Chapter 127
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Betrayal and a Confession
128
In the deep of the night, Aser ascended the tower in a hurry, a lit candlestick in hand.
He had to report this news as quickly as possible.
Reaching the top of the tower, he opened a cage and tied a letter to the leg of the fastest falcon.
The recipient was the Astrofel family.
“Fly as high as you can to avoid being seen. And do not bring back a reply.”
Understanding his words, the falcon cried out once, then soared high into the sky.
“This is serious.”
The Lord of the Artban family was departing for the North tomorrow morning.
If a child of the family hadn't returned to report this, he would have remained oblivious until the very day of Lord Artban’s departure.
Strict warnings must have been given, as there were no rumors circulating outside.
Aser could not hide his anxiety.
Because Aileen was in the North.
“To think he would make a move himself.”
Diel Artban had begun to act personally. What could this mean?
It was not a good situation, especially when they had yet to identify the traitor targeting the Loisar family.
He had to hurry.
Who was it that coveted the position of the family head?
If it wasn't Yus, whom he had suspected, then where could they be hiding?
Aser returned to the main fortress and headed for the lord’s office.
“Good evening, Aser.”
“…Yus? What are you doing coming out of there?”
“I was on duty today.”
Yus answered in a drained voice. The lord’s duties were currently being divided among the elders according to their importance.
It had been months since the lord was absent. Talk about his absence was beginning to stir within the clan.
The more perceptive ones were already asking where Grey was.
“I see. You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all. You’re the one who’s truly working hard, Aser. You’re in charge of overseeing the entire family right now, aren’t you?”
“…It can’t be helped.”
“I hope Jeff returns soon. Then I think we’ll be able to breathe a little.”
At Yus’s words, Aser paused. The life or death of Jeff, the former heir, could no longer be confirmed.
As Kaide had said, the theory that the Artban family had dealt with him was the most plausible.
“…Right. We’ll be able to see him again, so don’t worry too much.”
“Yes. Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
Yus bowed his head and turned to leave. In that instant, something caught Aser’s eye.
The key.
The key was gone.
Aser quickly called out to stop him.
“Yus.”
“Yes, Aser?”
“Where did the key that was here go?”
The deep underground prison of the Eastern Central territory. The key that could open its doors had vanished.
“The key, you ask? It should be in its usual place.”
Yus tilted his head with a clueless expression and checked the hook where it was kept.
But there was nothing hanging on the hook. At the same time, Yus’s expression hardened.
“I-It was definitely here.”
Yus began to search the surroundings in a panic.
The Eastern Central underground prison was infamous as a place where only the Su-in who had committed the most heinous crimes were confined.
For the key that managed such a place to disappear was tantamount to a state of emergency.
Aser stared directly at Yus with wary eyes.
“You didn’t take it, did you?”
“No! What would I even do with it?”
Each family possessed one key to the Central underground prison.
And only a direct descendant of the family was permitted to use it.
“Then who is the culprit? You’ve been the only one in the lord’s office since yesterday.”
“Th-That is…”
“Why can’t you speak?”
“Well…”
Yus opened his mouth as if he had remembered something, then flinched and shut it.
Aser’s eyes narrowed.
“Anyone would find you suspicious in this situation. You were in charge of managing it this time. You know what you have to do if you want to clear your name.”
“It really wasn’t me… I’ll look for the key again.”
“Where are you going to find it?”
“…”
“Do you have any idea who might have taken it?”
At Aser’s probing question, Yus’s shoulders flinched. Just then, the single candle illuminating the room flickered out.
Simultaneously, Aser’s gaze met a pair of amber eyes reflected in the window.
“Selmeyer…?”
Aser spoke the name, his voice stiff. Yus’s eyes trembled in disbelief.
The hawk-like eyes in the window’s reflection curved upward.
“Well done, Yus. Just like my son.”
*Shing.*
With the chilling sound of steel, the sword hanging on the wall was drawn by the traitor’s hand.
***
“Young Master Sage.”
Eve, who had been walking on eggshells for days, cautiously called out to Sage.
His call was ignored yet again. Eve felt like he was about to go mad.
Ever since Eve had returned from his errand, Sage’s mood had hit rock bottom.
“Why don’t you just go see her? Why are you holding out here?”
“Because you ran the errand.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“I have no pretext.”
“But you were the one who ordered me to do it!”
Eve felt wronged.
All he did was diligently carry out his mission.
What he got in return was a nagging from a sullen Sage.
Come to think of it, Aileen didn't seem too happy when she received the jewels either.
“Somehow, she didn’t seem interested in the jewels at all… But since you gave them to her, it will be different.”
Eve quickly changed his tune as a pair of chilling blue eyes turned on him.
There was clearly something between those two that he didn't know about.
Isn’t there a saying that no one knows what goes on between a man and a woman except the two of them?
When he had secretly checked in the dining hall that morning, the ring was still securely on Aileen’s finger.
Eve cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“A reply came that Lord Artban should arrive in the North soon.”
“I heard the Loisar clan brought the reply… I remember them not participating in the Eastern war this time.”
“I find that a bit strange as well. That they didn't participate in the war, yet are still under the influence of the Artban family.”
He thought that since controlling the sky was such an advantageous condition, the Artban family would have been the first to demand their participation in the war.
And he had assumed the Loisar family had refused.
He thought they had chosen to give up their succession and come out from under the Artban family’s wing.
Yet, it was the Loisar clan who delivered Lord Artban’s reply.
“What could it be?”
*Tap. Tap.* Sage tapped the documents with the tip of his pen, lost in thought. There were one too many things that didn’t add up.
There was a clue that seemed on the verge of being unraveled, yet remained elusive.
“Was that everything from the investigation into the Artban family last time?”
“Yes. The family is so reclusive that it was impossible to investigate any deeper.”
Having been rivals with the Miat family for a long time, they had a very closed-off structure.
All paths leading to their castle were protected by a pheromone barrier, making it impossible for anyone but their own kind to even find the entrance.
The information Eve had brought was the most that could be gathered from the outside.
“Perhaps I should have captured and interrogated the Loisar who brought the reply.”
“Please don’t say such dangerous things.”
“If I shake them down, something is bound to fall out.”
Something was clearly happening on the inside.
If someone was delivering replies, it meant they could enter the Artban estate.
“What a shame.”
“Indeed. I will go and tell them to prepare to receive our guest. Lady Muhella has high expectations. If this matter is resolved well…”
*Click.*
The office door opened smoothly without any warning. Both men’s gazes turned toward the door. Aileen was standing there, holding the jewelry box.
“Oh, that’s…”
Glancing furtively at Sage, Eve clamped his mouth shut.
Oh my. Good heavens.
He had spoken too soon.
How much must she have disliked them to bring back the entire box? Surely at least one of them would have been to her liking.
Sage’s expression sank without a trace.
“Eve.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Get out.”
Praying that this situation would end peacefully, Eve quietly stood up.
“I’ll be leaving then. Please, talk amongst yourselves.”
Eve scurried out of the office.
***
After Eve left, silence descended upon the office.
Sage silently looked at the jewelry box on the desk.
“It looks like you haven’t used them all yet.”
“That’s right. On second thought, I don’t think this is right, so I came to return it.”
“…What isn’t right?”
Sage tilted his head with a look of incomprehension.
But from my perspective, this was wrong no matter how I looked at it. Especially the fact that there were still several days’ worth of jewels left was extremely bothersome.
“And I don’t like the designs, either.”
“…All of them?”
Sage’s expression twisted with anxiety.
Was disliking the jewels such a shocking thing?
I felt a little sorry, but it couldn’t be helped.
I still had more to say to achieve my goal.
“And just in case you were thinking of it, I’m going to dislike anything new you prepare for me, too. So don’t waste your effort.”
If I get another huge batch like that, I won’t be able to see you until I use them all up.
So from now on, I’ll have to come and get them one by one whenever I need them.
“So from now on, just one…”
“Fine, then.”
“…Huh? What’s fine?”
I wasn’t finished speaking. His swift agreement made me stop, and I looked at Sage, bewildered.
Sage stood up from his seat and came closer.
Unlike his anxious appearance just moments ago, his expression was now unreadable.
“We could have just kept things simple for each other.”
“What do you…?”
“Just as you need me, I need you too, Aileen.”
I stared blankly up at Sage.
I thought he had been avoiding me all this time. Was I wrong?
Sage gently took my hand, which was lost in confusion, and slowly infused his pheromones into it.
The sensation was so refreshingly cool that my whole body felt light. I grew dizzy and squeezed my eyes shut.
The pheromones inside my body welcomed his, beginning to mingle together.
“Just keep me by your side, Aileen.”
“Hngh.”
“My pheromones are still useful, aren’t they?”
His low whisper tickled my ear. His words were so alluring they felt almost threatening.
The pheromones, seeping in as if to tease me, began to roam familiarly, as if they already knew every corner I desired.
“Whenever it’s convenient for you, whenever you need me, just seek me out.”
“Sage, stop…”
What in the world was this situation?
This wasn’t what I intended. It was impossible to know where I had provoked him.
My legs felt weak, and as I was about to stumble, I leaned against the wall. Sage let go of my hand.
I twitched my fingertips in disappointment, unable to recover from the shock.
“I like you, Aileen.”
At those words, my heart seemed to drop, then began to pound, faster and faster.
I covered my mouth.
Since when? When did I start having these feelings without even realizing it?
*Whoosh.*
My face, my entire body, felt like it was on fire.