“Haha……”

After examining all the newspapers published on today’s date, Fredrick tilted his head slightly with a wry smile. Just yesterday, the newspapers had an article about a famous lord’s scandal.

The person mentioned in the article was obviously Herald. They must have expressed it indirectly, knowing that the Maximilian ducal family would not stay still if his name was explicitly stated.

However, not only were there numerous eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen the scandalous fight that day, but the gossip magazine that Fredrick personally tipped off also blatantly referred to him as the empire’s hero. As a result, it was quickly revealed that the person at the center of the incident was the newly titled Count Herald Braden.

Newspapers unwilling to miss out on a scandal involving the empire’s hero competed to publish articles. Due to this, their articles were published in all newspapers circulated not only in the empire but throughout the continent. Some places even boldly mentioned Herald’s name without fear. Needless to say, people were whispering about it.

The Maximilian ducal family and Herald Braden would not sit idly by and watch this situation unfold. They would undoubtedly try to stop the rumors somehow.

However, just as people’s interest was as intense as the scorching midsummer sun, it would not be easy to suppress.

Yes, I was sure they would not be able to… I lost.

I can’t believe they used the princess of the Helta Kingdom to cover up the rumors.

Fredrick held his forehead and tilted his head back at the unexpected variable. The plain white ceiling was like the inside of his head.

With Herald’s intelligence network, there was no way he couldn’t have found out that Fredrick was the one who spread the rumors. But it was strange that he took no action, and there was indeed a reason.

“It’s become boring.”

He had intended to grab and wield Herald’s desire to protect Lily as a weakness, but his plans had completely gone awry.

The game had been played, and it was a shame to give up now… Maybe I should meet Herald Braden and test the waters.

The articles had been published, but the incident was not completely erased from people’s minds. It was just temporarily forgotten due to a bigger stimulant. It could be easily brought up again with the right opportunity.

So if used well…

While contemplating what to do while staring at the ceiling, there was a sudden knock on the door. It was Robert, his assistant. He entered urgently as if chased by something, but did not forget to close the door tightly.

“We have a big problem, boss.”

“What happened?”

Instead of answering right away, Robert held out a box. The box contained women’s accessories such as earrings and necklaces.

Why is he giving me this? Fredrick rummaged through the accessories with puzzlement, but his eyes suddenly hardened. A green emerald brooch. It was the brooch that Fredrick had personally chosen and given to Lily.

“Why do you have this?”

“I retrieved it from a pawnshop that our company deals with by paying the value they were holding it as collateral for.”

“You mean my wife pawned these items and borrowed money?”

Fredrick knew Lily’s financial situation was not good. However, the Lily he knew was not someone who would do that, so Fredrick asked again, slightly flustered. As expected, she was not the culprit, as Robert shook his head.

“The person who pawned the items was Sir Brian.”

“Ha…”

As soon as he heard the name of his damn brother, Fredrick understood the whole situation and ran his hand through his hair with a wry laugh. While Lily was missing, he stole her belongings and pawned them.

And when I confront him about this fact, he’ll say it was his sister-in-law who did it and that he knows nothing about it.

It was clear as day how Brian would react, so all that came out was a dry laugh. Tapping the box with his fingertips and staring intently at the accessories, Fredrick asked Robert,

“So where is that bastard? The gambling den he always goes to?”

“No. I already checked, but they said he did not come there.”

“Then? Did he find a new gambling den? There are hardly any places that will accept him now.”

Due to his tendency to overturn game tables and cause disturbances whenever he lost big money, Brian had been banned from most gambling dens. It was no exaggeration to say that there were only a handful of gambling dens, including illegal ones, that he could go to in the capital.

“He didn’t go to another city, did he?”

“Judging from the fact that he pawned the items at a pawnshop in the capital, that doesn’t seem to be the case, but just in case, we’ll look into that as well.”

“Report to me as soon as you find out where that bastard is.”

Robert obediently answered that he would and left. His place was taken by the branch manager of another company. Fredrick, who had discussed expanding the business to the Helta Kingdom until his mouth was dry, carried out his next schedule without a break.

His schedule seemed endless even as the sun set and the night deepened. Rather, Fredrick’s day was busier at night than during the day. It was because he had to attend to snooty noble ladies.

Although it may seem that noble ladies who are usually in charge of household affairs while their husbands handle outside affairs do not contribute much to business, that is not the case in reality. In fact, it was even more helpful because of that. Since they were in charge of household affairs, they could freely use the family’s money. It goes without saying that noble ladies were more adept at double bookkeeping than most accountants.

Expanding the business to the Helta Kingdom required a lot of money, so Fredrick attended to the noble lady today to secure those funds.

“Allow me, madam.”

At first, it was serving alcohol, but as the night grew late, it naturally led to bedroom service.

Fredrick made full use of the knowledge he had learned long ago in the pleasure district. The noble lady, who was drenched in pleasure she had never experienced with her husband, signed the contract he offered with a half-dazed expression.

Having achieved his goal, Fredrick came out under the pretext of going to wash up. He tried to walk a little to calm the unpleasant heat, but Robert, who was waiting outside, approached him with quick steps and reported,

“They say they found Sir Brian.”

After making sure no one was around, Fredrick asked,

“Where is he?”

“Kleptes.”

“What?”

Kleptes was an illegal gambling den where Olven was. It was also a secret place that only invited people could enter.

But the fact that Brian was there meant that someone had invited him.

Is it Herald Braden? Or the 2nd Prince?

Regardless of who the culprit was, it was not strange but incomprehensible. What were they thinking, sending Brian to where Olven was?

“Shall I bring Sir Brian?”

“No, I’ll go myself.”

Thinking it would be best to check for himself, Fredrick headed straight to the illegal gambling den where his brother and Olven were. Although he had introduced this place to Olven, it was the first time he had come here himself.

As he entered the dark alleyway, unpleasant memories of the past came to mind, and Fredrick frowned. He muttered through clenched teeth.

“That damn kid is never helpful.”

What’s the point of being blood-related? He’s worse than others.

I wish he would commit some terribly bad deed and get locked up in prison. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about him causing trouble somewhere.

With the intention of quickly taking Brian and leaving, Fredrick hurriedly moved his feet. Finding the crude wooden door leading to the gambling den in question, Fredrick was about to enter when he felt a presence from inside the alley and turned his head. At the same time, a pungent smell brushed past the tip of his nose. If his nose was not mistaken, it was the smell of blood. Robert must have felt it too, as he spoke in a very flustered tone.

“I smell blood, boss.”

I didn’t know who had gotten into what kind of trouble, but it had nothing to do with me. So while thinking that we should not pay attention to it and just find Brian, Fredrick could not move a single step. An ominous premonition rose from the tips of his toes.

It can’t be. No way.

Fredrick slowly headed toward the smell of blood, swallowing his dry saliva. Step by step. Something sticky stuck to the carefully stepping toes. It was obvious that it was blood even without checking.

And,

“……”

Fredrick, who discovered a man collapsed on a pool of blood and another man with his head bowed deeply in front of him, came to an abrupt stop. Robert, who was carefully following behind him, was the same.

“This is…”

Upon hearing Robert muttering, the man slowly raised his head. His eyes looking at Fredrick were out of focus. The man, who stared at Fredrick while blinking slowly, smiled brightly.

“Brother, you’re here?”

The weather had gradually cleared up from that evening, and the next day was sunny. If it had rained again today, she would have had to engage in a futile argument with Dillon… Lily prepared to go out, thinking she was really lucky. Visiting hours at the nursing home started at 2 p.m., so she could go out after lunch, but she was going to leave a little early because she had to stop by the library before that.

It was around the time when Lily had almost finished preparing to go out that Dillon came to see her.

“Do you have to go out?”

When he blurted out a strange question again, Lily asked back in bewilderment,

“Is it not that you dislike me going out on rainy days, but that you just dislike me going out in general?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know either.”

The more she asked, the more absurd it became, so Lily, at a loss for words, closed her mouth.

It was only for a moment. Just as Lily was about to ask if the reason Dillon was acting this way might be related to Herald, there was a knock on the door.

“It’s been a while, Lily.”

“You…”

The person who opened the door and entered was none other than Herald. Dillon must not have known Herald was coming either, as he looked at him in surprise. Needless to say, Lily was the same.

“When did you arrive?”

“I just arrived.”

His hair, which was completely disheveled by the wind, showed that he was not lying.

“More importantly, there is a place I need to go with you urgently.”

“Where to?”

“The police station.”

Before Lily could ask why she had to go there, Herald continued,

“Last night, Olven, Megan’s husband, was killed, and you have been identified as the suspect.”