Chapter 109
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110.
"All preparations are complete. You need only insert the communication stones into the holes."
Julian placed the four communication stones he had brought into the evenly spaced holes carved across the massive stone slab, one by one.
"That should do it."
"Then I'll establish the connection!"
As Nadin lowered the great rod, the enormous communication stone hovering above the slab began to glow and spin with a soft whirring sound.
Moments later, two of the communication stones embedded in the stone rose simultaneously, and familiar voices poured forth.
"Hello? Hello? Your Grace?"
"What brings you to contact me at this hour?"
Upon hearing Tanisha and Robert's voices, Julian broke into a subtle smile.
"Two locations still haven't connected. Let me wait a moment longer. Ah! We have another connection!"
The instant Nadin finished speaking, another communication stone rose to life.
"I'm late because I had to slip away discreetly. Octavio has been keeping the Hounds under special watch lately."
Colin spoke in a hushed whisper.
Julian waited a bit longer for the remaining communication stone to respond, but no contact came.
"It seems the Butler is occupied with his work and can't respond. Let's begin our meeting without him. Now then, everyone show me what you've brought."
Julian smiled crookedly and leaned back against his chair.
"Then I shall take my leave."
"Yes, well done, Nadin."
As Nadin departed, he caught a glimpse of Julian sitting with crossed legs and interlaced fingers.
He thought Julian looked rather like a villainous mastermind.
"I'll speak first! At the Tanisha Company, money continues to flow in smoothly. Since Miss Rebecca said she no longer needs her share, I've been using those funds to investigate the matters you've commanded, Your Grace."
"You didn't pocket anything along the way?"
"To be honest, shouldn't that much be considered compensation for my efforts? Well, never mind that—I've examined Zeppelin Devonshire's business dealings. To cut to the conclusion, Miss Rebecca was correct about the irregularities in the ledgers. The expenditures far exceed the Earl of Devonshire's income. Recently, he even purchased an entire island outright to expand his resort ventures. I heard he's been running at a loss since the autumn ball—where on earth is all that money coming from?"
"That's precisely what you're meant to discover."
"I also have questions about the Earl's spending habits! And I suspect this may be connected to the Temple."
Colin's cheerful voice came through.
"The Temple?"
"Yes! I discovered this while tailing the Earl. He's been frequenting the Casino quite often lately, and every time he does, the Pope appears there as well. It's far too coincidental. And the Earl always leaves the Casino having lost substantial sums. Because of that, Octavio has been rather on edge lately, so I must be careful."
Julian fell into deep contemplation at Colin's words.
"The Casino... Zeppelin isn't the sort to fall prey to gambling. That's merely misdirection—the real purpose was meeting with the Pope. But what could the Pope possibly have to negotiate with the Earl of Devonshire about? A promise of donations? That doesn't explain the frequent meetings. Hmm... Perhaps they're still in the negotiation phase."
Tanisha interjected.
"Zeppelin might be in the process of persuading the Pope. Shall I look into it?"
"I appreciate the offer, but the other party is the Temple. Are you certain you'll be alright?"
"Well, that much is manageable. More pressing is this matter of Pablo—do you know of him?"
"No, I've never heard the name. Why? Is there a problem?"
"Nothing major, but he's been such a nuisance lately, constantly interfering, that he's become rather tiresome. He's a vassal of the House of Devon and oversees the wine business."
"Ah, so you're saying if I resolve this major matter, I should handle this minor obstacle for you?"
"Precisely. As expected, you understand these matters perfectly. Please take care of it."
"May I speak now, Your Grace?"
Robert cautiously opened his mouth.
Still unaccustomed to using the communication stone, the sound of it slipping from his grasp echoed repeatedly.
"Speak freely, Robert."
"Wow! Your Grace! Won't you treat me with such courtesy as well?"
Tanisha's plaintive voice came through.
"Silence. If you're dissatisfied with my manner of speech, then become a capable elder yourself. Never mind Tanisha—please continue, Robert."
"Yes... *ahem*. I've finally met with the vagrant I reported to you about previously."
"Is that so? What did he say?"
"According to him, while working on an island, he became drunk one day and rode up a mountain. Then he thought he might as well sleep in a small cave he found. As he ventured deeper into the cave, he discovered an entire village within a vast cavern. Soldiers stood guard at every entrance like an iron wall, and the cave through which he'd entered was sealed off by a landslide."
"Wait. This man has no connection whatsoever to the Earl of Devonshire?"
"It appears not. He's a foreigner of unknown nationality, and his command of our language is poor, so I couldn't understand much of what he said. But he did mention the cave was on an island currently undergoing development."
"So it's not an uninhabited island. Then how on earth did he manage to escape from there?"
"That's... rather an absurd tale, I'm afraid."
"No matter. At this moment, even a clue as small as a fingernail is desperately needed."
"He apparently mingled among the natives and barely made his way out. This part of his explanation was so convoluted that I myself couldn't fully comprehend it... In any case, what's certain is that people bearing an owl's eye mark on their foreheads helped him escape."
"An owl's eye? Then they must be followers of the Kadir Faith... How many were there?"
"He couldn't say exactly, but he claimed there were quite a lot of them."
"It may not be the island we're searching for, but rather a hidden village of Kadir Faith followers. However, since he mentioned soldiers standing guard, we cannot rule out the possibility that it's an island where Zeppelin is keeping people imprisoned. Please continue."
"In any case, when he finally made his way outside, a storm was raging. As he searched for a harbor in the darkness, he was ultimately swept away by the waves."
"Surely you don't mean he survived being swept away in a tempest? His thread of fate must be remarkably long."
"No, that's not it... He was swallowed by a whale and spent several days inside its belly before escaping through the whale's blowhole. And then he was rescued by a passing cruise ship."
"A whale? Does that even make sense? Isn't this just the ramblings of a madman?"
"Wow. That's quite an incredible adventure. But it sounds completely made up."
At Tanisha and Colin's skepticism, Robert protested with a hint of indignation.
"I did tell you it was an absurd tale! That's why I myself didn't trust everything he said at first."
"Well, miracles can happen in this vast world, can't they? It's a bit unsettling, but we have no choice but to believe him. So, does he know the location of the island?"
"He doesn't. He was merely a mercenary aboard a merchant vessel and, being ignorant of the Imperial language, knows nothing about the island itself. He does mention there were many palm trees, but what island doesn't have them?"
"Still, we've gained some useful information. Given the communication difficulties as a foreigner, you've done well. Please see to his comfort as much as possible, and inform me if any other information comes to light."
"Yes, understood. But how do I end this call?"
"Simply shout 'Shimaia' at the communication stone."
"Ah, is that so? If I shout 'Shimaia'..."
"The connection's been cut..."
As if Robert had forgotten how to activate the communication stone, no further contact came from him.
This seemed sufficient for today.
"Eek! Your Grace, someone's coming! I need to disconnect now. Shimaia!"
"What? Everyone's left but me? I do have a bit more information, but I absolutely refuse to speak with Your Grace alone, so I'm disconnecting too. Shimaia!"
Soon, blessed silence descended.
Julian pressed his fingers against his temples.
There was far more to be done than anticipated.
He had to apprehend and deal with Pablo, and he needed to investigate further into the affairs of both Zeppelin and the Pope.
Though Tanisha claimed she would exert her influence, Julian proved far more adept at investigating the Pope's background.
Moreover, by combining the clues about the madman that Robert had mentioned, they could locate the Island....
At that moment, a communication stone rose into the air above.
"Ah. Ah. Your Grace, are you still there?"
"Yes. I'm here. Butler. How did the task proceed?"
"It was completed successfully. The people sent by Montblanc Club were quite capable, weren't they? Not a single person was discovered, and the work was finished cleanly."
"The Empire will be in absolute uproar tomorrow."
"That's why an emergency state council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. His Majesty instructed everyone to make thorough preparations, as he must contend with the Church-aligned nobility."
"Damn it...."
"Pardon?"
"Never mind. You've worked hard into the late night. Get some proper rest today."
"Understood. Your Grace, you're newly married as well—please don't overexert yourself with work. Then I shall take my leave. Farewell."
"Newly married be damned...."
Exhaustion suddenly crashed over me. Dawn would break soon.
"I had hoped to spend just one day resting leisurely with Rebecca."
It seemed that sweet honeymoon bliss had slipped through my fingers.
* * *
Day broke.
Belma Dawson, the head maid, knocked carefully.
"Come in."
At the sound of Rebecca's clear voice from beyond the door, Belma's heart quickened.
She gripped the tray bearing washing water and towels tightly in her hands.
Though it was not originally her duty, her eagerness to meet Rebecca had compelled her to snatch the tray from the assigned maid.
At last, this desolate Duke's Castle had gained a mistress.
"Your Grace, I've brought the washing water...."
"Hush!"
As Belma opened the door and entered, Rebecca, who had been sitting on the bed, brought her index finger to her lips.
She fastened her robe and accepted the tray from Belma.
"It seems he overexerted himself until early this morning. Would you please inform the other servants not to wake Julian? If there are any urgent matters, bring them to me instead."
"Ah, understood."
Belma caught a glimpse of Julian lying face-down on the bed, his upper body bare.
Belma had come as the personal maid of the Previous Duchess Evelina, and she was the one who had cut Julian's umbilical cord.
Because of this, no matter how grown and mature he became, in Belma's eyes Julian would always remain a baby.
The Runaway Countess Returns
E-book Publication.
January 12, 2022
Author.
Long Night Sky
Published by.
Desert Fox
Published at.
Woongjin Thinkbig Co., Ltd.
Submissions.
naver.me/54VzzLSn
Blog.
blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox
Twitter.
@wjt_fennecfox
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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