Chapter 93
“Huh?”
At the mansion gates, Bedol, who was escorting Velia, frowned.
“Why are imperial palace knights all gathered at our house?”
The atmosphere around the mansion was clearly unusual.
“What’s wrong?”
“Look over there.”
Velia stepped down from the carriage, holding Bedol’s hand, and tilted her head at the strangely chaotic scene.
“Where are the gatekeepers?”
“That’s what I’m saying… Are they all neglecting their duties? Shouldn’t we round them all up—including Tob?”
“Let’s just go see first.”
Velia gestured toward the direction a crowd was moving.
“What on earth is going on?”
About a third of the household staff seemed to have gathered in the back garden.
Velia and Bedol walked over, keeping some distance as they approached through the murmuring servants.
“Is it true?”
“Of course! The whole mansion’s already buzzing about it!”
“But wait, didn’t they say the imperial tribute being delivered to the palace was stolen? So why is it in our mansion?”
“That’s what I’m saying! What are we going to do? At this rate, won’t all of us servants be executed?”
“But—wasn’t that storeroom in the garden only used by the young master? It’s got magic wards on it, so people like us can’t even approach. How could we be blamed?”
“You fool! You’ve worked here this long and still don’t get it? The master and mistress are all away right now. So who else could have moved the tribute here? It must be one of us…”
“What nonsense is that?”
“Oh heavens!”
“Young master! My lady!”
The servants, huddled together and whispering, jumped and bowed hastily when they saw Bedol and Velia.
“No, tell me. What’s this about? The tribute that was attacked and disappeared—what? It’s here, in our mansion?”
Bedol brushed past their greetings and pressed them sharply.
“Well, that is…”
“Spit it out. What are you talking about?”
The servants exchanged uneasy glances until one, a maid who had worked there the longest, carefully spoke up.
“Y-Yes, young master, my lady… That tribute is in the back garden right now.”
Bedol and Velia exchanged looks.
“The back garden?”
“Yes, my lady… This morning, imperial palace knights came saying they would search the mansion. And during that search, they found it.”
“What in the world…”
“Brother, let’s go.”
Urged on by Velia, Bedol quickly led her toward the garden.
* * *
“We’ve arrived.”
At the coachman’s call, Barun clumsily scrambled out of the carriage—something most unlike him.
“Young master—”
“Tob, you should—”
“Are you Barun Arphedi?”
At the unfamiliar voice, Barun flinched and turned.
His unease—normally hidden perfectly—was now written plainly on his face.
“…And you are?”
“I am Due Duttler, of the Fourth Knight Order of the Imperial Palace.”
“What is a palace knight doing here…?”
“There was a recent attack on tributes being delivered to the palace. We came to investigate, and in the process, we discovered traces of the missing goods here.”
“Traces…?”
Several knights approached closer to Barun’s side.
“Stop there. This is the young heir. Show some respect.”
At Due’s order, the knights halted.
“Even if you’re palace knights, do you think the Arphedi family will tolerate such rudeness?”
Tob stepped in front of Barun.
“My apologies for standing in your way—”
“No, it’s fine.”
Forcing himself to stay calm, Barun tried to maintain his composure.
Yet before him unfolded exactly the kind of situation he least wanted to face—the kind he could not control.
He wetted his lips out of habit, falling silent.
Tob, sensing his master’s anxiety, trembled faintly.
“Show proper respect, all of you!”
Still, Tob tried to shield his master, barking at the knights.
Due, however, only gave a perfunctory bow.
Unlike the tense Barun and Tob, Due was simply eager to finish this mess and go home.
He had dealt with too many noble brats causing trouble at palace banquets to find this even remotely surprising.
“This insolence…”
At Tob’s sharp rebuke, Due merely swallowed a sigh.
He knew all too well the ugliness behind these polished noble faces. To him, this was nothing but a waste of time.
Keeping his expression grave, Due urged Barun and Tob.
“Given the urgency of the matter, I ask for your understanding. Young heir, would you accompany us? I’ll escort you.”
With that, Due and the palace knights moved ahead.
“At least tell us where you’re taking him first!”
“Enough. We’ll follow.”
Barun patted Tob’s shoulder and started moving.
He needed time to figure out what exactly was happening.
The closer they circled around the front of the mansion toward the garden, the more Barun’s eyes wavered.
This path—familiar and significant beyond measure—was etched deeply into him.
“Young master, this is…”
Tob, who knew the grounds just as well, showed his shock openly.
“Here it is.”
The gathered palace knights turned their cold gazes toward Barun.
“I hear this storeroom cannot be opened without the young heir’s own key. Is that correct?”
Faced with the knight’s question, neither Tob nor Barun could speak.
Not because they agreed—but because they were too stunned.
There, spread across the garden lawn, were the tributes—clearly taken from the wide-open storeroom.
“Why… why is this here…”
Barun blinked, lips moving soundlessly.
The tribute, embroidered with the image of a beautiful eagle, looked even more exquisite than the last time he had seen it.
Shock lingered on Barun’s face.
It was the cost of arrogance.
What he had thought a mere plaything had not only leapt over his traps but had turned back to strike its master.
While Barun stared blankly at the tributes, Tob stepped forward in his place.
“…We know nothing of this!”
There was no time to argue how things had gone wrong.
All Tob could think of was protecting Barun. His mouth moved on its own.
“This is a setup! It has nothing to do with our young master!”
“Tob, this isn’t your place to speak!”
“Captain!”
The Arphedi knight captain, who had been summoned there, stopped Tob.
“What are you doing? You should be protecting the young master!”
“You fool! Until the Marquis gives orders, you must not act rashly. Be silent.”
The captain lowered his voice, wary of the palace knights.
“But they’re already suspecting our young master!”
“Silence! The family elders are already investigating swiftly. If you speak carelessly before anything is revealed, the young master could end up shouldering all the blame.”
At that, Tob finally fell quiet.
“None of us believes the young master could have done such a thing. So hold yourself.”
“…But until the Marquis gives orders, what will happen to him?”
“I’ll handle that. For now, the Marquis said we must fully cooperate with the palace.”
“But—!”
“Tob! Do not act rashly. Remember—you are sworn as the lady’s guard knight, not the young master’s.”
Still unaware of his official reassignment, Tob turned his anxious face toward Barun.
Barun still stood there, eyes vacant.
That face—it was both familiar and utterly foreign.
It was the same expression he had worn long ago, when the former Marchioness died and Sof entered the household for the first time.
Dazed, caught between shock and rage, Barun was defenseless—so much so he could not even see what must be hidden.
Tob glanced into the storeroom, then squeezed his eyes shut.
If everyone’s focus remained here, Barun would be in even greater danger.
Not just his position—his very life could be at stake.
“Greetings!”
Just as Tob tried to draw attention away, the knights in formation bowed deeply toward one man.
It was the head of House Arphedi—the Marquis himself.
“Captain of the palace knights—”
“No need for introductions.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The Marquis passed the knights and strode toward the figure standing dazed.
“Barun.”
At his call, Barun turned his head, finally snapping back to himself.
“F-Father…”
Smack!
Barun’s head snapped to the side.
The Marquis’s heavy hand left a vivid red mark across his cheek.
Those gathered in the garden gasped in shock.
