INTO THE ROSE GARDEN

Vol. 5 ITRG Volume 5 Chapter 18.1

Seizure, excitement, sedation. What memory could have made Bendyke like that?

When Aeroc tried to approach him in the rose garden on the day they first met, he had a very rough first encounter with Aeroc, thus everything went wrong after. Because of that, he resented Aeroc so much that he became psychotic. Later, he rejoined the social circle, but now he resented Aeroc even more. Clashing every time they met, a subtle tension between them grew. But he still had a strong affection towards Rapiel, thus it resulted in his neurosis. Aeroc thought this was quite a plausible deduction.

“Hahahahaha! You have a cuter side than I thought!”

After hearing Aeroc’s serious explanation, Viscount Derbyshire laughed out loud, stopping him to give further reasoning. It was a good thing Aeroc hadn’t given away all the details. Otherwise, Viscount Derbyshire would have given him a lot of nagging under the guise of advice. Instead, the dignified old gentleman patted his enormous belly and laughed heartily as if he found it amusing. That was humiliating enough to Aeroc.

“It is my first time hearing that fellow, Bendyke, has that kind of interest in Rapiel. Of course, Rapiel has not the slightest interest in him. No, Rapiel hates him now.”

“Is that so?”

“You saw it that day, at my house. There can’t be any secret Alpha-Omega feelings between two people like that. That concern is as amusing as the idea that you and Bendyke are actually quite good friends.”

Aeroc chuckled softly at that. Things were indeed quite different between them, though not in the way one would normally think. He wasn’t sure whether to accept the Viscount Derbyshire’s opinion entirely.

“Even if there were such feelings, the ship has sailed. Wolflake is now courting Rapiel. Bendyke is a fine young man, however Wolflake is even better than him.”

Aeroc could not disagree with those words. The pale Marquis, with his lack of refinement, his lack of humanity, his languid, cold eyes, more suited to darkness than sunshine, might be a fine young man to some. But what Wolflake had, Aeroc had too. He might even be better than that guy in some aspects. Aeroc wouldn’t want to deny Wolflake’s objective attractiveness, but that charm seemed endlessly dull to Aeroc. In comparison, a vibrant, masculine charm filled with life and ambition was much more appealing to him.

“I’m surprised you’re suddenly talking about Bendyke. You’re not one to have the tendency to gossip about your employees.”

“I’m troubled by what happened at the Viscount’s feast. I’m asking because you know them better than I do.”

Before any grand feast or soirées, it was essential to carefully think about the seating arrangements, taking into account the relationships between the aristocracy. At this excuse, Viscount Derbyshire nodded without question. Presently the two of them were touring the rose garden where the soirée was to be held. Aeroc wanted to ask for his advice on the stage and seating arrangements he had already envisaged, and he readily agreed. The old gentleman, who was very healthy for his age, walked briskly through the garden and made some very useful suggestions about which to fix and how to arrange the tables. Aeroc made a mental note of it to pass on to Hugo.

“I think Rapiel should be seated with the Marquis. As far away from Bendyke as possible. The Marquis feels uncomfortable with Bendyke.”

“So how did they get to know each other?”

“You mean Linus and Bendyke?”

The Viscount Derbyshire stroked his bushy beard. At first, Aeroc had assumed that the Viscount Derbyshire had introduced Bendyke to the social circle. That wasn’t wrong, but Aeroc was curious after learning that it was Wolflake who had introduced Bendyke to the Viscount Derbyshire.

“One day he asked me if I’d like to meet a promising investor, and I said yes, because I like ambitious young men. I asked him how he knew him, and he answered like this.”

The Viscount Derbyshire then squinted his eyes and clenched his jaw in imitation of Wolflake.

“I met him in the streets. He came out of nowhere and asked me to lend him ten gold coins. It is not a lot of money, but it’s not the kind of money you’d give to a beggar, and I tried to refuse.”

Aeroc chuckled at the Viscount Derbyshire’s chilling Wolflake impersonation.

“But his gaze was different, so I gave it to him without much care. He came back exactly a week later with a thousand gold coins. He gave me back a hundred gold coins, saying to consider it as an interest. Then he told me to invest in himself if I was interested in increasing my fortune.”

“So he invested blindly in Bendyke? What if he was a fraud?”

Aeroc asked, and the Viscount Derbyshire broke his stern expression and looked quite surprised.

“Now, I’m surprised to hear you say that. Bendyke is really a marvellous man. I can’t believe the Count of Teiwind, not someone else, speaks of worrying about frauds. I was right to recommend him to you, after all.”

Aeroc’s mouth stayed quiet at the admiring remark. While that was true, Aeroc wasn’t really happy to hear it. Viscount Derbyshire chuckled and continued.

“Wolflake thought the same thing. That’s why he introduced Bendyke to me. He wanted me to see whether Bendyke was a fraud or not. One can play with gold coins, but there’s only so much one can fool with their knowledge, and I tested him with everything I knew. And to my surprise, he was surprisingly knowledgeable about the continent’s economy and the flow of money in the Empire. Not only did he have a perfect grasp of domestic finances, but also of the finer points of public funds and investment trusts. That’s not all. His knowledge of overseas investments was extraordinary. At first, I thought he was a madman, but I checked with people everywhere, and several organizations were asking me where I got such up-to-date and confidential information. I hired Bendyke shortly afterward. And as you can see, he’s proving that I was right about him.”

The Viscount Derbyshire, even as he stuck out his tongue, never forgot to present himself with flair. His joyous demeanor, adorned with a round clownish smile and a bushy beard, made his self-promotion charming rather than annoying. That was his great charm.

“I hear he studied law at university.”

“Indeed, but his specialty was on commercial law, property law, and patent law. It’s about using the law as a weapon in the battlefield where money clashes, poking holes in the opponent’s defenses to fish out a treasure chest full of gold and jewels.”

Viscount Derbyshire was also a man of great eloquence, explaining how to cleverly exploit the legal system to extract a considerable sum from the opponent and describing it with an adventurer’s enthusiasm.

“Did you think I didn’t do a background check on him? The Baron Bendyke’s estate in the remote mountainous northwest is picturesque, but it’s a small territory unsuitable for the residence of an ambitious alpha. Moreover, the estate was inherited by the eldest son. The Bendyke we know is the second son without any title. I investigated his university life too, all I heard was that he’s an amiable and versatile ordinary young man, well-liked by many. He has a flexible yet thorough temperament, rarely making mistakes. Despite lacking a title, being of aristocratic descent, his manners are polite. While his rural background might make him a bit rugged, ironically, that becomes part of his charm. Hahaha.”

“Is that so?”

The unintentional compliments continued. It was the first time Viscount Derbyshire had ever spoken so highly of an ambitious man. Despite having the outward appearance of an old gentleman with plenty of laughter, he was, in fact, a seasoned investor and a key figure as an old socialite. Thus, he casually took care of doing background checks on new acquaintances. And his positive assessment turned out to be ultimately beneficial for Aeroc.

“He’s also got a secretive side.”

Aeroc subtly probed for information, and in response, Viscount Derbyshire caught his intent and nodded.

“In his youth, he enjoyed some revelry, like any young person. But they say he underwent a transformation after graduation. Those who knew him both in college and now seem to be universally amazed. They say he’s clearly the same person, but something about him seems to have changed. People say he has a newfound aura of intimidation. I think perhaps that’s his true nature surfacing. During his student years, he might have indulged in freedom and rebellion, and after graduation, he set his sights on success, rushing towards it, revealing his true character. Such individuals exist, mostly destined for greatness.”

“I didn’t know the Viscount thought so highly of Bendyke.”

“I do not speak highly of him, I’m only talking about the facts. I have some guesses about him, though.”

It was almost time to get in. The two turned towards the estate. The Viscount Derbyshire spoke again as they walked at a brisk pace.

“Is that all you’re curious about for today?”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t you call me here because you’re curious about Bendyke?”

The Viscount Derbyshire’s words cut straight to the heart of the defenseless Aeroc. He narrowed one eye at the bewildered man.

“I’m not a stuck-up old man. Young people have their aberrations. You just need to keep your core. Bendyke will be a positive influence on you. Provided you don’t get too deep into it, of course.”

“We’re not like that.”

Placing a mask of expressionlessness with a hint of displeasure, Aeroc belatedly parried the sudden jab at his heart. Viscount Derbyshire blinked his powerful eyes twice, and then broke into a wry smile.

“I apologize if I have misunderstood you. I just thought you might be because you are so uninterested in the opposite sex.”

“Just because I’m not interested doesn’t mean I date everyone.”

His smooth tongue rolled out the lie so effortlessly. But it didn’t stop a trickle of cold sweat from running down his spine. Aeroc stiffened his back, taking a step back. The coy smile he usually wore when distancing himself from others tugged at the corners of his mouth. Viscount Derbyshire, on the other hand, pouted and patted his belly again. It was a gesture he made when he felt uncomfortable in his close circle.

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