I could feel the veins bulge in the hand that held the teacup.
“So the child has a huge scar. I plan to find her and ask her what she was thinking. I also want to confirm if she really had a bastard child, and maybe give her a slap to her cheek to get it out of my system.”
Lexion, who had been listening to Millena’s words with a stiff face, raised his trembling hand. He covered his slightly turned-up lips and felt a shiver from the thrill boiling up inside him. It was information beyond his imagination. This information was exactly what he needed. His chest ached with the same intensity as when he was in bed with her. Who would just hand over such valuable information like this?
“Millena.”
He got up from his seat and knelt in front of her, like a man proposing. Lexion trembled as if holding back something, then raised his head. His face was filled with euphoria, and his red eyes looked a little unhinged.
“What are you doing?”
Her thoughts of ‘what on earth is he doing?’ were short-lived. He respectfully proposed to her.
“Will you become my employee?”
What on earth was he talking about? She frowned, wondering if she had heard him wrong, and let out a scoff to herself.
Looking down at Lexion, who was laying out shocking proposals about welfare and allowances, she took his sculpted, smooth face in her hands.
“Lexion.”
“Hmm?”
“Snap out of it.”
His rejection was so gentle that he didn’t even realize he had been turned down.
“Get a grip. I came here as your wife.”
“Ah.”
He was momentarily taken aback, blinking his red eyes as he regained his composure.
“And I’m not going to be living a double life and digging for information.”
Sometimes, when he heard information so valuable that he lost his reason, he couldn’t control himself. Was this an occupational disease? It seemed to be a significant effect of being constantly exposed to a bloody, mundane environment. If not, then he was probably broken somewhere from a wizard’s experiment when he was a child.
“I see.”
He smacked his lips in disappointment and stood up. He was quite disappointed because Millena would have been a great partner.
“I only have one request. Find Lariet before Grand Duke Kallion does. And, the payment is already sufficient, isn’t it?”
To her question, as if the information she had given him about his husband’s jealousy was more than enough, Lexion finally burst into laughter. He felt he couldn’t win against this lovely wife.
“Yes, it’s more than enough.”
“By the way, how do I even go back to the mansion like this?”
Her hair was a mess. She ran her fingers through it and roughly washed off her smudged makeup. He took care of the cleanup with magic, but anyone could tell they had just been intimate.
“Why? You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
He kissed her swollen lips with a loud smack and smiled leisurely. He draped his jacket over her shoulders to cover her exposed back. When he snapped his fingers, the door connecting his office to the auction house opened. Jenny, who had been waiting, entered.
“See the little mistress home safely. And call Gerard.”
Jenny’s lips were sealed, and she bowed her head tensely.
“Aren’t you coming with me?”
“I’ve received a request, so I have to work.”
He respectfully placed a hand on his chest as if greeting a noblewoman and lifted her long hair to kiss it.
“I’ll bring you the information you desire as soon as possible, my wife.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Millena, who was about to turn around, brought up the business she had intended to do with Lexion.
“Oh, Lexion. Crown Prince has sent me an invitation.”
“Yes, I got one too.”
“When should we go?”
“Soon. I’ll come to pick you up.”
“Okay.”
Looking at her hardworking husband, she kissed his cheek and turned to leave.
“Good luck.”
Lexion, who had been happily waving his hand after receiving the kiss, hardened his expression as she disappeared from sight.
He didn’t smile when he was working unless he was pretending. He opened his mouth toward Gerard, who was now standing next to him.
“I told you to let me know when Kallion arrived in the capital.”
Gerard felt wronged. How could he have known the Grand Duke would come straight here? The information was a step late, and the misfortune of meeting Millena occurred. It was an accident that was a series of coincidences, but Gerard bowed his head without a word of complaint.
“My mistake. I apologize.”
He clicked his tongue and suppressed his uncomfortable feelings about Kallion.
“Keep an eye on the Grand Duke, and narrow down the search area for the Tower Master from a nationwide search to just the capital. The Grand Duchess is in the capital.”
“Understood. Any other peculiarities?”
“The Grand Duchess has a child.”
“What… what?! A child?”
Gerard, who had been crestfallen,’s eyes lit up again, and he started to blabber.
“A child other than Young Master Ashdel?! Is that why she ran away from the Grand Duke? She faked her death to run away with the man she loved and had a child with him?!”
He ignored Gerard, who was making up his own novel, and fell into thought.
“Was she pregnant during the time she faked her death? Then why did she come to the capital?”
The information about the child was very interesting. With a child, even the Tower Master’s scope of action would be limited. As long as the Tower Master was not secluded in a hidden magic tower, he would be able to find him with his information network.
“We’ll find out when we look. What are you doing? Move your legs, not your mouth.”
Now that he had obtained valuable information, it was time to move diligently.
Jenny didn’t say a word as they left the auction house and got into the carriage. The child, who loved to chatter, was unusually quiet. Millena looked out the window and spoke casually.
“Jenny.”
“Yes?”
“Are you scared of Lexion?”
“Uh, n-no?”
“Really? Then, can I ask you one more thing?”
“Yes, of course! Ask me anything.”
“Are you and Gerard the only ones who belong to Lexion’s guild?”
Jenny’s eyes rolled. Hmm, judging by the fact that he said he had to train Gerard, it seemed a gag order had been issued.
“If it’s difficult to say, you don’t have to. And I found out about Lexion’s secret on my own, so you don’t have to be so worried. If Lexion says anything, tell me.”
Jenny spoke as if confessing, looking at Millena, who was looking out the window to be considerate of her.
“I just feel like I didn’t handle the situation properly. That’s why. I’m very disappointed in myself. Thank you for worrying about me.”
‘She’s a child who has a strong sense of pride in her work. Lexion has good employees.’
She smiled slightly and looked at the cityscape, which was submerged in darkness outside the window. The streets, which were tinged with black except for the sparsely lit lamps, felt different from the afternoon. It was at that moment, as she was blankly staring at the passing streets.
Plonk- plonk- She saw a child playing with a golden-colored ball on the empty street. The child in the robe kept picking up and dropping the golden ball, seemingly unaware that their robe had slipped slightly.
“Wait-”
At that moment, her eyes met the child’s. She felt it instinctively. This was the child Ashdel had talked about.
“Little Mistress?”
“Stop the carriage! Now!”
At her urgent voice, the coachman pulled on the reins, and the horses reared up, causing the carriage to come to a sudden stop. The noisy cries of the horses echoed in the sleeping city.
She quickly got out of the carriage. She ran to the alley where she had seen the child, but the spot where the child had been was empty. She was sure she had seen a blond child. They hadn’t passed by for long, so how could the child have disappeared so quickly?
It was when she was about to enter the alley, which had no light.
“No, Little Mistress!”
Jenny blocked her path.
“It’s dangerous to go any further.”
When she frowned, Jenny said with a difficult expression.
“This road leads to the slums. Please leave the person you’re looking for to the Master. If your safety is also threatened, I’ll be in big trouble.”
At Jenny’s pleas, Millena sighed.
‘Okay, I’ll leave this to Lexion.’
She was about to agree with Jenny and turn around. Plonk- plonk- A golden lump bounced in the deep darkness and rolled to her feet.
“This is…”
It was the golden ball the child had been playing with.
“Little Mistress. Don’t touch it. Let me check it…!”
She didn’t have time to reassure Jenny and reached out her hand. It was a strong pull. The desire to touch it grew powerful.
But,
“Ah.”
As soon as her hand touched it, the golden lump turned into light particles and scattered and disappeared.
She stared blankly at her hand, looking at the light that had embraced her and then disappeared, like hundreds of fireflies scattering away.
