Chapter 33
So that’s what happened.
It was known that she had been pushed, but it was actually a slap.
Although it was definitely wrong for Raylenne to speak cruelly and slap Belle in the past, it was surprising how firmly Belle had stood her ground.
Belle stammered, “…In fact, I felt guilty for saying such harsh things to Miss Raylenne that day.”
Belle had indeed touched on a sensitive issue for Raylenne. Social anxiety was Raylenne’s weakness and her source of pain.
But there was something more pressing to know.
The story afterward.
After Belle was injured, she never returned to the duchy.
‘Then what about Helis…?’
In the recollections that came back, fleeting images of Helis and Belle together appeared.
Anyone could see that Helis and Belle were deeply in love.
It was shocking to realize that Helis could have such a gentle expression.
To the casual observer, they seemed to love each other very much, yet Helis didn’t follow Belle here and remained in the duchy.
“I was so young. I thought love could solve everything.”
While love doesn’t solve everything, there could have been other attempts.
Raylenne felt guilty that they had ended up separated, despite her dislike for Helis.
If Raylenne hadn’t struck Belle that day, Belle might not have left the duchy.
As Raylenne regretted, Belle’s voice, low and somber, reached her ears.
“But… Miss Raylenne, you were right.”
Belle fidgeted anxiously with her fingers.
“While I was resting after the head injury, the Duke of Ergen came to see me.”
Raylenne’s head jerked up.
“Father came in person…?”
It was unexpected that he would visit a maid’s house directly instead of sending his subordinates.
“Yes… I was very surprised at first. Honestly, I thought he came to apologize for my injury.”
Unfortunately, Raylenne knew her father wasn’t that kind of person.
“But then he handed me a bag full of money and gave me a choice: take the money and keep quiet about the incident, while completely cutting ties with Master Helis, or…”
Or…?
Raylenne focused on Belle’s voice.
Belle hesitated before continuing.
“…or die.”
Raylenne was momentarily frozen in shock. It took her a while to speak.
“Father threatened you to break up with Helis.”
“Yes… I was so scared that I couldn’t do anything. The look in the Duke’s eyes that day was terrifying.”
Raylenne understood Belle. When the duke himself made such a threat, who wouldn’t be terrified?
“Does Helis know about this?”
“I don’t think so. Right after I recovered, the Duke gave me the money and I left immediately.”
One missing puzzle piece was found.
Raylenne realized why Helis had been so hostile toward her. Although they had always been distant, Helis’s attitude changed drastically from that day onward.
Helis probably believed he was responsible for Belle’s injury and her subsequent disappearance.
In reality, it was due to the Duke’s threats.
Even the original Raylenne would have believed that up until now.
Although she was wrong to slap Belle, being misunderstood for something she didn’t do was indeed unfair.
“I fled here that day and started a new life. I only had a younger brother in my family anyway…”
“Did you ever consider contacting Helis?”
Belle smiled bitterly.
“I didn’t. I realized how foolish my dreams were.”
Raylenne thought Belle was more realistic for letting go so easily. In a world where status mattered, achieving such a marriage was difficult.
Even though Belle was a noble, the Duke of Ergen was an overwhelming presence.
“But I did wonder sometimes how Master Helis was doing… That’s why I decided to meet you, Miss Raylenne.”
Raylenne hesitated to answer about Helis’s well-being.
To be honest, Helis wasn’t living up to Belle’s expectations.
‘It seems he turned bitter because of Belle…’
Belle was beautiful and lovely enough to captivate even a wayward Helis.
Three years ago, Helis was young, and his feelings for Belle would have been hard to control.
Helis directed his resentment toward Raylenne, destroying himself in the process.
He bullied the weak, couldn’t control his emotions, and acted recklessly.
‘Recently, he’s been quiet and subdued for some reason.’
But it was still concerning. He often went out in the evenings for unknown reasons…
Despite everything, Raylenne wanted to protect the image of Helis that Belle remembered.
“Helis is… doing well. He’s managing part of the family business successfully.”
“That’s a relief.”
Belle smiled with genuine relief.
“Have you thought about seeing Helis again?”
“How could I face Master Helis again? I ran away without leaving even a letter.”
Belle looked gloomy at Raylenne’s question.
There was a hint of longing mixed with her regret.
As the atmosphere sank, Belle changed the subject.
“By the way, how did you know I was here, Miss Raylenne?”
“…I heard from Helen a while back.”
Raylenne lied smoothly.
At the mention of Helen, Belle’s expression darkened again.
“Then you must have heard the bad news…”
Raylenne nodded.
“They said there would be a funeral.”
Raylenne wondered if Belle knew the reason for Helen’s death.
Raylenne cleared her throat and asked, “Do you know why Helen ended up like that so suddenly?”
“They said she fell down the mountain,” Belle replied.
“The mountain…?”
“Yes. It was strange that Helen climbed the mountain alone, but you never know with people…”
Belle seemed to find Helen’s death suspicious, but didn’t seem to think someone had killed her. Not knowing what terrifying events Helen had been involved in, she couldn’t suspect foul play.
Raylenne tried to probe further, but it seemed Belle knew nothing more about Helen.
Since it took quite some time to get there, Raylenne decided not to prolong the conversation and stood up.
“Thank you for making time for me today, Belle.”
“It’s nothing. I’m grateful that you came all the way out here. It’s nice to see you outside the duchy, Miss Raylenne.”
Belle smiled brightly.
Although she couldn’t learn much about Helen, Raylenne was satisfied with uncovering the past between Belle and Helis.
After saying her goodbyes to Belle, Raylenne boarded her carriage.
Through the carriage window, Raylenne quietly watched the sky turn crimson with the sunset.
‘So Helis had that misunderstanding about Raylenne.’
That’s why he opposed everything she did.
And his refusal to accept marriage proposals suggested he still harbored feelings for Belle.
Considering he thought Belle ran away because of him, his anger must be immense.
Raylenne’s thoughts took a dangerous turn.
‘Could it be…’
She wondered if Helis might be the real culprit behind the attempts on her life.
The culprit was said to be someone powerful enough to procure herbs like Sana grass. Moreover, the way Helen was quickly silenced after observing Raylenne’s slight changes suggested someone attentive and ruthless.
It would have been hard for anyone from the Bedeusian house to act so swiftly.
‘…Although there’s no concrete evidence yet.’
Her mouth felt dry.
The night air felt particularly chilly today.
* * *
It was well past evening by the time Raylenne returned to the duchy.
After a quick meal, she went down to see Aiden.
She wanted to check on his condition and also discuss the day’s events.
While Aiden didn’t necessarily need to know, she felt obligated to share because he had introduced her to Cashwood.
Without Aiden’s introduction, she might have continued searching in vain for Helen’s body.
“You returned late today,” Haele remarked, bowing to Raylenne. Haele was preparing to leave for the night.
“I had some business during the day.”
“That’s good to hear. As long as nothing else happened.”
Raylenne nodded slightly and asked, “Was there any trouble with Aiden?”
“No, nothing at all.”
Haele looked extremely tired, his eyes bloodshot.
Yawning, Haele quickly covered his mouth.
“Oh, sorry. I couldn’t sleep much because of the castle wall repairs this morning.”
Raylenne waved it off.
“Go on and get some rest.”
“Thank you, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After a quick bow, Haele hurried away.
‘Castle wall repairs…’
The duchy was indeed quite old, and the walls had also aged.
The walls were high and thick, which likely made repairs daunting, but it was wise to prevent any accidents in advance.
Thinking this, Raylenne headed to see Aiden.
Standing in front of the cell, she first opened the small window in the door to avoid putting Aiden on alert.
The lights had already been turned off.
Raylenne peered through the small opening, searching for Aiden.
“Aiden?”
Her eyes widened as she spotted something.
somnia-infinita
…..More and more, I’m starting to suspect that the culprit might just be Daddy Dearest…. 🤔 (not a spoiler, just a theory!) There’s been no mention of collateral relatives or anyone else who would benefit from k*lling Raylenne specifically. Physically, she’s the weakest link of the Ergen family. Maybe her dad was trying to make use of her in such a despicable way? Like framing the opposing Ducal family for her death and then accusing them or something? Very mysterious.