The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 26

Elysia placed her palm against a wall without any artwork hanging on it, producing a heavy thud. Everyone around her turned their gaze toward her, puzzled.

“Here, in this spot.”

It seemed the Apelari Museum had skimped on building materials, as many of the walls were hollow. Among the walls outside the director’s office, only a few were solid. The museum director, visibly uneasy, finally spoke.

“What exactly do you mean?”

This was the ideal spot.

“Hang Yosef’s work here.”

Yosef’s paintings depicted another world within the canvas, a world that made one forget the painful passage of time and the deficiencies of one’s nature. It was astonishing that such a tender, emotional realm could be created by the hands of an alpha—strong, selfish, and ruthlessly practical. What fascinated Elysia was the fact that he could capture such emotions, transcending the limitations of his own nature.

That’s why she wanted more people to see his work.

***

The next day, as dusk fell, Andreas stood before the Brillen estate, frowning with discontent. The setting sun painted the mansion’s windows in amber hues, but his expression remained grim.

He was someone who knew how to seize opportunities. His engagement to Elysia Brillen was a strategic move that could secure successful negotiations and advantageous terms. However, he needed a firm guarantee that Brillen wouldn’t change their mind. Since the engagement could be called off or terms renegotiated, he had to solidify the situation.

“Tsk, even using her isn’t easy.”

Andreas muttered the words, but soon paused. A splitting pain gripped his head, as if something were clawing at his mind. He pressed his fingers against his temple, but the subtle tremor in his hand persisted.

‘You’ll become a good man, just like the Duke.’

‘I’ll fix everything. Even without Father.’

Fleeting, disjointed memories continued to haunt him. They remained blurry and fragmented, like pieces of wet paper slipping through his fingers, leaving behind only a trail of jagged edges.

Gray afterimages clouded his vision. Although years had passed, his sharp instincts hadn’t dulled. Hern, either failing to notice or deliberately ignoring his condition, continued the conversation without a hint of concern.

“The Viscount might support you on this.”

Hearing this, Andreas wearily lifted his gaze toward the Brillen mansion. The estate bustled with activity, and the silhouettes of busy servants occasionally flickered past the windows.

The Brillen family lived in an impressive mansion. Its size rivaled that of Andreas’s own residence in the Eperthier Duchy, not far from the capital—a clear testament to the Brillen family’s influence.

“Your Grace, Duke Eperthier! What an honor to have you visit!”

A servant guarding the entrance greeted Andreas respectfully. After obtaining permission from his master, the servant returned and opened the door wide.

As he was escorted through the mansion, Andreas’s expression darkened. Curiously, instead of being taken to the reception room, they led him toward the back entrance of the building.

At the end of the path lay a vibrant garden. In the center of it stood Viscount Lourdien Brillen, who had just put down his pruning shears.

“Welcome, Duke Eperthier.”

The Viscount neatly placed his gardening gloves on the table and set the pruning shears on top of them before extending his hand. Andreas stared at it for a moment before swallowing his displeasure and shaking it.

“I’m afraid Elysia isn’t home right now. She’s a difficult child to track down,” the Viscount said with a hearty laugh.

Andreas withdrew his hand and forced a faint smile. Elysia’s absence was a stroke of luck. If he could secure a verbal agreement from the Viscount while she was away, it would be a significant advantage.

As the servants set down teacups before them, Andreas got straight to the point.

“I wish to strengthen Brillen’s monopoly on trade. With the positive reputation you’ve recently gained through the engagement, I’m sure you understand the importance of collaboration.”

The Viscount’s lips parted slightly, as if in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. Andreas raised an eyebrow and studied the Viscount’s expression.

“…I’m not sure this is a matter for me to decide. I’m not very knowledgeable in this area, having been out of high society for quite some time.”

Feigning ignorance, was he? Andreas parted his lips to counter when the Viscount added,

“But if you believe this is something we can discuss without my daughter’s involvement… By all means, continue.”