Chapter 230: Buried Alive (10)

The moment Kevin Ashton's name left Rubia's lips, Marquis Ivote became visibly guarded. He had felt like a soft, slightly disheveled yellow hue until now, but in that instant, he revealed the cold gray of a sharpened blade.

Seeing that shift naturally made me tense up as well. Until now, only one person had reacted meaningfully to the name Kevin Ashton, and that was Isaac. He'd suddenly taken off, claiming he wanted to tour the capital. Now, Marquis Ivote made two.

If Isaac was any example, then this marquis definitely wasn't an ordinary man. I examined him again and found that he did not carry any weapons, not even a dagger for self-defense. Still, it didn't seem like he was someone who didn't need a weapon due to skill. There was none of the pressure I felt from the swordmasters like Marquis Leandro or Duke Tartier. I recalled the two mages Gith-Za-Rai had assassinated. This man didn't match them at all. He probably wasn't a mage either.

It hit me then just how much I'd been through. I'd fought swordmasters head-on and died to their blades more than once. I'd witnessed the deaths of high-level mages in all-out battles. Now, I could sense their presence just by how they carried themselves. In that brief moment when Kevin Ashton was mentioned, the pressure the marquis exuded was no joke.

If someone were to fall before his sword, it would feel less like they'd been cut, and more like some intangible nobility or pride within him had overpowered them. However, just as quickly as it had come, that sharp presence vanished as if it had never existed.

The marquis let out a sheepish laugh. "

Ho ho

..."

I relaxed my grip on my sword hilt. I'd been ready to take him down at the first suspicious move, but he hadn't even risen from his chair once.

"Father? Is something wrong?" Sena asked.

"

Ha ha

. Wrong? Not at all. Lady Gratie, did you enjoy the tea party?"

Rubia responded smoothly, not letting her emotions show. "Thanks to Lady Ivote's attention to every little detail, I was able to enjoy it thoroughly."

"You felt that too, didn't you?"

"Yes... What do you think his connection to Kevin Ashton is?"

The marquis kept a friendly smile. "Of course, I'll find a book and lend it to you, but I have one request. Dinner will be served shortly. Would you join me?"

This might be dangerous. He could be testing Rubia's identity.

"What will you do?"

"Hmm... If I refuse now, I'll just look suspicious. Leave it to me."

I decided to trust her and stay close. As long as I was nearby, I could intervene at the first sign of danger. Surely he wouldn't just go and poison her without warning. Instead of questioning her further about Kevin Ashton, the marquis led Rubia to the dining room.

"It's a bit small... but it's where we eat as a family. Please, enjoy."

I had expected a large hall, considering the size and grandeur of the mansion, but the room was only big enough for about ten people. Aside from one maid, no one else was present. There was plenty of space for just the three of them.

"I don't know how much you eat." The marquis joked lightly, picking up a small canape. "But I made sure you won't be left wanting."

He wasn't exaggerating. Each time a dish was prepared, the maid would bring it in and introduce it. Just hearing the names of the dishes made it clear that they were expensive.

"This is foie gras terrine."

The wrapping unfolded like the shell of a candy. Judging from Rubia's expression as she ate, there didn't seem to be any poison. Even the soup was special.

"You'll want to mix this before eating."

The maid grated fresh truffle directly over an egg-coated soup, creating a rich layer of truffle shavings. Every dish, from appetizers to the main course, had been carefully prepared.

"How is it?"

"It's hard to tell if the food's even going down. It's not easy to hide your nerves."

Despite what she said, she seemed to be having a feast.

"Should we just leave now?"

"No... I'll be fine."

Throughout the meal, the marquis didn't mention Kevin Ashton again. Instead, he shifted the topic.

"Does the food suit your taste? I heard your mother is very skilled in the kitchen."

"

Aha ha ha...

" Rubia suddenly burst into an exaggerated laugh. It was a bit impolite, almost childish.

Unfazed, the marquis casually asked, "Why is that funny?"

"Forgive me, sir. I couldn't help laughing when I thought of my mother's cooking."

"I heard she was quite talented. That she received proper training..."

"Sir, there's a note on the first page of my father's journal. It says: Warning: Never let Anne cook. Remember, you'll have to eat it."

"

Ho ho...

So the rumor was rather distorted."

"Was that a test?"

"Yes. Lady Anne is infamous for her terrible cooking... and has an overwhelming passion for it."

Rubia gave a subtle nod. A few more trick questions followed. If she hadn't explained them between the lines, I wouldn't have even recognized them as traps. She had truly done her homework. She probably knew herself better as Lady Gratie than the actual Gratie family did.

"You're really putting in the work."

"Not at all. I studied so hard for the tea party but didn't get to use any of it. At least now it's coming in handy."

Rubia chatted with the marquis the entire time without ever losing her composure.

Why did Marquis Ivote react so strongly to Kevin Ashton's name? And why did he hide that reaction immediately after?

If Isaac were here, he probably would've had an answer. At the very least, I wish I could ask him.

However, Isaac hadn't shown himself in days since claiming he was off to tour the capital. He hadn't even given a time frame.

Can I really trust what he said? Or is he off scheming something again?

If Isaac really did abandon us, I should feel relieved, but somehow, I just felt a little sad.

I rolled my neck slowly, glancing around the room. It went without saying, but Isaac was nowhere to be found.

Following the main course, a grilled black pork shoulder, the dessert came: an apple cocktail and a strawberry parfait.

The marquis said to Rubia, "The meal was thoroughly enjoyable. I hope we can invite you again sometime."

"Thank you so much. I'd love that if the opportunity arises."

"

Oh

, that's right. Father, what about the book?"

"Of course, I haven't forgotten. I'll send over the complete twenty-volume set first. I'll arrange for a carriage to deliver them."

Twenty volumes!

Any thoughts I had about Isaac's whereabouts immediately flew out of my head.

Twenty books by Kevin Ashton? What a collection that exists in the Ivote family's private library!

Rubia seemed stunned, blinking as if at a loss for words. "

Wow...

"

It felt like stumbling upon incredible luck in the most unexpected place. Although Yube Jinney had seemed exceptionally resourceful, he only managed to acquire one volume. Up until now, I had only read eight in total. Lime from the orphanage, despite all their tricks, had only three. Now an entire twenty-volume set was freely offered to Rubia.

So this is the power of a founding noble family?

Rubia repeatedly thanked the marquis.

"Twenty volumes... They had that many?"

"This is amazing!"

I felt my heart race at the thought of reading all of Kevin Ashton's books. At the very least, my Wisdom stat would rise by twenty. I might even gain a new skill.

I remembered when I had read

The Grand Mage trapped in the Cracks of Time,

I had uncovered a hidden piece from Kevin Ashton. My Wisdom rose by ten, and I gained the Insight perk.

This was twenty volumes. Surely at least one of them contained something.

Clatter.

The carriage departed from the mansion under the deepening darkness. Behind Rubia's carriage, a second one followed, loaded with the full collection. Then I sensed five individuals leaving the mansion from different directions.

We have people tailing us.

The marquis had done something foolish. One moved through twisting alleys. Another jumped from rooftop to rooftop. Others walked casually down the main street, only to scatter and reappear in disguise, quietly trailing behind the carriage. Regardless, none of them could fool my Detection abilities.

After all I'd been through with ghosts, this kind of thing barely scratched the surface of suspicion. I didn't mention it to Rubia. I just kept tracking them.

Detect.

[Mind's Eye (C+) activated.]

The five of them maintained a careful distance as they followed Rubia's carriage. I couldn't detect any killing intent. They were clearly from the Ivote family, so it was too vague to justify killing or torturing them on the spot.

Thus, I pretended not to notice all the way back to the inn. Once there, they dispersed to hide nearby. If any of them had dared to try sneaking inside, I would've broken at least one of their limbs.

For now, I turned my attention to the real treasure: the twenty thick books brought in by porters. They filled the empty bookshelf, one after another.

I thanked Rubia. "Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have even gotten the chance to read books like these."

"I'm glad I could help! May I read them with you?"

Of course.

I nodded and opened the first volume.

Chronicles of the Empire – Kevin Ashton

It was a history book detailing the Empire's early years, but it wasn't just a dry historical account. Each anecdote and rumor had the author's analysis attached, complete with biting commentary.

Rustle.

The book chronicled the rise of early noble houses, including the Ashtons and the Ivotes. One passage stood out immediately.

As shown here, the Ivote family has always harbored animosity and inferiority toward the Ashton house since the founding of the Empire.

Kevin Ashton didn't just polish his own family's reputation; he ruthlessly tore down the Ivotes.

Rubia murmured, "How vulgar... lazy... pathetic. That's really harsh. I didn't think their family deserved this kind of criticism."

"

Hmm...

"

"And for them to preserve a book like this? Is it just for the sake of collecting?"

Rubia's observation struck me as strange.

The great founding house, the Ashtons, teetered on the brink of extinction. No one knows the full truth behind this tragedy, but one thing is certain: if the Ivote family wasn't responsible, they were certainly pleased by it.

"Now that's just blaming others for no reason."

Given these kinds of lines, Marquis Ivote's reaction earlier made complete sense.

Since I was benefiting from Kevin Ashton's legacy, maybe his enemies would consider me as an enemy too.

Flip.

As I flipped through the pages, there were mentions of the Batyenne family as well. The book described them as impulsive, lacking foresight, and entirely unconcerned with noble duty.

They're the kind of bloodline that would die screaming in a gladiator pit and deserve it.

Aside from the Ivotes and the Batyennes, the book held no particular malice for other families. There were even plenty of entertaining anecdotes. More than anything, the writing style was so smooth and elegant that I couldn't help but admire it. However, with each turn of the page, a strange unease began to creep up my spine.

Something was off. With every sentence, a faint sense of bitterness lingered. Then, as I finished the last page and closed the book, a soft sound echoed in the quiet room.

Clack.

"..."

"Mr. Skeleton?"

Nothing happened. My Wisdom didn't increase. No perks or new skills appeared. I hadn't expected a reward from reading just one book, but even with other books from Ashton, I'd seen clear results from standalone volumes like

The Achievements of Kevin Ashton – Vol. 17.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The conclusion was simple.

I looked at Rubia and said, "This is... fake."