TDBCD 07

Chapter 7

Even though she had drunk strong alcohol, her mind was still perfectly clear. It must have been because she was wide awake.

Following quietly behind him, she noticed that the Grand Duke made almost no sound with his footsteps.

He had been like that even on the battlefield.

Was this simply his natural habit? Or was it something left behind by the war?

Ibel thought she knew Victor Bayern quite well as a ‘commander’ and a ‘Grand Duke.’ But as a man who had put aside those positions… Ibel knew nothing about him.

All she knew was that his back was very straight and his posture was perfect. And wherever the moonlight happened to fall, the muscles beneath his thin shirt could be clearly seen.

And she had only understood that he was extremely polite toward ladies.

Even if that ‘lady’ was dressed as a man.

“…Is this a dream or reality?”

She really could not tell.

A short while later, after washing herself in the small bathroom attached to the room, Ibel stretched both arms out and lay down on the bed.

Everything felt so crazy that she had drunk too much, yet her eyes were still wide open.

She simply could not fall asleep.

‘A comfortable bed and a meal where I can eat until I’m full….’

She could not believe it.

She felt as if she would wake up and still be on the battlefield, with several officers she had joked around with coming over to check whether she was still alive.

If she told them about this dream, they would probably laugh so hard that they would hold their stomachs.

‘That was my reality.’

Pulling the rustling blanket up to her face, she let out a small sigh.

War, surgery, shelling. And… the warm wine she had just drunk.

It felt as if she were standing on the boundary between reality and unreality.

As an unnecessary anxiety suddenly came over her, Ibel immediately grabbed her pillow and took a deep breath.

She wondered if his night was like this too.

After sending Ibel inside, Victor spoke quietly without even turning around.

“Starting tomorrow, investigate Abel Claren. I hear he is somewhere in one of the gambling houses in Lindau.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Matthias, who had followed him while carrying the documents, bowed his head.

Since the day he had begun serving him, his master had never once behaved strangely.

He always planned rational and practical strategies and gave concise orders.

This was the first time Matthias had seen his master like this, so he could hardly get used to it.

‘I couldn’t dare eavesdrop on my master’s conversation, so I stayed away.’

But he was dying of curiosity.

What kind of conversation had taken place inside?

Who on earth was that person, and why was she dressed as a man? And why did it look so natural on her?

And how did she know that damn Morse code?!

It had definitely been specially made Morse code, something even he could not read.

‘Ah, could she be an elite agent he knew back when he was in the Intelligence Department?’

It was not strange that Matthias, after thinking hard, had reached such a conclusion. There was no other explanation that made sense to an ordinary person.

“Um, what should we do when we find this Abel Claren?”

“He seems to need to come to his senses.”

“Ah, yes! Understood!”

Although a new era was opening as industrialization spread throughout the country, the dark corners of society had not yet disappeared everywhere.

Having understood what the Grand Duke meant, Matthias bowed and left.

If His Grace thought someone needed to ‘come to his senses,’ then whoever he was, he must have lived a truly rotten life.

“W-What! You guys…! Mmph! Mmph!!!”

Several days later, in a back alley behind a gambling house in the port city of Lindau.

Abel, who had lost all the money he had extorted from his younger sister and had fallen asleep on the street, was restrained by several large men and forced into a carriage.

“D-Did you come because of money? Who are you? Northwick? Or Koran?”

He had borrowed money and run away without paying it back several times.

As Abel called out the names of moneylenders he could remember, his drunken eyes moved around in search of an escape route.

They were twins, born from the same womb.

His younger sister had become the top student at university? So what? If he put his mind to it, he could have done it too.

He was always drunk on alcohol or drugs, but that was because he was too smart. It was just that the world was stupid. That was what frustrated him. And that was why he had fallen into gambling.

Even though he had plenty of excuses for everything, there was no denying that Abel was just as clever as Ibel.

He simply chose to use his intelligence for bad things.

‘They’re wearing ordinary workers’ clothes, but they’re new. Not just one of them—the entire group, including the driver. There are no signs of repairs or different pieces of fabric sewn onto them. Especially those shiny shoes. They bought them specifically for this job.’

In other words, whoever had hired them was probably someone of high status.

They must have dressed like this to hide their identities.

‘There isn’t a single face I recognize. I’ve been avoiding moneylenders for years. Yes, I’m sure. These men didn’t come because of a debt.’

With his life in danger, Abel’s mind was working faster than ever.

Even faster than when he calculated the cards in his opponent’s hand.

“Oh, gentlemen. Why are you doing this to a worthless man like me? Huh?”

First, Abel spoke casually as he secretly twisted his wrists.

His hands and feet were tied, but there was no gag in his mouth.

Why? What was the reason?

Men this thorough should have covered his mouth too.

“I’ve lived my whole life without harming anyone. Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else?”

There was no answer.

None of them even looked him in the eye.

‘So these men came specifically for me. Someone hired them.’

Good. His drunkenness was gradually wearing off too.

Even if they remained silent, there was so much he could learn from that silence!

‘If I’d known this would happen, I should have squeezed more money out of that girl. I was short on cash yesterday, so she ended up kicking me out.’

Even in this situation, Abel was thinking about such things when he suddenly froze.

He had never thought about it in that way before, but could this possibly—

“Ahaha, ahahah! Ibel. Ibel sent you, didn’t she? She didn’t want to give me money, so she did this?”

It was so funny that tears came to his eyes.

Bending forward, Abel laughed for a long while before shaking his body around and shouting.

“She stole her older brother’s name and lived under it, and now she’s even trying to kill him! Amazing, truly amazing. That’s exactly how a child born from the same womb should be! She always acted so noble, saying she was going to become a doctor and all that! But I knew she was rotten underneath. Of course! Blood is blood, after all! Ahaha!”

Cough.

While he was laughing, the man sitting in front of him drove his fist into Abel’s stomach.

Abel stopped breathing instantly.

The blow was so powerful that he nearly lost consciousness, and his vision shook violently.

Much later.

The carriage finally arrived at its destination.

At the entrance of a gray building, a sign reading [Grayhaven Mental Education Center] creaked ominously.

“Pleased to meet you, young lady. My name is Granny Vanya.”

“Ah… Pleased to meet you.”

“Please feel free to speak comfortably with me. I was ordered to make sure you are comfortable, young lady.”

Early in the morning.

Crispy bacon and raw eggs, warm bread and expensive cheese. Even a salad filled with plenty of fruit and olives.

After an unbelievably peaceful breakfast, someone came to see Ibel.

The old woman had completely white hair and a very sturdy build. She had a hearty and straightforward appearance.

“I used to be the Bayern family’s nanny when I was young. I received basic training, so I was also responsible for protecting His Grace in emergencies.”

“Ah.”

“Now I serve as the head maid at the main residence on the estate. I took some leave and came here.”

No wonder she had such a comforting presence.

So she had been a nanny.

Granny Vanya suddenly opened the curtains and briskly clapped her hands.

“Now, let’s help our young lady get ready. I bought several dresses on my way here, so I’ll also check whether they need any alterations.”

Dresses…?

Ibel could not even remember the last time she had worn one.

Including the years of war, it must have been at least seven years….

After getting into the prepared bathtub, Ibel received care from her fingertips to her toes for two whole hours.

Her hair was short, so drying it did not take very long.

“It’s actually easier to attach a chignon since your hair is this short. Hoho.”