Chapter 35

Erez Bauter bites his nails furiously. But that wasn’t enough to ease his frustration. He felt like the only way to get rid of his frustration was to chew on Aneta Adenauer.

The capital was abuzz with talk about Aneta Adenauer. The news that Carlos had attended Derek Adenauer’s funeral, which had allowed no visitors, was only the beginning.

From the fact that the Adenauer family couldn’t have illegitimate children to the news that Carlos had taken leave to stay by the sick Aneta’s side for two days, there wasn’t a single thing Erez liked. He stomped his foot in frustration.

“…This world can’t do this to me.”

The spreading rumors only heightened Erez’s anxiety. He had remained quiet, trying to understand how things were unfolding, and now, this was the result.

The original story had diverged uncontrollably.

When Erez first found himself in this body, he had been shocked. Being in the body of a man rather than a woman had been bewildering.

Thankfully, the confusion didn’t last long. Afterward, he felt it was a blessing. He thought he could fall in love with the male protagonist of his favorite novel while retaining his original gender.

Erez did not doubt that Carlos would love him no matter what form he took.

That’s why he hastened the death of his grandfather, Marquis Bauter, to meet Carlos as soon as possible. He also didn’t hesitate to use false abilities to hide his insignificant powers.

Erez believed all these actions were efforts for his and Carlos’s love.

“But that irritating woman ruined everything.”

Erez recalled an unforgettable, humiliating memory. It had been a good idea to visit Carlos’s office after hearing that Aneta had a day off.

But Carlos had not responded to his confession of love at first sight, nor to his seductive proposal to spend the night together. Carlos had merely watched him unbutton his shirt with indifferent eyes.

And then that woman had appeared again. She had made Carlos throw him out.

The anger Erez felt at that time resurfaced, and he bit his nails even more fiercely.

“Everything is because of Aneta Adenauer. That hateful woman is the one standing in my way.”

Erez gritted his teeth, mistakenly believing that Aneta had ruined the smooth path laid out before him.

The person who should captivate everyone’s attention was supposed to be him, not Aneta. The idea that a mere supporting character could threaten the protagonist’s position was absurd.

“I have to regain the lost attention somehow…”

Obsessed with this thought, Erez began to strategize. He needed to come up with a sensational event far more impactful than the baseless rumors about the divorced couple possibly reuniting.

Knowing the original story was a great advantage. As he pondered a solution, he soon recalled an incident that would cause a major uproar in society.

“Yes, I still have that.”

Remembering what he had forgotten, Erez slammed the table with a face full of joy.

Primae Noctis.

It was an incident that he would resolve instead of Aneta.

Erez believed this was the perfect plan. However, before prophesying to the Emperor, he needed to ensure that the story’s deviation hadn’t altered the event. If his false abilities were exposed, it would cost him his life.

To assess the current situation, Erez called for the butler.

“You called for me, My Lord?”

“You’re here?”

Erez greeted Jin, the Bauter family’s butler, with arrogance. He barely acknowledged Jin with a glance, casually tapping his foot on the table as he jumped straight to the point.

“It’s just that I’ve heard rumors that things have been difficult at the Modan Orphanage lately.”

Jin twitched the corners of his mouth in displeasure, finding it unusual that Erez, who was typically preoccupied with squandering the family’s meager wealth on luxuries, would show interest in others’ affairs.

He figured this would lead to more bothersome tasks.

Regardless of Jin’s thoughts, Erez praised his thoroughness and gave his orders.

“Send someone discreetly to check on the situation. Oh, and check the atmosphere of the village as well.”

“Yes, my Lord. Understood.”

Jin didn’t know what had prompted this, but he doubted it was for a good cause. Whatever the case, being on the same boat meant he had to follow orders. With a sense of resignation, Jin left the room.

Once Jin departed, Erez quickly boarded a carriage to the imperial palace. He wanted to confirm the existence of a petition sent from the Modan Orphanage.

Aneta likely hadn’t discovered it yet so it would be somewhere in her office. With both Aneta and Carlos away from their offices, it was the perfect opportunity.

‘The problem is how to open the door…’

Erez considered going to Lennox’s management office and using the excuse that he had left something behind. He hoped they might give him the key, but just as he was contemplating this, a familiar voice called out to him.

“Erez Bauter?”

It was Vernon, standing at the palace gate with a perplexed expression.

“Ah, Viscount Kainer.”

Erez’s face lit up with a smile upon recognizing him.

Vernon was a character who, in the original story, had maintained the most amicable relationship with Erez while having a strained relationship with Aneta. Erez had no reason to be unhappy about his appearance.

“Are you heading into the palace?”

“Yes, I have someone to meet. What are you doing here alone, Viscount?”

Vernon, who had casually approached Erez, noticed the inexplicable friendliness directed at him. While he found it curious given their lack of previous interaction, he focused on the more pressing matter at hand.

“I was on my way out after finishing work when an urgent matter came up. Oh, could I ask you a favor?”

With a sigh, Vernon pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Erez. Erez blinked in confusion as he accepted them.

“What is this?”

“I borrowed these from Lennox’s management office. I forgot to return them and ended up carrying them out. Could you return them for me? It’s a set of keys to the offices, so I can’t just entrust them to anyone.”

Realizing what he held, Erez had to suppress the urge to snatch them immediately.

With those keys, he could gain access to Aneta’s office.

“Are you sure it’s okay to entrust something so important to me?”

Gathering the last bit of his patience, Erez asked, and Vernon replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You’re one of the bearers of Glory. If I can’t trust you, who can I trust?”

Being a bearer of Glory didn’t guarantee unconditional trust, but Vernon seemed to have unwavering faith in Erez.

“All right then, I’ll return them for you.”

Erez accepted the keys with a barely concealed sense of triumph. On the outside, it would seem as though he was reluctantly agreeing to do a favor.

“Thank you. Now I can leave with peace of mind.”

Vernon, claiming he would never forget this favor, turned to leave. He walked briskly, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

“Mission accomplished.”

Having received reports that Erez was heading to the palace, Vernon had been waiting. Reflecting on the keys he had handed over to Erez under the guise of a request, Vernon felt the situation growing more intriguing.

Those keys were likely to unlock the hidden secrets of Erez Bauter.

Meanwhile, unaware that he had been deceived, Erez turned the sixth key with sweaty hands due to his nervousness.

Click.

Hearing the sound of the lock opening, Erez turned the doorknob with a brightened face.

His steps were hurried as he entered, quickly closing the door behind him to avoid being seen. Taking a moment to catch his breath, his racing heart calmed slightly.

It was all thanks to Vernon that he had gained easy access.

‘As expected, Vernon Kainer is someone who would help me, not harm me.’

With this premature judgment, Erez approached the desk he assumed was Aneta’s.

He had been here once before, so identifying the desk was not difficult. However, the unpleasant memory made him grit his teeth again.

Erez glared at Aneta’s desk as if he could set it on fire with his gaze alone.

Where could the petition be? He didn’t think it would be hidden. Opening the first drawer, he found several document envelopes.

Erez quickly began sifting through them.

“Petition, petition. Where is it?”

Muttering to himself, he soon found what he was looking for. But the petition wasn’t the only thing he discovered.

Seeing the detailed documents on the situation at Modan Orphanage, a smile spread across Erez’s face.

“The situation has gotten worse than in the original.”

According to the documents, Modan Orphanage was overwhelmed by the increasing number of children, forcing them to send many to orphanages across the land.

Instead of feeling saddened by this unfortunate event, Erez was filled with glee, grinning from ear to ear. He scoffed at Aneta for failing to uncover such a clear incident.

“That woman is no match for me. This world is on my side,” he declared.

***

Early in the morning, Carlos stepped out onto the balcony attached to his bedroom and faced the emperor’s shadow, who had been waiting for him.

He was sent by Russell to inform Carlos of yesterday’s events after Carlos had been away for two days.

“Did Vernon achieve his goal?”

“Yes. Erez Bauter, who received the keys, immediately entered your and Aneta’s offices and reviewed the petition along with the fabricated documents.”

The plan was to intentionally hand Erez the keys and then observe his actions to see if he would engage in any misconduct. Erez had taken the bait perfectly.

“The servant who had gone to Viscount Folter’s estate returned to the capital last night. As soon as Erez Bauter received the report, he claimed to have seen a new future and requested an audience with His Majesty.”

“When is the audience scheduled?”

“This morning at around 10 o’clock.”

If his ability was genuine and he had seen the future, Erez’s expected reaction was clear. He would know it was an already resolved matter and would not mention it. Moreover, he should have been able to tell that the situation in the estate and the documents were different from the facts.

However, Erez had stepped forward, claiming to have seen a new future. The details would be revealed to the audience, but Carlos was already inclined to believe that Erez’s abilities held hidden secrets.

“You’ve done well. You may go now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The shadow replied and jumped off the balcony. Watching the black figure disappear, Carlos returned to the bedroom, he reflected on the documents Erez had seen.

Erez might have claimed to see something new out of a desire for recognition, but from the moment he stole information, he had been marked as a potential threat.

Strengthening his resolve to be cautious, Carlos headed to Aneta’s bedroom.

Opening the door carefully, he saw her still asleep. Approaching without hesitation, Carlos bent down and whispered.

“Aneta, it’s morning.”

His voice, sweet as if soaked in honey, gently announced the morning as he kissed the back of her hand reverently.

“…Carlos? When did you get back?”

Aneta, awakened by the devout kiss, asked dazedly as soon as she saw his face. It had happened countless times over the past three days, so she had come to accept it.

“Just now.”

Carlos gently took her arm. As his warm hands kneaded her arm gently, Aneta repeated the same thing she had said the previous day.

“I told you, you don’t have to go this far.”

“I’m doing this because I want to, so don’t feel burdened. How are you feeling?”

“I’m almost fully recovered. I think I can go back to work tomorrow.”

Her voice had mostly returned, and the fever had subsided. As she spoke, she felt the familiar touch awakening her slumbering senses, but Carlos immediately objected.

“No, you need to rest for at least a week.”

“You sound just like Isabel.”

“I can’t help it. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately, even if you don’t admit it. You’ve probably been under a lot of stress too. Anyone who genuinely cares about you would be worried. So take this opportunity to rest as much as you need.”

Carlos’s voice, filled with concern and love, conveyed the message he had delayed for a long time.

“For yourself and for those who care about and worry about you.”