This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 74

“This is the cousin I mentioned before.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace the Archduchess. I’m Drane Olsen.”

Drane bore a noticeable resemblance to Nathan if one looked closely, but his face lacked the gentle expression Nathan had. Instead, Drane’s face remained unreadable, which made it difficult for Elaina to immediately discern their familial connection.

He took a seat, his eyes sweeping over various details of the grand hall. The way he appraised the value of the decorations reminded Elaina of a shrewd merchant, and she had to suppress a smile.

“Well… I’ve heard what you have to say. I understand you asked for me.”

“I’ll be blunt, Drane Olsen. But before I go further, let me make one thing clear.” Elaina addressed Drane directly.

She continued, “You aren’t just some petty person whose dream is to lead a merchant guild, right?”

Drane frowned at her words—”just a merchant guild leader.” Her statement seemed to sting his pride.

“Hmm. I’m not in the habit of discussing my ambitions with someone I’ve just met.”

Drane raised his eyebrow and picked up a teacup, apparently impressed by the craftsmanship, which was indeed an exquisite and historically significant piece.

“We can’t use someone whose dreams are small.”

“Small dreams, you say. And what grand ambition should I have, then?”

“How about aspiring to be the first vassal of Archduke Grant?”

With a splutter, Drane coughed out the tea he had just sipped. Fortunately, he managed to turn away before making too much of a spectacle, but a violent coughing fit followed.

“Wha—cough… What did you say?”

“A vassal.”

At Elaina’s nod, Sarah stepped forward and handed Drane a handkerchief. After hastily wiping his mouth and clothes, Drane cleared his throat.

“Listen carefully. House Grant needs a lot of money. The most pressing issue is the famine that has gripped the northern lands. His Majesty the Emperor has granted us a five-year tax exemption, but in reality, it means we are expected to stabilize the northern territories.”

Drane’s expression turned serious at Elaina’s words. “A five-year tax exemption? Hmm. That’s quite an interesting condition.”

“We need to restore the finances of the Grant Archducal House while collecting minimal taxes from the territory’s residents. So, we need someone very capable for this task.”

Elaina’s words subtly appealed to Drane’s ambition.

But Drane wasn’t easily swayed. He smiled at Elaina, seemingly aware of her attempt to gauge his abilities.

“Do you really believe I’m such a talent, Your Grace? It’s flattering, but it seems rather premature, given this is our first meeting.”

“For a commoner, you speak rather elegantly.”

Elaina returned his smile, her own gaze unwavering.

“It might be premature, as you say. That’s why I’d like your own answer directly. As I mentioned at the start, we have no use for those with modest dreams here.”

Can you do it or not?

That was the question written all over Elaina’s face, a look that suggested she already knew Drane’s answer.

“Damn it. What on earth…”

Drane clicked his tongue, staring at the door. It was the first time Nathan had seen his cousin, usually so composed, look so rattled. He watched with interest.

“She’s not an ordinary person.”

Drane had never lost in a verbal exchange before. He also knew—Nathan had already told him—that Archduke Grant had recently been granted a large territory and was struggling to manage it.

Fighting a battle or war might have been within Lyle Grant’s skill set, but governing the land was an entirely different matter. There was no one in Lyle’s immediate circle capable of overseeing all the household affairs. It was a significant weakness for Lyle.

In other words, it was they who were in need—not him. In truth, Drane was a natural-born merchant. He had intended to delay as much as possible until he could demand the highest price for his skills.

“Ugh…”

Drane ruffled his hair in frustration. He knew there was no other choice besides him, but he couldn’t put on airs in front of Elaina. Her eyes were genuine. He instinctively knew that if he refused even once, he would never have such an opportunity again.

Ultimately, after only five minutes of conversation, Drane accepted her proposal.

“It’s the right choice. You came all the way here with that intention, didn’t you?”

Despite his grumbling, the fact that Drane had come all the way to the capital meant that he had been half-inclined to accept from the start.

No matter how hard he tried to hide his true feelings, his eyes had sparkled while listening to Elaina.

“You think it will be interesting, don’t you?”

Nathan didn’t know Drane that well, but even he could tell that Drane had talents too great to be tied down to a small merchant guild.

“Well… I did have some thoughts. For one, that dragon—if it really exists… No, never mind. That’s something I’ll talk about after seeing it for myself.”

Drane’s voice, filled with excitement, grew quieter until it was little more than a mutter.

Before long, Drane was murmuring to himself, walking with his eyes on the ground, oblivious to Nathan beside him.

Nathan smiled, amused.

***

It was late at night, but Grant Archducal Mansion was lit as brightly as day. The banquet hall had all its windows open, and the garden connected to it was adorned with fountains.

It was a full moon. Around the blooming evening primroses, as bright as the moon itself, the strings of a quartet echoed.

Children ran around outside, and food filled both the banquet hall and the outdoors. In the midst of people feasting and drinking happily, Elaina was surrounded by a crowd.

“Congratulations, Your Grace the Archduchess.”

“My sincere congratulations.”

The people who had ceased contact with Elaina after her marriage now surrounded her warmly. Their behavior, as if trying to revert to the past, left a bitter taste, but Elaina still received their congratulations with a gracious smile.

Today, Elaina wore a red dress—a color that matched Lyle’s eyes. The dress had a daringly low neckline, showing cleavage, and thin shoulder straps that barely held the fabric in place.

With the heat of the late summer, her hair was pulled up into a neat bun. Around her exposed neck hung the former archduchess’s necklace.

“Wear this.”

Knox had picked out the necklace himself. Though he grumbled that it was his mother’s and would look good on her, he insisted she wear it today. Touched by the boy’s awkward expression of affection, Elaina had set aside all the other accessories she had prepared.

The deep green emerald necklace matched the red dress perfectly, as Knox had said. With the color of the dress, it looked like the vivid calyx of a rose.

“You truly make a lovely pair.”

“Indeed. I didn’t realize how handsome His Grace the Archduke was before the wedding. Now, he looks truly splendid.”

Hearing Lyle being praised, Elaina turned her head slightly. Lyle was dressed in a black tailcoat, and even Elaina couldn’t deny that he looked dashing. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and his current appearance left no trace of his former self.

The perfectly tailored attire from Madam Marbella fit his broad shoulders and tapered down to his waist, creating an image almost like a painting.

Today, Lyle looked especially different—perhaps because his hair was slicked back neatly with pomade for the first time.

A crowd of people also surrounded Lyle. While most were men, a few women around Elaina’s age hovered nearby as well. When she noticed the blushing women lingering near Lyle, Elaina felt an odd sense of discomfort—a feeling that was hard to describe.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Leaving the people around her, Elaina made her way to Lyle. The others, recognizing her approach, stepped aside, allowing her to reach Lyle easily.

“Elaina.”

Oddly enough, when Lyle called her name, Elaina felt a childish sense of victory. Though she wasn’t sure who she had beaten, the feeling persisted.

“People are talking about how the host hasn’t danced yet.”

No one had actually said that, but Elaina spoke to Lyle with ease. At her words, the corner of Lyle’s mouth curved into a smile.

He stepped back, bowed slightly, and offered his hand to her.

“Then may I have the honor of a dance, my lady?”

As Lyle extended the invitation, the women nearby blushed and shuffled their feet, embarrassed.

‘He hardly ever smiles, so why today of all days?’

Elaina felt strangely uncomfortable, but without letting it show, she smiled brightly and took her husband’s hand.