TMBS 07💖

CHAPTER 07: Hawk’s Curse

Ever since the incident where Grace fell into the Moonlit Lake, Karl’s social circles had returned to their usual peaceful routine. In truth, things had always been calm—at least, until Grace returned to the country.

It was a perfectly clear day—ideal weather for cargo ships to arrive and depart across the open sea. The port brimmed with a fresh, bustling energy.

A humble-looking carriage crossed the entrance to the harbor and made its way straight to the waterfront. But the person who stepped out was anything but humble.

Wearing a sleek, impeccably tailored suit that gleamed in the sunlight, it was none other than Grey.

With a confident stride, he entered the first-floor coffeehouse just ahead. Alone and unaccompanied by aides or companions, Grey casually surveyed the interior.

Inside, the air was a curious mix of sea salt, the damp scent of aging wood, and the smooth, rich aroma of coffee—a blend that somehow worked. This, supposedly, was the unique kind of romance today’s modern marine men sought.

Grey enjoyed the atmosphere too. Not because he was romantic by nature—quite the opposite. As a thoroughly practical man, he liked this place for the scent of money that lingered beneath the novelty and mystery in the air.

He removed his expensive jacket—clearly out of place in the run-down building—and headed straight for the bar. The owner, having seen him a few times before, greeted him warmly.

“Well, if it isn’t the gentleman who’s taken society by storm.”

“Hello, Hawk. I do try my best to be charming.”

“Haha! No need to try so hard. The world’s already wrapped around your little finger.”

“Maybe. But this place, ‘Hawk’s House,’ belongs to you. And I have to say, it’s the most tempting of all.”

Grey slid into a seat with practiced ease, his tone light and playful. Hawk chuckled at the display.

“Coffee?”

“Would be grateful.”

Hawk was a retired sailor who’d once roamed the faraway seas. Now he ran the coffeehouse with the pride of a man who’d seen the unknown. With enthusiasm, he pulled out beans and began grinding them.

“These are from the New Continent—Yuman. Just wait till you try them. It’s unreal.”

“I’m the one paying, don’t I get a say?”

“You’ll drink what I give you. This one’s got notes of chocolate. Divine, right?!”

Though the coffee hadn’t even finished brewing, Hawk was already beaming like he’d personally won an award.

As Grey waited, he greeted a few sailors who recognized him and approached. To them, he was a roguish noble who could party as hard as any of them—and they respected him for it.

Shoulders bumped, jokes were exchanged, and the sailors moved on with lazy waves.

Pouring hot water over the grounds, Hawk leaned in with a hushed voice.

“I don’t like to meddle, but… you should keep your distance from that bastard Valois.”

Grey raised an eyebrow slowly, silently asking Why?

“He’s been dragging your name through the mud.”

“Oh? Didn’t think I had a reputation left to ruin.”

“You’re still a noble, like it or not. Valois has been going around telling inland merchants that you frequent shady joints with him.”

“So that’s why my already trashy image took a nosedive. Makes sense.”

Grey remained unfazed, but Hawk frowned slightly.

“Don’t you want to get married someday? Highborn ladies don’t like that sort of thing.”

Grey playfully flicked his finger, beckoning Hawk closer, and whispered smoothly.

“You think any lady would hate this face? And Hawk, let’s be honest—highborns are the wildest of them all.”

Hawk gave him a look that said, Are you even real? But as he looked closer at Grey’s flawless face, he couldn’t quite argue. He let out a dry laugh.

“You’re right. The classy ones are the scariest.”

More sailors passed by, grabbing copies of a newsletter stacked beside Grey and paying Hawk as they went.

“At least pretend you don’t know Valois.”

“Do I have to?”

“You’ll learn, pretty boy. Sometimes a face like yours is more curse than blessing.”

“Are you calling me cursed?”

Grey pointed to his own face with a smug grin. Hawk clicked his tongue.

“You know the story of Adonis, right? Even the gods were smitten—didn’t end well for him.”

Grey glanced at the front of the paper the sailors had taken, where the title Addy’s News was printed in rough script.

“Adonis made the goddess of heaven and the queen of the underworld fight over him. Sounds like a thrilling life to me. Besides, he died and came back—talk about a comeback story.”

His voice was light, detached. But his eyes lingered on the newsletter’s title.

Addy? Is that the author?

Hawk snorted.

“You’ll regret it someday.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I can tell.”

“Tell what?”

“You’re not really into women, are you?”

Grey let out a disbelieving laugh. Hawk slid a finished cup of coffee toward him, winking.

“I’d bet good money you’re still a virgin.”

Grey stared at him in disbelief.

“Hawk, are you insane?”

“Wanna bet?”

“I know my own history, thank you.”

“I’m not talking about the past. I’m saying you’re bound to fall hard soon—because of that pretty face and your silver tongue. Not like dumb Adonis, but like Aphrodite, who fell so hard for him she ended up killing him. You’ll be the one sobbing, realizing too late what you lost. That’s how fools blinded by pride fall.”

Grey’s smirk froze. Then, he burst out laughing—mouth wide enough to show every tooth.

“Hawk, you’ve got an eye, I’ll give you that. Sure, I’m a virgin. I’m a gentleman, after all. But calling me a pride-blinded idiot? Harsh.”

He fluttered his lashes with mock innocence.

“Just because I said life’s thrilling, you had to curse me?”

Hawk gave a knowing smile, deep wrinkles crinkling at the corners of his eyes.

“Drink your coffee. An old man like me survived those monstrous seas because I know how to read the tides.”

“The sea… damn thing. Should’ve fought harder.”

“Oh, and just so you know—if you’re here to buy this property again, it’s still a ‘no.’”

“That? Oh no.”

Grey quickly smoothed out his frown and flashed a dazzling smile. The kind that worked on everyone. Hawk, unimpressed, shook his head again.

“Not that today. Something else.”

“What?”

“The one arriving next week…”

Just as Grey leaned in to whisper, another copy of Addy’s News was sold, interrupting the moment. He looked down again at the cheap, yellowish paper.

Was this rag really that popular?

His curiosity piqued, Grey examined it more closely. Inside were detailed reports: sea conditions, tide schedules, major goods traded at each port, even coordinates of recent pirate activity.

Not bad.

Clearly, this was valuable intel—especially for sailors whose lives depended on reliable info. For that kind of accuracy, a single shilling was nothing.

Grey’s light-colored eyes briefly darkened, like deep ocean water. A sharp idea had struck him. He tapped the paper.

“Hawk, how long have you been selling this?”

“Oh, that? A while. But it’s not mine. If it were, it’d be Hawk’s News, not Addy’s. I’m just the distributor.”

“Really? So who’s Addy?”

“Why? Interested?”

Grey stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“…Maybe.”

He didn’t want to reveal too much. After all, desire is best kept hidden when it can be used to your advantage.

Reliable information was power. If the majority of sailors trusted this newsletter, then anything printed in it had the potential to shape decisions across the seas.

What power could be more seductive than that?

Hawk gestured subtly toward a corner of the shop.

“That kid over there.”

A small child sat quietly, eyes sparkling like stars, ears perked to every sound. Likely the one gathering all this intel to create the newsletter.

Grey narrowed his eyes.

“That’s Addy? Looks a bit…”

The child was scrawny, dressed in rags. Hardly looked like someone profiting from the paper’s success.

Hearing the skepticism in Grey’s voice, Hawk chuckled darkly.

“No, that’s not Addy.”

“Then?”

“Why so curious?”

“Can’t you just tell me?”

“Nope.”

Hawk usually responded to bribes with a grin. But now, his flat refusal only made Grey more intrigued.

“That kid—does he even have a home?”

“What, planning to take him in?”

“Should I not?”

“Forget it. Not that one. He’s an orphan, sure, but if anyone lays a finger on him, the real Addy won’t stand for it.”

“The real Addy, huh?”

Grey’s gaze deepened again.

To take something as commonplace as air and shape it into something rare and valuable—few could do that. Gathering scattered intel, verifying it, and turning it into money? The person behind this was sharp.

If the child really had been Addy, Grey might’ve taken him in to use his talents.

So Grey stood up, ready to speak with the child directly. He trusted Hawk’s instincts, but not blindly.

But Hawk grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t. The kid’s just here at Addy’s request, eavesdropping.”

Grey was starting to get irritated.

“That’s odd. If eavesdropping is how they gather the info, what does the kid get in return?”

Hawk sold another copy, then whispered.

“The kid likes Addy. Helps out willingly. I hear they split the profits 50-50—after my cut, of course. Addy just told him to save the money.”

“He looks like he hasn’t eaten. What’s he saving for?”

For the first time, Grey felt truly annoyed. Addy sounded like a manipulative bastard. Grey didn’t mind using people to get what he wanted—but exploiting a child’s innocence? That was low.

“Bunch of thieves.”

Hawk burst out laughing.

“You’re not wrong. Addy’s a thief alright. Even stole from my shipping lines once.”

Yet, his face held no resentment.

“But Addy’s not a ‘he.’ She’s a ‘she.’”

“…What?”

“A thief, woman, to be exact.”

“…?”

“She’s not exactly trying to hide it. And speak of the devil…”

Hawk pointed to the door.

Grey turned just as sunlight briefly cut through the dim room. A scrawny woman stepped in, looking completely out of place among the rugged men.

“Damn tariffs. I’m so sick of this crap.”