Chapter 106

The Haynes Trading Company made its fortune dealing mainly in rare food ingredients and minerals. It began in the Kingdom of Yulia, but its main clients were foreign nobles and restaurants in various cities. With fast delivery and strict quality control, it had become famous in recent years.

Enoch Haynes made full use of his talents to earn money. He was a spirit user contracted with the highest-grade wind and earth spirits, giving him exceptional skill in finding and locating rare ores. He also put to use the many connections he had built while working without pay for the Seymour family.

Business boomed, and Enoch spent more time abroad than in the country. Still, he made a point of returning to Redamas at least once a year, to personally check on the Seymour family’s affairs and on the Baldwin Marchioness. But he could never stay long—if Linus heard he was in Redamas, it became too dangerous for him.

News that the main branch of the Haynes Trading Company had been destroyed in a raid by the Blue Dawn Knights made headlines.

This came on top of scandalous rumors that “Florence Love Lindquist,” already known as both a spirit user and magician and the Baldwin Marchioness, had entrusted herself to an old acquaintance. People who had wondered if the jealous Marquis Baldwin would do something extreme now saw their expectations met.

“I didn’t think it would go this far.”
“Did you hear? The whole building collapsed.”
“I heard the knights were deployed without permission.”
“Even inside the order, there was a lot of opposition.”
“Were there casualties? Blue Dawn is a royal unit—they can’t move without royal approval.”
“Do you think he cares about such things?”
“Better watch what you say…”
“I heard even Lindquist has distanced himself.”
“Is that true? The Lindquist viscount is known to be a warm-hearted man.”
“Between us, I heard the Lindquist matriarch never welcomed the Baldwin Marchioness.”
“But haven’t they been engaged for a long time?”
“You know—after she lost her memory, she changed completely.”
“If the building collapsed, what’s left of the Haynes Company now…?”
“Surprisingly, there were no deaths, not even among the knights.”
“Really? How’s that possible?”
“A company magician actively treated the injured.”
“Even the attacking knights? That’s surprising… Wait, if the main branch collapsed, where’s the Baldwin Marchioness now?”
“Probably locked up in the Baldwin estate…”
“No matter how much you love someone… is that sane?”
“Love can be terrifying.”
“Doesn’t it seem like he’d do anything if his wife was involved?”
“Clearly he’s not in his right mind. Should someone like that be in command?”
“I heard the crown prince was furious.”

How far can love forgive? And how far can it be excused?

The standard for judging actions in the name of love was entirely subjective. Some said there was no problem as long as both were happy, while others called it brainwashing when people tolerated even violence, condemning it further.

Even the same act could be judged differently depending on who did it. Merely grabbing someone’s hand could be called violence, while cornering someone and shouting could be excused—depending on the person.

Linus’s behavior hadn’t changed. His obsessive love for his wife was common gossip—how he refused to leave her side, how he boldly declared before the crown prince that he missed her after only a few hours apart and went home, how he avoided long trips because he couldn’t bear not seeing her for days, how he grew irritable if she so much as made eye contact with another man.

But now, the same actions were read differently.

Keeping a wife who commanded two great spirits not only out of high office, but from stepping outside the estate at all. Not allowing her to visit her own family without permission. Locking her in the bedroom for days if she so much as looked at another man…

What once seemed romantic, signs of a husband loving his wife too much, now looked like the actions of a terrifyingly jealous man.

“Do you think the head of the Haynes Company is safe? Heard any news?”
“If we hear news, it means danger. He won’t leave him alone. He’ll have to hide in some foreign countryside for a while.”
“Poor man…”
“I just found out my favorite restaurant buys from his company…”
“I hope he’s safe. I’m worried.”

In truth, Enoch Haynes was still in Redamas—but not safe. He wasn’t in mortal danger, but being gagged and chained to a wall could hardly be called safe.

“Shouldn’t we let him go, Laila?”

Unable to watch his cousin suffer, Keith spoke up, but Laila refused firmly.

“If I let him go, he’ll just cause trouble.”
“You just didn’t explain enough. If you talk to him, Enoch will understand.”
“Doesn’t look like he thinks so.”

Laila smirked. Enoch’s eyes were still defiant.

“I still need to recover. I can’t waste time indulging his tantrums.”
“Cold, aren’t you.”

Keith clicked his tongue and looked at Enoch.

Laila was acting according to the plan she and Florence had made.

Until the area was secure, they had to stall for as long as possible. Hurting Linus would be ideal, but even if not, they wanted to drain his strength as much as they could. Florence staying within Linus’s reach kept him restrained, watching for the right timing. Once the surroundings were safe, she planned to intervene between Laila and Linus.

She could’ve just been willing to hand over her body.

There had been no need to exhaust all her magic. Using an ancient artifact to save Laila had been Florence’s choice. She had whispered for her not to get hurt. Brushing away the thought, Laila glanced at Keith.

“…Honestly, I thought you’d be the one to lash out.”

After ambushing and knocking out Enoch and Keith, Laila had put magic-suppressing shackles on them as soon as they arrived at the safehouse. She’d expected them to be angry.

She thought hot-tempered Keith would rage the most. Enoch, she figured, would be angry at first but calm down after she explained—Florence had said so too.

But contrary to expectations, it was Enoch who raged, refusing to even listen.

“Why did you leave Florence, Laila Green!”
“I acted according to plan.”
“What plan? Oh, to bring her back into this world? Damn it, your goal was revenge from the start!”
“…”
“Why won’t you answer? Tell me, Laila Green! Why did you abandon Florence? Why did you throw her to that bastard? Was that your plan from the beginning? Were you just another fool who fell for him?”

When Enoch tried to lunge at her despite the shackles, Laila pressed her forearm against his neck, annoyed.

“At least give me time to answer.”
“Oread!”
“You’re shackled. You can’t summon spirits. And trying to summon the highest earth spirit underground? Are you crazy? Do you want us all dead?”
“Laila Green, go back to Florence right now, and bring her here!”
“Not much of a polite way to ask.”

Mocking him, Laila said someone with this attitude had no business running a business. She’d disliked this stiff-necked man from the start.

“Take these off. Now.”
“You couldn’t protect her before, and you can’t now. Don’t take it out on me.”
“Laila Green!”
“Florence chose her method of revenge and asked me for help. I just accepted.”
“There are requests you honor and ones you don’t…”
“Who draws lines in revenge?”

Laila smirked. Enoch, breathing hard and glaring, looked like a wild animal trapped in a cage.

“So you were never cold and rational after all—that’s your true nature.”
“Cold? Rational?”

Enoch had never once made a rational decision. Whenever he faced a major choice in life, it was always driven purely by emotion.

He had chosen to stay at the Seymour mansion just to be closer to Florence. He had worked to meet the Pope to get rid of the thing that had taken her body.

He wanted to protect the girl Florence loved.

He wanted to kill Jang Hyunji and Linus so she would never lose her body again.

Enoch Haynes had failed once more. In the moments that mattered most, he was always powerless.