When the Serial Killer Next Door Gained Harem System

Chapter 151: Stable

Maids hurried from one guest to another with big smiles, carrying silver trays filled with wine and small pastries. Nobles occupied the stone benches beneath carefully trimmed hedges, chatting among themselves while showing off clothing that probably cost more than my entire life savings. Rich fabrics, polished boots, embroidered cloaks, jeweled necklaces... phew, everywhere I looked, people seemed determined to remind everyone else how wealthy they were.

Compared to them, I looked painfully ordinary.

My shirt was clean, and my trousers were new, but they still looked cheap beside silk coats stitched with golden thread. I doubted anyone would mistake me for a noble, although hopefully no one would question why I was here after paying the entrance fee.

I climbed the wide marble staircase leading to the mansion’s entrance. Two guards stood on either side of the enormous double doors, dressed in polished ceremonial armor. As I approached, they pushed the doors open without a word.

"Thank you," I said as I stepped inside.

The entrance hall was just as ridiculous as the outside.

A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, bathing the polished marble floor in warm golden light. Expensive paintings covered the walls between tall windows draped with crimson curtains, while suits of ceremonial armor stood on display beside marble pillars. A grand staircase rose toward the upper floors, but thick velvet ropes blocked the first step, making it obvious that guests weren’t allowed upstairs.

Fair enough.

Remembering the butler’s directions, I turned left and walked through the first corridor. After passing another hallway, I turned right, just as he had instructed.

A pair of open double doors waited at the end.

I stepped through them and found myself in the back courtyard.

It was somehow even larger than the one in front.

The courtyard stretched across a wide garden filled with trimmed grass, colorful flowerbeds, and towering trees whose branches swayed gently in the evening breeze. Stone paths wound between the gardens, leading toward elegant gazebos and rows of wooden benches where guests relaxed with drinks in hand. Servants moved constantly between tables carrying platters stacked with roasted meat, fresh bread, fruit, and desserts, while musicians played cheerful melodies from a small wooden stage near the far side of the garden.

Guards stood at every corner without speaking, watching the crowd with disciplined expressions. Their hands rested near their weapons, and although they looked calm, it was obvious they were paying attention to every single guest.

I walked down the short flight of stone steps into the garden itself and glanced around, searching for any sign of Cadence.

Nothing.

I let out a slow breath.

"Okay..."

I walked over to one of the tables near the edge of the courtyard and sat down, trying not to attract any attention. Plates of pastries, bread, and sweets were arranged neatly across the polished wooden surface.

I reached for a round butter cookie and took a bite.

"Huh."

It practically melted in my mouth.

"Not bad."

I grabbed another one before someone else beat me to it.

A guard walked past the table, his polished boots clicking against the stone path.

I simply kept eating.

My heart wasn’t racing, and I wasn’t about to start acting suspicious now. Back in my world, blending into the background had become a survival skill. As long as I looked like I belonged, people usually stopped questioning whether I actually did.

The guard glanced at me for only a second before continuing on his patrol.

I took another bite of my cookie.

"Nice and easy."

Voices from the table behind me drifted over as I quietly helped myself to another pastry.

"I’ve known Cadence since he was just a little boy," an elderly woman said warmly. "He used to greet every servant by name. Such a polite child."

"He still is," another guest replied. "Every time I visit, he welcomes me personally. You don’t often see noble sons with manners like his."

"I heard he even visits the villages outside the city," a man added. "My cousin says he pays for repairs whenever storms damage their homes."

"He’ll make an excellent head of the Merygold family one day."

"The bride is fortunate."

"I’ve never heard anyone speak poorly of the young man."

I quietly chewed another cookie and looked down at the table.

"If only you knew his real face," I muttered under my breath. "Damn coward."

At that moment, the double doors leading into the courtyard opened.

My eyes drifted toward the entrance.

A man stepped outside, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

He looked to be somewhere in his sixties, with neatly combed silver hair and a thick, well-groomed mustache. Despite his age, his posture remained straight, and the tailored black suit he wore fit him perfectly. A golden family crest was embroidered over his chest, while an elegant cane rested lightly in one hand more as a symbol of status than necessity.

Conversations gradually died down as the guests turned toward him.

The man smiled politely before spreading his arms in welcome.

"My dear friends," he began, his voice carrying easily across the courtyard. "On behalf of House Merygold, I welcome every one of you. It is an honor to have such distinguished guests join us on this joyful occasion."

Several guests applauded politely.

"I sincerely thank each of you for accepting our invitation. My family has prepared tonight’s celebration with great care, and I hope your stay will be a pleasant one. Should you require anything at all, our maids and servants are at your complete disposal. Please do not hesitate to ask."

He placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.

"May this evening be remembered with smiles, good company, and blessings upon both families."

With that, the man offered one final courteous smile before turning around and disappearing back through the doors.

I watched him leave, my fingers still resting on the half-eaten cookie.

"Jack Merygold," I whispered quietly. "Where’s your son, huh?"

A few moments later, the butler stepped through the double doors once again. He looked around the courtyard before his eyes settled on me.

He smiled politely and walked over.

"Excuse me, sir."

I looked up from my chair.

He placed a leather pouch on the table in front of me.

"It seems you accidentally gave me the gold that was meant for the newlyweds."

I blinked.

"Oh... the fifty gold?"

"Yes, sir."

"I didn’t realize I was supposed to hand it to them personally." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry about that."

"There is no need to apologize." The butler bowed slightly. "It is an understandable mistake for first-time guests. I simply wished to return it before the ceremony began."

"Thank you."

"I hope you enjoy the evening, sir."

"You too."

The butler nodded once more before walking away.

I grabbed the pouch and willed it into my inventory.

A faint golden glow wrapped around my hand for only a moment before both the pouch and the light disappeared.

Half an hour...

Guess I was just early.

A cool breeze swept across the courtyard, making me shiver.

I finished the half-eaten cookie in my hand and brushed the crumbs from my fingers before glancing around the gardens once more.

That was when I noticed someone watching me.

I looked up toward the mansion’s second floor.

The Queen stood behind one of the tall windows with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Even from this distance, I could tell she was looking directly at me. Like I was the only person in the entire courtyard.

I forced a polite smile and gave a small bow from where I sat. She didn’t react. Instead, she calmly reached for the heavy curtains and drew them shut.

I let out a quiet breath. "How am I supposed to do this while she’s here..."

I dusted my hands off against my trousers and stood.

Standing around wasn’t going to get me anywhere.

Near the far end of the courtyard sat a large stable built from dark timber. A single guard stood near the entrance.

Well... "stood" was a generous word. The man leaned lazily against one of the wooden posts with a half-empty wine glass in his hand. His cheeks were slightly red, and his helmet sat crooked on his head.

As I approached, he spotted me and waved enthusiastically.

"Hey!" he called. "Come over here!"

I stopped in front of him.

"Uh... do you happen to know where I can find..."

"Come!" he interrupted with a grin. "Come inside and fight for her! This is the last round!"

I frowned. "Fight for who? I’m actually looking for Cade—"

"The Queen’s sister," he whispered dramatically while leaning closer. "Now hurry!"

"What?"

Before I could protest, the man grabbed my arm.

"Hey!"

He pulled me through the stable entrance and practically shoved me inside.

The smell of hay and horses filled the air.

At the center of the stable, one of the horse stalls had been emptied. Instead of an animal, two men stood inside the fenced enclosure with their fists raised, circling each other while a small crowd of servants, guards, and stable hands cheered them on from outside the wooden rails.

I looked around the stable.

With the horses gone, the place felt much larger than it should have. A wooden staircase climbed along one side to a second level where narrow walkways overlooked the entire stable. Judging by the small doors and simple furniture up there, it was probably where the stable hands slept between shifts.

Then my eyes wandered upward.

Someone was sitting on the catwalk with her legs dangling over the edge. Long silver hair. That teasing smile. Duskima.

Wait... That was the Queen’s sister?