“Your Highness Zachary, isn't it unbecoming of a gentleman to speak ill of others behind their backs?” Reginald gracefully leapt down from the large windowsill above the corridor, his black coat tracing an elegant arc through the air. As he landed, moonlight bathed his striking features, giving him an almost sinister allure. “Young Master Brandon and Miss Martha are already seated in the main hall, discussing tonight's attack. It seems they've made some headway. Aren't you going to listen in?”Zachary froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden interruption. But quickly recovering his composure, he turned to Miranda, offering her a respectful bow, his hands clasped in a formal gesture. “In that case, we shall meet in the hall shortly.”With that, he turned on his heel and hurried away without another word, leaving Miranda and Reginald alone in the dimly lit corridor.“Miranda, I had no idea you were so intrigued by my private matters. Since you're curious, why not ask me direct
In the grand and spacious hall, thick candles, as wide as an arm, were lit, illuminating the entire room in bright light. Occasionally, someone would enter, bringing with them the night breeze from outside, causing the candle flames to flicker and dance. The hall alternated between brightness and shadows, casting an unreadable expression on the faces of those inside.When Reginald entered, the flames flickered even more violently.A stunningly beautiful smile graced Reginald's face as he glanced around, his captivating eyes shimmering. Yet, seeing this dangerously charming smile, the hidden guard, Hendrik, subtly stepped back, concealing himself. Those familiar with Duke Reginald knew well: the more beautifully and wickedly he smiled, the more intense his anger was. It also meant that someone would soon pay the price as a release for his fury.He had no desire to be the one to stand out.But who had managed to provoke Duke Reginald to this degree?Just as he pondered this, light foots
"Ah, I haven't properly introduced Miss Miranda and Brandon, have I?" Zachar chuckled, "Actually, the two of you might have already met. I believe Brandon recognized Miss Miranda, but Miss Miranda might not have recognized Brandon, am I right? Haha, Miss Miranda, Brandon here is the head of the chess club. He's been undefeated for years, but it seems he finally met his match with you. Brandon, are you willing to admit defeat?"Brandon bowed slightly and said calmly, "I admit it."Miranda was momentarily taken aback. Brandon is the head of the chess club?"It was just because the head of the club was kind enough to go easy on me," Miranda quickly added, genuinely.Brandon shook his head and replied, "I never go easy on anyone."Reginald, who clearly knew of Brandon’s position as head of the chess club, wasn't surprised at all. He smiled as he looked around at the group and then suddenly spoke, "Since Prince Zachar is introducing Miss Miranda to everyone, why stop halfway? Let me fill i
"Your Highness Zachary, your tactic of playing the thief to catch the thief is quite clever. You must have predicted that, with my unruly nature, if I were questioned by a mere merchant, I’d be irritated and refuse to respond. That way, your scheme would fall perfectly into place. I imagine that's why you pushed Mr. Brandon so hard to confront me. Your Highness, have I got it right?"As Reginald exposed the plot, Zachary’s face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger.Brandon, meanwhile, furrowed his brows, deep in thought, his expression heavy with doubt.“Judging by your expression, Your Highness, I’d say I hit the mark. But you’ve gone about this all wrong.” Reginald shook his head, his displeasure obvious. Just when the crowd expected him to accuse Zachary of framing him, he surprised them by saying, “If you wanted to frame me, you should have let me know in advance. That way, I could’ve played along. After all, with my reputation, what’s one more murder? We’ve known each ot
As Miranda was called upon, she had no choice but to turn her head, pretending she hadn't heard their previous conversation. Feigning confusion, she said, "Sorry, I was talking to Miss Martha and didn’t quite catch what you were saying. Something about dealing with someone? A villain, perhaps? I remember my mother always said, ‘One should never be petty or overly calculating, or else it would be quite unbecoming!’" She nodded vigorously, as if to add weight to her words.It would be quite unbecoming? Reginald's eyes slowly narrowed, gleaming with a sharp light. Mi-ran-da!"Well then, Your Highness Zachary, Mr. Brandon, I’ve said all I need to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Reginald added.Brandon lowered his gaze, lost in thought. Although the Duke of Reginald had acted frivolously before, but a person's trustworthiness wasn’t only about their attitude."Oh, that reminds me, I'm quite curious about something," Reginald said, tapping his forehead. "His Highness Zacha
Zachary was inwardly anxious but maintained a calm façade as he said, "Lord Reginald, you misunderstand. I have always despised traitors, so when you mentioned a spy among my people, I couldn't help but react. But I assure you, this assassination attempt has nothing to do with me."This time, Reginald merely smiled slightly without further argument, turning his gaze toward Brandon with an amused look.Brandon was deep in thought, his expression shifting subtly. After a long pause, he finally composed himself, cupped his hands, and said, "Duke Reginald, you must be joking. His Highness Zachary is known for his generosity and noble character. I have long shared a close relationship with him, and I trust that he would never act in such a way."Hearing this, Zachary let out a quiet sigh of relief."Oh?" Reginald looked at him with a faint smile. "Perhaps in the past, no. After all, he has benefited greatly from your support each year. But things are different now. Lord Ivan has been dispa
The two nobles were using Martha as a pawn in their power struggle, clearly aware that she was Brandon's weak spot. If he upset either one of them, Martha would be in grave danger.His Highness Zachary’s request for money was urgent, and Brandon couldn’t refuse it; otherwise, Zachary wouldn’t spare Martha.As for Duke Reginald’s request for funds, Brandon absolutely couldn’t agree to it in front of Zachary. Doing so would be like playing both sides, making each party push him harder. Neither would protect him; instead, they’d both exploit him. Therefore, he had to refuse Reginald outright. However, Reginald was unpredictable—though his words might seem casual, there was no telling whether he would truly threaten Martha. Brandon needed to find a way to smooth things over privately. The problem was that Reginald's unpredictable nature even made him difficult for the king to handle. Who could possibly persuade him not to cause trouble for Martha?Brandon pondered nervously and suddenly r
Zachary, unaware of the finer details, thought Brandon was just giving tips on how to care for Martha because of her health. He nodded at Miranda and left with a smile. Brandon gently stroked Martha’s hair and said, “You must be tired. Go rest early. I need to speak with Miss Miranda.”Martha, the most innocent in the hall, was the only one who didn’t notice the tense talks. She had no idea about the trouble she had caused. Though she didn’t want to leave, she nodded and obeyed.Soon, only Brandon and Miranda were left. Brandon sighed and spoke directly, “Miss Miranda, I think you heard the earlier talk. Martha is in danger, and I need your help. Could you speak to Duke Reginald for her?”Miranda hesitated. She wasn’t Martha, and the tense talks earlier had not escaped her. She liked Martha’s kind and gentle nature and didn’t want her caught in the crossfire. But—“Mr. Brandon, I want to help, but I’ve only met the Duke a few times. I doubt I can sway him.”Reginald was driven by whims