Volume 1 part 4

Volume 1 part 4

Because Devaron was someone who shone like this jewel.

Staring at my reflection, me in plain black mourning clothes with the extravagant necklace, I blinked slowly. 

Surely this necklace would look perfect on someone else.

‘But not on me.’

I placed the necklace back on the table. I didn’t even touch the hairpiece. With the fates of those two items decided, my packing was complete.

Two medium-sized brown travel bags and one small one. Three in total, holding everything that remained of my and my grandmother’s lives.

“It’s a lot less now.”

I had probably brought more luggage when I came to the capital. Exhausted, I lay down on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Meeting with Feriel in the morning had left me emotionally drained, and moving around all day had worn me out physically. As soon as I lay down, drowsiness swept over me.

‘I should probably bathe… Maybe tomorrow?’

There was still a lot left to do, but the overwhelming fatigue made my eyes flutter shut.

‘Yeah, sleep first.’

Just as I was about to close my eyes, I heard footsteps. They weren’t Bell’s. These were heavier.

Who is it? 

Before I could fully sit up, the door burst open and someone stepped inside.

“Lady Cornelia.”

It was Steven, the steward of the Astolphe family. As always, he entered with a haughty expression and scanned the room, then smirked.

“Oh my, you’ve already finished packing. I was just about to offer you a maid.”

Liar. 

I scowled. Even Bell had been kept busy with the main building’s affairs—by none other than this steward.

“Come to think of it, I heard something happened yesterday.”

His eyes, filled with disgust, looked down at me. He probably wouldn’t even look at a bug with such contempt.

“I’d appreciate it if you could remain quiet until your departure.”

As he spoke, he adjusted his mustache, his posture stiff. As if he believed himself to be Duke Devaron Astolphe himself.

“You are a guest of House Astolphe, after all.”

Ha!

I couldn’t help but laugh. Was he really lecturing me on manners right now?

A twitch passed through the steward’s eyes. I didn’t bother hiding my smile as I got up from the bed and walked over to stand in front of him.

“Steward.”

He looked at me, suspicion flickering in his eyes, clearly sensing something was off.

Of course he did. Normally, I would’ve lowered my head and endured without a word.

I had tolerated his rudeness because of my grandmother’s medicinal treatment, and because of Bell.

Any time I raised my voice at the steward, the herbs given to my grandmother the next day would be poorly handled—sometimes containing impurities, or given in insufficient quantities.

When I finally couldn’t bear it and got angry again, he even prevented Bell from visiting the east annex multiple times. I knew she’d been made to do hard labor from the state of her hands the next day.

That’s why I’d endured it all. But now, there was no reason to.

My grandmother was no longer with me, and without me, there was no reason for Bell to be mistreated.

I nodded toward the door.

“Are you really the one talking about manners right now, steward? You, of all people?”

I let out a deliberate scoff. His face twisted.

“If we tally up all the rudeness you’ve shown me, I don’t think you have the right to say that.”

Standing was tiring, so I left him there and sat down in a chair, swinging my legs.

“Are you questioning my qualifications now? To think I came out of concern, and you’re criticizing me like this!”

His ears were red with frustration at my impolite attitude.

“Lies.”

I smiled as I smoothed my hair. The official reason was probably my departure tomorrow, but the real reason he came was to mock me.

There was no other reason for him to come all the way to this remote east annex.

In the two years I’d lived here, he’d only shown up twice. Once when I first arrived, and now, as I was leaving.

He probably wanted to watch a lowly commoner, who had dreamed too big by seducing a duke, leave with her head bowed in shame.

But things had changed.

“I truly came out of concern for Lady Cornelia…”

“If you truly cared, you would’ve shown me at least a minimum level of respect.”

I smiled. Someone who cared would never have barged in without knocking.

He seemed at a loss for words. His brow furrowed, and his eyes darted nervously.

“Do you even remember how many times you’ve come to this east annex?”

No reply. Probably because the answer was just two.

“What about how many times you’ve refused my requests?”

Silence again. This time, for a different reason—too many times to count.

Aside from my requests for herbs or a priest, everything else had been ignored.

The Astolphe estate was a grand and elegant place. But since it was built at the same time as the Empire itself, it needed a lot of maintenance.

The main building received regular attention from craftsmen, but the east annex was excluded.

The broken stair rail had been left unrepaired for ages, despite my repeated requests. Every time, the steward said there was no time to call someone.

It was only after Bell nearly got hurt that they fixed it. And even then, he said… what was it again? Oh, right. He “forgot.”

“When my grandmother passed on to be with the God, you ignored me too.”

He’d merely sent mourning clothes through Bell. And I knew full well that even that was only to avoid giving Devaron any reason to reproach him.

“There was more, wasn’t there…”

I rested my chin on my hand and let my words trail off. I noticed the butler’s face darken.

“You let the rumors about me spread beyond the mansion and into the streets too.”

Everything I did inside the mansion was twisted, exaggerated, and leaked out into the public.

If I sent a letter to Debaron, they said a lowborn woman was getting full of herself and trying to seduce a duke. If I hesitated because I didn’t know noble etiquette, they would say, ‘Of course, she’s just a commoner.’ If I made a mistake, ‘That’s what happens when someone uneducated tries to act like a noble,’ and then they’d say I shamelessly set my sights on becoming the duchess and settled into the mansion.

That’s how it was.

People who already took pleasure in gossiping about me eagerly accepted those stories, and it didn’t take long before the rumors spread throughout the capital.

‘A mere servant of House Astolphe wouldn’t have had the nerve to spread those stories on their own…’

At the very least, it must have been either the butler or the head maid who spread or allowed the rumors. And now, the position of head maid at House Astolphe was vacant.

“That was the servants’ mistake. No matter how much I try to train them, they just don’t listen.” 

The butler said, trying to sound composed, as if it wasn’t his fault and subtly placing the blame on the servants.

But he couldn’t hide the faint tremor in his voice. I raised the corners of my lips.

And then, I reminded him of something he seemed to have forgotten.

“Managing those servants is exactly the butler’s job.”

He had clearly forgotten his responsibilities. The butler stiffened at my words, and I stood up. Slowly, I walked toward him.

“Rudeness like forgetting to knock, the constant ‘mistakes’ of ignoring my requests, and now the sheer incompetence of not doing your job.”

Saying it all at once made it sound even more outrageous and disgraceful.

Click. 

My footsteps stopped just in front of him. I looked at the butler, who trembled in anger as he glared at me.

What good would his anger do now? The situation had already changed.

“I suppose I’ll have to tell Devaron about all of this.”

“…!!”

If this got out, would those servants he claimed were ‘untrainable’ just sit quietly?

The rumors about him might spread even faster than the ones about me.

And he’d certainly be kicked out of the mansion he treated like it was his own. Devaron would never keep someone like that around.

I smiled at the butler, who had gone pale.

“There’s no need for you anymore.”

Get out. 

I didn’t need to say it outright, he already understood.

“I’m sorry…”

The butler, now as white as a sheet, apologized in a trembling voice and left the room.

‘That felt good. I should’ve done that a long time ago.’

A laugh slipped out. 

I was leaving tomorrow. It would take five days on horseback or more than ten by carriage to reach Yorkven Village.

But Devaron had offered to arrange for a magical teleportation, so it would probably only take two days.

Still, he wouldn’t extend the same favor for the return trip. Factoring in the time spent in Yorkben, it added up to about a month.

I buried my face in the pillow and blinked slowly.

A month. That was more than enough time for someone to disappear.

***

Early in the morning, I stood in front of the ducal mansion.

I adjusted my veil while glancing at the medium-sized carriage and the three knights who had come to escort me.

‘This isn’t bad at all.’

It was a decent-sized carriage, and I even had three knights assigned for protection.

My grandmother had already boarded the carriage. A servant, without a word, loaded our three bags beneath the driver’s seat and left quietly.

It was time to go. I turned one last time to look at House Astolphe.

The mansion, so large that it couldn’t be taken in with a single glance, was adorned to reflect its grandeur with the touch of many hands.

When I first saw it, I had felt a spark of hope.

My gaze naturally settled on a familiar window, Devaron’s office. The place he spent most of his time in, and the place I had spent the most time watching.

By coincidence, the eastern annex where I had stayed gave a clear view of that office window.

Though I had to look up and couldn’t see inside, I could at least tell when the lights were on and know he was there.

I looked at the window, one I could sketch in my mind even with my eyes closed. My lips parted and closed a few times, but I ended up saying nothing.

My mouth filled with all the unspoken words, leaving only bitterness behind.

“It’s time to depart.” 

One of the knights called softly when I lingered too long, gazing at the mansion.

Yes, it was time to go. I turned and reached for the carriage door when someone called out behind me.

“Wait! Lady Cornelia!!”

At the desperate voice, I turned around to see Bell, gasping for breath. She had run so fast her young face was flushed red.

“S-sorry! I wanted to see you off on time, but the butler suddenly gave me work…”

Ah, I figured as much. I smiled bitterly.

It had seemed strange that Bell, of all people, hadn’t come to see me off. But now I knew why.

Of course. I’d confronted the butler yesterday. He must’ve tried to take revenge by preventing the only person who would see me off from doing so.

“It’s okay, Bell. Calm down.”

I smiled and patted her on the shoulder. She nodded, then pulled a small pouch from her pocket and handed it to me.

When I untied the string, a toasty, nutty aroma wafted out.

“I thought you might get bored on the trip, so I baked some acorn cookies,” she said shyly.

My eyes widened. Back in our village near the forest, we used to gather acorns and bake them into cookies.

They were impossible to find in the capital. How did she know? Maybe my grandmother told her when I wasn’t around.

Bell’s cheeks and eyes were slightly red as she smiled.

The strong scent of cookies from her clothes and hair told me she had probably gotten up at dawn to bake them, just so she wouldn’t be late.

But because of the butler, she was still late. And now, feeling guilty, she kept glancing at me nervously. But she had no reason to feel guilty. It wasn’t her fault—he gave her work just to spite me.

“Yes, I really love them.”

I smiled faintly and accepted the cookie. For some reason, my nose tingled and I felt like I might cry, but I held it in.

It would be a bit too sad if the last moment were drenched in tears.

“I have a gift too.”

After fiddling with the cookie pouch for a moment, I took out a small jeweled hairpin from the pouch and placed it in her hand.

This jeweled hairpin, which I often wore, was one of the items I had brought from Akteil’s lair.

Aside from this pin, which I liked the most, I had already sold all the other jewels and converted them into gold coins. That’s why I gave this one to Belle.

Because it was the most valuable thing I owned.

Her eyes widened, and then she immediately shook her head as if startled.

“I-I can’t accept something like this.”

“No, please take it.”

I held her hand tightly and smiled brightly.

“I’m so grateful. You went through a lot, taking care of my grandmother and me.”

Who would want to serve a commoner who clung to a ducal house? When I first arrived at the duke’s mansion, several maids had already come and gone.

Because of illness, or quitting… Those who left our side went on to work without a care in the main house.

I knew all too well that, at some point, to the people of Duke Astolphe’s household, the eastern annex had become a kind of exile.

If I had revealed the treasures I brought from Akteil’s lair, their behavior would have changed. I knew that well, but I didn’t want to give them anything.

And then I met her.

‘Starting today, I’ll be serving Lady Cornelia.’

She had said that, and from that day to this, she had stayed by my side. She had even been there when my grandmother passed away.

In the end, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Truly… thank you. For being there when I needed someone.”

“…Lady Cornelia.”

She looked at the jeweled pin in her hand for a moment, then closed her hand around it. Tears had welled up in Bell’s large, brown eyes too.

“Thank you. These past two years, I also enjoyed myself thanks to you and Lady Hibi. And…”

Her voice grew softer. As if sharing a secret, she whispered quietly to me.

“I believe that you are not the person the rumors say you are.”

“…Really?”

“Really!”

Bell smiled brightly and nodded.

“The Cornelia I’ve seen these past two years would never do such things.”

It was my first time receiving such trust in the capital. I wiped away my tears and nodded. Yes, I wasn’t that kind of person.

“Thank you for believing in me.”

“We have to go!! At this rate, we won’t make it in time!”

The coachman interrupted our conversation in a voice tinged with irritation, and Bell reluctantly let go of my hand.

It was truly time to leave now.

“Take care, Bell. Thank you so, so much for everything!”

Just as I was about to step into the carriage with a smile, Bell called out to me once more. Her voice sounded oddly urgent, so I turned around one last time.

“Lady Cornelia! Um… you are coming back in a month, right?”

She asked as if to confirm, but I didn’t answer. I just gave her a bright smile and stepped into the carriage.

That was the last of my peaceful days in the capital.

***

“Duke Astolphe.”

As he slowly turned his body toward the voice calling him, there stood a middle-aged man.

Well-groomed and formally dressed, the man was someone Devaron knew well. He was Count Tevius, father of his fellow companion, Feriel.

“Count Tevius.”

It was clear from Devaron’s expression and tone that he was not pleased to see the Count.

He wasn’t even looking at him properly.

Nonetheless, Count Tevius smiled nonchalantly and greeted him with a light tone, then stroked his mustache and continued.

“I heard that, by His Majesty’s order, you suppressed the rebels before the festival. And then, right after that, the Akteil Festival in the capital… You must be exhausted.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Well, of course! No matter how many rebels there are, it’s no trouble for Duke Astolphe. I heard you crushed them as if you could see their every move.”

“It was merely by the will of God.”

“I also hear that the project to relocate the tomb of the First Emperor closer to the palace is going well. That was your proposal, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

Despite Devaron’s curt replies, Count Tevius laughed heartily and said, “You’re too modest, Your Grace!”

Devaron remained silent. Still, the Count didn’t let up. He simply changed the topic and kept talking.

“Ah, come to think of it, I’ve heard some good news.”

The corners of Count Tevius’s lips curled upward as he spoke. His voice was bright, as if offering congratulations.

“I hear that commoner has finally left the ducal estate. You must be relieved. Congratulations, Duke Astolphe.”

“…”

At those words, Devaron’s eyebrows twitched upward. His gaze, which had been fixed on the window, turned to the Count.

His eyes were sharp. But the Count, oblivious to it, waved his hand dismissively with a smile.

“I know very well how much trouble that commoner caused. Imagine, clinging to the heroes just because she once guided them… I’m sure my inadequate daughter was the one who encouraged it. She was always a burden, getting in the way since childhood.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as he clicked his tongue with disdain. It was obvious he was thinking of Feriel.

He had always looked down on her with those eyes. But when he looked back at Devaron, that same smile was back on his face.

“We and the other hero families also had a hard time because of that commoner who didn’t know her place. Of course, it’s nothing compared to what you endured, Your Grace…”

Just then, Count Tevius suddenly stopped speaking.

His vision had suddenly darkened.

It wasn’t that night had fallen. As he looked up, he saw Devaron looming over him, backlit by the sunlight streaming in from the window.

What…? 

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in atmosphere, the Count blinked.

With the light behind him, Devaron’s already large frame appeared even more massive, and his face even darker.

The Count involuntarily swallowed and almost took a step back. The silence, the gaze—it felt like a blade.

“…Count Tevius.”

It was only a brief silence, but to the Count, it felt long. When Devaron finally spoke, the Count flinched slightly.

“Watch your tongue.”

And then Devaron’s hand slowly reached toward the Count’s neck.

Gasp! 

The Count instinctively shrank back.

There was no way—absolutely no way he would—but in that moment, it felt as though that hand might strangle him.

It was just his imagination. Devaron’s hand merely brushed near the embroidered crest of House Tevius on the Count’s shirt collar.

“You never know where or how a single word might come back to you.”

Devaron then lifted the corner of his lips into a cold, sharp smile.

“Well, you’ve always been rather lucky, haven’t you, Count?”

But your luck is just about to run out.

That was the end. Devaron turned away as if he had no more interest and resumed walking down the hall.

Left alone in the long imperial corridor, Count Tevius stared after Devaron’s retreating figure until he was completely out of sight, only then could he finally take a deep breath.

“…That ****d.”

Why was he acting like that now? He had coldly abandoned her all this time, and now he reacts like this?

The Count unconsciously touched the spot on his neck where Devaron’s fingers had brushed.

“They say he lost his mind after facing the dragon. Looks like it’s true.”

Otherwise, that behavior made no sense.

Clicking his tongue as he gazed at the spot where Devaron had disappeared, the Count finally turned to leave.