She swallowed the rest of her words. The man she called father was someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill them after pocketing the gold.
Pavel understood. He lowered his gaze and fell silent.
"…Then how about this—what if we pledged loyalty to Grand Duke Michael instead?"
The duchess recoiled in shock.
"You can't be serious! You're the heir of House Rochester. Are you really going to serve someone else?!"
Looking at his mother, still shackled by the ghosts of the past, Pavel felt a wave of disappointment.
Their entire house had been obliterated. What use was a title now?
"…It's best to accept that the title is already gone. Right now, staying alive and finding someone who will protect us is the priority."
Pavel, who had always preferred reading to swordsmanship, understood more than most what became of a noble family that lost its pillar of strength.
He looked at his younger sisters and mother, trying to persuade them.
