Chapter 73

 

Was this incident something that could simply be brushed off?

 

Baron Franz had been taking care of the estate instead of Hayden for nearly 10 years.

 

For someone like him to intentionally embezzle funds, the damage must be severe.

 

Even now, when he barely checked the amount he had stolen last year, Hayden’s eyes seemed to turn yellow.

 

He couldn’t even imagine how much the damages would have increased after the investigation was completed.

 

It was when Hayden groaned and closed his eyes tightly. Someone called out to him with a familiar voice from behind.

 

“My lord, the carriage is coming in!”

 

“What?”

 

Hayden opened his eyes wide.

 

As the servant said, a carriage was coming toward the mansion from the front gate.

 

Hayden stood up from his seat and ordered urgently,

 

“Tell Iona to come up to my room as soon as she gets off the carriage. And all of you, prepare some refreshments!”

 

Following Hayden’s command, the servants started moving briskly.

 

Hayden paced around the room with an anxious expression.

 

He knew it would have been tough on Iona during her journey here, but until she gave her report, she couldn’t rest either.

 

After a short wait, a sense of presence approached from outside the door. Iona knocked to announce her arrival.

 

“I heard you called, Count.”

 

“Come in.”

 

Hayden quickly permitted her entry.

 

Iona sat across from him, and soon the servants brought the prepared food.

 

As the mansion’s chef was already asleep, the meal was simple. The plate of bread and fruits looked more like snacks than a proper meal.

 

With an unsatisfied look, Hayden said, “If there’s anything else you’d like to eat, let me know.”

 

Surprised that Hayden even thought of providing her with a meal, Iona raised an eyebrow slightly

 

She picked up a grape and said, “It’s alright. I’ll be falling asleep soon anyway.”

 

“You must be tired, but I’m sorry to hold you and talk about work. Wouldn’t it be better to get straight to the point if you want to leave quickly?”

 

Hayden clasped his hands together and then, after a brief hesitation, asked the question he was most curious about.

 

“Have you not found the baron’s whereabouts yet?”

 

“Yes, I searched all over the territory, but I couldn’t find any traces. First of all, I have ordered the soldiers to keep searching for him.”

 

“And you still don’t know where the money is hidden?”

 

“All of the property under the name of Baron Franz was confiscated and checked, but there was nothing suspicious. It seems that the slush funds were kept separately in a safe place.”

 

Iona calmly explained the situation.

 

Feeling frustrated, Hayden pulled at his hair. She briefly apologized, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have missed the baron, but he disappeared so suddenly...”

 

“No, it’s alright. Without you, I wouldn’t have known that Robert was stealing money. Now I see that scoundrel is quite cunning and skillful.”

 

Although Hayden seemed to be speaking favorably of Iona, in reality, he was defending himself by giving a high evaluation to Robert.

 

He didn’t want to admit that this whole incident was a result of his own foolishness.

 

“There’s also a possibility that the baron has been exiled abroad. Seeing how he suddenly disappeared, it seems likely.”

 

“Yes, we should release soldiers to search the areas near the border and ports. No matter where that man has gone, he can’t hide and live forever.”

 

Hayden’s eyes sparked with murderous intent.

 

He was so angry with Baron Franz that he seemed to be blind to other matters. He only continued to ask questions about Baron Franz.

 

However, Iona had only met him a few days ago, and he was currently in hiding. Naturally, there wasn’t much more she could tell him about the matter.

 

Finally, Iona could explain the situation of the estate to Hayden.

 

“First of all, I appointed a person who had nothing to do with the embezzlement case as my agent. It wasn’t a pleasant decision, but there I no other choice.”

 

“Who is that?”

 

“His name is Viscount Klaus.”

 

“I don’t even remember his face.”

 

Hayden let out a sigh and rubbed his dry face.

 

He wanted to dismiss the person who had been his assistant in the capital, but things were also difficult on this end without enough help. So, Hayden decided to observe the situation for the time being.

 

“As I mentioned before, I have also ordered a thorough investigation into the incidents caused by Baron Franz. If it is proven that they unfairly lost their land rights, we will restore them and provide compensation.”

 

“Is it really necessary?”

 

“The public opinion within the estate is not favorable. We need to settle the controversy with compensation.”

 

“But you haven’t found the unauthorized funds yet.”

 

“For the time being, we’ll have to manage with the existing budget. But no matter how skillful he is at hiding, Franz’s escape was sudden. It won’t be easy for him to keep running without leaving any traces. I believe we’ll catch him soon.”

 

Iona reassured Hayden, who seemed relieved by her words.

 

Baron Franz was, after all, a vassal who worked under him.

 

How could he not find even one of his subordinates, especially when he mobilized money and power to track him down?

 

‘This situation might be a blessing in disguise for me, who was already struggling with dowry issue. If I can find the money Robert hid, I’ll have enough to be at ease.’

 

Hayden had never prepared a separate dowry for Iona’s spouse before.

 

But with the sudden secret meeting and the mention of a Duke, Hayden found himself in a very difficult situation.

 

It was because he would have to pay a considerable amount to set up a side for the duke, but it was not easy for Hayden to suddenly raise that amount of money.

 

On the other hand, it seemed that the embezzlement case being revealed at this time might also be a stroke of luck for Hayden. The unauthorized funds Robert had hidden seemed to be already under his possession.

 

“Alright, you’ve done a lot handling various matters in the estate for me. Originally, that wasn’t my intention, but your contributions have been significant. If you find Baron Franz, I will reward you handsomely. Is there anything specific you desire?”

 

“First and foremost, finding him is the priority. Do you plan to head to the estate yourself?”

 

“Yes, that’s the plan. I’ll depart as soon as it’s daylight tomorrow. I originally considered going immediately upon hearing the news, but I don’t want to miss you on the way.”

 

As Hayden said this, his face showed his growing unease.

 

Perhaps Hayden, who has gone down to the estate, will focus on slaughtering the Franz family and pursue Robert’s whereabouts rather than appease the people of the region who are groaning in the aftermath of the incident.

 

Taking care of the estate could be done leisurely, but there was a risk of missing Robert forever if he didn’t act quickly.

 

“The one who should get some rest early is the Count, not me. If you don’t have any further questions, I’ll leave.”

 

“No, it’s because I couldn’t sleep due to worrying.”

 

“Worrying?”

 

“I’m not sure if I should leave the capital with only you here. Nils will temporarily take care of the family in my absence, but...”

 

Hayden sighed and let out a long sigh.

 

Hayden was concerned about Nils as if he had placed a fragile child by the water’s edge. In his opinion, Nils was not yet capable of taking responsibility for the family.

 

Hayden worried that Nils might get into some strange trouble while he was away.

 

“Nils is also the official successor to the Modrov family now, so you should trust and leave things to him. He is your beloved eldest son, isn’t he?”

 

Hayden nodded reluctantly at Iona’s consolation.

 

Seeing his denial acknowledged by Iona only made him feel even more bitter.

 

Lately, although Nils and Yvonne had been getting along well, they occasionally expressed unexpected discontent toward him.

 

He understood that they might have been upset due to the issue with their mother’s death day, but continuously being criticized for the same matter didn’t sit well with him either.

 

Despite announcing Nils as the successor and trying to change his son’s heart, their relationship as a wealthy family somehow felt more strained than before.

 

‘I completely messed up raising my children.’

 

It was puzzling why his once wise and mature wife ended up giving birth to individuals like them. Hayden sighed deeply.

 

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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