Aldrian glanced at the Grand Duke for a mont while sipping his tea, then set the glass down.
"If I had known her for a long ti, is there any problem with that?" Aldrian raised an eyebrow.
Grand Duke Rivas clenched his fist under the table.
"As I thought, they know each other since long. Irene has just been hiding this fact from ," he thought. Although Aldrian now appeared to be a young man in his teens, he still saw him as a potential "threat" who could "take away" his daughter.
"Then what is your relationship with my daughter? How close are you to her?" he asked Aldrian again.
Aldrian smiled before replying,
"Let’s just say I’m very close to her—much closer than you might think," he said in a slightly teasing tone.
Grand Duke Rivas clenched his fist so tightly that the veins on his hand bulged, nearly to the point of drawing blood. He couldn’t determine what kind of Aldrian’s relationship with his daughter, nor could he be sure if Aldrian’s answer was truthful. Yet, the response still irritated him. Irene had already assured him that she didn’t have romantic relationship with Aldrian, and yet this man claid they were close.
If they weren’t in a romantic relationship but were still so close, then what could it be? Friends? Best friends? No, from the way Irene behaved, they seed to be more than just "friends." The ambiguity in Aldrian’s answer made him want to pull his hair out in frustration.
Aldrian kept his smile, finding it amusing to tease his grandfather like this. However, he decided to put an end to it.
"Don’t worry, Your Excellency. I don’t have any romantic relationship with your daughter. What I can say is that our relationship is close— that’s all I can tell you," he said, his tone light but reassuring.
Grand Duke Rivas loosened his fist and, after a few seconds, sighed. He took a mont to calm himself, refusing to let his emotions sway him. Narrowing his eyes, he chose to remain silent and focused on the feast before him.
Seeing his grandfather begin to eat, Aldrian followed suit. This was his chance to build a relationship with his grandfather, ensuring he wouldn’t be too shocked when the truth eventually ca to light.
---------------------------
In the room next to them, Duke Loraz and his son were also discussing the matter. Initially, Duke Loraz had co to the capital to demonstrate their support for the imperial family. However, with Irene accompanying Grand Duke Rivas, Dalwin Loraz decided to follow his father. After Irene’s eting with the emperor, he intended to approach her as he usually did.
Duke Loraz sliced a piece of at while speaking to his son.
"Then, what if there is sothing between them? It would be difficult even for , to prevent soone of that caliber if they have a special relationship."
Dalwin Loraz clenched his fist, feeling threatened by the sudden appearance of a man called Aldrian. Many said that Aldrian, the hero who saved many lives, was a handso young man with powerful strength. Well, that was obvious, considering all he had accomplished. People he t inside the Rivas family had ntioned that Irene’s character changed whenever Aldrian was brought up.
They said that Irene, who had never shown any expression toward the opposite sex, suddenly changed, becoming like a captivated woman whenever she heard the na Aldrian. She didn’t have a negative opinion of him and didn’t hesitate to complint or defend him in her own stories. He had already tried talking to Irene about Aldrian, but, as usual, she gave him the cold shoulder and didn’t reveal much information about him.
After eting Aldrian just now and seeing how young Aldrian still appeared compared to Irene, he felt a slight sense of relief. There was no way Irene could be interested in a younger boy, right?
However, if Aldrian did have a special relationship with Irene, didn’t that an he no longer had a chance? He gritted his teeth. No, it wasn’t settled yet. He still didn’t know what Grand Duke Rivas was thinking. Irene’s status was special, and with Aldrian’s unknown origins, even if Grand Duke Rivas agreed to their relationship, the imperial family would certainly have sothing to say.
The imperial family must know what Aldrian had done and would want to learn more about him. Dalwin believed that the imperial family was likely to interfere in this matter due to Aldrian’s unknown origins. They would want to ensure that Aldrian wouldn’t turn against them in the future. Once Aldrian entered the Rivas household, there would be a shift in power within the region that could threaten the imperial family.
"Yes, it won’t be simple for the Rivas family. Maybe their relationship could work if the Rivas were a normal household, but they are a high noble family and must consider other factors, especially the politics of the empire," Dalwin thought.
Duke Loraz, seeing his son holding back his anger, sighed and spoke to him.
"Dalwin, although I would gladly have Irene as my daughter-in-law, we still have to consider the bigger picture. There are many unexpected things that might happen in the future. While we don’t yet know what kind of relationship Aldrian has with Irene or what Grand Duke Rivas thinks of him, his achievents are enough to leave a favorable impression on many people in this empire."
"And before you dwell on the possibility of the imperial family’s negative opinion, you must also consider their positive one. If they believe they can gain Aldrian’s strength within the empire through the Rivas family, they may even set aside their petty suspicions and allow Aldrian to marry into the Rivas family."
It was as if Duke Loraz knew exactly what his son was thinking, so he offered his perspective.
"So, I hope you don’t do anything stupid that would make the situation worse. However, all of this is still just an assumption, so don’t dwell on it too much. Continue your cultivation, and you will be in a better position to elevate our family to greater heights," Duke Loraz said.
"Rember, son, in the end, the truth lies in your own strength. Even if we don’t have a marriage alliance with the Rivas, we will have a strong position if you possess power of your own. So, don’t let your emotions cloud your judgnt," he added, his expression solemn.
Dalwin could only grit his teeth because what his father said was true. However, he had been pursuing Irene for a long ti and still felt reluctant to let go of her. It was true that one of the main reasons he pursued Irene was to elevate his family, but he also had feelings for her. There was no way any man could walk away unaffected after seeing what kind of person she was.
Duke Loraz looked at his son for a mont before closing his eyes and sighing. He knew that it would take ti for his son to forget about his plan to pursue Irene and move on. Pride and romantic feelings were not easy to set aside, especially for a man of his son’s status, where most desires were easily fulfilled.
He could only hope that his son would take his words to heart and not do anything foolish.
----------------------------
After half an hour, Aldrian and Grand Duke Rivas finally erged from the private room. There was no further conversation after they ca out. Eleine and the others followed them as they exited the restaurant. Once outside, Aldrian looked at Grand Duke Rivas.
"Your Excellency, once again, I hope you will stay true to your words when the ti cos," Aldrian said with a smile before he and his group walked away.
Grand Duke Rivas stood there, motionless, watching Aldrian’s back. He glanced at Eleine for a mont before returning his gaze to Aldrian, watching until they disappeared into the bustling street.
"How did it go? Was your conversation with him good?" Duke Loraz asked Grand Duke Rivas.
The Grand Duke didn’t answer, but he recalled their last conversation inside the private room.
"Your Excellency, between your daughter and your pride, which one is more important?" Aldrian had asked him.
Grand Duke Rivas frowned at the question, but he still answered it nonetheless.
"Of course, I will prioritize my daughter. She is my only child, the only hope and successor for the longevity of the Rivas family. Her existence is a blessing for my family. My job is to protect and guide her until she is fully ripe and ready to lead. Pride is one aspect that I should hold onto, but too much pride is dangerous and can bring about my downfall."
Aldrian smiled upon hearing the answer.
"Then I hope Your Excellency will stay true to your words and remain steadfast in the future. That kind of mindset, I hope you will always keep."
Grand Duke Rivas didn’t fully understand what Aldrian ant by that, but it seed as though Aldrian knew sothing he didn’t.
"My pride or my daughter, huh."
"Our conversation went well. He is truly a formidable young man," Grand Duke Rivas said with a sigh.
"Let’s go. Irene is still waiting at the imperial palace."
They then walked in a different direction, where their carriages were already waiting.
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