Freya turned back to Calanso, her gaze softening slightly.
“Grandfather, thank you for speaking up for me. But this matter, in the end, started because of me.”
She looked at Hezdi again. Her tone remained calm, but it carried a new, resolute edge.
“Father, I am well aware of the pressure you face from the Imperial Family and the Holy Temple. However, my life, my future, and my marriage should not merely be tools to alleviate that pressure.”
She lifted her chin slightly.
“Regarding His Highness the Crown Prince’s proposal, I have already given a clear answer. In the short term, I will not change my mind. As for the Temple…”
She looked directly into Hezdi’s pupils, which suddenly constricted.
“No matter what ‘plan’ they have or what they promised you, it has nothing to do with my Mana Heart Crystal or me. I am not a sacrifice for any ritual, nor am I a chess piece to be moved at will.”
Her words were like a heavy hammer, striking Hezdi’s heart as well as Calanso’s.
A dead silence filled the study, broken only by the crackling of the firewood in the fireplace. Hezdi stared fixedly at Freya, as if he were truly seeing his daughter for the first time. Shock, anger, confusion, and a hint of something he didn’t even recognize—shaken fear—swirled in his eyes.
Freya’s assertiveness and sharp perception were completely beyond his expectations. Not only had she rejected the marriage contract, but she also seemed to have caught a glimpse of the Temple Plan and was prepared to resist at all costs!
Calanso looked at his granddaughter’s straight back and the cold, determined light in her eyes. His heart was filled with pride, pain, and a heavy sense of foreboding. Freya had grown faster and more decisive than he had imagined, but that meant the storm she was about to face would be even more violent.
“Do you… do you know what you’re saying?” Hezdi’s voice was hoarse, carrying a sense of weary powerlessness. “Do you have any idea how much trouble rejecting His Highness and opposing the Temple will bring to you, to House Elwin, and even to House Dale?!”
“I know,” Freya replied without hesitation. “But submission might bring the ‘trouble’ of losing myself, or even my life. Between two evils, I choose the former.”
Her words hinted at a terrifying future.
Hezdi’s body jolted. Looking into Freya’s eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, he felt a sudden chill. ‘Could she… know something?’
“Father—” Freya spoke one last time. Her tone slowed, but it carried an irrevocable finality. “If you came today to take me back to the Elwin Count’s Manor or to force me to agree to something, then please leave. I am tired and need to rest. If you wish, we can talk another day, when we are both calm.”
It was a polite order to leave and a clear drawing of a line.
Hezdi stood in place, his expression shifting erratically. He looked at Freya, then at the grim-faced Calanso, and finally at the white-haired, red-eyed girl who was watching him like a predator ready to pounce. He knew that he could gain no advantage here tonight, nor could he take Freya away.
Ultimately, all his anger and anxiety dissolved into a long, heavy sigh, making him look as if he had aged several years in an instant.
“…Fine. Freya, you have grown up and have your own ideas.” His voice was thick with exhaustion and an indescribable complexity. “But remember, some choices, once made, have no path back. The consequences… you may not be able to bear them.”
With that, he stopped looking at anyone, turned, and walked out of the study with heavy steps.
Aru the butler silently closed the door, cutting off the sight of the departing figure. Only Freya, Calanso, and Lyra remained in the room. The tense atmosphere relaxed slightly, but a heavy worry lingered.
“Little Star…” Calanso walked over, reaching out to pat Freya’s head as he used to, but his hand stopped halfway. Seeing the depth and exhaustion in his granddaughter’s eyes that didn’t match her age, his heart ached. “Are you… are you really sure? This path will be very difficult.”
” I’m sure, Grandfather.” Freya leaned gently against her grandfather’s broad shoulder, drawing strength and comfort from his warmth. “No matter how hard it is, it’s better than being slaughtered at will.”
Lyra stood to the side, her red eyes flickering as she watched the pair. She didn’t quite understand the complex family feuds or the Temple’s conspiracies, but she understood Freya’s determination and courage. Her boss wouldn’t give in, and she wouldn’t lose.
That was enough.
“Boss—” Lyra suddenly spoke, her voice crisp and firm. “No matter how hard it gets, I’ll follow you. Whoever dares to bully you, I’ll hit them! I don’t care if it’s a Crown Prince or some old geezer from the Temple!”
Her words were simple and direct—even a bit crude—but they carried a touching sincerity.
Freya lifted her head from her grandfather’s shoulder and looked at Lyra. Seeing the unfeigned loyalty and eager fighting spirit in the girl’s eyes, a warm current seemed to flow into the cold depths of her heart.
Calanso also looked at Lyra. This girl of unknown origin and wild nature no longer seemed like just an “unstable factor” by Freya’s side. At the very least, her loyalty was tangible.
“Mm.” Freya nodded to Lyra, her lips curving into a nearly imperceptible smile. “Thank you, Lyra.”
Outside, the night was as dark as ink, and all was silent.
After the conversation, Freya felt the exhaustion from the banquet catch up to her. After taking a bath, she returned to her room. She soon fell into a deep sleep, temporarily pushing the intrigues of the banquet to the back of her mind.
Calanso, unable to sleep, remained in the study to discuss matters with Aru. Aru stood to the side with a worried expression.
“My Lord, is it really wise for the young lady to resist the pressure from the Imperial Family like this?”
Calanso frowned slightly, his fingers tapping gently on the desk.
“Do you think I don’t know that? But I have no way to explain this to the Emperor. First, the Emperor and the Temple have their eyes on Freya’s talent and her Mana Heart Crystal; they are unlikely to give up the chance to have her marry the Crown Prince. Second, the Emperor has never formally announced that Freya and Ross had a marriage contract or an engagement. If I go to him, the Emperor will simply dismiss me by saying no such thing exists. Both paths are difficult, but ultimately, it depends on Freya’s wishes.”
Suddenly, Lyra’s voice drifted from the shadows.
“So you mean the boss is still going to be tormented by that Blondie and that Crybaby? Tormented to the point where she can’t say anything or do anything?”
Calanso and Aru were both startled. A moment later, Lyra stepped out of the shadows, her red eyes filled with coldness.
Calanso’s brow furrowed tightly. “You shouldn’t have come in here, Lyra.”
His silver-gray eyes flashed with a sharp intensity. Aru the butler’s face also darkened as he instinctively took half a step forward, shielding Calanso from Lyra.
The study was the innermost private space of House Dale. Without permission, not even the most trusted servants could easily approach the door, let alone slip in soundlessly and hide in the shadows to eavesdrop on their conversation! This white-haired, red-eyed girl was more dangerous and more presumptuous than they had imagined.
“Miss Lyra—” Calanso’s voice dropped, carrying the authority of a long-standing ruler and a hint of displeasure at being offended. “What are you doing? Eavesdropping on your master’s conversation and trespassing into a private study—is this the etiquette and duty of Freya’s ‘assistant’?”
Lyra, however, seemed completely unfazed by the oppressive pressure. She even adjusted her posture, sinking more comfortably into the soft sofa. Crossing her legs and folding her arms, she looked directly at Calanso. There was no fear in her red eyes, only a nearly naive directness and impatience.
“Etiquette? Duty?” Lyra scoffed. “Can those things help the boss escape the schemes of that Blondie prince and that Crybaby viper? Can they block the greed of those old fossils from the Temple? Lord Grandfather—”
She intentionally emphasized the words “Lord Grandfather,” though her tone held no respect.
“I heard everything from outside. You’re right; the Emperor hasn’t made a formal announcement, so it’s useless for you to go talk to him. The Temple and the Imperial Family have their eyes on the boss’s ‘goodies,’ so they definitely won’t let go easily. The boss is holding her ground now, while you guys are just fretting here, discussing things back and forth without a solution.”
Her words were like a rough but sharp blade, slicing directly into the core of their current predicament—the lack of effective countermeasures or means of self-protection, leaving them with only passive defense and worry.
Calanso’s expression soured further, but the initial fury in his eyes was gradually replaced by a deep scrutiny. He waved for Aru to step back and sharpened his gaze on the girl who sat with such poor posture and spoke so rudely, yet hit the nail on the head.
“So, you eavesdropped on our conversation and jumped out just to point out that we have ‘no way’?” Calanso’s voice betrayed no emotion.
“Of course not!” Lyra rolled her eyes. “I’m here to tell you that relying on your noble rules and roundabout ways is useless! To deal with people that shameless, you have to use a more direct method!”
“Oh?” Calanso arched an eyebrow. “What ‘direct’ method do you have? Charging into the Imperial Palace? Or setting fire to the Temple?”
His words carried obvious irony.
Lyra nodded seriously. “If necessary, those aren’t out of the question.”
Calanso and Aru both froze for a moment.
“But those are last resorts,” Lyra shifted her tone, her red eyes gleaming with the cold, pragmatic light unique to the dark underworld. “Right now, what does the boss need most? Time! Time to grow stronger! Time to figure out exactly what the Temple wants to do and how they plan to do it! And also… time to let that Blondie prince and that Crybaby show more of their tails!”
She leaned forward, looking at Calanso.
“You’re here worrying about the Emperor’s pressure, the Temple’s conspiracy, and the family’s reputation. But have you thought about why that Blondie prince got even more desperate after the boss rejected the marriage and stood her ground? Why did he even send someone to block her carriage tonight? And why does that Crybaby have the Mark of the Temple on his wrist and can enter House Elwin as he pleases?”