Right after the Priest exited the room, Baron Hudson walked in while laughing "Seems like you annoyed another person to the point they left." Estafan sighed "Everyone feels annoyed being near me anyways."
Baron took the seat opposite of the Prince and said "Good that you have a friend like me who doesn't get annoyed." Estafan ignored the words and asked "Why are you here?"
"Of course." The Baron continued, "To meet my friend."
Estafan raised his eyebrows although the Baron couldn't see it due to the mask and he began to lecture the Baron "You are an administrator of this area, you should be rebuilding not chit chatting with me." The Baron grabbed some of the papers on the table and responded while reading "Please... It's boring but I came to tell you about a hot rumour from the mainland."
Baron Hudson was a well known member of the Aristocratic society albeit a low ranking one as he was like an informant for Estafan.
He would always bring news especially if it's related to Estafan or useful to him in any manner, this was a good relationship between them since Estafan in return gives some of the land he conquered to Baron and the Baron siphons as much resources he could before the temporary administration is over.
Estafan didn't care much about the things the Baron took from the area because it didn't matter much for him.
From his perspective if the Baron were to betray him then he could simply kill him off because that was how capable Estafan was and the Baron knew as well.
Baron Hudson began to say "Well.. seems like your marriage is a hot topic in the mainland now especially amongst the Nobles." Estafan asked "My marriage? Are they too stupid to not realise that I am not interested or else I would have already brought a woman and kept her by my side always."
The Baron hearing those words began to jest "I didn't know the tyrant was a lover." But he continued to explain what the rumour was about "You see your father summoned William Evergarden to the Capital and there seems to be a huge issue which happened after."
The Prince Estafan asked "Why? What happened?" Hudson continues to explain "The Marquee was granted new lands and he now has more assets than Ducal House of Ulnir."
Estafan was confused "Why would he do that all well knowing the Duke would get angry over it?" Baron pointed at Estafan "Because of you."
That made Estafan more confused and the Baron elaborated "The King gave lands to a Marquee whose daughter is betrothed to the Fourth Prince ten years ago. That only means your father desires to make sure the Marquee will never cancel the marriage between you and Veronica."
Estafan laughed at that "I don't give a damn about that. If my father wants, he can have another wife." The Baron with a poker face said "So much for being a lover."
"When I met her for the first time." Estafan was speaking to Hudson "She told me that I do not deserve her and that my brown skin was loathing... After that I began to wear a mask and dress which can hide my skin to the maximum... So why would I even consider marrying her?"
Baron Hudson suggested that "Marrying her would mean you would get the resources belonging to Marquee." Estafan interrupted and said "And be a vassal of Leprian.. my father is a fool because such actions would only lead to a quick and long civil war between the four houses."
"But won't there be a civil war either way?" The Baron asked "I mean you guys will fight each other for the throne which can cause a civil war."
Estafan explained "Of course there would be the laws that state that the Ducal Houses must not intervene in the battle of heirs no matter what but if I become the Marquee I will attack a Ducal House and others would join in causing an even larger war." The Baron asked "I see, so you could be defeated if all of them gathered."
"Nah, I'd win." He responded with a calm tone.
Which made the Baron laugh a bit but he stood up "I will return to my post but I would say you should consider marrying her since there would be some positives with such a marriage." Estafan remained silent indicating his rejection of those words.
After the Baron left, Estafan stood up and walked towards the window pondering about why this was happening.
He was forced to be betrothed to Veronica and she even went as far to say no at the Church when they were tasked to wear each other the rings but was forced by her father to do so. Right after that she threatened Estafan to remove it which he did since he didn't want to enter the bad side of others much at those times.
After coming to the frontline he melted the ring and fed it to an assassin who was sent by Duke Ushik and sent the corpse back to the duchy.
He had forgotten her, he had some interest but what he could do when that person never liked him in the first place. If she had then he would have burnt the world for her and fought to get her but she never did which made everything so pointless and unnecessary.
Estafan ordered his Messenger to prepare a letter to be sent to both his father and the Marquee.
The contents would be clear rejection and a warning to his father that he would return to the Capital soon and get the throne after killing his step brothers who all treated him badly. But there was a subtle warning that he would also get his revenge against his father if his father survives till his return.
It would take at least a day or four for the messenger to reach since the mana gate in Theon wasn't operational yet which would make it hard for anyone to travel long distance.