Chapter 19: The Grand Duke Return Home Empty-Handed (2)

He stared at me for a moment before crossing his arms with a pout so shameless I nearly admired it.

"Fine. I shall not say more."

"Good."

"For now," he continued as a sorry excuse of an attempt for a comeback.

I ignored him.

The possibility was... unpleasant. Not because it ruined my plan entirely. On the contrary, it opened a different road, one that might be far more useful than simply eliminating the Crown Prince.

If the prince truly was sick and I held the means to cure him, then the situation shifted beautifully. More intricately.

It also made my previous plan look like a child throwing tantrums which left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Anyhow, a dead prince would plunge the court into chaos. A cured prince, however, would owe me. Depending on the severity of his condition, he might owe me greatly. It would be great if it becomes a life-saving debt.

Gratitude was not the strongest chain, but when reinforced with desperation, secrecy, and political isolation, it could become serviceable. Perhaps even elegant.

Still, I did not like how close this was to Abi’s ridiculous accusation.

Saving the empire.

Tch.

Disgusting.

I was not saving anything. I was merely reallocating resources.

The Crown Prince, if properly cultivated, could become a useful tool. A sitting emperor indebted to me would make acquiring influence far easier than rummaging through the Capital’s factional garbage myself.

I disliked doing menial work and he would be perfect for that.

If the Crown Prince could shoulder some of it, then allowing him to live was reasonable.

Yes. That was all. This was no mercy, it was a strategy.

The carriage finally arrived at the Elysian Estate. The gates opened without delay, and the familiar sight of the Konstantin residence greeted me with far more comfort than I cared to admit.

Unlike the imperial palace, the Elysian Estate did not attempt to blind guests with its grandeur. Its beauty was quieter, colder, and more confident.

A house that knew its worth had no need to scream.

William was waiting by the entrance, of course.

At this point, I suspected the man had long abandoned sleep as a mortal weakness. He stood in his perfectly arranged butler uniform, silver hair neatly combed, posture flawless.

Behind him were two footmen and a maid carrying warm towels and light refreshments.

Such efficient employees. I should give them a raise.

And if I ever conquered the empire successfully, William would be one of the reasons.

"Welcome back, Your Excellency. Lord Abinatha," William greeted with a bow.

"William," I acknowledged, stepping down from the carriage.

Abi followed, stretching as if he had suffered through a long campaign rather than a short carriage ride. "Human balls are exhausting."

"You spent half of it laughing at my expense" I said.

"Well, that still exhausted me emotionally."

"Your emotions are a public hazard."

William wisely pretended not to hear that.

"Has Spiro fallen asleep?" I asked.

"Yes, Your Excellency. The Young Master retired earlier as instructed. Though he waited for some time before sleep took him."

I paused. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Nightmares?"

"None so far. He seemed restless, but not distressed."

That was probably the only good news I welcome tonight.

I handed my gloves to the maid and went inside. "I will go check on him first."

William looked unsurprised. Abi, on the other hand, wore that same unreadable expression he had shown earlier before we left. It was starting to annoy me.

"What?" I asked.

Abi smiled. "Nothing."

"Your nothing is adding to my irritation."

"I find that hard to believe. Your face doesn’t look the least bit irritated. Besides, I was merely thinking that you are a very strange villain."

"I was already aware of your poor judgment. There’s no need to demonstrate it repeatedly."

He laughed and followed me down the corridor.

The estate was quiet at night, but not lifeless. Servants moved softly in the background. Lamps glowed along the walls, their light warm without being excessive.

The scent of polished wood and faint incense replaced the oppressive perfume of the palace. My nose nearly wept in gratitude.

Spiro’s temporary room was located near mine. William had chosen well as expected. It was close enough for safety, but far enough for the child to feel he had a place of his own.

I opened the door quietly.

The room was dim, lit only by a small bedside lamp. It had been furnished quickly but tastefully. A child-sized bed with soft covers. There were shelves waiting for books and a low table with paper and ink. A few toys were placed carefully in a basket, though I doubted Spiro knew what to do with them yet.

The boy was asleep, curled slightly beneath the blankets.

He looked smaller like this.

During the day, with his careful posture and too-knowing eyes, it was easy to remember that he claimed to be eight. It was easy to see the strange maturity in him and respond accordingly.

But asleep, with one hand tucked near his chin and his brows faintly furrowed, he looked painfully young.

He was just a child.

My mood soured. Whoever had treated him badly before he found his way to me would not live comfortably if I ever discovered them.

I was not an ambassador of kindness despite other people’s belief. I was an advocate of proper housekeeping. Trash should be disposed of once found.

I stepped closer and brushed a strand of pale hair away from his face. His forehead was warm but not feverish. His breathing was steady. The seal Abi placed, reckless as it had been, seemed stable.

At least that much had not become another disaster.

My gaze shifted to the small table beside the bed. A notebook rested there, closed but not perfectly aligned with the table’s edge. Ink had dried recently near the quill.

I looked at it and then at Spiro.

Could it be a diary? It seemed like it.

How unexpected.

I did not touch it. No matter how curious I was, and I admit my curiosity was a monstrous thing with sharp teeth, a child’s private thoughts were still private. If Spiro wished to tell me something, he would do so in his own time. If he did not, then I would simply find out through other means like a responsible villainous father.

There was a difference between respecting privacy and being uninformed.

A good father respected boundaries.

And a good villain gathered intelligence.

As I was both, I would have to be creative. And creativity, I dare say is something I don’t lack.

Abi leaned against the doorway, watching me with his arms crossed. His voice came softer than usual. Even he was adjusting around the child, although I’m unsure if he was aware of it or not.

"Aren’t you going to read it?"

I glanced at him. "No."

"Why?"

"Because it is his."

Abi tilted his head. "Humans are so strange. You claim ownership over people with blood and names, but not over paper they write on."

"That is because paper tends to contain things people are not yet ready to say aloud."

"And that matters?"

"It does to children, yes."

Abi was silent for a moment.

Then he smiled, not teasing this time. "You really are strange."

"I’ll take that as you confirming that I am exceptional."

"Whatever suits you."

I pulled the blanket slightly higher over Spiro’s shoulder. The boy shifted faintly, his hand tightening around the fabric.

"Father..." he murmured.

I stilled. His eyes remained closed.

A dream, perhaps.

My expression softened before I could stop it.

Damn this face. It had no respect for my image at all.

"I am here," I said quietly.

The tension on his little face eased. How troublesome.

I left the room after that, closing the door with barely a sound. William remained in the hallway, waiting with all the patience of a man who had endured three generations of Konstantins and had likely seen worse than my current circumstances. Which was impressive, considering I had acquired a Jinn brother and a son in less than two days.

"Keep a knight stationed discreetly near his room," I instructed. "Not too visibly. I don’t want him to feel imprisoned."

"Understood, Your Excellency."

"Also, have Bernard begin investigating the orphanages and slave routes connected to the eastern trade caravans. Do it discreetly."

William’s gaze sharpened.

"Do you suspect something, Your Grace?"

"I suspect many things. And most of them irritate me."

"Shall I prioritize any particular lead?"

"Start with the caravan that crossed Lorillis. There no more than few merchant companies that transport northern goods to the East. Even rarer are those with Boleoti crystals and slaves. They know I dislike that kind of filth. And yet here’s a child who got sold into a group headed for Sonomi." I paused.

"Someone wanted him gone."

Abi’s eyes flickered.

William bowed. "I will see it done, sire."

"Good."

I continued toward my study. Sleep was tempting, but my mind was too awake now. The conversation with the Crown Prince, the revelation from Abi, Spiro’s existence, and the ever-circling vultures of the Capital all moved around me like pieces on a board.

Annoying, expensive, and potentially useful pieces.

I had to sort them all out once again.