Catrina stood frozen, eyes wide, her mind a storm of confusion.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What in the world is happening?
Just thirty minutes ago, Rowan and the other elders had fiercely opposed her relationship with Lathel—the tension had been so thick that even a spark might've blown the entire hall apart.
Yet now, Rowan was laughing warmly with Lathel. Not only that—he'd handed Catrina the bracelet symbolizing the position of Head of the Montaline Family.
That position had been vacant for forty years, ever since the previous patriarch vanished mysteriously.
In all that time, no successor had ever been deemed worthy. Rowan, as Grand Elder, had temporarily shouldered the role himself.
And yet now, he'd relinquished it so easily, placing it in Catrina's hands. She felt bewildered, overjoyed, and deeply uneasy all at once.
Lathel took the bracelet and clasped it around her wrist.
By the time she snapped out of her daze, it was already in place.
He patted the back of her hand lightly and smiled. "Don't worry. I'm here."
Those words washed over her like a powerful sedative, sweeping away her confusion and fear.
Catrina gazed at him with pure, unshakable trust and nodded softly. "Mm. I believe you."
Rowan nodded as well, smiling faintly. "If *that person* appears, I'll inform you immediately."
Lathel returned the nod. "Understood. And when I obtain *that thing*, I'll deliver it to you without delay."
"Hahahaha..." Rowan laughed heartily, satisfied, before taking his leave.
Even then, Valoria and Lucia remained just as puzzled as Catrina, eyes full of silent questions as they turned to Lathel.
He didn't explain immediately. Instead, he smiled. "This isn't the place. Let's talk in the carriage."
…
"What? A spy from another kingdom inside the Montaline Family?" Catrina gasped. "That's impossible! All of the elders have lived and served the family for generations—none of them would ever betray us!"
Lucia and Valoria both exchanged questioning looks, eyes fixed on Lathel.
Lathel, however, remained calm—almost unnervingly so.
His confidence came from what the System had revealed: detailed knowledge of how Alex, in the original storyline, had won Catrina's heart.
He sighed softly. "I only found out by coincidence. But if you look at the family's declining trade in recent years, the rumor makes sense."
"But with no proof, will Rowan really believe you?" Valoria frowned.
Lathel chuckled. "I used deduction to connect the dots. Then I offered him an olive branch—told him I could use royal connections to uncover the spy and, in return, help rebuild the family's business."
"After all, the Montaline trade network is vast—it influences the entire Empire. If I didn't intervene now, the royal family would eventually target them anyway."
"So I used this opportunity to tie the Montaline Family's interests to ours. That way, Rowan feels secure—and the matter of internal spies becomes less of a burden for him to handle alone."
Both Catrina and Lucia, seasoned in business themselves, instantly grasped what Lathel meant.
To put it simply, Lathel had lent the Montaline Family the *authority and influence* of a Duke—one of the Empire's highest-ranking nobles with close ties to the Royal Family.
In return, the Montaline Family lent Lathel their *economic network*.
From any perspective, it was a mutually beneficial trade.
Lucia frowned. "But even so, that's not enough for Rowan to hand over the position of Family Head to Catrina so easily."
Lathel chuckled. "Of course not. The real reason he changed his mind lies in the condition I offered afterward."
Catrina, Valoria, and Lucia all looked at him curiously.
Lathel said calmly, "Rowan is dying."
"What?!" All three women exclaimed in shock.
"That's impossible!" Lucia said quickly. "Rowan may be old, but judging by the energy in his body, he could live at least another hundred years."
Lathel knew they wouldn't believe him. But according to the System's storyline, Rowan had already burned nearly all of his remaining lifespan—and that was precisely why, in the original script, he'd agreed to Alex's marriage proposal.
"You're right," Lathel said with a faint smile. "But Rowan sacrificed most of his life force to help the previous Head of the Montaline Family ascend to a higher rank. That attempt failed—and what remains of his lifespan is only a fraction."
"That's when Alex's master appeared," he continued. "He offered Rowan a deal: let Alex marry into the Montaline Family. After five years, Alex's master would extend Rowan's life."
Lucia turned toward Catrina, and Catrina looked back at her.
Both understood what the other was thinking—the same disbelief flashing in their eyes.
Lathel went on, "However, our side has a better offer. Mother, I remember you still have that pill—*Breath of Spring*, right? It's not as potent as the one Alex's master would use, but at least Rowan wouldn't have to wait another three years for it."
Lucia and Catrina both drew in a sharp breath. The way they looked at Lathel now was not just surprise, but admiration.
"Wait a second!" Lucia suddenly asked. "How do you know all this? Don't tell me—"
"Hahaha..." Lathel laughed easily, having already prepared his excuse. "During my time in the Imperial Capital—and here in this kingdom—I wasn't exactly idle."
"Do you know where information flows the fastest? Brothels, taverns, and the drunken gatherings of nobles."
"People call men like me useless—but the truth is, the 'useless' ones know *everything*. It's just that no one listens. Even when we overhear secrets, everyone assumes we're too stupid to understand or too powerless to act."
"All I did was collect those fragments, string them together—and a very long story began to form."
Catrina's eyes sparkled like twin stars. She smiled brightly. "Lathel, you're amazing. You can turn scraps of gossip into powerful knowledge."
Lucia looked at him with a mixture of fascination and affection. If Valoria and Catrina hadn't been here, she might've pounced on him right then and there.
Meanwhile, Valoria scratched her head, frowning. "Hold on! Can someone summarize that? I still don't get it."
Catrina, Lucia: "..."
Lathel: "..."
He sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. He'd forgotten—though Valoria was the Empire's strongest Swordmistress and a Duchess, her brain was mostly made of muscle.
She could slaughter armies and decipher military tactics with ease, but when it came to economics, she was as lost as a chick in a storm.
Lathel sighed again and smiled helplessly. "In short, the deal is done, Mother. Just do exactly as I say."
Valoria, though not fully understanding everything, trusted Lathel completely.
Hearing him, she nodded and smiled. "Good. We'll follow your lead."
…
The carriage arrived at Lathel's estate. Valoria escorted him into the mansion.
Catrina wanted to follow but was held back by Lucia.
"You have those memories too, don't you?" Lucia asked.
Catrina looked at her with suspicion and worry.
"Don't worry," Lucia said with a smile. "I love him too—only it seems he doesn't love me right now."
Catrina breathed out in relief at that.
"You're not jealous?" Lucia pressed.
Catrina shook her head, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Even if you share those memories, you'll know that me alone couldn't win this fight."
"As long as he lives, as long as he's happy, I don't care if ten or a hundred beauties surround him."
"You're truly forgiving," Lucia said, frowning, gaze sharpening.
"No." Catrina shook her head. "I love him with all my heart. But... what about you? Do you really trust those memories?"
"At first I didn't." Lucia laughed. "But you know how keen the Beastkin's senses are, right? And I'm the Beastkin Holy Maiden—my instincts are ten times keener than yours."
"It wasn't a memory or an illusion—it happened. The feelings were real, the memories were real. Nothing was fake."
Catrina smiled. "Even if those memories weren't real, it wouldn't change my love for him."
Lucia was taken aback and sighed, shaking her head. "It seems... I've lost to you. But don't be so proud—I have a hundred ways to seduce him."
"As I said, if you love him too, just help him survive and make him happy. I can stand aside and watch you two love each other."
"Tsk!" Lucia clicked her tongue in annoyance—Catrina's reaction was nothing like what she'd expected. She'd thought Catrina would be furious, jealous, or at least scold her for shamelessness. Instead, Catrina behaved entirely differently.
"So, what do you plan to do?" Lucia asked, frowning. "Everything seems different from my memories."
"Simple." Catrina smiled. "Lathel is clever—let him do what he wants. We just need to fully support him, back him, and protect him."
Lucia nodded, then asked, "What about your daughter and Alex?"
At the two names, Catrina's gentle face suddenly turned icy. She said softly, "Lathel is my man, my light. If they dare harm him, they will die."
"That's your daughter you're talking about," Lucia said mockingly.
But when she saw the cold, murderous look in Catrina's eyes, she realized Catrina had gone mad.
In Catrina's view, everyone was trash—even her own daughter. Only Lathel was golden.
…
Inside the room, Lathel sat on the sofa while Valoria worriedly watched him, uncertain what to do.
If he wanted her to fight and slay enemies, she could do it. But asking her to devise business schemes or clan strategies—she truly had no idea.
That was why the Sterling line had only Valoria and Lathel left.
Lathel pondered something and silently asked the System: 'Oy! If I die or fail and the world collapses, I'll return to the starting point, right?'
[Yes!] the System answered.
Lathel fell into thought at that, then smiled with a sharp edge.
Just then—
"Lathel! Get your ass out here!"
A masculine voice rang out, full of arrogance. Even without seeing who spoke, Lathel knew it was Alex.
Valoria frowned and stood up, but Lathel said quickly, "Mother! You don't need to act. Just protect me."
She looked at him, puzzled, but chose to follow his command.
Lathel rose and walked toward the door. At the same time, the System's voice echoed in his head.
[What are you planning? Do you already have some scheme?]
Lathel smiled inwardly. 'I have a slightly crazy idea, but... it sounds fun.'