Chapter 20

 

Amid his pounding headache, the viscount suddenly remembered a carriage he had passed earlier.

He’d dismissed it at the time, thinking he didn’t recognize the crest due to his drunken haze…

But now that he thought about it again—that was definitely his crest.

While he mulled it over, the viscountess seized her chance.

“Why haven’t you brought him here already?!”

Only moments ago she had been cursing him—but the moment she heard he was nearby, she became absurdly polite.

Their family’s survival now depended entirely on the Grand Duke.

They had gone up north to try and meet him more than once.

And every time, they’d been rejected outright.
Now, if there was even a sliver of opportunity to meet him—they’d cling to it no matter what.

But the response they got was the same as ever.

“His Grace has gone directly to the Grand Plaza lodging.”

“Then send someone! Do something! Don’t just stand there!”

“Understood.”

The viscountess turned toward her husband, frustrated at his lack of urgency.

“What are you doing just sitting there like—”

But Viscount Langston, now wearing a strange expression, muttered in a chilling tone.

“I think I saw something strange on the way here.”

“What are you talking about—strange how?”

“That girl.”

“…That girl?”

The viscountess immediately understood what he meant and rushed to fetch the portrait.

After all, ever since the little wretch they’d kept locked away had escaped, they’d lost one of their biggest sources of income.

They’d searched for her for ages without luck.

But now, seeing the gleam in her husband’s eye, the viscountess could barely contain her excitement.

“Are you saying you found her?”

He’d only seen her from behind—but it looked like her.

“Are you sure you didn’t just imagine it again?”

“We’ll find out soon enough.”

If what he saw was real, then that girl had been in that luxurious carriage.

Which meant she was now traveling with the Grand Duke.

Which meant… she had gotten very close to him.

“Well, things just got interesting.”

No matter how much that Grand Duke bastard had refused them before, this time he wouldn’t be able to turn them away.

“What are you saying? Can you just explain it in plain words—”

“You still have the adoption papers, right? Get them ready.”

The viscount stroked his chin with a twisted smile curling at his lips.

* * *

The Grand Plaza, located in the heart of the southern capital, was known for its beauty and warm, inviting atmosphere.

The ocean view that stretched out beyond the windows was one of the hotel’s most beloved features.

But now, men dressed entirely in black—completely at odds with the hotel’s elegant exterior—strode confidently inside.

Among them stood a delicate figure: Sylvia, whose pale face stood out in stark contrast.

A doorman in formal uniform greeted them, and a man stepped forward to approach Kallain directly.

“It must’ve been a tiring journey. Please, come inside.”

The man extending his hand was Count Cailloton, lord of a neighboring territory and the proprietor of this grand hotel.

Kallain briefly shook his hand and replied dryly,

“With this kind of reception, it’s hard to want to come here. I imagine the Kaphran residents don’t care much for me.”

Whenever high-ranking nobles visited, it was customary for local people to be inconvenienced.

And this time, it wasn’t just any noble—it was Grand Duke Kallain Detroit himself.
Naturally, the hotel had been cleared out completely for his stay.

That alone was a massive financial loss.
But when royalty visited, it was expected to be considered an honor.

Yet he had insisted they leave everything as is.

His tone was indifferent, but the sentiment behind it was thoughtful.

Before coming here, his butler had paid for every room—even though all the guests had been vacated.

“Thank you for your consideration in so many ways.”

“I’ll accept your hospitality this time.”

‘They say he’s difficult to deal with…’

But Count Cailloton concluded that the Grand Duke might not be as bad as the rumors made him out to be.

“I’ve prepared Room 505—with panoramic windows facing the sea—and Room 506, our largest suite.”

“Does the panoramic room face west?”

“Yes, it’s one of our most popular rooms due to the ocean view.”

Count Cailloton, who managed the Grand Hotel alongside his townhouse in the capital, took great pride in his establishment.

Which was why his explanation of the rooms went on for some time.

Especially Room 505—known for its stunning view—had been prepared with particular care for the Grand Duke.

But then—

“She’ll use that room.”

Kallain gestured toward Sylvia.

“…Excuse me?”

Count Cailloton froze for a moment. Did he hear that correctly? He had to ask again.

Of course, the answer didn’t change.

* * *

After that, the Grand Duke and the Count continued conversing as they headed to the upper floors.

Following behind them, she saw the two men move into a reception room.

Jayden turned to her, handing her a key and telling her to rest.

Sylvia stared blankly at the key to Room 505 now resting in her hand.

A panoramic room with a sea view—everything about it had clearly been prepared with the Grand Duke in mind.
So why… was it in her hands?

Suddenly, the image of herself gasping in awe at the sea—and the Grand Duke watching her with that unwavering gaze—flashed through her mind.

A slow, creeping question rose within her.

‘Why would he give me this kind of room?’

‘Does he expect something from me?’

‘Or… is he really trying to look after me?’

As the swirl of complicated thoughts filled her mind, the crashing of waves echoed faintly.

The endlessly stretching blue waves seemed to wash away her worries just by being there.

But come nightfall—when those waves shattered into white foam—

The worries returned, as if they had never left at all.

And the glimpse of Viscount Langston she’d seen while passing in the carriage…

That memory gripped her again, taking her breath away.

* * *

After exchanging a few casual words with Count Cailloton, Kallain followed the doorman inside.

Only then did Jayden begin delivering the schedule report.

The itinerary was long and conventional, but it had been prepared with great care.

The memorial for the late Empress had never been passed over lightly.

Though it was publicly claimed she had died from an unknown illness, everyone knew it had been a scheme by the Empress Dowager, who had been the crown prince’s consort at the time.

In that sense, Grand Duke Kallain arriving so grandly in Kaphran every year for her memorial was, in and of itself, a brutal warning directed at the Emperor.

Naturally, provoking the Emperor’s temper was no small matter.

Jayden, who would normally advise Kallain to be cautious, said nothing this time.
Even he couldn’t offer advice when it came to the late Empress’s memorial.

He had liked her too, and felt a deep sorrow at her loss.
And Kallain now held the kind of position where he could exert such pressure.

‘Those guilty must live bearing that weight. That’s the way of the world—and the natural order.’

All preparations would be completed by tomorrow morning.

“Oh, and Viscount Langston’s estate has been sending people continuously requesting an audience.”

Kallain signed the documents without even looking up, then tossed the pen aside.

Langston.

That unpleasant name drew a faint, tight crease across Kallain’s brow.

“Looks like they’re going mad now that their funds have dried up ever since the northern trade was cut.”

In his mind, Kallain recalled the trembling look in her eyes.

In her gaze had been the Langston family’s passing carriage.

He could already guess what she’d seen.

A smirk tugged at one corner of his lips as he gave a quiet command.

“If they want to see me so badly, we should grant them their wish.”

“…Pardon? With all due respect, wouldn’t it be better not to associate with the likes of them?”

Kallain’s eyes curved slightly, and though it was an elegant smile, the chill in it was enough to make him seem like a demon from hell.

That momentarily froze Jayden, who instinctively tensed—until Kallain finally spoke again.

Receiving the order, Jayden bowed his head immediately.

At another time, he might have tried to talk him out of it.
But Viscount Langston was the sort who deserved whatever was coming to him—and the Grand Duke had the power to deliver it.

There was no reason to stop him.

Jayden bowed respectfully.

* * *

All night long, she was plagued by nightmares.

In her dream, Viscount Langston appeared and locked eyes with her. She tried to run, but he grabbed her by the back of the neck.

She screamed for the Grand Duke—pleaded for him—but he passed by with cold indifference, like she was a stranger.

His gaze had been chilling and distant.

In the dream, he’d even said:

“There are plenty like you. You should’ve stayed quiet.”

To think she had escaped all the way here, only to crawl back into danger with her own feet—it made her head throb.

When she opened her eyes to the pale light of dawn, her face felt swollen and puffy.

She forced herself up and stepped outside just as it was nearly time for the memorial ritual.

It wasn’t until she saw the Grand Duke approaching that her trembling heart finally calmed.

It reminded her that all those nightmares had just been dreams.

When she got into the carriage, the wheels turned smoothly, carrying them forward.

Before long, they’d passed the outskirts and reached the heart of Kaphran.

At some point, not a single soul could be seen—not even an ant along the road.

It was a clear reminder of just how powerful the man in front of her truly was.

With no people to distract her, the atmosphere of Kaphran settled in more vividly.

Everything outside the window was unfamiliar and strange.

But she had no room to enjoy the passing world—her gaze kept dropping to the floor.

She was tense, constantly afraid she’d run into someone.

Fortunately, the carriage reached the temple without any unwanted encounters.

Inside, a portrait of a woman bearing a striking resemblance to the Grand Duke hung on the wall.

It didn’t take her long to realize—this was the former empress, his birth mother.