Chapter 40
Raina’s face sparkled with excitement as she quickly continued, expecting my reaction.
“But in the midst of all that, the younger brother got addicted to gambling and secretly stole family assets, wasting them all. The estate nearly collapsed. Soldiers from another noble family stormed in—it was a huge mess. For a while, that incident was the talk of the town.”
I opened my mouth slightly in shock.
“Soldiers? On someone else’s land? Unless they were planning to start a war…”
Raina, looking satisfied with my reaction, excitedly went on.
“Well… turns out the younger brother used part of the estate as collateral for his gambling debts. When he ran out of money, he went that far.”
Even though it wasn’t my problem, my head throbbed for a moment.
I sighed, disgusted by the younger brother’s actions.
“He’s insane. He should be exiled from the family and stripped of his name. How could he do something like that behind his brother’s back? What a terrible person.”
Raina agreed wholeheartedly.
“Exactly! He deserved it. But since they were the only siblings left, the older brother didn’t go that far. In the end, after barely stabilizing the estate again, the older brother fell ill and passed away.”
At that, I frowned.
“That’s practically murder.”
Raina nodded firmly.
“Right? Imagine the stress he must have gone through. After dealing with two huge crises, the emotional burden must have taken a toll on his health. But then, after all that suffering, as soon as the useless younger brother inherited the land—boom! Mithril was discovered there. Can you believe it? The heavens are truly unfair. That precious metal could have saved the estate if only it had appeared when the older brother was still alive.”
I couldn’t help but agree.
Life could be so unfair.
It was such a tragic story.
“And now that wretched man is just getting richer. Even with all that money, he still couldn’t stay away from gambling. If his brother knew, he’d be rolling in his grave.”
The older brother had saved the estate only to die from the stress, and in the end, his reckless younger brother benefited from it.
“What kind of person does that? He caused his brother’s death, and yet, as soon as he got money, he went right back to gambling. He’s not even human.”
Raina made a disgusted face and replied,
“Exactly! And with the estate’s income declining while his spending never stopped, I thought he was finally facing the consequences of his actions. But no, the gods must be blind.”
At that moment, a woman with an even more displeased expression than Raina silently appeared behind her.
Her sharp and strict-looking face, with not a single stray hair from her neatly tied-up hairstyle, left a strong impression.
“Raina. So this is where you were. Sitting with a guest, eating and drinking like you’re at some casual gathering… What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
Raina, who had been chatting with me just a moment ago, turned pale and froze in place.
“Lady Verafin…”
The woman, called Lady Verafin, gave Raina a stern look before turning toward me with a respectful expression and bowing politely.
“Lady of House Armen. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for visiting our establishment. I apologize for any rudeness on this child’s part.”
I gave a small nod and replied,
“I appreciate the warm welcome. And…”
I glanced at Raina, who was stiff as a statue, and added,
“Please don’t be too harsh on her, for my sake. I asked her to stay and chat with me. Her company has been quite enjoyable.”
Lady Verafin stared at Raina for a moment before responding smoothly,
“If a noble guest insists, then of course. Raina, be grateful for the young lady’s kindness.”
Unfortunately, this strict woman’s presence meant I wouldn’t be getting any more information.
As expected, Raina’s face soured as she was immediately dragged away.
The door opened and closed with a dull thud, leaving me alone in the quiet room.
Through the thick door, faint voices could be heard.
“Um… Madam.”
“Shh. Do you have a death wish, running your mouth in front of a noble?”
“I’m sorry…”
Their footsteps and scolding voices faded away.
I pushed aside my disappointment and sipped my tea.
Even though it had gone cold and lost its aroma, there was still a faint, lingering taste on my tongue.
As the smooth flavor of milk and tea mixed in my mouth, I quietly reflected on the information I had just gathered about Viscount Fein.
Stealing funds from his estate just for gambling.
A complete gambling addict with no self-control.
A man without even a shred of remorse.
He was unfit to manage an estate.
“A gambling addict, a ruined mine, and loan sharks. It’s all leading to the same place.”
The outline of the situation was becoming clearer.
I carefully set down my teacup, making sure it didn’t clatter and considered my next move.
Now that I had a rough picture, I needed solid proof—or at least strong evidence.
Everything pointed toward that mine.
What were the chances that someone so desperate would suddenly stumble upon such a miraculous treasure?
I quietly dismissed the possibility.
But this wasn’t something I could handle alone.
I needed someone experienced in dealing with shady situations like this.
I needed to find Jed.
“What will it take to get him to help me?”
I let out a deep breath, lost in thought.
“Carmilla~”
But before I could think any further, Diane’s voice called out to me.
“Oh, are you done, Diane?”
Her eyes sparkled like gemstones as she turned back toward me.
“Carmilla, today was so much fun!”
Her crimson eyes were warm and glowing.
Indeed, there was nothing more beautiful than the eyes of a truly happy person.
“Me too, Diane. But won’t your parents be shocked? You bought so many jewels and fabrics. Won’t they scold you?”
Diane, watching her purchases being wrapped up, grinned mischievously.
“They’ve been pushing me to attend more social events and find a good match, so they probably won’t mind.”
Then, with a completely innocent face, she added,
“As a lady of marriageable age, I must do my best. It’s an investment that will pay off in the future, after all. Not a waste, Father.”
She shrugged.
“He might get a headache from it, but he’ll let it slide. He cares a lot about appearances.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Something about being with her always made it easy to smile.
“You have a way of getting out of trouble. Just don’t give your father too much of a hard time.”
At that moment, a deep, low voice interrupted.
“Indeed. Extravagance is not a lady’s virtue. That is the behavior of someone without proper upbringing.”
I turned to see who had spoken.
A middle-aged man with neatly combed, straw-colored hair.
Pale, glassy blue eyes that felt oddly unsettling.
A sharp, almost fierce-looking jawline.
I had never seen him before, but he did not give off a pleasant impression.
“It’s lovely to see young ladies enjoying themselves,” he said in an oddly friendly tone.
But instead of warmth, I felt a sense of danger from him.
Before I could even frown, Diane’s face turned rigid as she spoke in an icy tone.
“And what does that have to do with you? Don’t speak as if we’re acquaintances. Just hearing your voice makes me sick.”
I was surprised.
Her usually sweet face was now filled with open disgust.
She wasn’t just annoyed—she was outright hostile.
Then she spoke the name that made everything click.
“Count Donau.”
