonid could not afford to fail.
“Of course, I trust you’ll handle it well. It’s not like anything you’ve taken on has ever gone wrong,” Yuri said, cheerfully organizing the documents before approaching Leonid, patting his shoulder, and smiling.
“I’m counting on you to keep it up. Right?”
Leonid was silent for a moment.
But it was a pause so brief that anyone other than the person involved wouldn’t notice.
“…Alright, understood. Give my regards to Aunt. Is she doing well?”
“Mother’s the same as ever. See you in a month.”
With that, Yuri left the room with his characteristic cheerful stride, reflective of his public persona.
Leonid watched his cousin depart before he too, belatedly, left the room.
* * *
When Leonid returned to the Rostislav residence, it was just past lunchtime.
As he exited the carriage and entered, Stefan greeted his master.
“Welcome back, Sir. Let me take your coat.”
“Thank you. Anything happen while I was away?”
“No visitors, Sir. All your orders have been carried out.”
“And the guest?”
“She just finished her meal. Igor was quite pleased. I think she enjoyed all the dishes and desserts prepared.”
Igor, the chef, only ever complained about his master’s lack of appetite, so a guest with a good appetite must have been a welcome change.
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