Chapter 2

Bryce quickly changed his clothes.

He needed to leave immediately.

But his hands wouldn’t cooperate due to his anxious mind.

Buttoning his shirt was frustratingly difficult.

The words of his aide echoed in his head.

「Lady Isabella passed away 7 years ago. I heard it directly from the physician who examined her at the time.」

「Before she passed, she gave birth to a child. A boy.」

「He is currently living with a female pharmacist, and their house is at the foot of Hurt Mountain.」

「However, there are others who have bought this information. The Imperial Palace and Geiser.」

After finally buttoning up his shirt while looking in the mirror, he stood still, staring at his reflection.

He was a Master of the poker face.

Famous for maintaining a blank expression even in dire situations.

Yet now, his face in the mirror showed a myriad of emotions.

The joy of finally finding Isabella’s whereabouts, the sorrow over her death, the surprise of his son’s existence, the anticipation of meeting the child, the anger at the Imperial Palace and Geiser for moving behind his back, and the fear of possibly losing his child.

His face was a mix of countless emotions.

It looked weak.

A face he didn’t like.

‘Why is Adil so late?’

Bryce’s anxious gaze turned to the wall clock.

Bryce and his aide were currently in the Dajison region, located at the southernmost part of the Empire, not in the capital Conraden.

It was a business trip ordered by the Emperor.

But after hearing about his son’s whereabouts, he couldn’t stay here despite the Emperor’s orders.

So his aide was contacting the Imperial Palace to adjust the business trip schedule while also arranging transportation to return to the capital.

Even using an accelerated magic carriage, it took a full day to travel from the capital to here.

Just imagining what the Imperial Palace and Geiser, who bought the information about his son, might be planning in the capital made his blood boil.

Unable to control his impatience, he paced the room until finally, his aide returned.

“Your Grace! You can depart immediately!”

Without a word, Bryce strode out with his long legs.

The aide, who had watched Bryce closely for the past five years, was stunned to see his Master’s nervous demeanor for the first time.

He was a Duke who had never shown any humanity.

But at this moment, he was different.

‘He finally seems human.’

***

“Pierre’s men haven’t returned yet.”

“Looks like they failed.”

Tsk. Nikolai, the leader of the dark guild ‘Geiser,’ frowned deeply.

“They were the best card against Duke Conver.”

“Should we send others?”

“She’s the woman who handled Pierre’s men alone. Others would be the same. She wouldn’t still be at that house.”

Hmm, a deep sigh escaped Nikolai’s lips.

“Did you say she was a pharmacist?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Investigate more about that woman.”

“Yes, understood.”

Watching his subordinate disappear quickly, Nikolai quietly brought the cigarette he was holding to his lips.

It would be a disaster to lose such a valuable card to someone else.

“I can’t let someone else eat the porridge I cooked.” (T/N: Idiom)

He had to secure the child who might be Duke Conver’s son.

***

“Little one, you’re here!”

“I’m not a little one!”

“If you’re not a little one, then what are you? A baby going ‘goo-goo ga-ga’?”

“No, no, I said I’m not!”

As soon as Neil, the head of the capital’s top information guild ‘Basler,’ and little Ray met, they were busy growling at each other.

The evenly matched quarrel between the rough-looking 35-year-old man and the cute 7-year-old boy was quite a sight.

The sight of Ray huffing and puffing in anger was…

‘Cute.’ 

She thought.

She had to maintain a poker face while suppressing the laughter that threatened to escape.

Ray, despite being a little one, hated being treated like a child.

“I can’t communicate with Uncle Neil at all! As, I’ll be playing with the puppy here, so just finish your business quickly and come back.”

Sticking his tongue out, Ray made a face at Neil and hugged the fluffy white puppy.

She followed Neil out of the reception room and headed to his office.

“Since Ray told me to finish quickly, I’ll get straight to the point.”

“When did you start listening to Ray so well? Tch!”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me too?”

“With you too? I wasn’t fighting with Ray. I was just humoring him.”

It was funny how he acted all high and mighty when Ray wasn’t around.

“If that’s easier for you to think, then go ahead.”

“So, what’s the matter?”

As she laughed with an incredulous expression, Neil put on a businesslike serious face and asked.

“Last night, Geiser’s men barged in saying they were going to take Ray.”

“What?”

Neil’s already fierce face scrunched up even more, making him look even more intimidating.

The long scar from his left forehead to his cheek deepened.

But despite his appearance, Neil had been the head of the information guild for five years, more of a thinker than a fighter.

People who met him for the first time found it hard to believe.

“Since you’re alive and here, it seems Geiser’s side lost.”

“I was lucky.”

“But why do they want to take Ray?”

“I came to ask you to find that out.”

“Hmm…”

Neil’s eyebrow twitched.

“Seven years ago, it seemed like Ray’s mother was being chased by someone. The same people who chased her might be after Ray now.”

“Or maybe Ray’s father is looking for his son, right?”

“…That could be it.”

She hadn’t thought of that.

Why hadn’t she considered the possibility that Ray might have a living father?

Suddenly, she felt guilty for living too easily and comfortably.

“I’d like to handle it myself, but I think I need to stay by Ray’s side for now. So, I’m asking for your help.”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

Neil answered with eyes wide open.

Despite enjoying his quarrels with the little one and having a very fierce face, Neil was one hundred percent reliable when it came to work.

She had no doubt that he would get the information she needed in a few days.

* * *

“Why aren’t we going home and sleeping here?”

Ray asked as they entered the second-floor inn room.

She shrugged as if there was no special reason.

“It’s too late. I’m tired, and it’s been a while since I slept in an inn. It might be nice.”

“So, it’s all because of Uncle Neil, right? That guy is always the problem.”

Innocent Neil was mentioned for no reason and once again incurred Ray’s dislike.

Sorry, Neil.

Yawning widely, she collapsed onto the bed.

Ray would eventually find out that they wouldn’t be going back to that house for a while, but not yet.

Sigh, she heard a small sigh escape from Ray’s little lips.

“As, you can’t just lie down. You need to wash up first.”

Ray was only seven years old but often nagged like he was her guardian.

She suddenly felt like teasing him.

“Aren’t you tired too, Ray? Should I bathe you like I used to? I, Astrid, the bathing Master, will serve you well today!”

“No! I’ll do it by myself! Don’t even think about it.”

The child jumped up.

“Normally, seven-year-olds need an adult’s touch! Don’t be shy, Ray. Trust in my hands!”

She flapped her hands and pretended to pounce on Ray.

“Ew! Don’t say things like that! It’s creepy!”

“Wow, Ray, that’s harsh. Creepy? I’m hurt.”

As she pouted, Ray’s little face twisted awkwardly.

“As, you’re not my mom. You don’t have to do everything for me like a mom. I can bathe by myself now.”

“Ray…”

His body seemed smaller than ever as he mumbled with his head down, yet spoke his mind without hesitation.

Ah… Ray had matured too early for only being seven, and it pained her.

And she felt sorry.

Ray continued speaking.

“People are so mean. They keep seeing me as your son or nephew. They look at us strangely, saying we don’t look alike at all.”

The child’s trembling voice soon turned into a sob.

“Ray, is that why you didn’t want to go to the market with me? Because people kept saying things? I said you could just call me aunt outside.”

“How can I call you aunt when you’re As?”

Before she knew it, big teardrops fell and made wet spots on the carpet.

She regretted not having him call her aunt from the start.

When she first held Ray, a baby in her arms, she was only eighteen.

She didn’t know much.

Especially about raising a child.

‘I should have been more careful, but I was thoughtless.’

It was a useless, belated regret.

She wrapped her arms around Ray’s small, trembling body as he cried silently.

It was a night filled with overwhelming guilt for the little boy who couldn’t cry out loud and sobbed quietly.