#Episode 93
As Count Renfield was quite old, no one knew when he might pass away. If that were to happen, all of his vast wealth would be managed by the guardian of his heir.
One of the men engaged in conversation stroked his mustache and asked with a sly smile.
“Count Laurus doesn’t have many relatives. Have you heard anything about who the guardian might be?”
“Why? Are you planning to cozy up to them and snag one of Laurus’ paintings?”
His conversation partner, seeing through his intentions, couldn’t hide his smirk. The mustached man merely shrugged, still full of himself.
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“It won’t be easy. I heard the heir has an older sister with a significant age gap. She will likely take on the role of guardian.”
Another person responded indifferently. Since he was acquainted with the auction organizer, his information was considered reliable.
“Wait, if he has an older sister, why is the younger brother inheriting the title?”
In this world, the principle of primogeniture applied regardless of gender. Unless there was a particular disqualifying factor, the eldest was typically the rightful heir.
The man who had been providing information simply shrugged in response to their curiosity.
“I don’t know the details. But it seems the older sister isn’t in good health. Given that she’s of marriageable age, she should have made an appearance in high society by now, but there’s been no word of her at all.”
“So, that means she isn’t married?”
The mustached man asked with a sly smile.
“Forget it. Rumor has it she’s an exceptional beauty. Someone like you wouldn’t even stand a chance.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!”
The surrounding people burst into laughter as the mustached man’s face turned red with frustration.
Meanwhile, Matteus, who had been silently listening, clicked his tongue quietly.
“An older sister with a much younger brother as the heir….”
Something about it bothered him. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he approached the men who had been chatting.
“I happened to overhear your conversation… Is it true that Count Renfield’s heir is his direct descendant? As far as I know, the Count has been single for a long time. Did I misunderstand?”
The men eyed Matteus up and down with suspicion. One of them cautiously asked,
“You’re not from Noctiluca, are you?”
“No. I’m from the capital.”
His polished appearance, well-tailored clothing, and refined accent confirmed his words.
However, the men didn’t let their guard down so easily. Instead, hearing ‘capital’ only heightened their wariness. The mustached man snorted and muttered,
“Hah. So, you think Noctiluca is just some backwater town that would welcome outsiders with open arms?”
“Of course not. Noctiluca is the heart of the East, isn’t it? True to its nickname, ‘the city that never sleeps,’ it’s dazzling and full of sights to see. I’ve been so overwhelmed that I was afraid I might make a mistake. If I’ve done anything to offend you, I sincerely apologize.”
Only after Matteus humbled himself and flattered Noctiluca did their skepticism ease slightly. Still, they remained tight-lipped, unwilling to share any further information.
Sensing this, Matteus quickly added,
“I rushed here as soon as I heard that a Laurus painting would be featured at Noctiluca’s Lantern Festival pre-auction. My name is Bernardo Gydo.”
“The Gydo ducal family…!”
At that, the men finally relaxed and expressed admiration.
Most nobles from the capital were arrogant, acting as if they were superior, yet in reality, many were newly titled with no real land to their names. Because of this, they had been dismissive of Matteus at first. But to think he was from the prestigious Gydo family!
Their hostility disappeared, replaced by newfound respect.
Even as their attitudes shifted dramatically, Matteus maintained a polite expression, appearing somewhat bashful. This seemed to work in his favor, as one of the men finally spoke up.
“It makes sense that you wouldn’t have heard about this yet. The news might not have reached the capital, and it’s not exactly something people wanted to spread.”
The man sighed before cautiously continuing,
“The original heir to Count Renfield was his great-nephew, but he was utterly shameless and led such a disgraceful life that his reputation was in ruins. Just when Count Renfield was growing dissatisfied with such an heir, his long-lost biological grandson suddenly appeared! Technically speaking, he was the child of an illegitimate son, so his lineage wasn’t entirely legitimate—but at times like these, blood ties are what truly matter, aren’t they?”
“So, he drove out his great-nephew and made his biological grandson the heir instead?”
“Yes. Well… Count Renfield had already done plenty for his great-nephew. If the great-nephew had been a more reliable successor, he wouldn’t have been cast out so easily.”
“That’s true. He was infamous in Noctiluca for gambling, drug use… just a complete disgrace.”
The others nodded in agreement. But the more Matteus listened, the more his suspicions deepened.
“…Do you remember when exactly this ‘long-lost blood relative’ showed up?”
“Let’s see… It can’t have been more than a few months ago. Maybe three months?”
“Yeah, that sounds right. It was around early summer.”
A vampire had first appeared in Haidus nearly half a year ago. The timing was eerily coincidental.
Matteus continued to probe for more details about Laurus’ heir and his sister. However, the people he spoke to only knew as much as the idle gossip they had shared earlier, so he gained nothing new.
Just as he was about to give up on asking further, an announcer called out.
“The auction will begin shortly! Everyone, please take your seats!”
The murmuring crowd in the hallway hurried into the auction hall. Soon, they had all disappeared, leaving Matteus alone in the corridor.
Lingering in the hallway while showing no interest in the auction was practically advertising himself as a suspicious person to the guards. To avoid drawing attention, Matteus slipped into a secluded stairwell.
Meanwhile, the entrances to the auction hall began to close one by one.
“The Lantern Festival Eve Auction is now starting!”
“Whoooaaa!”
The sound of the audience’s cheers leaked through the tightly shut doors. Hidden in the stairwell, Matteus let out a quiet sigh.
“If Count Renfield’s heir is really connected to the vampires….”
Just the thought made Matteus uneasy. He tilted his head back, staring out of the stairwell window at the moon, partially veiled by clouds. Tonight, the moon seemed eerily cold.
As he absentmindedly gazed at it, his eyes naturally drifted toward the rooftop of a nearby building.
Then, his expression hardened.
“Wait… is that…?”
The distance made it difficult to discern exactly what was happening, but the sense of foreboding was unmistakable.
Without hesitation, Matteus sprang into action. The sound of his heels striking the stone steps was drowned out by the cheers erupting from the auction hall as the first item was sold.
***
“This villa feels strangely empty….”
Vasha sighed as she took a sip of tea. She had been drinking cup after cup, as if trying to fill some void within her. Before she realized it, her teacup was empty.
Oliver, his face expressionless, silently refilled her cup.
Vasha hadn’t expected a response from him. Oliver was not much of a talker—he only answered when spoken to and rarely initiated conversation.
“You must be feeling lonely.”
“Huh?”
Vasha was startled. Not just because Oliver had spoken first, but also because she didn’t understand what he meant.
“Lonely? Me?”
Vasha was no stranger to loneliness.
She had spent countless days in hiding, completely isolated. Even when surrounded by people, she had often gone unnoticed, forced to conceal her presence.
No one had ever called her name, remembered her, or even cared about her existence. Her voice had always dissipated into the void, never reaching anyone.
But now?
Even if Oliver wasn’t the best conversationalist, he was still there.
He poured her tea. He answered when she spoke. And if she ever got too bored, she could always call for Melina and chat about trivial things.
At this moment, loneliness was the last thing Vasha could feel.
