WARDV 33

CHAPTER 33

Meanwhile, outside the store, from a nearby alley, someone was watching Leticia.

It was a tail planted by Peidan.

‘Is the Duchess planning to do business with that man?’

He couldn’t hear clearly because the shop’s door was closed, but the long conversation seemed suspicious.

Following Peidan’s order to keep watch on Leticia’s every move, he began jotting down her activities in a notebook.

‘And I should probably note down the Grand Duke Del Lua as well… huh?’

Just as he looked up from his notes to check on Idris, the man flinched in surprise.

In the brief moment he was scribbling in his notebook, Idris had vanished.

“Where did he go? He was definitely right next to the Duchess just a moment ago…”

He widened his eyes and waited a little longer, but there was no sign of Idris.

‘Did he go upstairs? Well, it’s not like I need to follow him. My orders are to watch the Duchess.’

The man scanned the surroundings one last time and was about to tuck his notebook into his inner pocket when—

“Looking for someone?”

The voice he wasn’t supposed to hear came right next to him—along with a heavy hand landing on his shoulder.

Creaking his neck around with dread, the man saw—

Golden eyes that didn’t seem human.

A chill ran down his spine.

“U-Urgh!”

Trying to flee in terror, the man stumbled clumsily over Idris’s foot and fell flat on his face.

Panicking, he pulled out a dagger and pointed it shakily.

“D-Don’t come any closer!”

But Idris simply looked down at him coldly and approached slowly, unfazed.

At that moment, the dagger flew toward Idris’s face with a sharp swish.

Whoosh—!

But thrown in fear, the blade missed wildly.

Idris tilted his head ever so slightly, easily dodging it.

Then, using magic, he disarmed the man, and in a swift movement, grabbed him by the collar.

‘Fast… and strong!’

His composed expression and overwhelming power made it clear—this man wasn’t fazed in the slightest by desperate thrashing.

Finally, the man realized.

This beautiful man in front of him was the war hero, archmage, and the “Mad Dog of the Imperial Palace.”

Overcome by primal fear, the man quickly changed his tune.

“S-Spare me, Your Grace! I-I was just following orders!”

“That depends on your answer.”

“……”

“Who sent you?”

Idris unconsciously let his murderous intent leak out—then flinched at himself.

Being tailed was nothing new.

The previous Empress, Deon’s mother, had always been obsessed with trying to kill him, the Emperor’s favored child.

His favorite tea would turn into poisoned brews within days.

His cherished hunting falcon had been returned as a corpse.

On the battlefield, he fought enemies by day—and assassins sent by the Empress by night.

Since her death, the tailing had mostly stopped—except for the occasional spy sent by Deon.

In any case, it was part of his routine.

But…

‘This guy was following Leticia.’

Just the fact that Leticia had been involved sent a violent rage surging within him—along with the helpless fear he felt as a child.

As he became aware of this emotion, one thought rose to the surface in Idris’s mind.

‘Why? What is she to me?’

A contractual lover meant to help buy time until he found Aria.

A business partner who owned the magic stone mine.

And lately, a source of unexpected entertainment in his daily life.

That’s all she was—so why…

‘Why does this make me so angry?’

The thought that this man might have sold Leticia’s information while he wasn’t with her—

It made his blood run cold.

“Peidan Farnese? Or Deon Zahir?”

“I-If I say, they’ll kill me! Please, have mercy…”

The man squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for violence or torture.

But the voice he heard next was surprisingly calm.

“I see. Then I guess it can’t be helped.”

The man opened his eyes in confusion—

And saw the murderous glint in Idris’s golden eyes.

“If you’re useless…”

“……”

“…then I have no reason to let you live.”

Only then did he understand what that calm voice truly meant.

The last thing he saw was Idris’s mad smile—before his vision was painted in crimson.

Elise cast a sideways glance at Peidan, who had just finished eating.

It had been a while since they shared a meal.

Ever since Leticia left the estate, Peidan had taken on all the business himself, making it nearly impossible to spend time together.

‘Peidan looks tired, but… I have to say it today.’

Elise swallowed nervously and carefully broached the subject.

“Um… Peidan.”

He raised an eyebrow while sipping wine, as if asking, “What is it?”

“How about we at least get engaged before the Foundation Day?”

“…What?”

“Everyone knows it’s over between you and the Duchess. So we don’t need to hide our relationship anymore…”

Elise desperately wanted to become Peidan’s wife—or at least his fiancée—before the Foundation Day.

Until now, she had gone along with delaying the divorce to save on alimony, since his fortune would soon become hers anyway.

‘But now, everyone treats the divorce as a done deal.’

With things falling apart, Elise no longer felt the need to suppress her greed.

‘I don’t want to attend the Foundation Day as just a mistress!’

Even if people would still whisper that she had once been his mistress, being officially declared his fiancée would change everything.

Society would bow to her, even if only for appearances.

But more importantly—

‘That woman Leticia is going to attend as the Grand Duke’s lover, isn’t she?’

If she didn’t become the Duchess—or at least the Duke’s fiancée—there was no way to prove her superiority over Leticia.

Despite her patience and “consideration,” Peidan snapped in irritation.

“Haa… Elise. Can you think about anyone but yourself? Do you think I have time for that crap right now?”

“T-That’s not it! I was just worried that people would see the dukedom as unstable without a lady of the house!”

“Instead of wasting time getting engaged, I’d rather just endure the rumors.”

Elise fell silent—her excuse didn’t work.

Then Peidan added another blow.

“And Elise… wouldn’t it be better for you not to attend the Foundation Day?”

“…Why?”

“Ugh, do I really have to explain everything? Do you even love me?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course I love you.”

“Then shouldn’t you at least try to live modestly while I’m going through a hard time?”

“What does that—”

“If you go to the celebration, you’ll buy dresses, necklaces, all that stuff again, right? And whose money do you think pays for all that? How can you be so selfish?”

As Peidan berated her with disdain, Elise finally lost her temper.

“Is that really such a big deal to you? It’s just a dress and some jewelry! That’s not even expensive for you!”

“Of course it’s not. But it’s the principle, Elise. Your heart—whether you think about me at all!”

Elise was so stunned she could only gasp.

‘He used to act like he’d do anything for me!’

But now that Leticia had left and their obstacle was gone, Peidan treated her like a caught fish.

He got irritated easily, begrudged spending money on her, and found her bothersome.

Realizing he sounded like a petty miser, Peidan tried to save face, clearing his throat and changing tone.

“Ahem. And—telling you not to attend the celebration is for your sake too.”

Elise looked at him with resentful eyes, asking what that was supposed to mean.

“If you show up, people will gossip about you non-stop. I’m just worried about your peace of mind.”

Feigning concern, he glanced at her belly under the table.

“Now that we’re on the subject… Our child is doing well, right?”