Once again, the duke’s residence was in uproar. Pollin returned only at midnight, collapsing in front of Terrun and bursting into tears.

“I clearly saw it. It was the duke’s carriage.”

Pollin recounted the whole incident multiple times. The carriage that had come to pick her and Leah up bore the duke’s crest.

It was indistinguishably identical to the real one. However, the real carriage was waiting at the original meeting place.

“When I went back to fetch the umbrella, the carriage had vanished into thin air.”

Terrun raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. Who could be bold enough to kidnap Leah?

“Could it be Allen McDowell?”

He asked Luke irritably.

“That man has already left Lubeck.”

“Then who could it be?”

“Well…”

“Enough! Seal off the city of Revon and inform the police chief. No, no, call up all my soldiers, now!”

“Understood.”

Luke ran off to carry out Terrun’s orders, while Terrun went upstairs to arm himself.

He put on his uniform, strapped a sword to his waist, and gathered rifles and shotguns. Unable to contain his boiling rage, he roared.

“Aaargh!”

This was surely a cruel joke by the gods envious of his happiness. Were they spiteful of his escape from hell, thus trampling his only hope in this manner?

Terrun harbored a deep loathing for those unseen puppeteers who seemed to manipulate his life.

‘I’ll kill them all.’

He quickly got ready and dashed downstairs.

Pollin was waiting again, as if she had more to say.

“Sir, I just remembered something. There was a strong scent of musk, or some unique spice in the carriage.”

“Musk scent?”

“That’s not a fragrance used in our carriages.”

Terrun began piecing things together.

Who in Revon would dare to replicate the duke’s carriage? No one would dare such audacity without guts.

Nobles knew the gravity of impersonating another house. Yet, they boldly created a counterfeit, and the scent of musk and spices not used by the duke’s house…

“Where have I smelled that before?”

He looked furious.

“Hahaha―”

His sudden loud laughter, tinged with madness, startled everyone. Only Pollin and James, who witnessed his look closely, were struck with fear.

“Control all the roads in and out of Revon city, and intensify searches!”

Rapha and Maddox celebrated the successful abduction of the duke’s fiancée. Now, they only had to send the carriage with the woman inside to Galdeansia.

“What about the deed to the Hamilton store?”

Rapha had managed to buy it at a fairly low price from Allen. However, he insisted on seeing the deed before sending the carriage.

“Here it is.”

Maddox brought the deed and showed it to Rapha.

Finally, a smile spread across Rapha’s face. He now owned all the Hamilton stores across Galdeansia.

“So gratifying.”

Tears welled in his eyes with emotion. Then, he quickly changed his expression and asked Maddox.

“The duke doesn’t know, right? That we are the ones who kidnapped his fiancée?”

“He’ll never find out. How could he?”

“That’s good then.”

“One question, sir. Why the sudden interest in buying Hamilton’s stores?”

The story continues with the unfolding consequences of these actions, intertwined with the characters’ complex motives and relationships.
Maddox always wanted to ask Rapha why he insisted on running a general store when they were already making plenty of money through smuggling.

“Our Chainer is going to start a big business soon. She has made some good friends. I may live like this, but I want something better for my granddaughter…”

Rapha’s words made Maddox shake his head.

The idea of mentally-challenged Chainer running a business seemed ludicrous. Clearly, Rapha was losing his mind in his old age.

“How can that be? Chainer doing business…?”

“Hey! You s×× of a b×××h! What do you know?”

Rapha exploded with harsh swear words.

He wondered how long they would have to live being looked down upon as Gypsies. Times were changing, and they wouldn’t always have to live like sewer rats, peddling only substandard goods.

“I apologize. Please forgive me.”

“One more time you underestimate Chainer, I’ll rip off all your heads.”

Rapha calmed down after his outburst. Maddox tried to soothe his mood.

“Aren’t you curious about what the great duke’s fiancée looks like?”

“Have you seen her?”

“Extremely beautiful. Among all the women I’ve seen, she’s the first of such beauty. Do you want to see her before we send her to Galdeansia?”

“It doesn’t matter. She can’t be better than Chainer’s friend.”

Rapha still believed his granddaughter was the most beautiful, even though meeting her friend had completely changed his perspective. He never expected to find a beauty surpassing Empress Marie Entuate of Landes in Lubeck.

That’s when Chainer woke up, crying and looking for Rapha.

“Chainer, why are you crying?”

“Grandpa! I had a terrible dream.”

“A nightmare?”

“Yes, grandpa and Rapha’s people were all hanging dead. Everything was on fire. And a beautiful lady kept shimmering before my eyes.”

“What? Why are you bringing up that lady all of a sudden?”