novelraw Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter 111. Serena Marcano
"Where do you intend to use Serena's Heart-Piercing Eyes?"
In response to Horentz’s question, Yohan answered calmly.
"It's nothing serious. There’s just something I want to check."
He was planning to use Serena’s authority on the butler, Haman.
He wanted to look into Haman’s essence.
There was a vague sense of unease—no concrete reason beyond that.
Haman, who had graduated at the top of the Academy of Ceremonial Affairs, was far more bumbling than expected.
It might have been nerves, being his first field assignment.
And, of course, academic performance and practical work were separate matters—one could be excellent in study yet poor in execution.
At first, Yohan didn’t think much of Haman’s demeanor.
But his thoughts shifted slightly last night.
There had been a break-in at the mansion.
The intruder had full knowledge of the mansion’s internal layout.
They had even known the mansion would be empty during the night.
From Yohan’s perspective, it was only natural to suspect that one of the mansion staff had leaked the information.
Who could the culprit be?
Only one name came to mind.
Butler Haman. When the incident actually occurred, the way he reacted sparked suspicion in Yohan’s mind.
All of Haman’s actions could have been an act.
He could have been pretending to be clumsy, deceiving Yohan.
But for what purpose? That was unclear.
Yohan couldn’t quite grasp Haman’s intentions.
If Haman had been aiming for Yohan’s wealth, he wouldn’t have done something as conspicuous as posting a notice on the thieves’ guild board.
He would’ve hired a veteran thief in secret.
In short, Haman did not covet Yohan’s fortune.
There must have been another reason he leaked information about the mansion.
At present, Yohan had no way of discerning what that reason was.
In truth, there wasn’t even any evidence that Haman was the culprit.
All of Yohan’s thoughts were based on circumstantial suspicions.
Perhaps Haman was exactly as he appeared—someone smart on paper but useless in practice.
It was far too weak a basis to label him as the culprit.
Certainty was dangerous.
Conclusions drawn from suspicion alone had a high chance of being wrong.
Yohan needed something official. Something clear.
He would use the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
If only Horentz agreed, this pointless headache could be resolved instantly.
After some hesitation, Horentz finally spoke.
"…Forgive me, Lord Yohan. But unless you clearly state the purpose of using the Heart-Piercing Eyes, I cannot entrust Serena to you."
The trust between Horentz and Yohan hadn’t been firmly established yet.
No matter the benefit offered, Horentz couldn’t easily lend out his daughter.
He needed to be assured of her safety.
Yohan nodded.
"I understand. I’ll share my current situation with you."
Yohan intended to tell him everything that had happened the previous night.
Everything, except for the parts related to ‘Mapheltan’.
There wasn’t much to hide, anyway.
The notice posted on the thieves’ guild board had already spread—surely all of the capital already knew about the inside of Yohan’s mansion.
Horentz would be no exception.
He spoke.
"Very well. What you say to me now will never leave my lips. I swear by the name of the Great Saint—Saint Marziel."
In a composed tone, Yohan explained the incident from the previous night.
***
Horentz listened without the slightest change in expression.
As soon as Yohan finished speaking, Horentz swallowed dryly.
"…So the rumors were true. They said your mansion had become a target of the Keyless."
The Keyless were the largest thieves’ guild in the capital.
They had set their sights on Yohan.
To be exact, information about Yohan’s mansion had been posted on the thieves’ underground bulletin board.
Horentz had heard about it earlier that morning.
Out of courtesy, Yohan let out a small exclamation.
"As expected of the Marcano family. Your intelligence network is impressively quick."
With a grave expression, Horentz shook his head.
"No. By now, most of the capital probably knows about your mansion’s affairs. By tomorrow, everyone will be gossiping about the Miyatro estate. This is quite serious."
The capital was a terrifying place.
One rumor spread like wildfire.
No one could contain the flames.
For the time being, Yohan would be the subject of everyone's gossip.
——The Miyatro family mansion is completely empty at night.
And that wasn’t all.
Like wildfire growing in size, the rumors would be increasingly exaggerated.
——Strange screams are heard from the Miyatro estate after sundown.
——The Watcher of the Abyss conducts forbidden rituals at night.
——Yohan Miyatro offers sacrifices to demons in secret, away from all eyes.
And so on.
People who loved to talk would make up all sorts of things for gossip.
Eventually, the curiosity would fade and the rumors would die down—but for Yohan, a half-demon, the mere fact of being caught up in such talk was a burden.
Yet Yohan remained composed.
With a calm face, he opened his mouth.
"Well, I don’t intend to let it bother me."
He had already anticipated something like this happening.
It had simply come a bit sooner than expected.
As someone who couldn’t appear at night, Yohan would inevitably become the center of such gossip.
As long as he lived in this world, it was something he had to endure.
Horentz offered a gentle smile.
"A good attitude. There’s no need to be swayed by the public’s rumors."
But he wasn’t exactly the person to say that.
The Marcano family was more conscious of others’ opinions than anyone.
Yohan nodded.
"Indeed. As long as one stands with pride, that’s all that matters."
Horentz’s face darkened slightly.
"…Still, I do worry a little."
Yohan could guess what he was about to say.
"If it’s about my safety, there’s no need to be concerned. Those thieves paid their price in blood."
Horentz’s narrow eyes widened slightly in admiration.
"So the Watcher of the Abyss has some skill in martial arts, I see."
Separate from the strength of Mapheltan, Yohan himself had developed decent combat abilities.
He had spent two months in hell with the Sword Demon Hakain.
His physical abilities had improved dramatically, and he’d gained solid proficiency in spearmanship.
A normal human without aura could no longer face him.
Yohan said in jest,
"I’ve got enough strength to protect my woman."
Horentz chuckled.
"Then you pass as a son-in-law."
It was a joke.
"Consider this a trial. Entrust her to me once. The young lady will return home safely."
Horentz replied without hesitation.
"Just to be clear—the Heart-Piercing Eyes aren’t omnipotent. With Serena’s current power, she likely can’t see through every servant in your mansion."
That didn’t matter.
Yohan only needed to confirm Haman first.
"Just one person is enough. Will you help me?"
Horentz did some silent mental math.
In exchange for borrowing Serena, Yohan had promised to let the Marcano Trading Company set up shop in the city of Belna.
It was quite a profitable deal for Horentz.
His hesitation didn’t last long.
He gave a businesslike smile.
"Very well. I’ll check Serena’s opinion one last time. Please wait here for a moment."
He couldn’t show Serena to Yohan immediately.
Horentz remembered Yohan’s warning.
——Do not use the Heart-Piercing Eyes on me.
He needed to relay that to his daughter.
Yohan gave a satisfied look.
"Understood. I’ll await good news."
Horentz gave a slight bow and left the dining hall.
Yohan quietly gazed at the table.
The food remained untouched.
He’d been so engrossed in conversation that he hadn’t even taken a single spoonful of soup.
‘That’s impolite.’
Only then did Yohan begin his meal.
***
Serena Marcano was one of the most influential figures in the capital’s high society.
From a young age, people had always flocked to her.
Men, women, children, adults, slaves, commoners, nobles, royalty—regardless of age, gender, or social status, everyone loved Serena.
She was as captivating as gold in the capital.
Even noble daughters had given up extravagance to imitate her aura.
Elegance over splendor became the trend.
The inevitable frugality of the Marcano family had become a virtue thanks to Serena.
All of it was the effect of the Heart-Piercing Eyes.
She was a beautiful woman who knew how to care for and understand others.
She even selected actions that made her more beloved.
Who could possibly hate her?
If you were human, you couldn’t help but love Serena.
If Yohan hadn’t known about the Heart-Piercing Eyes, he too would’ve fallen head over heels for Serena.
He probably wouldn’t have been able to escape.
‘…Would I really?’
Yohan had never experienced deep love for a woman.
He couldn’t comprehend the act of drowning in someone’s charm.
Whenever he read episodes about love in Inmalog, he always found them puzzling.
The stories of men who staked their lives on Serena. Whenever he came across such content, Yohan always frowned.
He couldn’t empathize, not even a little.
Would his thoughts change after meeting Serena?
He was skeptical.
Serena couldn’t use her Heart-Piercing Eyes on Yohan.
That charm of hers would be dulled.
Yohan felt a faint sense of regret.
‘Love is so strong it makes you lose reason. I probably won’t experience that this time either.’
He wanted to feel firsthand the kind of emotion described in novels.
But it wouldn’t be through Serena.
At least, that’s what Yohan thought.
Just as he drifted into thought, he heard the sharp clack of heels.
Yohan looked up.
Horentz was smiling.
"Lord Yohan, thank you for waiting. Though belatedly, allow me to introduce my daughter."
Behind him, a woman appeared, dressed in a graceful gown.
It was Serena Marcano.
Just as the original described, she was gold.
She wore no jewelry or adornments, and she had no need for them.
Serena shone on her own, like gold.
She looked like a finely crafted gem.
Suddenly, a face popped into Yohan’s mind.
‘…Ilea.’
His first impression of Ilea overlapped greatly with Serena’s.
Both had such stunning appearances they left a shock.
But that was all.
There was no emotion like the one described in novels.
Yohan didn’t fall at first sight.
Serena slowly opened her mouth.
"Serena von Marcano. I greet the Watcher of the Abyss."
She lifted the hem of her dress slightly and offered a polite bow.
Yohan rose from his seat and nodded slightly.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Marcano. I’m Yohan Miyatro."
Horentz glanced at Yohan’s expression, then gave a businesslike smile.
"I’ll step out for a moment. Please, enjoy your conversation."
Horentz left the dining hall at once.
Yohan was a bit surprised.
He had thought Horentz would stay by Serena’s side.
As he found it a bit odd, a pleasant voice reached his ears.
"Lord Yohan, I’ve heard the gist from Father. You’re aware of the Heart-Piercing Eyes, correct?"
Her golden eyes stared straight at Yohan.
Yohan didn’t avoid her gaze.
"Yes. So please don’t use your authority on me."
Serena smiled gently.
"You’re rather selfish, aren’t you? Would you mind averting your gaze first?"
The Eyes of the Great Saint were giving Serena a strange feeling.
She had noticed the discomfort.
Yohan paused for a moment, then replied.
"My apologies. This isn’t a power I can control."
He couldn’t turn off the Eyes of the Great Saint.
He didn’t yet have the ability to regulate them.
Serena smiled again.
"…I see. Then we’ve no choice but to confirm it."
A peculiar glint flickered in her golden eyes.
Yohan’s expression twisted.