BWVF 49

BWVF

Chapter 49

Dorian was hiding something from me again.

Hadn’t we already built some trust? Did he think the problem would solve itself by keeping secrets like this?

My thoughts began to spiral negatively, like a car with broken brakes. I took a deep breath.

“Don’t think so negatively. There must be a reason he’s doing this.”

But neither the warm, fragrant bathwater nor Iva’s soft, gentle voice could calm my anger.

In the end, I only managed to release my emotions after sending Iva out.

“No, you need to tell me what it is so I can prepare!”

What could possibly have scared Dorian so much?

I recalled the way Dorian had given me a command while I sat on the bed. Even though I couldn’t read anything then, maybe now I could discern the hidden emotion in his eyes or the corners of his mouth.

First of all, the fact that Dorian took Lewin along suggested there was a high likelihood that some danger had appeared for him. There were limits to what Iva and I could protect, so he must have taken Lewin with him.

But surely, given the distance between the capital and the marquisate, Hiram couldn’t reach him so easily… I thought.

Dorian had said that no one besides us knew the location of the teleportation stone.

I collapsed onto the bed. The sudden motion made my upper body bounce slightly.

I muttered weakly,

“Something’s definitely wrong.”

Judging by Dorian’s reaction, it was clear I wasn’t significant enough for him to consult with me. There was only one possibility.

Was it really something related to Hiram?

Thinking of Hiram, I vividly recalled the sensation on the balcony, as if mana had been unraveling from my heart like a spool of thread. My chest tightened painfully.

“Ugh.”

Fear gripped me once again. Clutching my chest, I compulsively scanned the room with my eyes. The faint patterns on the wallpaper blurred my vision.

If it was Hiram, shouldn’t he have told me even more? Why didn’t Dorian want to tell me?

He trusts me, but am I not someone he can discuss these things with?

My wandering gaze soon landed on the nightstand. The styrofoam box that Iva had placed there remained neatly on the nightstand.

Now that I thought about it, even before I imagined being able to receive the marquis title, I had wanted to distribute frozen seafood. With the contract money from Dorian, I could buy the baron title…

I inhaled slowly. The moment I saw the styrofoam box, my mind cleared.

In this world, Dorian—the true mastermind—was quite intelligent, judging from the conversation we had in front of the fireplace.

He wouldn’t have made a wrong choice.

Perhaps this was his way of showing consideration for me.

“Still…”

Iva had only left the minimum number of luminescent stones on, so the room glowed faintly in yellow, allowing me to sleep comfortably.

I crawled into bed. The comforting weight, the silence.

As I closed my eyes, darkness enveloped my vision. Realizing that there was nothing I could do was never a pleasant feeling.

“Did you say you sensed mana traces in the teleportation stone?”

Iva’s voice, brimming with barely contained emotion, asked sharply. Hartman quickly raised a finger to his lips.

“Calm down. The young master is sleeping.”

Iva finally looked at the bed. Fortunately, Lewin was sound asleep. His face was slightly scrunched, but it soon relaxed, indicating he hadn’t woken.

Iva lowered her voice and whispered,

“How did they know where it was? No one should know the location of the teleportation stone in the capital.”

“Maybe they didn’t use the teleportation stone,” Dorian said in a lazy tone that, if heard casually, would seem indifferent. But he was restraining his emotions as much as possible.

He added,

“They probably didn’t leave just one teleportation stone in the imperial capital in the past.”

Even so, any records related to its location had long been lost. The fact that the duke had discovered it was purely a matter of luck.

There were no records. There was no news that the emperor, who neglected the empire, had ever initiated excavation work. It was hard to believe he suddenly took interest in a lost technology like the teleportation stone.

Moreover, the duke’s household staff remained at the mansion. They had monitored the household multiple times before, so nothing like Scarlett’s infiltration could have occurred.

Even if someone realized they had moved to the marquisate, they wouldn’t have been able to determine the coordinates used exclusively for the teleportation magic.

“First, we’ll strengthen the defenses, and once Miss Rohela finishes the design, we’ll return immediately,” he said, lifting the crystal glass in front of him. The delicate, shell-patterned rock glass contained water instead of liquor.

As he moistened his dry lips with water, a bitter voice replayed in his head, as if she were beside him:

He couldn’t bring himself to look at Rohela’s expression. He knew she would dislike this, but she had more important matters at hand. He didn’t want to unnecessarily worry her.

“If only I could manipulate aura.”

Dorian set the glass down. It landed silently on the marble table. His Adam’s apple bobbed once.

He murmured,

“Everything will proceed without a hitch.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The duke’s will is our will.”

At Dorian’s words, Iva and Hartman pressed their fists to their left chests and bowed. Only the gentle breaths of the sleeping child could be heard afterward.

Breaking the silence, Dorian set the glass firmly on the table.

“Let’s schedule a conversation with the marquis in the reception room.”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

It felt like I had just closed my eyes, yet quite some time had passed. Iva glanced over my outfit, then checked the box again. Even after holding it all the way in the carriage, the box wasn’t dented or worn.

And it didn’t seem like anyone had swapped it secretly. I tapped the box lightly.

“Was it after dinner that they said they’d display it in the reception room?”

“Yes. They said you two would do the grand demonstration together in the reception room. Since you’d be drinking whiskey on the rocks, they prepared ice in advance.”

That would naturally showcase the box’s functionality. I steeled myself and nodded.

“Shall we bring the box to the reception room in advance?”

“That’s fine.”

Iva brushed my hair one last time and said this. I swallowed.

After waking, Iva told me dinner would be simple as it had gotten late, but we’d spend time in the reception room together afterward. She hinted that I might play the piano as well.

It reminded me of scenes from old Western novels: after dinner, people played chess, drank, played the piano, danced lightly, and chatted in the reception room.

Iva set down the brush and helped me up.

“Shall we go?”

I nodded. Iva led me downstairs to the first floor, chattering all the way.

“The reception room is right next to the dining room. The door is usually closed, but it’s not locked.”

Turning immediately to the right on the way to the dining room, I saw a smooth, brown, lacquered door unlike the others. Iva placed her hand on the brass handle.

The door opened gently. I covered my mouth with the hand not holding the box.

“Oh.”

It seemed like a mixture of a study and reception room. Unlike the castle that always reminded me of the sea or beach, this room was decorated entirely in wood.

The long, curved reception room had a burning fireplace. One side was filled with bookshelves, and an ivory grand piano sat far from the door.

Near the door was a lectern for poetry readings, adjacent to a sofa. A low table stood in front of the sofa. A chess table and chairs were nearby.

It was cozy and warm, surprisingly spacious. It could hold around ten people comfortably. As I wandered, Iva asked,

“What do you think?”

“…Lewin would be bored.”

Despite the grandeur, that was my honest impression. Iva laughed.

“Haha, yes. He would be. But if you play the piano, he’ll quickly shift his attention to it.”

She naturally guided me to the piano. In a room dominated by calm wood tones of brown and red, the piano shone white.

Iva lifted the lace covering the piano chair and opened its lid. Beneath, a surprisingly deep, empty space held only a few sheets of music.

“Ah!”

I had completely forgotten this space existed. Iva smiled warmly.

“Let’s hide it here.”