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Chapter 32
“Duke Lyon?”
“You know him?”
The shopkeeper asked.
“No. I’m just surprised to hear he’s a duke.”
Franz answered.
“For a second I thought you were acquainted. Quite a few nobles are secretly fond of collecting antiques. Thanks to them, I make my living.”
The shopkeeper polished his monocle against his clothes, calming his startled nerves.
“Now I’m suddenly curious how much you sold that 5-bhat telescope for.”
“Th-that is…”
The monocle slipped from the pale-faced shopkeeper’s hand with a clatter. Franz picked it up himself and placed it back on the man’s face. With the gun moving around right in front of him, the terrified shopkeeper hurriedly opened the safe.
Looking at the silver coins placed on the table, Franz let out a dry laugh.
“So you bought it for 5 bhats and made 400 off it.”
“P-please… spare me.”
The shopkeeper dropped to his knees and desperately begged with clasped hands.
Alexei gathered up the silver coins, then tossed a copper coin in front of the man.
“That’s payment for keeping quiet about our visit. If you want to keep a noble customer coming back, you’d better remember that.”
“Y-yes, understood.”
Franz lowered the hand holding the gun.
“Do you know where Duke Lyon lives?”
“Y-yes.”
“Draw us a map.”
Swallowing hard, the trembling owner picked up a pen and followed Alexei’s instructions.
The two left the shop with directions instead of the telescope.
Alexei was growing anxious.
They had wasted time arguing with the owner, and in the end they still hadn’t recovered the telescope. There was no telling how long it would take to go to Duke Lyon’s residence and return.
No matter how desperate they were, they couldn’t kill him. Certainly not.
In truth, the one most desperate of all was Alexei himself.
He hurried his pace out of the alley, but stopped when he realized there were no footsteps following behind him.
Franz stood there with a grave expression.
“What is it?”
“You’re seriously planning to enter the duke’s estate?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s dangerous.”
Alexei strode back toward him.
“So? You want to run away like before? Or are you asking me to run away with you?”
“I’d rather not be treated like a traitor. This had nothing to do with me in the first place.”
“Right. You’re not a traitor. But can you really say you’re innocent?”
Franz couldn’t answer.
“Thanks for helping us, but make up your mind. We’re not some ship you can board and abandon whenever you feel like it.”
“……”
“The promise I made still stands. Help us, and you’ll be rewarded generously.”
“If we die, money means nothing.”
“But if you live, it’ll change your life.”
Franz let out a small scoff and stared into empty space. A soft yet desperate voice shook at his ears.
“Help me. Just this once.”
Unable to look away, Franz stared at the crown prince pleading before him.
Alexei noticed the wavering in his eyes. Silently, he waited—hoping Franz Boyle would once again join him in reckless companionship.
Entering the estate of an enemy duke meant staking their lives on it. Men of unknown status would never simply be welcomed through the doors, and even if they forced their way in by threatening servants, they could still die at the duke’s hands.
With two people, it might be possible. Alone, it was impossible.
His death would mean Angelina’s death as well, so Alexei absolutely had to return alive.
And recover the telescope.
“…Fine.”
And Franz, the reckless accomplice, had to make it out alive too.
The estate of Duke Eberhard Lyon.
The crown prince of Latria and his temporary accomplice had arrived to meet an enemy duke.
The gardener and his wife tilted their heads in confusion upon seeing them. Their clothing looked no different from ordinary commoners’, yet the aura they carried resembled that of the master they served.
“Perhaps they’re replacing the butler.”
“They’re too young for that.”
Around twenty at most.
Before she realized it, the wife was staring blankly at the handsome young stranger whose status she didn’t even know.
“I hope they hire him.”
“You’re saying that with your husband standing right beside you?”
“What am I supposed to do? I’m just saying it’d be nice to have a younger man around.”
Unaware they had nearly started a marital quarrel, the two men stopped before the entrance.
“You ready?”
“Of course.”
Franz took a deep breath and knocked on the door. At the bold knocking, a bellboy opened it.
“We’ve come to see the duke.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No. But it’s a very urgent and important matter.”
The bellboy disappeared behind the door, and shortly afterward a butler emerged.
“What brings you here?”
“We came from the Forest of Time.”
Alexei handed over the business card they had taken from the antique shop. The butler adjusted his glasses. He seemed to recognize it.
“You may speak to me.”
“We would prefer to speak directly with the duke.”
The butler frowned immediately.
“The telescope you purchased a few days ago has a problem. It’s something we must discuss with him personally.”
“…Wait here.”
Alexei had guessed that someone who spent such a large sum on a telescope wouldn’t ignore them outright.
The butler returned after seeking permission from his master.
“Follow me.”
The two were led into the drawing room.
“We’ll need to search you first.”
“Surely that’s a bit—”
The butler raised an eyebrow sharply.
Just when they thought they had passed the first hurdle—of course not.
Even as they hesitated, the man’s piercing gaze bore into them.
Reluctantly, they raised their arms.
While patting Franz down, the butler’s expression twisted upon feeling something hard.
“This is…”
He pulled out the gun hidden inside Franz’s coat, looking ready to pull the trigger himself.
“It’s an ordinary possession. Absolutely no special meaning behind it. We often travel through mountain roads, so we need something for self-defense.”
“I’ll return this when you leave.”
The butler also confiscated the sword at Alexei’s waist.
Once the butler left, the two stood there feeling utterly powerless. Franz looked practically enlightened.
“It’s finally sinking in now. We really walked into a tiger’s den.”
“Having regrets already?”
“If I did, I would’ve jumped off the carriage.”
“Let’s hope he’s different from Emperor Tordi.”
“At least his portrait doesn’t give a bad impression.”
Franz said while looking up at Duke Lyon’s portrait.
As the two exchanged hopeful thoughts, the master of the estate entered the drawing room.
“So you’re the ones who wanted to see me.”
It was Duke Eberhard Lyon.
The two bowed politely before straightening again.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Duke Lyon walked over and sat down on the sofa.
“What do you mean there’s a problem with the telescope?”
“I apologize, but we would like you to return the telescope.”
“You want me to hand over something I legally purchased? What nonsense is this?”
“To tell the truth, I’m the telescope’s original owner. I sold it to the antique shop because I desperately needed money, but I changed my mind and tried to buy it back, only to hear that Your Grace had already purchased it. It’s a very precious telescope to me. I sincerely beg you to return it.”
“The telescope’s owner, hm…”
Duke Lyon stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“I refuse.”
“Please reconsider.”
Alexei bowed deeply and respectfully.
The duke rested his chin against one hand over his crossed legs, lost in thought. Only when the tapping of his fingers against the armrest stopped did he finally speak.
“Your request is quite rude, but your circumstances do sound pitiful. So let me make a proposal.”
His emotionless eyes swept over Alexei from head to toe.
“If we play a card game and you beat me, I’ll return the telescope without complaint. But if you lose, you’ll give up on it completely.”
“Agreed.”
“We’ll play Rubicon Piquet. Do you know how?”
“Of course.”
Duke Lyon summoned the butler and ordered preparations for the game.
Soon servants carried in a round table.
The duke retrieved a deck of cards from a drawer and quietly whispered something to the butler. Taking advantage of the moment, Franz spoke in a low voice.
“I think he’s planning something. Doesn’t this seem suspicious?”
“Even if he is, we don’t have another option.”
“Are you confident you can win?”
“I think card games are more luck than skill.”
“That sounds suspiciously like you have no skill at all.”
“It’s not that I lack skill. I just don’t enjoy them.”
“How many times have you even played? Don’t tell me only once.”
Despite Franz’s growing anxiety, Alexei remained calm.
“Not once.”
“……”
“Twice?”
