Chapter 27

Startled, Diana instinctively grabbed the man to stop him.

He had been so reckless that she barely managed to hold him back.

“Wait a moment! What are you trying to do?”

“Of course, I intend to ask again.”

“Calm down! He lied without changing a single expression. Even if you interrogate him, he won’t answer willingly!”

But despite Diana’s persuasion, the man remained stubborn. He shook his head firmly.

“Let me go.”

“What do you intend to do alone? At least bring a couple of knights…”

“There’s no time. If I call anyone, he’ll escape while I wait.”

Diana felt as if she were facing a bull released into a bullring.

Despite his sharp, cold appearance, he was clearly agitated.
His patience was worn to its limits.

“The letters from my brother have stopped. Something might have happened. If I let him slip by again, I won’t forgive myself.”

“….”

Having lost him once before, he seemed ready to throw himself into fire without hesitation.

Diana moved her lips a few times but ultimately stayed silent.

“This is a matter of family safety. Time is critical, so please, let me go.”

“Just wait a moment.”

“Lady.”

“Just a very short moment. I want to help, not stop you recklessly.”

“….”

“Just a moment, okay?”

Diana sighed softly and quickly turned her steps.

She headed toward the carriage waiting on the opposite road.

It didn’t take long for her to ask the driver to call the guards and return.

“All set. Let’s go.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll come with you. Your brother is missing, right?”

“That’s not possible. It might be dangerous.”

“That’s why I’m going with you. If your brother is really missing, you’re chasing the kidnapper alone. That’s far more dangerous.”

She couldn’t just walk away pretending not to know.

Besides, if the Valentine younger marquis was pursuing a casino dealer, she needed to see it for herself.
Based on the circumstances, that dealer was very likely the swindler Diana and the detective had been searching for.

“But if something happens…”

“If you’re that worried, then you can protect me.”

“Of course, but I can’t guarantee your safety, Lady.”

“That’s fine. If it gets dangerous, I’ll be the first to run and leave you behind.”

“…Then I have no choice. Understood.”

Judging he couldn’t change Diana’s mind, he finally relented.

“It’s that way. The person I mentioned went toward the alley by the flour mill.”

“Thank you, Lady.”

“My name is Diana Wellington, not ‘Lady.’ And this is something I borrowed from the driver just now. You know how to use it, right?”

The man accepted the folding knife tool Diana handed him.
It was a small multi-tool combining a knife, corkscrew, saw, lockpick, and awl.

“I thought it might be helpful. Is it useless?”

“No, it should be useful. Thank you, Lady.”

The awkward smile lasted only a moment.

The man finally looked directly at her.
His eyes, clear like amethyst, were mesmerizing enough that one could stare for hours.

“I’m late in introducing myself. I’m Gideon.”

“Quite a unique name.”

“I hear that often.”

Gideon’s usually tense expression softened just slightly.

Diana and Gideon carefully approached the flour mill, making sure not to be seen by the shop owner.

They entered the flour mill and the old storage room, where the lock was loosely secured.

“Are you sure this is the place?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like an ordinary warehouse.”

Indeed, there was nothing particularly noteworthy—just stacks of flour sacks.

‘Isn’t there too much food here?’

The sacks seemed far too many for a single pastry shop to use.

‘The back is a dead-end… there’s nowhere else to hide.’

As she surveyed the warehouse, Gideon suddenly knelt on one knee.

“…Gideon? What are you doing?”

“I felt a tremor.”

“Excuse me?”

“You can feel it in the floor.”

Startled, Diana approached him.
Sure enough, the floor beneath where he knelt was slightly vibrating.

The next step was easy.

Diana quickly found a hidden basement door camouflaged to match the floorboards.

Gideon used the tool Diana had lent him to unlock it.

“Could the man be hiding down there?”

“Highly likely. Now I understand why he’s been seen only in this area over the past few days.”

Soon, the driver would bring the guards, and they could strike together.

But contrary to her expectation, Gideon opened the door immediately.

Diana, scanning for the owner, was shocked.

“Wait…!”

Before she could react, Gideon disappeared down into the basement.

He looked like someone who would meticulously check accounts, yet he acted recklessly!

“Really…!”

Diana had no choice but to follow him down.

Contrary to expectations, the basement was bright.

And it was spacious—roughly the size of a small chapel’s hall.

The problem was that there were people inside. And not just one or two.

“…What is this, you?”

“Hmm? I haven’t seen your face before.”

A group of men sat around square tables, playing cards or drinking.

‘An illegal gambling den!’

Diana swallowed instinctively.
She couldn’t believe someone had dug under the flour mill.

Among them, she recognized a familiar face.
It was the royal casino dealer Diana and Orlando had been searching for.

‘Found you… but this isn’t a time to be happy!’

The stale smell of dust mingled with strong tobacco smoke.
Seeing an illegal gambling den set up among flour sacks, salt, and oven trays made Diana want to cry.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?”

“Lucas!”

Gideon dashed toward the basement corner before the intruder could react.

Diana, now fully adjusted to the darkness, realized someone was trapped in the basement.

Inside a cage, a man trembled, possibly with both arms broken.
The roughly wrapped bandages were stained with blood.

“Brother…? Is it really you?”

“Damn it!”

One of the dealers, realizing the situation, swore loudly.

“You idiot! I told you there’s no need to call the council! I warned you not to wander outside—what now, fool?”

Sensing the situation was serious, two men who had been at the card table stood up.

Diana quickly counted the number of people.

‘Five, six, seven… eight?’

There were far too many.

Regardless, Gideon, furious to the core, changed his tone.

“Did you imprison my brother?”

“So, you’re the nobleman’s elder brother?”

“You must be Nicol Haswell. Assaulting and imprisoning people is illegal. Don’t you know that?”

“Don’t blame us. If anything, your brother put himself in this position first.”

Nicol’s uneasy expression lasted only a moment.

He looked at Gideon’s brother as if he were an insect.

“When we all cheated others’ money together, you participated happily. Later, you tried to slip away, and even here, you tricked the dealer. Do you know how much I restrained myself from killing you?”

“….”

“We only broke your arms. You should be grateful!”

“Is that your excuse?”

“Who’s lecturing who? Do you even understand the situation?”

As Nicol said, Gideon was far from just angry.
He showed unwavering, righteous fury, regardless of whether there were eight or a hundred people blocking him.

“I’m taking my brother and leaving.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I’m not asking for your cooperation.”

“The arrogant noble brat still talks like that, huh? Fine, try me.”

Even in this situation, he had such resolve.
It was extraordinary timing, and the situation was rapidly approaching the worst-case scenario Diana had feared.