#Episode 48
Albert managed to avoid the eyes of the butler, which had been the biggest problem. He had Melina distract the butler for a while, allowing him to slip into the Count’s room unnoticed.
Albert quickly approached the bedside table, opened the drawer, and grabbed the key to the annex.
Just as he did, an intense headache, like a stabbing sensation in his brain, struck him due to overwhelming excitement.
“Ugh…”
Albert’s body swayed, but he managed to steady himself by holding onto the bedpost and took a deep breath.
“I don’t have time for this. I need to get to the annex and take the painting before great-uncle returns.”
Grabbing his throbbing head, Albert hurried his steps.
From then on, everything went smoothly. Inside the annex, he searched for the right painting to take.
His eyes fell on a large painting depicting a dark night sky, one almost as big as himself.
‘That one will do.’
Once he set eyes on the night sky painting, no other painting caught his attention.
Wrapping the painting in paper and hiding it under his cloak, Albert rushed to the carriage and headed toward the city of Noctiluca.
Inside the carriage, Albert tried to calm his racing heart. He opened his clenched fist, revealing the annex key glowing oddly in his palm.
‘I’ll have Melina hide this key in Vasha’s room later. That way, it will look even more convincing that Vasha stole the painting.’
Albert grinned, pleased with his own plan. He had brought along a companion for Laurus’s health, and that companion had coveted the painting from the annex. Then, with the help of her sibling, she secretly took the painting.
The story was flawless, even Albert thought so, and he chuckled to himself.
When Albert arrived in the city, he headed straight to the auction host’s mansion. Other nobles, who had been with the auction host at the time, were also present at the gathering.
“Oh, Sir Albert! Have you brought the painting?”
Welcomed by the auction host, Albert confidently placed the painting on the table.
“This is Laurus’s unreleased painting! You said size doesn’t matter, correct?”
The auction host and the other nobles gazed at the painting with eager eyes. With trembling hands, the auction host unwrapped the paper covering the painting.
Albert crossed his arms arrogantly and smirked.
“Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get this painting out? You better pay me the right price.”
As Albert rambled on about his efforts, the host’s face gradually stiffened. The host then interrupted Albert angrily.
“What is this nonsense? Do you take me for a fool?”
Albert, displeased with the sudden change in the host’s demeanor, frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“This painting! Why did you bring this? What is this garbage?”
“What do you mean? Don’t tell me you can’t recognize Laurus’s style?”
Albert, bewildered, asked in return. Worried that there might have been a mistake, he took another look at the painting on the table. It was indeed Laurus’s painting, the one from the annex.
However, the host continued to rage, pointing alternately at the painting and Albert.
“Style? What style? This is a cheap portrait of your own family! And not even painted by Laurus! It’s a lousy portrait drawn by some untalented painter!”
“What are you talking about? Can’t you clearly see the painting depicting the night sky?”
“A landscape painting of the night sky? If you’re going to make an excuse, at least make it plausible. Laurus only ever painted scenes under sunlight! You clearly know nothing about Laurus’s work!”
The auction host scoffed in disbelief.
“Look here! Your mother! Your father! Even a young version of you is depicted here! How is this a landscape painting?”
The auction host shoved the painting right in front of Albert’s face, pointing out the figures in the painting.
However, no matter what the host said, all Albert could see was the landscape painting.
Suddenly, Albert’s headache worsened, and his vision began to blur, as though the paint in the painting was being smudged.
The mocking voices of the auction host and the others, pointing fingers at Albert, echoed and overlapped, overwhelming him.
Albert, breathing heavily, pulled the painting towards him and held it close.
“Damn it, they’re all conspiring to deceive me! They want to steal Laurus’s painting! They’re all lying!”
Though the host had deceived Albert, there was no intent to steal Laurus’s painting. The host’s face flushed red with anger as he retorted.
“If you couldn’t bring the painting, you should have just admitted it! Where did you come up with such a cheap scam?”
“This is Laurus’s painting! It is Laurus’s painting!”
Albert began to lose control, causing a scene. The host quickly called for the servants, and soon enough, they subdued the rampaging Albert.
“Let go of me! Damn it! You swindlers! Thieves!”
Albert thrashed for a while, glaring fiercely at the host, foam gathering at his mouth from the intensity of his rage, making it clear that he was far from sane.
The host scolded him in disgust.
“I knew you were addicted to gambling and drinking, but I didn’t know you were also using drugs! Get a hold of yourself! How dare you cause such a commotion here!”
Whether Albert heard the reprimand or not, he twisted his body in bizarre ways, his eyes rolling back in his head.
The other guests, who had been with the host, were also horrified by the sight and expressed their concern.
“Seeing the state of Sir Albert, it wouldn’t be surprising if rumors started that you drugged the successor of Count Renfield in order to get Laurus’s painting.”
“What a vile accusation!”
As the host began to turn red with anger, another noble tried to calm him down.
“Of course, you are innocent, but we must ensure there’s no room for suspicion. Perhaps it’s best to inform Count Renfield about this situation. It might be wiser to confess first.”
“That’s true. If you consider it, Sir Albert is practically a discarded heir by Count Renfield, so the matter of drugs may be overlooked. But Laurus’s painting is a different issue altogether. You know how sensitive Count Renfield is about his paintings. Since Albert failed to bring Laurus’s painting, you have nothing to fear.”
The other nobles nodded in agreement.
It would be dangerous if it seemed like they had taken any initiative to acquire the painting.
‘That fool Albert… I thought I could coax him into getting at least one of Laurus’s paintings… Damn it!’
Although Laurus had never shown any political ambitions, if he wished, he had the power to influence not just the Lamphas Church but also the royal family.
No good could come from incurring Laurus’s wrath.
Thus, they needed a scapegoat to bear the brunt of Laurus’s anger.
Fortunately, they had a perfect target: someone mentally unstable, already disgraced and distrusted.
“Alright. Let it be known that this whole incident was orchestrated by Sir Albert. He was the one who insisted there was a way to steal Laurus’s painting and took the lead in the scheme.”
The host gave a stern warning to the other nobles, and they, having already been involved, nodded resolutely.
“That’s not a lie, after all. It’s just the truth, isn’t it?”
With their story straight, the nobles glanced down at Albert, who was writhing on the floor.
Beneath their venomous tongues, the already terrible reputation of him collapsed further, and the gaze towards the despicable worm was as cold as ever.
***
The auction host had Albert, who was still delirious, tightly bound and brought back to Renfield’s estate.
He claimed that Albert, under the influence of drugs, had tried to pass off his own family portrait as Laurus’s painting in an attempt to sell it. He even produced the contract Albert had signed.
“Sir Albert was so desperate due to his gambling debts that I don’t know how many times he insisted. I told him it would be better to just ask for a few coins, as I could never allow Count Renfield’s paintings to be used as a bargaining chip. But Sir Albert was relentless….”
The host, who had been denouncing Albert for some time, finally shook his head and bowed apologetically, as though he were a guilty party himself.
