Bab 16: The Duke's Decision
"I won't force you if you can't do it," teased Helena, holding back her laughter. She knew Ethan would give up unless he was a foolish man.
Unfortunately, it turned out that Ethan was a half-foolish man. He asked Helena, "If I manage to bring a hundreds-year-old dragon, will you give me an extra reward?"
"What do you mean?" asked Helena.
"Bringing a dragon to you is not just a simple achievement, right? That means, I'll be worthy of being your true husband," replied Ethan confidently. "Will you allow me to touch you then?"
Ethan thought to himself, 'Come on Helena, you must have a child soon for your goals to be achieved.'
Meanwhile, Helena looked at Ethan with a gaze that was difficult to interpret. She wanted to laugh and be angry at the same time. However, seeing Ethan's current reaction, it must be that she said all those things because the man was very naive.
Helena burst out laughing. "You're too serious. I was just joking. Nowadays, how could there be dragons still alive? Even if there are, run away. Don't die foolishly trying to fight the dragon. Your name will never be recorded in history or become a national hero by dying at the hands of a dragon."
Hearing Helena's words, Ethan felt very disappointed and heartbroken. But, what was wrong with everything that woman said?
Helena was one hundred percent right. In their time, a man with a lot of money would be more admired than someone strong but poor. Times had changed. Even magic was only used for daily matters.
The woman patted Ethan's back and said, "Keep practicing, who knows you'll need it later when you're in danger. You don't need to give me weird rewards because your presence as my husband is what I need the most."
Ethan knew Helena didn't mean to be romantic at all. However, for some reason, it made him happy like a girl being courted.
"And as for when we will perform our marital duties, just wait," Helena said calmly. "I will tell you when the time comes."
Actually, Helena delayed not because she was afraid of the pain the first time. She had already felt the pain from the sword. What was the point of being afraid of the pain from the first intimate experience?
But, when she read a tutorial book about marital relationships, she felt it was very disgusting. How could people use their mouths for anything other than eating, drinking, and talking?
Ethan felt he had no choice but to concede again. "Alright—"
"My Lady, His Grace is calling for you now," Eric interrupted Ethan and Helena's conversation suddenly. "The announcement of the branch hotel allocation that will be managed will be made after dinner."
Helena was feeling tense. She had a feeling that something unpleasant was going to happen. Ethan felt the same way too. He hoped that everything would turn out as it was in the novel. However, Helena did something yesterday that ruined her image in front of Duke Henry. Would Duke Henry remain fair? Or would he make Helena pay for her embarrassing actions toward Liana?
One thing that made Ethan feel sorry for Helena was her bad luck, which stemmed from her stubborn and aggressive nature. If only she could have been more humble, or at least kept her mouth shut, maybe she would have been a bit luckier.
'Never mind, Helena is now married to me. I will prevent her from colluding with any criminal men. She will definitely be safe from the death penalty,' Ethan thought, trying to calm himself. 'As for who will be Duke Henry's heir, I won't think too much about it. A woman with Helena's ability will surely be able to live well even without help from her grandfather.'
Unfortunately, the way of thinking for modern life, such as Ethan's thinking, sometimes cannot be easily applied in a social environment like the Altara kingdom. It takes more effort and risks failure.
The Altara kingdom was steeped in tradition and had a rigid social hierarchy. Long ago, the idea of a woman inheriting a position of power, especially in a male-dominated society, was not easily accepted. Even if the woman had the ability and qualifications to be Duke's heiress, she might still have faced significant opposition and challenges. Moreover, there might have been other contenders for the position who were more favored by the nobility or had stronger connections within the kingdom's power structure. This made it difficult for a woman to achieve her goal of becoming the heiress, and she might have had to fight harder and take greater risks to succeed.
Over time, the rules in the Altara Kingdom changed. A woman could inherit titles and power from her parents as long as she was truly capable. However, it was still limited by the ruler. Only recognized women could receive such honors. If a woman wanted to pursue a career without the help of her family name, it would be much harder for her to hold a prominent position in society. That's why Helena was still trying to pursue the position of the heiress.
Currently, everyone was gathered around the dining table, including Liana and James. Liana's eyes were swollen and appeared to be slightly reddish, giving the impression that she had been crying for quite some time. Her eyelids were droopy and slightly heavier than usual, and there were dark circles underneath her eyes that added to her overall tired appearance.
The skin around Liana's eyes was inflamed and sensitive, making it seem as though she had rubbed them repeatedly. Her lashes appeared clumped together, and there were faint tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. The overall effect of her puffy eyes conveyed a sense of emotional distress and exhaustion as if she had been through a long and difficult ordeal. She had cried all night because of Helena's past behavior.
Liana tried to eat, but she couldn't even take a bite. The sight and smell of the food made her nauseous. She pushed her plate away and pretended to be engrossed in the conversation, hoping nobody would notice her lack of appetite.
Helena, on the other hand, was eating with gusto, making small talk with Ethan and the others, and acting as if nothing had happened. It made Liana feel even worse knowing that Helena was seemingly unaffected by the events of the previous night. She couldn't help but feel angry and resentful towards her cousin.
Liana was about to excuse herself from the table, saying that she wasn't feeling well, and went back to her room to lie down. She felt a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, frustration, and disappointment. She knew that she couldn't let her emotions get the best of her, but it was hard to keep a level head when everything seemed to be falling apart.
However, before Liana rose from her seat, Duke Henry announced something surprising. "Liana will hold the hotel in Erast, and Helena will hold the Broughton branch."
Everyone was taken aback by Duke Henry's decision. Liana was shocked and couldn't believe it, while Helena could only stare at her grandfather without blinking.
"That's not fair!" Helena exclaimed.
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