RAMHM Chapter 63

Because You Have Nothing

Getting into Novian's bedroom was far easier than she'd expected. Should they really open the master's bedroom this readily? But she understood soon enough. The bedroom Novian occupied—opened by Head Maid Sophie herself—was surprisingly bare and monotonous.

It had felt clean before, with only necessities present, but now it seemed almost desolate. The room held minimal furniture, not even a vase or a single painting on the walls, so organized that a quick glance revealed where everything was kept—theft would be impossible simply because there was nothing to take.

'He must keep important things in his study, then.'

"I'll prepare the bath now, Lady Bliea."

Sophie, who'd opened the door herself, whispered something to Annie, and Annie hurried out with her crew.

"I only want Yona attending my bath."

Bliea watched the maids persistently, then commanded Sophie, who stood respectfully by.

"Understood. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to call."

Sophie bowed lightly and left. Bliea gestured to Marge, who stood by the door, beckoning her closer.

"Watch Annie carefully while she prepares the bath."

After even the startled Marge departed, Bliea freely surveyed Novian's room. The drawers weren't even locked—and when opened, held nothing.

"My lady?"

Yona stood watching her mistress opening things here and there like a thief. The moment the bedroom inspection ended, a knock sounded and Annie's crew arrived carrying bath water. As steaming water filled the tub in the bathroom, Bliea noticed another door connected to the bath.

'If I just open that door...'

"Everything is ready, my lady."

Annie, having brought herbs and flower petals and fragrant oils of every scent, finally lifted her eyes from the floor to look at Bliea. She seemed eager to attend the bath. But Bliea pretended not to notice her gaze and signaled to Yona instead. When Yona threw the bedroom door wide open as if hurrying them out, Annie bit down hard on her lower lip, then left.

Marge trailed after her dutifully. Only after the door closed and footsteps faded completely did Bliea approach Yona and lower her voice.

"Yona, put the clothes I mentioned earlier on the bed, then sit here and make sure no one enters the bathroom."

When Bliea pointed directly to Novian's bed where Yona should sit, the girl hesitated before gingerly perching there.

"You'll bathe alone? Wouldn't it be better to have my help if you want to take special care preparing?"

"I want to relax leisurely. Make absolutely sure no one disturbs me. And preferably, keep everyone out of the bedroom entirely."

"Yes! Don't worry!"

"Especially if you see the Grand Duke's carriage at the main gate, knock on the bathroom door."

"Yes! My lady!"

Yona clenched both fists and immediately began watching out the window intently. Bliea went straight into the bathroom and locked the door. She dumped everything fragrant from the rattan baskets into the tub where hazy steam rose, filling the space with thick herbal scent.

She approached the door leading to the Grand Duchess's bedroom slowly and took a deep breath. Contrary to her anxiety that it might not open, the door opened with frustrating ease.

Beyond the well-maintained door that made no sound at all, she entered the room that had once been hers. The fairly spacious room that until recently had been her entire world looked exactly as she'd last seen it. A place with far more furniture and hiding spots than Novian's room she'd just left.

As if drawn by something, she opened the nightstand drawer beside the bed—a place she'd once ransacked before. Indeed, seeing items she hadn't noticed last time, it seemed most of what was stolen had been returned.

'Mother's necklace isn't here.'

She'd thought he must have put it back here since it hadn't been around Novian's neck since that day.

'I'll have to check first thing when I see Novian today.'

She made that resolution as she began searching everywhere.

At the same time, Rhodness was at Capital Guard headquarters. Worried about Adrienne entering the Grand Ducal estate, he'd barely restrained himself from galloping his horse there the entire way. They'd promised to do their best in their respective positions until the work was done.

The Capital Guard had been tense since the Guard Captain's dismissal, but discipline remained lax—yet facing the rumored Second Prince in person, everyone stood at attention in mute silence. Rhodness didn't sit once in the fine chair prepared for the Imperial Prince's visit. Upon arriving at headquarters, he skimmed through reports while standing.

"Several people took turns writing. The handwriting's a mess."

Several officials flinched. They had taken turns, after all.

"Did you sell off the official typewriters too? The writing's chicken scratch."

They had sold them due to budget shortages.

"Vincento, you check the documents and have them rewritten."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Rhodness handed the crude documents to Vincento and walked slowly among them. The Capital Guards were completely cowed by the Imperial Knights surrounding headquarters—whenever Rhodness passed, they broke into cold sweat under pressure that felt like someone squeezing their windpipes.

"I have no use for fools who don't realize they're dead even after their heads are cut off."

Meaning they hadn't shaped up even after the Guard Captain was dismissed. At his blunt words, the personnel filling the headquarters office bowed their heads low.

"A noblewoman vanished in the middle of the capital, and a month later, there's still no progress in the investigation. There's no telling how many other women disappeared while you bastards wasted taxes."

Useless bastards. The added words were utterly cold. In the silence where even a dropped pin would be heard, a middle-aged guard spoke up.

"Y-Your Highness. Forgive my presumption, but we, we've been running ourselves ragged day and night. Dozens have already collapsed from overwork."

"Then if dozens collapsed from overwork, why are the results this pathetic?"

"We can't reduce personnel in wealthy districts beyond a certain number, and investigations are being conducted in poor areas with few men. Regarding results, it's... difficult for us to search noble carriages."

Starting with his testimony, several more guards added their words. Indeed, districts with many central aristocrats concentrated had many personnel stationed but investigation cases were countable on one hand. From their reactions, Rhodness deduced the investigation had stalled because they'd only searched poor areas.

Scanning their uncomfortable expressions, Rhodness strode straight to the door leading outside.

"Follow me."

Since headquarters was in the capital's center, they arrived at their destination—Central Plaza—in less than a few minutes. Not understanding what the Second Prince intended, the Capital Guards who'd followed silently watched as Rhodness seized a guard armband to wear, then blocked the path of a massive carriage racing toward them from afar.

"Your Highness!"

The carriage that stopped abruptly right before Rhodness was the Trovika Grand Ducal carriage.

"Good God!"

"Cr-crazy...!"

For them, it was a carriage they couldn't stop even if "criminal inside" was posted on it. Rhodness, with a cold expression, opened the carriage door without even knocking.

"I'll be conducting a search."

Inside the carriage racing toward the palace, only cold air circulated.

"A search?"

At the absurd words, Novian looked out the window at the bold bastard who'd thrown the door open without warning.

"Ah, Grand Duke."

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Official business, as it happens."

Behind Rhodness, who climbed into the carriage without hesitation, several short sighs spilled out. Novian irritably shut the carriage door and faced Rhodness, who'd already seated himself opposite.

"The capital reeks of something foul. Ended up stuck with tedious work, you see."

"Get out. I'm on my way to the palace."

The moment Novian's words fell, Rhodness half-rose and kicked continuously—not just where he'd been sitting, but where Novian sat as well. Bang! Bang! The violent kicks sounded fierce enough to shatter the sturdy carriage any moment.

"Nothing here?"

Rhodness's face, showing white teeth in a smile, wasn't gentle at all—cold and sharp instead.

"The rumors about the Second Prince's madness aren't entirely unfounded, it seems."

Novian's expression as he murmured low was equally cold.

"Ah, that. Right. I am rather mad."

Rhodness casually brushed off his military boots with his hand, then smiled again. And brazenly approached Novian, pressing against the wall beside his face.

"Someone keeps coveting what's mine. Two years ago. And now."

Up close, Rhodness's eyes looked like boiling lava to Novian.

"...You may have been mistaken about what belongs to Your Highness."

When Novian responded nonchalantly, Rhodness pulled back more readily than expected and opened the carriage door.

"You'd like to believe that. Because in truth, you're the one who has nothing."

Thunk—!

"The Trovika Grand Ducal carriage has nothing inside, so you may proceed!"

Outside the suddenly closed door, Rhodness's voice boomed and echoed. And simultaneously, Bang! Bang! sounds of continuous kicking rang out, and the seat where Novian sat caved in deeply. The carriage wheel Rhodness had kicked for "verification" from outside had clearly given way under the force.

"Oh dear, what now."

In Novian's silent gaze, Rhodness's face—not looking troubled in the least—reflected in the window like a framed portrait. Without regard for the surrounding shock painting everything, Rhodness left without looking back. The Capital Guards who'd been hovering uncertainly nearby also scurried after him, tails tucked, fearing they'd be held accountable.

"..."

Until the flustered coachman hurriedly unhitched one horse and brought it to the carriage door, Novian only glared at the spot opposite where Rhodness had just sat.

'Someone keeps coveting what's mine. Two years ago. And now.'

'You'd like to believe that. Because in truth, you're the one who has nothing.'

Red veins had climbed into the whites of Novian's eyes at some point. His face had gone pale and rigid, but beneath that, his neck flushed crimson. Like a lightning bolt striking hard-packed earth, Rhodness's words seemed to drive in and crack it progressively wider.

It was much later when Novian finally emerged from the carriage. The coachman, who'd been fidgeting with the immobile carriage abandoned in the middle of the road, could only watch distantly as Novian took the reins from him and galloped away—his eyes blackened and sunken.

It didn't take long for Novian to return to the estate drunk. Having entered through the rear gate half-collapsed over his horse, no one but the gatekeeper knew of his arrival. Since sunset was only just beginning, it was very early compared to his usual return time.

"Don't make a fuss."

When servants quickly approached at the rare sight of their master staggering, he dismissed them all. His head still felt like it would burst, and Rhodness's words invaded his mind like a curse.

'Because in truth, you're the one who has nothing.'

Glaring at empty air, he knocked on the door of the estate physician Spino's room in a corner of the first floor and requested his usual medication without hesitation. Spino, cowed by the menacing atmosphere, handed over the medicine bottle without protest, though worry didn't leave his expression.

"Please don't take too much, especially not with alcohol."

Leaving Spino's advice behind, Novian went straight to his study and swallowed the medicine mixed with liquor. The medicine was an ordinary sleeping pill, but when taken with alcohol, it became a powerful hallucinogen that occasionally showed fantastic dreams—and each time, he dreamed of the day he'd married Adrienne.

"..."

But today must not be the day. Far from Adrienne, only Rhodness's damned voice echoed louder in his head. Clutching his splitting head, having dismissed even butler Gaspar, Novian—soaked in alcohol and drugs—moved his legs without knowing where he was going. And the place he arrived was in front of his dead wife Adrienne's bedroom.

After standing there a long while with his head leaned against the door, Novian's shoulders shook as he laughed soundlessly for some time. And soon, he fumbled in his coat, pulled out a key ring, unlocked the bedroom door, and entered the room.