Subliminal Wayfarer

Ohoho, hahaha!

It was a place filled with subtle music and the sweet scent of alcohol.

The building was large and grand, with the sound of men’s and women’s laughter blending together, thick in the air.

Outside the secret salon where noblemen often gathered for clandestine meetings, Kafrenn O’Ellin staggered out.

His waiting butler, Thomas, quickly supported him.

“Keheheheh. I feel great. Absolutely wonderful!”

“You’ve had too much to drink. Let me take you back to the estate.”

“Hahaha! Yes, let’s go. I need to get back to the home where my precious Grace awaits!”

With hiccups from the alcohol, he clambered into the carriage.

Though his pockets were lighter from paying the bar tab, it didn’t bother him.

After all, Duke Blacke was going to be his son-in-law. What was there to fear?

Even if the marquisate were to face bankruptcy, he now had a powerful backer.

Lucas Blacke’s wealth was like an endless spring that would quench Kafrenn’s thirst.

Power, status, respect, and wealth—all of it would soon be in his grasp, and his shoulders began to sway with excitement.

A senseless chuckle escaped his lips.

‘Hehe. Hehehe. Look at me, Eleanor. The man you despised so much has become the most influential noble in the land.’

And it was all thanks to that woman’s daughter.

The daughter that woman had tried so hard to protect.

“…Oh, Grace. Grace, my foolish daughter.”

A girl who trembled even at the sight of a pen.

With a gentle face, but eyes raised so fiercely.

She had been like that ever since she was little.

Even when she looked so wilted and frail, those sharp, defiant eyes would always send shivers down his spine.

Despite being born with his blood, it never felt like she was his daughter, but just that woman’s daughter.

Maybe it was because she looked nothing like him and resembled her mother instead.

He always felt as though Grace might lash out at him one day, catch him off guard.

That’s why he kept such tight control over her.

‘Hmph. But no matter what she does, as long as she bears the name O’Ellin, what could she possibly do to her father?’

Upon arriving at the mansion, Kafrenn shoved Thomas aside and staggered into his study.

With drunken hands, he opened the safe and took out the signed confirmation of the diamond mine Lucas had given him.

He stroked it over and over with his rough hands.

Just holding it made him feel so content.

Perhaps because of that young man’s eagerness, the wedding with Grace had been moved up to just one month away.

It was undignified, but Kafrenn didn’t care at all.

It was best for him to bring House Blacke into the fold as soon as possible.

‘That threat Lucas Blacke made was outrageous, but… Hmph, what can I do? Now that the Marquisate and the Duchy will be legally tied as family.’

Kafrenn relaxed at the thought.

He had no concern for how meaningless such legal ties could be.

If things didn’t go as planned, he could always tighten his grip on Grace, whom Lucas was infatuated with.

That much he was confident about.

“Haha, hahahaha…”

Now, all that remained was to marry Norman off to Princess Vivian, and Kafrenn’s position would be even more secure.

Although Princess Vivian was stubbornly refusing the marriage, Kafrenn had already persuaded 20 of the 42 noble houses.

Once a majority of the nobles in the council supported the marriage, even the princess would have no choice but to go through with it.

By tradition, the royal family—especially royal women—were expected to marry and produce heirs. It was practically their duty.

So no matter how much the princess resisted, the nobles could use that duty to push the marriage through.

“Pfft, hehe, hehehehe!”

Kafrenn, slumped in his chair, burst into laughter.

His body shook with laughter, shoulders jerking and saliva flying as his chair tipped over.

Bang!

“Ouch—!”

As he fell back, a nosebleed suddenly gushed out.

Clutching his nose as blood streamed down, Kafrenn curled up, when a yellow paper that had been on his desk fluttered down and landed on his face.

“Damn it, what the… Ahhh!”

Frightened, Kafrenn grabbed the paper and threw it away in a panic.

“Damn it, why is that thing still here?!”

He had given strict orders to his butler and the head maid.

If they ever saw that yellow piece of paper, they were to get rid of it immediately.

Whether it was by burning it or tearing it up, he didn’t care—he just wanted it gone.

But then…

There it was, once again.

Trembling, Kafrenn reached out to tear the paper in a fit of irritation, but then he paused.

He picked it up again and carefully read it.

The last sentence was what bothered him the most.

“…Damn it.”

 

[ The extent of these penalties will be equivalent to five times the degree of non-compliance observed, or a fine and loss of titles amounting to Cr 10,000,000.00 (ten million crans.) ]

 

This contract had followed Kafrenn like a nightmare.

It appeared at the most unexpected times, as if to threaten and torment him.

After Eleanor, the other party to the contract, had died, he had thrown the contract away.

He considered it something no longer necessary to abide by.

In fact, when Grace was younger, the paper hardly ever appeared.

But as Grace grew older and her independence drew nearer, the yellow paper began haunting him like a nightmare.

It constantly resurfaced, as if to remind him that time was running out.

He shot up from his seat, cursing under his breath, and quickly called for his butler.

“Thomas! Thomas!”

“Yes, Marquis.”

The nearby butler hurriedly approached.

Grinding his teeth, Kafrenn gave an order.

“Track down all of Grace’s belongings that were sold at auction!”

“…Pardon?”

“Every single one of them! Don’t leave anything behind! I don’t care how much money it takes! Damn it, I need them back before Grace’s wedding in a month!”

Thomas’s face stiffened for a moment at Kafrenn’s outburst, but as always, he offered no objections and left.

There were just a little over 20 days remaining until Grace’s wedding.

 

* * *

 

“Are these the items?”

“Yes, from what I’ve gathered, there are still a few more. But they’re currently being tracked down. They should be in our hands soon.”

Jaime checked the list on his clipboard and counted the items again.

Lucas gave a satisfied smile at Jaime’s report.

Not long ago, Selena had told him about the incense burner.

 

“It seems the departed Marchioness’s belongings were sold off by the Marquis without Grace’s knowledge, even though they should have been passed down to her. Unfortunately, it looks like she lost everything.”

 

As soon as Lucas heard that, he began tracing the marquis’s auction history.

It seemed like anything of value that came into Kafrenn’s possession had been immediately sold, with over 200 auction records.

Jaime’s assistants had to painstakingly track down and repurchase the items one by one.

As a reward for their hard work, Lucas had gifted them ten whopping kilos of the finest jerky.

He knew that proper compensation motivated staff to work more effectively.

The greater the satisfaction, the higher the loyalty and efficiency.

Lucas, well aware of this, was never stingy with rewards for his aides or subordinates.

In a fairly large room within the mansion, a variety of recovered items had already been gathered.

The dozen attendants following Jaime were busily organizing them.

“These over here will be used in Your Excellency’s and Lady Grace’s bedchamber, so make sure they’re thoroughly cleaned. And those over there, which Your Excellency has specifically selected, should be carefully packed and placed in Lady Grace’s room.”

At Jaime’s instruction, the items were swiftly cleared away.

As he handed Lucas a tray of items, Jaime spoke.

“We’ve gathered everything so far. Although they used fake names, they weren’t thorough enough to avoid being traced. By tomorrow, a hand mirror, a headband, and a dress will arrive.”

“Hmm. Some of these don’t seem to belong to her…”

“I’ve already spoken to Julie. She’ll do an initial sorting discreetly, so we can rely on her judgment.”

“Good.”

After inspecting the items on the tray one by one, Lucas was finally ready to head out.

As he made his way down to the lobby to board the carriage, Jaime covered his mouth with his hand and let out a small yawn.

“Yawning in front of your master? Where can you find a master as generous as me?”

“Isn’t it barbaric to deprive someone of even the freedom to yawn? Or do you not realize how so overworked I’ve been that I can’t even suppress a yawn?”

“Hmm, such insolence from a subordinate.”

“Oh, come now, don’t be like that. I’m always polite elsewhere, aren’t I? I’m just really tired right now, so please, with your boundless mercy, let it slide this time.”

Jaime groaned theatrically, exaggerating as he rubbed his back.

“Or perhaps you could reduce my workload? At this rate, I won’t even get to experience romance before I die. Haaaaahm…”

Hmm, fair enough. Lucas admitted that the workload had been too active lately.

With his towering height and already thin frame, Jaime appeared even more gaunt these days.

Already been feeling guilty about it, Lucas had actually prepared a reward for him.

Perhaps it was the upcoming wedding, but Lucas found himself in an oddly generous mood lately.

It was strange. He just wanted to share his happiness with those around him.

All of it was thanks to Grace.

Thinking of her, Lucas’s mood lifted even more.

As he chuckled quietly, rubbing his chin, he pulled a folded piece of paper from his suit pocket and tossed it to Jaime.

“Catch.”

“What’s this? …Don’t tell me it’s more work?”