TISND Chapter 124

Chapter 124

There was something I had always wondered about.

The Crown Prince and the Duke of Frantor had formidable intelligence networks. Moreover, with Bahen’s assistance, why was it that they still couldn’t uncover the secrets surrounding the Eskel family? The only trail they had managed to grasp led to moneylending schemes targeting commoners. Given the circumstances, it was clear that human trafficking was also part of their business, yet there wasn’t a single lead. No headquarters, no witnesses, not even victims had surfaced.

And that wasn’t the only strange thing.

While everyone was eager to condemn the Eskels, why were there so few noble families actively trying to bring the Count’s house down? The only ones who had openly shown hostility toward the Eskels were Caligo and a handful of imperialist nobles.

Why weren’t they being politically isolated?

I had always been curious about that.

And today, I thought I finally understood why.

Salizar, who delighted in flaunting his knowledge, had offered to provide an answer and guided me somewhere. It was a quiet and secluded area on the outskirts of the capital—an ideal environment for running a merchant guild. There were spacious facilities suitable for stables and storage, as well as various large and small buildings. Any passerby stumbling upon this place would assume it was just a nameless trading post.

But what I saw here was not a guild leader or stored goods.

From the outside, the buildings appeared simple and modest, yet inside, extravagant chandeliers and opulent hallways were on display. The interior was luxurious enough to resemble a royal or high-ranking noble’s villa.

Within those halls, the very nobles I had seen at the birthday celebration and the hunting competition were now laughing in drunken revelry. Those who had been so eager to show hostility toward each other in public were here, drinking together like old friends.

“Think of it as a simple social club for men. We call it the ‘Bacchus Club’ for entertainment.”

A club named after the god of wine and madness—an apt choice.

My father’s astonishing talent for uniting different factions was impressive. But this much didn’t surprise me.

The true face of ‘Bacchus’ was about to reveal itself.

At Bacchus, human trafficking and prostitution were part of the operation.

Like with Bahen, many of those who had gone missing due to debts had ended up here. Women adorned in finery poured drinks for the guests, their ankles shackled. The sight was unsettling.

So that was why no one moved to bring down the Count of Eskel—because they were all in on it.

Helena smiled coldly.

And then, a thought occurred to her—Bahen’s wife might be here.

“They’re wearing shackles,” she observed.

“They’re the ones who failed to repay their debts on time. There’s no need to pity them,” Salizar replied.

“If anything, they should be grateful to us. We’re making them useful, aren’t we? We feed them, dress them up beautifully—”

“…….”

“No one blames a doctor for setting a splint on a broken leg. It’s the same thing.”

There was no way Helena could search for Bahen’s wife while standing next to Salizar.

Even though this was a secluded area, there were still too many people around. With so many eyes watching, she couldn’t afford to act recklessly.

“Is there a basement here as well?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“It must take quite a few guards to maintain such a large facility,” Helena noted.

“Managing a place like this must cost a fortune. Now I understand why Father was always so concerned about finances.”

At the same time, she realized why, despite financial struggles, they continued pouring money into this place. If Bacchus were to collapse, it would cause political chaos.

After all, the nobles indulging in their vices here would undoubtedly try to deny their involvement.

In other words, this place was a trap Count Eskel had set for them.

“You really are sharp. I knew it was a good idea to show you this place.”

Salizar shrugged, pleased with himself.

“One day, all of this will be mine, after all.”

He spoke like an excited child who had just gotten a new toy.

“See? All the women here are mine, and none of the nobles here can say a word against me. No one, I tell you. These are all things that the eldest son of the family should naturally enjoy.”

“Are only those who couldn’t repay their debts brought here?”

“Well, sometimes we ‘invite’ people here depending on the situation, but that’s none of your concern.”

It seemed that not everyone imprisoned here was merely a debtor.

If it was Father, he wouldn’t hesitate to take hostages—perhaps even the families of those who might reveal the secrets of this place.

“So, you need to help me. Of course, I’ll make sure you’re well compensated. You know what I mean, right?”

Stay calm. Stay calm.

Helena took a deep breath to suppress the boiling anger within her. Her heart ached every time she saw the women wandering around with hollow eyes, as if their souls had been drained.

She needed to think about how to act. What she was seeing might only be the tip of the iceberg. To bring down the Eskel family for good, she had to expose all of their crimes.

Moreover, this wasn’t just about the Eskel family.

…Even if I reveal their misdeeds, His Majesty might cover it up. To force His Majesty’s hand, I need to handle this more thoroughly.

Above all, I need to find out where Bahen’s wife is. Rescuing her comes first.

“Of course. But, Brother?”

“Hmm?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to tell Father that I came here?”

Helena suggested.

“Tell Father?”

“Yes. After all, others saw me coming here. If Father finds out later, it could cause trouble for you, Brother.”

“But… if that happens, you could get in trouble too.”

“It’s fine,” she replied.

“Please make sure to let Father know.”

Hmm, if you say so.

For now, Salizar nodded his head.

‘’

Helena began to organize in her mind what to write in the letter.

—

After Helena left, Caligo found himself thinking about her more often.

Where had she frequently visited?

What did her laughter sound like? How did she walk? He would often recall even the smallest details.

Then, suddenly, a question arose.

Despite being someone who had seemingly grown up surrounded only by love,

how could a woman so innocent—one who agreed so readily to a one-year contract marriage—sometimes show such a look in her eyes?

Even when people pointed fingers at her, hurled all sorts of insults, and humiliated her, Helena only ever smiled.

There was a time when he overheard a villager saying they wished Helena would just die already, given how carefree she seemed.

How had she reacted back then? She had remained unbothered, brushing it off with a calm smile.

Even to those who had not only tailed her but had come to kill her, she had said, “I’m sorry.”

Yes.

The bitterness and pain he occasionally glimpsed in her had always lingered in his mind.

What on earth had she gone through to bear such an expression?

What story lay behind this woman who spent most of her time quietly at the mansion, yet still found it in her to say, ‘”I’m sorry”’?

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any clues about what illness she might have had. Lord Aiden disposed of all related records…”

“Yes, I remember. I did order for all traces of her to be erased. I remember, steward.”

There were no clues within the mansion that could reveal her physical condition.

“Is there a chance she inherited anything from the Count or the Countess?”

“It does not appear to be a hereditary illness.”

The butler handed over the documents. Apart from the count suffering from obesity-related illnesses and the countess having a skin disease, there were no notable findings.

The information on Helena was brief and simple—almost as if she had left no traces in the world despite having lived for over twenty years. No close friends, no records of any relationships. Not even places she had traveled to.

Come to think of it, she once mentioned that she had never seen the ocean.

As Caligo skimmed through the records on her, he suddenly noticed something strange.

“…It’s missing.”

“Pardon? What is?”

“Is there no record of the countess’s pregnancy with her?”

“Ah, I found that odd as well and looked into it separately, but… there was nothing.”

“There’s nothing?”

Caligo’s eyes narrowed.

The countess wouldn’t have simply stayed confined in the estate throughout her pregnancy. And yet, there were no records at all regarding the period when she was expecting Helena.

“No, truly nothing. The only record states that the countess gave birth while traveling.”

“A pregnant woman traveled alone? And gave birth in such a state?”

“…It’s possible she didn’t realize she was pregnant until later.”

“Even so, it’s strange for her to have traveled while visibly pregnant. If she had been resting in a quiet place for her health, that would be one thing. But she supposedly traveled all over the country, and yet no one saw her?”

“Now that I think about it… it is quite peculiar.”

Lost in thought, Caligo asked the butler,

“Did she exchange any private letters with the countess while staying at the estate?”

“No. In fact, the lady rarely received any letters at all.”

Even the carrier pigeons that used to arrive for the count every few months had suddenly stopped at some point.

It was well known across the empire that the count cherished his child dearly. Could it be that Helena did not have a good relationship with the count and countess?

It felt off that there had not been a single letter since her marriage.

With that in mind, Caligo issued an order.

“Find someone immediately.”

“Who, specifically?”

“The servants who worked for the count around the time Helena was born, twenty years ago.”

Hey Guys you can read advanced chapters on Patreon
If you liked my work and want to support me then you can visit my page for tips. As I can’t create Kofi because of the unavailability of Paypal in my country, I’ve made this tier which is being updated every week so that you won’t be charged again till you want to donate again by yourself or you can exit the tier after donating 🙂.

Happy Reading 🩷