CHAPTER 10

Two clear vials and a black leather-bound notebook dropped into my lap.
 
Inside the vials, there was about 30 ml of a golden-yellow liquid, shimmering gently.
 
The vials appeared crystal-like at first glance, but they were not made of crystal. They were made of a much lighter and sturdier material called myra.
 
‘This is a luxury item.’
 
I wasn’t sure what exactly was in them, but the vials themselves were definitely luxurious items. Crafting myra to be this transparent required the skill of a skilled artisan.
 
Since each workshop added signature elements to their products, I carefully examined the appearance of the vials. It didn’t seem like they were from the Myra workshop in the capital; the simple and elegant curves were unfamiliar to me.
 
My suspicion that the man lying before me was not from the capital grew stronger.
 
Lastly, the notebook.
 
I tucked the vial into my silk pocket and opened the notebook.
 
My eyes widened at its contents.
 
“No…….”
 
The first 20 pages of the notebook had been ruthlessly torn out. Next to the torn marks, the visible pages had the following written:
 
Take the medicine every time the effect diminishes. 
 
Never mind the side effects.
 
The handwriting was terrible. It was as rough and urgent as the tear marks on the previous page.
 
A cold sweat trickled down my back as my eyes remained fixed on the page, unable to look away.
 
This man had definitely taken medicine. Maybe that’s why he was staggering around the streets.
 
He was obviously not in his right mind. Judging by the phrase “Don’t worry about side effects,” it was clearly a potent drug.
 
‘Are you in a situation where you have to drink a drug even though you know it is dangerous? ’
 
It was a strong possibility.
 
With trembling hands, I flipped through the pages of the notebook.
 
Make sure you survive.
 
It was a sentence that seemed to imply a message to oneself, written in a haphazard manner.
 
I closed the notebook and covered my face.
 
All the circumstances strongly pointed to one possibility.
 
I must have picked up a precious master whose life was threatened by someone.
 
* * *
A commotion swept through Eveleth Street.
 
The door of a small house at number 24 opened slightly. A small, white face peeked out from the doorway.
 
‘What was the fuss about earlier? ‘
 
A few minutes ago, there had been an unusually loud noise outside the house. A quick glance out the window showed several officers passing by.
 
Serwen hesitated, then cautiously stepped out of the house.
 
It had been a long time since she had opened the door and stepped outside alone. Originally, Oscar had kept the door locked. He’d modified the door so it couldn’t be opened from the inside.
 
After dozens of promises not to run away and hundreds of beggars, Serwen finally managed to get the key.
 
Since she didn’t want her keys taken away, she couldn’t do anything that would mislead Oscar. 
 
With a slightly frightened gesture, she crept out onto the street where the noise had come from earlier.
 
If everything had gone according to the original story, there should have been a man lying among the ruffians.
 
When Serwen, who was accustomed to seeing familiar faces among the ruffians, took pity on him, she planned to rescue him.
 
She was also going to hide him nearby without Oscar’s knowledge.
 
But then Marlena divorced him.
 
Malena, who was fed up with Oscar, ran away with loan money, and coincidentally, the carriage she was riding passed through Eveleth Street.
 
Unable to leave someone in trouble and unable to ignore the person being attacked by ruffians, the fateful coincidences piled up…
 
Serwen had her fate stolen from her by Marlena. She doesn’t even realize it’s been stolen.
 
Fortunately or unfortunately, it hadn’t been completely taken away.
 
Cautiously stepping out into the alley, Serwen discovered something sparkling in the gap between the cobblestones.
 
It seemed like something the officer missed as they withdrew.
 
She stooped down and carefully picked it up.
 
It was a necklace with a small golden medallion, perhaps two centimeters in diameter. A single rhodanthe was embossed on it.
 
Originally, after Serwen left with the man, this necklace would have been left behind on the street, and then it would have fallen into Oscar’s hands, endangering the owner of the necklace, and Serwen would have suffered through that incident.
 
However, the streets are clean, so Serwen finds it first and picks it up.
 
After a quick look around, she wraps the necklace around her hand and slips back into her apartment at 24.
 
It was a beautiful necklace, and she was tempted to wear it for a few moments, but she put it back in the drawer, fearing that Oscar would accuse her if he saw it.
 
She waited for him as if nothing had happened, because he was the only one she had to wait for.
 
But that day, Oscar did not visit her.
 
* * *
Oscar received a call from the bank branch manager and grimaced.
 
He’d tried again and again, but to no avail.
 
Since both of them had just submitted the divorce papers, Oscar’s claim that Marlena’s loan approval was invalid was futile.
 
-“Lord Crestwell, regardless, Lady Marlena is still officially Lady Crestwell. I’ve checked with the authorities, and the divorce decree has not been finalized.”
 
So, although what Marlena did by taking out a loan in the name of the family might have been shady, it wasn’t illegal.
 
The branch manager was adamant that the bank was not responsible. He dismissed Oscar’s request to cancel the loan, saying that it had been approved legally.
 
Oscar thought this was all unreasonable. He was clearly the victim here.
 
Would the branch manager have been able to do this even if he had been the Minister of Finance and not a troupe owner?
 
A twisted sense of inferiority welled up at the bottom of Oscar’s chest once again. But he barely held back what he wanted to spill.
 
He couldn’t vent his frustration and annoyance on the branch manager like he could with his taciturn friend Lowell. He needed to pull himself together.
 
-“Your Grace, to minimize your losses, wouldn’t it be better to pay it off first? ”
 
The branch manager said it calmly.
 
His voice was stern, and like Lowell, he had no intention of making any accommodations for Oscar. Oscar did as he was told.
 
If what Marlena had done wasn’t illegal, there was nothing he could do about it.
 
If he could find a way to rat her out, he could find a way to screw her over in some small way, but the time and money he would lose in the process would be a waste of resources.
 
And…… Lowell was right.
 
50 million Arcrons was, objectively, a small amount. It would be a severe blow to Oscar’s image if it became known in high society that he tried to devour his ex-wife over a mere 50 million Arcrons.
 
‘There’s no way she could have thought this far ahead and done this. But…….’
 
As a result, he was stuck.
 
Just thinking about her curly red hair and thick eyelashes made his stomach turn.
 
“She’s clueless about the whole thing…”
 
Oscar gritted his teeth.
 
When he called Albert, he was told that Marlena had left with the entire contents of the safe.
 
Since jewelry can’t be cashed in immediately, she must have taken out a loan.
 
It was baffling. If she needed money so desperately that she had to take out a loan, how could she dare to incur Oscar Creedwell’s enmity?
 
Marlena was truly incomprehensible as she provoked Oscar by talking about reporters, then freaked out when she realized what her situation would be like if she divorced, and then did such a thing within a few hours.
 
How stupid can she be? Her stupidity has been working against Oscar’s better judgment, but…….
 
Oscar vowed to himself that he would never let Marlena off the hook.
 
He’s going to bleed her dry, in all sorts of subtle ways. If she couldn’t take it and came to him for forgiveness, he would never let her stand on her own two feet and face him.
 
Oscar paused in the silence of his office, his strong shoulders rising and falling wildly.
 
His heartbeat was slowly returning to normal.
 
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep!
 
The sudden sound sent a chill down his spine.
 
Startled, Oscar quickly glanced around. Fortunately, there was no one to be seen.
 
He sighed and grimaced. The communications equipment hasn’t gotten a break today.
 
Oscar stared for a few seconds at the communications equipment, its red lamps blinking breathlessly.
 
‘Is it the bank again? ’
 
Oscar reluctantly picked up the call.
 
“……This is Duke Oscar Crestwell.”
 
-“…….”
 
The voice on the other end of the communication device fell silent.
 
Oscar’s head went cold. The air from beyond the machine had reached him. Chilly, sticky air.
 
Definitely not the bank.
 
It’s him.
 
‘Adam.’
 
A voice that sounded like a buzz, but was as sharp as an awl, asked Oscar.
 
-“Have you found the Duke’s nephew? ”
 
Oscar’s fingertips twitched.
 
Although he had never actually seen the person, whenever he had to deal with him through the communication device, he inexplicably felt intimidated and bowed his head.
 
His mind grew dizzy with the probing question. He had completely forgotten about this important matter in the midst of being preoccupied with the divorce.
 
“Oh, not yet; I’m sorry.”
 
If Marlena had heard the word ‘sorry’ as it escaped Oscar’s lips, she would have thought it was ridiculous and denied reality.
 
The person on the other end of the communication device clicked their tongue. It was a tone of disdain.
 
-“Orchid, don’t you realize this is not the time for dithering? ”
 
‘Orchid’ was the code name the person on the other end of the communication device used to address Oscar.
 
“I’m aware that I need to hurry.”
 
Oscar spoke quickly, fearing further reprimands.
 
“I won’t let you down, I promise.”
 
-“Yes. I’m sure you realize why I’m taking the trouble to contact you directly, Orchid. ”
 
“Of course. It’s always a great honor.”
 
-“If you do your job well, you will receive greater honor than this.”
 
Oscar’s throat cleared. Gulp.
 
His ‘job’ was to find and bring back a fugitive from the Duchy of Rohitham, which bordered the Kingdom.