Chapter 13: 13

Chapter 13 – Something Subtle

“You mean he really bought all the land?”
“Yes, he has purchased all forest land in the southern part of Erndorf. Including the house where Miss Emilia Bern lives. Sooner or later, he will meet with a contractor and start measuring. It looks like the Young Master wants to build a large-scale lodging facility that has recently became popular in Feathers.”

Caitlyn nodded slowly.

She looked peaceful as a drawing, holding a teacup by the sunny window, but Grozhang knew it well. There must be a storm raging inside Caitlyn Meyer.

“Did you perhaps hear exactly what Hadius said to that child?”

Grozhang put down his notebook and had a troubled face for a moment.

“I only stayed in the carriage that day. The same goes for the coachman. He told me not to do anything suspicious, so I did not go near the Young Master nor, of course, Miss Bern. I apologize.”
“No. It’s alright. You did well. Do not pry too much. You know what kind of person Hadius is, right? Even if you have just the slightest weird behavior, he will notice. He will realize right away that I attached an ‘eye’ to him. Besides, you’re my only spy now, aren’t you? We cannot take risks. You should never be caught.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

A long sigh followed.

“I can’t figure out his intentions with just one eye. I have no choice but to step up myself…”

She murmured and restlessly tapped the tip of her finger on the armrest.

“Lastly, I’ll ask you one thing. How does it look to you? Just tell me what you think. About that child.”
“… Pardon?”
“It doesn’t seem like that at all to me, but you never know, right? It’s a mystery; I don’t know if she has any lingering desire to become the Duchess, or what kind of feelings she has towards Hadius.”
“If you ask what I think… Miss Bern is very wary of the Young Master. She also seemed angry. Of course, this is only what I think. I just watched them from a distance, I didn’t hear the conversation between them from up close.”
“Right, I think so, too…”

Caitlyn, who had agreed with him, suddenly frowned again.

“What about Hadius? Grozhang, in your opinion, what does Hadius think of that child?”

Grozhang couldn’t hide being taken aback. That question was never asked since the engagement ceremony long ago.

“Feelings and intuition are more accurate for certain problems. So, speak comfortably.”

“… Speaking with only my feelings, I honestly don’t know.”
“You don’t know? What exactly does that mean?”
“It means I haven’t detected any emotion in his words and actions. At least from my observation. When the Young Master was dealing with Miss Bern, there was nothing that could be felt as an emotion.”
“Is that so.”

Stroking her chin, Caitlyn looked out of the window, silently.

Quite a long time passed, enough for the tea to cool down.

“Alright. Shall we stop talking about that and move on? What happened after the Haleston Bazaar?”

Grozhang cleared his voice and handed over his notebook.

“On the 16th, the Young Master attended a speech by Sir Maximilian and met with members of the royalist party. He talked with them about the Rochester bill in the smoking room. At noon he stopped by ‘Fabran’, and met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sir Wirhen…”

The report about Hadius’ activities continued. It was mostly about where he went and who he met. Caitlyn, who, unlike usual, was listening unenthusiastically, suddenly flicked her finger and straightened her waist.

“Shall we stop here?”

Grozhang closed the notebook and was handed a jacket and hat by the maid.

“Don’t forget, Grozhang. You just have to continue doing it like now. Just watch from a reasonable distance so that you won’t be suspicious. But if you see something strange about Hadius, please contact me.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
“Right, don’t forget to go see the Duke before you go.”
“Yes.”

After leaving the study, Grozhang went straight to Duke Meyer’s bedside, as Caitlyn instructed.

Greeting Sir Meyer, who was asleep, he stood there for a long time, holding his bony hands as if he were his real son.

He has replaced Hadius in the sick visits since long ago.

It was Caitlyn who suggested such a strange deed. She did not want the successor, who was training hard at school, to be anxious and worried about his father’s illness.

Van Drake Meyer will never be able to tell whether the man holding his hand is his son or servant anyway.

Caitlyn, who was left alone, stared out the window and fell into thought.

Why? At some point, she started feeling scared of the unreadable successor.

It was ironic. Wasn’t she the one who raised him in a way he wouldn’t be read by anyone?

For Caitlyn, Hadius Meyer is a successor before being a son. He is the next head of the Meyer family, who must be perfectly disciplined and educated.

Fortunately, Hadius was born with moderation, coolness, and self-control that is hard to find in other men no matter how hard you look for. He has always valued the family’s affairs over his personal emotions and has never disappointed family members.
He has come to identify his pride as his family. In other words, Hadius is a Meyer.

And yet, why is she so anxious? Caitlyn was biting her nails without realizing it.

It was a matter of a hunch and intuition that could not be explained by logic.

Once a year, every time the dinner party was held, Caitlyn would get caught up in a very strange feeling.

From the perspective of her son chasing a small country girl, she often felt her heart sinking.

In fact, it is an unfounded speculation.

She will be laughed at if she asks anyone. Hadius Meyer is only thinking of taking over the family business. You could say he has no interest in women, especially his fiancée.

But, what if…
What if there is a possibility that Hadius has a different thought deep inside?

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The country child is quite beautiful and, after watching her for 5 years, she is also smart. She knew the looks many men gave her at the dinner party every year.

Hadius is such a mysterious person, he might try to secretly make her his lover. In any case, he is also a ‘man’.

No, he isn’t just a man, he has half the blood of his father, Van Drake Meyer. He is pretending he has no interest but, the truth is, regardless of whether a woman is a prostitute or a commoner, he may pant like a dog in heat.

“Damn it…”

Perhaps Caitlyn also allowed her to become his lover. Just the thought of the word ‘lover’ makes her shiver, thinking about her husband who was swayed by a lowly mistress and illegitimate child, and even tried to give up his entire family.

She cannot help it. Having lovers was as natural for noblemen as teatime was for noblewomen.

The problem is not her feelings, but the Reinen family.

Hannes already threatened her. He has no intention of meddling in his son-in-law’s private life, but his former fiancée must be completely dealt with. He wasn’t wrong, so Caitlyn accepted.

But since a few days ago, something was subtly changing. She cannot pinpoint exactly what…

***

When Grozhang left the Krambitz villa, the sun that hung on the mountain ridge was rising above his head. Behind him, walking busily, two bulky men appeared from nowhere and followed closely. In front of a long shadow hanging over his head, Grozhang had to swallow dry. His trembling hand found a handkerchief in his pocket and wiped the sweat.

“This way.”

The man didn’t gesture at the tree-lined street, but towards the secluded bushes. The strange men led Grozhang to the shallow hill beyond the villa as if they were controlling him from behind.

There was a carriage beyond the overgrown thorn bushes. One of the men carefully knocked on the carriage door.

“Come in.”

The Master’s voice was always plain. Nevertheless, Grozhang had to hold his trembling hand just before opening the door. As soon as he managed to get into the carriage, moving his shaky legs, the men slammed the door closed.

The carriage departed.

Hadius Meyer was reading the newspaper with his legs crossed. He had a serene and calm expression, like a forest in a leisurely afternoon, but Grozhang’s heart started pounding anxiously.

“… I reported… As you ordered.”
“Is that so.”

Saying ‘Is that so.’ so calmly like that.

Suddenly, he remembered a day when that man came to his house without notice.

It must have been Christmas Eve. His wife was baking bread in the oven and his children were arguing about who would put the star on top of the tree.

Hadius Meyer suddenly appeared in the middle of the lovely household. Accompanied by these two bulky men.

He introduced himself to his wife and children and gave them an armful of presents. Thanks to this, his wife and children still remember Hadius Meyer as a ‘wonderful person like Santa Claus’.

‘Your Father is an excellent person. He’s my aide and he helps my Mother with her affairs at the same time. I owe him a lot, too.’

Hadius took off his gloves and said only that much.

But at that moment, Grozhang fell into shock as if his head had been hit hard with a blunt weapon.

He knew everything already. The fact that his attendant, who had assisted him for over 10 years, was actually a spy that his mother had attached to her son to keep an eye on him…

Clueless, the children cheered while opening the gift wrap, and his wife served him tea that was only offered to valuable guests.

“What do you think? What will Mrs. Meyer do now?”
“What?”
“You must focus, Grozhang. Think of your wife and children.”

Hadius turned his head, lowering the newspaper. His delicate, sculpture-like features were still those of a handsome young boy.
People were easily deceived by his gentle youthfulness and gentlemanly smile. Grozhang was also like that at first.

“Because of Madam Meyer’s personality, it’s clear she will be visiting Miss Bern soon. Because she doesn’t trust anyone. Not even the Young Master, her son.”
“I guess so.”

Hadius muttered calmly.

At this point, the mother and son were different. Caitlyn was always anxious and unsure. But Hadius was confident and relaxed.

It was a much more urgent situation, and the reason for that was thanks to those shadows, the mercenaries, and assassins he secretly hired. Perhaps the 4 years at the Military Academy were decisive for someone with noble blood, just like the Crown Prince, to associate with the existence of such darkness.

The young man, only 20 years old, has used those shadows to watch over Grozhang and his family. And he will scheme and carry out many things from now on.

The carriage ran diligently in a strangling silence. After exiting the dense forest and passing through a small rural village, they finally arrived at Nowak, where he could see the large plaza.

Throughout the run, Hadius didn’t let go of his work for a moment, going from the newspaper to documents, to the newspaper again.

It was only when they arrived at the main gate of the Basilion House that he stopped working like a machine as if he had suddenly broken down.

He could see someone getting closer from outside the window.

Emilia Bern, holding a gorgeously wrapped box that was obviously a ‘gift’.

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