Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 46

Seizures, agitation, sedatives. What kind of memory could have bestowed such things upon him?
He had tried to approach him in the rose garden on the day they first met, but everything went awry thanks to a tumultuous first encounter with Aeroc. Because of that, he harbored a great grudge against Aeroc and developed a mental illness. He later re-entered society, but his resentment towards Aeroc only grew. So, as they clashed at every turn, a subtle tension naturally flowed between them. However, perhaps it was his growing feelings for Raphiel that caused this conflict and led to his neurosis. He considered it a plausible deduction, in his own way.
“Hahahahaha! You, you have a cuter side than I thought!”
He might have elaborated further on his deduction if Viscount Derbyshire hadn’t burst into laughter after hearing his serious explanation. It was fortunate that he had subtly probed, without revealing all the detailed facts. Otherwise, he would have been subjected to a tremendous amount of nagging disguised as advice from Viscount Derbyshire. Instead, the portly old gentleman stroked his large belly and laughed heartily, as if amused. That alone was sufficiently humiliating.
“This is the first I’ve heard that Bendyke has that kind of interest in Raphiel. Of course, Raphiel has no interest in him whatsoever. No, he dislikes him now.”
“Is that so?”
“Didn’t you see that day? At my house that day. There’s no way a secret alpha-omega feeling could flow between two people like that. That’s as amusing a worry as imagining that you and Bendyke are actually very close.”
At his words, Aeroc smiled faintly. It wasn’t the way one would generally think, but their relationship was quite different from what it seemed on the surface. He was at a loss whether to fully accept Viscount Derbyshire’s opinion.
“Even if such feelings existed, the ship has already sailed. Wolflake is passionately courting Raphiel. Bendyke is a fine young man, but Wolflake is even finer.”
He could not agree with that statement at all. A pale marquis, overflowing with sophistication to the point of significantly lacking humanity, languid with cold eyes, more suited to darkness than sunlight, might be a fine young man to someone. However, what Wolflake possessed, Aeroc also possessed. Some things were even superior. He didn’t want to deny Wolflake’s objective charm. However, that charm was utterly boring to Aeroc. Compared to that, a growing ambitious man, full of vitality and masculine charm, was far more appealing.
“It’s surprising that you suddenly brought up Bendyke. It’s not like you to gossip about an employee.”
“It’s because of what happened at your Viscount’s dinner party that I’m troubled. I asked because you know them better than I do.”
Before holding large dinner parties or concerts, meticulously adjusting seating arrangements, considering the relationships between nobles, was essential. When he offered that excuse, Viscount Derbyshire nodded without any suspicion. The two were currently touring the rose garden where the evening party was to be held. He had asked for advice on the pre-conceived stage and seating arrangements, and he readily agreed. The old gentleman, much more vigorous than his age suggested, walked energetically through the garden, offering very useful opinions on which branches to prune and how to arrange the tables. He planned to remember it well and convey it to Hugo.
“It’s better to seat Raphiel with the Marquis. As far away from Bendyke as possible. The Marquis is uncomfortable with Bendyke.”
“Speaking of which, how did the two of them come to know each other?”
“You mean Linus and Bendyke?”
When he affirmed, Viscount Derbyshire stroked his bushy beard. At first, he thought Viscount Derbyshire had introduced Bendyke to society. That wasn’t entirely wrong, but he had only recently learned that it was none other than Wolflake who had introduced him to Viscount Derbyshire, and he was curious.
“One day, he asked if I’d like to meet a promising investor. Since I like ambitious young men, I decided to meet him. When I asked how and where they met, he said this.”
Then, Viscount Derbyshire narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, mimicking Wolflake.
“I met him on the street. He suddenly appeared and asked to borrow ten gold coins from me. It wasn’t a large sum, but it wasn’t an amount to give to a beggar either, so I was about to refuse.”
Aeroc chuckled, seeing Viscount Derbyshire mimic the cold Wolflake.
“But his eyes were extraordinary. I gave it to him, considering it a loss. And exactly one week later, he returned with a thousand gold coins. I received a hundred gold coins back with interest. And he told me to invest in him if I was interested in increasing my assets.”
“So you invested without hesitation? What if he was a swindler?”
When he retorted, Viscount Derbyshire’s stern expression softened, and he looked quite surprised.
“Huh, for you to say such a thing. It’s surprising. Bendyke is truly amazing. To make no one else but Count Teiwind worry about a swindler. It was indeed a good idea to recommend him to you.”
Aeroc closed his mouth at the admiring words. It was true, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant to hear. Viscount Derbyshire chuckled and continued.
“Wolf Lake thought the same as you. That’s why he introduced him to me. To determine if he was a swindler or not. You can play tricks with gold coins, but there’s a limit to how much you can deceive with knowledge. I used all the knowledge I had to verify him. And to my surprise, he had an astonishing insight into the overall continental economy and the flow of imperial funds. Not only the domestic financial situation, but also the detailed aspects of public funds and investment trusts, he had a perfect grasp of it all. And what’s more? The information on overseas investment opportunities was incredible. At first, I thought he was a madman. But when I used people here and there to find out, various institutions actually scolded me, asking where I got such top-secret information. Immediately after that, I hired Bendyke. The results, as you can see, are proving my judgment right.”
Viscount Derbyshire shook his head, but didn’t forget to praise himself. Seeing him happily twitch his round cheeks and white-bearded chin, he wasn’t at all annoying, even if he was a bit boastful. That was Viscount Derbyshire’s great charm.
“I heard he studied law at university.”
“Law is law, but commercial law, real property law, and patent law are his specialties. He uses the law as a weapon in the battleground where money clashes with money, exploiting loopholes to fish out treasure chests full of gold and jewels.”
Viscount Derbyshire, who described the act of subtly using legal loopholes to half-forcibly extort large sums of money from others in such hopeful adventurer’s terms, was also quite a master of rhetoric in his own way.
“He must have done some background checks too. Baron Bendyke’s estate in the northwestern mountainous outskirts is pastoral, but it’s a small territory that’s hard to be the residence of an ambitious alpha. Even that was inherited by the eldest son. Our Bendyke is the second son with no title. I also investigated his university life, and all I heard was that he was a sociable and versatile ordinary young man whom many people favored. He has a flexible yet thorough nature in dealing with situations, so he rarely makes mistakes. And even without a title, as he’s from a noble family, he’s well-mannered. He’s from the countryside, so his manners are a bit rough, but wouldn’t that actually be charming, hahahaha?”
“Is that so?”
Unexpected praise continued. Although Viscount Derbyshire was favorable to ambitious people, this was the first time he had given such high praise. The old gentleman, who seemed to laugh heartily on the surface, was in fact a seasoned investor and had played a pivotal role in the previous social circles. That’s why he would casually carry out background checks on new acquaintances. His good evaluation was, as a result, good for Aeroc as well.
“He also has a mysterious side.”
He subtly brought up the matter he was curious about. Viscount Derbyshire understood his intention and nodded.
“They say that during his university days, he enjoyed some entertainment like a young man, but after graduation, he completely changed. Those who knew him both during university and now all shake their heads in disbelief. They say he’s clearly the same person, but something fundamental seems to have changed. They feel an unprecedented sense of intimidation. In my opinion, he was originally like that, but during his student days, he enjoyed freedom and rebellion, and after graduation, as he rushed towards success, his true nature emerged. There are often such people. Most of them are the sprouts of great figures.”
“I didn’t know your Viscountship would evaluate Bendyke so highly.”
“I didn’t evaluate him highly; I just stated the actual facts. Though there’s a bit of guesswork involved.”
It was almost time to go back. The two turned towards the mansion. Viscount Derbyshire walked briskly and spoke again.
“Is that all you’re curious about today?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you call me all the way here because you were curious about Bendyke?”
Viscount Derbyshire suddenly stabbed at the core of the unsuspecting Aeroc. He winked at the flustered man.
“I’m not a rigid old man. Young people sometimes go astray. As long as you keep your balance, it’s fine. Bendyke will have a positive influence on you. Of course, on the premise that you don’t get too deeply involved.”
“We’re not like that.”
He armed himself with a mask of expressionlessness, lightly tinged with displeasure, and belatedly defended against the suddenly thrown blade of truth. Viscount Derbyshire blinked his strong eyes twice and then burst into hearty laughter again.
“If I misunderstood, I apologize. I just thought, since you’re so uninterested in the opposite sex, perhaps it was that kind of thing.”
“Just because I’m not interested doesn’t mean I’ll date just anyone.”
His smooth tongue spun lies so naturally. But it couldn’t stop a cold sweat from trickling down his spine. Aeroc clasped his hands behind his back and straightened his back. A subtle smile, which he usually wore when distancing himself from others, hung on his lips. Conversely, Viscount Derbyshire pouted and stroked his belly again. It was an action he took when he felt awkward in a familiar relationship.

A few days later, the evening party was held. In the beautiful rose garden, where roses were in full bloom, the soft moonlight and gentle breeze added to the perfection. Close acquaintances gathered there. In addition to Viscount and Viscountess Derbyshire, the Westport brothers, and Marquis Wolflake, various other nobles and gentry attended. But Bendyke was not among them. An invitation had clearly been sent. The invitation also included a bill for the expenses related to the evening party. Although the number of guests was not large, for the best evening party, they had invited a prestigious conductor and his orchestra, many table decorations and food, and the finest wine, all of which cost a considerable amount by Aeroc’s standards. It was enough money for him to rush over and sneer, but Bendyke did not appear until the evening party was in full swing.
“Count. I heard you’ll be performing yourself soon.”
“I’m worried I’ll make a mistake.”
“Even if you make a mistake, no one will know it’s a mistake. And you won’t make a mistake anyway.”
Aeroc automatically smiled when his innocent cousin spoke to him. He lightly hugged his lovely cousin, who was beaming, to show his affection. But the man who followed him like a shadow made that smile stiff. Their relationship was ambiguously close, so neither a polite response nor a friendly greeting suited them. The other person only offered a nod. His heterochromatic gray eyes meticulously scanned Aeroc’s surroundings.
“That fellow isn’t here today. Didn’t you send him an invitation?”
“He’s not that petty. Something must have come up.”
“Given that there’s a seat, he must have RSVP’d and then just didn’t show up. He’s arrogant and rude, as always.”
“He’s always been like that. I didn’t expect anything else.”
He was actually a little angry, but he reacted indifferently. Raphiel, who had exchanged greetings, went to her parents, who were with Ariel. Viscount and Viscountess Westport had exchanged grand greetings earlier. When their eyes met again, a faint smile was enough to convey goodwill.
Wolf Lake stood still, watching the golden curly hair sway with Aeroc. He seemed to have something to say. It was rare.
“Be careful of him. He’s been acting strange lately.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“It’s hard to explain in detail. But he’s definitely plotting something dangerous. He asked me for something a while ago. I’ve taken action, but I thought it would be good to inform the Count.”
“I don’t understand what you mean. What does it have to do with me if someone is doing something strange?”
He immediately realized who Wolflake was talking about. He deliberately pretended not to know, not wanting to reveal their personal relationship, and a short snort was his answer.
“If you wanted me not to know, you shouldn’t have caused such a commotion at the bottom.”
“What?”
“Count, everyone has at least one secret they can’t tell. And sometimes, you have to be prepared to sacrifice a little to keep a secret.”
No one knew what had happened at the bottom. But how did Wolflake… At that moment, something flashed. Then, a large man appeared, delivering ‘Lord’s’ words, and at the same time, the thugs lost their will to fight.
“You don’t mean… you?”
“Family traditions don’t disappear even when times change. They just change their form. You, who uphold the centuries-old tradition of the rose garden, would know that better.”
“My goodness. I never thought the secret society of the first emperor still continued.”
“It’s not grand enough to be called a secret society. But its form remains. Listen carefully to the advice of the head of that old-fashioned knight order. Bendyke, he’s dangerous.”
“I appreciate your kindness.”
“Thank Raphiel, not me. If he hadn’t worried about the Count, I wouldn’t have interfered even if I knew.”
Wolf Lake, who spoke coldly, approached the cute omega who was looking at him. At that moment, a softness passed through his icy gray eyes. That was a surprising aspect, as surprising as his true identity. What Viscount Derbyshire had said earlier was undoubtedly true. The Marquis, who guarded the Wolf Lake, was deeply smitten with the lovely little bird. Bendyke would know that too.
It was late dawn, when the full moon was setting, when the evening party successfully concluded. After seeing off each guest, Aeroc dragged his tired body and turned around. Immediately after the guests left, Hugo led a group of employees to the garden to clean up. Bendyke did not appear, nor did he send any contact, until the very end.
“Count.”
Just as he was about to go upstairs, a young footman called out to Aeroc. Aeroc, tired from being the host and playing the violin solo, turned around with a stern expression. When he silently urged the footman to speak quickly if he had something to say, the footman suddenly ran to the front door. Aeroc followed his gaze. A large, unfamiliar package was placed next to the entrance. The large, thin package was wrapped in yellowish paper and tied with a white ribbon in a checkered pattern.
“It was delivered a while ago. I should have told you sooner… I apologize.”
“It’s alright.”
Today’s event was very demanding. It was nothing for a busy footman to forget.
A white card was tucked into the overlapping part of the wrapping paper. When he pulled it out, he saw his name written in familiar handwriting. It was written boldly and largely, slightly messy but clear enough to be recognized at once, with only his first name and no surname. The sudden familiarity brought a mix of annoyance and bewilderment. Aeroc realized he was smiling as he took out the card.
[Dear Count.
I wanted to see for myself how your evening party, the result of such a grand extravagance that it would cause a headache, turned out, but unavoidable circumstances arose. To prevent the misfortune of being fired again, I’ve prepared a bribe as an expression of my apology. I hope you like it.
Expecting your generous forgiveness, Kloff.
P.S. I still don’t understand why you would insist on holding a useless concert outdoors, where it’s cold, damp, and dark. Is it really worth 133 boxes of the finest candles?]
He had a remarkable talent for making one feel good and then suddenly provoking anger. A gift from a miser who didn’t appreciate the beauty of an evening party, created by the refreshing night air, twinkling stars, and subtle floral scents, wouldn’t be much.
The gift was clearly a painting at first glance. Seeing that he at least knew the pleasure of flowers, it would probably be a common still life of a flower vase. One that thought gaudy colors were grand. With a clumsy frame, roughly carved with an unsubtle hand and painted in a vulgar gold, it would be a perfect eyesore. Aeroc carelessly untied the ribbon and tore open the wrapping paper.
“Ah.”
It was a painting, as expected. But there was no vulgar frame, and no gaudy colors to be found. It was a landscape painting that depicted a leisurely summer idyll with restrained colors. The brushwork was extremely delicate, and the combination of colors, though simple, was not boring, a warm painting that showed the artist’s deep affection.
Aeroc knew this painting. It was the very painting he had failed to acquire when he visited the art museum before, having to leave in a hurry. Was it a seasonal series? It was probably <Early Summer>. He never imagined that the anonymous buyer would be Bendyke. How did he know this was the painting he wanted?
“Count?”
The footman cautiously called out as he stared blankly at the painting. Aeroc, suddenly snapping out of it, picked up the painting himself instead of ordering the footman. He then strode up the stairs.
There was no more space to hang paintings in the study. He could take down an existing painting and hang this one, but that would disrupt the harmony with the other paintings. Instead, the bedroom, where he had previously rearranged the paintings and furniture, leaving a blank wall, seemed more suitable.
Aeroc went straight to the bedroom, took down the small picture hanging on the wall opposite the bed, where it was most visible, and hung <Early Summer> instead. The antique but slightly gloomy bedroom instantly brightened. Looking at it, he felt his fatigue vanish. The knot in his heart, which he hadn’t even realized was there, slowly unraveled. The moment he felt that ticklish sensation, Aeroc had to move.
“I’m going out.”
As he left the bedroom, he shouted, and the footman asked in surprise, “Now, sir?” Aeroc affirmed without a moment’s hesitation. No special preparations were needed. The dark blue suit, newly tailored for the rose garden evening party, was naturally for outdoor wear. He could go out as he was.
The carriage was prepared quickly. As soon as Aeroc jumped in, it sped towards the city. Past the shabby outskirts, through the uninteresting and rigid streets lined with identical urban houses. To the place where the rude, arrogant, and at the same time charmingly bribing, handsome financial manager resided, who knew how to please his master.