28.
Hyude looked at the Master with a slightly tense expression.
‘Is this not it?’
Because the man was wearing a mask, his features were hidden, making it difficult to read his intentions. The silence between the two only made the encounter more awkward.
‘Is the Information Guild not the sort of place that provides this kind of intelligence?’
Hyude had been a bookworm, sequestered within the Academy until his graduation. Having been hired by the Mayous Ducal Mansion immediately afterward, he possessed almost no social experience.
He had no true understanding of how these information-brokering establishments operated.
‘I did come here because I needed answers, though…….’
From the moment he first stepped into this place, he felt a lingering sense of dissonance.
It was entirely due to the Master’s presence.
It wasn’t just the bizarre mask that made it impossible to discern the man’s identity; it was his solid, looming physique, which felt intimidating even to another man.
Even Hyude, who had never felt physically overwhelmed in his life, found himself on edge.
The man’s voice was low and resonant, yet it seemed to vanish from one’s memory the instant it was heard.
Hyude felt as though he had encountered such expensive magical dampeners somewhere before.
‘He is a man truly dedicated to erasing his own existence.’
In any case, he was a person who radiated a tremendous, suffocating aura, even behind a mask.
Just as Hyude, unable to bear the stifling atmosphere, was about to offer a curt greeting and rise to leave:
“Of course. I can certainly tell you.”
Unlike his polite phrasing, his voice carried an ominous weight.
Because the voice was immediately forgotten by the mind, only the polite tone remained in Hyude’s memory once the moment passed.
Thinking he had simply misunderstood the tension, Hyude asked, feeling a spark of excitement.
“Ah, then please. That woman…….”
“You met her at the Mayous Ducal Mansion, didn’t you?”
“……Pardon?”
“Aren’t you the physician working at the Mayous Ducal Mansion?”
Hyude was shocked enough to faint.
“Hyude Lamis. Top graduate of the Medical Academy. Hmm, there was another person working with you, but they recently disappeared.”
Hyude’s complexion turned deathly pale.
Is the Information Guild this incredible?
Even if he conceded that they might know his workplace and name, the fact that Bart was imprisoned was a secret known to only a tiny handful of people in the mansion!
“The woman you like is…… well, the environment isn’t one where you can get together right now, in any case.”
“Ah, yes. That’s right. That’s why I was planning to approach her slowly and take my time.”
It was as if he were possessed.
Hyude hadn’t intended to propose a romantic relationship to Judith right away.
Wasn’t she at the mansion in the role of Ekian’s wife? In Hyude’s judgment, Judith was a person who would faithfully fulfill that role—no matter how temporary or fake—for the duration of their contract.
But this Information Guild was truly terrifying. How could he read his heart so easily?
Before he knew it, awe was etched into Hyude’s eyes as he looked at the Master.
“However, it would be better for you to give up.”
When the Master said that, Hyude felt a sharp pang of disappointment. Even though he wasn’t the type to be easily swayed by others’ words, he felt a crushing weight in his chest.
Originally, he had only consulted the Information Guild for a second opinion; he hadn’t intended to follow their advice blindly.
But because the Master had guessed his secrets as if he were divinely inspired, Hyude found himself trusting him without realization.
“Give up…… you say?”
“Yes. Give up. That woman’s taste is likely not you.”
“Is…… that so?”
Doubt colored Hyude’s follow-up question.
Hyude knew his own looks were not bad.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in women, but rather that he had received so many advances that he had become indifferent to them.
One maid had even told him, ‘You look like the type all women love.’
As he tilted his head, the Master continued.
“She will absolutely not see you as a man. Perhaps as a close colleague, but nothing more.”
“Ah, of course. We haven’t known each other long. But couldn’t we get closer from being close colleagues?”
At that, the Master shook his head firmly.
“Absolutely not.”
“Then, what is her…… that woman’s taste? Are you saying she wouldn’t even consider a handsome man who is diligent and works hard at his job?”
“I—I don’t know about that, but, um, what is certain is…….”
The Master pondered for a moment before hitting the table with a thud and saying:
“Nobles usually like nobles.”
“……Pardon?”
“That woman, isn’t she a noble?”
Hyude nodded, bewildered.
It was true that Judith held a Baroness title.
But hadn’t she said while drinking, ‘If only I could buy and sell this useless barony like they do in foreign countries, I would have sold it first thing!’?
The fact that she thought nothing of divorce and remarriage—things other nobles would consider the most important matters in the world—was one thing…….
And the fact that she had been tutoring commoners as a visiting teacher without a second thought was another…….
That was why Hyude thought she had no attachment to her noble identity.
“Usually, noble women will only see a man as a partner if he has, um, a Viscount title…… or at least a Count title.”
“……That doesn’t seem to be the case, though?”
“But there are no noble women who aren’t like that. You’ve met plenty of nobles, haven’t you?”
“That is…… true.”
Hyude lowered his head slightly, thinking of the nobles he had seen.
Regardless of Judith’s eccentricity, it was a fundamental truth that nobles and commoners occupied different worlds.
He didn’t know Judith’s true feelings, but if she had been raised as a noble daughter from a young age, it was entirely possible she held those ingrained values.
He was quite surprised by his own sudden wave of discouragement.
‘I only thought I had a mild interest in her…….’
He wondered when his heart had grown so attached.
“Anyway, it would be best to give up.”
The Master spoke in a smooth, final tone.
“Now, is your consultation finished? I’m a bit busy now, as I have to handle some business for Judith.”
“Ah, yes.”
Hyude hurriedly pulled himself together and reached for his wallet.
“The information fee…….”
“Forget it.”
The Master said with a mysterious, hidden smile.
“Since you have a special connection with Judith, consider this a service for a colleague.”
The Master’s gaze did not leave Hyude’s back as he walked out of the building with his shoulders slumped.
* * *
Even after arriving back at the Ducal Mansion, Hyude felt listless.
‘A commoner…….’
Of course, it was natural for a noblewoman not to view a commoner as a romantic interest. That was the way of the world.
It felt as if he had been doused with cold water.
Judith wore luxurious dresses and resided in the Young Duke’s room. Even if she was kind enough not to display vanity, it was possible that she belonged in that world of opulence.
Hyude remained dazed even while preparing the antidote for the Duke and Duchess, personally bringing the remedy to their chambers.
“You should take this medicine morning and evening.”
Hyude managed to compose his heart and explained the regimen to the Duke and Duchess, whose faces remained stiff with anxiety.
“The detoxification process is not difficult, but it will likely take time. The nature of the poison was complex.”
The Duke and Duchess sighed in relief.
“Hyude, thank you.”
“It was a stroke of luck that we entrusted Karl’s health to you.”
Hyude smiled softly and shook his head.
“Not at all. I only did what I had to do, and it is all thanks to Ju…… no, to the Young Duchess.”
At that, the Duke and Duchess nodded in solemn agreement.
Their faces showed that they had no objection to the fact that the greatest contributor to this matter was Judith.
“If it hadn’t been for Judith, it would have been a catastrophe.”
“Honestly, she could have just walked away even when the situation seemed suspicious…… she is a remarkably bold child.”
Both the Duchess and the Duke showered Judith with praise. It was inevitable; she had saved them all.
Hyude also thought Judith’s courage was extraordinary. She had acted without even being certain of the situation—what if she had been wrong…….
However, Judith had replied calmly, ‘A person’s life was at stake, so I had to step up first.’
Hyude thought that even if he were the Duke and Duchess, he would want to bestow a grand reward upon her.
“I told you so,” the Duchess said confidently to the Duke.
“She’s too exceptional to be stuck with the label of a remarried woman. Let’s make sure to have her remarry into a family of at least a Viscount.”
The Duke went a step further, puffing his nostrils with a determined expression.
“A Viscount? That’s not enough. Let’s look into a house even among the Counts.”