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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The Count wondered what emotions he should feel towards the grandson of a child he hadn’t seen in 20 years.
His daughter was someone he could only meet after hearing news of her death, so his feelings towards the Taylors were closer to negative.
Therefore, when he heard the word “grandson,” he felt no particular emotion.
He just felt a bit of curiosity about the person his daughter had given birth to.
“I must have learned it from Mother.”Although he was a bit surprised by the rather confident attitude, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
He must have known that the Count was trying to end this conversation.
Yet, he didn’t show any dislike and was instead trying to pique the Count’s interest.
He wondered what meaning the name “Mother” held for his grandson sitting before him.
After looking into his eyes for a moment, the Count inwardly smiled slightly.
At least it didn’t seem to have a negative meaning, which he thought was somewhat fortunate.
His daughter had been sickly, but had lived more healthily than anyone else.
It was Serena who had stepped forward to propose a political marriage when he hadn’t even considered it, so he couldn’t know if that had borne fruit.
The rumors about her son Robert were terrible, and her daughter Yuria was showing behavior no different from her father.
He had thought that what his daughter had envisioned hadn’t been achieved.
That was what he had thought until he met Robert.
“The North, the Church, and the Imperial Family. These three powers are already with me. After I become the family head, they will help stabilize us through their support.”
“Can you be certain? That the support they’re sending will remain the same even after you become the family head?”
“I’m certain.”
The Count couldn’t understand what Robert was so confident about.
It was surprising enough that he had directly brought in the Duchess and the Saint, but to have not even a shred of doubt about what he believed in.
It was just like seeing Serena.
A face overlapped with his slightly upturned lips.
Looking at that, the Count let out a small sigh and closed his eyes tightly.
…There was no resemblance at all.
His eyes were the cold blue typical of the Taylors, and if there was any part that resembled Serena’s features, it might be just a part of his face.
Even that was barely visible due to his unusually dark expression.
His empty eyes looked as if he had experienced all the hardships of the world, making the Count feel as if he was looking at an old man older than himself.
It was probably just his imagination, but it seemed he had gone through a lot under the Taylor name.
The reason he had come here was probably to gain the Count’s support.
Although he knew this, he didn’t want to get involved with the Taylor family.
It was the place where Serena had died, and where he hadn’t wanted to send her.
There was no way he could have even a bit of affection for such a family.
So he had intended to send Robert away immediately, but now he had become interested in Robert instead.
The resemblance to his daughter was in something other than appearance.
The things he said, and how he prepared and presented unexpected things.
Everything was just like Serena he had seen before.
-A political marriage? I don’t think it’s bad. I’ve met Arthur Taylor before. Don’t you think he could change enough?
Just like when she had said Arthur Taylor, who had just become the family head and had a bad reputation, could change, and then secretly prepared for the marriage without his knowledge.
It didn’t seem much different from directly bringing the Duke’s seal this time.
Even to the point of achieving remarkably successful results for reasons unknown, when most wouldn’t even attempt it.
Judging coolly, the plan Robert had set up seemed quite plausible.
The Imperial Family, the North, and the South.
And if he continued to recruit nobles, wouldn’t it be possible to not only match but overwhelm the power Yuria Taylor held?
Although direct intervention should be avoided, just having such names behind him had clearly changed the situation and the rumors that had changed recently.
Good rumors began to attach one by one to the young lord who had always been followed by bad rumors, saying that Robert Taylor had become a completely different person.
It was quite significant that the source of these rumors was not the center but the outskirts of the territory.
It meant that the central forces couldn’t fully control the outlying areas.
It was doable.
Objectively, it was clear that such an evaluation could be made, but the Count was interested in Robert himself as a person.
Was he Robert Taylor? Or was he trying to move in a somewhat different direction?
If he was the same as the current young lady, it wouldn’t matter who he supported.
Rather, supporting Yuria, who took the same stance as the current family head, might bring stability a bit faster.
However, when looking at Robert, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of encountering fragments of his daughter.
From what he said to the thoughts reflected in his words.
After pondering for a moment, the Count quietly moved his lips.
“What I’m curious about is what comes after you become the family head. How do you plan to handle the aftermath?”
Robert’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of the aftermath.
It was an issue he had been constantly worrying about.
After he became the family head, he would certainly need to deal with the forces Yuria had held.
A clean finish was important to prevent repetition.
Cutting off the continuing ill fate.
It was better to end everything in his generation so that this kind of tradition would never continue again.
So, was he planning to erase the Taylor name completely?
If the family disappeared through the method of treason, that would indeed be the cleanest finish.
Still, he would have to think somewhat coldly about Yuria’s treatment.
After hesitating, Robert slowly answered.
“As for Yuria, I plan to end it with my own hands.”
“Are you saying you’ll kill her?”
“If that’s the only method that can be concluded, then yes. I don’t want to repeat what happens in every generation in the Taylor family. At least, I think we should be the last.”
“…It seems you’re not leaving any possibility for reformation.”
If it had been Serena, she probably would have considered the possibility of change in such a situation.
Just as she had tried to do with Arthur Taylor before.
As the small hope he had been harboring disappeared, Robert smiled slightly and opened his mouth.
“My mother used to say something.”
“You mean Serena.”
“She said there are no bad dogs in this world, that anyone can change. It was something she always said habitually, so I still remember it well.
-There are no bad dogs in this world. If there’s something bad from the start, that’s just an excuse, and in the end, I think everyone can change. Maybe even Duke Taylor could change? If we live together for about 10 years, he might become a completely different person from now.”
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What Serena always said was right.
Saying that anyone could change, his daughter who pursued a completely different method from the Taylor way accepted the marriage with those words.
Surprised that Robert knew these words, the Count looked at him and smiled bitterly.
Mother’s words weren’t all correct.
Perhaps it might be truly right that there were no bad people from the start, but at least it didn’t apply to Yuria.
Was there anyone who had tried more than himself?
Despite attempting to fundamentally change Yuria through dozens of regressions, she ultimately did not change.
It meant there was no possibility for the twisted to return to normal.
So he couldn’t leave it be.
If it were someone else, it might be different, but Yuria Taylor had to be dealt with in some way.
“But there are bad dogs. My sister was that kind of person from the start.”
“…It seems you’ve tried, though.”
“I tried a lot. Perhaps I put in more effort than anyone else.”
The Count swallowed for a moment and let out a small breath.
Those words didn’t sound like lies.
The emotions tangled between his empty eyes were truly complex.
Although he didn’t know what Robert was thinking, he looked troubled as he uttered those words.
It didn’t seem like he was lying.
“There are people who don’t change. It could be seen positively as being consistent, but we can’t say what Yuria does is good.”
“Then, what about others?”
“I don’t want to see much bloodshed. I plan to save as many people as possible and somehow bring them to my side. That’s why I’m moving like this, isn’t it? I think you know well that this is an action I wouldn’t have to take originally.”
He couldn’t deny that those words were true.
It was unusual for someone bearing the Taylor name to move directly like this.
Usually, the nobles would naturally attach themselves, so regardless of the method, Robert was approaching the nobles first.
He was trying to recruit and embrace them.
Coming here was likely part of that process.
It seemed certain that Serena was the reason for this, after all.
“…I don’t think Mother’s words were completely wrong. Some people might change if you try. If they change their minds and join, I’d be willing to accept them anytime, but not Yuria.”
His expression was firm, but at the same time, a sense of bitterness was felt.
The Count felt strange emotions as he looked at Robert.
While resembling Serena, he also resembled aspects of Arthur Taylor.
It wasn’t surprising that he resembled his parents, but he hadn’t thought it possible under the Taylor name.
“If you become the family head, and after the aftermath is dealt with, what do you plan to do next?”
Although this question might not be very relevant to the current matter, Robert answered quite willingly.
It was something he always had in mind.
Even as he would move forward to kill the Crown Prince after becoming the family head, the family would still exist.
“…It won’t be much different.”
The time left was just over a year at most.
He wouldn’t stay in the duke’s residence entirely during that period, and above all, he would be working to become the Crown Prince’s close aide.
Some might be disappointed with his actions after becoming the family head, and some might turn their backs on him.
If Father had discovered such behavior, he would have immediately gone to punish him.
What would Mother have done?
Although he thought it was okay to forget a little now, Robert didn’t want to deny his mother’s influence.
He was in a state where he had given up on most things, tired of always following what she had taught him.
Nevertheless, it was true that he still wanted to maintain her legacy.
“But things will certainly change. Whatever happens, it will be for the better.”
“Those are all vague words. Nothing specific, just abstract.”
If it had been someone else, he might have rejected it outright.
In fact, it wasn’t a particularly appealing proposal, and even if he supported it, he might lose more if it failed.
-I think things will change. If I go to live with that person, don’t you think everything will change for the better? Just like Father did.
But he just saw Serena.
The image of the daughter he had lost 20 years ago appeared in the grandson who had come to him after 20 years.
He was simply drawn to it.
Even if his judgment had become clouded with age, wouldn’t it be okay to believe just once?
“I hope it goes well this time.”
Hoping that he wouldn’t suddenly hear news of his death one day, the Count answered.
Robert quietly smiled as he looked at the Count speaking those words.
The emotion in his expression was a reminiscence of the past.
Although he couldn’t know exactly who the Count saw overlapping with him, if it was his mother, that alone was enough.
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[Translator Notes]
[Good ol gramps to the rescue we finna cook with this one]
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