Chapter 53 – The First Crack
“So, what you’re saying is… you plan to take your mother down?”
Jayan’s eyes gleamed wickedly — just like Sharon Abner’s.
Kainton swallowed hard and nodded.
“Y-yes. This time, I intend to do it for real.”
“This time, you say?”
Jaden gave a low, humorless laugh as he lazily twirled the wine glass in his hand.
“That phrase loses its charm after a while.”
Then, his smile vanished — replaced by a chilling stillness.
“Keep saying it, and it gets annoying.”
Kainton instinctively shut his mouth.
Before him sat Jaden — pale as snow, sharp-nosed, lips pressed in a hard line.
He was staring straight at Kainton like a predator sizing up its prey.
His beauty, almost unreal, only made the fear worse.
But Kainton pulled himself together.
“I-I really mean it this time,” he said quickly. “I swear, this time I’ll restore the family head position to you, my lord!”
The Young Lord.
That was Jaden’s current title — heir to the Abner family, yet still not recognized as the official Duke even at nearly thirty years old.
With a small clink, Jaden set his glass down and rested his chin on one hand.
“Yeah. I’m getting tired of this anyway.”
“…”
“I was just thinking how boring life’s gotten.”
Kainton waited nervously for him to continue.
A few strands of Jaden’s dark hair slid down his pale forehead.
“Even the wine’s starting to taste dull.”
The next instant, a crash rang through the room.
The wineglass had shattered against the wall.
Jaden had swept everything off the desk with one arm.
Kainton froze — too shocked to even flinch.
Only Jaden looked calm, almost relaxed, as he spoke in a lazy drawl.
“So. Did you properly summon the elders?”
“Y-yes, of course!”
“And the branch families?”
“I-I’ve sent invitations to all of them!”
“And what’s your justification for removing my mother?”
“W-well, we can accuse her of unlawfully appointing a ward without council approval. But the biggest thing is that she spent a huge fortune on that child’s treatment…”
His lips were dry as sand, but he forced himself to keep talking — listing every little accusation he’d come up with to bring down Sharon Abner.
Jaden listened silently, gaze lowered. Then his lips curved slightly.
“…Better than last time.”
“R-right! Exactly!”
“But tell me something, Viscount.”
Suddenly, Jaden’s eyes lifted — sharp as blades.
“You really think that’ll work?”
His voice dropped low — cold enough to make Kainton’s blood freeze.
“E-excuse me?”
“Do you honestly think that’ll be enough? Your opponent is my mother.”
Kainton blinked, confused.
Then a flash of light made him flinch.
When he looked up again, a knife was hovering inches from his eye.
“Viscount, are you looking down on me right now?”
It was the steak knife Jaden had been using earlier — now gleaming under the candlelight, so polished that the flame reflected perfectly in the blade.
“Lately, even trash like you from the branch families seems to think they can ignore me. Huh?”
Kainton stopped breathing.
The tip of the blade was close enough that he could see his own terrified face reflected in it.
“If something that trivial could take her down—”
CRACK!
The knife split the air with a violent sound.
Kainton looked down stiffly — the knife was embedded halfway into the table.
It had landed right next to where his hand had been just seconds ago.
“—don’t you think I’d have done it already?”
Jaden smiled.
Technically, it was a smile — but Kainton could see the fury flickering deep in his eyes.
“Viscount. Remember this.”
Still dazed, Kainton heard the words clearly.
“The contract with the Imperial Palace has been canceled.”
“…Wh-what?”
His head snapped up, face turning pale.
When he asked for confirmation, Jaden only smiled again — slow and venomous.
“The weapons deal my mother made with the Imperial Palace. It’s going to collapse.”
Weapons deal…?
It took Kainton a moment to process. Then it hit him.
The weapons deal!
That was Sharon Abner’s proudest achievement — the very foundation of her current authority.
“H-how could that be? Is it really true the contract was canceled?”
“Yes.”
Kainton felt something strange stir in his chest.
If Abner’s main business was collapsing, he should have felt despair.
But instead, he felt excitement.
Because it meant Sharon Abner might finally be dethroned.
He quickly tried to hide the glee from his voice.
“B-but I haven’t heard anything! If that were true, surely I’d have been informed first—”
“That’s because it hasn’t happened yet.”
“…Hasn’t… happened yet?”
“I got inside information. From Empress Karin herself — the one in charge of the Imperial weapon supply.”
“…”
“She’s preparing to cancel the deal. Tragic, isn’t it?”
Kainton swallowed hard.
“Then…”
“In about two weeks, the news should arrive. Like a thunderbolt from the heavens.”
Kainton’s eyes brightened in realization.
Jaden’s information felt solid.
And he could already guess the reason behind it.
Perfect. This completes the plan.
It felt as though he’d finally found the last missing piece of the puzzle.
He looked at Jaden with fiery admiration.
Yes, this man… this is the one.
He carried the pure Abner blood of the main line.
He was the rightful heir.
Sure, his personality was a bit extreme — but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
And above all—
That information!
“Incredible, my lord,” Kainton said, voice trembling with sincerity.
“You truly are remarkable!”
Sharon Abner had once said her son lacked the qualities to be Duke.
But to Kainton, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Yes, Jaden had been reckless in the past — drinking, gambling, chasing women, and even starting fights.
But now? Now he seemed clear-headed.
He had been hurt, that’s all.
Anyone would lose their way after being unjustly stripped of their birthright.
All of his past mistakes were understandable.
And besides, the man clearly had talent.
He’d just proven it — acquiring confidential information from none other than Empress Karin, the Emperor’s favorite.
He must have connections. He’s smarter than he lets on.
Kainton’s excitement grew.
“You have more than enough to be Duke, my lord!” he said, his voice practically glowing with devotion.
Jaden merely looked bored.
“Don’t fail me, Viscount.”
“Of course not!”
“Make sure you can back up that promise.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Jaden waved a hand toward the door — a silent dismissal.
Kainton bowed deeply and hurried out.
Once outside, he pressed a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound of his own laughter.
He couldn’t contain his excitement.
The weapons deal… canceled by the Imperial Palace!
Oh, the ancestors would be so pleased!
At last, he could cleanse the Abner name of that witch — the black magician’s pawn who had seduced and killed the late Duke, then stolen the family for herself.
His hands trembled with sheer joy.
He didn’t notice it — but behind him, just outside Jaden’s door, something tiny and metallic gave off a faint sparkle in the dim light.
***
—“Don’t fail me, Viscount.”
—“Of course not.”
—“Make sure you can back up that promise.”
The sound of the door opening.
Then click. It shut again.
Footsteps — hurried, excited — fading down the hall.
A soft hmm escaped my lips as I gently stroked the teddy bear in my hands — the one with only one eye.
The gemstone eye glowed faintly for a moment before dimming with a soft tick.
“Good thing I did it, just in case. If I hadn’t, this would’ve been bad…”
I carefully stepped out from inside the wardrobe.
On the bed, Mika was fast asleep, snoring softly.
“Ugh… I told her to keep watch.”
With a sigh, I placed the teddy bear beside her pillow.
Then, silently, I offered a small thank-you in my heart.
Madam Rieri, thank you.
Rieri — the Dowager Empress’s maid, and Laura’s mother — had given me this for my birthday.
A beautifully refined magic stone.
And I knew exactly what to do with it.
For example… turn it into a one-time listening device.
It had all started a few days ago —
when I overheard the elders’ secret conversation.
