SLO Chapter 70

[Onboard Party 2]

(Testa Hugaro Deskustos Side)

In the lavish suite aboard the luxury liner Dreisk, a meeting was in progress, attended by both my family and the families of my brides-to-be.

Seated at the head of the table, Father appeared to be in good spirits, engaging in conversation with the leaders of the AcGee House and the Piggs House.

The rest of us were mere listeners, not actively participating in the discussion.

Beside me sat Iris, who seemed uninterested, eating her meal with a bored expression on her face.

“I suppose we can have our discussion now.”

With the pleasant conversation between Father and the leaders of the Marquis House of AcGee and Count House of Piggs concluded, they bid farewell and left the room.

As the atmosphere lightened with their departure, Mother and my prospective mothers-in-law saw it as an opportunity to have their own gathering, mentioning a small tea party they intended to enjoy together before departing as well.

This left me with the company of Iris and my two brides-to-be.

“Brother, I can see you’d probably prefer some privacy to talk with your fiancées. I’ll head back to my room now. I will see you later.”

“All right, I appreciate your consideration.”

Iris was blossoming into even greater beauty with each passing year, to my immense joy. However, her stunning appearance seemed to intimidate potential suitors, leading to the predicament of finding a suitable match, which had become a source of concern for Father.

If she hadn’t found a partner and gotten married by the age of 20, people would likely start referring to her as a spinster.

“Lord Testa,” Bianca from the AcGee House called out, interrupting my train of thought.

She was dressed in a sexy black dress that accentuated her curvy and shapely body.

Only when you were face to face with her you would be able to tell that she wasn’t merely a pretty face; she also possessed the strength and power befitting her warmonger family’s name. Strong and beautiful, I couldn’t help but feel envious of her.

“What’s the matter?”

“May we talk about work?” Bianca asked, casting a sidelong glance at Sandra, who sat beside her.

I turned my gaze to the woman playing with her doll with a blank look in her eyes.

Hailing from the Piggs House, Sandra looked exquisite in her frilly pure white dress, yet she never made eye contact with anyone.

But of course, she was neither mentally ill nor weak.

I might be the only one who truly understood her true nature. We shared a long history together, after all.

“Pay her no mind. Speak.”

“Very well then… the plan to assassinate the traitors of the Noble Faction and the man of Luc’s faction is progressing without a hitch.”

“Hmph. I still don’t see any reason to assassinate the latter.”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do. Duke Deskustos has personally requested it.”

What a prideful man.

My foolish brother stood out more and more as he grew up, though he never grew out of those unmanly habits of his.

Although he had been an ugly child, surprisingly, he blossomed into a striking young man with looks comparable to Iris’s.

As a first-year student, he’d made a name for himself during the Sword Emperor’s Cup. He had disabled a son of the AcGee House and then declared his surrender, choosing not to participate in the finals.

Not only that, he had taken the heir of the Nezur House—one of the five main supporters of the Deskustos House—under his wing, an act which provoked Father’s pride.

While his marrying into the Count House of Caribbean was still under Father’s tolerance, his pulling not only Caribbean House but also Nezur House to his side was crossing the line in Father’s eyes.

The fact that he managed to make Father see him as an eyesore made me feel envious of him.

The Nezur House undoubtedly held immense value for the Deskustos House, providing valuable information, income, and access to talented individuals. Father would surely prefer not to draw their ire, but my foolish brother’s growing influence made it challenging to resort to drastic measures such as eliminating him.

Luc’s innate charisma posed a significant danger as he effortlessly charmed others, even without any deliberate efforts. Given that the Noble Faction wasn’t a unified entity, Father saw the need to eliminate the source of potential discord within our ranks.

It seemed like Father had tried to take his life when he was just a child. He had entrusted a butler with the task, but the attempt failed, and my foolish brother survived the ordeal. Since then, he had continued to live carefreely under the protective shield of the esteemed name of the Ducal House of Deskustos, leading an indolent and seemingly untroubled life.

“So how are you going to go about it?”

Given that eliminating Luc was no longer an option, Father switched his target to one of those close to him, the heir of the Nezur House, to send a warning message. Although I felt envious of my foolish brother, I still cared deeply for him; after all, he was my brother, and I loved him just as much as I loved Iris.

That was why I hoped that with the passing of the eldest son of Count Nezur, both the Count and Luc would come to realize the gravity of the situation, that they mustn’t go against Father’s will.

“We are going to take advantage of the distraction provided by the firework display to execute our move. We have also prepared bombs for good measure.”

I liked capable women, and Bianca, as a highly competent woman, effectively fulfilled the role of my secretary. I frequently relied on her for behind-the-scenes work.

“Don’t fail.”

“Understood!”

Bianca left the room for making the final preparations.

With her departure, the room fell into silence, leaving just Sandra and me alone. I turned my attention to her.

“Sandra.”

“Ah–!!”

This woman had always been this way for as long as I had known her. She provoked my sadistic side.

“Come.”

“…Yes.”

I led Sandra to my room.

As she sat down on the bed, I cast a cold gaze upon her.

All I did was look at her, but…

“Haa, haa, haa, haa.”

Breathing ragged and face flushing, Sandra began fidgeting and rubbing her thighs together.

“You always liked being bullied.”

“Lord… Tes… ta…”

Her eyes—blank up until just a moment ago—moistened, and she brought her lips closer to me, seeking mine.

“Stop.”

I didn’t let her touch me, which only excited her.

Ahh~ I felt so envious of her.

How could she be so lovely?! I gently placed my hand on her head.

“Hau!”

Her face going into a deeper shade of red, she muttered, “I’m… sorry… but I just… can’t suppress… my desire… for you.”

“Hmph.”

I spent my time with Sandra until the party began.

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