Chapter 174
Macy quietly nodded.
She couldn’t let herself be completely swayed by Eren forever. No matter how much her heart might lean toward him, at least when it came to her art—just her art—she wanted control over it.
* * *
Before dawn, the forest echoed with a woman’s piercing scream.
A bandit had dragged a woman by her hair from a carriage.
“Let go of me! I said, let go!”
The man licked the blade of his dagger before tearing her skirt apart without hesitation.
“Ahhh!”
The rest of the bandits ransacked the carriage, searching for anything of value. The noblewoman clutched the shredded fabric of her dress, trembling with humiliation and fury.
“Do you even know who I am! How dare you do this!”
“Marchioness Lingston, of course. On your usual route to the early morning mass, yes?”
The bandit replied indifferently. They clearly knew her routine. This was no random ambush—it had been meticulously planned, likely on someone’s orders. Realizing this, the Marchioness turned pale.
“Do something! Fight back, you fool!”
“I-I’m sorry, Madam!”
She shouted at the coachman but the man stammered before seizing the chance to flee, abandoning her to the assailants.
The bandits laughed as they closed in on her.
“Stay back! Don’t come any closer!”
The men swarmed her, and though she struggled desperately, she barely managed to escape their grasp.
The bandit, seemingly a bit disappointed, licked his lips before approaching another carriage hidden in a quiet corner. Through the partially closed curtains, the smoke from a cigar drifted out calmly.
“Sir, she’s escaped.”
The bandit respectfully reported, and a white-gloved hand extended a heavy bag of money. The size of the bag, much thicker than the originally agreed-upon payment, made the man’s face light up.
“Your acting was so convincing, I’ll give you extra. Impressive work.”
“If such work arises again, please come to us. Thank you, Duke Krygen!”
Without responding, Rubens closed the window. Soon after, the carriage left the mountain path. Rubens had arranged for the bandits to attack Marchioness Lingston’s carriage, humiliate her, and release her at the right moment. It was payback for the insult Macy had suffered.
‘Seeing her flee, clutching her torn clothes, was a sight to behold.’
This should be enough of a warning. Given that the Marchioness had recently attempted something similar, Rubens could guess who had orchestrated it. Even though Marchioness Lingston was close to Lady Werfel, Macy wouldn’t be easily targeted again.
“What about Lady Werfel?”
Kronen, who was seated across from him, asked. It was clear that Isabella was behind Marchioness Lingston’s actions. Rubens, who was used to handling the masterminds behind such events, was now being asked what he planned to do next.
“Leave her for now.”
“What? Understood.”
Kronen hesitated for a moment before nodding. Rubens didn’t hesitate to disregard Isabella for now, not because he didn’t want to punish her. But because he didn’t feel the need to tame her just yet.
‘Taming is something for when I need to keep someone close.’
Rubens began to doubt his earlier thoughts of making Isabella the Duchess. He realized that his desire to marry her had never been out of consideration for Arzena’s feelings.
Arzena’s suggestion to reconsider the marriage only fueled his doubts. He no longer hesitated to discard the idea of Isabella as the Duchess.
The Duchess didn’t have to be Isabella.
She had her family’s standing and cleverness, but her emotional games were tiresome. Perhaps it was because she had grown up as a spoiled only child. Her reckless behavior, seeking attention, only frustrated him more.
She could do this to her own father, but to keep on looking after this spoiled child….
Despite multiple warnings, she caused trouble, and now it seemed easier to cut ties with her.
‘Then, who should fill the Duchess’s position?’
Rubens took a deep drag on his cigar. The smoke swirled in his lungs before slipping out between his teeth.
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