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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Cedric's Gift
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“Mmph, mmph!”
“Shh. Quiet. We’ll be discovered.”
A familiar voice pierced Jane’s ear as she struggled, flailing her hands. This voice...
‘Sir Sereun?’
Jane tilted her head, confirming the man’s face. It was Sereun, Roje’s escort Knight, who always wore a good-natured, somewhat dazed smile. With a sharp glint in his eyes, he brought a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Jane gasped at Sereun’s unexpected appearance.
‘S-Sir Sereun, why is he here?’
Jane stared at him, still unable to comprehend the situation. Sereun, without removing his finger from his lips, pulled her behind him. He gestured with his hand behind his back, signaling to Jane. She looked in the direction Sereun was gesturing and quickly concealed herself. It was a sufficient spot for Jane’s small frame to hide.
‘If I move a little more, Sir Sereun can hide with me.’
As Jane squeezed into the narrow space, just as she was about to gesture to Sereun,
‘Sir Sereun!’
Instead of hiding, he boldly walked out! Jane, hidden behind the wall, clamped both hands over her mouth.
‘Why on earth is Sir Sereun doing that?!’
Though narrow, it was ample space for two people to hide. It wasn't a suicide attempt, and Jane thought that perhaps the dazed Sereun had simply misread the situation and approached Cedric. Jane stamped her foot nervously, squeezing her eyes shut. Surely now she would hear Cedric’s furious shouts. Asking how dare he enter such a place... But the situation unfolded completely differently from Jane’s expectations.
“You’ve arrived, Master.”
The owner of that firm voice was Sereun. It was a voice entirely unlike the charming, endearing tone he usually used with her. Jane doubted her ears, hearing Sereun’s serious voice for the very first time in her life. He was acting like a completely different person. Moreover, she had thought he was just an ordinary Knight with no prior acquaintance with Cedric...
‘What’s going on?’
“You were already here.”
Cedric’s voice reached Jane’s bewildered ears. He addressed Sereun with an air of deep familiarity.
“Yes, Master.”
“Rise.”
Cedric spoke softly to Sereun, who was kneeling with his head bowed.
“I’ve been hearing strange rumors lately. Roje, that child, lost her memories, didn’t she?”
“Not completely lost, but she has suffered partial memory loss.”
“It seems she lost her nerve along with her memories. To dare look me straight in the eye.”
Cedric muttered, recalling the look in Roje’s eyes when she had gazed at him in the reception room.
“Not only has her demeanor changed somewhat, but she’s also acting differently from before.”
At Sereun’s words, Cedric looked at him as if prompting him to elaborate.
“She never made her debut, nor did she show any interest in society, but suddenly, as if a new wind blew, her attention has shifted entirely in that direction.”
“Society?”
“Yes. She’s not only studying the current political climate with a private tutor but also striving to understand the relationships between nobles.”
Cedric’s eyebrows twitched at Sereun’s words. For three years, she did nothing but trail after his son...
“...Suspicious.”
Cedric, wearing a dubious expression, murmured lowly. Jane, hidden behind the wall, felt a surge of betrayal at Sereun’s willingness to spill everything about Roje.
‘No way... was that foolish Sir Sereun the former Count’s informant all along?’
Sereun, who had approached with such a friendly demeanor, had grown close to Roje and Jane at an incredibly rapid pace. Roje and Jane cherished and looked after Sereun, who still hadn’t shed his youthful innocence, as if he were their own younger brother. Sereun had followed them devotedly. When the young, inexperienced Sereun became Roje’s escort Knight, no one at the Count’s manor thought it strange. They believed that Cedric’s pressure had forced the most insignificant man to become Roje’s escort Knight.
‘I trusted Sir Sereun...!’
In this manor, the people Roje trusted and relied on most were Jane and Sereun. The fact that Roje had gone out in disguise was also a secret known only to Jane and Sereun. But to think that Sereun was the one spying on Roje all along... Thinking of him, who had been on Cedric’s side and meticulously reported Roje’s every move, made her chest tighten with indignation. Roje would likely be utterly shocked if she ever learned the truth. But perhaps not as much as Jane. Because Sereun... was Jane’s lover. A crushing sense of betrayal washed over her, bitter and stinging.
‘...Was that foolish demeanor he always showed just an act?’
Were his shy smiles, his ardent feelings—all of it—nothing but blatant lies? Sereun had only been by her and Roje’s side because of orders...
‘Was I thoroughly used...?’
Jane couldn't control the rush of emotions that welled up inside her. Her heart pounded rapidly, and at the same time, her entire body trembled violently.
“Grand Duke Arteum and Roje, there haven’t been any particular movements between them, have there?”
Cedric’s voice reached Jane’s trembling ears once more. Sereun remained silent at the mention of ‘Arteum’ and the Grand Duke.
‘Surely... the Countess entered Grand Duke Arteum’s mansion in disguise that day.’
Sereun had, in fact, been trailing Roje from the very beginning after she left the mansion in disguise. He had clung to the back of her carriage and followed her all the way to the Arteum territory. Sereun had clearly witnessed it with his own eyes. Roje entering the Grand Duke’s mansion. Sereun’s eyes were deeply clouded as his lips parted slightly.
“...There seems to be nothing particular. I’ve searched through all the correspondence, but there was nothing. Aside from Grand Duke Arteum sending the Countess an invitation to the banquet, that is.”
He hid the truth of what he had seen that day, shaking his head. Cedric, seeing Sereun’s seemingly transparent eyes, which appeared to hold not a shred of deceit, let the matter drop without suspicion.
“Why did that damned bastard invite someone like Roje and cause all this trouble, tsk.”
Cedric’s fists trembled, perhaps recalling the humiliation he suffered from Duke Pliche because of the banquet.
“Grand Duke Arteum... you were lucky once, but you won’t escape a second time. This time, I’ll twist your neck.”
A foul, cackling laugh echoed through the underground vault. His subordinate, standing beside Cedric, added with even greater zeal.
“Indeed. This time, he won’t escape. We’ve already planted someone on Princess Diana’s side.”
“Yes. Everything is unfolding smoothly. That woman, known for her thoroughness, only ever lets down her guard around her cousin, Grand Duke Arteum. We have no choice but to exploit that.”
Diana was excessively sensitive to ‘poisoning.’ She always kept a poison connoisseur by her side, and only ate her meals after he had tasted the food first. She always drank water poured into a goblet made from a ‘Unicorn’s horn,’ which had detoxifying properties, and never touched any kind of wine. This was because if poison was added to wine, it was difficult to detect in terms of taste, aroma, and color. Yet, there was one day a year, just one day, when she would drink wine. That was at Diana’s own birthday banquet. On that day, without fail, Grand Duke Arteum would bring her wine. She would drink her fill of the wine poured by her cousin, whom she trusted implicitly.
“We’ve created a goblet from a Narwhal’s tusk, identical to Princess Diana’s own cup. Unlike a Unicorn’s horn, which is said to neutralize poison, a Narwhal’s tusk has no such effect, so even a small amount would be quite dangerous. The Princess will likely drink the wine offered by Grand Duke Arteum without a hint of suspicion.”
“Yes. But His Majesty is very worried. Princess Diana is his only daughter, after all. He instructed us to use a poison that could be neutralized with an antidote.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ve already conducted experiments on prisoners to determine the precise dosage.”
At the man’s words, Cedric’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.
“Grand Duke Arteum will never escape the charge of poisoning Princess Diana.”
“This time, you’ll finally be able to finish off the Grand Duke. And once this is done, Duke Pliche will surely recognize the efforts of the Count Wens family.”
The hearty laughter of the two men echoed through the underground vault. Jane, who had heard everything, froze solid on the spot.
‘What... what did I just hear?’
She had overheard a terrifying plot, one she should never have known. If she were discovered here now, it wouldn’t just end with a severe punishment. Jane held her breath, unable to even make a sound. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the hellish moments to pass. The thought of being discovered and killed sent shivers down her spine. How much time passed? Cedric and his subordinate bid Sereun farewell and exited the basement. However, even after they left, Jane couldn’t move an inch. Because there was one more person in this basement besides those two men and Jane. Thump- thump. Slow footsteps approached. Jane squeezed her eyes shut and trembled violently at the sound of footsteps approaching her.
“You... heard everything, didn’t you?”
Sereun had, by now, drawn close to Jane. He whispered in a low voice close to Jane’s ear. Jane, who had been clenching her hands tightly, slowly opened her eyes at Sereun’s voice. Her eyelashes fluttered delicately above her widened eyes. Unable to hide her trembling, she stared at Sereun.
“Sir Sereun... how could you, how could you do this?”
To Jane, who looked at him with resentful eyes, Sereun replied silently.
“Act as if you heard nothing.”
Sereun didn’t answer Jane’s questions, only saying what he wanted to say. However, it seemed he had no intention of killing Jane, despite her having heard everything.
“Sir Sereun! How on earth did you get involved in something like this?!”
“Do you still not understand? I deliberately approached the Countess from the very beginning. And you, too.”
“...!”
At Sereun’s words, Jane’s eyes filled with shock. Soon, tears welled up in Jane’s eyes. She saw it with her own eyes, yet she didn’t want to believe it... She had hoped he would at least tell her his feelings for her were genuine! Transparent tears streamed down her freckled cheeks.
“Everything... was a lie, then.”
“...”
“Your kind demeanor... your loyalty to the Countess...”
Jane lowered her head, looking at Sereun with trembling eyes. Then, with difficulty, she parted her lips, which felt glued shut.
“Even your declarations of love for me... everything must have been a lie.”
Sereun flinched at Jane’s words.
“I believed you... your words that you would protect me for life!”
Jane sobbed, pounding Sereun’s chest, where he stood before her.
“How could you tell such a lie! *Hic*, *hic*.”
There’s a limit to how much you can play with someone... The thought of Sereun, with that innocent face, having played with her all this time, was utterly sickening. Jane hit Sereun’s chest a couple more times, then glared at him.
“Never... never appear before my eyes again, Sir Sereun.”
With those last words, she ran out of the underground vault.
“...”
Sereun couldn’t stop Jane as she ran, and watched the door she had exited through with a bitter gaze. His hand, unable to grasp Jane, fell limply in the air.
“Jane...”
Sereun murmured in a voice too low for her to hear, then rummaged in his pocket. In his hand lay a crude ring made of copper. It was the ring Jane had dropped, and the engagement ring he had given her. The ring, now without its owner, remained forlornly in Sereun’s hand.
***
“It’s so noisy, it’s killing me. Who on earth has arrived to make everyone so busy?”
Meanwhile, Doana, unaware that Eric’s father, Cedric, had arrived, looked around the chaotic mansion.
“I should go ask Roje.”
Asking the servants was pointless, as none of them would give her a straight answer, so she decided to seek out Roje, whom she considered the easiest to deal with.
“Roje.”
As usual, she flung open Roje’s door without even knocking.
“Oh, no one’s here.”
Roje’s room was empty. Didn’t she know it was common sense to leave a room when its owner wasn’t present? She began rummaging through Roje’s room as if it were her own. First, she opened the wardrobe door. Last time, Roje had given her a look, so she hadn’t been able to properly look around. Doana hummed to herself as she rummaged through Roje’s dresses.
“Oh my, what’s this?”
A red dress caught Doana’s eye.
“It clearly doesn’t suit Roje.”
It was excessively adorned with lavish decorations. Just by looking at the dangling jewels, one could tell how expensive the dress was. Doana cautiously pulled out the red dress and glanced around.
“...It should be fine to just try it on for a moment, right?”
Anyway, everyone seems busy right now. The thought that no one would pay attention to this place made Doana immediately put her idea into action. She shed her worn-out maid uniform and squeezed her body into the utterly extravagant dress. After putting on the dress, Doana stood before the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.
“This is exactly my dress.”
A dress that didn’t suit Roje’s rustic image at all. Anyone could see that this dress suited her far better. They say clothes make the person. Wearing this dress, she somehow felt like a princess. Doana, grinning with an elated expression, grabbed the hem of the skirt and spun once in place. Thud. As Doana spun, something fell to the floor. It seemed an item on the dressing table had fallen due to her skirt spreading out in a wide circle. Doana stopped in place and found a small gift box on the floor.
“What is this?”
She bent down and picked up the red-wrapped box and the envelope lying beside it.
“To Roje...”
Doana frowned. Somehow, it felt like a gift from Eric. Suspicious, she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside. As expected, the letter was from Eric. It briefly stated his apologies for not having been more considerate until now.
“...He said he was getting a divorce, so why send a gift?”
Doana couldn’t understand his actions. Just moments ago, he had said he was fed up with Roje, so why would he send a gift like this? She gritted her teeth, a grinding sound escaping her.
“What on earth did he send?!”
Doana roughly untied the ribbon and checked the contents of the box. Inside the box was a small cosmetic product, about the size of her palm. Doana irritably picked it up.
“Is this for my face?”
Doana wanted to throw the cosmetic product in her hand into the trash immediately. But instead of discarding it, she chose to use it surreptitiously.
“How irritating.”
Jealousy flared that Eric had given it as a gift to Roje. When she opened the cosmetic’s lid, she saw an opaque liquid pooled inside. Doana plunged her hand deep into the cosmetic jar. Then she scooped out a generous amount of the opaque liquid. Instead of using it carefully, she was acting with a firm, venomous determination. Doana didn’t even notice the warmth spreading from her fingertips as she began applying the cream to her face. Doana carefully massaged the cream from her jawline up to her cheeks.
“It feels like it’s stinging a bit...”
Her jawline and fingertips felt a tingling, burning sensation, as if on fire. The parts where the cream touched felt hot and inflamed. Only then did Doana pause and look down at her hands. Her middle and ring fingers, covered in cream, were red and inflamed. That wasn’t all. Blisters had begun to appear on her skin, which had been fair and pristine just moments before.
“W-What is this?!”
Doana, startled, brushed off the cream and wiped her hands on Roje’s dress. Then she frantically examined her face in the mirror. She clutched her face with trembling hands and screamed.
“Kyaaaah!!”
Doana’s ear-splitting scream echoed throughout the entire mansion. The gift on the dressing table wasn’t from Eric. It was Cedric’s gift.
