Erlina walked around the hall and tried to hint to the guests that her partner who was a rich merchant from the Western region planned to compete in the port. Her words made Rasmus the center of attention, and he used his knowledge of the Western region to convince them. One thing that he and Erlina agreed on was to not reveal his name, making everyone curious.

Rasmus revealed that he had bought all the trading posts and ships in Eddenvilla, but he didn’t tell them when he was going to start his business. He made sure everyone knew about his business and intentions first to gain a little influence.

After they were done spreading the rumors, they decided to leave the hall and find a couch to sit on.

“That was entertaining,” Erlina chuckled softly as she removed her mask. “And it’s getting hot in there as well…” she sighed.

Rasmus offered her his handkerchief and used wind magic to cool her down. She hummed and smiled widely when the chill wind brushed her face as she grabbed the handkerchief and began to wipe off the sweat.

“Thank you,” Erlina said as she wiped her face.

“You’re welcome,” Rasmus nodded and looked at his surroundings and there was nobody around them.

There was only silence, but a comfortable one. They could hear the sound of crickets and owls outside the mansion, especially the chill magic wind that made Erlina sleepy. She leaned her head on Rasmus’s shoulder to rest from the lively party. She couldn’t hold the heaviness of her eyes and decided to close it for a moment.

Rasmus looked down at her for a moment before he let her rest and sat still. He was about to rest his eyes as well, but then he heard footsteps from the distance. He wondered who it was until he saw it was Carrion who was looking around.

“Oh, you guys are here…” Carrion said as he massaged his head. “Is she sleeping?” He looked at Erlina who seemed peaceful on Rasmus’s shoulder.

“Yes, she’s exhausted from spreading rumors,” Rasmus answered quietly. “Why don’t we call it a day and leave?”

“Yeah… yeah…” Carrion nodded as he massaged his nosebridge. “Let’s do that…” he muttered.

Rasmus could see Carrion’s red eyes and noticed that Carrion might have been affected by something. He didn’t ask about it as he carefully lifted Erlina and carried her in his arms. Carrion was watching with a blank expression.

“I would let you carry her if you’re not in that state, Carrion,” Rasmus said as he looked at Carrion with a serious expression.

“I can carry her…” Carrion cleared his throat and squeezed his face to sober up. “I’m ready…” He shook his head and offered his arms toward Rasmus.

Rasmus approached Carrion and let him carry Erlina in his arms. He carefully removed his arms after Carrion held her tightly in his arms.

“Let’s head back,” Rasmus said as he led the way to the entrance.

The three of them ended up using Erlina’s carriage while Carrion’s carriage was following from behind. Erlina didn’t wake up from all the process, and it convinced Carrion that she was indeed exhausted. He was also exhausted, but he didn’t want to sleep because Erlina was sleeping on his lap.

“How did it go?” Rasmus looked at Carrion who was staring blankly at the night sky.

“I told them about your reason for visiting Eddenvilla, and once they found out that you were sent by my brother, Garret, they immediately tried to support me,” Carrion answered as he yawned and rested his cheek on his fist. “They were trying to dig for information about you, they wanted everything,” he added.

“And what did you tell them?” Rasmus looked at Erlina sleeping so soundly across him.

“I told them that you’re rich and good at magic because my brother is funding you and the fact that he’s your friend and always makes contact. I had to make a lie and make sure they couldn’t just use me as they wished. I need leverage, and I came up with that lie to protect myself so they wouldn’t dare touch me,” Carrion answered as he looked down at Erlina’s sleeping face for the first time.

Rasmus was impressed with Carrion’s capability of lying and setting a secure spot for himself. He would do the same thing if he was in Carrion’s shoes. With that being said, Carrion made them rethink their plan to eliminate him and support Carrion because he was also an Earnwind, a valuable ally.

“Do you know who they are?” Rasmus looked at Carrion with a serious expression.

“No, not yet. I’m pretending that I’m not interested in what they’re doing and make sure that I’m just a good-for-nothing second son,” Carrion answered as he shook his head. He was so eager to caress Erlina’s cheek, but he held back. “They will try to convince me soon because they won’t let this chance slip by to gain support from an Earnwind,” he pointed out.

“Yes, I agree…” Rasmus hummed as he looked outside the window and removed his mask. “So, what made you in that state?” He glanced at Carrion’s face with his red eyes.

“Incense… I don’t know what they used on that thing, but it gave me a headache…” Carrion answered as he sighed. “If I stayed there any longer, I don’t know what would happen to me…”

Rasmus thought about the incense and there would be so many drugs and things with a headache as the side effects. It would be impossible for him to find out what it was unless they showed how they made the incense.

“When you left the dance floor, Madam said something about you…” Rasmus said as he crossed his legs and arms, his eyes focused on Carrion.

“What did she say?” Carrion was curious and anxious by how Rasmus stared at him.

“She’s worried about you. She’s afraid that you will lose control of yourself again and become like your usual self if you do this,” Rasmus answered as he looked at Erlina. “She cares about you, Carrion. Just like how you care for her, but she couldn’t show it,” he added.

“She’s worried about me?” Carrion was shocked, his eyes were wide open and suddenly he didn’t feel sleepy anymore. “She cares about me…” He muttered and looked down at Erlina.

“She wants to believe in you, Carrion, but she doubts herself and she doubts you as well,” Rasmus leaned back and made himself comfortable. “Now what will you do with this information?” He raised his brows and stared into Carrion’s eyes.

Carrion clenched his fists as he kept staring at Erlina’s face. He felt something within him that he had long forgotten, a purpose and a dream. At that moment, he felt like he could do anything without fail because of the euphoria feeling within him.

“I’ll prove to her that I can do it and that I’m not the same Carrion that she knew…” Carrion said with a serious expression as he lifted his head and stared at Rasmus.

Carrion thought that Rasmus would give him a proud smile or a smug smirk to mock him, but all he saw was a cold stare and expression. He felt as if he had just made the wrong answer and was judged heavily to the point that Rasmus was disappointed.

The journey back to Eddenvilla was quiet and they barely talked. Since Erlina was asleep, Carrion decided to let her sleep in his mansion. When he was carrying Erlina, he noticed Rasmus wasn’t following him, he turned around and saw Rasmus walking away instead.

“Where are you going?” Carrion asked.

“Goodnight, Carrion,” Rasmus answered as he continued to walk away.

The morning came, Carrion awoken by the sound of knocks on the door. A maid informed him that Erlina was waiting for him in the dining hall. He slowly got up from bed and washed his face before he left his chamber and went to the dining hall. He saw Erlina and Eduard at the dining table.

“Good morning…” Erlina’s voice was soft and gentle.

“Good morning…” Carrion’s voice was rough and raspy. He looked at Erlina in the armchair still in her dress. “You slept like a log last night,” he scoffed as he sat down.

“Did I? I didn’t remember anything. I was sitting beside Count Blackheart on the couch and rested my head on his shoulder. That was the last thing I remember,” Erlina watched the maid pour the tea into her cup. “Speaking of him, where is he? The maid said that he’s not in his room.”

“He’s not?” Carrion raised his brows as he looked at the maids, servants, and Eduard. They all shook their heads. “When we arrived, he went somewhere. If he’s not here, that means he hasn’t come back.”

Not long after that, Carrion’s butler barged into the dining hall with a panicked expression.

“Young Master!” The butler’s voice cracked. “Count Blackheart! He’s… He’s heavily wounded!” He informed.

Carrion, Erlina, and Eduard jolted from their seats and hurriedly ran toward the door. They went to the grand voyer and found Rasmus walking toward the stairs with blood dripping from his sleeves. Videl was walking beside him, and yet he didn’t do anything.

“Count!” Eduard shouted as he ran toward Rasmus.

Rasmus turned around and looked at the three of them with a worried expression. He looked down and looked at his tattered costume that was covered in his blood.

“I’m fine…” Rasmus sighed. He couldn’t move his hands at all.

“What happened?” Carrion asked as he stood in front of Rasmus.

“Training,” Rasmus answered as he looked at Videl. “Just a regular training…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep