Chapter 17

Sabina still calmly countered,

“Is that strange?”

Thinking about it, it made sense. If Aleina withdrew money from Brinita National Bank with Sabina’s check, it would look highly suspicious. But something still felt off… Aleina sighed and decided to ask directly.

“So, you’re telling me to leave Brinita? Not to come back?”

“Yes.”

Sabina admitted plainly, then added,

“I think this is the only way for both of us to win. I don’t want you to keep bothering Ashton and causing trouble.”

Ashton was just an excuse; Sabina really wanted to send Aleina out of the country for Helio’s sake. Helio would be tested for his attribute in a few weeks. If Aleina started suspecting Helio, things would get complicated.

Sabina’s left eyelid trembled slightly as she lied, but Aleina didn’t notice, busy checking the amount on the note.

“And if you stay in Brinita, you’ll get caught up in endless rumors. Handling all that while rebuilding your family as the new head would be tough. If it were me, I’d rather leave for a foreign country where no one knows me.”

Aleina looked at Sabina, her lips pale.

“…Miss Aleina, this is my best solution.”

Aleina’s face briefly showed doubt, but she had no other choice. She desperately needed the check Sabina offered. The amount was astronomical. She wouldn’t be able to maintain her current lifestyle, but with a bit of frugality, she could live out her days with her mother.

“…Alright.”

Aleina finally sighed. Sabina nodded. She handed Aleina another slip.

“Make sure no one else finds out. Miss Aleina, just prepare yourself. If you leave tomorrow, I’ll arrange transportation to Millum.”

‘Why go this far?’

Aleina had many questions. Was it all for that man?

But she was in no position to press. Sabina’s reaction seemed excessive and a bit suspicious, but she couldn’t report it to King Kenneth. That would mean bringing up Carnival and revealing Don Slafdi’s identity. No matter how much Kenneth had tolerated it, Carnival was illegal. It wasn’t something to bring up in a formal audience.

In the end, she had no choice but to accept. Still, her irritation faded every time she saw the number on the note.

That night, it rained.

Aleina set out on a modest journey with just her mother and two maids. Sabina couldn’t sleep, blankly watching the thunder outside. The boy who now owned the room at the end of the hall, Helio, also couldn’t sleep.

The next day, rumors spread quietly among the maids running through Brinita’s corridors like mice.

First, Marquis Meolin’s body was found in the sewer behind the capital. The wounds suggested it was the work of someone he knew.

Second, the Marquis’s wife and child disappeared from the ducal residence.

Third, many illegal items and banned nonhumans were found at their residence.

Finally, the carriage carrying the Marquis’s wife, child, and two maids slid on the rainy road and fell off a cliff.

While everyone was shocked by the news, only one person hummed softly while making coffee.

None other than Ashton Bryant.

* * *

The disaster at the Meolin Marquisate became gossip on everyone’s lips.

Don Slafdi’s identity was essentially revealed to all. His true identity wasn’t surprising—if you eliminated Carnival guests whose identities were exposed, only a few candidates for host remained.

But the fact that the whole family disappeared in a day sparked all sorts of speculation. With no background known, rumors ran wild.

Assuming the Marquis was killed by someone he knew, his family seemed the most likely suspects.

Stories that his wife and child tried to cross the border at night added credibility.

But why?

Why would his family suddenly kill Marquis Meolin?

It was a huge mystery to everyone. After weighing various theories, people decided the most plausible was that the family grew resentful because the Marquis ruined their finances hosting Carnival.

Only Sabina D’Vialis, her closest maids, and Ashton Bryant knew the truth.

Ashton’s quick report to Sabina about Aleina’s visit was truly clever. Sabina, hearing the story, immediately went to the Marquis’s house. Sabina acted before news of the Marquis ‘becoming a dog’ leaked. As a result, only the family, Ashton, Sabina, and a few maids knew about the Marquis’s mental breakdown.

The Marquis himself and his wife and daughter died. They would never be able to tell what happened to him.

Now, the remaining staff at the Marquisate were the problem. They knew not only about the Marquis’s breakdown, but also that Sabina had visited Aleina. Servants without a master tend to talk freely.

At that moment, Ashton Bryant intervened at just the right time. To the maids suddenly left adrift by their master’s midnight escape, Ashton Bryant said,

“I need people to manage my house while I’m in Brinita. I’ll pay you well.”

They had no reason to refuse.

Ashton shook hands with each of them, looking them in the eye and asking their names.

Soon after, the maids seemed to forget all about the last two days at the Marquisate.

* * *

Sabina D’Vialis might not have been as sharp as Ashton admired, but she wasn’t a fool. She had worried that the Marquis’s staff might gossip. When she heard Ashton had hired them all, she rushed to see him.

“Are the Marquis’s maids acting suspicious at all?”

Ashton laughed, looking down at Sabina.

“They don’t seem to know much about what happened at the Marquisate.”

“What do you mean?”

“They must have only done actual housework. They don’t know what happened in the family.”

Sabina glanced suspiciously at the maids busy cleaning.

“Really?”

“You’re so suspicious.”

Ashton slumped his shoulders and sighed.

“The daughter rushed alone to my house in excitement, but she was smart enough to keep the maids from finding out about the Marquis’s state. No one knows what happened to him.”

“Well, then… that’s a relief.”

But Sabina still seemed uneasy, not fully trusting Ashton. She needed to be cautious. If the maids started talking, Helio could be in danger. If the slave boy was accused of harming a noble, it would be the end. She didn’t want that; Sabina wanted to treat Helio well.

Before leaving Ashton’s house, Sabina spoke to the most frivolous-looking maid. At first, the maid was so honored to be addressed by Lady D’Vialis that she didn’t know what to do, but Sabina’s gentle manner quickly put her at ease. Sabina subtly asked about what happened at the ducal residence.

“Why did your previous master suddenly die?”

The maid quickly hid a gold coin Sabina had given her under her apron and sighed.

“Well, we really don’t know. The young lady and the master… oops, I mean the previous master. Anyway, there must have been some fight between them. The young lady never liked the master hosting Carnival.”

The maid sighed again, her shoulders drooping.

“Back then, we couldn’t even mention Carnival. It was so hard. All those weird ancient cursed items and strange creatures—we had to take care of them all. Did you know the southern Retona deep-sea mermaids are only as big as an adult’s forearm? But they’re so fierce, if you open the tank to feed them, they jump up and try to bite…”

She went on about all the difficulties at the ducal residence. Sabina had already gotten the information she wanted, but let the chatty maid keep talking.

“Anyway, compared to that, the new master is wonderful. So kind. The old master had so many rules, it was exhausting, but the new master isn’t like that at all. Just one rule to remember: don’t go into the master’s study to clean unless you have permission.”

Sabina nodded, listening intently.

“People like that always claim there’s order in their own mess. Well, less cleaning for us, so it’s a win.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to serve a foreign businessman after serving the Marquis?”

The maid laughed and shook her head.

“For a new noble, he is more influential than anyone.”

“Well…”

Sabina hesitated, then admitted,

“You’re right.”

And so, the Meolin Marquisate disappeared into history.

The tragedy of the family was a brief issue, as were tales of the strange and dangerous items at the ducal residence. But that lasted only a few days.

Any issue needs fuel to burn long, but what happened at the Marquisate was so cleanly cut, there was no room for speculation. In the end, there was no progress in the discussion, and repeating the same stories didn’t suit Brinita nobles.

The waves from the Marquis’s affair quickly passed through the capital, but the marks left in the sand were clear.

Carnival was gone.

Carnival had been a splendid playground for fun-loving nobles. As a members-only event, each guest could bring only one invited guest, so security was not a big concern. Even if you didn’t participate in the auction, the dancing, drinking, and the ball itself made for a lively atmosphere.

Of course, naturally, the social gatherings were held during the day as well. But at those times, everyone had to be formal with each other. Even in a society where the newly risen D’Vialis family had come to dominate over the old noble houses, the nobles still ranked each other by family and judged one another’s dignity and etiquette. Such social events were never truly enjoyable.