Chapter 5
Since there was nothing in particular for Aivan to do until Haren returned, he enjoyed some rare free time away from his duties.
“I wonder if they’re treating him well at the Imperial Palace.”
At the palace, he had said that he was leaving to inspect another territory. Because of that, he could not stay away for too long.
Above all, with him absent from the palace, it was obvious that they would become even more active.
By now, they’re probably gathering together without even having to worry about my presence.
While Aivan was walking through the ducal estate, lost in complicated thoughts, he heard lively voices coming from somewhere nearby.
Following the sound, he found a group of maids gathered together, chatting.
“Ah, you wouldn’t know since you came in after that. After the Duke returned here, there was a huge purge. Just thinking about that time…”
“A purge?”
“Yes. The butler who had managed this ducal estate for a long time, along with many maids and servants, were all dismissed.”
“Could you tell us more about it?”
At the low voice that suddenly came from behind them, En turned around and saw Aivan standing there.
Startled by his sudden appearance, they hurriedly fixed their clothes and bowed their heads.
“There’s no need to be so nervous. I only want to hear about the story you were just discussing. Did something like that really happen here?”
“Ah? Yes. It happened not long after the Duke returned from the capital.”
“What happened that caused so many servants to be dismissed all at once?”
“Ah, that…”
En hesitated at his question and did not immediately answer. No matter how much of a guest of Haren he was, this was still an internal matter of the ducal estate.
Noticing her hesitation, Aivan spoke sincerely.
“Duke Haren is someone very important to me. If you’re worried that I might become concerned, the Duke would probably keep this hidden until the very end.”
Perhaps his sincerity reached her, because En exchanged glances with the other maids before carefully opening her mouth.
“They deserved to be thrown out. The Duke treated us so well, yet they committed such shameless acts behind his back.”
Just thinking about it made En angry. The few servants who knew about that incident nodded in agreement.
Including En, they were among the people who had not been dismissed at the time.
As Aivan’s curiosity deepened, En began explaining what had happened that day.
The story she told him was quite shocking.
“As the Duke’s stay in the capital grew longer, he entrusted the management of the estate to the butler at the time. But it turned out that, without the Duke knowing, he had been secretly taking money from the estate’s finances.”
“Taking money?”
“He started by stealing goods from the storage rooms, and eventually went as far as embezzling an enormous amount of money. He even sold the belongings left behind by the late Madam and the young lady.”
The thing that angered her the most was that they had dared to touch Haren’s family’s possessions.
Even though they knew how much he treasured his family.
Some of those people had even been close companions of hers, making the feeling of betrayal impossible to describe.
“As soon as the Duke found out, he became furious and completely turned the estate upside down. Everyone involved received the punishment they deserved and was expelled from here. It also took a very long time to recover the items they had sold.”
Something like that happened to the Duke…
Aivan, who had been in the capital, was hearing this for the first time.
He had already been suffering enough. How much more pain must this incident have caused him?
At that moment, the maid standing beside En voiced the question she had always wondered about.
“But I heard they even forged the account books. How did the Duke discover it? He had only just returned to the territory. It’s truly impressive.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. It happened less than a week after his return.”
“Then that maid named Baylin probably doesn’t know about this either. She came here from the capital with the Duke.”
Aivan immediately became interested in the unexpected information.
“Then the maid named Baylin was someone the Duke personally brought with him?”
“Yes. She has been working here with us ever since.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
Although Aivan had heard the story, something about it still bothered him.
It felt like there was something he had missed.
But at this moment, he had no idea what exactly it was.
Around sunset, Haren returned. After having dinner with Aivan, the two headed toward the study together.
A heavy silence hung between them as they sat facing each other.
After hesitating for a long time, Aivan finally brought up the matter he had been postponing.
“As you probably expected, I want the Duke to return to the capital.”
However, Haren knew that the meaning behind returning was not simply that.
“You mean you want me to come back to His Highness’s side.”
“Yes. I need the Duke’s strength.”
Aivan spoke with genuine sincerity. There was even a hint of desperation in his voice.
Of course, Haren knew the reason well.
He knew why Aivan had traveled such a long distance to find him.
“It seems the Imperial Palace has become quite chaotic while I was away.”
“That’s right. As His Majesty’s illness continues and he remains unable to rule, their movements have become suspicious. They’ll do anything to bring me down. You know better than anyone what kind of people they are.”
Haren knew as well.
The people Aivan referred to were the kind who would not hesitate to do anything, even if their opponent was the Crown Prince himself.
As long as it helped them achieve their goal.
As a subject of the empire, Haren understood Aivan’s feelings. Especially because he had watched him closely for so long.
Even so, Haren could not give him the answer he wanted.
“I’m sorry. This is the only answer I can give you.”
“Haren.”
“You know why I returned here. After my daughter left me… it was truly difficult.”
After those words, a deep silence settled between the two.
Aivan tightly closed his mouth and could not say anything.
After his wife’s death many years ago, the only family Haren had left was his daughter.
She had been weak since birth, so she had left the capital and stayed here to recover her health.
However, due to his position, Haren often had to remain in the capital and could not visit her as frequently as he wanted.
“She told me she was fine, so I thought she really was…”
His voice trembled with emotion, as if even now the memory of that day was painful.
Without Haren knowing, his daughter’s condition had continued to worsen.
And by the time he found out, it was already too late.
She had left forever to a place where he could never go to see her again.
Watching Haren suppress his emotions, Aivan realized that he had touched a wound that had not yet healed.
I was too hasty.
He had been so focused on his own problems that he had ended up hurting him deeply.
Even though he knew how much Haren had helped him and how kindly he had always treated him.
“I’m sorry, Duke. I was only thinking about my own situation. I know better than anyone what kind of feelings you had when you left. That is why His Majesty also did not try to stop you.”
“It is nothing. I am only sorry that I cannot be of help to you.”
“Then I’ll just say I came here to clear my head for a while. Unlike the Imperial Palace, this place is far too peaceful.”
Aivan said it because he did not want Haren to feel burdened.
Knowing his intention, Haren could only give a faint smile.
“But even if that hadn’t happened, you still wouldn’t have accepted my request, would you? Because you were, and still are, His Majesty’s man.”
“I cannot deny that.”
In truth, Aivan already knew the answer.
Even so, he came to find him because even the smallest possibility was precious to him.
The existence of a reliable ally who could support him.
After finishing his conversation with Haren, Aivan returned to his room and found Baylin preparing his bed.
For some reason, he wanted to fall asleep quickly tonight, so he spoke.
“You may leave now.”
“Your service…”
“It’s fine. Go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After Baylin left, Aivan remained alone in the room. Thinking that perhaps a drink would help him fall asleep faster, he opened the door.
He intended to ask her to bring him some alcohol.
However, she was already walking far away, and it was too late to call out to her.
Aivan hurriedly followed after her, but then she suddenly stopped and entered somewhere.
That place is definitely…
He stopped in front of the door she had entered.
It was Haren’s study, the very room where he had just been.
Naturally, suspicion filled Aivan’s eyes as he wondered why Baylin had gone to visit Haren at such a late hour.
Yes, I should tell the Duke.
After spending the night tossing and turning, endlessly thinking about it, Baylin finally decided to go see Haren.
At first, she had planned to pretend she knew nothing.
But after seeing the way Aivan looked at Haren, she could feel how much he cared about him, and she could not bring herself to ignore it.
“This is also something I’m doing for the Duke.”
And someone who understood her situation well would make sure she did not become entangled with Aivan.
Remember, Baylin. This is as far as you go. You absolutely cannot interfere any further.
Repeating that promise to herself several times, she entered Haren’s study.
“What brings you here at this hour, Baylin? Is there something you wish to tell me?”
Carefully, she asked about the conclusion she had reached.
“Is the reason His Highness the Crown Prince came to see you perhaps because he needs your help with something?”
“Did you find out something?”
Despite Baylin suddenly bringing up the matter, Haren did not show surprise. Instead, he calmly asked her why she thought so.
