Chapter 13
“How could this happen to me? Isn’t that really insane? To think that a lunatic has been living in our house for years, it’s so creepy…”
The Countess, supported by Mrs. Laura as she staggered inside, seemed to be suffering from her chronic migraine.
While she continued to groan, she suddenly began to sharply interrogate Mrs. Laura.
“And you, as the head maid, why didn’t you fire that maniac sooner? And yet you shamelessly collected your salary?”
“I-I’m sorry, my lady. The girl started acting strange relatively recently… Moreover, I heard she had visited Doctor Isaac a few times, so I thought she was getting better…”
Mrs. Laura hurriedly explained, but the Countess’s focus had shifted to an unexpected place.
“She went to a doctor? That commoner doctor doesn’t charge us, does he?”
“No, my lady! It seems she borrowed money from the other maids. Most of her wages were already being deducted…”
“Good heavens! She was a pauper, too! What if she stole from us? Arnold!”
At the Countess’s fierce voice, the Count, who had been counting the remaining wine in the box, abruptly looked up.
“Surely not. You keep track of every fork in this house. You’d have noticed if anything was missing.”
“That’s true. With all the new items we purchased this time, I’ll have to be even more careful going forward. Philip, don’t forget to record everything meticulously in the ledger.”
“Yes, my lady.”
The butler bowed as he replied.
“Thank goodness the Duke took her away immediately. In fact, that maid might not just be a madwoman but a spy from the Empire.”
The Countess mumbled wearily as she sank into the sofa. Mrs. Laura immediately came over and began massaging her shoulders.
“Remember, there were articles about it in the newspapers several times. They sent a spy to eliminate the last bloodline of the Rockford family and got caught.”
“Exactly. That maid will probably be executed soon.”
The Count replied dismissively while opening a bottle of new wine. Hermia, who had been quietly climbing the stairs, paused for a moment before continuing on.
‘Mel will probably never be executed.’
With an inward scoff, she headed toward her room when she heard her stepmother calling her from below. Naturally, it was her stepmother.
“Hermia, come here for a moment.”
“…Yes.”
Had she been caught after eating five egg tarts?
Suppressing her anxious feelings, she descended and perched on the edge of the sofa.
“Over here.”
The Countess patted the seat beside her and stretched her neck toward her husband.
“Arnold, store the remaining champagne and wine in the cellar. Use them for entertaining guests at the club—they’re far too valuable for casual drinking.”
“I ordered plenty for that reason. The Duke’s estate footed the bill, so they brought out the finest selections! Philip, come along and help me organize them by year.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The underground storage filled with wine was Count Arnold’s favorite place. With his wife’s permission finally granted—something he usually disliked—his face lit up with joy.
As soon as he left with the butler, warmth vanished from the Countess’s face.
“This is beyond absurd”
“…….”
“He gave me a cheap brooch while gifting his fiancé a diamond necklace?”
Phew. It seemed that it wasn’t due to the tarts after all. Relief washed away as disbelief set in.
“It was fortunate I left that horrid brooch behind. I almost became a scorned stepmother in front of guests.”
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
“What’s with the apologies? I thought you were hopeless, but surprisingly you know how to charm men. If you can make even the Duke kneel before you, I must have underestimated you.”
Her voice was strangely gentle compared to her cold expression. When Hermia looked confused, the Countess chuckled softly.
“Men are like this, Hermia. When they become infatuated with a woman, they completely forget about their finances.”
“Really?”
“And such moments are fleeting.”
The Countess lightly brushed Hermia’s neck where the blue diamond hung with her pale fingers. It sent chills down Hermia’s spine.
“That’s why pre-marriage is crucial; it’s when they spend the most money. It also means they’re willing to buy several of these things for you.”
With a sudden sound, one of the jewelry clasps fell apart. In an instant, Hermia felt empty around her neck.
Without any hesitation, the Countess took the necklace and draped it around her own neck while humming.
“Um, mother…”
“This is your way of wanting to repay me for taking care of you like my own daughter instead of another woman’s child. Of course others will think so too. Right?”
“Even so, that’s an engagement gift… Wouldn’t it seem strange…?”
While she could overlook many things, this felt too unreasonable for Hermia to say awkwardly.
Moreover, this was her first piece of jewelry—a significant expense!
Since she thought this way deep down, it was also her first time speaking back.
“Do you think I’m foolish enough to wear this publicly? Don’t worry. It’ll stay safely stored. By the time this necklace sees the light of day, it’ll be long forgotten by everyone.”
The Countess waved her hand dismissively, speaking coldly as if nothing had happened.
“This is nothing. If I were you, I would’ve gotten at least ten more of these. Anyway, enough boasting. Go on upstairs and rest. You must be quite tired today.”
“…….”
“If you’re hungry, go ask the chef to make you one of those sandwiches you like so much. I’ll overlook your binge eating just for today. You smell strongly of tarts.”
—
Once Hermia ascended to her room, she let out a silent scream upon seeing the tray that Andy brought in.
After giving up the diamond necklace, all she had received was a single cheese sandwich!
On the tray, there was not only the sandwich but also a plate of cake.
Given that it had the name “Olivia” written on it, it was undoubtedly that wretched birthday cake. It happened to be the part with the Countess’s name written on it.
‘Have you ever eaten a sandwich soaked in tears?’
With rage boiling inside her, Hermia swung her fist in the air and chewed through the bread. Watching her, Andy smiled brightly.
“The cake was so huge that we all shared it! If you need more, I can bring you some!”
“I don’t need any…”
“What a pity. If Mel were here, she would have eaten three plates by now. She especially loved buttercream cake.”
Hermia’s jaw paused mid-chew. After struggling to swallow her food, she asked,
“Andy… if Mel really turns out to be the Count’s daughter, what will you all do?”
Andy tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Hmm… I think we’d be happy about it! We’ve treated Mel so well! We joked about it too; if you really are Bell, we must never forget how we helped her! Mel said she understood.”
“I’m not talking about that; what if Mel seeks revenge on my father… the Count?”
“Why? Did our lord really kill Mel’s parents? Our lord? Ha! Even as a joke, that’s not funny!”
While she had somewhat expected this reaction, it seemed her father was viewed as even more pathetic than she thought.
Hermia felt a complicated mix of emotions.
—
A week had passed since the engagement ceremony.
There had been no news from the Duke who took Mel away, and days continued quietly as if nothing had happened.
Perhaps due to the busy birthday party, the Countess seemed exhausted and declined all invitations that came in during that time.
Only after several more days did Hermia find herself getting back into a carriage again.
“It’s almost vacation season; I should start showing my face around. They say this summer will be just as hot as last year; I need to find out if there are any good resorts.”
These days, even at night, the weather felt quite muggy, so the Countess opened the carriage window and fanned herself.
As Hermia felt the breeze coming through the gap, she wiggled her toes.
The shoes given to her by the Duke (or rather his servant) were still stiff at the heels since they hadn’t been broken in yet.
Having hardly worn new shoes before, she hadn’t realized until after the engagement ceremony that her heels were now red and swollen from discomfort.
Moreover, while they were slightly better than her stepmother’s shoes, they still pinched enough to cause pain both in front and back of her feet simultaneously.
‘I hope this bandage stays intact until after the exhibition.’
It would have been nice if they were going to a concert or tea party where they could sit still, but unfortunately, today’s destination was a charity exhibition hosted by a woman known for her architecture and sculpture.
The invited baron was a renowned sculptor from a family with many heirs working in arts over generations.
Under normal circumstances, especially for a charity event where money needed to be spent, Hermia’s stepmother would have ignored such an invitation; however, there was another reason she accepted it this time.
No one knew more excellent resorts than artists who traveled around the continent seeking inspiration.
Hermia soon shifted her focus from her shoes to the book hidden beneath her skirt.
Since the purpose of this gathering was to attract as many nobles as possible, an invitation would have certainly arrived at the Schwain family’s townhouse. Irene would also attend with her mother; it would be an opportunity to return the book she had borrowed from her.
After some time traveling in the carriage, it finally stopped, and both Lady Vansen and her stepdaughter emerged from inside.
As they walked toward where the host was located under the guidance of servants, Hermia encountered strange glances. They felt distinctly different from curiosity or interest directed at Duke Rockford’s fiancée.
‘Why do they seem to glare at me?’
Especially young women around her age had eyes that were incredibly fierce.
Is it just my imagination…? Rolling her eyes discreetly, Hermia greeted their host alongside the Countess before naturally drifting away.
Before long, she found herself alone again amidst similar-looking plaster statues as if it were before a will was read.
Soon enough, with each step she took, she felt her bandaged heels loosening bit by bit. It felt like an omen of something ominous approaching.
‘Has Irene not arrived yet? I should stand still in one place since we might miss each other.’
After making that decision, she slowly walked toward a long table lined with drinks.
“It’s Helen! It’s Helen!”
“Shh! She might hear you.”
The strange whispers began at that moment.
