ADVD 48

Chapter 48

Horace’s general store, the Grand Emporium, was the venture he had staked everything on.

With nowhere left to borrow from, he had secretly turned to the most dangerous loan sharks—even without his family’s knowledge—just to scrape together the funds.

There’s no retreat this time. If this fails, my life is truly finished.

That was Horace’s honest conviction.

But it’ll be fine. This time I’ll succeed for sure. I’ll succeed so spectacularly that I’ll crush the noses of all those who ever looked down on me.

The Grand Emporium, as if to cover up his own mediocrity, was the largest and most stylish shop on the boulevard.

Its size dwarfed the other general stores in the area, and every shelf gleamed with nothing but high-quality goods.

If you want to make real money, this is the bare minimum. Selling cheap trash won’t get you anywhere.

But as his vanity swelled, so too did his debt balloon into something monstrous. Horace turned his eyes away from reality.

It wasn’t long before the business he had recklessly launched began to creak and falter.

His limited business sense only worsened under pressure. Driven to the brink, his vision narrowed, his patience frayed, and his choices became short-sighted and foolish.

The result: the Grand Emporium was now teetering on the edge of collapse.

Most of his employees had quit, debt collectors came daily to his home with threats, and the once-glorious shop had nothing but flies for customers.

Frightened of the collectors, Horace abandoned his wife and children and fled.

Why did it turn out like this? I couldn’t have been wrong… Then why…?

Wandering the streets in rags like a beggar, Horace’s eyes fell on something.

A shop bursting with customers. The very sight he had once dreamed of.

It was Cozy Cauldron.

The last time he had seen it, it was just another mediocre store. Yet now—what trickery had they pulled?—it had become a place overflowing with customers.

It’s all because of them. That place stole every one of my customers. If not for them…! I wouldn’t be like this!

Horace ground his teeth until his jaw ached.

Because of that shop, his life was ruined. He had lost everything.

With nothing left to lose, the thought crept in: if he could at least take revenge on that wretched store, even once…

But… that owner was no pushover.

The memory still chilled him: the fist of Cozy Cauldron’s owner slamming straight into his face. He had truly thought he would die in that instant.

Revenge, yes—but not directly. He was too afraid to confront the owner himself. Then, an idea flickered in his mind.

Yes! That little brat the owner always kept at his side.

A cute child, with black curls and catlike violet eyes.

I don’t know what their relationship is, but the owner treasures him. If I hurt the boy, it’ll be just like hurting the owner himself.

And as it happened, Horace bore a grudge against that child too—for taking away a precious lock of his hair.

An impudent brat with no respect for his elders. This is the perfect chance to teach him a proper lesson.

A sly grin spread across Horace’s face—the first smile he’d worn since his business began to crumble.

He turned on his heel and strode off purposefully.

Autumn had ripened. Cecile was out with Ann for the first time in a while, to order a new dress.

“Since your birthday’s coming soon, let’s have a beautiful dress made!”

Ann’s face was alight with excitement, as though she were choosing her own gown.

Seeing her in such good spirits, Cecile felt herself relax, smiling sweetly.

“Alright!”

They stopped by a few boutiques.

But something had felt off for some time now.

[Cecile, do you sense it?]

Nibelung whispered in her mind.

[Someone is following us.]

‘I know.’

Cecile focused her senses on the presence behind them.

‘It feels like… someone who’s visited the shop a few times before. No real power, just… ordinary.’

[Then why would such a person be tailing us?]

‘That’s what worries me.’

She glanced sideways at Ann, walking beside her.

‘Still, against someone ordinary, Ann is more than a match.’

Ann’s body was muscular and well-trained.

That was why Cecile could safely go out with only her, without extra guards.

‘Even so, no matter his intent, he can’t do much on a crowded street… But just in case, perhaps we should head back early today.’

With that thought, Cecile tugged Ann’s hand.

“My feet hurt, Ann. Let’s go back now.”

“Of course. We did walk quite a bit today.”

They were heading for their carriage when the stalker suddenly revealed himself.

It was Horace, the disgraced owner of the Grand Emporium.

“You ruined my life!”

No longer well-dressed, he now wore filthy clothes he hadn’t changed in days. His bloodshot eyes made it plain to all that his mind was unhinged.

And in his hand—was a crossbow.

The instant he brandished a weapon in the busy street, screams rang out all around. Horace, panting heavily, leveled the crossbow at Cecile.

“You think you could destroy my shop and just walk away? That shop was my entire life!”

“My lady!”

Ann desperately shielded Cecile with her own body, trying to maneuver her away.

But Horace only advanced closer. There was no escaping the crossbow’s range.

Damn it. He’s far more unhinged than I thought.

Cecile bit her lip. Never had she imagined that a former store owner would attack so brazenly, in broad daylight, in front of so many people.

If Ann were alone, she might have managed to fight or flee. But protecting me while facing a crossbow? Even for her, that’s impossible.

Of course, Cecile could crush him in an instant with black magic. A man relying only on a weapon was nothing before her power.

But to reveal herself as a black magician—here, on the open street, before Ann—was sheer madness.

If that secret were exposed, not only would she lose her place in the duke’s household, but her very life would be forfeit.

And yet…

In her mind’s eye, she saw Ann struck down in her stead. The ever-smiling face frozen in terror and pain, her body collapsing in blood, growing cold in Cecile’s arms.

That, she could never allow.

“As you ruined my life… so shall I ruin yours!”

With those words, Horace pulled the trigger.

“My lady!”

Ann wrapped her arms around Cecile, shielding her with all her strength.

[Cecile! Beware!]

Nibelung’s cry rang like a scream.

Cecile clenched her teeth. There was no more time to hesitate.

Then—

Thud! A heavy impact shook the ground.

A long shadow fell over Cecile and Ann.

It was Duke Bartholomew.

His long coat billowed as golden eyes flashed with a ferocious light, exuding a pressure so immense that the entire street seemed to hold its breath.

“Wha—? Who…!”

Horace, startled into dropping his crossbow, tried to bark back but faltered.

He didn’t recognize the man, but instinct screamed that this was someone of towering stature.

“How dare you.”

With a voice cold and seething with fury, the duke seized Horace by the collar.

“Kkgh—! C-can’t… breathe…!”

Hoisted into the air like a ragdoll, Horace thrashed and choked. Then the duke slammed him mercilessly into the ground.