Chapter 35

“I had assigned guards to Eos because I was worried that Gopher might harm her. I told them never to leave her side, but she must have thought it was surveillance. She broke up, saying she couldn’t stand my obsession.”

“…”

“So, basically, I got dumped because of Gopher.“

“How is that his fault?“

“Wow, you finally spoke. Do you like him that much? Why on earth do you like him?”

Bleria immediately regretted speaking, but it was too late. Mixel Luke’s persistent questioning was irritating, so she turned the question back on him.

“Why do you dislike Gopher so much, Count Dice?“

“If I start listing reasons, we’d need more time than this carriage ride allows. How about we take a trip across the empire?“

“I’ll settle for the short version.“

“If you’re in such a rush, I have no choice. I’ll go with the most relatable and universal grievance, then.“

“I said it’s fine—“

“That guy got me falsely accused and banished from Allnight.”

Mixel Luke’s eyes had darkened without her noticing.

***

“That’s unfortunate.”

Gopher offered a dispassionate consolation to a weeping Eos. There was not a shred of sincerity in his voice.

He had merely encountered Eos, tearful and distressed while strolling through the garden. How much genuine sympathy could he muster for her plight, mainly if it involved a breakup with Mixel Luke?

Yet, as absurd as the situation seemed, there was potential to exploit it. If it had not been for that, Gopher would have left under the pretense of work long ago.

What should I do?

While he deliberated, Eos raised her face from her tear-soaked handkerchief.

“Excuse me, I need to wash my face.“

“Go ahead.”

As Eos turned, two maids naturally followed her.

“I want to be alone.”

Despite her clear statement, one of the maids persistently stayed close. Eos shot the maid a resentful look before resigning herself and leaving with her.

Gopher watched them walk away. Just as the remaining maid bowed and prepared to retreat, he spoke.

“What kind of superior is Mixel Luke to you?”

The maid froze.

She was Anne, one of Mixel Luke’s subordinates whom Zachary had been attempting to win over behind the scenes. Though she had been vacillating, Zachary had asked Gopher to be patient. But patience had its limits.

“Is he a strict superior who separates work from personal matters? A considerate one who cares for his subordinates like family? Or is he the type to threaten your family when you refuse to use the organization for personal gains?“

“I’m not sure what you mean, sir…”

Anne feigned confusion like an ordinary maid, but Gopher continued, undeterred.

“Your superior doesn’t have more than six months to live. As an informant, your value will only decrease from here.“

“...”

“Surely, you didn’t think I’d promote someone who handled Mixel Luke’s private matters, did you?”

This was her last chance to switch allegiances.

Turning to face her fully, Gopher smiled faintly. Sweat dripped from Anne’s forehead as her head lowered inch by inch until it touched the floor.

Finally, she asked, “How did you know I was being threatened, if I may ask?“

“Wide-ranging operations aren’t my forte, but relentlessly digging into a target is.“

“…Typically, three or four guards disguised as maids protect against poisoning. There’s a lot of advanced intelligence, but only the higher-ups know the spies planted near the Young Mistress. That’s all I can share.“

“If all I needed was information, we wouldn’t be meeting out here in the open.“

“…What do you want, then?“

“Relax. You’ll be put to better use. But first—“

“Yes, sir.“

“The Lady Eos always seems to wear the same perfume.“

Anne’s eyes flickered oddly. After a pause, she lowered her head deeply.

“Yes, sir. I believe it was a gift from Count Dice.“

“Really?”

Gopher chuckled softly.

“No wonder it smells so good.”

***

“Two years after the fire at Allnight, Gopher challenged me to a duel. Not with wooden swords—real ones. We were already on bad terms because of an earlier incident, so we fought recklessly. Just as my grandmother happened to pass by, stab!”

Mixel Luke pressed his neck and shoulder as if demonstrating the moment.

“You were stabbed?“

“He angled his shoulder into my blade. In other words, he made me stab him. My grandmother thought I’d used the duel as an excuse to kill him.“

“...”

“Thanks to that, I was stripped of my title and exiled. I ended up in a foreign land, living among strangers. Even on my parents’ death anniversaries, I couldn’t return. Eventually, I forgot their faces for a time.”

It happened two years after the fire—when Gopher was around twelve or thirteen.

Would he risk his life to get his cousin exiled at such a young age?

It was a complex story to believe. Bleria had heard about Allnight, but Mixel Luke wasn’t a significant rival.

What reason could he have had to go to such extremes for a position that would have been his eventually?

Was it an obsession with the dukedom? Or was there something between them that she didn’t know about? If not, perhaps it was just Mixel Luke Dice’s paranoia.

Bleria thought this to herself but gave a measured response.

“It must have been an accident.“

“As much as I hate to admit it, that guy is ridiculously skilled with a sword. He’s not some fool who’d drop his own blade and accidentally get stabbed in the shoulder. As much as it pains me to say, he was better than me back then.“

The man grinned, baring his teeth.

“If we fought now, I’d win. While he’s been busy with succession training, I’ve worked just as hard.“

“…I understand your perspective, Count.”

That was all Bleria said as she lowered her gaze to her lap. It felt uncomfortable listening to such talk in Gopher’s absence.

Mixel Luke must have realized that pushing further wouldn’t work, as he didn’t try to persuade her anymore. For a while, the two sat in silence.

The sound of the carriage wheels, their breathing, and the occasional pained groans filled the quiet air—each more uncomfortable than the last.

Lost in that lukewarm atmosphere, Bleria organized her thoughts. When she spoke again, her usual composed gaze had returned.

“Count, do you want revenge against Gopher?“

“I won’t deny that the thought has crossed my mind.“

“Then, you’re going to keep bothering me and making things difficult.”

Mixel Luke looked up.

“Thank you for helping me avoid injury. I’ll consider that an apology for past rudeness and will also cover your medical expenses. Even if you continue to behave roughly in the future, I likely won’t report it to the Duchess again.“

“...”

“However, let me make this clear. Even if you try to use me, you’ll gain nothing.”

Mixel Luke had brought Eos to the empire. For Bleria, there was no choice but Gopher. And Bleria liked Gopher.

She couldn’t listen to Mixel Luke’s words for too many reasons.

“Don’t you already know, Count? Even if I waver because of you, it won’t significantly harm Gopher.”

At most, it might hurt his feelings slightly or, in the worst case, delay or rearrange the marriage plans. Mixel Luke’s schemes wouldn’t yield any significant results.

“I’m not trying to use you. I’m trying to stop you from facing something you can’t handle.“

“Because Gopher is cruel, and you pity me for marrying someone like him? I’ve heard that enough.“

“Is it wrong to start with pity?“

“Count.“

“You might not know, but I’ve known you. For quite a long time.”

There it was again—that line.

Just as Bleria’s eyes narrowed slightly, he said something unexpected.

“I’ve known since I heard about your engagement to Gopher.”

At that moment, the carriage stopped—it seemed they had arrived at Allnight Ducal Manor. Bleria hurriedly asked,

“What do you mean by that?“

“Let’s save that story for another time. If you’re curious, come find me yourself.”

With that, Mixel Luke boldly flung open the carriage door. He immediately doubled over and groaned, the jolt clearly aggravating his broken arm.

Is he an idiot?

Bleria blinked in disbelief as Mixel Luke whimpered like a drenched dog.

“Uh, sorry, but could you help me out of here?“

“The butler—“

“He won’t help. Everyone in Allnight despises me. They’re all on that bastard’s side.“

“Then at least ask the Heaven coachman—“

“If I hadn’t shielded you, you’d be injured. And if that were the case, I’d be carrying you in my arms to deliver you safely to Heaven. But I can’t even ask for a little support?“

“Fine, just be quiet.”

His whining was as destructive as a child’s. Still, no one had ever taken an injury on her behalf before, so Bleria couldn’t help but feel a little obligated. Even if he meant her harm, she couldn’t entirely ignore someone who had been hurt for her.

Maybe it would’ve been better if I’d been the one hurt.

Reluctantly, Bleria helped support his large frame. Without a shred of shame, Mixel Luke leaned heavily on her, completely relaxing his body. The short moment to get him out of the carriage felt like an eternity.

Bleria let go of his arm when his feet touched the ground and took a deep breath to steady herself.