Chapter 70

The second floor of the social hall seemed to be a playground for the men.

Alec, dressed sharply in his evening attire, casually swirled his glass as if observing a scene from a movie.

The amber liquid exuded a deep, subtle fragrance.

As it turned out, the battlefield wasn’t only at the Gate. Even this seemingly refined yet decadent gathering of gentlemen was a bloodless warzone.

“Ha, how about a little wager? Let’s see if Alec will make it back alive.”

“That sounds like a fine idea. I’ll bet my gloves that today’s the last time we see Alec.”

“I’ll wager my shoes.”

“…Hah.”

Alec couldn’t help but let out a brief, humorless laugh.

No matter how much these nobles ridiculed him, it all felt distant, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Strictly speaking, their contempt wasn’t directed at him personally but at the real Alec.

Perhaps that’s why Alec found it all so absurd.

Hearing his laugh, the men turned their attention to him, their expressions hardening slightly.

They felt simultaneously irritated and unsettled, as if Alec’s mockery had hit a nerve.

Though they had reluctantly accepted Alec’s newly polished way of speaking, his drastically altered demeanor and personality were something they would never fully adjust to.

Setting his half-filled glass back on the table, Alec let out a sigh and said, “Can you take responsibility for that wager?”

“What’s there to be responsible for?”

“The stakes—gloves and shoes—seem a bit light for a bet on my life.”

“…”

“For something this serious, I would’ve expected a little more grandeur.”

Alec leaned back in his chair and scanned the room.

The men’s faces stiffened—he had struck their pride precisely.

These nobles belonged to the highest ranks of the Rilt Empire’s elite.

Their egos and sense of superiority were so immense that one didn’t even need to confirm it.

Alec’s comment had directly challenged that pride, leaving the atmosphere chilly.

Now, someone would have to say something bold enough to restore their bruised egos.

From across the room, Marcel, who had been lounging arrogantly, tapped one of his crossed feet against the floor.

“Then I’ll bet one of my estates in the capital.”

At the sudden voice, everyone turned their attention toward Marcel.

Marcel had been watching Alec intently since earlier. Alec annoyed him greatly, but he could no longer resort to brute force like before. Somehow, even Carson, the leader of the Grave Mercenary Group, had been intimidated by Alec. Since then, Carson had vanished, with no word of his whereabouts.

Marcel had wanted to show Alec exactly what happens when someone dares to provoke him, but then came the emperor’s orders to head north.

Satisfied with himself, Marcel let a smirk creep onto his face.

“Of course, I’m betting that Alec won’t even make it near Wiltsbrook Castle and will freeze to death.”

At that, the expressions of the surrounding nobles brightened, clearly pleased.

“…Is that all?”

“…”

But Alec couldn’t hide his disappointment.

Marcel clenched his jaw.

“Shouldn’t you be wagering your textile factory at least?”

Alec’s gaze never wavered from Marcel.

He hadn’t planned on provoking their competitive streak so needlessly, but staying silent wasn’t an option either. After all, these nobles thrived on pride—they wouldn’t dare take back their words.

Grinding his teeth, Marcel glared at Alec, as if ready to kill him. The tension between them grew as their eyes locked, and no one dared to break the silence or intervene.

After a long, suffocating pause, Marcel finally spoke.

“Why stop at the textile factory? I could even wager one of my estates. I’ve always had complete faith in my words.”

Now, the crowd showed genuine surprise. Though no one had the guts to challenge Marcel, everyone knew he had gone too far.

Still, Marcel seemed pleased with himself, taking pride in upholding his reputation in front of so many nobles.

*Textile factory.*

Alec had been waiting for that word, but he hadn’t expected Marcel to put up an entire estate as well.

Just then, Demian, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“Come on, Marcel. Don’t overdo it. Since when have our wagers been a joke?”

“I’m completely serious.”

“…”

“There’s no way that bastard will make it to Wiltsbrook Castle in one piece.”

“…”

Alec leaned back in his chair, resting his elbow on the armrest and absentmindedly rubbing his temple, his gaze still fixed on Marcel.

He thought about how much the real Alec must have suffered. It seemed like the right time for a triumphant return.

No one, except for Louise, his family, and a few servants, knew that he had already been to Wiltsbrook Castle.

“I just hope you won’t beg to take back your bet later. With so many ears listening, it would be disappointing if someone as *un-gentlemanly* as you backed out,” Alec remarked.

“Before that happens, you should worry about freezing to death or slipping on the ice and cracking your skull, Alec.”

A slight smirk played on Alec’s lips.

Finally, he shifted in his seat as if preparing to get up.

“Now that you’ve wagered enough, I think we can consider this conversation over.”

“Rest in peace,” Marcel said mockingly.

With Marcel’s sneer hanging in the air, Alec rose from his seat. As he stepped away from the leather sofa, he locked eyes with someone who had been staring at him.

*Ding!*

[A new character roster has been unlocked.]

[Brooks Heitz]

[Male, Age: 23]

[Marquis of Heitz. One of Aksen’s administrative aides.]

[An exceptional talent, trusted by Aksen, but he is executed after being caught attempting to assassinate him.]

[Combat ability: 5]

—

‘So, that’s Brooks Heitz…’ Alec thought.

Just like Brooks, Alec couldn’t avoid the eye contact.

In the original story, Brooks was a man who could no longer tolerate Aksen’s tyranny and decided to assassinate him.

One of the few righteous and virtuous characters, Brooks was likely plotting to kill Aksen even now.

However, Brooks was a man doomed to fail.

Until now, Alec hadn’t thought much about gathering allies, but after crossing paths with Brooks, it occurred to him that securing people ahead of time might be a smart move.

Although he had been focusing on building his own strength, he didn’t want to let a potentially doomed life go to waste.

“Where was that lounge again?”

As Alec approached Brooks and asked a question, Brooks seemed startled before responding.

“Ah, follow me.”

“Thank you,” Alec replied lightly, following Brooks down the stairs.

Brooks was especially valuable, given his remarkable abilities, and Alec couldn’t afford to let someone like him die.

Suddenly, a distress signal came from Gideon, whom Alec had stationed with Louise.

Alec immediately accessed Gideon’s view to check the situation.

*Smack!*

“Yes, a handshake is too dull for us, isn’t it?” said someone.

*Smack!*

“I was about to fall asleep, but thanks for sobering me up. Care for a drink?”

“By all means.”

“…!”

Alec’s pupils shook violently.

What was going on here?

He paused for a moment, then calmly resumed following Brooks down the stairs.

Louise had been slapped by Julia, which made Alec’s heart sink, but then Louise retaliated, and soon both women were sitting on the sofa, laughing together.

It appeared to be one of the rooms within the Reverent Hall.

Alec quickly tapped into Gideon’s memories to trace the location while keeping a close eye on Louise’s situation.

If things got dangerous, Gideon was more than capable of protecting her.

Julia, with a rotten smile on her face, poured alcohol into a glass.

“You must really wish for my downfall, but things will never go your way. I’m Julia of the noble Garcia family.”

In that chilling atmosphere, Louise responded with a slight smile.

“Who doesn’t know that? But if you don’t want to fall even further from that prestigious title, I suggest you walk away now.”

“Do you think I’d back down from this? What, are you crazy?” Julia retorted, pushing a glass of alcohol toward Louise while suppressing her anger.

She lifted her own glass, locking eyes with Louise as if issuing a challenge.

Louise picked up her glass, clinked it against Julia’s, and brought it to her lips. She sipped lightly, then placed the glass back on the table.

At that moment, Alec realized that the room where Louise was sitting was one of the ones Brooks was leading him toward.

Julia also drank the red liquor in one long gulp.

“Either way, you’re going to die soon, Louise. You know that the emperor didn’t send you to that faraway estate just to let you play lord, right?”

“…Even if I die, I won’t go alone,” Louise said softly.

“…”

Julia’s face briefly stiffened before she snickered.

“How amusing. Someone without a powerful family to back them still doesn’t know their place. What are you relying on, Louise? Your defeat is already sealed.”

“…”

“Do you know how long I’ve waited to personally kill someone? You should feel honored to be the first.”

“You seem quite proud of yourself,” Louise responded, her face calm and serene.

Just then, Brooks turned slightly toward Alec as if he sensed something.

“All the rooms along this hallway are lounges.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“Enjoy your time. I’ll be on my way then…” Brooks slightly bowed and started to leave.

At that moment, Alec extended his hand to block Brooks’ path.

“Do you have a moment to talk?”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories