Chapter 52: In the Hall of Verdure part 2
“Still, I won’t be sad about your decision. After all, this is what it means to grow. Remember what Mother Superior always said? ‘When you leave the monastery, walk with your shoulders straight and live with dignity.’ I think I finally understand what she meant. I’m sure you do too, Lady Klein?”
‘You…!’
Dott trembled with unspeakable rage.
You, how dare you lecture me?
“Well then, farewell, my only friend, Dottricia. From now on, I shall address you solely as you wished. May fortune favor you.”
Without looking back, Morgana walked away, leaving Dott seething in silent fury.
That girl, seriously!!
It wasn’t until Morgana had already left that it finally dawned on her.
Do you even know where you are? This is the Hall of Verdure. Not just anyone can enter or disturb those inside. Only young ladies of noble birth and distinguished women are permitted here in the first place!
It had been the perfect opportunity to lecture her thoroughly! But she had completely forgotten and let it slip away!
The guards outside must not have dared to stop her once they heard ‘Lady Morgana’ was entering. Useless fools!
Her anger boiled over, and she was on the verge of losing her mind.
‘You! How dare you…! Fine, just you wait. As soon as I take care of my business, you’re next! I’ll deal with Manuela later.’
On what should have been the happiest day of her life, Dott was seething, ready to collapse from rage. She couldn’t stand it any longer.
After returning from the Spring Ball, Dott beamed at the Duke and Duchess.
“Thank you so much. Today was truly unforgettable. His Highness the Crown Prince was kind to me throughout the escort, and we even shared the first dance. I’m so grateful to you both for making this day possible.”
“Yes, yes. You did well, Tiana.”
The Duchess, who had expected her daughter to be furious, was instead caught off guard by her pleasant demeanor. She quickly patted Dott’s hand and showered her with praise.
“I’d like to rest comfortably for a few days. Maybe go out a little. Would that be all right?”
“Of course! Do as you wish. We’ll schedule the next tea party or engagement at a time of your choosing. Forget everything for now and relax as much as you’d like. Sleep in, go on an outing, whatever pleases you.”
“Yes.”
The Duchess, realizing that Dott wanted to leave the estate with a few attendants again, gave her permission in a roundabout way.
Other noble families might have immediately started scouting potential alliances after a debutante ball, but this time, there were special circumstances.
‘At first, I thought she was upset about Lady Lâtel’s sudden appearance, but no. She’s our daughter, after all. So poised, so composed. I expected her to throw a tantrum, but she’s holding it in. A noble lineage truly is something else, indeed.’
It would be a long time before the Duchess took off her rose-colored glasses.
— — —
The next day, disguised just enough to avoid attention, Dott left the estate and summoned her prearranged contact.
A mercenary—Giltron.
‘At least there’s still someone willing to move for money. Thank goodness.’
Officially, he was just another mercenary affiliated with a reputable guild, but secretly, he had one foot in the underworld. For those who found direct dealings with the dark guild too risky, Giltron served as a middleman, accepting commissions for a hefty fee.
Even getting close to him had taken this much time.
Suppressing her impatience, Dott put on an effortless smile.
“I’ll be counting on you, Mr. Giltron.”
“Oh, of course. The details of the request… Ah, my mistake, it’s confidential. No matter how long I work as a mercenary, I always get excited before taking on a job.”
“Hehe, yes. I look forward to it.”
Giltron struck an exaggerated pose.
Hmph.
She didn’t need to concern herself with the knights of the ducal household or the maid who had followed her.
Of course, they would try to find out what she had commissioned Giltron to do. But that wouldn’t be an issue. The thick parchment in that letter was a special kind of triple-layered paper.
At first glance, the request appeared to be nothing more than a simple order for out-of-season luxury fruits and regional specialties. However, if the hidden sheet tucked between the layers was extracted and exposed to fire, an entirely different request would be revealed.
[Survey the northern territory of Chionel in detail. Look for any unusual occurrences in the area. Include reports on prominent noble families and reputable knights in the vicinity.]
Even with this level of caution, she had to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. That’s why she hadn’t written her real request – eliminating the Karris Viscount family.
She had to be careful. If she made a mistake here, everything would fall apart. It was better to spend twice the money and ensure absolute safety.
After placing her request with Giltron, Dott prayed fervently for a swift outcome. Her hometown was filled with nobodies. There was no way the Karris family would be excluded from a background check. Even if they had fallen into complete ruin, their status alone would make them worth reporting.
So all she had to do was wait…
Time passed.
The first basket from Giltron, filled with oranges, contained nothing.
Then, finally, the second delivery arrived, filled with sultanas and dried apricots.
“Sigh, we could have easily procured top-quality ones ourselves.”
“Shh! This is the young lady’s special hobby. If you interfere and she loses interest, can you handle the madam’s wrath?”
Ignoring the murmurs of the servants behind the door, Dott carefully extracted the fruits, one by one.
……
T/N: I want to see what will happen once Duchess Klein took off her rose-colored glasses
