Chapter 136 (1/2)
Chapter 136
Isaac asked again, and Laila squeaked out her answer as she clutched her forehead
“Because she’s a woman?”
Pak!
Another hit and Laila’s forehead was now reddening with a hint of swelling Rivelia’s eyes turned angrily
“Wrong That’s just a difference in sex Would anything change if the damsel was a man? No, all sorts of wooing She should be glad that she’s a woman If she was athrust…”
S!”
Rivelia retaliated by sh Isaac felt no pain thanks to the defensive coat, Isaac bit his tongue out of reflex
Isaac gru to Laila, who seeth, power,just one of these would entice them like a carcass to vultures Humans always prefer the easy way At least the damsel has the Pendleton name to protect her from those vultures, but what do you have? You have no buffer to protect yourself, and you are young The nu to manipulate a child like you are countless”
Laila argued back, enraged by Isaac
“I have people that have sworn loyalty to my family”
Isaac frowned at the answer
“Haven’t you heard? I killed all of your loyal subjects If any of them are alive, they chose their own lives over loyalty What are you mistaken about? Do you think I’m an advisor that won’t hesitate to teach you about life lessons? I a for your guardian right now You’re working for the et that”
“…”
Laila’s face paled at Isaac’s cold criticisuard against theloyalty to you A young lord is the perfect target to turn into a puppet If you return hohts, citing your protection as their priority Why would they do that? Is it really to protect you? Because they are loyal? Of course, it’s highly likely the case, considering Wolfgang’s ability to inspire, as I’ve witnessed personally But each and every one of those knights will be e Why? Because if they luck out and the two of you get together, that fa a woe in this case”
Both Rivelia and Laila didn’t bother hiding their anger and glared at Isaac, but Isaac continued without hesitation
“Your land—the Wolfgang’s and Lichtens’ combined—will be vast, and they will approach you for an empty plot of land The loyal vassal fast themselves to take those lands with their branch families the moment they see you Do you think it’s any different?”
“T, they would never do such a thing!”
Isaac’s cold, relentless bombardment finally shattered Laila’s emotionless mask, who shouted back with tears in her eyes
“Hu, but will it persevere until the end? The subject of their loyalty was Count Wolfgang, not you”
“No! You’re wrong!”
Laila shouted out in a final act of desperation and Rivelia carefully hugged her head pitifully Laila wailed relentlessly within Rivelia’s ar were now bursting out in an instant Rivelia gently caressed Laila’s head, but her eyes glared ly at Isaac
Isaac continued to srew quiet, and she left Rivelia’s ar Isaac with her red eyes
“… Then what must I do?”
Isaac re able to regain her composure in such a short ti ure it out yourself”
“… I a for your advice”
Laila bowed her head down onto the floor, and Rivelia’s glare went froed and spoke
“There is no answer It’s not an issue that can be solved just by doing well yourself”
“Why is that?”
“This is so for a while myself The Empire has been rather indifferent in their reaction at the birth of a second hereditary dukedom It was co for a long ti”
“…”
“Do you knohy the E the birth of second hereditary Dukedom? It’s because even if that title were to coeneration”
“I will lead the Wolfgang Fa dukedo a woeous as well If either you or your sister was a boy, the Empire would have reacted co possible to oppose its creation, including publicly arguing against it You and your sister are all that’s left of the Wolfgang narew up to the level of the da your sister instead Your sister is also part of the main family What will you do if she ive them some land? When the size of your realrit her teeth and answered Isaac
“… That will never happen”
“Do you know thebehind those words?”
“Yes”
Isaac snickered at Laila’s declaration Ah, she was truly an interesting brat
“Kukuku, I guess you really are a protagonist Alright I’ll teach you ati preparations now Do you want to maintain your dukedom?”
“Yes”
“Then create a faction that is loyal to you That is the reason you eniuses of the entire continent are gathered You will stay there until graduation and staff your dukedom with people you handpicked yourself I’m not sure if this is fortunate or not, but the entire succeeding generation of the vassals ore loyalty to your father have perished The survivors are branch families who have no relations or simply vultures who are siive them some reception, but you should weed them out the moment they cross the line”
“You said not to trust humans”
“But they are also aniive them the reward, they will continue to serve you To be a vassal of a dukedo title many would volunteer to serve under You need to pick and choose the real a the fakes and fill the list as you wish”
“Can Ia faction ofas you’re disadvantaged by your gender”
Laila looked back, unsatisfied by Isaac’s answer
He gave her an answer and still maintained that it was iht on and spoke
“When you grow up, I’m sure you’ll find a man that suits your taste If you don’t anyone of a decent status will do Marry him and have his children”
Isaac snickered in hisa child But Laila listened to hihters, but the moment you have a son to inherit your land, you must erase your husband’s family, whether they are noble or peasant, main or branch family All of them Not a drop of blood left behind”
“…”
“What are you saying?!”
Laila looked back blankly while Rivelia objected To speak of wiping out her husband’s family entirely
“That’s what politics is—to hold onto power Countless nobles have fallen because of their in-laws The moment you have a successor, your in-laws turn froer necessary to the in-laws as well once you have a successor If the man you chose is a noble, they will intervene with your ht be siet their way”
“If… I can’t give birth to a successor?”
“You have an excellent piece of insurance called your sister It’s not a bad idea to leave all the child bearing to your sister while you focus on consolidating your political power”
Laila’s face turned pale If she did that, her sister would hate her forever But her father and mother died in front of her eyes, for the title of Duke If the dukedom required it, it had to be done
“… If I do all that, can II’ve said can only be done after you meet the prerequisite It has yet to be achieved, and it’s very difficult to do so”
“… You’re saying Ithe title of Duke”