028. Reason for Change (2)
‘It doesn’t seem like one of Lucia’s guild members.’
Owen narrowed his eyes, as if following a presence through sound.
Although the figure was hidden, he couldn’t see it with his eyes, but the energy was vividly felt.
Having the body of a Swordmaster, the sensations were sharp enough not to be missed.
While Lucia had hired guild members to investigate me before, this one seemed different.
‘Who could it be?’
“Your Excellency? Is there something troubling you?”
As Owen abruptly stopped moving, the coachman voiced a puzzled question.
Owen shifted his gaze from the unfamiliar presence, seemingly deep in thought, to the coachman.
“No, nothing.”
Owen casually lowered his head, then calmly stepped down from the carriage.
Although he couldn’t identify the owner of the presence, it was clear that there was no sense of threat.
There was no sign of hostility or even a hint of an enemy in the presence.
That’s what made it even more puzzling.
‘Is it a mercenary hired for an investigation?’
That was the most realistic conclusion he could draw.
Whether from a noble or the royal family, a hired mercenary to gather information about me or the Verdin Duchy.
While it was quite rare for these individuals to succeed, given the meticulous scrutiny by Logan and the housekeeper, they occasionally managed to infiltrate while pretending to work undercover.
Since undercover employment was frequent, the housekeeper and the butler thoroughly reviewed and filtered out such individuals, and successful cases were rare.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t entirely impossible to think that they were pursuing me for information.
‘Anyway, it’s unlikely to be useful information.’
That was one way to think about it. Yet, there was another point to consider.
If it was hired by the royal family or any noble house to gather information, it would be more logical to learn more substantial information.
Rather than wasting time chasing after me when I visit a boutique, it would be more worthwhile to extract valuable information, such as the weaknesses of the Verdin Duchy or the ongoing business and transactions.
‘I’ll find out later.’
For now, the boutique reservation time was approaching.
Once this was resolved, even if I continued to follow the presence, it wouldn’t be too late.
Since the individual intended to obtain something from me, they would linger nearby.
“Welcome, Duke Verdin.”
As Owen entered Stella Boutique, the employees who were waiting bowed their waists to greet him.
He casually nodded in response and immediately stated his purpose.
“I’ve come to see the new items for this season.”
“Are you referring to the new products for the summer season? They are on this side. We have both women’s and men’s clothing. Which one would you like to see?”
The employees were quick to notice, perhaps because there was much talk about it due to the recent hunting competition.
Anyway, if they quickly caught on, it made things easier for me.
“I’ve come to see women’s clothing. I heard there are limited edition items.”
“Oh, you’re looking for limited edition items.”
As the word ‘limited edition’ escaped Owen’s lips, the employee’s mouth formed a friendly smile.
Although the new season products were generally more expensive than regular items, they were not on par with limited editions.
“This way, please.”
The limited edition products released by Stella Boutique for this year’s summer season all had a similar atmosphere.
They featured a base of sky-blue aquamarine, incorporating various shades of blue, reminiscent of the summer sea.
Following the guide of the employee, Owen took a look at each limited edition product in turn.
Although only the aquamarine brooch mentioned in the original work, it was evident that Lucia would have bought them all.
Even if Owen didn’t think that, he wanted to gift all of them to her anyway.
Because she would like them.
“Lucia often visits this boutique, right?”
After carefully examining each product, Owen raised his head and asked a question.
‘In the original work, only the brooch was mentioned, but surely Lucia bought all of these.’
Even if that wasn’t the case, Owen wanted to give all of them to her.
She would like them.
“Yes, Lady Edelt visits our boutique as a VIP customer.”
As the word ‘limited edition’ came out of Owen’s mouth, the employee smiled kindly.
In response to Owen’s question, the employee nodded and replied.
Now that they knew quickly, it was convenient for me.
“If Lady Edelt is looking for limited edition products, she might want to check these out.”
‘Owen spoke these words, and the employee’s mouth formed a friendly smile.’
“If that’s the case, you must know her size well.”
Owen’s words were clear in their intent.
He wanted the items he was looking at to be prepared in her size.
The employee, who understood his request, responded with a bright smile.
“We always remember the VIP customer’s size. Should I send them all to Lady Edelt, the Duchess?”
As expected, the boutique employee was quick-witted, just as Owen had heard.
Owen nodded lightly, and the employee handed him a pen.
Then, Owen carefully signed the documents.
“If you start preparing now, they should arrive at the ducal estate by next week. However, if that happens, you’ll receive the items on the same day as other customers who bought them today.”
The employee obscured the end of their statement, muttering unnecessary information.
This was undoubtedly a trick to get more money from the customer.
Owen was well aware of this.
Simultaneously, he felt too well that he had no choice but to fall for this trick.
“But.”
“If you pay an additional fee, you can receive them the fastest. We can have them ready for you in three days.”
The boutique employee was truly much more perceptive than expected.
In social circles, Owen only believed rumors now and then, but the employee went beyond that, penetrating Owen’s thoughts as if she could see through him.
It seemed like she knew.
That Lucia was more important to Owen than anything else.
That he would do anything for her.
“…Let’s go with that.”
Even though it seemed like all of his thoughts had been exposed, Owen wasn’t concerned.
He nodded and once again held the pen.
After leaving the boutique, Owen informed the coachman to wait.
Then, he immediately began searching for the presence.
Continuing to pay attention, finding the location where the presence was felt was not difficult.
Realizing that someone was following him about twenty steps behind, he turned his body towards the direction where the presence was felt.
Perhaps because Owen started chasing him, the one following Owen began to run away, looking flustered.
Of course, he was caught after a short time.
Owen was a Swordmaster, and in this world, there were no knights superior to him.
Moreover, Owen deliberately used the geography of the streets to lead the pursuer into a dead-end alley, so it was only natural that the one trailing him was exposed.
“What is your purpose?”
The figure revealed in the dead-end alley was, as expected, a stranger.
It seemed like someone had hired a mercenary to follow me, but the reason was still difficult to understand.
Hiring a mercenary through the guild to follow me, that was an obvious way for nobles or the royal family to cut off my tail for information.
However, this approach wasn’t as clumsy as this.
It seemed like they weren’t highly skilled; at best, they were a B-rank mercenary.
They were not someone who would be employed by a prestigious noble or the royal family.
The person Lucia hired before was an S-class guild member, and most of the occasional mercenaries from other families who followed were mostly A-class.
“Well, I can’t say.”
In response to Owen’s question, the mercenary trembled, lips quivering, as he spoke.
It seemed like he was scared of being exposed.
Seeing him resolutely refusing to speak, it was clear he was determined to keep his mouth shut.
“You can’t say?”
Owen tilted his head coldly, with a frigid tone.
Most silencings happen with the use of money.
That’s why persuading the other party was quite easy.
Either revealing the truth by offering more money, or…
“Even if you receive punishment.”
Or threatening.
Owen chose the latter method.
He wasn’t kind enough to extend kindness to those who sought to threaten or manipulate him.
Especially to those who were neither liked nor cherished by him.
Why be kind to those who would cause harm?
“Well, even if…”
“Do you intend to open your mouth only if a greater price is paid?”
Even under the threat of punishment, the mercenary resisted, for some reason.
Although it was puzzling, Owen simply added more pressure.
A greater price.
It was clear what that meant.
Death.
The mercenary, facing this threat, swallowed nervously.
His body began to tremble as if overwhelmed by fear.
Owen looked down at the frightened mercenary with cold, emotionless eyes.
As if it didn’t matter if he killed him right now.
The mercenary, seemingly in turmoil, finally opened his mouth.
“At… at the temple.”
He probably knew because of Owen’s capabilities.
Even without a sword in hand right now, Owen could easily kill him.
And as the Duke of Verdin, he could easily make one common life disappear.
In fact, in places of power like large noble families or at the top, such things happened quite frequently.
Even though it was illegal under imperial law, even the royal family secretly engaged in such activities. Therefore, it was a plausible occurrence.
“At the temple?”
Owen narrowed his eyes at the unexpected organization.
Was there a reason they were tailing him?
They didn’t have a hostile relationship, and his information wouldn’t be useful to them.
“Yes, yes. Someone who seemed to have come out of the temple approached the mercenary guild and made a request.”
Despite Owen’s skeptical voice, the mercenary emphasized his innocence.
Judging from his earnest tone and behavior, he didn’t seem to be lying.
It wasn’t an easy story to believe right away.
“Are you sure about the person from the temple?”
“Absolutely. He was wearing a robe, a style unique to the temple, a white robe.”
According to the mercenary, an individual from the temple had requested an investigation.
Owen became even more puzzled.
He didn’t know anyone in the temple.
Nor did he have any information about someone wanting to investigate him.
‘In the original work, there might be a character…’
As Owen continued to ponder in confusion, he suddenly paused.
‘…like Bella.’
Bella was also an individual from the temple.
Because she was a saint.
Perhaps she was receiving education at the capital’s temple by now.
So, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to join the mercenary guild.
But…
‘Bella is not that kind of person.’
Unlike Lucia, if it were Lucia.
Bella was not such a person.
To investigate me in that manner?
It didn’t fit Bella’s character.
