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Chapter 36
“This way, please.”
Following Mark’s guidance, Peter arrived at the Grand Duke’s castle and looked around.
Through his decorative monocle, his sharp golden eyes scanned the surroundings.
Unlike his somewhat lax appearance at the border, this was the meticulous and thorough Peter Godwin that the capital knew well.
But only for a moment. Distracted by the patterns carved into the ceiling, Peter nearly tripped over his own feet, only to be expertly caught by Nero.
Nero straightened Peter up as if nothing had happened and shook his head.
“Young Master, I always wonder… How did you ever come to be known as meticulous and perfect?”
“Because I am perfect,” Peter replied, dead serious, looking at Nero as if wondering why he’d even ask.
“Nero, I’m perfect. Have you ever seen me make a mistake at work?”
“No. You’re always flawlessly perfect.”
Though that perfection was limited to work only—an important detail. Nero simply let the comment pass, wearing a resigned expression.
After seeing Peter Godwin for about twenty years, this was the natural response.
How could one describe Peter Godwin in a single phrase? A smart oddball—yes, that might come close.
Otherwise, it made no sense that he had voluntarily come to the North, a region everyone else avoided.
‘Though honestly, that’s just one thing. The Young Master’s actions are generally beyond comprehension.’
Nero deliberately looked away as Peter, whom he had just helped up, managed to trip again over nothing while walking with grandeur.
‘Our young master is such a handful. If the Duke hears about his trip to the North… there’ll be a huge uproar again.’
The perfect heir to the Godwin Dukedom. The future of the family. The impeccably flawless Peter Godwin.
The extravagant titles weren’t entirely wrong.
Despite seeming a bit scatterbrained, when it came to work, Peter became frighteningly sharp, no matter the task.
Why else would he be leading the spice trade—the one business even the Duke found overwhelming—and expanding his own ventures?
In work, Peter Godwin was truly unmatched.
Moreover, he was keenly aware of his public image and always presented a composed, polished demeanor in front of others, which made his reputation understandable.
“Nero, did you see that?”
“Yes, I saw.”
“See what? You were staring off like a dried pollack again.”
Just as Nero was used to Peter’s eccentricities, Peter was used to Nero’s soulless responses and chattered on beside him without concern.
“Look at this ceiling and the walls. They say the North never developed the arts because of the cold, but that must be nonsense. I think this place is even better than the capital. And do you feel it? It’s strangely warm inside.”
“Yes. That is curious.”
Unlike the Duke of Godwin or Patrick, who carried a sense of hostility, Peter looked around with pure curiosity.
He was engrossed in the embossed patterns on the corridor pillars when Nero grabbed him—just in time to prevent Peter from smacking into Mark’s back, who had stopped.
As Mark announced their arrival, Peter stepped into the parlor, and a spark of interest lit up in his eyes.
The room, grand yet cleanly arranged in line with northern aesthetics, was full of things that appealed to his refined taste.
But Peter’s gaze immediately landed on the Duke and Duchess.
“We’ve only corresponded by letter until now. It’s an honor to finally meet you in person, Your Grace.”
Offering a perfectly executed formal bow to Killian, Peter lowered his head briefly, as if to catch his breath.
Then, when he looked up again, his relaxed demeanor was gone—replaced by the faultless smile of a gentleman trained in high society.
With his handsome face, Peter flashed a neat smile. The dimples on his cheeks reminded one very much of Patrick.
“We’ve met before, haven’t we, Your Grace the Duchess? It’s been a while.”
His smile deepened as he looked at Leticia, who had her abundant hair tied back and flowing behind her.
‘Oh? This just got interesting.’
A faint blush rose on Peter’s pale cheeks.
She used to look lifeless next to Patrick, like the world could end and she wouldn’t flinch—but now there was a rare vitality in Leticia’s face.
And not just that.
The Grand Duke’s eyes never strayed from his wife for even a second.
Before arriving, Peter hadn’t believed the childish rumors that the Grand Duke had proposed to the Duchess at first sight.
But seeing them now, he began to wonder if those rumors weren’t entirely false.
‘Though it seems the two of them haven’t realized it yet.’
When Killian awkwardly looked away as soon as his eyes met Leticia’s, Peter whistled silently in amusement.
‘If that idiot Patrick were here, he’d be clutching the back of his neck in shock.’
Imagining Patrick’s red and blue face, Peter absentmindedly rubbed a nonexistent double chin.
Something else in Leticia’s hand caught Peter’s attention—a sparkling gem reflected the sunlight coming through the window.
“What a beautiful brooch you have there.”
At Peter’s comment, Leticia’s fingers brushed over the cold jewel.
It was the emerald brooch Patrick had given her, which Killian had recently returned.
“But how curious. Why does that lovely brooch look so familiar to me?”
Hidden behind his monocle, Peter’s eyes quickly scanned the room, calculating.
Was it about a year ago? He vaguely remembered hearing that Patrick had commissioned an odd brooch.
He’d thought the idea was suspicious but so predictable he let it go. Now the way this was all playing out seemed quite amusing.
‘Looks like I’ve stepped into the trap Patrick set for me.’
As Peter grasped the situation, his eyes curved in a sly smile, accentuating the beauty mark near his eye.
“Could that brooch possibly be Patrick’s?”
✧ ✧ ✧
“So that’s what happened. I had wondered why that kid Patrick so easily accepted the broken engagement—it all makes sense now.”
Now understanding the relationship between Patrick and the Lorazne family from the recording embedded in the brooch, Peter nodded.
With this evidence, it would be easy to dispose of Patrick.
He’d already been growing tired of putting up with Patrick’s nonsense lately, so this was perfect timing.
‘And to top it off, I got to hear an unexpected juicy tale. Really—coming to the North was the right choice.’
Suppressing a smile, Peter put the brooch down and picked up the water jug beside it.
He had just finished hearing about the Tetrad poisoning incident too.
“You’re saying the epidemic currently spreading in the capital was caused by goods from our merchant group…?”
Peter wiped his lips with a grave expression, replacing the excitement with a troubled look.
“I came running here, expecting a profitable trade opportunity. But all I hear are devastating revelations. As a member of the Godwin family, I’m ashamed to show my face.”
Wearing the face of a man burdened by his younger brother’s disgrace, Peter folded his hands like a man in prayer.
But even now, his mind was calculating quickly.
Although the situation was clearly to his advantage, the Tetrad issue was serious. If he wasn’t careful, the entire Godwin family might be held responsible—not just Patrick.
Still with his head bowed, Peter fiddled with the water jug.
“So, in return for sharing all this with me—what do the two of you expect to gain?”
“At first, I was going to propose a trade partnership with your family’s merchant group,” Killian said in a bored monotone.
Leticia tugged on his sleeve.
“…But it seems that’s not enough for my wife.”
Killian looked down at Leticia’s hand clinging to his sleeve. The grip was so light that a small shake could easily free him.
But instead, Killian let his arm remain where it was. For a moment, he wondered why he was going along with all of this.
He had arranged this meeting with Peter at Leticia’s request, but this kind of thing wasn’t his style.
He was more familiar with swords than with words and usually dealt with gossip and noise by ignoring them altogether.
But seeing the determined look on Leticia’s face made it hard to continue with his usual indifference.
‘What exactly has moved you like this?’
Was it the young maid Allen from the count’s house who needed an antidote?
It never even occurred to Killian that Leticia might be doing all this for him.
He gently interlaced his fingers with hers.
Well, even if things went wrong, he could clean up afterward. So Killian decided to follow Leticia’s lead.
“So, for the details—talk to my wife.”
“With Her Grace the Duchess?” Peter’s eyes turned to Leticia.
Because of that, Leticia missed her chance to pull her hand away from Killian’s. She had no choice but to continue the conversation with their fingers still intertwined.
“Yes. There are two things we want from you, Lord Peter.”
