Chapter 31
[Discretionary Funds]
“So, you said you came to see me, but was it really just the cards you missed?”
Dressed far more neatly than in the afternoon, Duke Lahan stepped into the upscale tavern and watched as Henry sat comfortably, playing cards.
“My dear uncle was running late, so I went ahead and emptied my pockets.”
Henry gave his coinless purse a playful shake, drawing giggles from the women around him.
“You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you?”
At Henry’s remark, Lahan took a seat across from him and pulled over an empty glass.
Though technically uncle and nephew, the age gap between the two was narrow, and their relationship was more like that of close friends—easygoing and informal.
“There is something that’s been taking all my focus and energy.”
“Can’t imagine what that would be. Is there anything in the world worth that much effort from you, Your Grace?”
After all, Lahan was someone who always got what he wanted—effortlessly.
He moved through life as if he were born under the blessing of the gods. Everything he reached for, he eventually obtained.
Having grown up watching that, Henry had once felt inferior.
But he had long since learned how to make use of even his own insecurities.
And perhaps because of that, Henry liked Lahan.
“Lately, people say even catching a glimpse of His Highness the Prince is like chasing a star. What brings you to me instead?”
With a flick of his hand, Lahan signaled to the crowd, and the people swarming around them slowly began to disperse.
Gradually, the tavern quieted.
“Well, sometimes, you just feel like seeing someone.”
“You? You always sought noise when your head was full. But now you’re doing the opposite. That alone is suspicious.”
“Is that so?”
“When your thoughts are loud, you hide them in louder places. So—romantic troubles, perhaps?”
Lahan crossed one long leg over the other and gave Henry a sly look.
“There’s always a line of ladies who claim to like me.”
“I’m not talking about them. I was wondering if there’s someone you like.”
Lahan took a sip from his glass, then slowly traced Henry’s form with his eyes—from his face, down past his shoulders, to his fingertips resting on the table.
Every glass around them was wet with condensation or drink—except for Henry’s. His remained untouched.
Still, he looked as though he were already drunk.
“My fiancée’s coffin hasn’t even cooled yet.”
Henry’s quiet words made Lahan’s hand freeze.
“That was a bond broken by death. Surprising to hear you bring it up.”
“A broken bond, sure. But you never know what comes next. Things with Mergen are… moving in an unexpected direction.”
“Unexpected?”
“Lady Deborah wasn’t the only daughter in that family, after all.”
Lahan’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“So… you’re thinking of replacing the dead with the living?”
His voice had dropped, quieter now.
“You could say I’m considering it.”
“That lukewarm tone of yours is always what unsettles me most.”
It was one of the things about Henry that Lahan couldn’t stand.
That typical royal indifference—never hot or cold—could drive a person mad.
“But enough about me. How about you, Uncle? I heard you’ve stepped away from the mining business.”
“Work talk? Over drinks? My dear nephew, you’ve become so dull.”
“I just found it curious. Why the sudden change of heart?”
“Do I really need a reason? Anyone can see I’ve already got more business ventures than I can count.”
At that, Henry reached out and absently toyed with the corner of a card he had yet to play.
A silence settled between them.
“You’re not going to look at that card?”
Just as Henry was about to reveal his final card, Lahan’s interruption ended the game.
Henry never got the chance to check what he was holding.
“Sometimes… leaving things unopened isn’t such a bad idea.”
“Must’ve been a terrible hand, then.”
“I’ve never had much luck with gambling.”
“Funny. That’s the complete opposite of how things go for you in real life.”
At Lahan’s comment, Henry gave a deep laugh.
Then, with a quick motion, Lahan reached out and flipped over Henry’s cards himself.
“Oh no…”
Lahan sighed as he saw the cards.
“I ruined your winning hand.”
Henry had been holding a perfect set—but with Lahan’s arrival, he’d missed the chance to relish that victory.
“Well then… I believe that means you’re paying for tonight’s drinks, Uncle.”
“Oof, that’s a painful feeling. Believe me, I know it well.”
Lahan picked up a bottle.
“So tonight, I’ll make it my mission to get you thoroughly drunk.”
* * *
Days flew by in a blur as I worked to sort through the people connected to the trade business.
In the middle of that nonstop pace, the mansion suddenly turned chaotic.
“I-it wasn’t me!”
At the urgent report from a servant, I rushed over—only to find Karlin, Chloe, and a crowd of house staff gathered in one place.
“How dare you lie to me!”
“Why would I touch the sacred item?! I didn’t—I swear… Ah! My lady!”
Karlin was on her knees in front of Chloe, and between them lay a sacred mirror, used in rituals for rain.
“What’s going on here?”
I asked Karlin.
“She touched the sacred mirror,” Chloe answered instead.
“You’re saying this item was within reach of a mere maid?”
A ritual mirror should’ve been stored far out of anyone’s reach—especially not somewhere a servant could simply stumble upon it.
“I brought it out to prepare for the upcoming ceremony. The head of the house gave permission.”
“Then how did my maid come to touch it?”
At my question, one of Chloe’s maids stepped forward.
“She was stealing it! I saw it with my own eyes!”
“…You saw her?”
My expression went cold, and the maid began to tremble.
“Y-yes, my lady.”
“Are you prepared to take full responsibility for what you’ve just said?”
At my firm tone, the maid glanced nervously at Chloe and teared up.
“Why are you defending your maid? Everyone saw her with the mirror in her hands.”
“N-no, my lady, I swear! I was only looking for the silver tray you asked for!”
That’s right—I had asked Karlin to bring me a silver tray.
“It appears there’s been a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding? That girl tried to steal the sacred mirror. I mean, just look at her background.”
It was laughable that Chloe would bring someone into the house herself, then criticize their background. But I had no intention of stooping to that level.
“And because of her clumsiness, the mirror has now been tainted.”
“She only tripped because the guards suddenly came after her! And how could I have known that mirror was inside the cloth?”
Karlin protested, frustration rising in her voice.
From the way things looked, this whole situation was clearly orchestrated by Chloe.
“Bring the rod. Whether she stole it or not, she’ll confess once she’s been beaten.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
It seemed our stepmother had finally decided she wanted revenge on Karlin—for daring to change loyalties.
She knew I could see through her false accusations. That much was certain.
But the fact that she was pressing on with this childish spectacle anyway?
She wanted me to make a scene.
She was setting the stage, hoping I’d be the one to disgrace her in front of everyone.
Well, what to do?
Dancing to someone else’s tune has never really been my style.
“Hmph…”
“M-my lady…”
Karlin wiped her tears and called out to me.
My hesitation didn’t last long.
I walked forward—slowly, deliberately—until I stood right in front of her.
“You’re going to protect a maid against me?”
Chloe’s lips curled upward in a smirk.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I moved.
Crack!
“…!”
“W-what are you—?!”
The sacred mirror, once carefully laid atop a white cloth, was now split clean in two beneath my heel.
“Well, look at that. I suppose I’m the one who’s desecrated the relic now.”
Shock spread across Chloe’s face.
And not just hers—every servant around us stared in horror.
The object shattered underfoot had been treated as a sacred heirloom of House Mergen for centuries.
Honestly… I hadn’t planned to go this far.
It was just the whispers, the stolen glances, and Chloe’s smug, fishy smile that had gotten under my skin today.
“Can you take responsibility for this?”
Chloe asked coolly.
“Well, it’ll be a headache, sure. But I’ll manage.”
It’s always best to only take actions you can handle the consequences of. But life doesn’t always give you that luxury.
Sometimes, you just do what feels right in the moment—even if it’s reckless.
“I thought you had some grand ambition… but it seems it was nothing more than childish impulse.”
“I’d rather not argue over that, but I am curious why you thought so.”
“Because what other reason could there be for this blatant disrespect toward Mergen? You don’t seem to care what anyone thinks of you.”
“Ah… well, you’re not wrong about that.”
No doubt the retainers—and Grandfather—would be in an uproar over this.
“All this… just to protect a maid.”
Chloe scoffed openly, barely hiding her amusement.
“I must’ve overestimated you.”
“I didn’t realize you held me in such generous regard.”
“You’re actually a bit cute, in your own way. But this isn’t the time to sit around showing off, is it?”
To be fair, she was right.
Now that I’d done it, there really wasn’t a neat way to clean this up.
The old me would never have done something so impulsive.
But ever since I came into this body, my self-control had been slipping.
Maybe it’s because of all the pent-up resentment.
