abcnovels
Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Chapter 113 – Duke Serin (2)
“……”
A suffocating silence fell over the room.
“……Haa. Marquis?”
The one who broke the quiet was Duke Serin, his expression cold as ice.
“I just had a thought—could this be your strategy? Raising my blood pressure until I die, then taking my position?”
“Ugh…… I understand the misunderstanding, but as you can see, the prince is beyond my control.”
“So, can I take it that this behavior has nothing to do with you, Marquis?”
“……”
Watching Marquis Foltaine struggle to respond, Duke Serin sneered.
“Let me ask again. If this prince is found dead tomorrow without a trace, will you just stand by and do nothing?”
Marquis Foltaine let out a long sigh.
“I’m afraid that would be hard to overlook.”
“I’ll manage the diplomatic issues with the Meeke Principality.”
“It’s not the diplomatic issue that concerns me.”
Duke Serin’s sneer deepened.
“So you were in on it after all? I’m a bit disappointed. I thought we were like family. I guess I need to rethink things.”
“……You’re free to think however you like.”
“Are you being serious, Marquis?”
At that moment, Marquis Foltaine glanced in my direction.
“What kind of parent would let a child die because of his recklessness?”
“……!”
Duke Serin’s eyes widened for a split second.
“I’m not doing this out of greed for your position, nor out of ill will towards your family. Nor is it for some grand reason like serving the nation. It’s simply because……”
Marquis Foltaine locked eyes with me as he continued.
“……This is what I think being a father means.”
“Marquis, what are you saying……?”
“I’m too old to live with regrets again. My body can’t take it anymore. So……”
A faint smile formed on Marquis Foltaine’s lips.
“……Now that I’ve become a Master, if you lay a hand on my child, I’ll take that position you’re so worried about.”
“I was truly moved.”
“Don’t you start.”
“‘This is what I think being a father means.’ Phew! I almost agreed to be your son on the spot.”
“Shut it. I’m seriously considering canceling that adoption of yours.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
On our way back, Marquis Foltaine radiated the vibe of ‘Just wait until we get home.’
Soon enough, we reached our destination.
“Seeing you two walk in hand-in-hand like that, people might think you’re really father and son.”
Duke Herman, who had been lounging near the mansion’s training yard, waved at us.
“Father and son, my foot!”
Marquis Foltaine burst out immediately.
“Does this look like holding hands to you? I’m dragging him along so he won’t cause more trouble!”
“……Did something happen?”
“Father and son? If I had one more kid like him, I’d be planning a funeral tomorrow, damn it!”
Duke Herman widened his eyes.
“Don’t tell me…… Duke Serin collapsed from high blood pressure?”
“Not him—me!”
Marquis Foltaine thumped his chest in frustration.
“I knew he was a nutcase, but you know what he said to Duke Serin? He called him a rat that would hole up at home even while his parents dropped dead!”
“Wait, when did I ever……?”
“That’s basically what you said!”
Somehow, I had become Marquis Foltaine’s most precious headache.
“Hmm…… Don’t get too worked up. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, don’t they?”
Fwip!
Marquis Foltaine’s murderous glare landed on me again.
“What did you just say?”
“I take it back.”
“Are you implying I’m just as crazy as you?”
I avoided his gaze with everything I had.
‘Honestly, isn’t it crazy enough that he decapitated hundreds of his own men right in front of everyone?’
Of course, I kept that thought to myself in case he really did drop dead from the stress.
“Better I die than deal with this!”
“……Rough day, huh?”
“Huff…… So, Duke Herman, why are you out here?”
“Well…… Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d train a bit for a change.”
“……Hm?”
Marquis Foltaine paused and shot him a suspicious look.
“Training? And wearing that armor you usually avoid because it’s too cumbersome?”
“Sometimes it’s nice to shake things up with a little armor.”
“I saw some familiar faces lurking around on the way here…… Were you perhaps preparing for the worst, expecting this brat here to cause trouble?”
Duke Herman shrugged nonchalantly.
“You could say that.”
“Heheheh. That’s why I like you better than that fox, Duke Serin—you’re honest.”
“I am quite straightforward, true.”
“Anyway……”
Marquis Foltaine’s gaze turned back to me.
“If you ever feel like dying, let me know in advance. I’ll find you a nice burial plot.”
“I knew I wouldn’t die.”
“Alright. I’ve finally found something to teach you. Follow me this instant. Today is the day I teach you about respect and manners.”
“I’m serious. I knew you’d protect me.”
Marquis Foltaine stopped in his tracks.
“Right now, I’m seriously regretting not letting you die.”
“Now that’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one.”
“You lunatic! Flattery won’t work today.”
However, despite his words, his expression didn’t seem too harsh.
At that moment—
Swoosh.
As if perfectly timed, Narakas appeared from the shadows nearby.
“……Good thing I wore armor. Did the Duke Serin already send an assassin?”
Seeing him, Duke Herman stood up with vigilance.
“No matter how bold they are, this is still my domain……”
“What kind of assassin strikes in broad daylight?”
“……Huh?”
“He’s on our side. He’s quite an important figure as well.”
Duke Herman tilted his head in confusion at Marquis Foltaine’s tone of voice.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s the leader of the Mask of Night. Even a nation’s king bows before him.”
“……!”
Duke Herman’s eyes widened in shock.
“I-Is that true?”
“Surprising, isn’t it? I was just as stunned when I first found out.”
“What business would someone of that stature have here……?”
“Even more shocking, he’s close friends with this impudent brat.”
“……!”
Duke Herman’s astonishment was understandable. But given the circumstances, he quickly regained his composure.
“Honestly…… I wonder how much more your foster son plans to surprise us.”
“Heheheh. I did raise him well, didn’t I?”
“What happened to the father who was ready to slap him into place?”
Narakas greeted both men briefly before turning to me.
“There’s no time to waste, so I’ll get straight to business. I’ve investigated those who contacted Count Kaiman, as you requested.”
It was the first thing I had asked for after the fire at the Twilight Palace. After experiencing betrayal once, I became much more cautious, especially about internal threats.
Enemies from within are always much more dangerous.
“How did it go?”
At my question, Narakas glanced at Duke Herman cautiously before replying.
“On the day of the fire, Count Kaiman met with all three dukes.”
“……!”
Both men’s eyes widened simultaneously.
“So Duke Serin also met with Count Kaiman?”
“I knew something was off about him—he’s already jumped ship!”
Two pairs of admiring eyes turned toward me.
“Did you act that boldly because you predicted all this?”
“It felt strange. If Duke Serin were truly on our side, he would’ve backed Duke Herman already, rather than standing by and doing nothing.”
Exactly. That was my first impression of Duke Serin.
‘A politician.’
He acted indifferent, as if he didn’t care about anything, but in truth, no one was more attentive.
He was nothing like Milon.
“I bet he’ll keep pretending not to care while carefully pursuing his own interests.”
“This is Duke Serin’s past.”
Narakas handed me a parchment. Marquis Foltaine tilted his head in curiosity.
“Why dig into his past?”
“Knowing someone’s past helps you understand their present and predict their future.”
The parchment was filled with information, but I only wanted the essentials. Narakas, thankfully, understood this.
“As you know, Duke Serin is considered the most beautiful person in the Hart Kingdom. And……”
He paused briefly, glancing at the other two men.
“It’s fine. They’re practically family.”
Duke Herman and Marquis Foltaine both chuckled lightly.
“This brat……”
“So even the leader of the Mask of Night fell for his charms, huh?”
“And you, too, it seems.”
Ignoring their banter, Narakas summarized the document’s contents.
“Despite his stunning appearance, Duke Serin is extremely sensitive about it.”
“Why? If I looked like that, I’d thank my parents.”
“Duke Serin is the illegitimate son of the former duke and a concubine.”
“That’s unexpected. What happened to his other siblings?”
“They’re all dead.”
“Power struggles?”
“Not just the men. His sisters, the duke’s other wives and concubines—all of them were killed by Duke Serin himself. He didn’t spare a single one.”
The other two men showed no reaction—they were already familiar with this dark history.
But what came next shocked them.
“Did he really have to go that far, even for power?”
“There’s a reason.”
“A reason?”
“The first wife and half-sisters habitually sexually abused Duke Serin from a young age.”
“……!”
Both men inhaled sharply, stunned.
“What?”
“D-Duke Serin was sexually abused by his own family?”
Narakas nodded.
“With his dazzling beauty, exceptional talent, and low status as an illegitimate child, he was their perfect prey.”
“……What is wrong with the aristocrats in this country?”
I muttered, recalling the Arsene family’s twisted deeds.
“It’s not just them. The heads of noble houses are all the same. It’s just a matter of who does it openly and who doesn’t. Noblemen can indulge their depravity in broad daylight, but noblewomen must act in the shadows.”
The Hart Kingdom is a deeply patriarchal society. Men can take multiple concubines, but if a married woman seeks comfort from another man, she’s branded a whore and executed.
Therefore, they indulge their twisted desires in secrecy.
“Are you sure about this? I’ve never heard anything about Duke Serin being assaulted as a child……”
“We are the Mask of Night.”
“……Well, if anyone would know, it’s you. It makes sense—he wouldn’t want to speak about it openly.”
Marquis Foltaine furrowed his brows even deeper.
“This makes things worse for you.”
“Why?”
“You told someone that got assaulted by their family for their appearance, ‘Shall I strip?’ Didn’t you?”
Duke Herman’s jaw dropped, and even Narakas stared at me in disbelief.
“Y-You lunatic……”
“It reminded him of the good old days, I’m sure.”
Shaking his head, Narakas refocused on the task at hand.
“So, what’s your plan now? Without Duke Serin’s help, entering the palace will be nearly impossible. You won’t be able to meet Count Kaiman.”
“With time slipping away, the peace negotiations will fall apart…… Exactly what the Empire wants.”
Duke Herman spoke gravely.
“And with Duke Serin now against us……”
Hearing their concerns, I turned to Narakas with a grin.
“Did you know?”
“Huh?”
“Politicians only act if it benefits them. Even if you beg on your knees, they won’t move unless it’s in their favor.”
“Hmm……”
“On the flip side, if they see a chance for profit, they’ll move without hesitation.”
Marquis Foltaine interrupted skeptically.
“So, what’s your plan? You do have a plan, right?”
“Well…… If he won’t listen, I could always pay him a visit with a sword in hand.”
Fortunately, things didn’t escalate to that point. That night, Duke Serin came to me first—with a sword in his hand.
***