Capítulo 41: What happened?

After returning from the capital, Neonidas could already see with his own eyes that the duchy was slowly developing. Numerous iron foundries had been established, and the duchy's central city had begun to show signs of activity. In truth, thanks to the investments of the late Duke Leonardo, the duchy already looked quite beautiful and splendid. The late Duke Leonardo had an obsession with aesthetics, and this obsession even extended into his private life. For instance, even Duke Leonardo's wife was an exceptionally beautiful woman—so beautiful that even Emperor Gredor himself desired her.

However, in the end, the original Neonidas's mother chose Duke Leonardo. This was because, in every aspect, Duke Leonardo was the more appealing man—intelligent, handsome, the best fighter in the empire, wealthy, and a gentleman. In short, he was the very definition of the perfect man. The reason Neonidas faced such pressure and humiliation was the overwhelming expectations placed on him because of his father's legacy.

Because of Duke Leonardo's obsession with aesthetics, the city's architecture was truly dazzling. Not just the central city, but every single city within the duchy had been developed based on the designs and plans personally drawn up by Duke Leonardo. Although these city improvements were disrupted during Neonidas's earlier years, they were now resuming at full speed, just as before.

Yet the damage caused by the original Neonidas to the duchy was impossible to overlook. To begin with, many nobles loyal to the late Duke and devoted to the duchy had little respect for Neonidas. Especially the elder nobles—referred to as the "old wolves"—barely seemed to obey his commands. They only carried out his orders on the surface. The reason for this was clear: they didn't fear Neonidas. To these old wolves, Neonidas was just a useless brat, and showing any loyalty to him felt like doing charity work for a spoiled child.

In short, there was a serious power vacuum in the duchy, which could lead to disaster in the upcoming war. Neonidas needed to resolve this issue immediately, but acting recklessly carried significant risks. A few years ago, Neonidas had increased taxes within the duchy to fund new, luxurious purchases and to renovate the ducal palace entirely. This decision shattered his already poor image among the people, replacing it with a deep-seated anger toward him.

For a ruler with an angry populace, the last thing to do was to kill beloved nobles without a valid or sufficient reason. However, the urgency of this problem left Neonidas unwilling to wait too long. Thus, he quickly devised a plan. Simply put, he would execute these defiant nobles overnight under the heaviest accusations possible.

This plan might sound unconvincing when described so bluntly, but it was currently the most practical option. To manage public anger while also avoiding sparking a civil war within the duchy, this was what needed to be done. The enemies had to be eliminated swiftly and decisively. If this process were dragged out, the consequences would be catastrophic. The only way to silence the masses—without even giving them a chance to speak—was this. If these accused nobles were given the right to defend themselves, the results would also be disastrous.

But what kind of accusation would be the most ideal to justify such harsh punishment? Treason against the empire, of course, was the most reasonable option. The conservative factions of the Donnadan Empire were extremely nationalist and highly sensitive to crimes like treason. Considering that a large portion of the duchy was conservative, such an accusation would divert public attention away from Neonidas and justify such rapid elimination.

However, in order to avoid drawing the attention of the High Imperial Court, Neonidas first needed to prepare fake evidence. Additionally, he would seek help from Allea and Empress Velriona so that the court wouldn't dwell on the matter for too long and would dismiss it quickly.

Initially, Neonidas considered eradicating the entire households of these nobles, but quickly abandoned the idea. After all, killing children—or worse, infants—could trigger a massive wave of public outrage. So he decided to kill only nobles over a certain age. The only issue was that these children could grow up harboring powerful motivations for revenge. To address this, Neonidas decided to bring the children of the nobles he planned to eliminate to his central city, where he could oversee their controlled education. Meanwhile, a temporary governor would manage the regions these nobles once ruled.

The plan was now ready. The only remaining task was to set the date for the operation.

•••

As Neonidas raised his head from the desk at the sound of a knock on the door, his tired eyes narrowed slightly. The accumulation of ducal affairs had forced him to work for hours, but now seemed like a good time for a break.

"Enter!"

When the door opened, Soren entered, his face filled with worry. His fingers trembled, and his gaze darted around nervously.

"M-my Lord! S-Solara… sh-she…" Soren stammered, his eyes welling up with tears as he tried to explain.

"What happened, Soren? Calm down and speak clearly."

Hearing Neonidas's steady voice, Soren gradually began to compose himself. "I was training with my sister, but then… s-suddenly she fainted! The maids carried her to her bed, but now she won't wake up… I told her to stop and rest, but she wouldn't listen! Please, my Lord, help!"

Neonidas paused for a moment. He knew Solara had been pushing herself too hard, but he had never imagined it could lead to such a serious issue. Without hesitation, he stood up and approached Soren.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"In her room, my lord. She's resting. Shall I escort you there?"

Neonidas nodded and began following Soren's hurried steps. Soon, they reached Solara's room, but just as they approached, the duchy's elderly healer stepped out of the room.

Seeing the serious expression on the healer's face, Neonidas quickened his pace. "What's the situation?" he asked, his voice calm but commanding.

The healer turned to face him, gripping her medicine box tightly. "My lord, the young lady's condition quite concerns. Her body is severely fatigued, and she's experiencing a magical imbalance. It seems she has pushed herself far beyond her limits. However, this is not just a physical issue—her magical energy appears to be completely drained as well."

"Magical imbalance?" Neonidas frowned. "What could have caused it to become this severe?"

The healer sighed and spoke without hesitation. "The young lady likely used her magical abilities uncontrollably, perhaps without even realizing it. Emotional stress often triggers such situations. She's stable for now, but if she continues to overexert herself, it could cause permanent damage. She needs to rest for at least a week. Proper nourishment would also help significantly."

Neonidas listened carefully to the healer's words, then took a deep breath. He had warned Solara multiple times to be more careful, but it seemed she hadn't taken his advice seriously. After the healer left, Neonidas looked around and saw that Soren had already entered the room. Choosing to give the siblings some time alone, Neonidas waited outside for a while. About ten minutes later, Soren emerged, looking much calmer.

"She's okay, my lord. You can go in if you wish. I think she needs you more than me right now."

Frowning slightly at Soren's words, Neonidas entered the room slowly. Inside, Solara lay on the bed, turned away from the door. Despite her disheveled state, her silver-white hair gleamed beautifully, and even under the thick blanket, her curvaceous figure was noticeable. Neonidas walked quietly to a nearby chair and sat down.

As soon as Solara noticed her master's presence, she quickly sat up, but Neonidas gently placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from rising. She looked utterly exhausted, with dried tear stains visible around her eyes.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't hear you come in," Solara said, hastily wiping her face with her hands and forcing a strained smile.

"So... why did you push yourself so hard? From what I've heard, you've been training even at night…" Neonidas spoke in an exceptionally gentle and calm tone.

Solara's throat tightened, and her chin began to quiver. Her eyes welled up again, though she fought back the tears with all her might. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't manage to form a response despite her efforts.

Neonidas knew deep down why Solara was behaving the way she was and thought it would motivate her even more, but he did not foresee that it would cause such a serious problem. "Did you think I would leave you behind… or that I'd find you useless in the future and cast you aside?"

The moment Neonidas spoke these sudden words, Solara's tears began to flow uncontrollably. "I-I'm sorry, my lord. I've disappointed you, but… if I want to stay by your side, I know I have to be strong. That's why I have to work so hard… so I don't fall behind," she said, her voice trembling as she averted her gaze.

Neonidas listened patiently, sighed deeply and held Solara's small soft hand as he slowly opened his mouth to ask a question. Neonidas knew very well that no one in the world would go this far with such an easy motivation to explain. So he decided to ask a simple but clear question. "Solara, are you in love with me?"

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