The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 28.1

The sight of the massive entrance opening with a smooth sound was still eerie to see again.

“It’s amazing to see it again. The door that can only be opened by drinking the blood of the Duke of Ajauntice,” Nazz whispered in awe.

“We don’t know if it’s the Duke of Ajauntice or his bloodline,” Ilya replied, his eyes fixed on the entrance.

Nazz’s eyes narrowed at the meaningful words.

“If it’s the bloodline of Ajauntice… You are convinced that the Countess of Glenn will come here to seek the Mandrake,” Nazz said, his tone reflecting the weight of the situation.

“It’s possible, but it’s also possible that she won’t,” Ilya replied, his voice steady and measured.

Nazz looked puzzled.

“Except for me, the only person with the bloodline of Ajauntice is that woman. But if the Mandrake kept here disappears, who would people suspect first?”

“Of course, it would be the Countess of Glenn. But if it’s the bloodline of Ajauntice…” Nazz trailed off.

“Well, there are two more. One is a kid, and the other has a problem with not having the sense to avoid doing this kind of thing,” Ilya continued, twisting one side of his mouth into a smirk. “In the end, even if she knows we brought the Mandrake here, she can’t move easily.”

“Haha, that’s right. If we take this damn herb, we’ll be suspected, but if we leave it, we’ll have a huge financial loss,” Nazz chuckled, impressed with Ilya’s plan.

“When a person loses their peace of mind, they eventually make mistakes. Let’s wait until our aunt becomes desperate,” muttered Ilya.

As the doors creaked open, a blast of cold air rushed out, causing Ilya and Nazz to clamp their mouths shut and brave the icy gust. They stepped inside, trying to ignore the prickling discomfort on their skin.

The warehouse was nothing remarkable, resembling a wine cellar at first glance, with bottles of rare vintages lining the shelves. But it was the ashen shield, hanging on the wall, that caught their attention. Ilya’s eyes fixed on the shield, which was part of a set with the crossbow he had gifted to Evelyn.

As he took in the sight, Nazz sprang into action. “Your Highness, I’ll handle these boxes. You stay still, you’ve hurt your hand.”

Ilya nodded, allowing Nazz to take over. He turned his gaze back to the shield, his mind flooded with memories of the woman who wielded the crossbow with deadly precision. And last night… He was flooded with memories of her trembling white skin and the sharp sound of her breath.

“Your Highness, I’ve moved everything,” Nazz’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Ilya snapped back to reality and saw that Nazz had picked up a bottle of wine from the shelf and was grinning mischievously. Ilya knew what was coming next and preemptively punched Nazz, shaking his head in exasperation.

“Drink alone. I have someplace to be,” Ilya said, not bothering to ask if Nazz knew where he was headed.

Nazz knew, of course, and wisely kept his mouth shut as Ilya slipped out of the warehouse and disappeared into the night.

***

Evelyn and Belina strolled through the night garden, the scent of fresh flowers in the air. Belina picked a few blooms and wove them into a garland, handing it to Evelyn. Evelyn was stunned by the beauty of it. She couldn’t identify the flowers, but that only added to the charm of the arrangement.

“Belina, where did you learn to do this? It’s breathtaking,” Evelyn exclaimed.

Belina shrugged off the compliment, claiming it wasn’t anything remarkable. But Evelyn knew better. She’d seen enough of Belina’s work to know that this was a special gift.

As Evelyn placed the garland on her head, memories flooded back to her wedding day. She remembered the long veil and the garland of roses and jewels she’d worn on top of it. But above all, she remembered the man she’d fallen in love with at first sight: the cold, impassive face that haunted her still.

Evelyn shook off the memory and hurried towards the pond, eager to admire the fish. But as she drew near, Belina’s expression darkened, and she spoke in a hushed tone.

“Madam, it’s a message from the Countess.”

Evelyn chuckled, knowing exactly what she was about to say from the serious tone of her voice.

“I know. I experienced it when I was at the Duke’s residence.” Evelyn placed her hand over her heart, a gesture of trust and gratitude. Belina returned the gesture with a soft chuckle, moving back to give her mistress some space.

Evelyn sat on a flat stone at the water’s edge, gazing out at the fish as they swam lazily through the water.

This morning, Hans had exclaimed with glee that he had stocked the pond with a bevy of beautiful fish, and as Evelyn watched them darting through the water in a kaleidoscope of colors, she found herself lost in thought.

Ilya had fallen asleep yesterday on his own. She recalled Nasir’s words about a severe insomnia curse that had afflicted the duke’s family. According to legend, an ancestor who was a powerful dark mage received the curse after betraying his companion, who some claimed was a witch, while others believed was a nun from the Black Forest tribe. Nasir had remarked that the curse was fortunate for him, but not everyone was so lucky. As a half-breed, Evelyn wondered if she had only received half of the curse.

Evelyn pondered if there might be clues about the curse in the library of the main house. “It would be great if I could go to the library,” she muttered.