After that, the conversation completely stopped and the two just walked in silence.

As the sun began to set, the lamplighter turned on the lights on the street one by one.

Ktuk, ktuk.

A carriage pulled by two horses ran leisurely down the cobbled road, and people busy preparing dinner came and went.

Arendt followed behind Arcus and quietly watched his back.

That was a gesture of trying hard to imitate someone.

The original is probably the person he’s meeting now.

He felt an unusual tension. This was not Lee Soo-hyun’s, but was triggered from the foundation of ‘Arendt’. Just as the feeling of holding a sword was unfamiliar to him, his body showed resistance just by standing in front of his father.

Tsk, he was used to controlling his emotions by clicking his tongue and opening and closing his hands a few times.

Don’t worry. I don’t know if that’s what you wanted, but I’m definitely going to be a dirty, disobedient son.

His heart, which had been beating unsteadily, gradually found stability.

……

The place where Arcus guided Arendt to was a mansion in the imperial palace. The gatekeeper guarding the large gate bowed his head deeply when he recognized Arcus.

“Welcome back, Lord Arcus.”

“Inform my father that I am back.”

“Yes.”

The gatekeeper glanced at Arendt once and then ran straight into the mansion.

After waiting for a moment, the butler appeared.

“Welcome, Young Master. The Count is waiting.”

The butler, who had politely greeted Arcus, smiled wryly at Arendt. As Arcus strode forward, Arendt also began to follow him.

The butler, who had been waiting quietly until then, followed at the back.

The interior of the mansion was quite bleak.

The wallpaper and carpets were kept spotlessly clean, but there was no ornamentation to be found. At best, there was a stone statue in the shape of the god Luce placed there, keeping the decor minimal.

‘Is this a separate building used by the family?’

Arendt, who had been looking here and there, soon realized that Arcus’ steps had stopped.

Arcus knocked politely on the firmly closed door and opened his mouth.

“Father, I brought Arendt.”

Instead of a word of permission, the door opened softly.

His heart began to pound again, as if he was desperately reluctant to enter that space, but Arendt calmed down the tension that was not his.

The first thing that caught his eye was a middle-aged man sitting behind an overly large table.

The man, who had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, raised his head.

“You’re late.”

“Sorry.”

Arcus responded quickly to the short reprimand.

At Count Eckhart’s nod, Arcus sat down without saying anything else. Arendt also sat down on the chair that had been set up for him.

Then, as if they had been waiting, the servants began to bring in all kinds of dishes.

The huge table was quickly filled with a feast.

Finally, the servants who had placed a glass of wine in front of each of the three disappeared in an instant like the ebb tide.

Even though quite a few people were coming and going, there wasn’t even the slightest noise other than the slight sound of plates hitting the table.

It was all so perfect that it made him feel even more uncomfortable.

As he was looking down at the soup in front of him, he heard Count Eckhart’s voice.

“It’s been a long time.”

“I guess so. How long has it been exactly?”

“It’s been almost four years since we sat down and talked like this.”

What the heck? Really?

Arendt blinked in bewilderment, but Count Eckhart moistened his throat with wine with an indifferent expression.

“Listen first. I have prepared something special for you.”

“What… yes.”

Arendt picked up his cutlery.

And so the meal in silence began.

To be honest, even if it were the real Arendt, it would be difficult to enjoy a meal in this kind of atmosphere. In this case, it might be better to just complete his business and leave quickly and go to the Knights’ restaurant, while also harassing Arthur.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to say that thought, the Count struck him first.

“I heard there have been a lot of incidents recently. I’m glad you’re safe now.”

“Glad? Did you say sorry incorrectly?”

As Arendt blurted out that sentence, Arcus, sitting across from him, scrunched up his face and called his name fiercely.

“Arendt.”

“If something similar were to happen, I would make the same choice without a second thought, regardless of whether you resent it or not.”

But Count Eckhart responded indifferently.

Arendt was so pleased with that that he put down his fork.

“As I said earlier, I don’t hold any grudges. Even grudges are something that can only be achieved if there are expectations.”

Arendt looked at the Count with indifferent eyes.

“I didn’t expect anything in the first place, so I don’t have any complaints. Originally, people lived alone in the world.”

“…Well, that’s fine. If that’s what you think, then I won’t say anything else.”

“Let’s stop beating around the bush and get to the point. You weren’t expecting a cozy family reunion anyway. Isn’t there something you wanted that you called me for?”

Arendt looked at the two people blankly, smirking, and raised the corners of his lips.

“Did Marquis Lanford ask you a favor to persuade me? It’s too bad. You could have ended the relationship naturally, but it seems you couldn’t give up the benefits that were looming before your eyes.”

The faces of Count Eckhart and Arcus hardened at the arrogant words. It was no longer an atmosphere conducive to continuing the meal.

Eventually, Count Eckhart also put down his cutlery.

“Yes, Arendt. You are right. But if it weren’t worth that much, you and I wouldn’t be sitting here facing each other.”

Anger began to creep into his expressionless eyes.

“It is thanks to that that you can still be treated as a member of the Count Eckhart family, but that is all. Therefore, please refrain from making any rash moves.”

“…”

“If even that little bit of usefulness disappears, I don’t know what will happen to you. If you want to survive after that, you’d better first understand your place.”

The conversation started calmly but soon became more and more heated, and by the time it ended, a chilling anger was flowing out.

Count Eckhart glared at Arendt. On the other hand, Arendt just stared at him with the same indifferent expression as before.

“I’ll take your advice to heart. Anyway, my father and I are both in bad situations. We met each other like this even though it’s not particularly pleasant for anyone.”

After a while, Arendt scratched the back of his head a few times, crossed his arms, and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

“Anyway, aren’t Marquis Lanford and Father in trouble because of His Highness the Crown Prince’s monopoly? I heard some information about the situation from others.”

“…Yeah, that’s right,”

Count Eckhart, pressing his temples, sighed slowly and nodded.

It may have been overly explicit, but it wasn’t wrong.

They were not here as a disobedient son and an overbearing father. They were sitting here to benefit each other.

Count Eckhart, having regained his composure, opened his mouth again.

“Tell me your position, Arendt. I heard that even Marquis Lanford wasn’t given a proper answer.”

“From my perspective… there’s nothing unusual. I’m just stuck in the middle, getting pushed around here and there, which is just annoying, and my life is threatened on top of that.”

Arendt tilted his head slightly, folding his arms.

“Marquis Lanford offered to help me escape the Crown Prince’s clutches and return to the territory. To be honest, it was a tempting offer.”

His golden eyes moved silently, scanning Arcus and Count Eckhart in turn.

“But when I’m under His Highness the Crown Prince, there are quite a few things that fall into my hands. It’s a shame to just give them up. Besides, it seems like I’ll have to take some risks.”

“What risks?”

“What risks? If His Highness the Crown Prince says even one word, I will be dead in an instant.”

Arendt rolled up his sleeve and showed them a silver bracelet.

“The moment it gets out that I’ve made some kind of deal with Marquis Lanford, I’m finished. I don’t need to tell you that, you already know.”

“It looks like you want to impose some kind of condition.”

Meanwhile, Count Eckhart had no difficulty guessing what Arendt was trying to say.

Arendt nodded slightly.

“Yes, I will act in a way that benefits me. Marquis Lanford said he would protect the Crown Prince from threatening me, so what will my father do?”

“…”

Count Eckhart’s eyes became cold.

This kind of transaction was familiar, but he never expected to have this conversation with Arendt.

‘How did it end up like this?’

The Count felt a pounding headache again and pressed his temples. On the other hand, Arendt had not been shaken at all from the moment he entered the place until now.

‘Originally, he wouldn’t have been able to make eye contact properly.’

He hadn’t paid much attention to him until now because of his messy appearance and provocative remarks, but he seemed to have changed quite a bit during the time they didn’t meet properly.

“All your past mistakes will be erased. If you wish to remain in the palace, that is fine. However, if you wish to leave the Knights Templar, I will give you the property so that you can live alone.”

Otherwise, he became more arrogant than necessary while living in the imperial palace.

“Perhaps Marquis Lanford would take you in. Maintain your relationship with the Neumann family and help the Marquis with his work. It won’t be a bad deal for you either.”

“Hmm…”

Arendt, who had been quietly listening to the calm conversation, tilted his head and made an ambiguous sound.

“It’s not bad, but it’s only possible when all my punishments have been paid for.”

“Marquis Lanford and the others will help you with that.”

The Count answered with confidence.

Arendt, who seemed to be lost in thought for a moment and then remained silent, finally opened his mouth.

“It’s all good, but I still need to think about it. I don’t want to trade my life for anything, but if it is really as you say… it’s definitely worth considering positively.”

His golden eyes scanned the room, then turned back to his father.

“It includes leaving the Knights Templar and joining the Marquis of Lanford, as well as continuing to work as an apprentice knight and helping the Marquis behind the scenes.”

“I get it.”

When Count Eckhart responded stiffly, Arendt sat up straight.

“It looks like the story is pretty much over here, so I’ll be going now. I can’t seem to eat. I’m sure the two of you feel the same way.”

Arendt bowed to the Count and Arcus and left without looking back.

The Count looked at the scene silently, then took a sip of wine to moisten his parched mouth and began to organize his thoughts.

This was enough for now.

This would be an offer Arendt couldn’t refuse. Marquis Lanford was also a reliable man of affairs, so there was nothing to worry about.

But still, he wondered why he didn’t feel at ease.

Count Eckhart pressed his hand to his forehead and sighed for what may have been the umpteenth time.