Chapter 114
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 114
‘If that’s the case, then it’s a relief. If not, it doesn’t matter.’
Cedric lowered his telescope.
After a perfunctory farewell to Lady Spence, who had been prattling on at his side, he set off in the direction he had been watching.
His slow pace was a product of his reason; his long strides, a symptom of his emotion.
* * *
Harriet’s steps toward Tez and his acquaintances felt heavy.
‘Those people are unpleasant.’
The memory of their scrutinizing gazes made her skin crawl and her appetite wither. She had momentarily forgotten exactly what kind of reputation Tez maintained in these circles.
She scanned the crowd, but there wasn't a single soul she could greet comfortably. If Trisha’s friends had been present, she would have approached them warmly to ask how they were faring, but she couldn't find a single familiar face. It was as if no one she knew had attended.
Lingering near strangers to eavesdrop on their conversations would only draw suspicion or caution, so she didn't dare try.
‘To think that even gathering scraps of gossip was something Tez expected of me. Am I really going to waste more time here before leaving?’
She let out a heavy sigh, and at that exact moment, someone stepped up beside her, matching her pace.
“Lovely weather for an outing, isn’t it?”
“Duke Kailas?”
Cedric was just as composed as he had been at the auction house, despite the suddenness of the encounter. It was almost irritating. Feeling as though she were already losing some unspoken contest, Harriet deliberately tilted her chin higher.
“Indeed. Spring has truly arrived.”
“Ah, this way for a moment.”
Whether Cedric heard her reply or not, he placed a hand behind her back and guided her toward someone. Even though the contact was light, his body heat was palpable through her clothes, making Harriet go rigid. She was too flustered to even register who they were approaching.
However, Cedric’s greeting soon revealed the man’s identity.
“Good day, Lord Albeman. This year’s outing seems to be a grand success as well.”
“Ah! Welcome, Duke Kailas! My apologies for not greeting you sooner.”
At the mention of ‘Lord Albeman,’ Harriet’s legs nearly gave out. This was a level of tension entirely different from her awareness of Cedric’s touch. Since there couldn’t be another Albeman of such standing, the elderly man before her was undoubtedly Count Robert Albeman, the owner of Albeman Bank.
“Harriet, allow me to introduce you. This is Count Robert Albeman. He is the host of today’s festivities.”
I know. I know!
Harriet swallowed hard, then forced the brightest smile she could muster and offered a graceful curtsy.
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Harriet Listerwell.”
“I am Robert Albeman, and the pleasure is all mine. It is an honor to meet a lady as beautiful as you, Lady Listerwell. But how do you two happen to know each other...?”
His eyes were bright with curiosity. Harriet dreaded how Cedric might answer, but he spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“She is my business partner. A very resourceful and bold entrepreneur.”
“Oh, truly? What sort of venture have you been involved in recently?”
“Hmm, it is a business related to personal hygiene, though it isn't quite at the stage where I can reveal the specifics...”
At the vague explanation, Harriet let out an awkward little laugh. To transform a beauty venture into a "personal hygiene" business... well, soap was technically related to hygiene, so he wasn't lying.
Though he could have pressed for more, Lord Albeman simply nodded and extended his hand to Harriet.
“If you are an entrepreneur partnered with Duke Kailas, then we at Albeman Bank would be delighted to welcome you. With the Duke’s guarantee, a loan at the lowest possible interest rate is specially available to you.”
Harriet gave another stiff, “Haha,” and took the hand he offered. She expected a simple handshake, but he gave the back of her hand a respectful mock-kiss, treating her with the utmost deference.
Cedric, meanwhile, interjected with a slightly wry tone.
“My apologies, but I’ve already secured her.”
“Even with investment from the Ducal House, there may be instances where funds run short.”
“No, that won’t be the case.”
At those words, Lord Albeman’s gaze shifted slightly. Typically, entrepreneurs didn't rely on a single source of investment. Most gathered a pool of investors and took out bank loans to keep their businesses running—unless they had secured a backer so massive that their capital was effectively bottomless.
The statement that bank loans wouldn't be necessary meant Cedric was investing a staggering sum.
“I failed to recognize your standing, My Lady. I worry if I have made some misstep.”
Harriet felt a chill run down her spine at his sudden, even more deferential attitude. A titan of the financial world, a man known by everyone in the Empire, was apologizing to her—and for something he hadn't even done wrong!
Unsure how to respond, she glanced at Cedric. He was looking down at her with a gentle, encouraging gaze.
‘Come to think of it, Cedric Kailas is an even more formidable figure than this man.’
Only then did the reality of her companion’s status truly sink in. When she had first gone to Cedric to demand investment, she had been fueled by a desperate courage, as if she were marching out to face an enemy. She had been stubborn and defiant, but she hadn't been afraid.
Thinking of it that way, trembling before Robert Albeman seemed inconsistent.
‘No matter how great this man is, he still stands beneath Cedric Kailas.’
Harriet relaxed her aching shoulders and naturally lifted her chin.
“Nonsense. If Your Lordship had doubted or disregarded me, it would simply be due to my own failure to make a name for myself yet.”
“I swear, that was never the case!”
The Count let out a hearty laugh and waved his hand dismissively. The distance between them had clearly closed since their initial greeting. His demeanor was as benevolent as a kind grandfather, but Harriet understood the truth now.
‘These people craft their impressions to suit the person and the situation.’
One did not come to own the Empire’s foremost bank by being as soft as a grandfather. He was likely more ruthless and cold-hearted than anyone. He might be gentle to the wealthy, but if a debtor failed to repay a single penny, he would likely throw them to the wolves without a second thought.
Suddenly, Cedric’s earlier words—welcoming her to the world of crime—came back to her. It was highly likely he hadn't been joking.
Steeling herself, Harriet smiled sweetly. In this world, appearing naive was the quickest way to become prey.
“I am only joking. I look forward to working with you, Count Albeman.”
“The pleasure is all mine! Hahaha!”
After exchanging a formal parting, she stepped back, only to see Tez approaching from across the lawn. It seemed he had come looking for her since she had been gone so long.
“So here you are, Lady Harriet.”
Only after Harriet offered a strained smile did Tez turn his gaze toward Cedric.
“This gentleman... it seems you two are better acquainted than I realized, Harriet. May I ask for an introduction?”
His words carried a subtle, barbed edge. With no other choice, Harriet stood between the two men with a forced smile.
“Uh, as you know, this is Duke Cedric Kailas. And this is—also as you know—Young Master Tez Roark.”
Even though the introduction was redundant, Cedric and Tez extended their hands and shook as if they were meeting for the first time. Both of their expressions were pleasant, yet Harriet felt an inexplicable, sharp chill in the air.
“We’ve crossed paths a few times, but I don’t believe we’ve ever been formally introduced. I am Tez Roark. And I am Lady Harriet’s partner for today.”
“We met at the polo grounds, didn’t we? I believe you were speaking of Lady Harriet then as well... Or was I mistaken? My memory is a bit hazy.”
They were both smiling, so why did the situation feel so suffocating? Just as Harriet was wishing they would finally part ways, Cedric turned to her with a gentle expression.
“I’ve been quite preoccupied myself. I completely forgot to send Lady Harriet an invitation. My sincerest apologies.”
“What? An... invitation?”
“Albeman Bank sends me several, you see. I had set one aside, thinking it would be good for Lady Harriet to attend.”
Harriet could only blink, unable to comprehend why he was saying this, but Tez asked on her behalf.
“Forgive my impertinence, but why would Your Grace be looking after Lady Harriet’s invitations?”
“I owe her a favor, and there are other reasons—though they are personal matters, too detailed to explain here.”
It was a clear signal to stop prying.
“In any case, since her partner has arrived, I should take my leave. Young Master Roark, please see to it that Lady Harriet does not feel lonely. Farewell for now.”
With that, Cedric turned without a trace of regret and walked away.
Standing there, watching his retreating figure, Harriet was utterly bewildered.
‘Come to think of it, he was just talking to a woman from a prominent family. How did he follow me? And what did he mean by wanting to give me an invitation? Why would he say that in front of this man?’