38 – Cypress Mosaic

Upon ​arriving ​at ​the ​mansion, as expected, ​Margaret ​was ​waiting ​with ​a worried expression.

“Lord Lorenz.”

“I ​assume ​you’ve already heard ​the report?”

“Yes.”

“There is ​no ​need ​for ​such ​concern. ​In the end, ​I ​will ​be the successor.”

“I ​will do my utmost ​to ensure ​that happens. ​However, more ​importantly right ​now… ​are ​you feeling alright?”

Lorenz, ​who had ​been heading toward the ​elevator across the underground ​parking lot, paused. He ​had assumed ​Margaret ​would naturally be worried about the ​succession issue.

Lorenz showed her ​his ​face, ​which ​had ​completely [Read on Read BL Novels][stolen content]regained its ​usual complexion.

“As ​you ​can see, I ​am ​fine. There is nothing to ​worry about.”

“I ​heard ​that at Pocontico ​Hills, ​you ​were ​unable ​to even ​attend ​the meal.”

“Ah… ​I thought my skull was going to ​split open.”

“Had your ​condition not improved ​significantly recently?”

The two entered ​the elevator. ​They were alone.

“It ​had. ​But this illness ​is temperamental. It ​does whatever ​it ​pleases.”

Lorenz spoke ​with ​a sigh, ​sounding ​almost resigned, ​but ​in ​an instant, his ​expression ​and tone ​shifted.

“Margaret.”

“Yes, ​Lord ​Lorenz.”

“Prepare ​for my marriage.”

“…Pardon? What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“You know the conditions that would be advantageous for becoming the successor, don’t you, Margaret?”

“Lord Lorenz, marriage is a recommendation, not a requirement.”

Lorenz’s green eyes stared intently at his own silhouette faintly reflected in the door ahead.

“Whether it is a requirement or a recommendation, I will eliminate every single disqualifying factor.”

“Lord Lorenz.”

Margaret explained calmly, attempting to dissuade him.

“Lady Catherine is certainly a wonderful person, but visit our sitemost people unauthorized copyalready [unauthorized copy]agree that you are the superior choice for successor.”

“Most?”

“As soon as I heard the news, I contacted a few places to gauge their intentions.”

It was a reliable move, typical of Margaret.

However, “most” did not mean the whole, nor did it mean everyone. Lorenz did not want to leave even the smallest possibility. Though he didn’t want to admit it aloud, he had a bad feeling.

Catherine’s appearance itself was an unexpected variable. If he were truly overwhelming as a successor, there would have been no need to make him compete with other candidates. That thought made Lorenz anxious.

Stepping off on the third floor, the two headed toward Lorenz’s dressing room.

“It wasn’t that long ago. You’ve heard about what happened four generations back, haven’t you, Margaret?”

As soon as he opened the door and entered, Lorenz loosened the knot of his tie. He approached the small bar on the trolley and poured whiskey from a crystal decanter into a glass.

“Victoria Lockhart. She was the eldest daughter and had almost been confirmed as the successor after expanding the business into architecture and railroads. The stolen contentreason she ultimately failed to become the successor was simply because of marriage. She unauthorized copylost her position to another competitor because she was still unmarried in her fifties.”

“You are worrying excessively. That happened over a hundred years ago.”

“In a family like the Lockharts, a hundred years is not such a distant past.”

After taking a sip of whiskey, he slumped into a plush armchair in one corner of the dressing room.

“It is more certain to remove factors that could become obstacles from the start. Is there any need to risk even the smallest danger?”

Muttering in a tired voice, Lorenz undid the top one or two buttons of his shirt and pulled the tie long from his collar.

Margaret still looked reluctant.

“But, pushing for marriage in such a forced manner…”

“Margaret, the priority is becoming the official successor.”

His tone made it clear that nothing else was under consideration.

“Haven’t my candidates for a spouse been decided since I was young? I’ll end up marrying one of them anyway, so does the timing really matter?”

“Among them, there will be someone who suits you better, Lord Lorenz.”

“I don’t care if I have to divorce later. One or two divorces aren’t a stain. Father had three himself.”

Margaret realized she could no longer stop the young Lockhart.

This was especially true because she knew better than anyone what the position of successor meant to him.

Reading the reluctance on her face, Lorenz drove the point home as he brought the glass to his lips.

“I will meet them one by one, so arrange the meetings.”

After a sip of whiskey, he changed the subject as if that conversation was finished.

“What about Lucas? What is he doing?”

“He is resting in his room with the weekend childcare provider.”

“Then, could you ask them to leave him alone for about thirty minutes?”

“Do you intend to spend time with Lucas today as well?”

Margaret’s face showed surprise, and a hint of pleasure.

Lorenz slowly swirled the glass in his hand.

“I must.”

A faint smile played on his lips as he lost himself in thought, as if recalling someone in his heart.

“Someone threatened me quite terrifyingly that I absolutely must do so.”

Nodding, Margaret left the room. Only after visit our siteslowly finishing [unauthorized copy]the glass of whiskey did stolen contentLorenz stand up. Today felt as if it were passing by exceptionally, dreadfully slowly.

■

Joshua, who remained at the mansion in Pocontico Hills, stayed until the meal ended.

Family gatherings were always a boring torture to him, enough to make him yawn. Though he was dragged along, he usually barely touched his food, frequently checking his watch only to be reprimanded by Evelyn.

But today was different.

That Lorenz would be the successor, and that today would be the occasion to announce it—Joshua himself had believed that to be the case.

And yet, three candidates for successor.

When he recalled Lorenz’s face—unable to hide his emotions, unlike his usual self—the moment Evelyn announced it, Joshua felt as if a delighted laugh would burst out at any second.

Everyone was merely watching their tongues in front of Evelyn, but internally, they seemed unable to recover from the shock. In particular, those who had assumed Lorenz would naturally be the successor and had lined up behind him were visibly shaken.

Just enjoying that atmosphere made Joshua feel full without [stolen content]eating and [unauthorized copy]Read on Read BL Novelsintoxicated without drinking.

However, he had no intention of staying for the drinks after the meal.

Ah, it would be the best if I could be with <them> on a day like today.

“Joshua, Joshua!”

Someone urgently called out to Joshua as he was whistling his way out of the dining room.

They were two or three relatives who were closely influenced by Joshua’s maternal father and leaned toward Joshua’s side. Joshua himself regarded them as nothing more than his father’s lackeys and found them annoying.

“Where are you rushing off to? It would be nice if you joined the cocktail reception.”

“Unfortunately, I have a business meeting scheduled for later.”

Of course, it was a lie.

“It must be quite a hassle to manage affairs in the West while staying in New York.”

Following the words of concern, another person added a reproachful comment.

“And yet, isn’t he doing a wonderful job?”

“That’s true. Since he’s young, the place he works isn’t that import—”

“But what is it that you want from me…”

Having no intention of listening to meaningless flattery for long, Joshua cut the conversation short, and only then did they bring up their main point.

“We haven’t even had the chance to congratulate you.”

“It was completely unexpected for us as well, but we welcome any variable like this.”

“Congratulate me? What are you talking about?”

“About becoming a candidate for successor.”

Their faces were filled with hope, as if Joshua had already been designated as the successor. Whether it was his father or these people, why were they all so blindly optimistic…

“As you know, I have no interest in such things.”

“No interest! My dear man!”

“Your excessive modesty is your only flaw!”

At the word ‘modesty,’ Joshua couldn’t help but let out a snort, his shoulders shaking. Even if it was just flattery, modesty… for him? It wasn’t easy to wipe the smirk off his face.

Though they looked displeased by Joshua’s rude attitude, they couldn’t bring themselves to scold him. Looking pityingly at those powerless faces—pushed to the fringes of power within the Lockhart family and forced to rely on his own father, whose ties to the family were already severed—Joshua drew a line against their vain hopes with a cold, mocking gaze.

“I don’t know what you’ve heard from my father, but struggling and scrambling with all my might just isn’t for me. I’m just going to relax and watch how things unfold. Wouldn’t that be the most entertaining? Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Leaving behind their desperate voices calling him, he widened his stride and crossed the hall. Outside the main entrance, his steps were as light as a dance as he descended the stairs that spread wide toward the bottom, like ripples on a lake.