* * *
The atmosphere was cozier than it had been upstairs.
The room was filled with antique furniture and old books, and the sound of crackling firewood added to the sense of comfort.
If I had to describe it in terms of color, the space felt overwhelmingly brown.
It was yet another unexpected contrast from the first floor.
I really shouldn’t judge a place by its exterior.
Just as I was muttering this to myself, Alexander tossed a kindling log into the fireplace and gestured toward an empty armchair, wordlessly inviting me to sit.
“Surprised?”
“Yes… a lot. I never imagined a place like this existed.”
“For some reason, that makes me proud. Do you like it?”
“I really do.”
I nodded firmly, and Alexander’s smile widened.
It was an oddly youthful expression, almost like a boy proudly showing off something he had built himself.
He perched on the armrest of the chair across from me and casually crossed his legs.
“Haha, seeing your reaction makes all the effort I put into this place feel worthwhile. This is where I hold my private meetings.”
“Private meetings?”
“Yes. But before that, how about a cup of tea? My mouth feels a bit dry.”
“Oh… sure.”
I wanted to ask if he had met with Kaindel here as well when they spoke, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop him as he turned away naturally.
Besides, if this conversation was going to be a long one, having something to drink beforehand wasn’t a bad idea.
Alexander took a small ember from the fireplace and used it to light a brazier.
He then placed a kettle filled with water and a tea bag of dried leaves onto the heat.
As the water gradually boiled, it took on the color of the tea leaves, and soon, a fragrant floral aroma filled the room.
A moment later, Alexander returned with two cups and poured the frIsaly brewed tea, handing one to me.
The liquid shimmered inside the cup, tinted a delicate pink.
“Here, give it a taste. It’s a new blend that just arrived from Sohon.”
“Sohon… That’s the country on the easternmost border, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s well-known for its mysterious medicine and high-quality tea.”
Alexander’s eyes curved slightly as he confirmed my guess, then he took a sip, savoring the aroma with his eyes briefly closed.
A soft sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips.
Seeing him look so pleased, I followed suit and took a sip myself.
Sohon was indeed famous for its tea, and now I could see why.
This was the smoothest, most refrIsang tea I had ever tasted.
I made a mental note to ask about its name before leaving.
With that thought in mind, I decided it was time to move on to the real reason I was here.
I had been indulging in this leisurely atmosphere for too long.
Time was passing even as we spoke.
“Anyway, it’s time for you to tell me.”
“Ah, right. We were supposed to talk about something, weren’t we? I almost forgot.”
Alexander let out a small sigh, as if he had only just remembered.
He then tapped his fingers against the table a few times.
It seemed like a habitual gesture, so I didn’t pay much attention at first.
But when he continued deliberately, as if he wanted me to notice, I glanced down in curiosity—only to find a newspaper beneath his fingertips.
“Before I say anything, take a look at this first.”
“Today’s daily paper?”
What I wanted to know wasn’t some gossip printed in the newspaper.
My curiosity about Alexander’s intentions grew. Just as I reached for the paper, he added in a low voice,
“If you still want to hear it from me after reading this, I’ll tell you.”
His words left me no choice but to check the newspaper first.
Come to think of it, the boy who had sold it to me mentioned there was something about Kaindel in today’s issue.
As I flipped it open, the bold headline immediately caught my eye.
[The Hidden Face of High Society… The ‘Sponsorship Parties’ Unveiled.]
Sponsorship parties.
The moment I saw those words, my entire body froze.
I was so shocked that I momentarily forgot to breathe.
If this article was about the sponsorship parties Kaindel had told me about, then it was essentially exposing the nobles’ darkest secrets.
The aristocracy, who desperately wanted to appear noble and dignified in the public eye, would have their true nature laid bare—revealing them as people who couldn’t even control their most depraved desires.
The very structure of the sponsorship parties reflected their twisted morality and hidden intentions.
And yet, an article like this had made it into a daily newspaper.
The only plausible explanation was that it was meant to bring down the reputation of the nobility.
Furthermore, since these sponsorship parties were connected to the royal family, publishing such an article would require careful consideration of the palace’s reaction.
However, Alexander didn’t seem the least bit concerned about whose attention this might attract.
With a hardened expression, I continued reading.
[…“Their intentions were never pure.”
According to Miss Jane (18), who worked as a palace maid until a month ago, the sponsorship parties—originally established to support the dreams of the financially disadvantaged—had become something far more sinister over time. Under the guise of sponsoring talented individuals, the nobles had begun to assert ownership over them.
“I thought they were demons.”
Miss Jane recalled the event with horror.
“I saw a woman leading a young girl around with a leash around her neck. Just like a pet monkey. The girl didn’t seem human at all.”
The girl Miss Jane claimed to have seen was none other than Elizabeth Cloner, known for being the youngest artist ever to have her paintings displayed in the royal palace.
Regarding Miss Jane’s allegations, Elizabeth Cloner’s representatives responded:
“This is clearly a scandal meant to tarnish Elizabeth’s and her patron’s reputations,” and they declared that they would “respond firmly.”
“I don’t see them as human. They only treat people as a means to satisfy their own moral superiority.”
According to Miss Jane, the sponsorship parties are invitation-only, and only those in key positions within the aristocracy are allowed to attend.
“If the sponsored person is of common birth, it’s even worse.”
Based on her observations, she claims that having talent as a commoner is nothing short of a curse. ]
After reading up to that point, I looked up at Alexander again.
Only then did I begin to understand why he had told me to read the newspaper first.
“Have you finished reading already?”
“I’ve skimmed through most of it.”
I averted my gaze from Alexander, who couldn’t quite hide his surprise as he glanced at the wall clock.
I wasn’t confident I could meet his chilling gaze head-on.
Instead, I focused my wavering vision back on the newspaper.
Within it lay a truth so repulsive that I could barely bring myself to acknowledge it.
“Is this… true?”
“If you’re referring to the story about Elizabeth, yes, it is.”
“But Kaindel told me it wasn’t that bad. Just… distasteful, but not the absolute worst.”
“Isa, do you know how I’m aware of Elizabeth’s story?”
“…”
“Elizabeth is my younger sister.”
Alexander revealed this shocking truth with an unsettling smile, as if he were relaying someone else’s story.
“But your surnames are different.”
“‘Cloner’ is a fake name.”
“Then…”
“It means that the child prodigy, the one who was dragged around on a leash by her sponsor, is my sister.”
It also means that Kaindel isn’t the only one who had to expose his wounds for this plan.
Alexander added this as he emptied his teacup.
His expression remained eerily unchanged even as he spoke about his family.
Now, I finally understood why his eyes reminded me of a serpent’s.
“…So, is this article something she wrote?”
“Not because of my sister, no. It was meant to make commoners realize that no matter how much talent they possess, they will never surpass the wall of their birth. To remind them that they live in such a society. Of course, this was the princess’s work.”
“The princess?”
But I had thought this was Kaindel’s plan…?
Just as I was about to voice my doubts—
“Yes, this is the princess’s piece. And below that, this is the hero’s work.”
Alexander’s finger trailed down to the section I had yet to read.
My gaze followed his gesture, and an all-too-familiar name caught my attention.
[Meanwhile, as the existence of the sponsorship parties has come to light, attention is shifting to other victims of these gatherings. Among them is none other than the Duke of Schudelgarten, whom we know better as the ‘Hero.’]
* * *
