Chapter 160: Severed Ties
Shiao Yi panicked and stabbed at the meat on his plate with his fork.
Tonight’s main dish was roasted duck breast.
Quickly, he thrust it toward Dominic’s lips.
—Eat this instead, please.
Otherwise, Shiao Yi felt like he was about to be devoured whole himself.
Dominic’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he softened and smiled before taking the duck into his mouth with a bite.
Ah, not enough.
Shiao Yi pulled the duck meat closer and speared three more slices onto his fork before carrying them again to Dominic’s mouth.
The pieces were fairly thick, yet Dominic devoured them all in a single bite.
His features were refined, his mouth balanced and proportionate in size—yet with that very mouth, he could chew through heaps of meat without hesitation.
Elegant, composed, even graceful, and still he consumed large chunks of meat as if they vanished before anyone could blink.
It was a mystery of nature.
When Dominic laughed, his mouth opened wide in a way that was deeply masculine.
That broad, unrestrained smile—Shiao Yi loved it more than he could say.
As Dominic laughed joyfully, Shiao Yi couldn’t help but feel happy too.
"Good?" Shiao Yi asked.
"Yes, very good," Dominic replied.
"Barnes’s cooking really is the best, isn’t it?"
"It’s especially delicious because you’re the one feeding me, Shiao Yi."
Shiao Yi’s face instantly flushed crimson.
Why was it that this man could say such things so smoothly, without hesitation? And why was it that every single time, those simple, honest words threw his heart into turmoil?
Because Dominic’s words carried no pretense, no hidden motives—they were always so painfully direct.
And of course, that same straightforward man while still holding Shiao Yi tightly in his arms without any intention of letting go, he didn’t bother to hide his desire.
He carried Shiao Yi straight upstairs to the bedroom as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
By the end of the night, Shiao Yi bitterly regretted how, since their return to the capital, he had buried himself so completely in work that he had left Dominic unattended for far too long.
...
"What nonsense are you spouting! I will never agree to this!"
"Stop with your foolish talk! You stupid son!"
The usually quiet mansion shook with the echo of angry shouting.
The violent argument came from the master’s private room.
That room, which was rarely visited by its owner, finally saw Lord Gabrant return—and this was the scene that followed.
At the door, the butler Jude stood frozen, unable to hide the worry on his face, while down the stairs Eline clutched her apron with trembling hands while glancing upward in distress.
From the hallways and the doors leading to the main hall, many people with anxious faces peeked out, watching the upstairs in dread.
The cook Midas, the gardener Vitus, the maids—every servant in the mansion was gathered there.
And in the middle of the hall, it was Lambard, the guard and attendant, who was using all his strength to hold back Lord Shiao Yi, who was desperately trying to run to Lord Dominic’s side.
Lambard had been given strict orders by Dominic himself—under no circumstances was Shiao Yi to be allowed inside.
Most likely it was a clash of wills with no room for compromise, a fruitless battle of father and son throwing their claims against one another.
It all ended with a bang!—the sound of a door slamming shut so violently it made the mansion tremble.
Then, Lord Dominic came storming down the stairs with furious steps, almost as if breaking them beneath his feet.
He seized Shiao Yi from Lambard’s grip as though reclaiming him, and with his breath still ragged, he turned his head briefly toward Jude, who had run after him in panic, and spoke.
"I am leaving this house. I have severed ties with my father. This mansion belongs to him, and you all are his servants. I thank you for everything you’ve done for me until now, and I thank you especially for how well you’ve treated Shiao Yi. But this is something I should have done long ago. Farewell."
"My lord!"
"Lord Dominic!"
But Dominic ignored their cries.
While holding Shiao Yi tightly in his arms, he walked away without even a glance back at them.
It had all begun when Lord Gabrant, in rare high spirits he suddenly returned to the mansion.
Since returning from Dalmasca Kingdom, where a great political upheaval had taken place, Lord Gabrant had been coming back to the mansion more often than ever before, even staying for longer periods.
But that didn’t mean Lord Dominic ever spoke with him.
In fact, Lord Dominic was clearly avoiding him.
Lord Gabrant often looked as if he wanted to say something, but Lord Dominic would not even meet his eyes.
It was so blatant it was almost refreshing.
Still, the old master was impressive in his own way—he never gave up.
To anyone watching from the outside, this father and son who is always clashing actually looked very much alike.
Both were stubborn, single-minded, and unshaken by what others thought.
They pursued the path they believed in without hesitation.
To their enemies, they were troublesome and terrifying opponents, but to their allies, they were reliable and strong.
Their subordinates admired them deeply.
At the very least, as a general, the old master was first-class general.
The king trusted him greatly.
Nobles, royals, and powerful figures alike all wished to form ties with him.
The marriage proposals for Lord Dominic had always come without pause, but after his recent accomplishments, they had grown even more numerous.
It was pleasing to see him publicly recognized, but the flood of proposals was an irritating burden.
Apparently, there had been a strong marriage offer back in Dalmasca Kingdom, with a powerful noble house.
However, it had fallen apart.
Word was, Lord Gabrant had grumbled to Jude about it while he was drinking.
He had been quite eager for it, so the disappointment must have been heavy.