IHDOE Ch 102

[Noble] "Count Bron seems to view your investment proposal favorably. Discovering that Lady Satina is your daughter appears to have earned his trust."

[Noble] "Her status as the Crown Prince's fiancée holds considerable sway, after all."

[Noble] "Although he was initially suspicious of the business you presented, mentioning House Bersabet's involvement changed his mind. At this rate, Count Bron's fortune will fall into your hands shortly."

In a darkened room, a group of nobles gathered around Baron Galle, conversing in eager whispers. He recognized every single face from the restaurant earlier that day. Satina's father listened to their words in silence.

Publicly, he was known merely as a man fortunate enough to marry the master of a merchant guild, possessing neither notable wealth nor power of his own. Yet everyone in this room watched him closely, carefully gauging his reaction.

[B. Galle] "Wonderful. This is all thanks to your efforts."

Baron Galle fell silent for a moment before offering a faint smile. At last, the mood in the room relaxed, and the nobles exchanged brightened expressions.

[Noble] "I-Indeed. Count Bron's suspicious nature made things quite difficult for us as well, including arranging that accidental encounter at the restaurant today."

[Noble] "Ahem. So regarding that... what about our interest..."

[B. Galle] "Naturally, I shall forgive your interest in proportion to the effort you expended this time. Handle this matter well, and I shall waive the initial sum as well."

[Noble] "Thank you!"

Baron Galle sneered as he looked at their eager faces.

Fools.

Every noble in the room was an idiot. Otherwise, they wouldn't have run up massive debts at gambling dens, only to come crawling to him for loans.

Of course, he was the one who had orchestrated the loss of their entire fortunes at those very dens in the first place.

The Galle Merchant Guild served merely as a deception. His true identity was the boss of The Dark Grasp, a syndicate gaining infamous notoriety. The guild was nothing more than a facade built to launder his illicit wealth.

No matter how noble a person claimed to be, they cowered before money. By using ruined nobles who had lost their fortunes as his foot soldiers, he steadily expanded his influence.

Yet dissatisfaction still lingered within him. The men he controlled through debt were merely hollow nobles holding empty titles. Reaching prestigious nobles who possessed true power—like Duke Ascalon or Countess Sorwen—proved far from easy.

Although he had managed to entangle Grand Duchess Duskel in debt by chance, if a high noble of her standing decided to act against him, he would face execution without the chance to utter a single excuse.

Rising higher required a means to squeeze others legally, rather than relying on illicit schemes like gambling.

Using Grand Duchess Duskel carries far too much risk. How should I proceed from here?

Just then, news regarding Satina sparked an idea.

Ah, come to think of it, such a child existed.

He had paid little attention to Satina after the divorce, knowing she had accompanied her mother to House Bersabet.

Why bother caring for a child ridiculed in social circles and shunned by House Bersabet?

Yet if society recognized her as a true ducal daughter rather than a disgraced outcast, everything changed.

Upon looking into the matter, he discovered that Sharlan doted on Satina more attentively than a biological sister. If that was the case, he could exploit her in countless ways.

Thus, he requested a favor from Grand Duchess Duskel to arrange an accidental reunion with Satina, allowing him to play the role of a devoted father. Although she acted cold at first, her soft heart remained unchanged from childhood.

With her stepfather, Duke Bersabet, currently missing, exploiting Satina's reputation would make his rise to the top effortless.

The venture involving Count Bron served as his first step.

Although structured to appear lucrative for Count Bron on the surface, the moment he signed the contract, he would incur devastating losses, forced to surrender his entire fortune for a pittance.

Although Count Bron had been suspicious of the proposal initially, learning of his blood relation to Satina began to change his mind.

He looked at the foolish nobles before him.

[B. Galle] "Now then. Only a few days remain until Count Bron signs the contract, so please exert a bit more effort moving forward."

---

As they concluded their discussion and exited the room, the nobles aired their complaints.

[Noble] "Dammit, my hand turned out terribly that day of all days. Had I drawn good cards back then, I wouldn't be answering to a fellow like him."

[Noble] "Still, it will end soon, will it not? Once Count Bron signs the contract, we are free."

[Noble] "Haha, instead he will be bled dry in our place. At any rate, that woman Satina is pitiable. Just as her situation seemed to improve, her father recognized her and attached himself like a leech."

[Noble] "By the way, Viscount Seilum. Are you coming to play cards today as well? I have a great feeling today. Heh, if things go well, I might hit the jackpot this time."

Viscount Seilum shook his head.

[V. Seilum] "No, not today. I had an ominous dream last night. I saw my deceased father standing before his grave, scolding me and asking why I had arrived so soon."

[Noble] "Tsk, a sinister dream indeed. Understood. See you next time then."

Viscount Seilum parted from his companions and headed home. He opened the door to his carriage.

An unfamiliar man awaited him inside. The stranger had a pale face, dark eyes, and black hair, with a slave brand etched into his neck.

[V. Seilum] "Wh—!"

He attempted to flee with a scream, but the man yanked him forcefully into the carriage.

The door slammed shut, and the carriage departed toward an unknown destination.

[V. Seilum] "Wh-What are you doing?! Hey!"

As the viscount shouted, the man pressed a cold blade against his neck and whispered.

[Katan] "Shh, stay quiet."

When the man's hand brushed his nape, it felt as cold as a corpse.

[V. Seilum] "What do you want?! If it is money, I will give you as much as you wish!"

[Katan] "I have no need for such things. It is that my master wishes to meet you."

[V. Seilum] "Who on earth is your m-master..."

[Katan] "You will discover shortly. So remain still."

Katan applied pressure to the dagger, slicing the skin and sending blood trickling down the Viscount's nape. He trembled in terror, lacking even the courage to fight back.

Before long, the carriage arrived at a cemetery on the outskirts of town.

When Viscount Seilum stepped out of the carriage beneath the dark night sky, a striking woman welcomed him. The very woman he had been gossiping about moments ago.

The man who had held a blade to his neck stepped smoothly to her side.

[Katan] "I brought him as you commanded, My Lady."

[Satina] "Good work, Katan."

She sat in the middle of the graveyard, offering Viscount Seilum a warm smile.

[Satina] "Welcome, Viscount."

The Viscount surveyed his surroundings with a bewildered expression. A dreary silence hung over the deserted cemetery.

He had been dragged here completely alone, with neither coachman nor servant in sight. Flustered as he was, he managed to raise his voice and shout.

[V. Seilum] "Lady Satina! What on earth is the meaning of this?!"

[Satina] "Please understand. Having a candid conversation with you required this step."

[V. Seilum] "What...!"

[Satina] "What scheme are you cooking up with my father?"

The Viscount gasped in shock as his heart dropped.

[V. Seilum] "Wh-What scheme...?! You know your father better than anyone!"

[Satina] "Viscount, I told you. I wish to have a candid conversation with you."

She chuckled.

[Satina] "I shall grant you one more chance. I hope you think carefully before answering. Even without you, I have plenty of others to ask, such as Viscount Line or Count Prowill."

The Viscount stood frozen in astonishment as the names of the nobles he had just met fell from Satina's lips.

[Satina] "So, has your mind changed a bit?"

Yet he could hardly spill everything to her.

Despite the dramatic setting of the cemetery, the Satina in his mind was still a weak noble lady who had not even slaughtered a chicken with her own hands, easily swayed by affection for her father.

Convinced that such a woman would never actually harm him, the Viscount shouted.

[V. Seilum] "I know nothing!"

[Satina] "Dear me, you chose that path in the end. In that case, it can't be helped."

Satina offered a regretful look and cued Katan with a glance. He immediately bound the Viscount's arms with heavy rope.

[V. Seilum] "Wh-What are you doing?!"

He twisted his body to resist, but Katan's strength was so formidable that the viscount couldn't budge.

Katan dragged the tightly bound viscount behind Satina. There, a deep, freshly dug pit came into view.

[V. Seilum] "..."

The Viscount stared at the pit, his face pale with horror. Satina shrugged nonchalantly.

[Satina] "Since you refuse to speak, what choice do I have?"

Katan shoved him into the empty grave and began shoveling dirt over him.

[V. Seilum] "Are you insane?! Do you think you will remain unscathed after this?! My family is waiting for me at home right now! If they report my disappearance and investigate..."

[Satina] "Those people will report me?"

She laughed softly as she looked down at the Viscount.

[Satina] "No. Your family will not report me. From what I hear, your gambling debts are substantial and have caused your family considerable suffering. If you vanish, will your family search for a father who tormented them with debt? Or..."

A dark smile spread across her lips.

[Satina] "Will they think such a father died a good death?"

As he met her pink eyes looking down at him, a chilling shudder ran down his spine. Before he realized it, dirt covered his entire lower body.

She was serious.

Satina intended to kill him.

---

Requested by readers. If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a rating or review on KakaoPage, Naver Series, Ridi, and Novel Updates.