Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

Lord Cyrus kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as he stepped forward.

I, instead, took a step back.

Footsteps rang loudly through the silent space.

And then Yan's bright, out-of-place voice.

"Well now, Duke Granado, welcome to Oracle's Remote Island after such a long journey. I'm happy you came all the way out here to see me. Don't know what business you've got with me, but whatever."

As I listened to Yan, I looked around the warehouse.

...No one was there.

At the back, there were only stacks of large boxes labeled "spare rope."

...But still, something felt off.

I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was here.

Perhaps Lord Cyrus felt the same presence, because he kept flicking his eyes toward the boxes in the back just like I did, while using only his words to keep Yan in check.

"I don't have any business with you. As for negotiations, I had a very good talk with your grandfather, Duke Cornelis."

Yan's eyebrow twitched halfway up.

"...What did you say you talked about with that old geezer? That decrepit fossil couldn't possibly hold a proper business conversation."

"And yet he's the one supporting you in food, clothing, and shelter, and even bringing in capital for you."

Lord Cyrus shot back immediately, and it seemed to land a surprising blow. Yan let out a small, strained "gh."

But he quickly puffed out his chest again.

"Yeah, that geezer's a good source of money. I'm adding some color to the lonely twilight years of an old man who can't do anything on his own. He ought to be grateful to me; I've got no reason to feel indebted to him."

"...I see."

"More importantly, why don't we have another business meeting? You thought it over, didn't you? A deal that benefits both sides—Granado Trading Company coming under us."

Yan produced some documents and held them out in front of Lord Cyrus.

"All you have to do is let us use the canal you developed and the Granado Trading Company's logistics network. That alone will cut our transport costs by thirty percent and increase sales by about five times."

"And what's in it for us?"

Yan shrugged.

"The life of Cyrus Granado. If you obediently do as I say, I won't sink your trade ships."

"...What is that supposed to mean? Did you hire pirates or something? For the record, our ships are strong. We ordered them from the shipyards in Sphain, and they've got more cannons than many warships—"

"That doesn't matter. We've got the strongest force around."

At Yan's words, Lord Cyrus's face grew even more sour.

"Fifty years after the war, this era of peace. Every country is bound by peace treaties, and it isn't so easy to move something as dangerous as that. A mere duke's legitimate son, a man who doesn't even have a noble title at the moment, wouldn't have the authority for it."

"I can do it. Not me, but if it's that person—"

...That person?

Yan laughed, practically glowing with joy.

"Anyway, too bad. Looks like negotiations have broken down. It seems there'll be no friendly joint management between us and Granado Trading Company after all."

"How rich coming from you. From the very beginning, you were the ones coming at us with buyouts and attempted scams. You've been trying to exploit us unilaterally from the start."

"Exactly. If all you had to do was be exploited unilaterally, then it would've been peaceful—but you'll regret that in half an hour."

"Regret, you say?"

The moment Lord Cyrus asked, Yan suddenly kicked the blanket at his feet hard.

It was a rough kick with a lot of force behind it, but the blanket must have been very heavy, because it didn't fly away—only swayed violently.

No, wait. It wasn't a blanket.

It was a person.

What looked like a bundle of blankets was actually a huge man wearing a cloak that seemed warm like a blanket.

Even after being kicked, he didn't fall, nor did he let out even a single groan. The man slowly, silently rose to his feet.

He was huge. So tall that, as someone whose height was about average for a man of Dilz, I felt like I'd strain my neck looking up at him. His shoulders and chest were so broad and thick it was as if two or three people were packed inside him. Standing beside Yan, he looked like a squirrel next to a bear—a giant man with flaming red hair.