I Plotted The World Destruction With The Male Lead - Chapter 13

Riding in the same carriage as Van, Gus felt as though he were being punished. Van’s presence was suffocating, and the look in the Duke’s eyes as he glanced at Gus wasn’t the kind you’d expect from a man about to take his bride’s father into the family.

If anything, Gus thought bitterly, Van’s gaze seemed downright contemptuous.

Meanwhile, Van had already pieced together the dynamics between Eleanor and her father. Though she hadn’t explicitly said that Gus was abusive, Eleanor had mentioned avoiding situations where she or Millie might be left alone with him. That alone spoke volumes.

Margaret, too, had been abusive—both physically and verbally—to Eleanor and her siblings when they were younger. However, Margaret had stopped once the children had grown, especially after Eleanor, now taller and stronger than her mother, had once grabbed her wrist mid-slap.

From that moment on, Margaret had stopped hitting her children entirely, realizing they were no longer defenseless and could retaliate.

Thanks to that shift, Eleanor no longer had to start her mornings watching her hungover father lash out at her mother or get slapped herself during breakfast. The other siblings had similarly escaped that cycle.

Eleanor didn’t hold as much animosity toward Margaret as she did toward Gus. Margaret’s cruelty was sporadic, often forgotten by the time it happened again. And outside of moments of frustration or anger, Margaret could be kind and nurturing—so long as Gus wasn’t involved.

That complexity made it difficult for Eleanor and her siblings to completely sever ties with their mother, even though they might have been better off without her.

As Van sat in the carriage, listening to a report from his lieutenant, he couldn’t help but cast disapproving glances at Gus. It was evident to him that Eleanor’s father had mistreated her. Yet, despite his feelings, Van knew he couldn’t act against Gus without Eleanor’s permission.

“If I act without her consent, I’ll regret it later,” he thought.

Though Van had already committed himself fully to Eleanor, she seemed to have barely opened her heart to him. It stung, but he understood. After all, even he wasn’t entirely sure if his feelings for Eleanor stemmed from his role as a royal seeking a guide, or if it was Eleanor herself that drew him in.

To Eleanor, Van’s sudden emotional intensity likely felt like nothing more than the effects of guiding.

Gus, on the other hand, kept sneaking glances at Van, his unease growing with every passing moment. Though Gus was pleased that his daughter now had such powerful connections, she was still his daughter, after all.

“She’s not some shameless wench who would go crying to him about her father hitting her a few times,” Gus rationalized. But a part of him knew better—Eleanor had a temper, and that temper could be dangerous.

“A guide, huh…” Gus thought bitterly. “If only I’d known before that Duke showed up…”

Eleanor’s sharp wit and reputation had made it difficult to marry her off to a wealthy merchant or an older noble, but if he had known she was a guide, he might have been able to sell her off to a royal himself.

Clicking his tongue, Gus shook his head, lamenting what he saw as a missed opportunity.

“Ah, well,” he thought, “the best thing to do now is squeeze as much as I can out of the Duke. If she’s going to be his mistress instead of his wife, there better be compensation. And if he marries her…”

His thoughts turned calculating, a greedy glint flashing in his eyes.

“Of course he’d have to pay for that! Do you know how much that girl brings in every month?”

Despite his irritation at Eleanor’s defiance, Gus couldn’t help but smirk at the idea of having Van, a royal Duke, as his “sponsor.” His grin stretched wide, his cheekbones practically reaching for the sky as his mind churned with schemes to exploit the situation.

*

The mansion Van had arranged for Eleanor’s family was beyond anything they could have imagined. It wasn’t just a well-off merchant’s home; it was a true noble’s estate.

Dozens of servants were at their disposal, and knights personally assigned by the Duke ensured their safety.

Margaret was ecstatic, behaving as though she had suddenly ascended to the rank of nobility. Gus, too, reveled in the novelty of ordering around servants, clearly enjoying himself.

Even Peter and Leo, who had initially been somber, seemed to cheer up at the sight of their new home. Millie, likewise, was overjoyed by the grandeur of the estate, which resembled a noble’s grand manor.

Eleanor wasn’t present when they arrived, but they had no choice but to trust that she would be alright. She had promised to visit occasionally before she departed.

She hadn’t even chosen a room for herself in the mansion, a fact that left Millie feeling a little disappointed. But the prospect of selecting her own room soon distracted her, and she ran excitedly upstairs.

After seeing her family safely settled, Eleanor climbed into the same carriage as Van. He had deliberately sent his lieutenant to another carriage, clearly intending to spend the journey alone with her.

“How do you find the house?” Van asked, his voice calm but tinged with a hint of curiosity.

“It’s lovely. Thank you for your generosity,” Eleanor replied politely.

The fully furnished estate was so luxurious it felt overwhelming for a family of commoners. Sensing Eleanor might feel burdened, Van quickly added,

“Please don’t think of it as excessive. It’s a modest gift for your family. I wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

For Van, the house was a trivial price to pay. He would have given far more to keep Eleanor by his side, as she was far more valuable to him than any material possession.

Eleanor, however, was simply impressed by the speed and efficiency with which Van had secured such a grand estate in the short time since they had left her hometown. She assumed it must have been one of the properties designated for his vassals.

The carriage carrying Eleanor and Van soon entered the grounds of the Grandmire Ducal Estate. The estate was vast, surrounded by lush forests, with a garden so expansive it seemed to stretch on endlessly. It took considerable time even by carriage to reach the main house.

In her previous life, Eleanor had rarely participated in social events, even after becoming the Duke of Armore’s ward. The Duke had quickly arranged for her engagement to Carlyle, isolating her from public life to prevent other royals from discovering her value as a guide.

As a result, she had only ever visited the Armore Duke’s mansion and the Grand Duke’s estate belonging to Carlyle. She had never seen another noble’s home before.

The atmosphere of the Grandmire estate was entirely different from either of those places. It felt less like a noble’s residence and more like a small kingdom hidden within the forest.

Initially, Eleanor had thought the house she arranged for her family must be nearby and that she could visit easily. But as the carriage continued past the seemingly endless woods and gardens, she realized how far apart the estates truly were.

The Armore estate paled in comparison, and even Carlyle’s grand manor seemed only a third the size of the Grandmire estate.

Eventually, the carriage came to a stop in front of the main residence. Eleanor waited as a servant opened the door.

When the door swung open, Van stepped out first. Then, as if he were her knight, he turned back, extended his hand toward her, and said softly,

“Lady Eleanor.”

Though Eleanor wasn’t a noble, no one here dared to point that out. If her status as a guide became widely known, she would likely be granted at least the rank of a baronet, as was customary in the Empire.

The scarcity of guides in the Empire ensured they were often elevated to noble ranks, which was why Eleanor had stopped correcting Van when he addressed her with such formality. It was clear he found it uncomfortable to speak to her casually.

When Eleanor took his extended hand to step out of the carriage, Van’s expression lit up with what seemed like joy. Even after she had fully stepped down, he didn’t release her hand.

“Your Grace…”

At the entrance of the estate, a butler stood waiting alongside Van’s secretary. While the butler’s expression was composed, the secretary looked pale and anxious.

Without a word, the secretary presented a document to Van. It wasn’t delivered by a royal messenger but rather through an imperial mage stationed in the eastern duchy.

“It appears to be an urgent matter,” the secretary said.

In the Empire, the color of the wax seal on such documents hinted at their contents. Green or blue seals were used for positive matters, such as rewards or honors, while red wax seals indicated something far less favorable.

This was the first time Van had ever received a document sealed with red wax.

Van glanced at Eleanor’s face briefly before releasing her hand, his expression filled with reluctance. He broke the seal and began reading the letter.

“Looks like the rat scurried off to the capital…” Van muttered coldly, his expression hardening as an icy aura seemed to radiate from him.

It was clear now—Carlyle had gone to the capital and lodged a formal accusation with the Emperor, claiming that Van had attacked him.

*

The imperial edict was concise but damning: Carlyle had filed a formal accusation against Van, and the Duke was to appear before the Emperor in the capital to explain himself. While the words were straightforward, Van could sense the Emperor’s anger between the lines.

Though Van held the primary right of succession in the event of the Emperor’s death, Carlyle, as the second in line, was a powerful rival. The royal decree forbade private conflicts between the heirs, making Van’s position precarious.

Memories of Carlyle’s past atrocities from before Van’s regression flooded his mind, filling him with rage. Carlyle had orchestrated the Emperor’s death by trapping him, executed the Empress, and yet now he dared to cry injustice before the Emperor?

To Van, Carlyle was nothing less than a traitor who deserved to be torn apart.

However, Van knew he was at a disadvantage. The confrontation in public had occurred on a busy street, and Van’s actions had led to the deaths of dozens of knights from Carlyle’s estate. Regardless of his status as the Emperor’s nephew, the Emperor would not overlook this.

Still, Eleanor, hearing the news, showed no sign of panic. She had already tied her fate to Van’s. If Van was not safe, neither was she, yet she remained composed.

“It seems we must depart for the imperial palace immediately. Using the teleportation circle will shorten the journey, so it won’t take long,” Van said apologetically, his voice carrying regret.

In truth, Eleanor would have to accompany him anyway, as he needed to report to the Emperor that he had found his guide.

“Do I need to go with you?” Eleanor asked calmly, though her curiosity was piqued. “What exactly happened?”

“I’ve been accused, so I must go to the capital to respond. I believe it’s the Grand Duke who has filed the accusation,” Van explained.

The mention of Carlyle’s accusation didn’t surprise Eleanor. She thought it entirely plausible—it was just the kind of thing Carlyle would do.

“We should hurry, then,” she said decisively.

“You must be tired from the journey to the duchy. I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Van replied, his apology tinged with guilt.

It had only been a few hours since Eleanor’s family had been dropped off at the estate near the duchy, and they had barely settled before this new ordeal arose.

“It’s not a problem. But…” Eleanor hesitated for a moment before meeting Van’s gaze directly.

“I’d like you to imprint with me,” she said firmly.

The words left the assembled vassals visibly startled. While those who had traveled with Van already knew Eleanor was a guide, the retainers who had stayed behind were unaware.

Van, too, was taken aback by Eleanor’s sudden request.

Imprinting was typically something royalty initiated unilaterally with their guide, and it was not particularly advantageous for the royal. While the imprint would allow the royal to locate their guide at all times, it created a dependency—binding the royal to the guide’s presence without granting the guide any corresponding restrictions.

In essence, it placed the royal in a more vulnerable position than the guide.

Selfish royals rarely imprinted on their guides, even if they kept them close. A guide could imprint with multiple royals, and imprinting made the royal vulnerable, something they were loath to accept. But Van was different.

“Are you certain about this?” Van asked, his voice tinged with both caution and eagerness.

“It’s for the best. Something could happen in the capital, and it’s better to be prepared,” Eleanor replied calmly.

Since Carlyle had accused Van and summoned him to the Emperor, it was clear that Carlyle would be in the capital. Whatever schemes he might try, having an imprint could give Van a distinct advantage.

Van’s face lit up with barely contained joy. Imprinting was not a simple process—it wasn’t just a matter of forming a connection. The process heightened compatibility and often led to intimacy, as physical contact was the most effective way to establish the bond.

“Then let’s postpone our departure to tomorrow, and tonight…” Van began, his voice steady but filled with anticipation.

Even as Van implied the urgency of conducting the imprint, Eleanor nodded without hesitation. She wanted him to be in peak condition when confronting Carlyle, no matter the cost. If it meant intimacy, even in a carriage, she was prepared.

This was a stark contrast to her past life, where she had only timidly held Van’s fingertips to guide him. Eleanor was well aware of how much she had changed.

“It’s because of the way he looks at me.”

She couldn’t deny it anymore—she no longer hated the idea of being close to him. Those eyes of his, so full of love and adoration, had broken down her walls.

“Because of those eyes… I’ve grown to accept him.”