July 3, noon, Frontier Count’s Manor.
Friedrich von Stern’s carriage came to a sharp halt before the grand gates of his estate.
Even before the carriage had fully stopped, the Frontier Count pushed open the door and stepped out in a flurry, nearly running up the stairs.
“Livia! Where is Livia?”
He shoved open the heavy oak doors. Before he was even fully inside, his anxious voice echoed throughout the spacious foyer.
An old servant polishing armor and a maid trimming potted plants nearby were both startled.
Their movements froze as they stared in surprise at their master, who was usually stoic and preoccupied with decorum, but was now clearly losing his composure.
Friedrich seemed to realize he was being too hasty. He stopped, took a deep breath, and tried to regain his usual dignity, though the agitation in his brow was hard to hide.
He scanned the room, his gaze sweeping over several servants who lowered their heads, afraid to meet his eyes.
“Where is the young lady? Have you seen her?” he asked in a low voice.
The servants looked at each other until the old servant answered cautiously, “Master, the young lady hasn’t appeared all morning.”
Friedrich frowned. Without further questioning, he strode across the foyer and headed deeper into the manor.
His pace was quick, his boots clicking sharply against the polished stone floor.
The servants watched his retreating back, exchanging knowing glances.
Everyone could guess that the Frontier Count’s behavior was likely due to that unconventional young lady.
The heavy atmosphere in the manor lately had stemmed from that duel declaration that shocked the Capital.
No one dared to get on his bad side at a time like this.
At this moment, the Frontier Count was burning with anxiety.
Livia’s challenge to Allen Delaval had initially sent him into a towering rage.
It wasn’t because he cared about the marriage itself; in some strange way, he even felt a twisted sense of pride, thinking, ‘She really is my daughter.’
His anger was mainly because of the loss of face.
He had finally scrambled together that astronomical dowry of Ten Thousand Rivels, even suffering a harsh lecture from his wife, Lady Katharina, only for the situation to turn into a joke that the entire Capital mocked.
To a high-ranking Noble, dignity was everything. This incident had essentially trampled all over his dignity.
However, as the days passed and his initial anger subsided, Friedrich gradually calmed down. He tried to understand his daughter’s perspective. He originally suspected that the Laval boy had done something untoward to Livia, but a careful investigation revealed that Allen had been either unconscious or at the Judgement Court during that time. They had virtually no opportunity to interact.
Ultimately, he could only conclude that Livia was simply different from other noble ladies.
She had been obsessed with martial arts since childhood.
Engaging in something as scandalous as a duel — while outrageous — actually made some sense for her.
‘Fine, forget it,’ Friedrich had consoled himself at the time.
Since his daughter was dead set against marrying, he would let it go.
At least that massive sum of money was saved, which was a blessing in disguise.
He even thought that once Livia cooled down, he should have a proper talk with her.
The father and daughter couldn’t stay at odds forever.
However, the latest rumor he had just heard at the noble Salon caused his hard-won composure to shatter instantly.
Viscount Bernard de Laval, the man who had almost become his in-law, was highly likely to be appointed as the Kingdom’s new Minister of Finance!
This news hit him like a thunderbolt. If Livia’s marriage to Allen had previously felt like “marrying down,” the situation had completely reversed now that Bernard was becoming the Minister of Finance.
The only son of a powerful Minister of Finance would be one of the most sought-after marriage partners in the Capital, a perfect match for the House of Stern.
More importantly, as a confidant of the King, Friedrich had always moved cautiously between the Moderate Faction and the Hardliners.
His position was delicate.
Forming a marriage alliance with an incoming Minister of Finance who was also considered “neutral” would undoubtedly provide a powerful political ally and a safe harbor for his family.
The fall of the previous Minister of Finance, Fuyu, had dealt a major blow to the Moderate Faction.
The strategic value of an alliance with the Laval House had skyrocketed.
A wave of immense regret flooded Friedrich.
Face? In the face of tangible political benefits and the family’s future, face was worth nothing!
Besides, the fact that he was a henpecked husband was known to every Noble in the Capital; he hadn’t had much face to begin with.
Thus, he immediately made up his mind: he had to save this marriage! Even if he had to lower himself, speak kindly to his daughter, or even apologize to the Laval House, he would do it!
He rushed home to find Livia and persuade her to withdraw the duel declaration and fulfill the marriage contract.
He went to the training ground first. Usually, at this time, Livia would be practicing her swordsmanship.
But today, the training ground was empty, with only a few pieces of equipment standing lonely and no sign of her.
He then checked her favorite corner of the garden, which overlooked a patch of manicured shrubs and was where she occasionally spaced out. Still, no one was there.
After searching everywhere and finding no one, Friedrich felt a sense of unease.
He only ran into his eldest son, Conrad, in the gallery.
His other two sons were undoubtedly at the newly opened Continental Hotel in the Lower City with their rowdy friends, and they wouldn’t be back for lunch.
“Conrad, have you seen your sister today?” Friedrich asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
Seeing his father’s hurried state, Conrad raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Father, I’ve been practicing archery all morning. I haven’t seen her.”
“Did she… not come for breakfast?” Friedrich had left early that morning and was unaware of the situation at home.
“No. Mother didn’t see her this morning and was actually quite happy about it. She said the house was finally peaceful,” Conrad answered honestly.
Friedrich’s heart sank. Livia’s daily routine was as precise as a clock. She never slept in, and her sword practice was unshakable.
This abnormal situation gave him an extremely bad premonition.
“Father, is there something urgent you need her for?” Conrad asked curiously.
“No… nothing important.”
Friedrich couldn’t possibly tell the son who respected him that he intended to beg his daughter not to cancel the engagement or even apologize — words that would “damage his paternal authority.”
He simply waved his hand awkwardly. “Continue your practice. I’ll look elsewhere.”
Dismissing his son, Friedrich headed to Livia’s room with a final sliver of hope.
He stopped outside her door, adjusted his messy collar and hair, and tried to put on a gentler, more fatherly expression before knocking softly.
“Livia? Are you in there? It’s Father.” His voice was much softer than usual.
There was no response.
Friedrich cleared his throat and spoke through the door in what he thought was his most loving and earnest tone.
“Father… has something to say to you. About the duel… I think we can discuss it further. Allen is actually a good boy. If there’s a misunderstanding, we can talk it out. Livia, listen to me, the Laval House is different now. Viscount Bernard is likely to become the Minister of Finance.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our family! I admit, I haven’t treated you well lately, but that’s only because I was worried about you! You are my most precious daughter. How could I let you suffer?”
He poured his heart out to the closed door, trying to win back his daughter’s heart. As he spoke, he was almost moved by his own rare display of warmth and compromise.
However, the room remained deathly silent.
Friedrich’s sense of unease grew stronger. “Livia? Father is coming in now.”
He tentatively pushed the door. It wasn’t locked. He slowly pushed it open a crack, then fully opened it.
The room was empty.
The afternoon sunshine streamed through the clean glass windows, quietly illuminating the fine dust in the air.
Inside the simple room, the bed was made meticulously, the table and chairs were wiped clean, and everything was in perfect order.
But there was no sign of anyone living there.
Friedrich was stunned. His heartfelt performance had been a monologue to thin air.
A sense of embarrassment and deep panic surged within him.
Ignoring the awkwardness, he rushed into the room, his eyes scanning every corner for any trace his daughter might have left.
On the vanity, the jewelry and cosmetics he had gifted her remained untouched.
In the wardrobe, the magnificent dresses he had custom-made for her hung neatly, not a single one missing.
Finally, his gaze fell upon the desk. There lay a folded letter. Friedrich’s heart skipped a beat as he rushed over and grabbed it.
The paper bore Livia’s familiar, elegant handwriting. Each stroke revealed her calm and resolve.
“To my beloved Father:
Your daughter took the liberty of initiating a duel, failing your trust and expectations, and bringing a shame upon the Stern family that is difficult to wash away.
After deep reflection, I finally understand that my very existence may be a stain on the Stern name.
I am deeply grateful for your years of upbringing and care; your kindness is as heavy as a mountain, and I can never repay it.
From this day forward, you need not consider me a member of the Stern family.
Should there come a day when you require a blade on the battlefield, I am willing to repay your kindness with my life.
Goodbye, Father. I wish you happiness.
Your daughter, Livia.”
“Huh?!”
After reading the letter, Friedrich’s head buzzed, and his mind went blank.
He knew Livia was in a rebellious phase and had a stubborn streak, but he never imagined she would be so resolute as to run away from home.
If it were his useless sons playing at running away, Friedrich wouldn’t be worried at all.
He knew those boys didn’t have enough money to last more than a few days and would eventually crawl back in shame.
But Livia was different. She was absolutely serious. Once she made up her mind, she was as stubborn as ten bulls.
‘No, it can’t be. Maybe she’s just angry and went out to clear her head? It shouldn’t be that serious this time, right?’ Friedrich tried to reassure himself.
He hadn’t given her a kind face lately, but he hadn’t hit or scolded her either. He had always held this daughter in the palm of his hand.
Which of his sons hadn’t been whipped by him? Only Livia — he hadn’t even lifted a finger against her!
Of course, deep down, Friedrich refused to admit that the main reason was that he likely couldn’t beat his daughter, who possessed superior swordsmanship.
If they actually fought, the one being pinned to the floor and humiliated would definitely be the father.
A panicked Friedrich didn’t give up.
He began rummaging through Livia’s room, trying to see what she had taken to determine if this was a spur-of-the-moment act or something planned.
To his despair, he discovered that Livia had taken almost nothing.
All the fine clothes, jewelry, and trinkets he had bought for her were left behind.
The only thing she had taken was her sword.
It was over… it was truly over now.
Friedrich felt the world spinning. He slumped weakly onto the edge of Livia’s hard, undecorated bed.
The light letter in his hand felt so heavy that he could barely hold it.
He had thought there was still a chance to repair their relationship, but without realizing it, he had personally pushed it into the abyss of a total break.
“Why… Livia…”
He was filled with the pain of regret and a dazed sense of loss.
These emotions weren’t sudden, nor were they entirely one person’s fault.
This bitter fruit had been quietly planted through days of estrangement, misunderstandings, and his habit of placing family interests above his daughter’s personal wishes.
Now, it had finally ripened and fallen, leaving him reeling.
He sat there blankly, staring out the window. The window to Livia’s room was open.
A gentle summer breeze carrying the scent of garden greenery blew in, causing the white lace curtains to sway slightly.
Friedrich suddenly wondered, ‘Did Livia… leave from here?’
Like a bird kept in a magnificent cage, she had finally opened the door herself one day and flown without hesitation toward the vast sky she had never truly possessed.
‘But… Livia…’
That world outside the cage certainly offered the freedom of the sky, but it also held the breezes of treetops, the storms upon one’s shoulders, and the dark, silent, unknown dangers of survival.
‘Are you alone… can you really take care of yourself?’
It felt as though he had truly lost the daughter who never showed her emotions, yet would clumsily hide her concern for him.
Love and pain make the long road seem endless.
Adventuring through life, side by side across the wild, desolate plains.
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