The Problem Is, My Ex-Boyfriend and I Are Both Dating Other People - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 63

Maybe I should just throw them out.
“Bella.”
Richard cut short Bella’s deliberation. With not just one or two people around, he wrapped his protective hold on her tighter, tapping his index finger lightly against the side of her ear.
He’d clearly heard something the others had missed. Love and Heart fell silent as well, their faces tense.
Still, they showed no sign of leaving—it was Bella who finally relented. As she nodded her assent, Love grinned and drew a bundle of keys from his pocket.
Clack, creeeak—the unmistakable groan of an unkempt lock, and they all stepped through the mansion’s threshold.
Bang!
Only after the door slammed shut behind them did Heart whisper.
“But what if there’s a squatter inside?”
“The place is listed for sale. That’s unlikely, Heart. Remember the cardinal rule of real estate?”
Noah, who had been listening to Love’s murmur, blinked in bewilderment.
“There’s a cardinal rule for real estate?”
“Of course there is, young lord. What sort of business operates without principles?”
Since when did real estate require principles? Noah and the journalists stood confused as Richard turned back to them. The silence returned, heavy as a stone.
Richard casually withdrew a cloth bundle from his pocket. As he undid the knot, premium Magic Stones that he’d shown them before tumbled out of the darkness in a cascade.
“Remarkable, really. House of Winston always does things differently—treating Magic Stones like pebbles on the roadside…….”
Asta approached Love’s side with brightening eyes as the man let out a small cry of wonder.
“Does Troublelove need Magic Stones? Since fate has brought us together, I’ll give you a special rate.”
“Oh, how much of a discount are we talking?”
“Let’s see. Normally I give this much off for close acquaintances—but you’re not just an acquaintance, you’re connected through business, aren’t you? And you’ll be helping our leader plenty down the road. Isn’t that right?”
“Well, naturally. Troublelove always, forever, puts love first.”
Noah suddenly lit up and jumped into the conversation.
“Wait. Asta. Magic Stones are discounted too? Then what about me? What about me?”
“For you, special pricing, of course. If you transfer your allegiance to House of Winston, it’s free.”
Don’t go poaching another house’s young lord.
Watching Richard quietly do his work amid this circus, Bella thought to herself.
She wished they’d all just disappear.

* * *

According to Richard, Magic Stones had various uses. In the Capital, they were primarily employed as magical components, but in the Northern Region they served an entirely different purpose.
“I never dreamed premium Magic Stones could lure Monsters.”
Love lingered and spoke. Richard made no effort to hide his annoyance at him.
“Does Troublelove not know everything?”
“Monsters fall far outside our motto. They’re not endearing, and my heart doesn’t race from watching them, after all.”
It would if you actually saw one.
That’s what I muttered under my breath.
Richard seemed exasperated by Love’s words but explained anyway.
“To lure Monsters with premium Magic Stones, certain conditions must be met. The Monsters must be within a certain range, and you need enough premium Magic Stones to tempt them.”
“Ah, I see. So with this, we can confirm whether there are Monsters inside the mansion?”
“Yes. With this quantity, even mid to low-grade Monsters within range will come for the Stones.”
I did notice the amount seemed smaller than what had been given for Hot Forest.
Some time passed in tense waiting. Richard rose from his seat and swept the Magic Stones back into his pocket.
“No Monsters.”
“No Monsters?”
“This place wasn’t used to confine them.”
Richard added quickly, as if he thought I’d be disappointed.
“When you think about it, a real estate agent wouldn’t keep Monsters locked in a place where they hold the keys.”
“I suppose not.”
I nodded along appropriately and glanced at Noah sideways. Catching my eye, Noah gave a barely perceptible nod.
From the start, I hadn’t expected Monsters to be kept here.
No matter how cleverly you use underground space, keeping Monsters in a building where property changes hands with third parties? That’s just asking for trouble. I’d guessed Daemon was using this place for something else entirely.
Files, for instance, that would be dangerous to keep in the Imperial Palace.
Ledgers and such—stored safely away.
‘At this scale, there should be a secret space.’
I swept my gaze slowly through the mansion’s interior. The layout was smaller than average but evoked the typical structure of an Imperial noble house. Usually in such cases, there were traditional places where secret spaces were created.
Underground passages beneath the stairs leading to the second floor, secret rooms behind a study or office, or else——
“Hmm. That one.”
We were in the middle of our discussion when Love quietly raised his hand.
“I’m not sure about monsters, but there is something suspicious in the basement here. Maybe?”
The wine cellar underground — they usually left those alone.
“Maybe?”
At Richard’s question, Love scratched his cheek with an embarrassed laugh.
“There’s a rather large wine storage in the basement of the mansion. But we don’t throw parties here, and it’s just a place where one courtesan lives alone. Do we really need hundreds of bottles of wine for that, you know?”
Noah tilted his head in confusion. You could see it written on his face—wasn’t that standard? Love must have read it too, because he scratched the back of his neck and added hastily.
“If that were all, I wouldn’t mention it. But apparently the wine is stored in whole oak barrels.”
“Ah. That is odd.”
Noah nodded, and Love eagerly chimed in agreement.
“Right? Doesn’t that seem strange?”
“But why didn’t you dig deeper? That’s not like Troublelove at all.”
“Ha, ha, ha. We’re so grateful that you trust us like this, Miss Bella.”
It seemed less like trust and more like mockery.
“Well, the thing is, if we’d gone that far, the whole affair would’ve spiraled out of control. So we backed off. Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
When everyone’s eyes fixed on him, Love began stammering his excuses.
“Honestly, it’s not like we have some grand cause behind what we do. We were digging around thinking maybe there was a hidden bastard or something, and then suddenly a secret space pops out—you’d be terrified, wouldn’t you?”
“Let’s go look.”
At Richard’s words, everyone moved as though they’d rehearsed it. I caught Noah’s eye again. I could see the troubled expression on his face, the way he swallowed a sigh. I could almost hear him grumbling—how am I supposed to hide that with all these eyes around? When I thought of those people he’d chased through the Hot Forest, carrying only two or three books in their arms, it became harder to justify.
Noah had chased those people in the Hot Forest with nothing but a couple of books on them. When you thought about it that way.
I gave Noah a light gesture again, like I was extracting a promise from him. He grimaced as though he’d bitten a sour fruit, but obediently nodded his head.
“Bella, now is the time to drive them away.”
Richard, who had quietly approached from behind, whispered.
“Love and Heart?”
A small sound of laughter. Richard carefully wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Only then did I notice that the landing of the stairs leading down to the basement was broken. Richard bent his head toward me and read softly against my ear.
“Fin Gerald and Knox Ruffles.”
“! You knew?”
“Did you really think I’d let people into your household without investigating them, Bella?”
I rolled my eyes slightly. I hadn’t expected Richard to conduct a background check.
I suddenly felt the weight of the fact that he was an earl. No, but he’d only recently become one—it hadn’t even been half a year yet. How was he already adapting so quickly?
As if reading my doubt, Richard spoke.
“Bella. I led a Self-Defense Militia in the Northern Region for ten years and forged them into a knight’s order.”
There was a note of grievance woven into the words he added as an afterthought.
“Do you have any idea how many spies and infiltrators were sent after I took the post?”
“Spies in the Northern Region?”
“Magic Stones are scarce, and rumors started spreading once I began driving monsters northward. Jackals sniffing for scraps began gathering. That’s how I also know you’ve been sending supplies to the north for quite a long time now, Bella.”
“!”
“You’ll come to acknowledge it soon enough.”
Richard’s voice, recited like a prophecy, was soft and low.
“That I’m not weak.”
Having spoken with certainty, Richard soon turned his head away.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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