Chapter 126 | After Maxing Out, I Became a Landlord in Another World

Herman bowed slightly behind her, gesturing with his hand for the maids on both sides to withdraw. Soon, the hallway fell into silence.

When Loviki pushed open the door to the drawing room, the sunlight outside streamed through the glass windows, casting a warm glow onto the round table nearby.

On the table sat a freshly brewed pot of tea, still steaming.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, her hand lightly touching the side of the teapot. The warmth instantly chased away the chill in her fingers.

Loviki withdrew her hand, gently touching the silver hairpin in her hair. The corners of her lips curved up slightly.

The drawing room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of flower vines swaying in the wind outside.

A few petals slid gently down the windowpane. Her gaze lingered on them, and she murmured with a trace of a smile, “...If there's something you can't handle, I can help you.”

She touched the silver hairpin again, her smile deepening. “Hmph! Who says I can't handle it!”

Loviki lowered her eyes slightly, her fingers tracing the edge of the hairpin. She turned her gaze back to the courtyard outside, her voice dropping a bit, carrying a softness she hadn't even noticed herself. “...Who carries a hairpin around with them anyway?”

“He must have made it before we left.”

“And he even made me guess...”

At this point, she suddenly realized she was talking to herself in an empty room. Her ears flushed slightly as she glanced around. Finding herself alone, she let out a sigh of relief, quickly poured a cup of tea, and took a sip.

The tea was warm, carrying a faint floral aroma.

Cradling the cup, her gaze fell upon her reflection in the windowpane. The silver hairpin shimmered faintly in her hair.

She stared at the reflection for a moment before looking away. “...It actually looks quite nice.”

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, a gentle knock sounded on the drawing room door.

Herman stood outside, bowing slightly. “Eldest Miss, the guest has departed.”

Loviki set down her teacup and stood up.

“The master is waiting for you in his study.”

Loviki nodded and stepped out of the drawing room.

As she passed Herman, she didn't stop her pace, only glancing at him. “Uncle Herman.”

“Please speak, Eldest Miss.”

“If any other members of the clan come looking for me later, you don't need to stop them. Just send them straight to me.”

Herman maintained his standard, polite butler expression. “Understood, Eldest Miss.”

Loviki withdrew her gaze and walked toward the study at the end of the hallway.

Herman watched her retreating figure and let out a soft sigh.

When Loviki pushed open the door to the study, Duke Lawrence was standing by the window with his back to her, holding an unopened letter in his hand.

Hearing her footsteps, he turned around. His gaze landed on Loviki, his expression a complex mix of emotions. “You're back.”

“Mm.” Loviki stood near the doorway, making no move to sit down.

“You've lost weight.”

“I ate very well. I didn't lose weight,” Loviki retorted.

Duke Lawrence's lips twitched slightly, but he quickly suppressed the emotion. Walking over to his desk, he sat down and placed the unopened envelope on the wooden surface. “The royal marriage alliance is set for the fifteenth of the Winter Month. You didn't return too late.”

“I didn't come back to accept the marriage alliance,” Loviki said expressionlessly. “And if I hadn't shown up, the announcements would have been plastered everywhere by now.”

“I know you've hated having your life arranged since you were a child. But things have reached this point. Do you have any idea what escaping this marriage would mean for the Lawrence Family?” Duke Lawrence sighed, his voice heavy.

“Setting aside my personal wishes, have you ever thought about what would happen to the Lawrence Family even if I did marry the Second Prince? It might secure our position in the short term, but you know his character better than anyone. If he stirs up trouble in the future, the family will sink right along with him.” Loviki fell silent for a moment before continuing, “I don't believe you, Patriarch Loren, can't see through this.”

Hearing Loviki's words, Duke Lawrence's fingers tapped against the desk. He said in a deep voice, “Do you think I wanted you to marry him?”

“If you didn't want me to, then why did you leave a magic tracking mark on me?” Loviki scoffed.

“Is it a crime for a father to want to know where his daughter is?” Duke Lawrence frowned. “I opposed this from the very beginning. Otherwise, how do you think you managed to kick open the window and slip away right under Herman's nose? Why do you think no one went looking for you for so long?”

“Without me keeping down those delusional elders in the clan who want to climb the social ladder by marrying into the royal family, do you really think you could have lived such a carefree life outside for so long?”

“But what good does my opposition do? All I could do was wait for His Majesty the King to personally call off the engagement.” Duke Lawrence tapped the desk, his brow furrowed in exhaustion. “Now, with the King gravely ill, the Second Prince is using this engagement to make his move. How is that something I can control?”

Loviki stood by the door, looking at his face, which seemed worn down by exhaustion and worry. The anger in her heart suddenly dissipated by half.

She had always seen her father as a figure of absolute authority. But the man sitting before her now seemed to have aged significantly in a short span of time, with streaks of white hair visible at his temples.

“So, you were dissatisfied with this marriage from the start?” Loviki's tone softened.

“The Second Prince is a fool who couldn't even handle the Wigtan reform decree without making a mess of it. Marrying him brings no benefit to you or the Lawrence Family,” Duke Lawrence said coldly.

“Then what if I say I'm still planning to break off the engagement?” Loviki looked at him, her expression serious.

Duke Lawrence remained silent for a long time—so long that Loviki began to think he wouldn't answer.

“The foundation of the Lawrence Family was earned by your great-grandfather shedding blood on the front lines. He lost a leg for it,” Duke Lawrence finally spoke, his voice raspy. “Your grandmother spent most of her life maneuvering among various factions just to secure our family's standing. And your bastard of a second uncle... he went to the front lines to protect our family's interests and never returned.”

“If the Lawrence Family is ruined in my hands, how am I supposed to face them?”

Loviki lowered her gaze slightly, staring at her own knees.

“But I also promised your mother... that I would take good care of you.” Duke Lawrence's gaze fell upon the unopened letter on the desk, his finger resting on the edge of the envelope. “I have already sent people to spread rumors that the Second Prince intends to usurp the throne while the King is gravely ill.”

“The rumors were released yesterday.” He paused, his voice dropping slightly. “The taverns, the tea houses, the Adventurer's Guild... every place where news travels fast. Even if the Second Prince wants to investigate, he won't be able to trace it back to me.”

“Unless he is hopelessly stupid, he should know that moving against the Lawrence Family right now would only validate those rumors. If he can endure it, the wedding will have to be postponed. If he can't, even better—the First Prince will have a legitimate reason to return to the Royal Capital from the northern border. With the Court Mage Leader away, Herman and the Lawrence Family can easily stall for time.”

“This entire matter is purely my, Loren's, personal action. That includes your escape from the marriage, which was authorized by me.” Having said this, his finger finally left the envelope, resting on the edge of the desk. “As a father... this is all I can do.”