* * *

“This is the last time. No more pushing yourself to the point of ruining your health.”

Hernan’s grudging approval was laden with dissatisfaction, but I chuckled and joked in response.

“If I do this twice, I won’t live to see my next birthday.”

Hernan said nothing, his face hardening as he gave Irina an order.

“Accompany Viscount Everdeen. If anything happens to him—”

Before he could finish, Irina answered firmly.

“I swear on my honor to bring him back safely.”

Not just escort him, but bring him back?

Her tone implied that my final destination was here, as though it were a given.

I didn’t have the strength to argue, so I managed a faint smile.

Having a knight who could wrestle a bear barehanded as my guard was reassuring enough to bring tears to my eyes.

“Then let’s get going right away. There are many places I need to visit.”

It seemed I wouldn’t get any sleep again tonight.

The sun, dazzlingly bright, was just beginning to light up the snowy plains.

Morning had finally arrived.

The steps to the waiting carriage that would take me back to the train station were anything but light.

---

Once I settled into the warmth of the heated carriage, my body began to thaw, and my eyelids grew heavy as if weighted down.

“I’ll wake you when we arrive at the station,” Irina offered, her face filled with pity, as if looking at a hapless younger brother.

Normally, I would’ve refused out of guilt for troubling her, but my condition was far from normal.

‘I went to such lengths, even risking my life to escape. I can’t afford to collapse and render it all meaningless.’

I nodded faintly.

No sooner had I closed my eyes than I remembered the time I left my destination in the hands of the naive villagers of Velon and ended up in a disaster.

‘Not this time…!’

My eyes snapped open, and I asked the coachman to confirm our destination.

Thankfully, we were heading to the correct station.

Irina tilted her head, puzzled by my sudden urgency.

“Oh, it’s just that I had a mix-up with Anton last time and ended up at the wrong station.”

I offered a sheepish explanation, but Irina replied with a skeptical expression.

“Are you sure it wasn’t some other mistake? Even if Anton is from the countryside, the only means of transportation in the North are carriages and trains. There’s no way he could’ve gotten confused.”

It dawned on me that I’d been thoroughly duped by those two scoundrels.

Ever since that incident, Anton’s eyes had sparkled as if looking for another opportunity to meddle.

He must have received some reward from Hernan.

Next time, just wait and see.

To think they’d play such a trick that made my heart drop! I had plenty to say, but it would have to wait.

“I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm.”

Irina tried to smooth things over, but it was too late.

I arrived at the train station seething and boarded a carriage bound for the Velesa estate.

The entire ride, I vowed to step on Hernan’s foot hard enough to bring tears to his eyes once everything was settled—when the chaos was over, and all that remained was sorting out the feelings between us.

When we finally reached the Velesa estate, a servant greeted me and led me to the study.

“Wait here.”

Just as I was about to enter with Irina, the elderly butler stopped her with a stern expression.

“Armed knights are not allowed inside.”

Irina began to remove her weapons, but I stopped her.

The issue might not have been the weapons themselves but the implicit desire for privacy.

It would be better if I entered alone.

As a guest seeking the lady’s assistance, I wasn’t in a position to refuse her terms.

“Understood. Wait here,” I reassured Irina, who looked worried as she watched me walk away.

A servant guided her to a nearby guest room.

Even as we parted, her concerned gaze lingered on me.

Inside the study, Duchess Velesa was waiting, her piercing eyes fixed on me, as though she had been expecting this all along.

“What brings you here, Viscount Everdeen, ignoring the advice of this old woman as if it were mere noise?”

Her biting wit struck a nerve.

She had warned me to cut ties quickly, and now her rebuke made it clear that I had failed to heed her advice.

But no matter what, I couldn’t abandon Hernan.

I had no intention of doing so.

I had come here because I wanted to save both him and those I had chosen to stand by.

“I have a favor to ask.”

My fingertips were cold, my cheeks drained of all color.

My hair, usually neat, was a tangled mess, and my clothes were in disarray from lack of time to change.

I could only imagine how pathetic I looked, pleading in such a state.

Yet I mustered my remaining strength to keep my head high and my back straight, determined not to appear groveling.

“A favor, you say? Do you think you’re in any position to ask for one?”

A woman dressed in a strikingly elegant wine-colored dress, her presence commanding, asked with a mocking tone.

Her voice, sharp as a blade, forced me to answer with difficulty.

My demeanor—practically groveling, devoid of any semblance of pride—didn’t embarrass me in the slightest.

If it meant protecting what I held dear, then so be it.

“No, Madam. However, if you could grant me your help just this once, I assure you I will never forget your kindness.”

The lady chuckled, covering her lips with a fan, and asked again, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“You’ll repay my kindness? And how exactly?”

What could possibly interest the venerable Duchess Velesa?

She had no need for further wealth or glory.

Her status in the political arena was secure, and her riches were already overflowing.

If there was anything she might desire… it would be for me to marry her granddaughter.

But such an offer was unthinkable—a reckless suggestion that would only lead to disaster.

Instead, I turned my thoughts to why Duchess Velesa might even entertain the idea of me as her grandson-in-law.

‘Miss Dorothy….’

Though it felt cruel to admit, Dorothy had no discernible talents.

She showed no aptitude for martial skills, lacked persistence, and seemed uninterested in academics, content with the comforts of her privileged upbringing.

She was simply a carefree young lady from a wealthy family.

‘Considering she failed the entrance exam for the Royal Academy despite her grandmother’s influence, she must have even less talent for studying.’

The Royal Academy allocated admission quotas based on a student’s social standing.

The more prestigious the family, the easier it was to get in, provided they could pay the exorbitant tuition.

Failing even with such advantages spoke volumes.

Most families would consider a good marriage a sufficient solution, but not Duchess Velesa.

She had single-handedly elevated her husband’s family to prominence.

There was no way she’d accept a future for her granddaughter that fell short of her high standards.

If I could provide a way for Dorothy to find her own footing—one that didn’t involve marrying me—it might be enough.

With resolve, I laid out my plan.

“While Miss Dorothy may not have the disposition to run a business or enter politics, she has a refined taste for quality and a keen eye for luxury, thanks to her upbringing. Wherever she goes, she knows how to experience the finest offerings most efficiently. Moreover, she has many well-connected acquaintances and is knowledgeable about the latest trends.”

In other words, she was a socialite who excelled at enjoying leisure. But even such a personality had its place to shine.

“Once the business in Velon succeeds, I plan to develop tourist attractions across the empire modeled after Nirvan and Velon. There will be a growing demand for curated travel experiences in lesser-known imperial destinations.”

Duchess Velesa’s curiosity seemed piqued as my explanation grew longer.

She interjected, sharp and to the point.

“So, what exactly are you proposing?”

Smiling like a shrewd businessman, I continued.

“In the future, many will want insights from someone with an impeccable sense of style and experience. For most people outside the capital elite, such journeys are once-in-a-lifetime decisions. If someone with a proven eye for luxury, like Miss Dorothy, endorses a destination, wouldn’t that hold significant weight?”

Modern influencers generate massive revenue, so why not in this era?

Even if Dorothy didn’t become a tycoon, turning her leisure into a career and gaining public recognition would make for a compelling proposal.

Duchess Velesa regarded me with an expression that seemed to say, “You’ve thought this through.”

* * *