I Regressed to My Ruined Family – 23

 #I returned, and my family was ruined (23)

“Heh heh. I don’t have a car, so I can’t drink.”

“Then have a cup.”

Edan put leaves and hot water in a teacup and handed it to Frexian.

“Thank you.”

He accepted the teacup politely.

After enjoying a cup of tea, he looked at the old man and asked.

“What have you been doing all this time?”

“I’ve been running a small farm.”

“A farm?”

“Yes. It’s just a side job, but it’s more rewarding than I expected.”

In his previous life, he was like a monster in a frenzy, handling the affairs of the duke’s domain, but now he was a farmer.

The difference was staggering.

Meanwhile, Prexian, who had been staring intently at Ethan, had tears welling up in his eyes.

“Your Highness has grown up to be such a fine young man… This old man is truly moved.”

“It’s because your sister took good care of you. By the way, would you consider returning to your administrative position?” “Return?”

“This Caragas barony is practically a hotbed of corruption. So I plan to replace most of the officials.”

“…There will be many vacancies.”

“I would feel reassured if you could fill one of those positions.”

“If this old man can be of service to His Highness, I will gladly do so.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all, Your Highness. As someone who has lived off the estate, it is my duty. The shortage of talent will be resolved soon.”

Grand Duke Ethan.

Until he collapsed, he was the center of the family. Many officials missed him because, even at a young age, he showed bold judgment and outstanding leadership.

Not only has he recovered, but news of his rise will cause former officials who have been hiding like him to begin to reveal themselves one by one.

“I must support him as much as I can.”

Frexian made a strong resolution in his heart.

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“Oh, right. Grand Duke.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“I have a child I’ve been raising. Would it be possible to bring him to the palace as well?”

“You have a child?”

“No, it’s not mine. It’s just a child I happened to take in.”

He took in a child.

That was something that had never happened in his previous life.

After his wife passed away, he never remarried and spent his days struggling with paperwork.

“What is the child’s name?”

“Lawrence.”

“Lawrence?”

It was a familiar name.

Ethan quickly searched his memory.

Could it be that Lawrence?

He had encountered him several times during the war with the Yongin tribe.

Despite his lowly status as a commoner, he had made a name for himself through his own talent.

He was a unique strategist.

He was someone who had fought for the greater good of stopping the Yongin tribe, but had also tried his best to minimize casualties in the process.

Considering that strategists usually treat soldiers as pawns rather than people, his way of thinking was quite unique.

If I had to describe him, I would say he was a warm-hearted strategist.

He continued his exploits until he completely disappeared after the battle known as the Battle of the Errian Plains.

“I never thought that name would appear here.”

Ethan’s interest was piqued.

He had never met him up close. He had only seen him from a distance a couple of times.

Still, he vaguely remembered his face.

If he met him face to face, he would be able to confirm whether that boy was really Lawrence or not.

“Where is this farm?”

“It’s about a day’s walk away.”

A day’s walk meant that it would take about three hours by carriage.

“Go.”

“What? Are you planning to visit the farm? It’s a rather shabby place for a prince to visit…”

“I’m sure the villa where I’ve been sleeping for the past ten years is much shabbier than the farm you’re talking about.”

“I see…”

“Let’s take a carriage.”

“Yes, sir.”

He left the office with him.

After getting into the carriage, they headed in the direction he had indicated. They arrived at the farm located in the village.

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“It’s nice.”

“Haha. It was difficult to buy a large property with the money I had saved up. Still, I’m making a living.”

Ethan nodded.

It had been quite some time after Ethan became duke that he was promoted to administrative officer.

“He must have been a mid-level executive before.”

Although the monthly salary received by the family’s administrators was not insufficient, it was not enough to purchase a large estate.

Well, it was small by Ethan’s standards, but that was just his opinion.

By normal standards, it was a farm of decent size. He entered the house that had been built on the farm.

His eyes met those of a child with short hair standing in front of the door.

The child looked exactly as he remembered. Short hair, a blank expression, and a small frame.

It was exactly the same as his memories.

However, there was one difference…

“Silver hair?”

In his memory, Loren had black hair.

Perhaps he had dyed it black in his previous life.

Loren, who was looking at Ethan, tilted his head.

“Master, who is that person?”

“That is the Grand Duke you used to sing about so much.”

“The Grand Prince…?”

“Yes.”

At Prexian’s words, Lawrence began to scrutinize Ethan’s face.

But only for a moment.

The boy bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“For avenging my brother.”

“Did you have a grudge against the baron?” “My brother starved to death because of high taxes.”

It was a very calm tone for someone expressing gratitude. When Ethan saw Lawrence’s eyes, he became interested.

“Hatred.”

Those were quite fierce eyes.

The words “thank you” weren’t entirely false. But they weren’t entirely sincere either.

If he had to describe it, he would say that his eyes were half truth and half lie.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

He was quite small for seventeen. If he didn’t know his age, he would have guessed him to be around fourteen or fifteen.

“Your parents?”

“They died with my younger brother.”

His tone was so calm when talking about the death of his family that it felt almost dry.

“He’s changed.”

His basic personality seemed to have changed considerably from the past.

He was fierce and cynical.

What could have caused such a complete change in his personality? As he looked at Lawrence, Ethan realized one thing.

“I understand why he changed.”

In the past, when the duke’s domain was still intact.

Excessive taxes were something they couldn’t even dream of.

But now it was different.

The excessive exploitation that occurred as the past changed. Not only had he lost his family, but he had also spent many years at the bottom of society. It was not surprising that his eyes were filled with venom.

Ethan smiled faintly and asked Lawrence.

“Do you really think it’s a blessing?”

“About half.”

“Then what about the other half?”

“I’m angry.”

“Why?”

“Because you took my prey.”

“Do you think you could have succeeded in your hunt if I had left the baron alone?”

“If I had had three more years, I could have.”

His eyes were filled with conviction.

He was a bold child.

That made him even more appealing.

“If I raise him well, he’ll be useful as a long-term asset.”

Hans was the type who knew how to scratch an itch, but he wasn’t the type who could see the big picture.

He was the type who would be perfect for sowing discord among the enemy after being sent in as a field agent.

Frixian was a bureaucrat who was close to being orthodox.

“On the other hand, Lawrence…”

When I saw the venom in his eyes, I thought that if he grew up properly, he could become a strategist with cruel and cold hands.

Strategists must have such tendencies in order to do their job well.

“From now on, Prexian will work in the inner castle of the viscount’s domain. I want to take you with me to the inner castle. However, you must first prove your worth.”

“What do you want from me?”

Lawrence.

The boy boldly accepted the test.

Ethan smiled and said.

“How do you think my situation is right now?”

“It doesn’t look good. Everyone from the king to the surrounding noble families are my enemies.”

Lawrence swallowed hard as he looked at Ethan.

The Grand Duke’s gaze seemed to pierce right through him.

That was why he had immediately revealed his true feelings when asked if he thought it was a favor.

He felt that the Grand Duke in front of him would not accept any lies.

That was still the case now.

“This is definitely a test.”

If he couldn’t prove his worth here, the Grand Duke would leave without hesitation, abandoning him.

That was not what Lawrence wanted.

“Are you planning to kill all of the baron’s heirs? I think it would be better to spare one of them.”

“Why?”

“There are four reasons.”

Ethan nodded indifferently.

“Do you already know?”

Lawrence’s heart skipped a beat.

Ethan’s meaningful smile.

Looking at his face, it seemed as if he knew more than four reasons.

“Tell me.”

“…Yes.”

Lawrence swallowed hard and spoke.

“Even if it’s just a figurehead, allowing a distant relative to inherit the title will reassure the other branches of the family. It will give the impression that you are at least observing the minimum rules of etiquette.”

Ethan nodded.

If he killed the viscount and his children and took control of the viscount’s territory, it would be as if someone with no authority had seized the land. He was not yet the head of the family.

Considering that, installing a puppet was the proper procedure.

“What else?”

“When the Grand Duke enters another branch of the family in the future, wouldn’t that puppet play a significant role?”

In any case, it would mean that someone from the bloodline would be allowed to keep their position, so there could be traitors when the other branches were eliminated.

“A successor who is far from the line of succession.”

Even if it was just a figurehead position, there would likely be heirs who wanted a position that looked good on the surface.

“And?”

“There are ten collateral branches, and it would be difficult to place the Grand Prince’s confidants in all ten branches to rule them. The Grand Prince doesn’t have enough reliable people right now.”

That was true.

There is plenty of power, but there is still a shortage of trustworthy talent.

If all the people connected to the collateral branches were eliminated, a severe labor shortage would inevitably follow.

“The last advantage we can see is that by installing a puppet, we can completely block the collateral branches from sending other people to interfere in the territory in the future. It’s as if the rightful ruler of the land remains.”

Ethan smiled faintly.

Did his answer satisfy the Grand Duke?

Lawrence looked at Ethan with a calm expression. However, he couldn’t hide the slight tremor in his pupils. “I hear you.”

Ethan nodded and looked at Prexian.

“You found a child who is much smarter than you thought.”

“Hehe.”

Frixian smiled sheepishly.

However, the satisfaction rising from that sheepishness was palpable. The old man had undoubtedly raised the boy as his own child.

“…Then can I go with you too?”

“Of course.”

He wasn’t just a guest; he was a proper talent. Upon returning, he would have to entrust him with various tasks.

Though they had come as two, the carriage now carried three as it began moving toward the inner city.