Chapter 18. What Each One Wants

At the same time, at a baron’s house a little distance from the capital.

Helios, in a robe, running his fingers through his dripping wet hair, suddenly felt the air in the room change. Having come in after a grueling dinner prepared by the baron following a late evening hunt, his nerves were quite on edge.

“…Ha.”

Scanning the room, Helios let out a bitter laugh. He strode to the bed covered by a canopy and pulled it aside without hesitation.

“Eek!”

The woman on the bed jumped up in surprise. Helios looked her up and down with indifferent eyes. Her face was powdered, and she was wearing a thin, short nightgown that was barely more than being naked.

“I thought I told you not to do anything presumptuous.”

His indifferent yet angry voice made the woman shrink back. Helios, about to snap further to express his displeasure, closed his mouth when he saw her trembling and fidgeting.

Seeing her face, stained with fear and shame, constantly checking his reaction, it was clear she didn’t want this meeting either.

‘The baron must have sent her forcefully.’

Realizing this immediately, Helios sighed and pressed his furrowed eyebrows. Regardless of her circumstances, his mood was already ruined, and her situation was none of his concern.

“Get out.”

At his short command, the woman hurriedly left the room. However, the heavy scent of perfume she had sprayed lingered in the room and on the bed.

Helios threw the towel he was holding irritably and moved to the adjoining sitting room.

‘I should have gone to the villa.’

Sitting on the sofa, he covered his eyes with his hand.

The newly appointed manager of the hunting grounds had suggested, as a formality, that he visit, and the head servant’s polite suggestion had changed his original plan to go to the villa. He hadn’t expected it to be this troublesome.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he decided to stay at the baron’s uncomfortable mansion.

‘If only they hadn’t said it would be easier to search the area.’

Normally, he wouldn’t have cared and would have refused, telling them to celebrate on their own. But Vilt’s comment moved him.

The main reason he had come to the hunting grounds.

But now, he decided he would move to the villa. He didn’t want to touch anything in a room and bed that bore traces of others, and more importantly, he feared the baron would try this again.

‘Should I replace the manager?’

Just as he thought the head servant would try to dissuade him, asking how he could change the manager so soon after the previous one, Helios, who paused slightly, slowly lowered his hand from his eyes.

There wasn’t just one damned intruder.

“How long are you going to watch?”

“I thought something interesting might happen.”

“Do you have a habit for voyeurism or something?”

A man emerged from the darkness. Helios raised an eyebrow skeptically. He asked briefly.

“The results.”

“Always so concise. Unfortunately, we didn’t find anything here either.”

The man shook his head and reported immediately. There was no response. For over 13 years, he had been hearing the same answer.

‘…I still can’t get used to it.’

The disappointment and sense of loss he felt each time he heard the news remained the same. No, it might even be growing.

“What about the foreign countries?”

“There’s no news from there. The distance is far, and since it’s not within the empire, it’s easy to hit a wall. Besides, the information we received was sparse to begin with….”

The voice, which had gradually turned into a mumble, completely disappeared under Helios’s sharp gaze. The man scratched his cheek and then snapped his thumb and middle finger together.

“More importantly, I have other news.”

“What is it?”

“It seems the guest from the secondary palace will also be attending this illegal auction.”

Helios, who had been slightly hopeful, sighed at the unwanted news. His indifferent voice continued.

“It’s not the first time. She’s probably going to buy something lowly again.”

“But this time…”

“Enough. I don’t need to hear about that from you as well. The only reason I pour so much money into you is for one thing.”

Helios stood up and approached the man standing in the corner.

“Information about that child. So bring it to me.”

The oppressive aura that flowed from him like he was breathing weighed down on the man. Soon, the man disappeared back into the darkness. The pair of silver eyes watched until the red eyes completely vanished.

***

The next night.

“Are you really going alone?”

In front of the wall where she had attempted a secret outing before, Vanessa looked at Iella with a worried expression. As Vanessa waited for the symbol to activate, tying her robe’s string tighter, Iella tilted her head, wondering what the problem was.

“Strictly speaking, I’m not going alone. The Duke is coming with me.”

“That’s what worries me the most. It’s not like you two have ever been….”

…Close. Vanessa, who had been speaking quickly in a low voice, lowered her voice even more as she noticed Iella’s gaze. Iella quietly observed Vanessa, who had been expressing her opinions more frequently since the day the Duke discovered their secret outing.

It seemed to have started after that day.

However, she soon turned her gaze away, stopping herself from thinking too deeply. It wasn’t important right now. She needed to focus all her attention on the next few hours she would spend with Aster. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down even a little if she didn’t want to arouse suspicion.

Moreover, she thought it might be a good opportunity to find another escape route for any unforeseen circumstances. She didn’t know when she would get another chance to go out, so she had to make the most of it when the opportunity arose.

Iella clenched her fists, silently cheering herself on.

‘I have to support myself.’

Then, finishing tying the knot, she signaled towards the wall with her eyes.

“That’s why he’s the most reliable person in this situation. We’re both moving for our own purposes.”

Vanessa, understanding that it was a signal to hurry and open the door, pressed her lips together. She still seemed to have a lot to say, but she was in no position to defy Ailexia’s wishes multiple times. Vanessa turned around and drew the symbol as she had before.

Iella understood Vanessa’s anxiety and concern. Considering Ailexia’s past actions, the reasons were more than sufficient. But she had no choice.

Just as she had thought earlier, she had the additional goal of finding another escape route during this outing. To do that, she needed to shake off the Duke at the auction house, and having Vanessa with her would only be a hindrance.

‘It’s better for you too if the real Ailexia returns soon rather than you getting caught in an awkward situation with the fake me.’

Soon, the symbol emitted light and turned into a hole as it had before.

This time, without hesitation, Iella headed outside.

***

…Would it be foolish to regret not bringing Vanessa?

Iella felt as if the cold, silent air was suffocating her. The sound of her breathing seemed loud, making it hard to breathe properly.

‘Ailexia wouldn’t have cared….’

She tried to keep her composure, but that was all she could manage.

‘I knew we weren’t on friendly terms, but this is too much….’

It’s unbearable.

From a while ago, she had turned her gaze outside the carriage, afraid of making eye contact with him. She could see Aster, reflected in the window, maintaining a straight posture and flipping through thin documents, just as he had been since she got into the carriage.

The atmosphere seemed even more tense, and Iella couldn’t hold back her breath any longer.

At that moment, the sound of papers being closed sharply cut through the quiet space. Though not heavy, it felt like thunder crashing down. Iella hastily held her breath, almost releasing a hiccup that would have been out of character for Ailexia.

“I know even if you don’t show it so obviously.”

His next words made her efforts futile.

Did he notice her discomfort in this atmosphere? The tension made her hands feel clammy. Iella blinked, trying to hide her trembling, and turned to face him.

His sharp gaze, which had been fixed on the white papers, was now directed at her.

“I feel the same way about being in the same space as you, Lady Ailexia.”

Fortunately, he seemed to have interpreted her actions differently from her concerns.

‘…Well, that’s a relief, I guess?’

“To avoid drawing attention, this was the only way. I believe Lady Ailexia also wanted to move in secret.”

Aster, who had turned his head back and closed his eyes, seemed to indicate that he wouldn’t continue the conversation. Watching him for a moment, Iella felt relieved that her act hadn’t been discovered and turned her gaze back to the window.

The air was still oppressively silent, but knowing the reason made it a bit more bearable.

Iella redirected her attention before things got more uncomfortable. She reviewed her plan, as if confirming her next steps, and thankfully, she no longer felt conscious of him.

‘Leave just before the auction starts. The Duke will have to stay to see the auction items, so he won’t be able to follow. He agreed to Ailexia’s deal, even though he dislikes her, so it’s possible.’

The dark scenery outside the window gradually brightened. Buildings began to appear among the trees and grass.

‘After leaving, I’ll find the auction host and get information.’

Even if they wore masks, the host would surely recognize Ailexia. She was a regular attendee and a VIP who didn’t hesitate to spend large sums at the auctions. So, meeting the host wouldn’t be difficult.

If she offered money, getting information should be straightforward. The fact that they sent invitations directly to Ailexia in the secondary palace without intermediaries proved that they were willing to take any risk for money.

‘But where does Ailexia get so much money?’

When she thought about it, that part bothered her. Did she have personal assets? She wasn’t part of the imperial family, so she wouldn’t receive a budget, and I hadn’t heard of any source of income for her…

At that moment, Aster’s voice interrupted her thoughts.