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the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 237: v2 - 56: a father’s concern IV · Oct 27, 2026

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Chapter List (304)

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201 Chapter 201: v2- - 20: his private chambers III 2026-10-27
202 Chapter 202: v2- - 21: choose me, everytime 2026-10-27
203 Chapter 203: v2- - 22: certainty 2026-10-27
204 Chapter 204: v2- - 23: breakfast I 2026-10-27
205 Chapter 205: v2- - 24: breakfast II 2026-10-27
206 Chapter 206: v2- - 25: breakfast III 2026-10-27
207 Chapter 207: v2- - 26: a small packet I 2026-10-27
208 Chapter 208: V2- - 27: a small packet II 2026-10-27
209 Chapter 209: v2- - 28: free to choose 2026-10-27
210 Chapter 210: v2- - 29: the second test I 2026-10-27
211 Chapter 211: v2- - 30: the second test II 2026-10-27
212 Chapter 212: v2- - 31: the second test III 2026-10-27
213 Chapter 213: v2 - 32: the second test IV 2026-10-27
214 Chapter 214: v2- - 33: the second test V 2026-10-27
215 Chapter 215: v2- - 34: The second test VI 2026-10-27
216 Chapter 216: v2- - 35: the third test I 2026-10-27
217 Chapter 217: v2- - 36: the third test II 2026-10-27
218 Chapter 218: v2- - 37: the fourth test 2026-10-27
219 Chapter 219: v2- - 38: the fifth test I 2026-10-27
220 Chapter 220: v2- - 39: the fifth test II 2026-10-27
221 Chapter 221: v2- - 40: the fifth test III 2026-10-27
222 Chapter 222: v2- - 41: aftermath 2026-10-27
223 Chapter 223: v2 - 42: the emperor’s decision I 2026-10-27
224 Chapter 224: v2- - 43: the emperor’s decision II 2026-10-27
225 Chapter 225: v2- - 44: the emperor’s decision III 2026-10-27
226 Chapter 226: v2- - 45: the emperor’s decision IV 2026-10-27
227 Chapter 227: v2- - 46: the emperor’s decision V 2026-10-27
228 Chapter 228: v2- - 47: more than sufficiently 2026-10-27
229 Chapter 229: v2- - 48: morning after I 2026-10-27
230 Chapter 230: V2- - 49: morning after II 2026-10-27
231 Chapter 231: v2 - 50: Morning after III 2026-10-27
232 Chapter 232: v2 - 51: lunch 2026-10-27
233 Chapter 233: v2- - 52: a moment of peace 2026-10-27
234 Chapter 234: v2 - 53: a father’s concern I 2026-10-27
235 Chapter 235: v2 - 54: a father’s concern II 2026-10-27
236 Chapter 236: v2 - 55: a father’s concern III 2026-10-27
237 Chapter 237: v2 - 56: a father’s concern IV 2026-10-27
238 Chapter 238: v2 - 57: days in passing 2026-10-27
239 Chapter 239: v2 - 58: the Imperial wedding 2026-10-27
240 Chapter 240: v3 - 1: the man who survived I 2026-10-27
241 Chapter 241: v3- - 2: the man who survived II 2026-10-27
242 Chapter 242: v3- - 3: the arena I 2026-10-27
243 Chapter 243: v3- - 4: the arena II 2026-10-27
244 Chapter 244: v3 - 5: arena fighters I 2026-10-27
245 Chapter 245: v3- - 6: arena fighters II 2026-10-27
246 Chapter 246: v3- - 7: Arena fighters III 2026-10-27
247 Chapter 247: v3 - 8: The deathly course I 2026-10-27
248 Chapter 248: v3- - 9: the deathly course II 2026-10-27
249 Chapter 249: v3 - 10: the deathly course III 2026-10-27
250 Chapter 250: v3 - 11: the deathly course IV 2026-10-27

Chapter 237: v2 Chapter 56: a father’s concern IV

A knock sounded at the door.

They both looked up.

The door opened.

An imperial attendant stepped inside and bowed.

”His Majesty.”

Marian immediately straightened.

The Duke rose.

Adrian entered.

His gaze went first to Marian.

Something in his expression softened.

Then he looked toward the Duke.

”Duke Valmont.”

”Your Majesty.”

The Duke bowed.

Adrian inclined his head.

Marian smiled.

She crossed the room and went directly to him.

Her hand slipped naturally into his.

The Duke noticed.

Adrian looked down briefly at their joined hands.

Marian looked between them.

”Father was just giving us his blessing.”

Adrian’s gaze settled on the Duke.

”Was he?”

”Of course.”

Marian smiled.

”He approves.”

The Duke almost smiled at the satisfaction in her voice.

Adrian looked at him for another moment.

Then back at Marian.

The Duke cleared his throat.

”Your Majesty, if I may...”

Adrian’s attention returned to him.

”I would like to speak with Your Majesty privately.”

Marian glanced between them.

For a moment, Adrian said nothing.

Then he nodded.

”Of course.”

Marian smiled knowingly.

”It is a father thing.”

The Duke gave her a look.

Marian ignored it.

She turned to Adrian and squeezed his hand lightly.

”Don’t worry.”

Adrian looked at her.

”I won’t be far.”

Something almost amused passed through his eyes.

”I know.”

Marian released his hand.

”I’ll see you later.”

She gave her father one last smile before leaving.

The door closed behind her.

The room became quiet.

The change was subtle.

Nothing in Adrian’s expression had altered.

He simply turned toward the Duke.

”How was your journey, Duke Valmont?”

The Duke stared at him for half a second.

There it was.

The ordinary question.

The calm voice.

As though the two of them were simply catching up after a long journey.

As though the Duke had not spent the entire road to the capital wondering what Adrian had truly intended.

”As well as it could be,” he answered.

”I imagine the distance was unpleasant.”

”It was.”

Adrian gestured toward the chairs.

”Then sit. You have travelled a long way.”

The Duke sat.

Adrian took the chair opposite him.

For a moment, there was nothing remarkable about the scene.

And perhaps that was what unsettled the Duke most.

Adrian looked exactly as he always had when he was composed.

Except he was no longer the Crown Prince.

He was the Emperor.

And the Duke had learned, in the time since their last private conversation, that Adrian’s silence did not necessarily mean acceptance.

Adrian waited.

The Duke looked at him.

”I think we can dispense with the niceties, Your Majesty.”

Adrian’s expression remained calm.

”If that is what you prefer.”

The Duke folded his hands.

”I came here because there are things I need to say.”

Adrian gave him his full attention.

”I am listening.”

And he was.

Quietly.

Patiently.

Without the slightest indication of what he thought about any of it.

The Duke drew a slow breath.

”A great deal has changed since we last had a private conversation.”

Adrian gave a small nod.

”It has.”

The Duke studied him.

Once, this man had been the Crown Prince who had asked him to reconsider Marian’s choice.

Now he sat across from the Emperor.

And somehow, despite everything that had changed, Adrian looked almost the same.

That was the unsettling part.

The Duke began carefully.

”There are things I understand.”

A pause.

”And things I do not.”

Adrian waited.

”There are matters I have suspected for some time. Circumstances that have never quite made sense to me.”

No reaction.

”But suspicion is not proof.”

The Duke’s voice remained measured.

”I have never forgotten that.”

Adrian continued to listen.

”I have never spoken of those suspicions to Marian.”

This time, the Duke watched him carefully.

Adrian did not react.

No surprise.

No question.

Nothing.

The Duke understood.

He had already known.

Perhaps he had always known.

And somehow, that was more unsettling than any denial could have been.

The Duke continued.

”I could not place such a burden upon her without knowing the truth.”

A pause.

”She would only blame herself.”

Adrian remained silent.

”And whatever happened in the past cannot be changed now.”

The Duke looked at him.

”Nor can I change what Your Majesty has decided.”

Still, Adrian said nothing.

The Duke lowered his gaze briefly.

”I came because I needed to see Marian for myself.”

A beat.

”I have.”

His voice softened.

”She is happy.”

”Yes.”

The answer came quietly.

Certain.

The Duke looked at him.

And there it was again.

That absolute calm.

No attempt to persuade him.

No need for reassurance.

Adrian simply knew what he had decided.

The Duke drew a slow breath.

”Then there is only one thing left for me to say.”

Adrian waited.

”I know she hurt you.”

Silence.

”She made her choice. And I have never taught her that choices come without consequences.”

The Duke’s gaze remained steady.

”But she is my daughter.”

A pause.

”My only daughter.”

Adrian’s expression did not change.

”I cannot tell Your Majesty what to feel.”

The Duke’s voice lowered.

”And I will not ask you to forget what happened.”

He paused.

”I only hope that whatever remains from that time would not become the measure of the rest of her life.”

Adrian regarded him.

For several moments, he said nothing.

Then:

”Then tell me, Duke Valmont.”

His voice remained quiet.

”What do you expect to hear from me?”

The Duke was silent.

Because there was no answer he could give without overstepping.

Finally, he said,

”Nothing that Your Majesty is obligated to promise.”

A pause.

”I only needed you to hear it.”

Adrian’s gaze remained on him.

”I heard you.”

No promise.

No reassurance.

Nothing more.

And the Duke realized that this was perhaps the only answer Adrian had ever intended to give.

He had heard him.

What he did with those words was his own decision.

The Duke rose.

Adrian stood as well.

The Duke turned toward the door.

Then stopped.

”Your Majesty.”

Adrian looked at him.

”If there ever comes a time when I must choose between my duty to the Crown and my duty to my daughter...”

He paused.

”I will choose her.”

Adrian’s expression remained perfectly composed.

”Is that a threat?”

”No, Your Majesty.”

The Duke held his gaze.

”It is a promise.”

A long silence.

Then Adrian gave the smallest nod.

”I see.”

The Duke bowed.

”Your Majesty.”

”Duke Valmont.”

The Duke left.

The door closed quietly behind him.

And Adrian remained alone.

Still calm.

Still unreadable.

As though nothing particularly significant had just happened.

To be continued

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