Chapter 105
The nobles, drawn to the diamond around Anne’s neck, initially felt intimidated by Lord Hannibal’s commanding presence and kept their distance. However, before long, Anne’s elegant yet approachable demeanor caused them to lower their guard and treat her properly, as the fiancée of a noble lord.
In a corner of the party hall where no one paid attention, Duke Gray Benton stood. Considering his position in the capital, he shouldn’t have been given such a remote spot, but by now, everyone knew the stir he had caused by attending. As a result, nobles from the west and the magicians of Ruto alike hesitated to engage him in conversation.
Excluded from the party, he spent the whole time staring at Anne, but he never once met her gaze.
Miss Mighty and the Ruto negotiation team had finally left Tegeness.
“Lord Hannibal and Anne had lunch together and then enjoyed tea, and now they’re taking a walk with Victoria?”
It must be like a happy little family of three.
Gray tossed the report from the servant into the fireplace.
The Anne Ferro he saw now was no longer the woman he once knew.
“From now on, I will be happy with Hannibal Clyde.”
The fragile, lovable side of her had vanished, replaced by a ruthless and cold western woman who had rejected him mercilessly. While he had prepared and waited for everything on Anne’s behalf, she had successfully seduced the highest authority in the west. He couldn’t forget seeing her at the banquet, laughing and enjoying herself as the mistress of the manor by Hannibal’s side.
But—
No other man can take your place. This was a contract with a witch sealed with my life, wasn’t it?
“I will make you regret it.”
Regret for not holding her hand sooner. I intended to make her a duchess. He ground his teeth as he stared into the roaring flames.
Bang, bang! Someone violently knocked on the door.
“What?”
Before Gray could respond, the unlocked door swung open.
“It has to be tonight. What will you do?”
Though he entered forcefully, Count Arthur muttered cautiously. Gray glanced at Jamie standing behind Arthur and smiled slyly.
“Let’s carry it out tonight.”
Arthur nodded with satisfaction.
“Understood.”
After tea, Anne and Hannibal went for a walk with the lonely Victoria.
“Look at this, Anne—”
Victoria ran ahead, conjured a magical circle in the air, and tossed in a leaf. A leaf fell a foot away.
“Wow! You’re a genius, Miss!”
Victoria grinned brightly, thumbs up. Excited, she made the leaves swirl in the air, creating a small vortex.
“Magic is amazing! Miss Mighty said Lord Clyde has talent, but he refuses to learn. What a waste.”
From Victoria’s rapid learning alone, it was clear that Hannibal, with the witch’s blood in him, would also have magical talent. If his already outstanding martial skills were combined with magic, even Hyman couldn’t look down on the west.
Since Anne had completely opened her heart to Hannibal, she also shared his anger at the capital’s disregard for the western lands.
“I don’t want to give Hyman any excuse.”
“You mean… he’ll pick on you using magic?”
Hyman had no laws or regulations concerning magic. Magicians occasionally traveled while trading with Ruto, but they were so few that it hardly mattered.
“It depends on who becomes emperor.”
“You’re still in contact with the Second Prince. Looks like things haven’t changed much.”
Anne occasionally received news from the capital through Hannibal.
“Yes. Today, I sent a copy of the ceasefire agreement. Ruto said they would provide some compensation to the west but nothing to the empire. They even claimed they should be compensated instead. The current emperor is on his deathbed, so it will be the new emperor’s responsibility to resolve this.”
It seemed evident that Hyman’s emperor and Ruto’s king had secretly conspired over the west. The west probably didn’t expect Ruto to claim victory.
“I hope we can build a closer cooperative relationship with Ruto, enough to prevent the empire from interfering.”
“Agreed.”
Hannibal smiled gently at Anne.
Later, the three shared dinner. It felt like a peaceful, leisurely day in the manor as if they were truly a family.
“If every day could be like today, it would be perfect.”
Anne finished her preparations, brushed back her loose hair, and murmured happily.
At that moment, a soft knock, knock echoed cautiously.
“Dona?”
Occasionally, if she forgot something after going to bed, Dona would quietly knock and bring it. Anne opened the door casually to see a servant standing there.
Although she had seen him occasionally, he wasn’t part of her inner circle, so his presence at this hour was unusual.
“What is it, Smith?”
The man flinched when she called his name precisely. Only then did Anne suspect his visit.
It was past 11 p.m.; all the other servants had gone to bed, leaving only the guards. The main house was eerily quiet.
Suddenly, Smith extended his hand silently.
In his palm was a small, thick envelope.
“There’s no time.”
“What?”
“I delivered the message as instructed.”
Before Anne could respond, Smith ran off without looking back.
“What on earth…?”
Anne shut the door and sat at a small table, fully awake now. She decided to call Smith first thing in the morning.
She opened the envelope slowly, without much tension.
“…!”
As soon as it opened, a short lock of hair fell out.
A bundle of brown hair, similar to her own.
Seeing it, only one thought crossed her mind:
“…Jamie?”
Anne’s fingertips turned blue as fear gripped her.
Inside the envelope, along with the hair, was a small folded note. Red stains dotted the paper, like deliberately dropped dried blood.
“No… it can’t be…”
Swallowing her fear, she unfolded the note.
[Come to the glass greenhouse immediately upon reading this. I won’t wait long.]
Anne bolted outside in her nightgown.
“Gray Benton… you bastard—threatening my brother now?!”
Wearing thin indoor slippers, she ran swiftly, crossing the garden and flinging open the greenhouse doors.
“Jamie—!”
The greenhouse was empty. Anne’s face turned pale as she searched the space frantically. Smith had said there was no time.
Had something already happened? If so, she wouldn’t forgive it!
“Jamie, Jamie—where are you?”
She searched the narrow greenhouse but found no sign of him.
“Where are you!”
Standing in the empty greenhouse, she realized Gray’s trap was real. Even if he was a duke, he couldn’t easily harm Jamie inside the manor.
Still, she couldn’t relax, pacing repeatedly, the night dew chilling her.
Had she hesitated too long?
She considered searching nearby outside but felt uneasy in her indoor clothes.
Anne decided calmly: better to go back and show Hannibal the note and ask for help.
Just as she started back to the main house:
“Anne.”
“-?!”
Turning at the voice, her vision went black. She instantly lost consciousness as if the lights had gone out.
Meanwhile—
Servant Smith stood in front of the lord’s room, sweating nervously.
What to do?
He had already acted and couldn’t take it back. For days, he had been transmitting information about the manor to the annex on behalf of Duke Benton. Today, however, he felt unusually uneasy.
If his father hadn’t lost his mother’s medicine money gambling, he would never have sold his loyalty and conscience for a few coins from Duke Benton.
He hesitated, raising and lowering his hand several times, moving toward the door and stepping back repeatedly.
Finally, just as he summoned the courage to knock, the door creaked open.
“Gah! L-Lord!”
“Why are you lurking outside my door at this hour?”
“Y-Yes… I, uh…”
Looking around, Smith nervously glanced at his surroundings.
“Speak.”
“Yes, Lord. Duke Benton—or rather, Count Arthur—sent this.”
The letter Smith held was sealed with Count Arthur’s official stamp.
[Hannibal, come to me alone quietly. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee Anne Ferro’s safety.]
Hannibal’s hand trembled as he held the note.
Smith, receiving no command to leave, remained and felt the lethal tension radiating from Hannibal.
“Is he a servant from the annex?”
“Yes? F-Four—”
Nervous, Smith barely answered and bowed his head. Hannibal crumpled the letter and brushed past him.
“Go back quietly for now.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Details about the servant could wait. Right now, ensuring Anne’s safety was the priority.
The manor, with everyone asleep, was only filled with Hannibal’s footsteps echoing through the halls.
Seeing Anne’s door, he didn’t need to get closer to know something had happened. The door was wide open.
She always locked it before sleeping. Hannibal quickened his pace and entered.
The bed was empty. The blanket had been hastily pulled back, and the pillow tossed aside. Notes with blood stains and scattered hair lay on the floor.
Hannibal hurriedly picked up the crumpled paper scraps.
Glass greenhouse?
Anne called the greenhouse, and the count quietly finds her? He didn’t know what had happened, but it didn’t feel right. Hannibal immediately headed to the greenhouse, sensing greater danger than any drunken antics of her father.
The greenhouse doors were wide open.
“Anne?”
Inside, no one. Hannibal ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.
Where is Anne now?
