Chapter 63
Kinder held her breath the entire carriage ride. She unconsciously hunched over, stifling her breathing so as not to annoy the listeners' ears. She stole a glance at Evangeline.
Evangeline Rohanson hadn't slapped away the hand Kinder offered. When Kinder had asked for help, she'd stepped forward willingly. Of course, she'd warned Kinder that she couldn't provide a 'perfect solution,' but compared to a lifetime of prayers that had never once been answered, this was far better.
Why wasn't it perfect? Was there a problem with reviving Rider?
Kinder bumped the toes of the slightly oversized shoes together. The ones she wore belonged to the late Countess, Lady Rohanson's mother. The Lady had suggested she wear them without much thought, but Kinder felt a strange mix of emotions.
There had been no emotion in the Lady's voice as she recalled the Countess. She could see why rumors spread that Lady Rohanson was a different person. Was that the issue? If Rider came back to life, would he act like a doll, forgetting all affection for Kinder just like the Lady?
"We've arrived."
"Good work, Melek."
The blindfolded coachman driving the legless horse announced their arrival. Though speaking from outside the carriage amid the rain, his voice was as clear as if he were right beside them.
Lady Rohanson descended with an escort from the monster she called her limb. In front of the Lady, it obediently rolled onto its belly, wagging its tail like a real dog.
The accompanying maid hurriedly held an umbrella over Lady Rohanson. The monster then extended a hand to escort Kinder as well, but she ignored it and got down on her own.
As if finding her amusing, the monster cackled. When Kinder had lingered hesitantly in front of Rohanson Mansion, that man had appeared out of nowhere and strangled her.
"Oops, my mistake. You were so noisy I nearly killed you. Keep it secret from my owner that I choked you, okay? She told me to bring you intact."
He'd threatened her to keep it from Lady Rohanson as a 'mistake.' Kinder hadn't screamed or made a sound—what was noisy about her? Her heart pounded wildly. Surely 'noisy' didn't mean her heartbeat?
"It's noisy inside, isn't it?"
At the word 'noisy,' Kinder recalled her first encounter with the monster posing as a guard and shuddered, avoiding his gaze.
"Something must have happened."
At the maid's speculation, Kinder tilted her head, then paled and rushed inside. She didn't even have time to check if Evangeline was following.
There was only one thing that could cause a commotion in the mansion. Rider's death had been discovered! No one but Kinder usually sought the child out, so why today of all days? Had they sensed something off because she wasn't acting normally and gone looking for Rider?
"Madam! Hurry to the young master! Sir Dies…!"
"Madam, is it true the young master has passed?"
The whispering servants swarmed Kinder, bombarding her with questions. She ignored them as if deaf, gritting her teeth and hurrying on.
Kinder stopped at Rider's room, normally the best-lit in the mansion. But now, it had become the ugliest, darkest place.
"Why is Madam back already… Of all times."
The servants gathered at Rider's door murmured.
"Butler, nursemaid. What is this?"
Kinder's voice trembled. The nursemaid beside the butler avoided her gaze, as if aware her actions defied common sense.
"Madam."
The butler called out in panic.
Kinder clenched her fists. Rider's door had been hacked nearly in half with an axe. Through the gaping hole, she saw a maid trembling inside, clutching the child tightly.
"Sister-in-law, you're back early."
The culprit was Dies. Holding the axe, he greeted Kinder with a brazen smirk. He'd said he'd arrive late at night, but had come while she was away and wreaked havoc.
"Dies, what is this?!"
"What do you mean? I just wanted to check on my nephew. The maid must be the one who did wrong."
Dies shamelessly pointed at the maid clutching Rider beyond the broken door.
"Ma-Madame…"
The maid called desperately to Kinder. It was Weather, the maid she'd entrusted Rider to. Her face bled from shards of the broken door. Even in her daze, she protected Rider, wrapped tightly in bedsheets.
Kinder's head spun. Holding him so close, Weather must realize the child was dead. So why keep protecting him?
Kinder couldn't understand. For whatever reason, Weather had honored her request to the end. Without her blocking, Rider's death would have been announced long ago.
"I just wanted to see my nephew's face, but she wouldn't let me in? Suspicious, right? So I got an axe and broke the door."
"Nothing suspicious. I ordered it. He finally calmed after days of fever, so no one but her was allowed near. The maid followed my orders. Didn't she tell you?"
"Ah… Come to think of it, she did. I thought she was lying. My mistake."
Dies smirked, lowering the axe, his eyes not smiling in a creepy grin. He hadn't fully released it.
"I'm back now, so that's enough? You must be tired from the journey—go rest."
"Yes, I will. But… isn't it strange, sister-in-law? All this commotion, and my nephew doesn't even twitch, sleeping so deeply. Just like he's dead, isn't it?"
"Didn't I say? He slept deeply for the first time after five days of fever. Exhausted, so he won't hear the noise."
At Kinder's words, Dies wiped his smile and raised the axe. Kinder squeezed her eyes shut in terror, but felt no pain. Peeking, she saw him resting it on his shoulder.
"You think I'd barbarically swing this endlessly? I'm not uncivilized."
Humiliation burned Kinder's face red. Dies had swung it dramatically to threaten her.
"Now that you're here, no need to break it. The maid will open for you. With you beside, I can check on the boy, right?"
Kinder bit her lip. No rebuttal. Dies seemed convinced Rider was dead. To her eyes too, after days of illness, he looked lifeless like a corpse—no breathing, no stirring. Prolonged observation would reveal it. And if Weather unwrapped the blankets, corpse spots would show.
"Ask her to open the door. Why not check? Aren't you worried about your son? Come in with me."
"Ah, if the axe is the issue, I'll drop it."
Dies tossed it to the floor, blade spinning to Kinder's feet. She could have been badly hurt, but didn't react. Changing targets, Dies addressed the maid.
"Hey, Madam's here—come out. Or you're fired. If that's not enough, I'll call the guards. Hand you over for kidnapping and imprisoning the marquess heir."
Weather looked to Kinder with wavering eyes. Touching a noble heir wouldn't end in a fine—especially with Rider dead, she could be branded a murderer.
Onlookers murmured if the young master was really dead. Kinder bit her lower lip. What now? Cornered, one step from falling—or already fallen.
No. Kinder sought Evangeline. The Lady would find a way out.
Where was she? Had Kinder rushed ahead alone and gotten lost?
Kinder looked around and locked eyes with pristine white in her peripheral vision, gasping.
Lady Rohanson was right beside her. Her presence was so vivid it was baffling she'd only noticed now. Strangely, not just her—Dies and the butler hadn't noticed either.
"Pl-Please help… Lady."
Evangeline, observing detached like a third party, moved leisurely only after Kinder's plea. With each step of Lady Rohanson, the air shifted.
The first step startled at her sudden presence; the second left them speechless at her aura; the third filled them with dread from her pressure, holding their breath.
"Wh-Who…"
Only Dies managed words, stammering barely.
Lady Rohanson ignored him, eyes only on Kinder. Kinder forgot the dire situation, swept in strange euphoria—like the sole chosen by a god.
Standing close behind, Lady Rohanson gently embraced her. White-gloved hands brushed shoulders, hair tickled her neck. Cold breath whispered serpentine temptation only Kinder could hear. If ignorant of Evangeline, she'd mistake it for a god's voice.
"Toten Madam, do you want to revive the child?"
"Yes… Yes."
"Even if it's not your son revived? Even if it's someone else borrowing his shell?"
Kinder tried to turn and demand explanation, but was held fast like coiled by a snake.
She recalled their first meeting. Yes, the Lady had said she was a stand-in. Not just reluctance to help? Then Rider, her son… was truly gone forever? So pathetically, miserably?
"The choice is entirely yours, Madam. Officially acknowledge the child's death and accept farewell, or at least pretend he's alive."
Kinder wanted Rider revived. But as Evangeline forewarned, no perfect solution existed.
Kinder accepted reality swiftly. Too exhausted for rebellion. Rider's last words echoed.
"If this is my end, let me leave a will."
"Protect the marquessate even without me, Mother."
Accept farewell or embrace the 'thing' pretending to be her son. If choosing, it'd be the latter. Kinder loved Rider deeply—enough to use his corpse to fulfill his will. Selfish love, yes.
"Mom loves me, right?"
Even selfish love was part of true love.
"Yes. That's fine."
Finally, Kinder consented.
"Melek."
"Yes, Lady."
Evangeline called the blindfolded coachman—why he'd entered unknown.
They whispered; before Kinder questioned, his form blurred. Black smoke swam midair, entering Rider. With all eyes on Lady Rohanson, only Kinder saw.
"The young master moved!"
A maid in the crowd shouted. Kinder recognized Lady Rohanson's maid's voice.
People turned from Evangeline to Rider. As said, the motionless child grimaced, cheek puffing like a fussy sleeper, then eyes snapped open.
"Gasp!"
Someone meeting Rider's eyes covered their mouth. Kinder too. She'd begged and chosen this. Yet nausea rose at the stranger inhabiting her son's body.
Rider's hand twitched.
"Wh-What is this."
Most terrified was Weather, still holding him—feeling the 'corpse' stir in her arms.
"Ah, that's kinda scary."
Hena, with similar experience at Evangeline's funeral, empathized deeply.
