HCLYB 08

Lucius stepped into the antique shop.

Sunlight filtered warmly into the interior, giving it a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

As he was walking toward the counter, he suddenly changed direction toward a shelf.

Clatter!

Whether it was from bumping into it or not, the antiques on the shelf began to shake.

Lucius’s gaze shifted to the two women standing in front of it.

Judging by their attire, they appeared to be a maid and the young lady she served.

The maid was wrapping a scarf around the lady’s face.

But no matter how one looked at it, it wasn’t a scarf—it was a tablecloth.

When Lucius stared at them silently, the maid completely covered the lady’s face with the tablecloth.

“……”

Lucius stepped up beside them.

‘I knew I kept feeling someone’s gaze.’

And when he came to where it originated, he found two extremely suspicious women.

Pretending to browse items, Lucius pricked up his ears.

“I—I can’t breathe…!”

“Endure it. It’s pretty. It suits you.”

While listening to their equally suspicious conversation, Lucius picked up a candlestick.

At that moment, the maid stiffened instantly, becoming alert.

‘Not an ordinary maid, it seems.’

He could feel her gaze checking the candlestick in his hand and the sword at his waist.

Even though it was hidden beneath his clothes, her eyes swept over his ankle—where he always kept a dagger.

As if she had been trained to identify where weapons were concealed.

Lucius placed the candlestick back on the shelf and, pretending it was an accident, nudged it with the back of his hand.

The heavy candlestick fell to the floor with a loud crash, and the lady with the tablecloth over her face flinched.

“My apologies.”

Lucius picked up the candlestick near her feet and spoke.

“I must have startled you with my carelessness.”

After properly placing it back on the shelf, he looked at her.

“Are you alright?”

“……”

The lady hidden under the tablecloth—Reina—was extremely flustered.

‘Am I alright?’

With a tablecloth over her face, didn’t she obviously look not alright at all?

‘He should just think I’m crazy and move on.’

Had she drawn even more attention by acting so suspicious?

‘What do I do?’

Feeling cornered, Reina’s breathing grew more labored.

“Gasp—ha… gasp—ha…”

Each time she desperately inhaled, the tablecloth was sucked into her mouth and then pushed out again.

‘This is a complete disaster.’

Maya realized grimly.

With the tablecloth over her face and breathing heavily, Reina looked so suspicious that it wouldn’t be surprising if patrol guards dragged her away on the spot.

“I-I’m…”

Reina barely managed to speak.

“I’m fine.”

When she stubbornly answered without removing the tablecloth, a heavy silence fell between them.

Just as her mouth was drying up from nerves, Lucius spoke again.

“You seem unwell.”

“……”

“Do you need help?”

He showed no intention of backing down.

It seemed he was determined to see her face.

Reina grew anxious.

Unable to see his expression, she couldn’t tell whether he was testing her—or simply being polite.

‘If Lucius really came here looking for me…’

Then she just had to follow her plan.

‘If he didn’t…’

Then she would simply leave him with the worst first impression imaginable.

Making up her mind, Reina grabbed the tablecloth and pulled it off.

Her face was revealed.

Her smooth silver hair was thoroughly disheveled, and her cheeks were flushed from lack of breath.

Even without looking, Reina knew she looked a mess—but she forced a smile.

“I’m really fin—hic!”

The moment she met Lucius’s eyes, she hiccupped.

Lucius stared at her so intensely that it was almost frightening, a deep crease forming between his brows.

As if pierced by his gaze, Reina couldn’t move.

Then, gradually, his eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath.

For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared in his calm golden eyes.

Not only that—

Lucius even took half a step back from her.

‘What is this?’

Just then—

“So here you are.”

Like a savior, the clerk appeared.

Reina’s eyes widened when she saw the two glass bottles in his hands.

She was so startled that even her hiccups stopped.

The items she had commissioned to hide Calyx were now right in front of Lucius.

The contents couldn’t be seen, as the bottles were wrapped in cloth—but Reina’s heart pounded as if it would leap out of her chest.

“The payment has already been—”

Before the clerk could finish, Reina quickly snatched the bottles with both hands.

“Well then, we’ll be going.”

Reina hurried past Lucius with Maya.

Lucius watched her retreating figure as she rushed out of the shop.

Just as he was about to step forward—

his expression tightened.

A sharp headache struck him without warning, making it difficult to even open his eyes.

He covered them with his hand, steadying his breath.

“Your Grace?”

The clerk looked puzzled.

“…The item.”

Lowering his hand, Lucius spoke in a low, heavy voice.

The clerk quickly reached into his chest pocket.

Lucius was a long-time client of the Master.

He always requested the same thing—and always left empty-handed.

But today was different, and the clerk’s voice carried a hint of excitement.

“We couldn’t find the item you requested, but he asked me to give you this, saying it might help.”

The clerk handed him an envelope.

Lucius accepted it and tucked it away.

“Tell him to keep searching.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Lucius exited the shop, a man appeared at his side as if he had been waiting.

“My lord.”

The man, wearing a deep hood, was Cyril—Lucius’s trusted subordinate.

“Did you find the item?”

“……”

“My lord?”

Lucius, who had been lost in thought, finally looked at him.

“Are you alright?”

Concern colored Cyril’s voice.

“The knights are searching the south for the young master. Perhaps you should rest for a while?”

Lucius’s trip to the capital hadn’t been planned.

He had changed course after hearing that the Master had finally found something.

Cyril hoped that, while they were here, Lucius might take at least a brief rest.

“Have you found any useful leads?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Cyril bowed his head.

“I regret it.”

“My lord?”

“I killed the director too quickly.”

Lucius’s voice was cold.

When he went to the sanatorium in the south, he learned that Calyx had escaped.

After inspecting the solitary room where Calyx had been kept, he understood why.

They had locked Calyx in a windowless cell, feeding him watery porridge and hard bread that was difficult to chew.

The records showed no purchases of the medicine Calyx needed.

They had neglected him while embezzling his expensive hospitalization fees.

Calyx was undeniably a member of the Ingersoll family.

What the director had done was nothing short of insulting the family and its lord.

Lucius had cut off his head on the spot.

‘I shouldn’t have ended it so quickly.’

Considering the trouble it had caused, the punishment had been too light.

He should have kept him alive—just barely—and extracted as much information as possible.

Clicking his tongue, Lucius looked at Cyril.

“Did you get the list?”

“Yes, here it is.”

Cyril handed over the documents he had prepared.

“A list of those who passed through the south around the time young master Calyx disappeared.”

As Lucius took it, Cyril added,

“As you know, children don’t pay tolls, so even if accompanied, only the adults were recorded.”

Meaning it was practically impossible to identify who had left with Calyx from the list alone.

Unbothered, Lucius flipped through the pages—then paused.

On a certain date, several familiar noble family names were clustered together.

Noticing his gaze, Cyril spoke.

“They were naval academy cadets on leave.”

Naval academy cadets.

The reason nobles sent their sons there was usually the same—

to keep them confined so they wouldn’t cause irreparable trouble.

They wore proper uniforms, but relied on their family names and acted recklessly without hesitation.

And they just happened to be in the south at that time.

“Cyril.”

Lucius tapped the section listing the cadets’ names.

“Investigate them first.”

Then his eyes settled on a single name written far below, separated from the rest.

Jonathan Krollot.

“I’ll investigate this one personally.”