Chapter 73

Annie bit her nails.

Now it was clear. Annie had been pushed out by Evelina. Ever since that day, everyone in the mansion had been ignoring Annie. She had become a being even lower than the most bottom-tier maid working in the mansion.

“Ungrateful wretch!”

Annie spat out curses.

The thought of Evelina’s face filled her with rage. It was Annie who had saved her from dying. She had cared for the unconscious Evelina for years. Yet Evelina had cast aside such a loyal servant like this.

Annie threw the rag she was holding in her wrinkled hands onto the floor. This couldn’t go on. Annie had no intention of falling into ruin like this. Born with nothing, she wanted to enjoy many things before she left this world. After all, she was already old; what was there she couldn’t do?

Annie rushed into her room. She rummaged through her belongings and pulled out something she had forgotten about. It was the contact information of the person who had purchased Evelina’s body in the beginning.

With this, she could reach out to him again. If he still needed Evelina, Annie would sell everything she knew about her without hesitation. Moreover, since that cute girl had even become a countess, she could sell her to someone else as well.

Annie jumped up from her seat. She swept all the valuables in her room into her belongings and left the mansion. No one stopped her.

Evelina would receive a fitting punishment for this.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

“What is it again? Why are you sitting so close?”

Rebecca asked with a very dissatisfied look.

“What, what do you mean?”

I had been sitting next to Alejandro but subtly shifted away. Alejandro chuckled and pulled me back down.

“Cough, cough!”

“…What? Anyway, so have you decided to do the photoshoot?”

“That much is certainly doable.”

“Then I’ll talk to Sir Emil and adjust the schedule.”

“Let’s do that.”

Alejandro poked me in the side. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, which Rebecca caught again.

“Really… I know it’s rude to say this.”

Rebecca narrowed her eyes and coldly spat it out.

“Is this the right time to say you’re acting foolish?”

“That’s really rude.”

However, Alejandro didn’t seem the least bit offended by that. In fact, he looked rather carefree.

“Could you please leave now? If possible, take the lady with you. She doesn’t need to come back for a while.”

“Oh, Rebecca, we have so much to do!”

As Rebecca and I bickered, Emil returned to the office with a solemn expression.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Count.”

We both turned to Emil at the same time. Seeing his serious demeanor meant he had something important to say. Rebecca and I immediately fell silent.

“Annie has escaped. The pursuers are right on her tail, but we currently don’t know where she’s headed.”

I unconsciously took a step forward.

Finally!

The reason I had been keeping Annie around all this time was precisely this! Annie was leading us to our enemies! All the crumbs Annie left behind would become evidence of the crime.

Rebecca and I locked eyes. We nodded simultaneously.

“Annie is probably trying to meet the person who bought me.”

Until now, Annie had been under heavy surveillance. It wouldn’t have been easy for anyone from outside the mansion to contact her. Although Annie could have gone outside, she seemed too afraid of being pushed out to leave even for a moment. Therefore, this was her first outing since coming to the mansion.

“If we just follow that person, we might uncover the Empress’s intentions for a human sacrifice.”

Emil smiled brightly.

“Ah, it seems the raccoon hunting season has returned. Your Highness the Crown Prince, congratulations. The long wait will finally bear fruit.”

“Spread the nets so not even a mouse can escape.”

Alejandro turned his red eyes toward the outside. His face had hardened coldly, unlike just moments before. I wondered who Alejandro was thinking about now.

Suddenly, I was curious.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

Early morning.

The stalls were now completely empty. And it wasn’t just the street stalls. Even the bookstores that had stocked the Red Carpet magazine had to put up “Sold Out” signs.

All the customers who had been quietly waiting for the third photo book of the Red Carpet swept everything away. Once again, Evelina did not disappoint people’s expectations. That high-nosed Ponicha!

It was a clothing store where even many noble families found it difficult to make reservations. The reason this photo book was particularly hot was that the items worn by Ponicha could be pre-ordered. Especially the noble young ladies who loved parties were red-eyed with excitement.

Madame Ponicha’s dresses would draw attention at any party. Perhaps she might even be named the most beautiful woman at that day’s event.

The dresses worn by Ponicha in the photo shoot were all sold out within a day, and the jewelry she had worn was sold out within two days.

“Wow, that’s a really impressive impact!”

Rebecca clicked her tongue as she checked the photo book that had sold faster than usual.

“You knew it would be like this, so you chose Ponicha.”

I shrugged. The previous photo book certainly didn’t have this kind of popularity. I couldn’t keep giving things away, so this time, I made a choice considering profitability.

Now that all the photo book work was done, it was time to move on to the next issue with a light heart. If we just followed the plans discussed in the previous meeting, there would be no failures this time either.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

Annie peeked into the alley of the black market. She had readily sold Evelina when someone had said they were buying dying people. Finding the shop from that day wasn’t difficult.

“Oh, it’s been a while since you came.”

“You said you would buy anything that could be purchased.”

Annie asked ominously.

“Is there something else you can sell?”

The merchant’s gaze was sinister, the look of someone who had killed before.

“I can sell you anything you need. Will you let me meet your master?”

The merchant stroked his chin.

He was a priest involved with Alvaro. Even though he was acting as a merchant in the black market.

“The item I bought previously was defective. It ran away midway. The item I bought is wandering around openly. My master is very angry.”

Because of that, Alvaro’s temple was also in a difficult position. Every time they sent an assassin, they returned dead, so it was pointless to spend any more money. Just what kind of guards did that mansion have that its defenses were so strong? It was incredibly troublesome. Anyway, that’s when Annie came.

“I-I’m sorry about that! That’s why I didn’t demand the remaining payment!”

Annie shouted like a scream.

“But isn’t it your master’s fault that you lost my master? How did you manage to save someone who was dying?”

Annie asked sharply. She was anxious that the merchant’s master might not accept her. All this time, Annie had only learned to live by being a parasite to someone else. If she entered another noble house, all she would do is clean until her bones ached. She didn’t want that.

“That doesn’t matter. What my master desires now is not another item or person.”

“W-what then?”

“Your tongue.”

The merchant pointed at Annie and chuckled. Annie instinctively took a step back.

Thud.

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind her, blocking Annie’s way.

“W-what the hell is this…?”

“I’m not trying to kill you, so don’t be so scared. My master wants you alive.”

“You said you wanted my tongue!”

Annie shouted in a panic. She didn’t want to die in such a place. But the merchant spoke as if it were no issue.

“That’s right. I need your living, smooth tongue.”

Annie’s eyes widened. Only then did she understand what that meant.

“You’re taking me to… use me for what?”

“As my master wishes.”

In that moment, Annie’s body was lifted. She let out a desperate scream.