Chapter 153
“Please don’t worry too much, Grandfather.”
It was then. As if to soothe his anxiety, a gentle voice drifted through the air.
“I’ve already taken care of everything.”
At Veilkes’s sweet whisper—soft and honeyed, just like when they first met—the Marquis of Merial shuddered involuntarily. Veilkes gently lowered his black eyes.
“…Taken care of it how?”
“I made sure that anyone who exposes the truth will lose their life the moment they do.”
“To whom?”
“To everyone who knows about what happened that day.”
“…….”
The Marquis of Merial swallowed dryly. It was the moment he was once again made aware of what Veilkes truly was.
Veilkes—wearing the skin of his own grandson. The marquis already knew his capabilities all too well.
He had witnessed countless times how Veilkes used unheard-of magic and resolved matters through unimaginable means.
“Haah.”
Letting out a long breath, the Marquis finally collapsed back into his seat. If Veilkes’s words were true, there would be no immediate danger.
“There’s no one left who can testify that you were involved, Grandfather. So please don’t worry.”
“That may be so, but…”
Even so, he couldn’t relax completely. That man was none other than Duke Schweiss. He surely already knew that the one behind “Mirror” was himself.
Even if he lacked evidence or witnesses and couldn’t restrain him legally, he would never just sit idly by.
Knock, knock.
“Marquis!”
At that moment, an aide burst through the door.
“The deal with the Kingdom of Bike has fallen through!”
“What?”
The marquis sprang to his feet.
It was one of the major projects he had been pushing recently. After more than half a year of effort with the Kingdom of Bike, all that remained was signing the contract.
“They’ve decided to contract with someone else.”
“Someone else?”
“With… with Duke Schweiss’s house…”
“…….”
“And that’s not all. Other ventures as well…”
As the aide continued, heavy sighs poured from the marquis’s lips. He had expected this—but to move so quickly.
It was clearly Duke Schweiss’s declaration of war. A message that said: I know all your crimes.
From here on out, he would interfere with everything the marquis did, slowly tightening the noose around his neck.
“First, we’ll deal with the Bike Kingdom issue.”
He hurried out of the office. He couldn’t afford to sit around and take this lying down.
“Hmm.”
Watching the Marquis of Merial rush out, Veilkes gently shook his head.
“He’s less capable than I thought.”
His greed was immense, and Veilkes had liked how much he valued himself—enough to throw away even his grandson’s life.
But his skills and resourcefulness were lacking. A bit dull, perhaps.
“Still… that just makes him easier to use.”
A deep smile briefly surfaced on Veilkes’s lips before disappearing.
“Who’s here to see me?”
“A young lady from Baron Drow’s family wishes to meet you.”
“…Drow?”
Viscount Micro frowned slightly, but quickly erased the expression.
“Show her in.”
Putting on a welcoming smile, he hurriedly gave the order. The servant soon returned, escorting someone inside.
It was Ceres.
“Welcome, Ceres.”
“Hello, Uncle-in-law.”
Ceres returned the greeting politely.
Viscount Micro—the former husband of Agnes, Ceres’s aunt. To Ceres, he was her former uncle-in-law.
“So, what brings you here today?”
At his gentle question, Ceres smiled faintly. There was only one reason she had come.
“I’m here to collect money.”
“…Money?”
“The money Aunt Agnes entrusted to you. I’ve come to get it back.”
Ceres’s smile deepened.
“…Money? What are you talking about?”
Viscount Micro’s expression stiffened briefly, but he soon chuckled as if amused.
“Aunt Agnes told me herself. She said she left all her money with you.”
Before coming here, Ceres had visited her aunt Agnes in prison.
‘C-Ceres! Please—save me! I was wrong about everything! Please… please save me!’
She had been barely sane.
‘What on earth did the three of you do?’
According to the prison guard, she’d been like that ever since the Duke visited.
Unable to sleep, screaming through the night, trapped in fear and agony.
‘At least I got what I needed to hear.’
After giving her a calming herbal concoction, Ceres managed to hear the gist of the story.
‘She said she gave all the money she received from the three of them to her husband.’
That day—when Ceres confronted her with the poison she had given Julia, obtained from the sanatorium director—
Once her crimes were exposed, the first thing Agnes did was this.
She hid her assets.
And the method she chose was her ex-husband.
More precisely, she used divorce as a way to hide her wealth.
‘Because the assets of divorced couples aren’t subject to legal seizure.’
Agnes transferred all her money to her husband, leaving herself penniless. That was why she couldn’t even properly compensate her young nieces and nephews.
‘What was she even thinking?’
Ceres had been dumbfounded when she heard.
Did she really believe he would wait for her until she got out of prison—after she even cheated on him?
‘He said he still loved me. He promised he’d wait. He said not to worry—said he forgave me for everything!’
…To think her aunt was such a hopeless romantic.
‘Even after what the sanatorium director did to her.’
Ceres sighed.
The director she had planned a future with had shoved all the blame onto her and struggled to save himself. Agnes had seen it with her own eyes.
And yet—still love.
“Well, Aunt Agnes’s feelings are… not entirely incomprehensible.”
‘My former uncle-in-law did have a good reputation.’
Kind-looking, gentle, known everywhere as “a good man.”
Their marriage had even been a topic of admiration. He had pursued Agnes for years before finally marrying her.
‘No wonder she trusted him so completely.’
Handing over that enormous sum without hesitation—believing firmly that he still loved her.
‘But unfortunately…’
What Ceres uncovered was completely different.
‘Sky really does its job well.’
The information guild Sky had dug up everything.
‘He has four women.’
Four mistresses he’d been supporting even before the divorce—and he was still seeing all of them.
“Money? I’ve never received any money from Agnes.”
“…You didn’t?”
“That’s right. Ah! Are you talking about the money she gave me before going to prison? That was originally mine. She had only borrowed it. I suppose she still had some conscience—she repaid everything before she left.”
“Oh… I see.”
Ceres let out a small laugh.
Yes. And you spent it quite generously on jewelry for your mistresses.
‘Thinking it was truly your own money.’
She hadn’t expected to retrieve it easily.
“I must have misunderstood my aunt.”
She bowed apologetically. Viscount Micro’s expression softened even further.
“Well, that happens. Is Agnes doing well?”
At his gentle question, Ceres tilted her head and murmured to herself.
“Then I suppose that was a lie too.”
“…Hmm?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
She smiled faintly and continued, saying she must have heard wrong.
“Aunt Agnes said she couldn’t completely trust you… Ah! No, never mind. I must be mistaken. She said something about you having another woman… Honestly, my aunt.”
“Another… woman?”
Viscount Micro’s eyes wavered. The smile on his lips faded.
She knew?
Judging by how Ceres hesitated, it seemed she still had more to say.
Trying not to appear flustered, he probed carefully.
“…What exactly did Agnes say? Could you tell me more?”
“Well…”
“It’s alright. Go on.”
Ceres hesitated, then sighed deeply, as if reluctantly giving in.
“She said… she drugged someone.”
