Chapter 65

Ivan’s eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck them, the trembling intensifying as the dagger drew closer. When the blade grazed his skin, a scream-like sound escaped his lips. Harbian paused the dagger leisurely.

“So, do you have something to say now?” Harbian asked, his tone dangerously calm. Ivan gasped for breath instead of answering immediately, prompting Harbian to twirl the dagger impatiently. “As you can see, I’m not known for my patience.”

“The Emperor summoned Lord Einhardt to discuss the succession to the throne!” Ivan finally blurted out. Harbian stopped twirling the dagger.

“My father… discussed the succession with my uncle?” he questioned.

“Yes, His Majesty has not been pleased with you lately, Your Highness,” Ivan admitted, trembling. “It seems he is considering your uncle as a candidate for the crown prince.”

Ivan fell silent, but Harbian chuckled as if he understood something. “The old man must be losing his mind if he’s rushing his death like this,” he remarked with a reckless grin, an act of treasonous impudence that made Ivan’s eyes widen in shock.

Ignoring Ivan’s reaction, Harbian seemed lost in thought, idly spinning the dagger in his hand. At that moment, a man standing in the corner approached Harbian. It was Palton, Harbian’s right-hand man and head attendant.

“Your Highness, there’s no need to worry. Once you marry the daughter of Duke Ergen, His Majesty won’t be able to intervene,” Palton assured him.

“The problem is my father’s refusal to approve the marriage. He knows that if I and Duke Ergen’s daughter are united, he won’t be able to do anything about it,” Harbian said, frustration evident in his voice.

“Indeed, but with Duke Ergen pressing the issue, His Majesty won’t be able to hold out much longer,” Palton reassured. Harbian flicked the dagger towards a wooden table, where it embedded itself with a sharp thud.

“Then I should press Duke Ergen again,” Harbian decided.

“That’s wise. Remind him that Damian of the Bedeusian family could awaken as a powerful being at any moment. That should make Duke Ergen anxious,” Palton suggested quietly. Harbian nodded in agreement, his face expressionless.

“That’s what I’ll do,” Harbian affirmed. He walked over to a sink and washed his hands before pulling on a pair of gloves. One of Harbian’s subordinates, who had been holding Ivan, turned to Harbian and asked, “What should we do with him?”

“The usual,” Harbian replied ominously. Ivan’s head whipped around, sensing the danger in those words. He instinctively knew they wouldn’t just let him go.

“But, Your Highness! I’ve told you everything!” Ivan pleaded, struggling in vain as two guards lifted him and carried him out of the room.

“Your Highness, why…!” Ivan’s voice was abruptly cut off as the door closed behind him. Palton, watching the closed door, smirked.

“Tossing our problems into the sea—these days, even the sharks must be full from all the bodies,” he remarked. Harbian said nothing, instead donning an overcoat and pulling a wide-brimmed hat low over his golden hair, completely hiding his identity.

“Are you planning to visit Hilife Street?” Palton asked, referring to the secret pleasure district that Harbian often frequented. Hilife was a place of dazzling opulence, filled with beautiful women, potent liquors, and more, catering to the most base desires.

“No, I won’t be going there anymore,” Harbian replied firmly, surprising Palton. Hilife had always been Harbian’s favorite haunt, a place where he indulged in all manner of primal pleasures. Harbian, despite his intelligence, was often seen as detached from the world, only finding interest in things that entertained him. His pursuits ranged from noblewomen to anonymous princesses from distant kingdoms.

“Found something else that piques your interest?” Palton asked, intrigued by Harbian’s sudden change of heart. It was well-known that Harbian only sought amusement, even in matters of power, such as his sudden interest in marrying into the Ergen family—not out of ambition, but because he thought it might be fun.

Harbian’s smile widened, his expression as cold as winter snow despite his golden hair and eyes. Palton always found this contrast fascinating. “Not bad,” Harbian finally answered, cryptically.

“How was she?” Palton pressed, curious about Duke Ergen’s daughter, a woman surrounded by many rumors. Harbian lowered his gaze, then chuckled softly.

“It seems she doesn’t like me,” Harbian said, amused. Palton frowned, perplexed by Harbian’s reaction. To enjoy being disliked—such a perverse sense of humor.

“Palton, send a letter to the Ergen family. Inform them that I’ll be visiting soon,” Harbian ordered as he left the basement, a smile lingering on his lips. “I look forward to seeing my future wife.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Raylenne, unaware of the situation, arrived at Aiden’s cell as usual.

“Aiden, I’m going to visit Miss Lavita’s house tomorrow. I’ll come here late in the afternoon,” Raylenne said cheerfully.

“You’ve been meeting her quite often lately,” Aiden noted.

Raylenne nodded, recalling that this was already her fourth meeting with Lavita. Since their first private encounter, she had visited Lavita’s mansion, where they played card games and enjoyed delicious food, making for delightful times. It had been a while since Raylenne, in her current form, had spent time with someone her age, and she found it refreshing and enjoyable. Lavita’s personality meshed well with hers, making their conversations flow effortlessly.

Their third meeting was just as enjoyable. They had a picnic in a nearby park, chatting away without noticing the time. Raylenne hadn’t realized she could be so talkative.

Everything was going well until Raylenne’s expression suddenly hardened. “But there’s a problem.”

“What is it?” Aiden asked.

“I can’t bring myself to talk to Lavita about the child,” Raylenne admitted, feeling guilty. She had intended to naturally bring up the topic of the child with Lavita, but every time she tried, she couldn’t do it. She felt bad about prying into Lavita’s personal affairs and guilty about using her for her own purposes.

Seeing Raylenne’s troubled expression, Aiden smiled faintly, a rare sight. Raylenne frowned at his reaction.

“Why are you laughing?” she asked, feeling that he wasn’t taking her serious concern seriously.

“It’s just that you’re doing so well, worrying seems unnecessary,” Aiden explained, his tone a mix of praise and mild amusement.

Raylenne hesitated, unsure how to react to his response, which seemed both complimentary and dismissive. Before she could say anything, Aiden continued, “If you approach her with genuine intentions, I’m sure Lavita will eventually share her hidden secrets with you.”

“Do you think so?” Raylenne asked, doubt creeping into her voice.

“Yes, there’s no need to rush things,” Aiden reassured her.

“I know, but I’m anxious because I don’t know when the talks of a marriage with Harbian might resume,” Raylenne confessed.

Aiden gently brushed her hair, the glossy strands falling softly. “You’re doing great, Raylenne.”

His smile was radiant, almost angelic, making Raylenne blink in surprise. ‘What is this…?’ she thought, momentarily captivated by Aiden’s aura, which seemed to have a halo effect behind him. She quickly averted her gaze, fearing her thoughts might be visible on her face.

“Aiden! Do you know what I brought today?” Raylenne exclaimed, eager to change the subject.

Of course, Aiden couldn’t know since she hadn’t shown him yet. But given Aiden’s occasionally exceptional sense of smell, he might have guessed.

“…”

“Can’t you smell it today?” Raylenne teased. In truth, she knew he probably couldn’t smell it, as the food was wrapped and didn’t have a strong scent. But she was curious to see if Aiden could still identify it.

Aiden raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I’m not a dog,” he replied dryly.

“But you often notice my scent,” Raylenne countered.

“That’s because it’s your scent, Raylenne,” Aiden said, looking away awkwardly.

Ah… That makes sense, Raylenne thought, realizing her mistake. As the tension in the cell threatened to rise again, Raylenne quickly pulled the food from her pocket. The food, wrapped in semi-transparent paper, was round, dark chocolate.

“I brought chocolate!” she announced proudly.

At the Ergen mansion, Raylenne had been careful about her diet and avoided desserts, but meeting Lavita frequently had rekindled her taste for sweets. Especially this chocolate, which stirred faint memories from her past life and felt oddly nostalgic.

And then, she thought of Aiden. Although she had sneaked various foods to him in this dark prison, she had never brought him any desserts.

“How does it look? Are you excited?” Raylenne asked, pretending not to notice Aiden’s indifferent gaze.

As she unwrapped the chocolate and picked up a piece with her fingers, some melted onto her hand. ‘Oh,’ she thought, realizing the chocolate had melted slightly in her pocket. Looking at the melted chocolate on her hand with a somewhat distressed expression, Raylenne handed the entire package to Aiden.

“Here, eat this. I’ll go wash my hands,” she said, starting to leave.

But just as she was about to go, Aiden grabbed her hand, stopping her.