Chapter 79
And Lione’s answer to that was unhesitating.
It wasn’t something he had just thought up to fumble through, but things that had been pooled in his heart all along.
“Because you won’t change because of me, Miss. Of course, His Highness the Second Prince would be the same, but since I’m already hated, there’s no hope in clinging to him.”
Lione, letting out a dry laugh, bowed his head once again.
“I’m sorry, because of me.”
The reason he kept bowing his head was probably because her throat had been choked.
But even in the midst of that, his natural consideration in not even glancing at the area around her throat gave Riina a headache.
Lione added one more thing.
“I cannot volunteer as a knight since I don’t handle a sword well enough to boast that I could protect you, Miss. But I have good judgment and things I’ve built up over the years, so I could properly fulfill the role of a servant.”
At his frank, even blunt evaluation of himself, Riina could only let out a light sigh.
When someone approaches with such sincerity, there are only two options.
Either accept them wholeheartedly, or cut them off completely.
And Lione…
Riina had known from the first time she met him that he wouldn’t back down.
That Lione, everyone’s lover, Young Lord Bartorio, becoming a servant.
Truly, it was a dilemma either way.
Even if she didn’t accept him here and now, Lione would continue to seek her out.
“Young Lord, you have no intention of giving up, do you?”
“No. Until I repay this kindness, I’ll come to the Bolshevik estate so often the threshold will wear thin.”
Him, who had suddenly broken his engagement and even left his family, visiting only the Bolshevik estate obsessively?
Even without seeing it, it was obvious how noisy things would become.
But she couldn’t just readily accept him as a servant right here and now.
She was already sufficiently tired from the incidents and accidents caused by her ‘misfortune,’ and all the various things that would happen by keeping Lione by her side…
As her thoughts reached that point, Einar suddenly came to mind.
During the period she was with Einar, wouldn’t it be alright for Lione to be by her side?
Moreover, if he was her personal servant, unlike when he was Young Lord Bartorio, his opportunities to meet others would be drastically reduced.
“Whew.”
Riina openly let out a deep sigh.
Though she had attached various reasons, in the end, her willingness to accept Lione as a servant was ultimately…
Because she felt a shallow sense of camaraderie.
Just as her entire life was swayed by misfortune, hadn’t Lione’s entire life also been swayed by some kind of demonic charm or whatever it was that he didn’t want?
She had even prevented with her own hands the future where he would meet a miserable death because of it.
“Fine.”
“Fine… does that mean you’ll accept me as your servant, Miss!”
Unlike Lione, who had the brightest expression ever, Riina narrowed her eyes and waved her hand.
“It’s for a limited time though.”
“What?”
“I’ll keep you by my side as my servant for a maximum of one year from now.”
“One year means…”
To Lione, who was reflexively gauging the timing, Riina waved her hand lightly.
“A maximum of one year. So make sure to look into other paths beforehand.”
Though he desperately wanted to know the reason and cry out that he wanted to serve her for life without any time limit, knowing that she had already made a great concession just by accepting him as a servant, Lione swallowed his questions.
“And. This is the most important thing, so listen carefully.”
“Yes. I’ll gladly accept any command.”
Riina looked at him steadily before slowly parting her lips.
“If any incident or accident occurs.”
The words that would follow were ones that not only Lione but most people could anticipate.
At such times, he should protect her with his whole body.
Though he wasn’t a guard knight, it was also one of a servant’s duties, so Lione was naturally about to nod.
But at her following words, Lione blinked.
“Stay away from me. As far as possible.”
Toward Lione, who made exactly the same face as Becky when she first said these words, Riina emphasized once more.
“Don’t ever think about protecting me or anything like that, and if possible, get away somewhere completely out of sight.”
These were words containing nothing but sincerity, to the point where he couldn’t even think it might be a test or a joke.
That’s why this time, Lione didn’t even have doubts.
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
Then Lione stood up from his seat and bowed with the utmost courtesy and reverence.
If he were still Young Lord Bartorio, he would have kissed the back of her hand.
But since he was now her servant, he bowed deeply, very deeply.
“Please call me Lione, Miss.”
Around the time Lione was meeting with Riina.
In the annex separated from the main building of the Bolshevik estate, Jane was taking a deep breath as she closed documents that simply wouldn’t resolve.
“This isn’t it.”
She gloomily scratched the corner of the documents and let out a long sigh.
When she wielded her pen frantically, everything seemed to fall into place, but it wasn’t perfect enough to eliminate the marks that had spread like red brands.
Jane rationally understood.
The fact that it would take time to become perfect.
But she sincerely wanted to escape as quickly as possible from the reality of being corrected by some fake.
-Click.
Jane, who had put down her pen and risen, held her breath and surveyed her surroundings.
Though she was completely alone, she still exercised extreme caution, listening for any signs of presence around her.
Only after confirming that no one was nearby did Jane carefully reach into a place and pull out a small bottle.
The transparent bottle appeared empty at first glance, but what sloshed inside was a colorless, odorless, tasteless poison.
“Should I be glad that this will surely be put to use?”
Jane’s lips twisted as she handled the poison she would feed to Riina.
Some time before the engagement ceremony, Riina had summoned Jane.
‘Make sure to familiarize yourself with the faces of those attending the engagement ceremony. They are the ones who truly move the empire.’
‘Miss, this may be presumptuous of me to say.’
‘What is it?’
‘I have memorized all the members of families listed in the empire’s registry.’
When Jane paused, Riina gestured indifferently.
‘In other words, there’s no particular need to attend the engagement ceremony.’
‘Since my work is still inadequate, I thought it might be better to focus on that.’
In truth, if it hadn’t been Riina, the other party would have been greatly angered and Jane would have been scolded.
To openly say she wouldn’t attend an important day for the one she served, whether there was need or not, especially as a shadow.
Moreover, wasn’t a shadow in a position where they couldn’t even voice opinions?
But Riina readily nodded at Jane’s words.
‘Do that.’
At the answer that came too simply, Jane hid her face mixed with puzzlement and regret as she bowed her head.
“I thought it would explode.”
Jane muttered while rubbing the small bottle containing the smooth poison.
The reason for not attending the engagement ceremony was indeed true.
She wanted to use that time to become more familiar with the work and escape from the red marks even a little faster.
But there was a separate reason for so blatantly saying she wouldn’t attend the engagement ceremony.
“Maybe I should have provoked a little more.”
Yes. Wasn’t it a common occurrence?
Things like the sole heir of a great family treating subordinates carelessly.
Even if there were reasons for treating subordinates roughly, superiors don’t bring up trivial matters themselves due to face-saving.
So the only story that remains is the victim’s account.
Even if they were victims, they weren’t innocent victims, but anyway, the grievances of those who suffered harsh treatment would be passed from mouth to mouth for a long time and remain like stains.
“What a pity.”
Jane shook her head while hiding the bottle of poison as carefully as possible in the deepest place.
Of course, she had no intention of ending it with just this once.
Though the fake wasn’t currently acting wickedly, once she started consuming poison, she would gradually go mad.
The poison that penetrated to the bone marrow would make it so.
And the fake going mad would start causing trouble.
Until everyone looked at her with eyes filled with fear and contempt.
But wouldn’t it be a bit more natural to scatter breadcrumbs little by little even before feeding the poison?
“Come to think of it…”
She recalled the day of Riina’s engagement ceremony.
Though it was the engagement ceremony of Riina, the sole heir of the family, Jane hadn’t attended that day.
She fingered the end of the Third Prince’s letter she had pulled out.
“It was quite a plausible proposal.”
Though he was a fool, should she be thankful that his head wasn’t so empty as to be completely useless?
Around the time the engagement ceremony was in full swing at the central temple.
Jane, who had entered the palace at the Third Prince’s summons, immediately met with him.
There were no shallow tests like before.
‘You said you’d come today, but it seems you didn’t go to the engagement ceremony.’
‘No.’
‘Well, there’s no particular need to go. Riina might break off the engagement in just a few days anyway.’
At Smith’s words, spoken with a twisted smile mocking Riina’s fickleness, Jane gave no particular response.
She wasn’t so absent-minded as to giggle along when the Third Prince himself was making a fool of himself.
