I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 116

“I wonder if this will be a good card to play…”

The Andelass Marquisate was the family with the largest gold mine in the Empire. That’s why, despite being a Marquis, he could act as the leader of the noble faction. But now…

Nox stopped his thoughts, took the invitation, and rose from his seat.

“Summon Launder.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And…” Nox lightly tossed the Andelass family’s letter to the butler. The butler, hands clasped behind his back, deftly caught the letter. “Tell them I will visit today.”

“Today, sir?”

“Yes, immediately.”

“…Understood.”

The butler left the room after replying, and a short while later, knock, knock, a knock was heard. It was Esterion. Nox took off his robe as if to say, Good, you’re here. Esterion stood there for a moment, his face rigid.

“What are you doing?”

“…Ah.”

Beside Nox, who had shed his robe, lay the clothes the servants had left. Discovering them belatedly, he conceded that his imagination had run wild for a moment and began to assist Nox with his dressing. It wasn’t an aide’s typical duty, but “anything” he said he could do included such tasks.

“I’ll be relying on your hands for a while.”

“…I suppose so.” Launder murmured to himself, looking down at Nox’s seemingly firm body. Nox quite liked Esterion, who was quick-witted and didn’t require much explanation.

After Nox finished dressing, and as the two walked out of the room together, many eyes, pretending not to stare, followed them. Not only did he spend the night in his bedchamber, but now he’s even having him help him dress, as if only his hands are allowed. Such whispers seemed to drift in the air. Nox, knowing it was all part of his intention, paid them no mind and headed to the first floor.

On the first floor, the carriage to the Marquisate was already prepared. Launder stepped a few paces ahead and opened the carriage door, and Nox naturally climbed inside. Launder, pretending not to notice the servants’ gazes fixed on him, followed, and with a soft thud, the door closed. Esterion let out a short sigh. At the sound, Nox spoke.

“So, nothing else out of the ordinary?”

Nox’s tone made it clear he was certain something had happened. Esterion nodded. “…The other aides keep glancing at me all the time, but… it’s fine. It’s not bothering me.”

“Rumors travel fast,” Nox observed.

“It seems all the mansion’s servants already know.”

“I intended it, but…” It’s too fast. Of course, with Khalid having filled the mansion with servants, it made sense for rumors to spread quickly. They’d need to understand their master well to have plenty to report. Nox frowned, annoyed. When will I replace all these people? For now, he decided he needed to pick trustworthy servants first.

“Do you know anyone useful around here?”

“Anyone useful, you mean…”

“Someone tight-lipped, good at their job, and won’t betray me.”

Esterion began to seriously consider his words. Servants held the position of commoners, and Esterion, being a fallen noble, didn’t have many noble friends to begin with. He had, however, befriended many commoners through work.

“I’ll try to narrow it down.”

“That’s an unexpected answer. I thought you wouldn’t have any friends.”

“…I don’t have anyone I’d call a friend.”

“Well, I’m in the same boat, so I can’t say much.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” Nox stated firmly. Even before his fall into slavery, Nox had no one he could call a close friend. He was a reclusive young master who rarely appeared at parties, so it was natural he wouldn’t have many close acquaintances.

“Your connections would’ve all been severed from borrowing money anyway.”

“You know me well.”

“Background checks are a basic requirement for nobles.”

“…Then I guess I’m not a noble.”

“Hardly a noble, I suppose. More like half-a-noble.”

Nox assessed him coldly, and Launder simply nodded, agreeing with the assessment. Though he might have taken offense, his willingness to simply nod in agreement made Nox smile faintly. But that smile was fleeting.

Creak. The carriage stopped. Esterion rose first and opened the carriage door. Nox followed him out, looking up at the old mansion.

“Demetri Andelass…” Nox uttered the elderly Marquis’s name. Thump-thump, footsteps approached from the front. Looking down, he saw an old butler coming to greet them. Despite appearing over sixty, his shoulders seemed firm, and his tightly pursed lips looked quite stubborn.

“Welcome, Your Grace. The Marquis is waiting.”

“Very well.” Nox followed the old butler into the mansion. The interior of the mansion gave a similar impression to the butler himself: carpets that looked like they were fashionable a decade ago, dozens of elegant paintings hanging on the walls, and potted plants and decorations that seemed a century old. Some might call it quaint, but to Nox, it merely looked like the stubbornness of an old man clinging to the past.

The three arrived before a room. The old butler knocked on the door, which appeared to be a reception room.

Knock, knock.

“Duke Rainerio has arrived.”

“Let him enter.”

Creak—.

The butler opened the door, revealing an old but well-maintained sofa. On it sat an elderly man, whose appearance suggested he had been whittled down by time. Nox offered a polite smile and stepped into the reception room. Launder entered behind him, closing the door with a click.

“Welcome, Your Grace,” the Marquis said, rising to greet Nox. Nox watched him rise, then responded a beat late, “Thank you for the welcome, Marquis.”

“Not at all. It is my duty. Please, be seated.”

Nox walked directly to the seat opposite the Marquis and sat down. He crossed his legs, leaned comfortably back against the sofa, and asked, “What’s your reason for inviting me?”

“Merely to congratulate you on your reinstatement. What other meaning could there be?”

“Really?” Nox said, maintaining his smile. “Not to try and leverage my existence for something?”

His words must have stung. The old man’s lips tightened for a moment. Nox leisurely awaited his tea. The Marquis narrowed his eyes, as if trying to gauge Nox’s intentions. Nox killed time in a relaxed posture, as if inviting observation. After about ten minutes, a young maid, unlike the butler, brought out a bitter-smelling tea.

Nox looked down at the bitter tea, then raised his gaze. He didn’t like sweet things, but he didn’t like bitter things either. They don’t know a single thing about me, despite pretending to be so interested.

“My time isn’t that abundant, Marquis.”

“…Indeed, you’re a busy man.”

“You know that’s not what I mean, don’t you? If you have something to say, say it directly.” Nox tilted his head. “You’re desperate, aren’t you? Let’s put aside these noble pretenses for a moment.”

He was telling him not to beat around the bush. His intentions were obvious anyway. If he spoke in circles, it would only annoy him, so he wanted to hear the true motive.

“…I…”

The Marquis struggled to speak, but Nox cut him off sharply.

“Are you planning to revive the noble faction?”

At Nox’s words, the Marquis’s eyes widened. His face asked, How did you know? Seeing his expression, Nox couldn’t help but laugh. They’re all just fools.

“Do you really think I wouldn’t know that most of the nobles who died during the current Emperor’s bloody ascension were part of the noble faction?”

“…That’s…”

“The former Emperor didn’t look kindly upon the Crown Prince. The Imperial faction sided with the Emperor, not the Crown Prince who was the successor. So, the Crown Prince could only draw two types of people to his side: the moderates and the noble faction. And among those, the easiest to entice were…”

Nox made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.

“…mostly the noble faction, who moved for profit.”

“…The noble faction isn’t entirely broken.”

“Really? Is that why the Marquis hasn’t attended any events lately, living like a dead man, holding his breath inside this mansion?”

The Marquis gritted his teeth, a vein standing out beneath his jaw. Nox waved his hand dismissively, as if to say, Don’t bother.

“I can be a key for you.”

“…A key?”

“You, you lured me, a man who has fallen to the bottom of society, intending to use the ducal family as leverage to gather power again, didn’t you?”

“…” The old man gripped the sofa armrest tightly.

“You would have set me up as a figurehead and gathered people under your name. Even if it’s just a name, the power that comes with the title of Duke cannot be ignored.”

“…Those aren’t entirely false statements, but I never intended to make Your Grace a figurehead.”

Nox let out a short laugh, a clearly intentional one. “Don’t try to deceive me, Marquis. If you need me, then just drop all pretenses and act like a ruffian from the streets.”