My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 64

§ 64 – Durak Elan Dur (1)

Isabelle’s office was located within the Elan Dur Grand Manor.

“He just entered the Lord’s office,” Lerrit, the chief butler, reported.

Isabelle paused, silent at the news. Lerrit hesitated slightly before speaking again.

“And about the matter you mentioned last time…”

Isabelle looked at Lerrit, saying nothing.

Lerrit continued, his expression uncharacteristically troubled. “For some reason, Shadow Moon is not accepting requests related to Sian.”

“Not accepting requests?”

Lerrit nodded. “We are currently investigating the details, but… it seems someone else put in a request first.”

“What?” Isabelle’s eyes widened involuntarily.

“But it seems to have failed. We are still investigating the details of this as well…”

*That must be it.* If that weren’t the case, Sian wouldn’t be in this mansion right now.

“Perhaps because of that, Shadow Moon has expressed doubts about whether Elan Dur is making requests related to Sian.”

“……” Isabelle fell silent once again at Lerrit’s continued report.

Shadow Moon, the best information guild in the empire, dominating the underworld.

Isabelle had directly placed a request related to Sian with Diana, the guild leader of Shadow Moon.

But Lerrit’s response was a refusal.

They refused Elan Dur’s request?

It couldn’t be because the request fee was insufficient. She had offered a considerable amount of gold, an amount that couldn’t be refused.

More than that, there was no way they could refuse Elan Dur’s request, even if it wasn’t for the gold. That’s why she was so surprised.

But someone else had placed a request for Sian first? Who on earth?

“……” Isabelle couldn’t understand how the situation was unfolding.

She remained silent for a while, lost in thought.

After some time, Isabelle slowly opened her mouth. “What about the Lord?”

Lerrit didn’t speak rashly. He paused, organizing his thoughts, and then slowly said, “It seems… he intends to call Sian back into the family.”

Isabelle’s expression twisted.

After the National Foundation Day event, she knew that Durak was interested in Sian to some extent. However, she thought it would end with just interest. She never expected him to call him back into the family like this.

Things were getting twisted. The situation was not good, quite bad.

Among the tangled situations, the most urgent thing was to prevent Sian from returning to the family. If Sian returned, Isabelle would be powerless.

Durak calling him back meant he would be paying close attention. Then she could no longer act against Sian, who was receiving Durak’s attention.

Isabelle could only act if he was in Ruben. Therefore, she had to prevent Sian from returning at all costs.

But… there was no way to force Sian back to Ruben.

No matter how much Isabelle was the mistress of Elan Dur, in Elan Dur, the Lord’s, Durak’s, command was absolute. If Durak wanted it, Isabelle had no way to stop it.

A checkmate, indeed.

Isabelle clenched her fists roughly.

#

An eerie silence descended, as if the concept of sound had disappeared from the space.

Durak’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed. A small crack formed on his face, which had never shown any expression. The emotion revealed was anger.

That’s because Sian had essentially ‘defied’ Durak’s order.

Sian lowered his gaze slightly. Eventually, Durak’s gaze turned to Sian, the momentum contained in his sharp eyes.

“Does it look like I’m making a suggestion?”

At that moment, Sian could feel a terrible energy constricting his entire body, emanating from Durak’s entire being. An overwhelming presence pressed down, a powerful suppressive force bound him.

A terrible murderous intent made it difficult to even breathe. The authority that only the top predators in the Dark Forest could possess: Fear.

The pressure now was similar to that Fear, but there was a fundamental difference. Fear makes prey terrified, focusing on preventing them from fully exerting their abilities. But this energy was not like that. It only used momentum to crush and kill.

‘Ugh…!’ The suppressing force grew stronger and stronger. Sian thought he might really die.

He mustered all his strength to draw up his magical energy. The rising darkness resisted Durak’s energy.

The only existence in the history of the continent, Kyle. Exceed, the realm beyond that. The Demonic Soul Technique [a powerful aura cultivation method] was Kyle’s aura cultivation method, a power that even the great mage Elodie could not follow. No matter how powerful Durak was, he couldn’t dare to approach this.

Although Sian didn’t completely master the Demonic Soul Technique, at least in terms of energy, Durak couldn’t do anything to him.

Sian opened his mouth with difficulty. “What is the reason…!”

Even so, he was out of breath. It was difficult to even utter a simple word, but Sian finally completed the sentence. And the second emotion that Durak showed was surprise.

“……!” A different light appeared in Durak’s eyes, the gaze he gave.

In an instant, Durak’s momentum subsided for a moment. Only then could Sian breathe properly.

“Since when did I need a reason to call a member of the family back into the family?” Durak uttered in a low voice. And since when had he treated Sian as a member of the family? It wasn’t a very important fact to Durak.

“Please tell me the reason why you are suddenly calling me back.”

Durak had no answer. He was just staring at Sian with an indifferent expression again. At Durak’s appearance, Sian opened his mouth. “Is it because I was chosen by the Zodiac Sword?”

“I won’t deny it.”

*Damn it.* Sian muttered inwardly.

Sian, who was able to enter the Hall of Arnaze by being chosen by the Zodiac Sword, gained Kyle’s legacy and Charlotte’s legacy, and was able to be with Leia. But as a result, people’s interest in Sian increased rapidly, and in the end, he ended up receiving Durak’s attention in this way.

A hopeless dullard was chosen by the Zodiac Sword. In addition, growth that he had not seen before. Although he didn’t reach Kyle, it was enough for Durak to be interested.

Of course, he had been thinking that this day would come someday, or at least might come. But he didn’t know it would come so soon…

Durak didn’t open his mouth any further after that. There was no need. If Durak wanted to do something, it had to be that way. Returning to the family was a virtual notice, no different from an order.

And Sian is now defying Durak’s order. “I refuse.”

Durak’s eyebrows twitched once again. At the same time, a terrible murderous intent erupted once again.

“Have you forgotten what your name is?” Durak opened his mouth. “As long as you bear the name of Elan Dur, you must also have a proper duty to the family. Leave that trivial territory behind and stay in the family from now on and do the family’s work.”

So that was the purpose after all this time of keeping his words. And Durak was originally this kind of person: someone who would do anything for the benefit of the family, even if it was his own blood.

To Durak, it was just a tool for the revival of the family. Incompetence is met with indifference, uselessness is not tolerated. That was Durak.

“Above all, you seem to have forgotten that Ruben, where you are the lord, is also my jurisdiction.”

“Are you… threatening me now…!”

“Does it look like I’m threatening you now?”

The two pillars supporting the empire, Elan Dur, was virtually another way of referring to Durak. Elan Dur was Durak, and Durak was Elan Dur.

It wasn’t like a threat. Ruben was ultimately a territory under Elan Dur’s jurisdiction. Therefore, with just a word from Durak, the lord of Ruben had no choice but to change.

In Elan Dur, the Lord’s, Durak’s, command is absolute.

“I will appoint someone else as the lord of Ruben soon. You will stay in the family from today.”

It was a checkmate, indeed.

“Get out now.”

Durak issued his dismissal, as if he had nothing more to say.

#

Cyan left Durak’s office.

It was an offer he could never accept.

There was no point in continuing the conversation any further.

From the start, no one could change Durak’s mind.

Could anyone on the continent change his mind?

Perhaps the Emperor might be able to.

But this was happening within the Elan Dur family.

In short, a family feud.

No matter how powerful, the Emperor couldn’t interfere in this matter.

Therefore, it was a foregone conclusion that Cyan would have to leave Ruben and return to the family.

And frankly speaking…

Returning to the family wasn’t entirely a bad thing for Cyan.

After all, receiving Durak’s attention meant receiving the family’s full support.

He could focus solely on himself without worrying about anything else.

In other words, he could spend all the gold he earned on himself, not on Ruben.

So, from a cost-benefit perspective, it wasn’t such a bad offer.

However, Cyan had no intention of returning to the family at all.

Because…

‘How much money have I poured into Ruben all this time!’

The sunk costs had already exceeded the limit!

Of course.

That’s what he told himself, but it wasn’t really about the money.

It was about the people of Ruben.

Cyan didn’t want to abandon them and leave.

It would be nice to receive support from the family and live well.

But what’s the point of living well alone?

Was he going to be left alone in the world?

When he was young…

Cyan had once climbed a mountain with his mother, Cecil, away from the family.

A brief escape from the stifling family.

Young Cyan didn’t know it, but that’s probably what it meant to Cecil.

And at that time…

Cecil had said to Cyan.

‘Cyan, why do you think we climb mountains like this?’

Young Cyan didn’t answer; he just complained.

At that time, he was just tired and exhausted, so he didn’t care about the reason.

Cecil smiled gently at Cyan and said.

‘There are many reasons, but I hope it’s not just for Cyan to plant a flag on the summit [reach the top].’

‘It’s to embrace the process and challenge of climbing the mountain, to enjoy this clear air and beautiful scenery.’

‘So, I hope you climb the mountain not to make the world look at Cyan, but to allow Cyan to look at the world.’

At the time, young Cyan didn’t understand what she meant.

But why does he vaguely understand those words now?

She was a truly wise person. Cecil was.

And someone he can never see again.

Cyan paused for a moment, lost in old memories.

Anyway…

Cyan had no intention of returning to the family.

But there was no way to change Durak’s mind.

However, there was one being.

Someone who could ‘persuade’ Durak.

The reason Durak was trying to bring Cyan back was simple.

Cyan’s reputation had increased.

And he intended to entrust family matters to Cyan.

He didn’t know what it was.

He wasn’t really interested.

In any case, Durak was someone who would do anything for the benefit of the family.

Even if it was his own blood.

To Durak, he was just a tool for the revival of the family.

Therefore, Cyan’s return to the family…

The benefits Cyan would bring to the family…

If he paid a price commensurate with that…

He could ‘persuade’ Durak now.

And there was only one being capable of that.

Knock, knock.

“It’s Cyan. I have something to say, so I came suddenly.”

Cyan quietly waited for the answer.

And for quite some time, no answer came.

Perhaps she didn’t expect Cyan to come.

Cyan could understand that well enough, so he waited without saying anything.

After some time had passed…

-Come in.

A reply came from inside the door.

Cyan opened the door, and with a click, the scenery inside was revealed.

A spacious room decorated in a classic style.

And a being sitting in that room.

A posture and expression without a hint of disarray.

The dignity felt thereby was a soft yet elegant sophistication.

Isabelle Elan Dur.

The mistress of the Elan Dur Marquisate [the wife of the Marquis].

Isabelle quietly looked at Cyan.

As expected, there was no change in her expression.

However, Cyan could read the feeling of embarrassment in her eyes.

“What brings you here so suddenly?”

“The head of the family told me to return to the family.”

Isabelle asked.

Cyan immediately brought up the story without an introduction.

They weren’t in a relationship where they would exchange trivial greetings.

Isabelle looked at Cyan and opened her mouth.

“Congratulations.”

And that was the end.

Isabelle didn’t say anything else.

And Cyan could be sure of that.

Cyan opened his mouth right away.

“To put it bluntly, you don’t like me returning to the family, do you?”

Isabelle had no answer.

However, Cyan knew the affirmation contained in that silence.

So Cyan…

“One million gold.”

He was about to propose a deal to Isabelle.

“If you give me one million gold, I won’t return to the family.”

“What?”

Isabelle said, raising her eyes.

Emotions of distinct embarrassment arose on Isabelle’s face, which had no change in expression.

“As I said, if you give me one million gold, I won’t return to the family.”

Isabelle was silent.

Isabelle slowly opened her mouth.

“…This is a matter decided by the head of the family. So what are you going to do?”

Cyan nodded.

As Isabelle said, it was a matter decided by Durak.

Therefore, unless Durak changed his mind…

It was something that could never be undone.

Unless Durak changed his mind, that is.

“Wouldn’t your mother be able to persuade the head of the family? Just like when you appointed me as the lord of Ruben last time.”

Although Durak was the head of Elan Dur.

Isabelle was also the mistress of Elan Dur.

Durak’s opinion was the top priority.

However, Isabelle’s opinion was not completely ignored.

If he was going to ignore it, Durak wouldn’t have given Isabelle full authority in the first place.

So, when Cyan was appointed as the lord of Ruben in the past…

At that time, Cyan was as good as sentenced to death.

In short, Isabelle had killed Cyan’s prospects.

Although it was Isabelle’s order.

Cyan was still a member of Elan Dur.

Therefore, Durak’s ‘permission’ was required in the process.

In short, Isabelle persuaded Durak at the time.

Isabelle persuaded Durak in exchange for something.

Isabelle is the mistress of Elan Dur.

And the eldest daughter of the prestigious Aveneu family.

The Aveneu family, though not as much as the Elan Dur family, was also a very high-ranking family.

So at the time, Durak weighed Cyan’s death and something Isabelle said.

And finally allowed Cyan’s death.

Even if it was his own blood.

To Durak, he was just a tool for the revival of the family.

You can’t force Durak.

But you could persuade Durak.

“If I return to the family, wouldn’t it be quite a headache for my mother? As a son, I can’t commit such filial impiety [disrespect to one’s parents].”

Cyan quietly looked at Isabelle.

Isabelle silently looked at Cyan.

Cyan spoke in a roundabout way, but Isabelle knew.

Cyan was saying this.

I know it will be a headache if I return to the family.

So, like then.

Persuade Durak on your own.

Then, I will refuse Durak’s offer, braving the pressure from the head of the family.

Cyan was saying that now.

Of course, persuading Durak was not easy.

I can’t even guess what price to put on it.

But if Cyan, the person involved, also refuses, the story is different.

Then the process of persuasion becomes quite easy.

And looking at it…

Cyan also seemed reluctant to return to the family.

“If our goals are the same, can’t we join hands for a while?”

Each other’s interests coincide for a while.

Isabelle persuades Durak at a great cost.

Cyan achieves the same goal by refusing Durak’s offer and accepting the resulting backlash.

Each of them accepts bleeding one by one to achieve the same goal.

Isabelle let out a chuckle without realizing it.

And repeated weighing in her head.

“You had another duel with Nateson.”

“My brother taught me a lesson.”

Isabelle slowly got up from her seat.

And she approached one side of the desk and started writing something.

Soon, she stamped a seal with a white wolf drawn on it and handed it to Cyan.

“This is a voucher in the name of Elan Dur. Check it out.”

Cyan checked the voucher that Isabelle handed him.

The amount written on the voucher was exactly 1.5 million gold.

It seemed to include the 500,000 gold he won from the duel with Nateson.

“Then I’ll be waiting.”

Cyan took the voucher and slowly got up from his seat.