Time of the Blind Beast - Chapter 39

The errand runner disguised as a merchant had no interest in her. He was merely observing her because she was the closest person to Ezekiel. Merlot’s true target was Ezekiel.

Just like that man, Akenaus Valdemaira.

“I’ll tell the major that a spy from Claris has infiltrated.”

“Wait a moment, miss.”

Merlot hastily interrupted, cutting off her words.

“It’s true that I came from Claris’s Valdemaira, but the one I serve is not Lord Akenaus. You’ve got it wrong.”

Seemingly frustrated, Merlot even waved his hands vigorously as he strongly defended himself.

“I came under orders from His Excellency.”

“His Excellency…?”

Rose pondered the unexpected honorific that Merlot had used.

His Excellency Valdemaira. There was only one person in the Valdemaira family addressed with that title.

The father of Ezekiel and Akenaus.

In other words, the one who had sent Merlot was the head of the Valdemaira family.

That explained why Merlot had so readily responded to Rose’s provocation. In the end, he had the backing of the greatest authority, relying on that power.

“Of course, Lord Akenaus could have secretly sent someone as well. But I am not one of them.”

Even so, it didn’t change the fact that he was secretly spying on Ezekiel’s affairs through illegitimate means.

“After all this time? And for what reason would His Excellency take an interest now?”

Ezekiel had endured the harsh winter here alone. This current spring was nothing more than a small reward for surviving that ordeal.

“No parent could completely ignore a child who has all but severed ties with his family and disappeared to a foreign land.”

“There were other options. He could have sent a letter first or made an official visit under the Valdemaira name.”

“If he had sent a letter, Lord Ezekiel would have burned it without reading. And if he had requested a visit, he would have been beaten and thrown out. If you had seen how he behaved at the main estate, you would probably agree with me.”

“So, you came pretending to be a fruit merchant? The fruit was just an excuse to access the estate?”

It had seemed odd that he managed to bring in high-quality fruit so consistently every day. Now, it made sense. With the Valdemaira family backing him, supplying whatever Ezekiel needed would have been effortless.

“Yes. Honestly… I prepared disguises as a tailor, a rifle salesman, a hunting dog supplier, even a construction worker, yet the only thing this estate needed was fruit, and I found out that was because of you. It was quite a surprise.”

Merlot shrugged his shoulders.

“But thanks to that, I managed to enter the estate without issue.”

“And what was your intention in searching the drawing room and bedroom?”

“It wasn’t so much an intention as a necessity. First, I needed to get a rough grasp of how Lord Ezekiel was living. I had detailed information about what the estate used to look like, so I needed to check how much it had changed and assess his current state. I didn’t touch any valuables.”

“I know. If anything had been stolen, Madam Serva would have noticed immediately. But it doesn’t add up that after all this careful preparation, you only came to quietly check on the major’s well-being.”

There was still something this errand runner wasn’t revealing. Rose watched him closely, waiting for his answer.

“How should I explain this…? Let’s just say… a sense of responsibility.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“In truth, His Excellency bears some responsibility for the ambush on Lord Ezekiel.”

“Responsibility?”

“Lord Akenaus apparently overheard His Excellency comparing his two sons. Saying that the eldest was a coward and that the younger one should be the one to lead Valdemaira. While Lord Ezekiel was making great achievements on the battlefield, Lord Akenaus remained in Claris. Well, the excuses don’t matter—we all know he was just hiding to avoid going to war. Publicly, Lord Ezekiel’s reputation far outshone his.”

“So…?”

“Yes, so he must have felt a sense of crisis that if he did nothing, his younger brother would surpass him and take Valdemaira from him. That’s likely why he acted first, using that mysterious woman as his pawn.”

An errand-runner. A mysterious woman.

Rose froze as her past resurfaced without giving her a moment to brace herself.

“You may not know much about what’s happening at the main estate since you’ve cut ties with Claris, but it has been quite tumultuous. Especially among the subordinates from the ‘King’s Army’—their sentiments are far from favorable. There was even an instance where I barely managed to stop one of the soldiers from challenging a duel at a club, and another time, a bullet was fired from somewhere. After investigating, it was claimed to be an accident from a nearby shooting contest, but the truth remains uncertain. After all, Lord Ezekiel’s unit is renowned for marksmanship and ambush tactics. And he himself is one of the finest sharpshooters. In any case, there was no physical evidence, only suspicions, so it was brushed aside.”

Knowing that Akenaus had not spent his days in peace while Ezekiel had been suffering in self-imposed confinement, writhing in the agony of his blindness, was at least some form of consolation.

Based on the letters exchanged with Montcalm, Ezekiel had never given his subordinates any orders to avenge him. He was the kind of man who had to exact revenge with his own hands to be satisfied.

Most likely, his devoted subordinates had taken it upon themselves to attempt personal retaliation, omitting such actions from their reports since they had not been commanded to act.

“Of course, Lord Akenaus did go on a rampage, insisting he had to confront Lord Ezekiel immediately in Derosa. Fortunately, His Excellency intervened and stopped him.”

Merlot had chosen his words carefully to preserve the dignity of the main estate, using “confront” instead of what was undoubtedly intended—retribution.

And if Akenaus had indeed come to Derosa, he would have recognized her at first sight. Only two men had ever seen Rose’s face without needing anyone else to explain who she was—Akenaus, who had personally arranged the assassination, and Ezekiel, whom she had attacked.

No one had realized how close the fragile peace had come to shattering entirely. The fact that it hadn’t was an immense relief.

Rose barely managed to steady her staggering thoughts.

“I see.”

“And so, His Excellency’s wish is—”

Finally, they arrived at the main point.

Rose fell silent, focusing entirely on Merlot’s next words.

After taking a measured breath, the man spoke, “You are no longer a Valdemaira. Never set foot in Claris again. Disappear to a place beyond reach and live quietly.”

…What did he just say?

Her heart plummeted at the very first words.

Before Rose, who had turned pale, Merlot continued reciting the words he had committed to memory.

“Discipline the subordinates who recklessly provoke Valdemaira. In return, you will be provided with enough wealth to live in comfort for a lifetime. However, since you no longer bear the Valdemaira name, you cannot claim any authority within the family, and should anything happen to Lord Akenaus, you will be held responsible. His Excellency wishes to have these terms officially notarized… That is the message I was sent to deliver. Though I was unable to find a direct means to contact Lord Ezekiel, this is the purpose of my visit.”

It wasn’t just a severance—it was a declaration so thorough it felt almost merciless.

For a while, Rose stood frozen in shock, struggling to find her voice before she finally managed to speak.

“Wait a moment. You’re telling me that his father has decided to completely disown his own son?”

“There is no other way. Do you think His Excellency finds it easy to sever his own flesh and blood? But he cannot afford to lose both sons. When it has come to the point where his children are on the verge of a life-and-death struggle, His Excellency is no longer just a father—he is the head of the family, and he must protect it.”

Her throat tightened once more.

Again.

It was happening again.

Her breath became erratic, her vision blurred, and her limbs refused to obey her.

The signs of suffocation. Sometimes, guilt strangled Rose like this. And when Ezekiel paid the price for her sins, the weight of that guilt became unbearable.

Summoning every ounce of courage, Rose protested, “Don’t you think this is too hasty? The Major has been making every effort to recover.”

“I know. I looked into it before coming to the estate. Rumors have spread across the area that he has summoned dozens of doctors. And yet, the conclusion remains the same—none of them have dared to take up the challenge.”

And despite that, Valdemaira had chosen to cut ties with Ezekiel.

Why did misfortune keep falling upon that man?