This Villain Is Mine Now

Chapter 18

“Shortly after returning to the capital, the Marquis of Redwood visited my estate,” Lyle began, deciding to lay everything out truthfully. He explained how Lady Diane Redwood had feelings for someone else and how Elaina had stormed into his mansion, proposing marriage to him to ensure Diane’s happiness.

Perhaps honesty wasn’t the best policy, but his instincts, honed by years on the battlefield, told him that now was the time to be forthright. It turned out to be the right call.

“So, what you’re saying, Your Grace, is that my daughter offered you better terms than the Marquis of Redwood,” the Duke concluded.

“Yes, indeed,” Lyle confirmed.

The Duchess, who had seemed so uneasy, now appeared more relaxed. The Duke let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“Truly, it’s just like my daughter,” he said, amused. He had suspected there might be some hidden conditions behind the marriage proposal, but he hadn’t expected anything quite this audacious.

Crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knee, the Duke addressed Lyle. “Thank you for your honesty. It seems we must discuss business now. I thought of it simply as a dowry, but if it’s capital for reviving the Archduchy, I need to consider the future market as the head of the Noble Council.”

Lyle nodded, understanding the Duke’s position. Sharing his plans with someone of the Duke’s caliber was, in fact, a stroke of luck.

“Lady Winchester promised me three times the dowry the Marquis of Redwood offered. According to my butler, it would take at least 300,000 gold to repair the mansion minimally. Besides that, I plan to recruit new knights and reestablish the Grant Knight Order.”

He explained further about the need to clear the monsters from the Mabel Mountain region and resettle the villagers there. Given the rough terrain, they would need to provide some resettlement funds to the villagers. Additionally, equipping the knights with horses, uniforms, swords, and shields would require considerable funds.

The Duke’s smile deepened as he listened. Though unspoken, he was impressed. For a twenty-five-year-old who had spent his life on the battlefield, Lyle’s plan for the future was quite commendable.

“That’s a good plan, though it seems a bit optimistic. As it stands, the funds are just enough. Financial plans should always include a margin for unexpected expenses…” the Duke began.

“Dear, what are you saying?” the Duchess interjected. Cutting off her husband, she turned to Lyle.

“Your Grace.”

“Yes, Duchess?”

“Thank you for being so forthright. Let me also speak candidly.”

“Please do, Duchess.”

“To be honest, I intended to oppose this marriage vehemently. I’m sorry, but as parents, I think you understand why we wouldn’t consider you an ideal match for our daughter.”

“I understand. I’ve heard from the butler that Lady Elaina shocked the household yesterday. I can only imagine how surprised you both were. I understand your feelings, Duchess.”

The Duchess hadn’t expected to feel guilt when confronting the man she considered stealing her daughter. Hearing Lyle acknowledge her concerns, she couldn’t help but feel remorse.

She recalled yelling at Elaina, questioning why it had to be Lyle, and during the carriage ride home, despite telling her husband she would accept anyone Elaina loved, she had secretly hoped it wouldn’t be Lyle Grant.

She knew judging someone solely based on rumors was shallow, yet when it came to her daughter, she had been blinded by her protective instincts.

‘Perhaps I overreacted.’

Black hair and red eyes, once the hallmark of the most noble lineage in the Empire, second only to the imperial family. If not for that unfortunate incident, the man sitting before them would hold a different status entirely.

“Yesterday, Elaina insisted that we set the dowry as high as possible,” the Duchess said, shaking her head as she recalled her daughter’s stubborn insistence.

“Mother, you must set the dowry as high as possible. You know how dire their situation is. They hardly have any decent furniture. I mean, I don’t know that firsthand, of course, but I’ve heard. And you know, I can’t just sleep on any bed.”

The Duchess sighed. “My husband’s words are wise, but when it comes to household affairs, you always need more money than you think.”

She frowned slightly. “I’ve raised my daughter in great comfort. The amount you’ve allocated for repairing your mansion is the bare minimum, so Elaina will be living in an environment far less pleasant than she’s used to.”

The Duchess scoffed at Elaina’s claim that she had proposed three times the amount suggested by the Marquis of Redwood.

“Elaina must think very little of our family’s means to make such a statement. Isn’t that right, dear?”

“What do you mean by that, dear?” The Duke looked puzzled, unsure if his wife thought the amount was too much or too little.

The Duchess looked at her husband as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s only natural that our daughter brings a dowry equal to mine. It’s her marriage, after all. You don’t intend to skimp on our only child’s wedding, do you, dear?”

Now it was the Duke’s turn to be shocked. The dowry his wife had brought when they married was the largest in the country, second only to that of a princess. It had been an unbroken record for the past twenty years. This wasn’t just about saving money.

Lyle couldn’t be sure how much the Duchess was suggesting, but judging by the Duke’s reaction, it was far more than what Elaina had mentioned.

Lyle shook his head, politely declining the offer. “I appreciate your kindness, Duchess. But as I mentioned, this marriage is a transaction between the Lady and myself. The dowry she proposed is sufficient.”

This was a straightforward agreement, a contract with a clear exchange of terms. Moreover, it was a time-limited arrangement. Even though the marriage proposal hadn’t been made yet, the divorce was already set for a year later. He wanted to keep emotions out of it.

He also added that he intended to repay the amount when his situation improved. Though Elaina had said he wouldn’t have to return the dowry even if they divorced, accepting money without reason felt like charity.

“I may not be able to repay it immediately after the divorce, but it won’t take long.”

The income from selling the byproducts of hunting monsters and wild animals could help him repay it.

Despite his polite refusal, the Duchess didn’t blink.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace, but the dowry is strictly our concern. As a parent preparing for my only daughter’s wedding, I have the right to prepare it as I see fit,” she said firmly.

“Moreover, the dowry is a matter of family pride. Surely you don’t want people to think the Winchester family neglected their daughter’s wedding preparations, do you?”

“Good heavens! Who do you take after with such stubbornness!”

The Duke quietly shook his head as he recalled his wife yelling at Elaina, who had stood firm without batting an eye the previous day. Did his wife truly not know whom their daughter took after?

Reflecting on his wife’s complete turnaround, the Duke couldn’t help but quietly laugh.

Before meeting the Archduke, his wife had been determined to find any excuse to call off the wedding. She had even sternly warned him not to interfere.

‘Who’s telling whom not to interfere?’ he thought, barely containing his amusement at his wife’s change in attitude.

His wife, who had been so adamant about stopping the marriage, was now arguing for it with equal fervor. The Duke could hardly keep his laughter in check as he observed her complete reversal.