Chapter 3.2

Every night they spent together afterward was the same.  

‘Is there something wrong with me?’  

For a time, he wondered if the problem lay with him. But after holding Alena in his arms, he realized the issue wasn’t him—it was Ariana. She was simply a stiff and unyielding woman, like a block of wood.  

Camio crossed his arms with a hint of sarcasm.  

“Earl, whether your wife is stiff or boring, it’s none of my concern. My concern is solely that the Countess remains quiet and doesn’t interfere with our affairs.”  

Though Camio maintained a polite tone, his words carried an air of threat. The Earl noticed this and flinched, momentarily unsure of who held the upper hand.  

“Astaroth cannot afford to attract attention. The family must remain quiet and unassuming, as if it barely avoided ruin. You know this, don’t you, Earl?”  

Camio’s words were chillingly cold.  

“Surely you can handle one woman properly? She’s just a pampered noblewoman, after all.”  

The Earl’s pride was stung by Camio’s remark, and he clenched his fists tightly.  

“Of course! How hard can it be to silence such a woman? She’s been acting out, so I’ll teach her a lesson!”

***

Around the same time, Ariana was walking through the alleys of Purd Street, a residential area for commoners, with her hat pulled low. She was searching for the address Helen had given her for Daniel. But for some reason, she had been wandering the same spot for over an hour without finding the address written on the note.  

‘Was my sense of direction always this bad…?’  

As Ariana frowned in self-reproach, the door of the house directly in front of her opened quietly.  

“Are you… looking for something?”  

A young girl with freckled brown hair peeked out cautiously, her tone tinged with suspicion.  

“You’ve been circling around here for a while.”  

From the girl’s gaze, Ariana realized she was being mistaken for someone suspicious. It seemed her overly concealed hat was the problem. However, with her face now widely known due to newspapers and bulletins, she couldn’t risk exposing herself.  

“I’m not a strange person. I’m looking for this address, but I can’t seem to find it.”  

Thinking it might be a good idea to ask a local for directions, Ariana showed the girl the note with the address. But the girl’s expression grew even more wary when she read it.  

“This is an invalid address…”  

“What? That can’t be!”  

Had Helen made a mistake when copying the address?  

“Do you happen to know Daniel Wright? I’m looking for him.”  

Hoping the girl might recognize the name, Ariana asked. To her surprise, the girl’s eyes widened in shock.  

“You’re looking for my father?”  

“…Your father? Are you Daniel’s daughter?”  

When Ariana slightly lifted her hat to reveal her face, the girl covered her mouth with both hands in astonishment.  

“Lady Astaroth!”

***

The girl, trembling, served tea and refreshments before leaving the room. Daniel, whom Ariana hadn’t seen in a long time, looked older than she remembered but still healthy.  

“I didn’t expect you to come here after I sent that letter.”  

“I’m sorry. But that’s how much I need your help, Daniel. I need someone to assist me.”  

“I understand you need a restoration expert. That’s why I offered advice in my letters. But… I cannot personally take on restoration work.”  

Daniel firmly declined, and Ariana knew the reason.  

“Is it because of that incident?”  

“…”  

Daniel Wright was once known as the “Hand of God.” His nickname came from his ability to restore any item to its original state, making it seem brand new.  

But.  

‘He was exposed for stealing items he was entrusted to restore and selling them, leading to his expulsion from the industry.’  

Daniel had been caught swapping restored items for replicas, returning the replicas to their owners while selling the originals on the black market. Despite his skills, no one wanted to entrust their belongings to a restorer who stole from his clients. The “Hand of God” was now scorned as the “Hand of the Devil,” driven out of the industry. Many in the restoration field still remembered the scandal.  

Daniel sighed deeply.  

“…I didn’t expect someone who knows about ‘that incident’ to say such things to me.”  

“You were actually a victim, weren’t you? You pawned the item temporarily because you needed money for your son’s surgery, but when you returned on the agreed date, they gave you a replica instead.”  

Daniel had a sick son who urgently needed surgery. Desperate for money, he decided to pawn one of his clients’ items temporarily, intending to retrieve it later. He set a two-week deadline to repay the loan and reclaim the item, and on the tenth day, he returned with the money. But the pawnshop employee, blinded by greed, had already sold the item and handed Daniel a replica instead. Though Daniel immediately recognized the replica and protested, the original had already been sold to an unknown buyer.  

‘That pawnshop was Rowen’s.’

When Palvin passed away and Rowen had just inherited the business, it was during this time that the incident occurred. Rowen claimed he was unaware of the pawnshop’s operations because he had left everything to the employees. This incident clearly demonstrated how detached he was from the business.  

‘Daniel trusted the pawnshop he had worked with for so long to handle his belongings.’  

To make matters worse, the item involved was none other than the tiara of the influential Duchess Etzel, causing a massive uproar.  

“…Regardless, it’s undeniable that I was at fault for using a client’s property as collateral. I was blinded by the thought of saving my son.”  

Daniel smiled bitterly, filled with self-reproach.  

“The late Earl went to great lengths to help me back then. He was truly a kind-hearted man.”  

The late Earl acknowledged Daniel’s wrongdoing but felt that being completely ousted from the industry was too harsh. He worked to sway public opinion, expressing regret for not assisting sooner, especially after learning about Daniel’s sick son. Thanks to the Earl’s efforts, Duchess Etzel understood the situation, but Daniel’s reputation, once tarnished, was beyond repair.  

Rowen, on the other hand, escaped the scandal by firing the employee responsible, while Daniel had no choice but to end his career as a restorer. Over time, he settled into a modest life, running a small restaurant on Purd Street.  

“And even without considering the past, my hands have grown stiff. It’s been far too long since I last worked in restoration. You should seek out another restorer…”  

“There’s no one else.”  

Ariana’s tone was resolute.  

“You know that as well as I do.”  

Rowen’s pawnshop was the largest in the capital. For survival, restorers had no choice but to work under Rowen’s watchful eye, as he provided the most jobs. What Ariana intended to do was something Rowen would never approve of. If it became known that someone cooperated with her, they would lose all future work. Out of fear, no one would dare take the risk.  

‘Even if I promise them great rewards, no one would gamble their future on uncertainty.’  

Unless, of course, they were someone who had already lost their future as a restorer.  

“I’ve never met a restorer with greater skill than you, Daniel. This could be your chance to restore your honor through your talent.”  

“…”  

Daniel’s mind was in turmoil. He knew he had made a mistake, but the consequences had been excessively severe. Though he sometimes resented others, he ultimately blamed himself for not handling things better. Over time, he resigned himself to his fate, accepting it as inevitable. But if his dishonor were to block someone else’s path, that was something he could not allow.  

Daniel looked at Ariana’s determined face. Over her features, he saw the face of the late Earl, who had passed away years ago. Memories of their conversation resurfaced.  

“Pablo once said that my daughter would surpass me as a collector. She certainly has the talent.”  

“Did it upset you to hear that from Pablo?”  

“Not at all. Don’t we humans always strive to create successors better than ourselves? That’s why I collect rare artifacts.”  

“It’s a shame. If she had been born a son…”  

“Do you think so?”  

“Don’t you?”  

“Not at all. Even if she doesn’t inherit the title of Earl herself, the Astaroth family will undoubtedly belong to her. She’s that kind of person.”  

‘Your insight was remarkable, Earl. You truly understood your daughter.’  

Daniel turned his head toward the slightly ajar door, where his daughter was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.  

“Child, go fetch your brother.”  

Caught in the act, the girl jumped in surprise and quickly replied, “Yes!” before running off. Ariana was puzzled.  

“Why are you suddenly calling for your son…?”  

“I have a son whom I saved by making that mistake. He’s grown healthy and well.”  

“That’s good to hear.”  

“Yes. And he takes after me. He has inherited my skills—no, he’s even more talented than I am.”  

“What?”  

Ariana blinked in surprise. Daniel, once called the “Hand of God,” claimed his son surpassed him in talent. Daniel chuckled at her reaction.  

“The late Earl once told me that humans always strive to create successors better than themselves. I used to find that strange because I always wanted to be the best. But when my son was born, I understood.”  

He could give up on his own path, but he could never let his child’s path be blocked.