In his other life, Luciano was used to fiddling with complicated spreadsheets and making budgets to prevent unnecessary expenses and the right time to invest the money. He was not the best in his company, yet he was good enough to stay stable for a few years and gain experience.
Now he needed to apply everything he had learned to run the Grimwood Mansion.
As soon as Carsen presented him with the financial reports of the mansion, Lucian realized how impeccable Magnus was in taking care of it alone. Lucian doubted himself, believing he was not able to keep the same pace as his husband, however, Carsen was patient to take away doubts and guide him until he was used.
"Considering the beginning of winter, it would be good to make new uniforms for the servants, so that they keep warm", Lucian murmured while reading a document. "It seems we will also increase work in the kitchen... haa... I want to go back to bed."
"I'm back, Your Highness!"
Raising his bright eyes to his personal servant, Lucian smiled lightly upon noticing the bright and cheerful face of Argus. Since arriving from his trip, Lucian realized that his personal servant spent a lot of time helping Carsen and learning about the Grimwood to be a good butler in the future.
Of course, Lucian admits that he felt very proud when Carsen praised Argus.
"Did you manage to find the material?"
"Yes, Your Highness, it wasn't difficult. It seems that many nobles look for this to embroider handkerchief for the knights."
"I imagined", chuckled Lucian sweetly, "What about the diamond?"
"I sent it to Miss Pendleton as requested."
"Perfect. Well, let's see what you found."
Embroidering handkerchief for a knight was an ancient tradition, even in its original world carried a very great meaning as a knight taking with him a belonging of the beloved person.. A romantic and profound idea. A knight goes to the battlefield seeking victory to return to the arms of those he loves. Well, Magnus wouldn't go to war, he would only attend the hunting festival in a week's time. Still, Lucian wanted to try something for the first time.
What would be a big fiasco given his inability for manual labor.
Argus showed him some scarves and different types of yarn. The beta proposed to help his master, since Lucian never had any interest in giving gifts. Finally the Eighth Prince was living the life he deserved, free from his abandoned palace and interested in someone. Of course, Argus was proud of his master.
While the prince was evaluating the softness of the wires, Argus looked at him curiously.
"Oh, Your Highness, the city is in turmoil. It seems that something has happened these days."
Gaining attention by arousing the prince's curiosity, Argus did not hesitate when his master's eyes rose immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"It seems that the Grand Duke murdered a Count in a casino, many people are questioning what the late Count Moutuni could have done."
Lucian blinked a few times, somewhat surprised that the news had already spread.
Two nights ago, Magnus had left after dinner with his sword. He only returned two hours before dawn, and with his clothes dirty with blood. Lucian knew very well who he was after, no need to be a genius to find out. However, the prince had not questioned the details.
Didn't need to know... not until now.
"In a casino?"
Argus nodded and approached to whisper the gossip.
"They are saying that His Grace murdered a nobleman in cold blood in front of everyone at the Casino "Behemoth's Council". Moreover, those who witnessed the death of the Count said that they saw His Grace take the sword from the corpse."
"Behemoth's Council? I've never heard of such a casino..."
"Isn't very well liked by traditional nobles. They say it is a profane place, but I have never heard of the Emperor wanting to close that place. I believe that the nobles go there in secret."
"Well, to close an establishment is necessary a plausible reason.", Lucian pondered and looked at his servant again, "But are you sure my husband did this in public?"
"That's what the rumors say. I heard some gentlemen commenting that the late Earl defied His Grace. But no one can tell what really happened."
Surely no one would know about the motive behind the murder. Magnus would never expose Eugene in such a way, although the Grand Duke generally liked to make it clear that no one should get involved with him.
That's why Magnus came home more relaxed and satisfied. He even slept a few hours longer the next day. However, Lucian expected the situation to have been handled with discretion, and now finds that it was practically a show.
What to expect from a villain?
"Haa... for sure Magnus must be hearing the First Prince and the Emperor complain in his ear", Lucian sighed, stroking his own forehead "But I think he knows how to handle it on his own."
"Your Highness, may I ask... do you still use this board?"
Lucian looked at his blackboard, which Magnus made sure to leave in his new office. Still had all the information of history written in it, scribbles of points that he remembered before getting married.
It's been a long time since he contemplated his drafts. Just looking at it, he felt a little nostalgia.
"Yes, I do. It helps clear my mind."
"I never imagined that Your Highness would become a Saint because of it. Perhaps the Goddess is finally smiling at you."
Whoever was smiling to Lucian, the fact was that such a smile was accompanied by stress and headache. Lucian ended up attracting more attention than he wanted, now the temple was on his heel, hitting Magnus head-on. At least Lucian could make good use of it.
Lucian returned to work on the Grimwood financial documents after Argus left him alone. He was immersed in his new role for a few hours when he occasionally decided to check the time on the pocket watch that Stephen Baragnon gave him at his engagement. The hands already showed to be more than four o'clock in a delicate and soft ticking.
Rubbing his thumb lightly across the watch's greenish bezel, Lucian was caught unawares by a rather intrusive thought.
"The villain's first attack..."
Lucian turned in the chair and stared at the board. He had noted about the smuggling and left gaps on Magnus' death in the original story. Lucian knew that he should prevent Magnus' death. Increasing his influence in the underworld was just a way of proving his devotion and securing strength for the Grand Duke, when he needed to face the real villain.
"Haa.... Ethera didn't answer me a few days ago. Did she manage to buy that house at the auction?", Rising from the chair, Lucian took a white chalk and began to write in one of the gaps, "I need those names to help Magnus... I do not remember the story mentioning about them, which proves that they are more unknown of this story. I must treat them in the same way as I treat Cassander and Skyler..."
The diamond eyes focused on his original language as he scribbled the chalkboard. He wrote down only some information that recently occurred outside the original, and some things that suddenly came to his mind, small details that don't impact so much on the story.
When Lucian noted on the memories of the eighth prince, as if it was a trigger, he went into a trance. In a trance that had not entered for a long time.
The information popped up quickly in his mind, and his fingers scratched the blackboard quickly to not let anything pass. The fact that he was touched by a member of the royal family brought back memories about the past of the eighth prince. He circulated the questioning; "key to understanding Lucian's death?"
Then the chalk returned to the other side of the slate, where the next catalyst event would occur. The hunting festival has an attack of rebels who infiltrate the field. They wanted Magnus, but confuse him with Stephen, who is also an omega. The villain's desire to eliminate the most powerful force in the Empire will not diminish just because Lucian is at his side.
On the contrary, it can make them even more greedy..
Lucian rubbed the back of his hand on the bleeding nose, and even with his head throbbing to deal with all the information from the original story, he continued to write. When finally all the slate was filled, he took a few steps back panting.
The clear eyes read that mess of arrows and circles scattered by the words thrown in that storm. No matter how much his blood dripped on the floor, or how dirty his chalk fingers tried to clean his face without success, all that mattered to Lucian was the pattern he had just realized.
"Stephen Baragnon...", Lucian approached the chalkboard and touched the name of the omega protagonist of the story, "... You are my key."
From the door of the office, another omega with crimson eyes watched that scene in silence and contempt. Silently he turned his back leaving the alpha immersed in his madness.