Even just seeing other men glance at Hanelope made him feel like he was going to go mad with jealousy.
When Gallota demanded marriage from her, the urge to kill was almost unbearable.
‘I can’t be satisfied just being by Hanelope’s side, just being her shadow. I want… Hanelope.’
It was an undeniable conclusion.
To achieve this, he first had to protect Hanelope. He had to eliminate those who threatened her.
The first target for removal was the Duke of Eisen and the faction he sponsored.
‘I’ve just set a trap for you, so go ahead and dig your own grave.’
Brantley snuck out of the mansion as quietly as he had entered. The cold rain and the terrifying thunder and lightning surrounded him. However, Brantley was resolute and determined.
‘I will bring down the Duke of Eisen and become a noble again. No, I will become the Duke of Eisen.’
He would become someone who could stand proudly by Hanelope’s side.
‘So that I can have you.’
Because that’s all I want.
***
“Did you sleep well, master?”
“Does this look like I had a good time?”
The Duke of Eisen’s butler received a scolding early in the morning. But serving a bad-tempered master was something he was used to. The butler placed the morning newspaper on the tray without changing his expression.
“I had the most bizarre nightmare last night. It’s because of that damn rain.”
Of all people, to dream of Brantley returning as a grim reaper.
‘He’s never appeared in my dreams before. Even after death, he’s annoying.’
The Duke of Eisen was convinced that last night’s events were a dream.
Duke Eisen opened the newspaper to read. The front page reported the execution of two Princes from the Eastern Continent. They were the Princes who had recently come to Berg as envoys. Their crime was the assassination of the Crown Prince.
“Tsk.. tsk.. The Eastern Continent is falling apart too.”
The Duke of Eisen clicked his tongue and turned the page and it made his mood even worse. It was because of an article by the botanist, Baron Heinrich Fischer.
< I have studied the Morning Glory since it was merely a spice. My conclusion is that the Glories aren’t a ‘measure of wealth’ but a type of flower. However, it seems the Duke of Eisen does not comprehend this.>
“That b*stard again…!” The Duke of Eisen grumbled, crumpling the newspaper.
Heinrich Fischer was a renowned botanist. But he had no knack for making money.
“He missed the chance to invest and now regretting. A beggar like him doesn’t even have the ability to buy a petal.”
“Your Grace,” The butler cautiously called out to his master.
When the Duke of Eisen glanced at him gruffly, he hesitated before speaking, “I was going to report on the flower market today.”
The Duke’s face brightened immediately, “How much did the price increase this week?”
Instead of answering, the butler handed over the report.
The Duke of Eisen opened the report in a cheery mood but his face soon twisted as if he had bitten into something rotten.
The price of the flowers was stagnant. Such precedence was unexpected. Some flowers even lost money.
The Duke of Eisen threw the report in the butler’s face.
“What is this? Go back and investigate properly!”
“These are figures we’ve submitted after verifying thrice.”
“Are you saying this is real?”
The butler nodded.
Duke Eisen couldn’t believe it. Then, he suddenly recalled what Brantley had said in his dream last night.
“The hoax….”
‘Could he be referring to the Morning Glory business?’
The Duke of Eisen shuddered.
But he quickly shook his head vigorously, ‘Impossible! It was just a meaningless, unlucky dream.’
The Duke denied reality.
He harshly commanded his butler, “Pay the newspapers to write positive articles about the flowers immediately!”
***
Rustle! Thud!
In the dead of night when the morning dew began to gather, a daring figure leaped over the wall of Prince Hart’s mansion.
Like stepping on clouds, the shadow quickly disappeared into the darkness.
And then-
Pitter Patter!
I was secretly following him. Concealing my presence with magic, I tailed Brantley.
‘Where is he going again?’
Lately, Brantley had been disappearing somewhere every morning before dawn. Alone, without his mercenary subordinates.
I once asked him, ‘Where do you go at night?’ and he gave an astonishing answer.
“I didn’t go anywhere.”
That’s right. He shamelessly feigned ignorance!
‘Betrayal, Brantley! I thought you wouldn’t lie to me anymore.’
Though I felt betrayed, I didn’t confront him directly.
‘Brantley is tight-lipped. If he decides to keep a secret, he won’t reveal it until the end.’
Brantley, as an adult, had too many secrets. This both upset and intrigued me.
And also-
‘Why is he so fast!’
It felt like he had three legs!
Panting heavily, I chased after Brantley.
‘I can’t lose him!’
Today, I was determined to find out where Brantley went every night before dawn.
‘If he’s doing something dangerous, I have to stop him.’
Brantley stopped in front of a tavern. It operated as a café during the day and a tavern at night. Brantley entered the still bustling tavern.
‘Brantley, in a tavern?’
I was expecting something like a secret underground organization or a shady assassination guild. But I followed him in, covered from head to toe in a robe.
Brantley made his way through the crowd and walked towards the back of the tavern. Then entered a large wooden door. I slipped in behind him.
As soon as I went past the door, loud cries greeted my ears.
“500 Defars!”
“550 Defars!”
There were even more people gathered in the space behind the tavern. Well-dressed men and women of all ages were desperately trying to buy something.
‘Is this an auction?’
I cautiously entered. The place was filled with people driven by frenzied excitement. Their eyes glowed with greed.
‘Regular people can live for several months with just 50 Defars.’
And 500 Defars was far more than the annual income of a commoner.
Yet, the price of items continued to rise.
“550 Defars! Any higher bids?”
“700 Defars!”
“Yes, we have 700 Defars. Any bids for 750 Defars? If not, the ‘Blotched Knight’ is sold for 700 Defars!”
The ‘Blotched Knight’ was another variant flower. Though not very popular, it was still far too expensive for the average person to dream of buying.
The man who bought the bulb for an immense sum of 700 Defars ran excitedly to the auctioneer.
‘The man believed that if he buys the bulb and grows the flower, he’ll make more money than his initial investment.’
However, after paying 700 Defars, what he received was just a single piece of paper.
It takes a long time to grow the Morning Glory, and the same goes for propagating the bulbs. So, it was common to make trade contracts before the plants were fully grown.
‘It’s all about exchanging money without any tangible goods.’
Those who missed this chance were fuming in anger while eagerly awaiting the next auction item.
‘I heard the speculation craze was intense, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad…’
Watching the frenzied crowd, I suddenly remembered Brantley.
‘Brantley!’
I looked around frantically, but Brantley was nowhere to be seen. He had vanished without a trace.
‘Where did he go?’
If he came to the auction house, Brantley must also be here to buy a flower.
‘But why would Brantley…?’
Could it be that Brantley had joined the speculation frenzy too? I felt a pang of anxiety. I carefully observed the people waiting for the next auction.
‘Brantley must be among them.’
“The next item is from ‘Mut’, the seller known for handling the finest quality bulbs these days!”
Suddenly, people flocked to the front. Even those who had been watching from the back rushed to buy Mut’s products.
I was shoved back and forth during the hustle. But someone grabbed my hand, helping me regain my balance.
“Thank you, you saved me from falling.”
“You’re welcome.”
The stranger replied. He was a young, well-dressed man, but I didn’t recognize him from the capital’s social circles.
‘Maybe he’s a noble from the countryside or a wealthy merchant?’
Only those with substantial capital could afford to speculate on Morning Glories Oddly, enough, the man didn’t release my hand.
“What brings a young lady to a place like this? It’s dangerous for a naive noblewoman to come here trying to earn pocket money.”
Dangerous? The only thing that seemed dangerous was his lecherous gaze.
As his grip tightened, I stomped on his foot with all my might.
“Argh!”
Thanks to the force I used, the man’s legs gave out, and he crumpled like a newborn foal.
But did he really have to make a scene? People’s eyes turned to me.
‘Getting attention is bad.’
I was about to cover my face when someone else’s hand did it for me.
The murmuring crowd seemed to recognize the person covering my face.
“That person is…!”
“He rarely shows himself, why did he come here now!”
It seemed the owner of the hand was the center of this commotion.
I tried to take a peek, but he pulled me into his arms.
“?!”
Suddenly I heard the voice of what seemed to be an auction house staff member.
“Mut, why are you here? Do you know this young lady?”
Mut was the seller of the current auction item.
As I squirmed, trying to look up, Mut held me tightly and said,
“I came to take back what’s mine.”
