Chapter 9
After acknowledging the various greetings coming my way (many of the faces I couldn't even recall), I stepped out to assess the progress of the hotel.
Despite my concerns, Wendy's Hotel was garnering positive attention, with reservations flooding in as soon as it opened.
Oddly enough, the incident involving my near-poisoning seemed to have acted as a catalyst, generating interest rather than aversion.
A place where anything can happen, truly. Considering the purpose behind Wendy's Hotel, it couldn't be more fitting.
"You have no idea how worried I was."
"It's all thanks to your brother, who handled the situation skillfully. More than that, I was concerned that Valen might get into trouble because of me."
"We're in a situation where we should be thankful our ties remain intact. In any case, I'm really relieved that you're okay."
Valentina, naturally, hadn't been dismissed from her role as my bodyguard, mentor, and friend.
I practically implored them not to let her go simply because I liked her so much. Furthermore, the incident that day was far beyond the realm of the night butterflies' typical activities.
"Thank you. I'm glad we didn't have to part ways."
"That was a bit surprising. Given those two's intensity towards you, I thought Sasha might disappear from the public for a while."
It wasn't exactly what had happened, but there was a bit of a fuss about it.
Lethias had insisted on a nonsensical set of measures, including asking me to lay low for a while, not trusting anyone, and just spending time with him alone (...).
I had to put in a fair amount of effort to convince him otherwise.
Of course, with the hotel's opening completed, I had no more design-related tasks.
Apart from its charming name, this would eventually serve as a legitimate laundering** front, replacing Valentina's salon and various other illicit activities. And I was right in the middle of it...
(**What Sasha meant by “laundering” is just money laundering. Though in the raws it’s literally just세탁소 and not 돈세탁소, which respectively are laundering and money-laundering.)
“That…”
Valentina, who was gazing around the charming and brightly adorned promenade with a relatively neutral expression, suddenly furrowed her brows slightly and rested her hand on my shoulder.
So, naturally, I turned my gaze in the direction she indicated.
A middle-aged man stood near the archway leading to the casino, feigning the act of smoking a pipe.
The janitors and guards, all attired in uniforms that concealed any semblance of impression, mood, or dubiousness, maintained vigilant watch over the opulent wealth surrounding them.
I recognized him immediately.
"Sasha?"
"I'll be back in a bit."
Valentina muttered something as if trying to hold me up, but I hurried forward.
Towards Viscount Hippolyte's location.
As I drew nearer, Jerome hastily pocketed his pipe and awkwardly tipped his hat.
"Long time no see..."
"Are you here to verify my survival once more?"
I queried cheerfully, prompting a reddish hue to tinge his pallid face. He seemed even more worn out compared to the last time I had seen him. Was he genuinely concerned that I might have met my end?
"I... I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
"Well, that's very kind of you. Quite unexpected, to be honest."
I widened my eyes in genuine surprise. Emboldened by this, Jerome stuttered on, his expression displaying a mixture of hesitancy and uncertainty.
"That... Have you managed to identify the culprit?"
"Well, we're still conducting investigations. There must be a person or two who have some inkling and deserve retribution. You're aware that I have numerous adversaries, right?"
"... I'm clarifying this in case there's any misunderstanding, but I truly have no involvement in this. No, if I had any clue from the beginning, I would have warned you."
In truth, I never even considered the possibility that Jerome was behind it. Or that their collateral family was involved. The poisoning wasn't merely an attempt at assassination.
"Perhaps you have. Did you make the trip all the way here just to say that? Or do you intend to visit the casino?"
A brief silence lingered. I counted the seconds internally, pretending to avert my gaze slightly from the Viscount, who was visibly nervous, chewing his lips and tapping his foot. One, two, three...
"... Actually, the atmosphere lately has been a bit unusual."
It must have been some time ago, not today. I paused, then reopened my eyes.
"Who? Your blood relatives?"
"Of course, you guys would notice... It seems they're trying to unravel the connection between you guys and the Night Butterflies. You should exercise caution even with this hotel."
Investigating the bond between the nobility and the night butterflies would inevitably reveal the origins of the empire's grand nobles.
While Serpente was currently aligned with the Dallas Myer Club, other factions held longstanding ties with Fibonacci.
Not only the nobles but also the royal family were intricately entwined with it, like a spider's web—so of course, none would dare to touch this delicate matter.
Moreover, behind Serpente stood the Crown Prince himself.
If someone aimed to ensnare both the Dallas Club and Serpente, they'd need to risk clashing with the Crown Prince, the foremost power within the imperial family. In other words...
"I've heard whispers about that. That's why the protection around the Second Prince has grown stronger recently. Although I don't quite understand what's so crucial about his participation in the war."
A peculiar alliance comprised of the seasoned war veteran Second Prince, and the Ducal Prince Parque who detested the notion of his sister's rumored relationship with the prince, and so various disgruntled nobles including Serpente's collateral family and Fibonacci—the original kingpin of the underworld.
It was truly a gathering of rather foolish individuals, but as per the original narrative, it proved to be a troublesome combination.
Ultimately, their own kin who orchestrated the harm they did to us was catching up with them.
The most formidable hindrance, however, was Lethias. A still-innocent Lethias, who couldn't entirely forsake his conscience.
Lethias, who grew guilt-ridden over his connection with the female lead, ended up betraying his younger brother and losing them both.
Given that I inhabited Sasha's persona, I had no intention of dispatching them so simply. Let alone ignoring the dynamic between Lethias and the female lead.
If there was a deviation between the Benya in the original work and the one here, it was when the Benya in this situation carried out the action solely because of my, or rather Sasha's, desire—knowing it was a significant mistake.
Jerome's eyes were now noticeably shaky. It seemed he wasn't expecting me to get straight to the point.
"That... Yes, well... Not too long ago, our remaining shares were confiscated due to violating the bank's code of conduct. Everyone’s shares. They invoked our refusal to bolster the Python Knights... People say you're displaying your fangs a bit too openly, leveraging the fact that you nearly died. Also, they've made inquiries with the imperial family, who allowed the personnel increase."
The Black Hand Python Knights of the Python Bank. It was evident the kind of individuals were joining their ranks, using the poisoning incident as justification.
Considering that, from its very inception, it was more akin to a bond-collecting gang than a chivalrous order, history seemed to be repeating itself.
Moreover, Jerome's attempt at offering up this information of his own volition was laughable. Did he genuinely believe he could earn forgiveness like this?
"Is that all? I appreciate your concern, but it's unnecessary. Contrary to everyone's expectations, our operations are legitimate."
Feigning a disappointed tone, I pretended to take a step back. His tone grew urgent.
"I understand if you're doubtful of my words... You see, Sasha, I realize you don't trust me yet. But I want to ensure you don't fall ill again... I'm prepared to prove the sincerity of what I mentioned."
I sighed lightly, slightly lowering my shoulders, and fixed a mournful gaze on the Viscount.
His jade-hued eyes held a mixture of pity and remorse, a sight worth beholding. Did he believe this would work? Like… really?
"Well... For now, I'll grant you some space another time. There are too many prying eyes here. Hopefully, next time you'll willingly show me what you have in mind."
Only God knew what he was referring to. I pretended otherwise and left, ignoring the guards, who were clearly monitoring us closely.
The Viscount ensnared in his own trap adjusted his hat and made his way toward the casino.
"Sasha."
Oh, what a surprise. I had almost forgotten about her. I smiled at Valentina, who leaned against the wall near the passageway entrance, her gaze fixed on me.
"Did you overhear everything?"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop intentionally. My duty is..."
"To protect me, I know. Whether you heard it or not doesn't matter to me."
Her cat-like emerald eyes locked onto mine. They appeared somewhat puzzled.
"Is this the first time the Viscount has contacted Sasha?"
"Seems like you already know who he is."
"You know there's no way I wouldn't know. But what exactly is Sasha up to with him?"
"Is that really a question you need to ask? You can just report back on who I met."
"... I thought we were friends."
"That's what I thought too. Until Valen didn't show her face to me for an entire week, as if she was deliberately avoiding me while pretending to be ill."
With a malicious tone and a pout on my face, Valentina's expression shifted from a momentary freeze to an even more confused look.
"That..."
"I understand, I understand. Valen pretended to be sick as well. Pretending to suffer as I did, to give the impression that you were being punished severely. I can guess that the reason for your pretense was to prevent any internal discord that might arise if you didn't, but regardless, I just wanted Valen to share that news with me willingly."
Valentina softly bit her lip, then returned to her usual composed demeanor and gently grasped my wrist.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Sasha. If it appeared as though internal dissatisfaction was brewing because of your actions, it could attract anyone with ill intentions towards the Serpentes to make contact with us."
"So, it's a trap. Is that what you're thinking, Valen?"
"I would say that's a possibility. What about you, Sasha?"
"We're on the same page."
"Do our goals align?"
Now Valentina wore an expression that mirrored Yann's, the one who had asked me about my true desires a few days ago. It was clear as day that these two were siblings.
"I suppose you're concerned that I might do something reckless and inadvertently harm our cherished Serpentes and the guild."
"I'm just curious about what Sasha is really involved in. Learning to handle a gun from me, and even trying to look good in front of Lady Orsini, whom you didn't need to exert much effort to gain favor with... Damn, it's none of my business, but I can't help but wonder. What secret activities are you engaged in all by yourself?"
Her unusually sharp tone brought a smile to my lips. When I let out a chuckle, Valentina responded with a self-deprecating smile of her own.
"According to my foolish brother, it seems that you and the Serpente brothers are headed in the same direction. So, tell me. This way, we'll know whether or not we should cooperate."
The siblings, Valentina and Yann, were willing to do anything for Benya.
This was consistent with the notion that he had no reservations about spilling blood and acting independently, given his position and ability to further our ultimate objective.
* * *
“Sasha! You're really doing well after all! You're truly my protector!"
As I returned to the Duke's residence in time for dinner, Lethias had just arrived back home. However, what was he holding in one hand and fluttering around like that?
"What's that, Oppa?"
"Huh? Oh, my fiancée asked me to give this to you. It's some kind of talisman from the Orsini family."
Sweet Alfonsina. I accepted the yellow pouch embroidered with a black butterfly and smiled. I'm so grateful that she's such a lovely person.
"I didn't know you two had become so close. Do you think you get along better than you expected?"
"Well, considering how kind and sweet she is... I think we really do get along well. That's such a relief."
At this, Lethias tilted his head to the side and let out a contemplative sound, scratching his wavy aqua-colored hair as he spoke in a hesitant tone.
"Is that so? So, arranged marriages aside, do you think we look compatible?"
I vigorously nodded my head. Though, my neck felt a little strained.
"Yeah, definitely. Why? Are you not feeling confident about it?"
"More than that... It's just that lately, I've been feeling a bit different. Honestly, I didn't dislike her before, but I wasn't particularly drawn to her either. We didn't seem to have much in common, and we didn't communicate well..."
"But now..."
"But seeing her these days, it's like I've been misunderstanding something. And seeing you two get along so well, it's clear she's not as haughty as I thought."
It was our bear who beamed brightly. I too wore a broad smile. Well done, ayu, well done. Let's keep moving forward like this. This is a pretty successful first step!
"She's far from haughty. In fact, I think her seeming arrogance comes from her shyness."
"Is that so?"
Just then, someone dressed as a security guard entered the hall's entrance and whispered something into the ear of the chief aide standing nearby.
Mr. Pavel, who was listening with a serious expression, soon contorted his features into an indescribable expression and gazed at me sitting at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well, Your Excellency..."
"Hmm? What's the matter? Just come in and take a rest."
"Well, that is..."
As these two were whispering discreetly, I pretended to adjust the hem of my skirt innocently, counting inside my head. One, two...
"…what?!"
Mr. Chaplin, who had come out with a cheerful expression to announce dinner time, abruptly retreated toward the dining room.
Mr. Pavel, who had conveyed those words, seemed stressed and alternated his gaze between me and his superior. As for me, I feigned surprise, widening my eyes innocently.
"That is… No, are you certain?! Is it true?!"
"Yes, yes. It's indeed true, so the fact is..."
Both men's attention converged on me. Lethias's eyes were like blazing, saucer-sized soft blue flames like eyes. His face turned as pale as a corpse, devoid of its usual color.
The next moment, I found myself in the grip of a furious bear of flame and fury. Ouch!
"Sasha, he… So, is it true that my... my uncle approached you?! Did that man talk to you?!"
I nodded rapidly as if frightened.
"Yes, actually, earlier at the hotel… I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you by mentioning him..."
"Where does that jerk think he's going, wasting your time? What did he say?! Are you all right?"
It wasn't Valentina. Someone else had reported our brief encounter. It must have been one of the guards present there. As one might have expected.
I anticipated this, but seeing Lethias act in such a state of rage made my heart race. The one we should be worried about is you, not me.
My dear, naive Duke, I'm not exactly thrilled to deceive you, but if I can protect you by doing so, I don't mind.
"I'm okay… He just said he was sorry. He expressed his wish to make amends in some way, to find a way to communicate with Oppa and Benya again..."
"Hah! And? Is that all? Did he say anything else that was just utter bullshit?"
"Yes, he asked for a chance…"
"Did you see how shameless that man is?! I dare him to tell me where he is! Damn it, that scum is just...!"
Lethias, his fangs bared in furious determination, jammed his hat back onto his head and bolted out like a lightning bolt.
Mr. Pavel, who cast me an apologetic and regretful look from behind, quickly followed suit. Thus, Serpente Hall swiftly transformed into a tumultuous zone, as if it had been that way all along.
"Miss Sasha? Are you all right?"
Ah, Mr. Chaplin, I now see your crafty side. Truly, it must be a challenge to be in this place and maintain a decent demeanor.
The Duke of Flame and Fury discovered our meeting(?) and began causing a commotion, rendering the place incredibly noisy.
Viscount Hippolyte would undoubtedly have a rough time. Kneeling before the feet of his nephews, he would choose whether to apologize, swear, or beg.
No matter Jerome's chosen course of action, the tumult of today would surely reach the ears of the other members of the collateral family.
Naturally, they would begin speculating that Jerome had aligned with us.
Even if they remained uncertain, suspicion would inevitably surround him.
Now, who should I stir up next?
I have no intention of allowing their tainted blood to mar Benya's hands. Those snakes must devour each other, they deserve to self-destruct until only one remains standing.
𝔼𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝟠:
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕥'𝕤 𝕋𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕦𝕖
🇹/🇳⦂ 🇹🇭🇪 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇱 🇺🇵🇩🇦🇹🇪 🇼🇴🇺🇱🇩 🇬🇴 🇴🇳 🇦🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇱.
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