Chapter 28
Kasián’s thoughts froze for an instant.
He had been certain there was absolutely no feeling between the two of them…
“Madam, we must stop here. I cannot betray my lord.”
“No! I need Sir Pavel. If Sir Pavel refuses, I’ll go alone!”
A succession of sorrowful voices, like lovers eloping, rang out.
Unwholesome thoughts tangled and multiplied, slowly consuming his mind.
Normally, he would have opened the door without hesitation, but strangely, his hand on the doorknob refused to move.
After a long hesitation, Kasián finally pushed the door open.
And an unbelievable sight unfolded before him.
“Madam! Please get down at once!”
“Move! I’m leaving!”
Ibelin had one leg perched on the window sill.
Pavel was blocking the window with his entire body to stop her.
“You must maintain propriety! How can the Duchess possibly jump out of a second-floor window just because she wants to go to the black market at night!”
“That’s exactly why. And if Sir Pavel had agreed to take me properly, I wouldn’t have gone this far!”
Kasián felt his mind go blank at the absurd scene before him.
“What are you two doing?”
He barely forced the words out through gritted teeth.
Both of them turned toward Kasián at once.
“Lord?”
“Darling?”
Seeing Kasián, Pavel shouted desperately as if he had found a savior.
“My lord, please, p-please stop the madam!”
“Darling, don’t listen to the captain of the guard. I’m busy, so I’m just going out for a bit—agh!”
Before Ibelin could finish, Kasián swiftly pulled her into his arms.
Suddenly buried in his broad embrace, Ibelin looked up with a sulky expression.
“Why are you here? You said we shouldn’t meet during the competition for fairness.”
“I had a feeling something might happen, so I stopped by briefly.”
“Tch. Put me down first.”
At her complaint, Kasián carefully set her down on the sofa.
“So, what is it?”
“If I tell you, will you come with me?”
“Let me hear it first.”
“Promise you’ll come with me, then I’ll tell you.”
“No.”
Pavel, who had been blocking the window, vigorously shook his head in protest, signaling urgently, but Kasián ignored him and turned back to Ibelin with a calm expression.
“Very well.”
“You’ll come with me?”
“Yes.”
After several confirmations under suspicious gazes, Ibelin finally spoke.
“Well…”
Sometime earlier.
“It’s a nice day. Shall we take a walk in the annex garden?”
“Would you like to join us for tea?”
Natalie and Reina had come to find Ibelin.
To build friendly relations, they had extended the invitation first.
Lying limply on the sofa like damp laundry, Ibelin was about to refuse when she saw a trolley passing behind them loaded with a strawberry cake and immediately stood up.
“Alright! Why don’t we invite one more person too?”
“Oh, there as well?”
“Hmm, we don’t really mind, but could you ask for us?”
Natalie and Reina didn’t seem pleased with Daisy and showed clear reluctance.
So Ibelin told them to go ahead first, then headed toward Daisy’s room.
“Does she prefer corners?”
Daisy’s room was at the far end of the annex.
It had been assigned there at her request for a quiet place away from people, but the corridor was filled with a cold silence.
Just as Ibelin was about to knock, a furious voice came from inside the door.
“Father! Why is that woman here?!”
Daisy was fuming.
“Why is that shameless woman still here? She’s not even supposed to be a proper participant in the competition!”
It was clearly about Ibelin.
She considered turning away as she had expected such remarks.
If not for the disturbing conversation that followed.
“If you won’t help me, are you trying to ruin me instead? You did handle the Pican region incident properly, right?”
‘The Pican region incident?’
Sensing something off, Ibelin pressed her ear against the door, masking her presence.
It seemed they were communicating through a transmission device.
After a long exchange, Daisy spoke sharply.
“Understood. Tonight, the Spring of Traces will appear at the black market, so make sure you buy it! And don’t you dare ruin my life—handle the aftermath properly!”
Her voice carried urgency.
Eavesdropping was wrong, but Ibelin quickly realized the Mute Count’s family was involved in the Pican incident.
When precise time and place were mentioned, she memorized them quickly and left.
Back to the present.
“I see. The Spring of Traces…”
A relic that erases traces of what once existed.
Among high-grade artifacts, it was considered top-tier.
While mid-grade relics could erase most traces, they had limits; for serious evidence removal, the Spring of Traces was required.
In other words—
“So the Mute Count’s family is involved in the Pican incident. If it was not a natural disaster but a deliberate one, they would try to erase all evidence.”
“They’ll likely try to purchase it at auction and conceal the evidence.”
Though their intentions were unclear, they needed to observe the situation at the black market.
However, there was one concern.
“Must you go, Madam?”
“Yes. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
The black market Ibelin mentioned was within the territory of Viscount Hetius.
While he was appreciated for his contributions to the south, Ibelin meeting the viscount would be problematic.
Pavel must have been desperately trying to stop her because of that.
“This matter is—”
“A man shouldn’t go back on his word twice. Surely my husband wouldn’t do that, right?”
Kasián tried to respond calmly to dissuade her, but he was cut off immediately.
He couldn’t bring himself to refute it.
As expected of the queen of high society, she subtly manipulated emotions.
After a moment of hesitation, Kasián reached a compromise.
“Very well. I will accompany you. But you must not remove the mask I give you.”
Later.
“Please show your invitation.”
“Here.”
“Welcome to the world of indulgence.”
Passing through the dark alley, I handed the invitation to the doorman and entered.
Contrary to expectations of a damp, unpleasant air, a refreshing and pleasant scent filled my nose. It felt strangely familiar.
“Thank you for coming! We have many new items prepared, so please enjoy yourselves!”
Masked figures concealed their identities and cheered at the announcer’s words, waiting for the auction items.
Items such as Dwarf Tears, skeleton bones, and gargoyle cores appeared, along with various relics obtained from monster hunts.
Of course, our target—the Spring of Traces—would appear later.
“Would you like a glass of champagne?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll pass.”
Before I could reach out, Kasián stopped me.
After the waiter left, he spoke.
“You must not drink anything carelessly.”
“Everyone else is drinking it.”
“There may be unknown substances in it.”
He also made sure to tighten the mask on my face.
“Hey! It’s already uncomfortable!”
While others wore beautiful half-masks like butterflies, cats, or peacocks, mine covered my entire face.
They said it was a squirrel mask, but to me it looked like a raccoon.
For reference, Kasián wore a fox mask.
“If you’re thirsty, drink this, Madam.”
With a slightly puffed expression visible even through the mask, Kasián took out a drink from his coat.
It was orange juice with a refreshing and mildly sweet taste.
Feeling better, I was about to finish it when a waiter carrying wine accidentally spilled it onto my dress.
“I’m sorry, guest!”
In the blink of an eye, my dress was soaked.
“I sincerely apologize! Please allow me to guide you to the powder room.”
After the repeatedly bowing waiter, I told Kasián I would return shortly and followed the staff.
But when I entered the powder room…
“My Bell, what are you doing here?”
A man I had never seen before suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist, kissed my hair, and spoke in a trembling, emotional voice.
