Chapter 22: Chapter 22

* * *

“baron!”

fortunately, he didn’t seem to be quitting right away, as the baron was still busily dealing with paperwork.

“ah! fersen! about last night, i’m sorry. i never thought we would say goodbye like that…”

the baron averted his eyes, clearly uncomfortable due to their unpleasant parting. but fersen cut him off and spilled out what he had to say.

“is the gold mine story true? so that’s why you dealt with antes’ company?”

“that’s right. and when i asked, they said they had no relation…”

“then give the gold mine to our company. you know we have one too! i’ll make sure to negotiate a good price without my father knowing.”

fersen cut off the baron again to say what he wanted. it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but it was annoying to be cut off in the morning by a duke, and then in the afternoon by his son.

“i appreciate your offer, but how can i just break the contract so easily? besides, the gold mine isn’t mine, it’s luna’s.”

“that’s too much! we’ve known each other for so long, and yet you’re being so cold.”

“cold? that’s not the issue. don’t say things like that. we’ve been close for so long, are we going to be upset over something like this?”

the baron was in great trouble because no one had taken care of him as much as fersen while he was working at the duke’s estate.

when the baron drew a line, fersen couldn’t hide his disappointment. he was already heartbroken for being cut off by luna without knowing why, and now with the baron acting like this, he felt like he was losing his mind.

“so in the end, i was told to give up on luna, the gold mine, and even you.”

fersen, who had slumped his shoulders, stroked his face with his palm, muttering in disappointment.

he didn’t understand how that conclusion had been reached, but seeing fersen’s face, as if he had lost everything in the world, the baron quickly comforted him.

“why are you talking so gloomily? of course not! about the gold mine… it’s already a done deal, but i’m always your friend, aren’t i!”

“do you treat your friends this way?”

“when did i ever treat you harshly? it’s just that this issue is a bit different. if there’s something else you want, feel free to tell me! if i can, i’ll accommodate it.”

the baron regretted his words after speaking them, but he couldn’t take back what was already said.

“really?”

“well… of course, if it’s something i can do.”

the baron answered uncertainly, but he did give an affirmative response. pleased, fersen held onto the arm of the baron that was draped over his shoulder.

“then, please give me the right to distribute gold.”

“distribute… gold?”

“yes. wouldn’t it be possible for the antes’ company to sell gold through our company?”

at this unexpected request, the baron furrowed his brow.

“then wouldn’t that just raise the commission? young master vincent can just sell the gold himself, why should he have to go through the dukedom’s company?”

“please save me. i got in trouble with my father over this issue.”

“…”

fersen grabbed the baron’s arm and begged, but the baron had no intention of making any concessions regarding the gold mine.

after all, the gold mine was contracted under luna’s name and he didn’t even have such authority.

“hmm…”

fersen kept asking, but the baron avoided his gaze, a clear sign of refusal. seeing this, fersen suggested a few more different methods, but after they all failed, he sighed in apparent surrender.

“understood. are you saying that you don’t have the authority?”

“that’s right. i’m just managing it under luna’s recommendation. as the young master knows, all the businesses i got involved in with personal interest have failed. i’m a person who is more helpful just doing what i’m told.”

“i see.”

fersen, too, was aware of the baron’s ‘minus hand’. so, he nodded in understanding.

even fersen, who always encourages trying new things, thought it was better for the baron to not get involved in business and just stay put.

seeing that fersen seemed to have given up, the baron regained his bright expression.

“then, could you leave now? i’m sorry but i have quite a bit of work piled up today. i want to sort out important matters before the prime minister arrives.”

but this didn’t mean their conversation was over. fersen had just given up discussing the gold mine issue with the baron, not given up on the gold mine itself.

“then, let me speak with luna.”

“…what?”

“don’t you know luna has been avoiding me for no reason? please arrange a meeting where i can speak with luna directly. not only about the gold mine, but i think we need to discuss why she is avoiding me. it’s clear that she’s being deceived by antes, so we need to have a talk.”

ugh, why was he making such impossible requests? it would have been better to just discuss the gold mine directly than involving luna.

as the baron didn’t respond and just rolled his eyes, fersen couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“baron. is it not possible this time as well?”

“i’m not exactly sure why, but how could i forcefully bring someone who is avoiding you because the person dislikes you?”

“aren’t you luna’s father?”

“being a father doesn’t mean i can force her everything.”

“but you should be forceful when necessary!”

the baron was about to reply, ‘even if so, it doesn’t seem like the right time right now,’ but swallowed his words at the sight of fersen’s annoyed face.

‘we can’t end the conversation like this.’

usually, they would have moved on and ended the conversation on a good note, but today was hopeless.

it was driving him mad that fersen, who he liked for his sociability and attachment, was being so toxic. yet, he couldn’t show his irritation to the successor of the ducal family.

“as you know, young master, luna doesn’t need to be pressured to do well. let this matter slide. maybe it was just a bad time or luck.”

“baron, didn’t you say you would listen to everything? why are you saying differently now?”

“that was ‘if it’s something i can do.’ isn’t everything you’re saying now things i can’t do?”

“to my eyes, it seems like a simple problem you can listen to.”

as the conversation reached this point, the baron realized why luna had been so irritated and asked fersen to leave.

“if it was simple, i would have listened to it already. but doesn’t this problem have to involve luna?”

“so if you let me and luna talk, won’t that be enough? i will solve it by talking directly, so please call luna.”

“…”

the baron lost his will to respond and stared at fersen with a blank face. at the same time, fersen took a seat on the sofa arranged in the corner of the office.

“i will stay here until you say you will do as i ask.”

“young master fersen!?”

“it wouldn’t be bad to stay up all night having a conversation with the baron. maybe the matter will be resolved in the meantime.”

“no, seriously!”

the baron raised his voice for the first time, but fersen didn’t flinch. he saw this situation as a trial he had to win.

i’m going insane, the baron sighed.

* * *

when luna woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. it was natural, as she fell asleep only in the early morning, waiting for the baron.

‘i wonder if my father has returned.’

he had never failed to come back by dawn. worried, she hurriedly went downstairs.

there, she saw antes leaning on the staircase railing. seeing luna, he greeted her with a refreshing smile.

“good afternoon.”

“is it already afternoon….? what time is it?”

“about eleven.”

eleven!?

luna was shocked and frozen like a stone statue, and antes handed her the cup he had been holding. it was tea with a strong mint aroma.

she took a sip, thinking it would be good for waking up. the refreshing taste seemed to clear her mind a bit. she was about to take another sip, but antes asked her with a slightly surprised look.

“is it okay to drink that much, since it’s mine?”

“…!?”

what did he just say…?

luna almost spat out the tea she had in her mouth and hurriedly covered her mouth.

no wonder the tea was a bit cold! she glared at antes while keeping her mouth shut, and he added with a chuckle.

“i didn’t drink it, though.”

“hey!”

start with that! what a surprise. why are you fooling around with people early in the morning!?

although he is not a elementary school student, he’s quite playful, isn’t he? luna, who had been annoyed for a while, calmed down and asked.

“where’s my father? have you seen him? did he go to work again while i was asleep?”

“no, he didn’t come back.”

at that, antes seriously replied, getting rid of his playful demeanor.

“…not even for a moment?”

“that’s right. not even for a moment.”

my goodness. what on earth happened?

even when he was drunk, he came home every night, ate breakfast, and left. he did this because he didn’t want luna, who lost her mother, to have breakfast alone.

but he didn’t come back to the mansion. did he have an accident?

when luna couldn’t continue, antes reassured her by taking the cup from her hand.

“fortunately, he didn’t have an accident or anything like that. it seems like he spent the night at the duke’s estate.”

“how do you know that?”

“the stable boy came back early in the morning. his name was henry, i think. he received a message saying that there had been a small issue, but there was no need to worry.”

“an issue? what issue?”

“i’m not sure about that. but he said your father was in perfect health, without a scratch.”

if henry said that, then at least he must be safe.

only then did luna feel a little relieved and relaxed her chest.

that didn’t mean she was completely at ease. it was quite strange that a problem suddenly arose.

there had been no problems for the past few decades, but suddenly there’s an issue at the timing of his retirement. it was extremely strange.

when she thought that far, anxiety washed over luna again.

fortunately, thanks to antes’ report and the tea, luna managed to collect her thoughts and started heading towards the front door.

“i need to see my father. there’s no doubt that he’s in some kind of trouble.”

“well, i don’t think you’ll be much help.”

angry at the discouraging comment, luna quickly turned to retort, but antes pointed at her clothing with a troubled expression even faster.

“seeing his daughter in pajamas would probably concern your father first.”

“…!”

oh no! she had come down without thinking, as usual!

“i was checking the weather, okay? that way, i can choose my dress! besides, i usually wear pajamas indoors!”

“i see.”

despite the clearly visible fine weather outside the window, luna nonchalantly opened and closed the front door.

“…”

antes’ gaze followed her action. luna, thinking he was laughing at her from behind his hand covering his mouth, hurriedly disappeared into her room.