Chapter 40
At the edge of Bölln stood the Russell Marquisate, which had several similarities with the Evanstein estate.
It was located on high ground, offering a sweeping view of the city below. Scattered throughout were architectural remnants of a bygone era, still boasting their grandeur.
“The madam would like to see you in the study.”
The only one to greet Johannes Schultz was an elderly maid of the estate—nothing surprising.
Johannes walked down the corridor of the Russell estate and soon arrived at the study, where he had to endure the old madam’s sharp temperament.
At the far end of the study, adorned with a mounted deer head and surrounded on all sides by books, sat an elderly woman in an armchair. Her sharp eyes fixated on Johannes.
“Welcome, Duke Schultz. It’s been a while. Forgive me for not coming out to greet you—old age, you see.”
She closed her book, lifted her pale hand, and removed her glasses, placing them on the table.
Johannes was well aware that she was anything but frail. And just as aware of her biting nature. So, he played along.
“Think nothing of it.”
His tone may have come off a bit impolite, but the old madam didn’t mind. As she slipped on a pair of white gloves beside her, she gave a faint smile.
“You always seem to understand this old woman, Duke. That’s why I’ve always thought highly of you.”
The madam had a talent for saying things she didn’t mean.
Johannes replied without betraying any emotion.
“Just being received like this is an honor, Madam.”
“And your expression while saying something so hollow is also something I appreciate.”
“I’m honored you think so. Has there been any progress in finding your son?”
Skipping past the idle chatter, Johannes got to the point.
The sudden change in subject made the madam’s brow furrow. She toyed with her wristwatch and replied in a mischievous tone,
“…I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, dear.”
Her pale green eyes narrowed slightly. She skillfully deflected the conversation.
“By the way, I heard you married a commoner. From a prestigious house like Schultz… quite the surprise.”
Her lips curled faintly, though her eyes didn’t smile.
“Congratulations.”
Even that word lacked the slightest hint of sincerity. And then, her true feelings emerged from her wrinkled lips.
“Though… are you sure she didn’t target you for your fortune? Especially when the royal family’s financial control has increased… I hope you haven’t fallen prey to a cunning little fox, Duke.”
“Of course. I appreciate your concern.”
Johannes let out a short laugh.
“Surely you haven’t already run out of funds and come to ask for help?”
The madam quipped like it was a joke, then stared at him sharply.
She waved her wrist toward her watch—a habit typical of successful businesspeople.
“You know how valuable my time is. And as I’ve said before, I have no intention of making an enemy of the royal family. Your situation may be unfortunate… but they haven’t posed any direct threat to me yet.”
It was only natural the royal family couldn’t touch the Russell house.
During the country’s industrial rise, the railroad business had become its backbone. All railroad operation rights belonged to the Russell family. Of course, her pride soared sky-high.
A single word from her could shut down train operations.
Granted, the madam would suffer some loss too—but the royal family would never be foolish enough to provoke her unnecessarily.
“As you know well, Duke, the royal family and I are in a symbiotic relationship.”
She said this in a soft tone.
Though her support was crucial in checking royal power, Johannes had failed time and again to enlist her aid. The old woman was ruthlessly calculating.
“So, you’re saying it’s another refusal.”
“You already knew that. I always give the same answer, so I don’t understand why you keep visiting. I thought you were a clever man.”
She clicked her tongue at his marriage to a commoner and tapped her fingers on the table.
It was her way of saying: You may leave now.
“I hope you won’t be coming by for a while. Oh, and do take care of your face. It’s not a pleasant sight.”
She gestured toward a scratch on Johannes’s cheek as she added,
“If you wish, I also hope you have luck finding your son.”
The faint smile on the madam’s face cracked.
“And for the record, that’s not why I visited today.”
Without hesitation, Johannes turned and left the scowling woman behind.
He had spent quite a bit of time at the Russell estate. Without delay, Johannes headed straight to the Carriat Hotel.
“I’m here under the name Edith Prim.”
When he told the lobby attendant, the man immediately acknowledged the name without suspicion.
“Ah… Are you looking for the room reserved under Isaac Prim’s name?”
Johannes narrowed his brow and gave a dry chuckle.
“Isaac Prim?”
Some might say it was ridiculous to travel this far over just a name. But it was the perfect name to rattle that woman.
Still, it was sloppy. No finesse at all.
It didn’t seem like an attempt to harm Edith, but letting suspicious individuals roam unchecked also didn’t sit well with him.
He fixed a cold stare on the hotel employee.
“Who gave you that name?”
The man sensed something was wrong, but it was too late—Johannes had already caught on. He had no choice but to come clean.
“You… How did you even get here? Don’t tell me—you sent that letter?”
I couldn’t believe it, but the person in the room was indeed my husband.
Standing frozen at the door, I saw Johannes holding up a piece of paper.
With a faintly irritated expression, he asked,
“Is this what you came to find?”
Even at a glance, I could tell it was a letter from my father. I marched toward him.
“You sent me that letter, didn’t you?”
“What do you think?”
Johannes crumpled the paper and asked coolly.
“Give it to me.”
I snatched the letter from his hand and unfolded it.
In my father’s handwriting was a short sentence:
Edith, let me know how long you’ve kept the letters we exchanged.
It was a question I didn’t understand.
I tried to see if there was a hidden meaning, but it didn’t seem like it.
Had Johannes really impersonated my father?
I looked at him in disbelief.
“This is it?”
“I understand that you didn’t think too deeply, since it involved Sergeant Prim. But it was too sloppy.”
“What are you talking about…”
“You didn’t even keep the hotel staff quiet. They brought me right to this room without hesitation.”
In short, Johannes was saying that I had been tricked by someone.
Isaac Prim was dead, and I had walked straight into a trap.
Johannes continued in a flat voice.
“Didn’t I tell you to ask directly and confirm? Otherwise, the pain of being fooled by something this clumsy might be worse.”
“…”
“I even instructed your maid to bring you here safely. There must’ve been a reason for you to deceive me and come all the way here.”
I kept my mouth tightly shut.
How had Johannes found this place? Had he followed me? Was Ahin acting on his orders?
Right now, none of that mattered.
I simply looked up at Johannes.
“So… Father didn’t actually contact me?”
