DBOFS 20

Chapter 20

Suspicion and anger filled the stares directed at Duros.

“The second reason I suspected him was because he lied.”

“W-What do you mean! I would never—!”

“He said that the temple had no genuine item, only a fake… but in truth, the temple does have the real one.”

I casually laid out the trap.

“……!”

Duros’s complexion turned pale. It seemed he had realized that I did, indeed, know something.

As expected.

“Then why hasn’t it been revealed?”

“The necklace of Empress Ayeas is a sacred artifact blessed by the Saintess—its value is beyond measure.”

I spoke with confidence.

“If it were known to be in the temple’s possession, the imperial family would claim ownership. But the temple cannot hand over a relic blessed by the Saintess.”

It meant the temple endured the rumors of possessing a fake to avoid a political power struggle.

“Fine. That makes sense.”

The former Duke let out a soft chuckle. Resting his chin on his clasped hands, he looked at me.

“However, all your claims are mere conjecture.”

“Y-Yes, Your Grace! I swear on the merchant guild—I’ve done nothing—!”

No, needing proof for my claims and claiming you’re innocent are two different things, buddy.

When the former Duke jerked his chin, the knights restrained Duros again.

“Ugh!”

“Show us the proof.”

Right then, the doors opened, and the aide returned.

“But of course.”

I opened the box he brought. A large black pearl as radiant as the “Tear of the Black Mermaid” glistened inside.

“That’s…”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

It wasn’t just shock and awe at the gem inside.

“This black pearl was a wedding gift sent by Princess Eleas, the legitimate heir to the Empire.”

Thanks to the fame of the “Tear of the Black Mermaid,” black pearls became the most coveted gem in the Empire. They were not only expensive but nearly impossible to find, even with wealth.

‘In this era, they don’t even have pearl farms. It must be even rarer.’

Even ordinary pearls are valuable—how much rarer must black pearls be?

Such a rare gem had been sent by Princess Eleas as a wedding gift to the House of Duke Godwin.

And Princess Eleas’s husband was the current Duke Godwin—in other words, she was Harris’s biological mother.

‘You dare treat the noble son of such a princess like this, you rotten bastards?’

They say lineage defines one’s worth in a class society—so everyone should bow before Harris!

—If not stated outright, this was clearly the intended message.

“……”

“……”

It seemed to have an effect—people’s faces darkened.

“So what?”

But it seemed the head of a noble family had thicker skin than most.

At the former Duke’s dismissive comment, I signaled the aide with my eyes and spoke.

“There’s a saying—fakes are exposed only when they come close to the real thing.”

“What do you mean…”

The aide, visibly confused, picked up the black pearl. His gloved hands trembled slightly as he brought it close to the “Tear of the Black Mermaid.”

“……!!”

Ping.
The moment it touched the real black pearl, the “Tear of the Black Mermaid” shattered to pieces, crumbling like sand.

Just as I had expected.

‘As I thought. A fake.’

My expression hardened for a different reason than the others. This wasn’t just any ordinary counterfeit.

‘Duke Aindelta…’

One of the rare S-rank ability users in this world flashed through my mind. A fake that breaks upon contact with the real thing—this had to be his handiwork.

Black pearls are barely available in the market, so he must’ve used his ability only on the valuable “Tear of the Black Mermaid.”

‘But why would he?’

Before the former Duke could meet my gaze, I forced a cheery smile.

“Old sayings aren’t always wrong. Look at how easily the truth comes out.”

I said with a grin.

“U-Aaaaahhh!”

Duros, now in a panic, made a break for the door.

But before he could even grab the handle, the knights waiting in the office seized him.

And just as he had wished—but not in the way he wanted—he was dragged out of the office.

“Y-Your Grace! I’m innocent! I only—!”

His screams echoed down the hallway, but once the door shut, the office returned to silence.

* * *

“Well then.”

Jade watched Duros being dragged away before turning toward the sound.

“Now, state what you want.”

A deep and heavy voice. The former Duke was looking at her.

“Aren’t you curious how I knew it was fake?”

She had already proven it was fake. But how she knew—that was another matter.

‘I thought that’d be the first thing he’d ask.’

The former Duke of Godwin let out a soft chuckle and asked,

“If I asked, would you answer?”

This old man, who hadn’t even treated her as a person, was now smiling.

It surprised her. Even more so because his smile slightly resembled Harris’s. Jade, who had been tense all this time, broke into a genuine, silly grin.

“Depends, I suppose.”

“Trying to make another deal? How impudent.”

The former Duke clicked his tongue.

But his expression didn’t seem particularly displeased. If anything, he looked intrigued.

In truth, the former Duke of Godwin had begun gathering information even before Harris stepped foot in the castle.

He had learned that the place where Harris had been imprisoned had completely collapsed, that strange corpses were found under the rubble, and that traces of magic were discovered.

And only two people survived the horrific incident.

Harris.

And the young girl who claimed to be his guide—Jade.

The former Duke of Godwin already knew how Harris had lost his status as heir and what had happened to him afterward.

Throughout it all, he had taken a stance of complete non-intervention.

Of course, he had his reasons.

But even with those reasons, he never believed Harris would understand or forgive him.

He wouldn’t have, had he been in Harris’s place.

So when he first heard that Harris had escaped, what came to mind wasn’t joy—it was revenge.

‘He’ll attack.’

He had long expected this day to come. Just not this soon.

Preparing for battle with a heavy heart, the former Duke of Godwin was met with the unexpected.

A ragged, poorly dressed Harris with sharp, unwavering eyes—and in his arms, a small unconscious girl.

The mismatch stunned him for a moment. Then, Harris neutralized all the knights surrounding the Duke.

‘Carelessness is a sin.’

Just as the former Duke gripped his greatsword to fight, Harris reached him and spoke suddenly:

‘Please provide a room. And a doctor.’

As soon as he spoke, he placed his hand on the girl’s forehead.

It wasn’t something you say after barging into your grandfather’s home unannounced. He could’ve been thrown out and had no right to complain.

‘I understand.’

But staring at Harris’s furrowed brow, the former Duke silently turned away.

Thus, Harris entered the castle and did nothing but care for the girl—his so-called guide.

He himself was injured and needed treatment, yet he behaved as if that was his only purpose.

His evident care and devotion shocked everyone in the estate.

But what surprised the former Duke wasn’t that Harris cared deeply—it was that he only cared for her.

‘I thought he’d come to attack.’

The Duke had assumed Harris was a wild beast, unable to control his strength or instincts.

Which was understandable. Even sane people go mad after being imprisoned that long.

Before his confinement, Harris had already struggled to control his powers and would often lash out at others.

Yet now, after all those years, Harris prioritized his purpose over his instincts.

Rather than taking revenge on the grandfather who abandoned him, he focused entirely on healing his precious guide.

‘Perhaps it’s just because she has a fever. He might grow violent again once she recovers.’

Even so, the former Duke remained cautious.

But even after her fever broke, Harris stayed by her side and continued to care for her.

‘…Has prison life killed his spirit?’

The thought crossed his mind, however briefly.

But then, when Harris left for a short time, the girl’s fever spiked again…

‘After that, I didn’t bother with useless doubts anymore.’

Yes, Harris was indeed the ferocious grandson he remembered.

The key difference now was the deep affection he clearly held for the girl.

‘They must have gone through a lot together.’

In any case, the former Duke had to acknowledge his discernment.

Harris had every right to hate and seek revenge on him.

He knew that.

But as the leader of a faction, he also had a duty to protect his people.

He couldn’t afford to be at the mercy of a vengeful grandson.

However, if Harris had learned to control his power and instincts in service of a purpose, then negotiation was possible.

That’s why he summoned Jade so suddenly.

He wanted to see how Harris would react if his beloved guide was humiliated—if she too was dismissed and scorned.

It was cruel for a grandfather to test his grandson like this.
But for a ruler dealing with an S-rank ability user, it was a necessary stance.

If Harris couldn’t control himself, allowing him into the estate would’ve been a grave mistake.

And the test? It yielded partial results.

Unexpectedly, Harris remained still when he was humiliated before others.

His crimson eyes had flashed dangerously, but he suppressed his emotions and refrained from threatening anyone with force.

But when it came to his guide being mistreated—he didn’t hesitate.

‘That’s his weakness.’

And Harris didn’t even try to hide it. Likely because he knew that the moment anyone touched that weakness, he would retaliate without hesitation.

Regardless, the former Duke saw the potential for negotiation in that moment.

The girl who had shared hardships with Harris, bonded with him, and was now his emotional anchor—his guide.

That was all she was in his eyes.

And yet—