Chapter 49

“Actually, someone strange visited me recently. As a child, they subtly pried about you, so I gave evasive answers and sent them away.”

Bleria recalled the nursemaid’s words but shook her head.

“You’re saying that was one of Gopher’s subordinates? And what exactly would he gain from that?”

“If you’re curious, think about what changed before and after you received the pendant.”

What changed…

She had been on the verge of despair, convinced everything was about to end, only to be pulled back up as if by a miracle. When the nursemaid told her about the suspicious group’s visit, she truly began to believe that Eos Liche was a fraud.

She felt sorry for having doubted Gopher and grateful for the miracle he had brought her, so she trusted him more. To trust him more… What did that even mean?

Bleria let out a hollow laugh once again.

“All of this trouble just to—“

“You thought the same before, didn’t you? When I told you, Gopher risked everything to frame me.“

That’s just your delusion. Rather than snapping back, Bleria kept her mouth shut.

“That bastard simply threw a boomerang to his dog, waiting to see if it’d return to him.”

“...”

“Deep down, you don’t trust him either. That’s why you’ve been listening to everything I’ve said and arguing every point.”

Absurd. It couldn’t possibly be true. She didn’t need to hear anymore.

Without another word, Bleria stood abruptly. The man followed suit, grabbing her wrist.

The oppressive weight of his body, nearly twice her size, bore down on her. Her neck stiffened.

How much time is left until ten minutes?

It was hard to gauge. Bleria avoided Mixel Luke’s gaze while feeling around the table to protect herself. Her fingers brushed against the wine glass he had been drinking from.

“Gopher Allnight will abandon you,“ he said.

“Let go,” she demanded.

“Shall we bet, then? The stakes will be our lives, wagering what that man will choose—”

Bleria hurled what she had in her hand. Though Mixel Luke easily dodged, he had no choice but to release her.

Crash! The glass shattered against the wall, sending shards flying in all directions.

As Mixel Luke turned to the source of the sound, Bleria quickly stepped back. She felt a sense of relief only when her hand turned the doorknob. She glared at the stunned man with disdain.

“I don’t gamble.”

Especially not when the wager was herself.

Bleria turned sharply and left the room. Her hands were trembling.

***

Zachary, one of Gopher’s subordinates, reported.

“I apologize. We’ve managed to suppress the rumor for now, but we estimate that will only last about a week.“

“Have you found the mastermind?“

“We tracked down several decoys, but they were all found dead. The origin of the rumors was traced back to Gilbert Blue, the mountain keeper overseeing Prune Mountain. He’s been managing the hunting grounds since before Lady Bleria’s accident. It seems he was also the one who kept the pendant before passing it on.“

“Why are you phrasing that as speculation?“

“By the time we reached him, he had already been dealt with.”

Tsk.

Gopher’s eyes shifted upward, fixed on the documents. Meeting his gaze, Zachary’s expression stiffened with tension. Gopher spoke in a low, measured tone.

“He was one of the people under surveillance.“

“Until he spread the rumors at the tavern, he had no contact with anyone. It’s as if he’d been instructed when to start spreading them.“

“And yet, you just stood by and let him die?“

“…We failed to notice until it was too late. My apologies.“

“If this is how it will be, what’s the point of assigning people to watch them?”

Gopher rubbed the back of his stiffened neck.

He hadn’t expected his personally assembled organization to rival the Allnight intelligence division, but this was worse than anticipated.

At this rate, their only advantage was their ability to dig into specific targets.

Using so many resources from the intelligence division for personal matters also underscored Mixel Luke’s grip on it. Of course, by now, Stella Allnight was likely aware of the incident’s scope.

If she hasn’t summoned me yet, she must still be investigating.

Even so, she wouldn’t reach a definitive conclusion. The only evidence proving Bleria’s identity was in his hands.

After dismissing his subordinates, Gopher rose from his seat and walked over to a display case, retrieving a bottle of vodka imported from abroad.

The clear liquid filled his glass, warming his throat as it went down. Although the heat was unpleasant, it helped him focus.

With his mind more precise, he retraced his thoughts—Bleria and Mixel Luke.

“…”

Even accounting for his caution in avoiding Stella’s eyes, Mixel Luke’s overly passive movements had seemed strange. Only now did the answer to his doubts become apparent.

Gopher flipped through the report until he reached the first page, where the recent rumors spreading in the capital were documented.

How did the seven-year-old Bleria Heaven fall from the cliff?

“While fleeing from a beast, she was fatally wounded by a blade and pushed off the edge.”

The moment a blade entered the picture, it ceased to be an accident.

Though the rumors stopped there, Gopher could infer what lay beneath them.

After the incident, the Heaven family acted quickly. They sent people to search for Bleria Heaven—or at least her body—scouring the surrounding area and making repeated visits to the temple.

Yet, they did not punish whoever wielded the blade. If there had been an assassin, what reason would there be to cover it up?

Several clues added up. Near the cliff, a rare herb known as Dreamer’s Bloom grew.

The Duke of Heaven had been so grief-stricken after his daughter’s death that he briefly lost his sanity. Until now, Gopher had attributed it to guilt for taking her to the hunting grounds.

It wasn’t just that he let his overconfidence lead to her accidental death.

Gopher, lacking sufficient intelligence resources, realized the critical key was in an unknown place. From the start, Eos Liche had no concern for anyone else.

Only one person mattered: convincing the Duke of Heaven. If he could achieve that, everything would be resolved.

Perhaps he should have killed him after all. Regretting it now was meaningless. Inevitably, gossip about Bleria being a fraud would become the hour’s topic. Thus, Gopher considered the most logical solution.

Is it time to act?

There was no way to predict how the Duke of Heaven would respond upon regaining consciousness. He might immediately cast Bleria aside and bring back Eos.

Even if he behaved as before, Bleria’s authenticity was already under scrutiny, and the rumors would follow her for life.

Gopher had envisioned this scenario countless times. Each time, the version of himself in those imaginings quickly stepped away and demanded compensation from Heaven.

Bleria’s value only mattered as long as her falsehood remained undiscovered.

Before it was too late… As that thought crossed his mind, the glass in his hand cracked and shattered. Alcohol mixed with blood seeped into his gloves, staining them red.

Gopher stared at the drops falling from the jagged edges.

The dripping sound morphed into Stella’s voice.

“When I look at you these days, I’m reminded of Duraic.”

“If you don’t want to lose everything over a single woman, you’d better learn to think clearly.”

Duraic lost everything to a fleeting passion. His once laughable uncle now felt disturbingly relatable.

In calm reflection, Gopher realized something was off about himself.

He went out of his way to placate and care for Bleria, even seeking contact with her. He couldn’t bring himself to kill someone who needed to be eliminated, and his impulsive anger led to rash actions.

Even now, as everything risked being exposed, he couldn’t entertain the thought of letting her go.

Am I not in my right mind?

Why? Why was Bleria Heaven, that mere counterfeit, so significant?

At first, it was simple curiosity, then convenience, and later, affection. But was she worth the immense risk he was taking?

He couldn’t understand himself, so he had to determine whether his actions were driven by defiance against Mixel Luke or a genuine need for her.

Gopher rose from his seat.

***

Bleria dismissed Mixel Luke’s claims as paranoia, yet they resurfaced whenever she was alone. She would repeatedly shake her head and try to think of something else in such moments.

During this time, Gopher appeared.

Despite not even replying to her letters, his sudden visit caught her off guard. Although she had been waiting to hear from him, her steps toward the parlor felt anything but light.

He wouldn’t be angry about me meeting Mixel Luke one-on-one, would he?

If so, it might make having a proper discussion difficult. Cautiously, Bleria opened the parlor door. Gopher greeted her with a smile.

“Hello, Bleria.”

He gave her a light hug before stepping back. His demeanor, seemingly unchanged, relieved her. She was about to offer words of welcome when she suddenly froze.

“I can’t stay long. I just came to see your face for a moment.“

“Your hand—what happened to it?“

“Oh, this.”

Gopher raised his hand casually. Although his black gloves concealed most of the damage, faint traces of blood were unmistakable.

Feeling a chill run down her neck, Bleria asked hastily, “Are you hurt?“

“The glass broke, and I got a small cut.“

“Why didn’t you get treated…? I’ll call a doctor. Amelia, or perhaps Kyle—“

“Not them.”

Gopher touched Bleria’s shoulders to calm her, speaking nonchalantly.

“Will you do it yourself?”