Chapter 21

“Ah, I see now why you called me so urgently.” Gopher bowed politely.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Rather than leaving immediately, he changed his tone to a more amiable one and said:

“Grandmother, how about having lunch together as a family for a change?”

As she looked back at Gopher, her expression was slightly grimaced, but she didn’t say anything dismissive like “Don’t be ridiculous.”

For her, this was as close to approval as it got. Gopher smiled.

“I’ll wait outside. See you shortly.”

As he exited the office, a thought crossed his mind.

‘She’s already decided, even before the marriage.’

He had expected her to hesitate until she was ready to fully hand over the title, but this unexpected gift was welcome.

‘Even if I kill Mixel later, it won’t be an issue.’ Perhaps it was that line of thought.

As soon as he closed the door to the office, Mixel appeared. Gopher let out a dry laugh.

‘Still, that face isn’t exactly pleasant to see.’

Feigning friendliness, he smiled.

“Hello, Mixel.”

“Move. I have nothing to say to you.“

“Grandmother doesn’t have time to spare for you. We’ve decided to have a family lunch soon. Would you like to join? I could extend an invitation if you want.”

“You son of a─!“

“Shh.“ Gopher raised a finger to his lips, and Mixel barely swallowed his shout.

Like a dog, really.

“She doesn’t like loud noises, you know.“

“Don’t treat me like a dog, you bastard.”

Realizing it was meaningless to argue further, Mixel abruptly turned away. The hallway leading to the central staircase was straight, so Gopher naturally walked behind him.

“By the way, Mixel.“

“Don’t talk to me. Shut up.“

“If I hadn’t heard about your interest in my fiancée, I wouldn’t have endured this unpleasantness.”

Mixel abruptly stopped and turned back toward Gopher.

“Did you put someone to spy on me?”

His face twisted in disdain, and it amused Gopher. So, he laughed and stepped closer to his dear cousin, narrowing the distance between them. He didn’t like how their similar heights put them at eye level.

How satisfying it would be to bring those fierce, blood-red eyes down below his own.

“Whatever you try, it’s useless.”

Gopher was still smiling, but his voice dropped to an icy tone.

“No matter what you do, she only listens to me. Even if she’s momentarily swayed by your slippery tongue, she’ll always come back to me in the end.“

“Hah! So confident, aren’t you? Did you catch her in some massive weakness?“

“How could I do that to the Lady of Heaven?“

“Oh, you totally could. You’re so clever, Gopher. Clever enough, Grandmother might kick one of her only two grandchildren out of this estate because of you.“

Gopher hesitated briefly. The voice, thick with hatred, dredged up memories of the past.

“They’re all dead because of you, Gopher. If it weren’t for you if only you hadn’t been born!”

Everyone would still be alive.

When was that again? The angry cries from years ago resurfaced in his mind, dragging his mood down.

Gopher truly disliked Mixel—his face, his voice, even the fact that he breathed and lived outside Gopher’s sight.

His voice darkened.

“Is that so? I don’t recall.”

The deliberate provocation made Mixel grind his teeth audibly. Then, with a dramatic gesture, Mixel pulled out a glove from his pocket and threw it. Gopher casually turned his head to dodge it.

Carrying around a glove for moments like this was hilariously absurd, especially when he never wore them.

His foolish cousin growled.

“Come on, you bastard. Today, I’ll put a hole in your chest.“

“I’d rather not make a fool of myself alongside you.”

At that moment, Gopher’s sharp hearing picked up a faint sound: a door opening, followed by the click of heels. Estimating the timing, he spoke slowly.

“My shoulder itches whenever you act like my pet.”

As he spoke, he ground the glove on the floor under his foot, prompting a rough hand to grab his collar. The sensation of his throat being squeezed was unpleasant.

“You son of a─!“

“Mixel.”

The familiar voice made Mixel flinch and release him.

“Again…”

Hearing the flustered murmur lightened Gopher’s mood. He turned to Stella, who had appeared in the hallway and offered a soft smile.

“Are you ready?“

“Hmm. Isn’t this behavior a bit childish for your age?“

“It was just a little playful banter.”

Without responding, Stella walked past them.

Gopher nonchalantly straightened his disheveled collar and followed her. He turned briefly to Mixel and mouthed, “What are you doing?”

The seamless shift in demeanor, as if no provocation or fight had occurred, left Mixel clenching his fists so tightly his veins bulged. But one glance at Stella calmed him down, and he stepped beside her like a docile lamb.

Gopher whispered softly to the seething Mixel.

“Have you met my dog yet?“

“What?“

“The one you pretended not to covet, Rex. He’s still alive, you know. I bet he’d be thrilled to see you.”

Making a dog gesture with his fingers and snapping his mouth mockingly, he watched Mixel’s face contorted in fury.

Haha. That tense jawline suited him. Gopher wished he’d keep that expression, even until the day Mixel died.

***

White-gloved fingers tapped rhythmically on the jewelry box. While no pieces were missing, the arrangement had been altered. The top layer, filled with easily portable jewels, stood ready to be taken.

It was a small comfort to Bleria. She wasn’t entirely swayed by Gopher’s words, convincing herself she wasn’t just a dog that was obediently trained by its master.

Her hand stopped moving at the sound of a knock and the door opening. Bleria turned her head from her seated position.

“You’re here, Daisy.”

The maid entered hesitantly—Daisy had been scolded recently for spreading rumors about Gopher.

“You called for me, My Lady.“

“Yes, I was curious about what rumors have been going around recently.”

The color drained from Daisy’s face in an instant. With a thud, she dropped to her knees. The sight overlapped with memories of her own past.

“Stand up.“

“I-I haven’t spoken recklessly about anything lately! I swear, I’ve only been working. Please believe me, My Lady!“

“Stand up unless you want rumors to spread about me abusing the maids.“

“M-My Lady, I…“

“Do you need those kinds of rumors?”

Daisy, unsure of what to do, slowly rose to her feet.

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, don’t kneel so easily. It makes you look guilty instead.“

“…Yes.”

Her response was weak and hesitant.

Bleria could see right through her thoughts. The only reason she could sound so authoritative was because of the clothes she wore. In reality, Daisy and she were of the same status.

Suppressing the bitterness rising within her, Bleria continued.

“I’m not trying to scold you. I’m genuinely curious. Have you heard anything?“

“N-No… I haven’t heard anything. Aside from the rumor that you and the young master attended the masquerade together… My friend who works at the Allnight said nothing is out of the ordinary.“

“I see.”

The rumor about her attending the ball with Gopher seemed to have taken hold instead of Eos.

This was the confirmation she had wanted. Her stiff posture relaxed, and she spoke in a much softer tone.

“They made you do laundry as punishment, didn’t they?”

Daisy flinched as Bleria touched her shoulder, but Bleria gently patted her.

“You just had bad luck matching the mood of a young maid. You’ve had a tough week.“

“M-My Lady?“

“Return to your original duties with your peers. Tell the head maid I said so.”

Daisy blinked her wide eyes rapidly. Bleria unclasped a necklace and placed it around Daisy’s nervously hunched neck.

“If you hear any rumors about me or my fiancé, tell me directly. And, of course, don’t share them with anyone else.“

“M-My Lady…!“

“You won’t make the same mistake again and regret today, will you?“

“No, My Lady! Never, absolutely not!”

Daisy smiled brightly; her flushed cheeks resembling ripe tomatoes lifted Bleria’s spirits. Retracting her hand, Bleria asked casually:

“By the way, who’s been cleaning my room?“

“Oh, it should’ve been Lena about four hours ago in this section. Shall I call her for you?“

“That won’t be necessary.”

When Bleria dismissed her, Daisy left the room with a much brighter expression than when she had entered. Bleria’s gaze returned to the jewelry box—or rather, beneath it.

The maid likely wasn’t the culprit since the schedule and personnel were clear. In that case…

“Who could have left this letter within those four hours?”

It was a pristine white letter sealed with red wax.

The second letter, which began with a meaningless greeting, stated bluntly that trying to find the sender would be futile and a waste of effort.

As a bonus, the final paragraph read:

「Gopher Allnight doesn’t love you. He does not seek a partner to stand as an equal but merely a servant he can control. May you uncover the truth sooner rather than later.

From your only ally.」

The letter crumpled in Bleria’s hand.

Crossing the long hallway, Bleria stopped in front of the drawing room. The butler escorting her opened the door, and the tailor who had arrived earlier stood to greet her.