TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTRE 8
Ziel had just deposited his money into a money vault. Quite a lot today, he also met some of his noble friends. Count Chanderlier and Viscount Clealpina.
They came out of there together “I haven't seen you two in a long time,” Ziel seemed happy to see his friends again. His busy last two weeks made him not have time to occasionally chat with them.
They shook hands to say hello and thanked each other for their hard work.
“You've been very busy lately.” Count Chanderlier.
“Yes, we have also lately been busy taking care of a lot of things,” timpal Viscount Clealpina while rubbing his mustache which is quite thick.
"It's a good time, let's go have a chat for a while."
Ziel invited his two friends to have a coffee for a while before continuing their respective activities. The three men talked about many things related to their respective activities. “I can't believe you invited Grand Duke Palmieri to your wife's birthday, amazing.” Viscount Clealpina started the topic.
“Hahaha I was also surprised. Even their two sons were directly close.”
“When will your child get engaged or go to pelaminan immediately before making their debut?”
Ziel chuckled at the ledge of his friends. “You guys are too quick to think about that. They still need time to get to know each other.” Ziel then glanced at the roll of a piece of newsprint in the hands of Viscount Clealpina “Why did you bring a piece of newspaper? Any important news?”
Chanderlier and Clealpina looked at each other and looked at Ziel in shock “You don't know? The reason we came to the bank was because of this.” He gave the paper to Ziel, letting him read the story himself.
“This Black Celtic?”
Black Celtic was an official auction venue controlled directly by the king of the country. Anyone noble can participate in auctioning and buying goods. In this city there were quite a number of nobles who came along on several occasions if they heard there was a rare or special item to be offered.
“Yes. I heard someone is auctioning off a territory that I think is very strategic. Know it? I even heard that there is also a mine that is no longer active. Perhaps we can use it and we already know how much profit we will get later.” Count Chanderlier's.
Ziel frowns “Isn't this whole region still King's?” Count Chanderlier shook his head convinced “Not all are under the control of the King. This territory belongs to one of the nobles who have been hereditary and will now be released because he cannot take care of it properly.”
“…”
Viscount Clealpine also chimed in “If the King only received the land into the auction, I think it has passed the approval process from the owner with the King. It is possible that the territory has been written in the agreement of the previous kings so it cannot be made property by the present King.”
Ziel held onto his chin, thinking of the good opportunity that had come. “Definitely this time the auction room will be full.”
“Yes. That's why we have to leave immediately. Fifteen minutes will start. Ziel, what about you? Want to come with us?”
Ziel began to be interested in participating in price bets with participants who participated in the auction today. Ziel has a brain that is quite intelligent in managing the land, he can easily withdraw profits from the dead land “I will also join.”
In accordance with the estimate. There were many people who were already sitting around waiting until the auction event started. Some of them were people Ziel knew. He chose to sit at the back so as not to get too close to the stage.
Ziel highlighted one person who was stuck in his eyes. Somehow he was the only one wearing a long robe and a mask that covered his entire face. No one is with him, he himself always faces the front stage “who is he? Ordinary person?” inner curious.
Yes, nobles who do not live in the area are not prohibited if they want to participate in the auction in any city. All present dressed up as nobles, showing their respective ranks. This was the first time Ziel saw someone actually covering up his noble status at the official auction venue as if it was an illegal place whose identity should not be known.
The event also began. Delayed areas are deliberately placed in the last order, they open the event with small and less valuable objects first.
Forty minutes of walking and waiting arrived. The area of the ship is called. It is located in a mountainous area near the border between the towns of Norfolk and Goldenleaf.
There were four cities in the kingdom of Bommenhaum, under the leadership of King Gilbert Van Moultier, namely Goldenleaf, Norfolk, Avallone, and Whitebridge. Arden's residence was in the city of Goldenleaf which was also the place where the Bommenhaum palace was established.
Norfolk is home to Ziel and his friends. Avallone city is the closest city to the sea so the area is often called the port city. The city is often used as a holiday destination. Whitebridge City is in the northern area which is the most producer of food because the area is cool and not too hot.
A very fitting coincidence, right? The area that was auctioned was not too broad but very close to the city where he lived. If it succeeds in winning the area Ziel can maximally take care of the dead mine. Not only him, surely his friends were thinking the same thing.
“Wah, there are so many who are very interested in owning this land yes,” said the host.
Almost everyone present raised the price board they offered. Participants who wore robes did not lift the board at all even though the price had many times increased with the increase of nobles who tried to compete.
The price continued to soar and as time went by only one Ziel remained. He managed to offer the highest price that no one else could race anymore. His heart became happy even though the money he was betting on was enough to make a finger bite.
“Does no one want to offer any more prices?” the host gave time for those who were still hesitant to raise the estimated price board. “Alright, I'll count down right now,” the host keeps looking all over the room.
“Satu”
Someone is still in doubt. They don't want to waste more money.
“Two”
Everything seemed to have made the choice not to compete with the Marquess Emerald.
“Ti- Whoaa!!! Alright, it turns out that there is still someone interested in owning this land!” the call from the host shocked the entire room.
All pairs of eyes on a cloak wearer and a mask covering his entire identity raised a board that offered twice the price offered by Ziel.
Ziel grumbled softly. He will not be able to compete with the price that the person raises. Double? Sure enough, Ziel had already risked almost all of his money to become the landowner. Now suddenly someone immediately put up a two-fold estimate, he will not be able to pay if he wants to race the price set by the stranger.
“What is that person intentionally? Since then he has not moved at all. The turn is only me, why did he just bet the price?” ziel thought astonished.
It is unfortunate if he gave up the opportunity but Ziel did not want to take a bigger risk. As a result, he relented and did not give a price greater than that person offered.
“Good. Then this land will belong to Young Duke Navarro. Congratulations to him who has become the official owner of the gem mine!!”
Everyone was astonished to hear the name of the clan being called. The nickname Young Duke was given to a young man who became the successor to the Duke's status at the age of eighteen who was very young to lead.
Not only that, it made everyone shocked. The reason is, Young Duke Navarro almost never appeared and socialized. He was like a ghost that would appear at certain moments only. No noble was familiar with him. It was also what triggered the gossip, enlivening the room at this time.
They had not expected the young man to be present at the auction event that was not even at the Goldenleaf. Basically, he appears and still does not show himself without a protector. He kept protecting himself in ‘hide’, not letting anyone see his face directly.
The young man in the spotlight chose not to care about everyone's strange look at him. He stepped forward to take care of the signing of the land handover he just won.
“Ziel? Why are you daydreaming?”
“Oh, no.”
“Don't say you're still upset that you can't own the mine,” like to know the outside in Ziel's nature, Count Chanderlier is trying to distract from the winner of the diamond mine area “Let's go home. I'd like to take you to Baron Blackrose.”
“Sorry. I need to get home soon. Actually, I was out to buy a train ticket to take my wife and children on vacation to Avallone.”
Chanderlier and Clealpina were slightly confused by the different Ziel gelagat. But they understood what he was feeling right now because it was not just him who failed to obtain the land.
The thing that stuck in Ziel's heart was not about the failure he had the land but from Duke Navarro himself “Why did he look at me like I was a criminal?” before going down to the podium, their gazes had briefly met.
From behind the golden black mask he wore, Ziel was able to capture the killing aura of the young man. His blood-red eyes seemed to glow more clearly behind the mask's eye hole.
His body shivered remembering that. Ziel was already fully convinced that he had never once met Young Duke. Even when he was at a birthday party or palace meeting, Ziel was quite indifferent so he never realized there was or was not Young Duke there.
His brain was like hypnotized, his mind was chaotic, he kept thinking about Young Duke Navarro's gaze despite wanting to stop. The Emerald-green man only realized someone was yelling at him and pulling him until they fell backwards.
“Your Majesty the Marquess, What are you doing? Please be careful when walking. You just barely stepped on a horse-drawn carriage.” Tegur is an iron forger who happens to be his shop there and is already quite familiar with Ziel.
“B-so? Sorry to bother you.”
Ziel shook his head while gently hitting his own forehead, his head felt dizzy and his vision blurred “What happened to me?” confused mind.
After the auction, Ziel locked himself in a room. For most of the day his mind was shaken, whatever he tried to do always ended up wrong, what he said was not clear to where.
Zoya becomes very anxious about the health of her beloved husband. She called her family doctor to quickly check what caused her husband's strange behavior. Unfortunately the doctor found nothing, Ziel was in good health, there was no disturbance in his brain and his blood pressure was normal.
“Darling, what really happened to you?”
“I...me, me? unknown, I don't remember anything.” he answered half-stretched like a drunk. Seeing Ziel's strange condition, the doctor gave him tranquilizers and sleeping pills to keep watch if he could not sleep tonight.
As a result of Marigold continuing to invite Arden to visit many places, the girl came home late. The sky was perfect dark. Arden certainly felt bad to both parents Marigold because his daughter who came home late without telling them where they went.
“Sorry, I made you come home late,” said Arden who prefers to stand at the door. If he gets in, Marigold might not let him go back to the inn.
The beautiful girl smiled as she shook her head “No need to apologize, I was wrong. I was too happy to show Norfolk beauty so I accidentally forced you to go long time with me.”
“No. I enjoyed it enough. Thank you for introducing Norfolk to me.”
Both cheeks Marigold met “Arden. Careful on the road.”
“Yes. I'm going home now,” Arden smiled as he waved his farewell sign.
Seeing the young man turn around it felt like Marigold was unwilling. He does not want to part with Arden “Arden, wait!” to be honest he himself was shocked for suddenly stopping the young man from leaving.
“Yes? What's up, Marigold?”
“A-ah, that..anu, I want to give something to you.”
“What?” Marigold took off the blessing bracelet he got from the temple to put in Arden's hands “Why did you give it to me?”
“This is to protect you. You said you and your father are still investigating a strange outbreak case, I hope this can protect you from bad things.”
Arden braised the blue gem bracelet “Oh, thanks Marigold.”
Marigold would continue to think of Arden while seeing his heart completely vanish from view if only Ziel's personal butler hadn't dashed his daydream and told him his father was sick.
Ziel wasn't depressed, stressed, or otherwise when Marigold healed him. Her father is in good shape as their family doctor told her before “Did dad say something to mom?” ask Marigold curiously.
“No. Every time we asked, he kept rummaging unclear.”
Marigold sighed while stroking his father's head “He'll be fine. Now he needs enough rest. I'll check on dad again later tonight.”
The clock was ten at night and when Marigold wanted to check on Ziel, he saw his mother standing on the balcony of the room. Opening the balcony door wide even though the wind has pierced to the bone.
Lightning that snaps in the night sky indicates the coming of heavy rain accompanied by a storm. Women beraras ayu it's way around like anxious, fingernails also be a witness.
“Mother, why are you standing outside? Let's get in. The wind is very strong.”
Zoya squeezes both arms of her beloved daughter “Is this Meridia's doing? Your father became like this after he scolded her and gave her punishment.” Both eyes are watering. Not because of sadness but fear and anxiety.
Is fear of your own child normal? Afraid as if she gave birth to a monstrous monster that could destroy her happy life at any moment. Zoya feels guilty for Ziel and Marigold.
Brutal ‘kan? How can a mother think such a horrible thing about her own child?
“That can't be mom.”
“How can you be sure? During this time Meridia did not show any sign while cursing someone.”
“Mother... Meridia never even touched the three of us. How could he activate his power? Mom thinks too much. Rest, dad has improved so mom can come to sleep now.”
Marigold never liked Meridia. But this time his heart was convinced that his sister was not a trigger for the strangeness of their father's attitude.
“Tomorrow we ask directly to father.”
