IDMLG 08

Chapter 8

「I apologize. I’ve been suffering from a bad cold recently, and I’m not feeling well enough to go out for the time being. Thank you for the invitation, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to join you for the boat ride.」

Right after sending that short letter of refusal to Rixion Luhanes, I bolted out of the Christener Marquisate.

I climbed into the carriage and followed the now-familiar route to the capital branch of the information guild, Setra.

Every time I came here, the building seemed to shine even more gaudily, as if they had gathered piles upon piles of money. I gave it a disdainful glance before entering the building, which by now felt as familiar to me as our family’s trading company, Dion.

The employees passing by the entrance spotted me, and—almost as if on cue—rushed upstairs in a panic. No doubt, they were headed straight to the guildmaster’s office at the very top.

In recognition of their efforts, I made sure to walk as slowly as possible.

Along the way, several familiar employees awkwardly bowed their heads, pretending to greet me.

Their faces practically screamed, “Ugh, here comes that nuisance again.” But, like the proper lady I was, I didn’t let my displeasure show. I politely returned their greetings and continued climbing the stairs.

“Now what is it this time?”

A shadow fell over me as I ascended.

When I looked up, I found none other than Setra’s guildmaster standing solemnly at the top of the stairs, personally coming out to greet me.

In the original novel, he had only been mentioned briefly a few times as a side character, and yet here he was—unnecessarily handsome.

His long hair was loosely tied back, silver-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, and his entire appearance exuded a strangely ascetic air.

‘If I were judging just by looks, he’s exactly my type, but… what a waste.’

I smacked my lips in regret and returned his displeased gaze with one of my own.

He certainly hadn’t come out here because he was happy to see me.

Every time I asked him to investigate a blind date candidate’s preferences, I barged into his office without knocking. Clearly, he had grown to hate it—or worse, had been traumatized. Maybe both.

The way he always recoiled at the mere sight of me reminded me uncannily of my brother. Sighing, I finished climbing the stairs.

“Let’s move to the reception room.”

When I reached the top, the guildmaster led me ahead into a reception room.

“Seems you’re rather free today. Before, you were always shoving me out, saying you were too busy.”

“……”

I teased as I followed him into the room. Unsurprisingly, he ignored me. I didn’t really mind—I had expected that.

“I want you to investigate Rixion Luhanes’s surroundings. Ah, and the former Duke of Luhanes as well!”

Once seated across the table from him in the spacious reception room, I spoke seriously.

The guildmaster, who had just asked one of his subordinates to bring tea, raised a brow at me.

“By surroundings, you mean…?”

“Things like any unusual movements lately, who they’re meeting with, that sort of thing.”

His expression turned strangely complicated.

I matched his gaze with a perfectly neutral face.

“An investigation of Duke Luhanes’s surroundings… compared to your usual requests, the risk here is far too great.”

His eyes practically asked, Why aren’t you just asking me to dig up his taste in women again?

Sorry, but that’s none of your business.

At this point, the only option was to dig up some weakness on Rixion Luhanes, anything at all, to prepare myself.

Michael’s reaction, the former duke’s oddly obsessive attitude toward our family… The entire situation felt ominous.

But above all, Rixion Luhanes’s response had been the absolute worst. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and that made my head ache.

If any talk of engagement cropped up before Ji Eunha appeared, who knew how the story would twist from there? The uncertainty terrified me. I needed to prepare.

I pulled out the money pouch I had brought and set it loudly on the table.

“I’ll pay whatever you ask for the commission—”

“I’m sorry. I’ll have to refuse this request.”

He cut me off mid-sentence.

I frowned, glaring at him.

“I wasn’t finished talking.”

“I don’t need to hear the rest. I’m sorry, but let’s pretend I never heard today’s request.”

Well, I had figured the guild might be reluctant to take it, given the subject.

But I hadn’t expected him to refuse me so bluntly.

He didn’t look like he was trying to squeeze more money out of me, either. His stance was absolute: he wouldn’t take the job, period.

Flustered, I stammered before blurting out anxiously:

“I’ll pay you hazard fees too—!”

“No. Even if you brought me tens or hundreds of gold, I’d still be troubled.”

“Why not?!”

Money was the only weapon I had! If this didn’t work, what else could I do?

Frustration burst out of me, and before I knew it, I was yelling at him the same way I did at Michael.

The guildmaster frowned at the noise and calmly replied:

“No matter how much money you wave around, we have to stay alive first. If we carelessly touch that man, there won’t even be bones left. You know that yourself, don’t you?”

…Well, he wasn’t wrong.

I had nothing to say. Even I would curse and run for the hills if someone asked me to snoop around Rixion Luhanes.

“I’ve given you so much money already, and you can’t even do this much?”

“Given? Please, don’t say things that cause misunderstandings. We’ve only ever received proper compensation for our work. You’re the one who insisted on overpaying.”

I tried to argue just to save face, but it didn’t budge him an inch.

This was why I hated clever people.

Ugh, fine. This was hopeless.

From his expression, it was clear that no amount of whining or theatrics would work this time. I briefly considered throwing a tantrum anyway, but come on—I was twenty-three. Even I had some dignity.

The guildmaster, clearly uninterested now, simply stared down at his nails.

He didn’t say a word, but the silent pressure screaming “Leave already” was impossible to miss.

Fine, I’ll leave. I’m not pathetic enough to beg.

I snatched up the money pouch, shot to my feet, and stomped toward the door.

Deliberately making my footsteps loud, I swung the door wide open and turned back, determined to get in one last word before leaving.

“Fine! Who cares. It’s not like this is the only guild around. I’ll just go elsewhere and—pft!”

What the—? I’d opened the door, but why was there… a wall?

I had stepped straight into something soft yet firm. Stumbling back in confusion, I lifted my gaze—

And found myself staring into a pair of icy, blue eyes.

Eyes both familiar and yet unsettlingly alien.

No emotion flickered in those inorganic eyes as they bore down on me. Instinctively, I staggered another step back.

His drowsy eyes lazily traced over me, and every spot they touched sent a chill skittering across my skin.

He wasn’t doing anything—just looking at me. And yet it felt like a sharpened blade was pressed right against my throat.

“I was worried when I heard you weren’t well enough to go out….”

His gaze swept me head to toe, confirming my perfectly healthy state. Slowly, his eyelids lowered and lifted.

And then, as though he had never looked at me with such cold detachment, his eyes softened with a gentle smile as he said:

“I see you’re looking very healthy now, Lady Christener. What a relief.”

So this was what it meant when people said a smiling face was scarier.

He’d donned a mask of warmth in an instant, but the chill lingering in his eyes was far from hidden.

When had he arrived? How much had he heard? Did he listen to everything?

Rixion Luhanes just stood there, smiling patiently as though waiting for my answer.

And yet, all I could imagine was those long, elegant fingers of his reaching for my throat.

I wanted to back away, but my legs wouldn’t obey. I wanted to say something, anything, but no sound came.

“If you were curious about me….”

Drawing out his words deliberately, his eyes pinned me in place.

“…wouldn’t it have been better to ask me directly?”