Once again, the Duke’s residence was turned upside down. Pauline returned only at midnight and collapsed in front of Terran, sobbing.

“I saw it clearly. It was the carriage of the Duke’s family.”

Pauline had lost count of how many times she had recounted the circumstances. The carriage that came to pick her and Lea up had the Duke’s family crest on it.

It was identical, leaving no room for doubt. However, the real carriage was waiting at the original meeting place.

“When I went out to look for the parasol, the carriage had vanished without a trace.”

Terran roughly ran his hand through his hair. Who on earth had the audacity to kidnap Grace?

“Could it be Allen MacDowell?” he asked Luke in an irritated tone.

“He has already left Rubec, sir.”

“Then who is it?”

“Well…”

“Enough! Seal off Lebon City and inform the Police Chief. No, no, gather all my soldiers, quickly!”

“Yes, sir.”

Luke rushed out to carry out Terran’s orders, while Terran headed upstairs to gather his weapons.

He donned his uniform, strapped on his sword, and gathered both his long rifle and pistol. Then, unable to contain the rage rising in his throat, he let out a scream.

“Aaaargh!”

This was clearly the machination of a god envious of his happiness. Was it angered that he had escaped hell, and thus trying to crush his only hope in this manner?

Terran hated those who seemed displeased even when he basked in the slightest bit of light.

Though invisible, he inwardly cursed the malicious group trying to manipulate his life like a puppet on strings.

‘I’ll kill them all.’

He quickly finished his preparations and rushed downstairs.

Just then, Pauline was waiting for Terran again. She seemed to have more to say.

“Your Grace, I just remembered. There was a strong scent of musk, no, a unique spice smell coming from the carriage.”

“Musk smell?”

“It’s not the fragrance our carriages usually have.”

Terran began to deduce quickly.

Who in Lebon City would dare to make an exact replica of the Duke’s carriage? It was something no one would even dream of attempting unless they had extraordinary courage.

Any noble would know how grave a crime it is to impersonate another family. Yet someone had the audacity to create a counterfeit without hesitation.

Moreover, the smell of musk and spices that the Duke’s family never used…

“Where have I smelled that scent before?”

His eyes gleamed with realization.

“Hahaha—”

Terran, who had been greatly angered, suddenly laughed loudly as if seized by madness.

The employees watching him all wore puzzled expressions, while Pauline and James, who saw Terran’s eyes up close, were gripped by fear.

“Control all the outskirts roads of Lebon City and strengthen the checkpoints!”

* * *

Rapha and Maddox celebrated their successful kidnapping of the Duke’s fiancée. Now all that remained was to send the carriage with the woman straight to Galdencia.

“The transfer of ownership for the general store?”

Rapha had bought the general store from Allen at quite a low price. Still, to ensure everything was in order, he wouldn’t send the carriage until he saw the transfer document.

“Here it is.”

Maddox brought the transfer document and showed it to Rapha for confirmation.

Only then did a smile spread across Rapha’s face. Finally, all the Hamilton general stores across Galdencia became Rapha’s property.

“How deeply moving.”

Rapha was so overwhelmed that tears welled up in his eyes. He quickly changed his expression and asked Maddox,

“The Duke doesn’t know, right? That it was us who kidnapped his fiancée.”

“He’ll never know, even if he dies. How could he?”

“That’s good then.”

“Brother, let me ask you one thing. Why did you suddenly buy the Hamilton general store?”

Maddox had always wanted to ask Rapha. They were making plenty of money through smuggling without needing to run a general store.

“Our Chainer will soon be doing big business. She’s made some good friends. I may live like this, but my granddaughter…”

Maddox shook his head at Rapha’s words.

Business by the mentally deficient Chainer? It seemed that Rapha had become senile with age.

“How is that possible? What kind of business could Chainer do…?”

“Hey! You son of a b****! What do you know?”

Harsh swear words spewed from Rapha’s mouth.

How long must they live being despised as gypsies? Times were changing, and they couldn’t forever be like sewer rats peddling only bad goods.

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

“If you look down on Chainer one more time, I’ll rip all your throats out.”

Only after Rapha’s outburst did the commotion settle down. Maddox tried to change the subject to improve his mood.

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

“Did you see her?”

“She’s incredibly beautiful. I’ve never seen such a beauty among all the women I’ve seen. Why don’t you take a look at her face before sending her to Galdencia?”

“No matter how pretty she is, what of it.”

She was bound to be no match for Chainer’s friend. Though his granddaughter was lacking, he had always thought she was the prettiest in the world, but his mind completely changed after seeing that friend.

To think there was a beauty greater than Queen Marie Antoinette of Landes in Rubec.

Just then, as if Chainer had woken up, she came crying and looking for Rapha.

“Chainer, why are you crying?”

“Grandpa! I had a scary dream!”

“You had a nightmare?”

“Yes, I dreamed that you and all the Rapha people were hanged and died. Everything here was on fire. And a pretty sister kept shimmering before my eyes.”

“What? Why is that lady suddenly mentioned here?”

Rapha and Maddox were speechless for a while at Chainer’s words.

Although Chainer was lacking, she was born with the gypsy ability to predict the future or see people’s souls.

Suddenly, Rapha felt as if he had been hit hard on the head.

“Maddox, is the fiancée really that beautiful?”

“I told you she is, why?”

Goosebumps rose all over Rapha’s body. Surely such a thing couldn’t happen, but it seemed too much to be just a coincidence…

“Let me see her face.”

Rapha rushed outside with an agitated expression.

* * *

When Lea opened her eyes in the carriage, it was the middle of the night. She was alone in the empty carriage.

No one came even when she knocked on the door and called out for Pauline.

‘Why am I here alone?’

She retraced her memories. She had been waiting for Pauline after getting into the carriage.

The last thing she remembered was losing consciousness after being intoxicated by the strange fragrance permeating the carriage.

‘Have I been kidnapped?’

That was the only conclusion she could draw. But it had definitely been the Duke’s carriage.

Lea kept rattling the door handle, trying to open it.

“Please open the door!”

Even though she knocked on the window and shouted loudly, there was no response, as if no one was there.

Just then, there was a commotion outside with the sound of people’s footsteps. The area around the carriage became as bright as day, as if people were approaching with torches.

Bang bang, Lea seized the opportunity and knocked on the door.

“There’s someone in the carriage!”

As Lea shouted, the tightly closed door suddenly opened.

“!?”

What was going on, why were these people here?

Lea was startled to see Rapha staring at her with a pale face. And Chainer too.

“Sister!”

Chainer jumped into the carriage and hugged Lea.

“Grandfather, what’s going on?”

Lea asked in an anxious tone. However, Rapha said nothing and shouted at his people.

“Quickly, take this lady back to her home!”

“Why? We went through all the trouble to capture her, why are we sending her back?”

Maddox questioned, not understanding the situation.

“Don’t argue and do as I say. If you want to keep your neck, do it now!”

At his thunderous command, Maddox and his subordinates moved quickly.

But the problem was Chainer. After seeing Lea, she refused to leave her side.

“Miss, I’m sorry about this. I’ll explain everything later, just go home for today.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Chainer, get out of the carriage now!”

“No! I want to stay with sister.”

“Damn it all!”

No matter how hard Rapha tried to separate Chainer from Lea, it was useless.

He needed to leave Lea in front of the Duke’s residence before the Duke arrived, without anyone knowing, but Chainer wasn’t cooperating.

The more Rapha tried to separate them, the more stubbornly Chainer clung to Lea and cried.

Just then, the outside became even brighter, and the sound of horse hooves and soldiers’ shouts rang out loudly.

* * *

Terran deduced from the information gathered by his subordinates.

According to the shopkeepers Lea and Pauline had visited, two carriages bearing the Duke’s family crest had been seen in succession.

The Duke’s carriage was custom-made and very expensive.

However, information came in that unfamiliar people had rushed to a carriage workshop today, brandishing the Courtois ducal crest and demanding it be attached to a carriage.

It was also reported that the men who ordered the carriage emitted a strong smell of musk and spices.

‘Ignorance breeds courage. But also utter stupidity.’

His predictions were spot on.

Beings who treated national law like dog dung. Carrying out their plans without any guilt, yet carelessly leaving evidence everywhere.

And the only people who would harbor a grudge against him were those fellows.

A carriage identical to the Duke’s family’s was parked in front of Rapha’s building. As if they knew he was coming, all the organization members were out.

“This makes things easier.”

Terran dismounted and walked towards the carriage.

He glared at Rapha, the leader of the organization, who was standing in front of the carriage door.

“So it was your doing?”

Terran asked, barely suppressing the rage enveloping his body. Just then, Grace’s voice was heard from inside the carriage.

“Terran?”

“Grace!”

Terran immediately jumped into the carriage to find Grace. She was with some woman.

Fortunately, it seemed Grace hadn’t been mistreated by those bastards.

Terran brought Grace out of the carriage. Of course, Rapha forcibly separated Chainer from Lea.

“What’s going on here?”

“That old man kidnapped you.”

“What? That’s impossible. Why would Chainer’s grandfather do that to me?”

“Because that old man is the leader of the Rapha organization.”

“!?”

After entrusting Grace to Luke, Terran walked towards Rapha.

However, Rapha seemed to have something to say, his lips moving constantly. But there was no room for excuses as the fact that he had kidnapped Lea was undeniable.

“Hey! You gangster bastards! I don’t forgive twice.”

At Terran’s words, Rapha squeezed his eyes shut. Then he shouted at the soldiers.

“From this moment, we eradicate the Rapha criminal organization. Burn down the building and take those criminals to the police station jail!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Terran’s command, the soldiers moved in unison. Soon, Rapha’s building was engulfed in flames.

The organization members tried to resist the soldiers, but they were no match for the armed men.

“After a summary trial tomorrow, they will all be executed.”

Not a single person could resist Terran’s frosty order.