A Cruel Beast’s Leash

The servants had gathered at the front door early in the morning rousing Emma and Irvan, tangled in an embrace in their sleep.
Emma’s eyes were wide open in confusion at the intrustion.
As she tried to sit, Irvan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to the bed.

“Hush…” he mumbled.
“Stay still.”

He sighed, got up, and declined the servants who were fluttering like a flock of mosquitoes at the door.
Miller the butler was begging Irvan that he had something to report.

“Shut up!”

When even he was turned away, Miller still continued to speak.
It was something related to the Perrigans, and that Count Edner had officially asked for his cooperation.

“Sir—no, Master Irvan.
You must attend the weekly council.
Because the Knight Order must take action,” he pleaded desperately.

“F*ck.” Irvan swept his hair back, annoyed, his handsome face distorted, but he was forced to move when he heard the words ‘Knight Order’.

After getting themselves ready, they greeted someone before leaving the annex.

“Welcome, My Lord.”

Emma was neatfly dressed, all former love affairs with Irvan momentarily forgotten.
She first met the man before her, Robert Berne, in the living room on the first floor.

He was an elderly noble with a golden cane with the head decorated that of an eagle.
The hair on his head and his beard was white, and he skinny, but that didn’t modulate his dignified appearance.
He had no outstanding features, but his clear eyes seemed to have the knowledge of a wise man.
He was an elderly man with a serious face, upright attitude, and a noble dignity that one could not dare to imitate.

His gaze from under his gray eyebrows glanced carefully at Emma.

“This is Baron Berne, a veteran of the Van Wert Council Association and advisor to Reshire.”

At the end of Irvan’s introduction, Baron Berne nodded and politely greeted Emma.
“It is an honor to meet you, Miss Herman.”

“How do you do, Lord Berne? Nice to meet you,” Emma also greeted him amicably.
She held a natural smile on her face.
Something she had learned while entertaining the Hermans.

At the butler’s reminder that the meeting would begin soon, Irvan left the annex with a disappointed look on his face 1and asked Baron Berne to stay with Emma.
Emma took a short breath as she stared at his back disappearing through the door.
Being left alone after having relied on Irvan from the moment she stepped into Van Wert Castle, she suddenly felt afraid.
 Her cold, timid heart suddenly trembled.

Baron Berne smiled gently, prudently observing Emma’s sullen eyes.
“Miss Herman, this is your first time in Van Wert Castle, right? I shall show you around while we take a walk,” he offered graciously.

“Thank you, Lord Berne.”

Baron Berne took the lead and casually started walking.
After the two left the annex, they took a stroll through the garden and looked around.
The midday sunshine was warm, and the open sky was bright, so the greenery shone beautifully under the blessings of the sun.

Coming outdoors after being inside for several days made Emma feel refreshed. ‘It’s a good idea to get out,’ she thought.

“If there is anything you’re curious about here, please ask whenever, Madam,” Baron Berne said.

Emma held her breath and racked her brains.
“I don’t know much about this palcec… So if it isn’t too much to ask, My Lord, can you explain to me the matters that I must know?”

“Right.
First…”

While spending time with the well-mannered Baron Berne, Emma was able to understand  the different situations regarding the House of Van Wert.

Irvan’s mother Charline had passed away while giving birth to him.
His father was saddened later on, and under his care, Irvan was raised in negligence.
It wasn’t until the time he began to walk, learn to speak and write, thanks to the diligent hands of his nanny and tutor, that his talents turned out to be extraordinary.

Limon was pleased with this, and only showed interest in his son by then.
But his father’s interest couldn’t be called gentle.
Irvan, who had lived freely in irrevelance, now had to quickly adapt to the strict training and discipline of the Knight Order’s elite.
From his childhood, the boy was raised as a strong warrior, bravery instilled at him, and all other things necessary to be the next margrave.
He had caught a werewolf for the first time at eight years old to prove his outstanding skills.

Around that time, Limon, now a widower, married Karina Muns.

Karina had entered as his second wife and constantly tried to produce successors, but unfortunately, a new child was not allowed between the two.
Disappointed, Karina tried to prove her value by focusing on administrative work, and succeeded greatly in managing Count Van Wert’s estate.

Satisfied with this, Limon had left the entire estate to his wife and wandered around the remote regions in the Perrigan mountains to take the lead in killing monsters.
In the meantime, Irvan had not received proper education and lived in the forest with his father, assisting as a warrior.
And this continued until he became a teenager, had a coming-of-age ceremony, and became an official knight.

After this excursion, Irvan’s straightforward life soon came to an end.

Limon, who had successfully completed the annual monster massacre and returned to the estate, had fallen off his horse and injured his back on his way to an autumn hunt.
At first, he complained of numbness in his legs, but unfortunately, his condition worsened and his entire body became paralyzed.

Since then, it had been Irvan who led the knights as a margrave and took the lead in killing monsters that threatened the territory.
While Irvan wandered through the rough mountains and eradicated monsters, Countess Karina called in her twin brother, Collin, citing a lack of hands helping in the internal affairs.

Then, such time came when the affairs of the land were held by the Muns twins.