CH 41

Clearly, the moneylenders who appeared out of nowhere and charged the Waieos with debts were astounding. However, it was already within the predictable range for Aster, who knew Simon’s temper. It was surprising that he had been quiet all this time.

So when he found out about it, Aster gave a brief instruction. Pay off the debt with the Sestein family and destroy the designed contract. But suddenly, Jayra, whom he had attached to Elusiana, came to visit him?

“There must be a problem.” Aster raised his eyebrows slightly. At his gaze, Jayra straightened his back like a knight being disciplined.

“…That’s right.”

“I see. What’s the problem?”

Jayra, who thought it was time to tell, closed his eyes tightly. After that gentle question, he guessed that Aster’s relentless hand would come to him, and his heart, which had only the size of chestnuts, beat in two at the thought. Hu, huu— Let’s calm down.

Jayra, who clasped her wet hands once again, managed to part his mouth, which closed tightly like being glued.

“Lady came to the ‘Dream-seeking Paradise’ today.”

“Then?”

“S-she arrived before I processed your order…”

Aster’s bloody red eyes tilted slowly. It made Jayra reflexively back away.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

Aster twisted the corner of his mouth and tilted his upper body forward. “So now, you let my precious Lusi into a place with no safeguards, is that right?”

Jayra’s face quickly turned pale at the chill emanating from Aster. Then, Louis stepped forward.

“It looks like Sir Deputy Magician has brought something, but can I bring it here?”

Jayra, who almost lost his mind, nodded to Louis. Didn’t he bring it to avoid this moment? Without a moment to delay, he lifted the thing he had tucked away in the corner of the office into the air. After it was dragged dangerously, it soon fell to the ground.

Thud.

“What is this?”

A man they had never seen before was sleeping quietly, being tied to a rope.

Jayra answered, calming down his pounding heart. “He is the owner of Dream-seeking Paradise.”

Aster’s red eyes sank darkly. “I was wondering who he was. Good.”

Snap. Aster snapped his first and third fingers. At that moment, Painen, who had fainted, opened his eyes in surprise.

“Ha, ha, ha.”

“Are you coming to your senses?”

“W-who are you!”

Painen, freaked out by the sudden voice, turned his head to the place where he heard the sound. However, he couldn’t move as he wanted because his body was stuck on the floor. Panicked, he quickly glanced around. Surely enough, this wasn’t his office. The unrealistic reality gave Painen goosebumps on his spine.

C-come to think of it, it looked like someone entered my room before I passed out… K-kidnapper! Painen swallowed dry saliva and slowly turned his head. A person with a beautiful figure, as unfamiliar as this place, was looking down at him with an arrogant gaze.

W-who is it? It was his first time seeing him. However, not only one or two people had a grudge against him, so he couldn’t think of it right away.

Painen’s confused eyes scrutinized the man as if searching for an answer. An excessively dignified appearance. Come to think of it, it seemed monotonous, but the scenery in the elegant room was also unusual. Painen’s eyes shook sharply as he looked at the handsome man once more. Silver hair with a subtle blue… and r-red eyes?

Grand Duke Sestein! The wild throb of his beating heart made Painen feel as if he would stop breathing at any moment. He struggled to keep his composure. His life couldn’t be guaranteed if it was something to do with the Sestein family, who didn’t care about common sense.

I have to be calm. Painen’s brain rolled fast. They brought him, but they didn’t kill him yet. What he can conclude from that one fact is that… They need me. For whatever reason, it was clear that these people needed his existence.

Painen spoke politely as if he had swallowed his fear. “…If you need my help, I will gladly accept it.”

Painen bowed himself and performed an example of obedience. He was the one who used to be the leader who couldn’t be offended by anyone, but this time, he came against the wrong opponent.

Aster looked at the back of Painen’s head and smiled coldly. “Good. I’ve just decided on your usefulness.”

“I-I will follow your will with all my heart.”

Painen bowed his head further with a conciliatory smile.

“Your business will be taken care of by me.”

“…Pardon?”

An airy half-word escaped from Painen’s mouth, who had been maintaining his composure.

“W-what do you mean?”

The bloody eyes shimmered with a golden light. That moment— splatter. Blood ran out after a slight time difference. Although the grotesque scene made you feel sick, Aster smiled faintly and recited in a low voice.

“So, why are you touching mine?”

“…!”

Jayra held his breath instantly when he saw a body whose neck had fled. If he hadn’t brought the owner, even belatedly, he would have ended up like that. Jayra swallowed his saliva and took a deep breath.

“Take it away.”

“Yes, yes!”

Jayra quickly cast a spell. A light green flame resembling his hair ignited, and the body was incinerated without a trace.

“…” Carefully holding his trembling hands, Jayra glanced at Aster. He had no idea what that expressionless face was thinking.

“What about Lusi?”

“She went into the mansion.”

“…nothing special happened, right?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

As Aster frowned uncharacteristically, Jayra glanced at Louis, hoping he would do something about it. Louis let out a low sigh, shook his head, and spoke his words.

“What is Your Excellency going to do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not going to cover it up like this, are you?”

“There is nothing else to do but cover it up. It’s over if the owner of the moneylender dies.”

Louis paused for a moment, then said to Aster’s sour reply, “Wouldn’t the smart lady suspect it? She might think the moneylender is working on something else.”

“Working on something else? What do you mean by it?”

His eyes were so curious that it was hard to believe he was the same person as the one who had just blown someone’s head off. The bright red eyes sparkled as if they were really curious.

“The owner, Painen, wanted to get the lady. He was probably thinking of putting the lady up as a slave market item. No, maybe it’s something that is already written in the contract.”

Bang! Aster, who hit the desk with both hands, fired up with rage. The face of his fine beauty quickly turned like a demon.

“Slave market?”

Aster stared at the floor where Painen had been before and twisted his lips. “I killed him too easily. I should have sliced him finely.” Unlike his calm voice, a brutal aura was emitted.

Jayra, who was next to him, was startled by the brutal aura and shouted inwardly, Madman! Just being near him was suffocating, and his skin seemed to melt down.

Louis, on the other hand, answered without changing a single color. “If it became known that the owner of ‘Dream-seeking Paradise’ had disappeared, the same industry would try to preoccupy the list of debts they owned. Of course, the lady’s debt wouldn’t be an exception.”

Aster frowned and glared at Louis. “So, what does this old man want to say?”

“Hasn’t Your Excellency already decided?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Take over as the moneylender.”

“That’s crazy.” Aster, who swept away his silvery hair, said in a more subdued voice, “Did you take what I said to that guy seriously?”

“This is a moneylender officially registered with the Ministry of Finance. If you work behind it and don’t show up, there won’t be any problem. Even if you get caught, what would they say?”

“It’s enough if I incinerate the debt list and pass the list over. With that, I can solve it all together. Nevertheless, is there a need to take over the moneylender?”

“Wouldn’t her ‘contract’ legally belong to Your Excellency?”

“…Lusi is mine anyway, Louis.”

Aster, who strangely twisted the corner of his mouth, recited in a low voice. “That fact doesn’t change.”

“Then I have to remind you of another problem.”

Aster frowned as if he didn’t like it. “What?”

“How are you going to bring her here?” Louis chuckled as he threw the appetizing bait.

* * *

Aster looked out the window when everyone had left the office.

“Please take over the moneylender business. As for the way to meet the lady, I will proceed as Your Excellency said.”

Although it was a little too cheeky, Louis’s proposal was very sweet.

“You mean I can meet Lusi soon?”

Aster’s face, which reflected on Louis’s words, showed a sign of excitement. He seemed to be in a great mood.

Aster opened the window wide. The corners of his mouth were gently drawn in. The eerie smile that had been made when Painen was killed had already disappeared.

Sunset dyed red. The sky was the same color as the day he confessed to Elusiana that he liked her. Just in time, a warm breeze passed through Aster’s hair. His hair, which was black, was now fluttering with a silvery blue color.

Aster Miriam Sestein. The man who used to be called Astein smiled with a more beautiful face than before. He carefully brought up the sweet memory and repeated the name he had dreamed of ‘Elusiana’.

He muttered in a low voice as he took out the lisianthus necklace she had gifted him. “See you soon, Lusi.”