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Chapter 84. Bait (1)
Louis felt a chill run down his spine at Aster’s increasingly grotesquely distorted expression. I have to stop him here. It was self-evident that if Aster’s emotions, which seemed ready to explode at any moment, they wouldn’t be able to calm him down, and he would slaughter anyone he saw.
Fortunately, Louis was a competent butler and was already prepared for a situation like this. He took his breath and calmly spoke. “They’re responsible for the downfall of the Waieos family. What a better wedding gift could there be?”
“Wedding… gift?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Above all, if Your Excellency takes the lead in resolving the matter, you will be able to make up for the mistake of the first young master.”
Louis, who answered calmly, looked straight at Aster. It meant that the decision-making power would be handed over to him.
Aster’s boiling anger cooled down. It was true that Genoyer was involved in this incident. The Sestein family couldn’t escape responsibility as well. What would she say if she found out that Sestein was also involved in the Waieos family’s downfall? Just thinking about it made Aster’s eyes go dark. But Louis was telling him to seize them and offer them to her.
Certainly… there is no justification.
It was what the Sestein family did, but it was before Aster became the owner. While an outsider might just judge him for getting involved too, if it was Elusiana, she would judge his family and the sin differently. Also, he didn’t want to take a long time to solve it, but it was meaningless to take a shortcut if he couldn’t solve this problem.
After briefly organizing himself, Aster made up his mind and answered. “I will do as the Old Man said. But I can’t wait long.”
“I’ll do my best to find out who is involved.”
“And— Let’s just leave my brother alone a little longer.”
Louis’s pupils widened slightly. He thought Aster would order him to capture Genoyer immediately, but he was just going to watch him for now. Come to think of it, strange rumors about the Sestein family started circulating a few days ago.
It was said that some vassals who were indifferent to society built friendships by entering and exiting society. Louis didn’t care much because it was a rumor that was mainly spread among the young nobles…
Louis smiled softly as if looking at a well-grown child. “Do you have anything in mind?””
Aster snorted ridiculously. “You must have underestimated me, Old Man. We will wait, he will soon be ripe. Until then, let’s just watch quietly.”
“Yes, I understand.” Louis chuckled.
“Please, my brother should fall for the bait well.” Aster’s mouth curved eerily, contrary to his words.
* * *
It was the inner circle of a social club for high-ranking nobles. A man who had fiddled with his red-gold eyes uttered abusive language.
“Damn it. What’s wrong with that little bug?”
You dare! To fake blame someone!
Three days ago, vicious rumors began to circulate in the capital. Rumor has it that the former Grand Duke Sestein, who had gone down to the villa during the recuperation, was attacked on the way back to his hometown and was in a dangerous state. They thought the attack of the former Grand Duke Sestein was an atrocity carried out by Genoyer, who had been pushed out of the successor’s position.
“Damn it. Damn it, damn it!”
Bang. Thick veins bulged on the back of his hand as he slammed the clear brown glass on the table.
“Si— Why are you so mad?”
“…You’re here.”
“Hoho, it’s nice to see you after a long time. What would you do if your brother caught you making a fuss like that? Geno.”
“Shut up.”
With her red hair tied up in a bun, Camilla sat across from him with an alluring smile.
“It’s been 2 years, right? Your face looks quite haggard. I guess the neighboring empire’s hospitality wasn’t very good.”
“You don’t have to know. Never mind.”
“Whoops. Well, it’s none of my business. But— I don’t think it will be from now on. Don’t you need my help?”
Genoyer, who flipped back the robe he had worn, sighed deeply, and twisted his mouth. “Why? Do you suddenly feel sympathy?”
“Well, maybe? Because now our position has changed.”
Genoyer, who had calmed down his anger, leaned back on his chair and smiled. “Our position has changed. I don’t think so.”
“Well, if you want to be so relaxed, do as you please. I’m in no hurry.”
The smiling eyes of the two men and women became sharp as if they were digging into each other’s inner thoughts. It was Camilla who spoke first.
“You must be very anxious, right? Seeing how you came running a month after being called.”
Genoyer, who erased the smile on his face, replied. “Anxious? I couldn’t bear to refuse the earnest request of my one and only friend, so I came. You… You don’t understand my heart, Camilla.”
“Huhu, I’m getting goosebumps. What’s with that ridiculous joke?”
“Why? Aren’t you getting mad?”
“Huh. Okay. Considering what you’re going to do, it’s a little bit like that.”
Camilla’s fine brows were finely wrinkled. But rather than being unpleasant, it was more like longing to remember a part of the past.
* * *
It was 14 years ago. To celebrate Genoyer’s 10th birthday, Grand Duke Sestein invited a large number of nobles with children his age. Unlike those who completely avoided social parties, the party hall was decorated with all sorts of magic, as if to prove that they were a prestigious magic family.
It was so colorful and mysterious that just looking at it was mesmerizing. Beautiful fireworks of various colors were embroidered on the ceiling, and the aurora wrapped around the walls. On the floor, waves soaked in gold dust shimmered.
In the center of the party was a red wine waterfall falling from the air, and the splashed wine droplets became purple grains and floated around it. It was like a beautiful piece of art in itself. As if this place was a different world.
It didn’t matter at all about Genoyer’s inferiority complex  causing him to study poison in a cave because he couldn’t kill the bug-like illegitimate child. He was the heir to the Sestein family, which boasted of the highest status. So Genoyer, who met the children of the noble family for the first time, may have been more excited, especially for the girl who first talked to him.
“Hi?”
“…Hi.”
A girl with cute plump cheeks folded her big eyes finely and greeted him with a smile. Genoyer was stunned for a moment by the warm smile of the girl. Because no one had ever smiled at him so casually.
“Are you Genoyer?”
“Yes. I’m… Genoyer.”
“Wow. You’re so handsome.”
“Uh, yes. T-thank you.”
Genoyer, whose cheeks were blushing, nodded shyly. The girl wanted to talk with him, and Genoyer complied and sat side by side with her at the table in response. He enjoyed talking with the girl. The sound of her bursting laughter tickled his heart like a bird chirping.
Everything was perfect, and he was happy. If it wasn’t only for the sudden intruder.
“Sorry. I’m going to go now.”
“Where… are you going?”
“Hehe. My close friend told me he had something to show me, so I have to go.”
“…friend?”
The girl took the uninvited guest’s hand and left. It was so quick that he couldn’t respond in time.
And at that moment— Something broke inside Genoyer. As if the carefully wrapped glassware was broken before it was fully safe.
At that time, Camilla was watching the boy in the crowd of her followers. That’s why she missed the moment when the boy’s eyes, which had been wide open, turned eerie.
“…Huh?”
Camilla chased after the boy’s moving back as if she had found something interesting. The boy soon met the girl for the first time, and they disappeared somewhere as he held her by the wrist.
“Wait a minute.”
Camilla, who left her followers, moved slowly to where the boy had disappeared. Somehow her heart fluttered as if it was a feather. It felt like something unexpected was going to happen somewhere.
“Hurry, Hurry.”
She arrived at the garden with a face full of excitement. After walking along the road for a long time, Camilla eventually found the boy in the furthest corner. The girl was there too, with the boy.
As she approached them, the pretty girl was mesmerized as if her pupils were dilated, like a broken doll. It was a very natural reaction for Camilla, who had been staring at the girl who approached Genoyer. Because she was really curious as to why.
“What are you doing?”
At Camilla’s question, Genoyer was startled and answered. “H-how did you get here?”
“Here, how did you get here?”
“Following you?”
“…”
“By the way, what were you doing with her? Why is she staying still? Huh?”
Genoyer frowned and sighed. Then, the girl’s body, which was held by the wrist in Genoyer’s hand, swayed weakly like a fragile petal. Camilla smiled deeply as if this scene was quite impressive.
“Tell me. I’ll keep the secret.”
Giving up at the tone that flowed like a devil’s whisper, Genoyer whispered. “She’s dreaming.”
“Eh? Dreaming?”
Camilla tilted her head to an unexpected answer, then shook her head again. “Strange. Why are her eyes open when she’s dreaming?”
“That’s… because she didn’t ‘really’ fall asleep.”
Camilla looked back to her side, and frowned. Her still confused eyes met with Genoyer’s. It was the moment when the two eyes met each other. They could tell without speaking.