Chapter 4
Black Manor
It was the first time she had spoken to her uncle like that, without flinching.
"Aren't you even curious about why Louise died?"
The moment Louise's name was mentioned, her uncle's greasy brow furrowed.
"Is that what's important now? Your sister was terminally ill anyway. It wouldn't have been strange if she had died at any time. But not us. The living must live!"
"That's the problem."
"What?!"
"Still. Even at this moment. Not knowing how Louise was doing, not even how her last moments were. The fact that no one in Pellieresse is curious about it..."
Yuan whispered in an utterly exhausted voice.
"That's the problem."
Count Pellieresse stood blankly for a moment, then let go of Yuan's arm.
Instead of Yuan, whom he had futilely lost, the Count pleaded with Marquis Kompani, who was narrowing his eyes, trying to eavesdrop on their whispers.
"Marquis Kompani! This child cannot go! She is important to the family! She is practically the heir! She is the only link between my deceased brother and me! My niece must help me continue the family business! Is this just for my own good? What kind of family is Pellieresse? If Pellieresse prospers, the whole country will be happy! As someone who serves the same First Prince, please consider our situation, I beg you!"
Marquis Kompani wordlessly offered his arm to Yuan.
He could no longer bear to watch Count Pellieresse, who had lied and was now talking about loyalty to the First Prince, in such a pathetic state.
Instead of the cold-hearted Marquis Kompani, a voice of condemnation poured out towards Yuan, who was now turning her back without even making eye contact.
"You shameless wretch, repaying kindness with malice!"
Her uncle's cracked voice tore through the cold air.
The snow that had been falling enough to pile up at her feet had finally stopped.
Marquis Kompani, fearing that Yuan might change her mind, hurriedly led her into the carriage.
While the knights quickly reorganized the procession, the Pellieresse people came out of the mansion with stiff steps and watched the scene.
Every one of them looked as if they were staring at an enemy who had stabbed them in the stomach.
The Countess, surprised by the scale of the royal guard waiting outside the mansion, briefly held her breath before snapping at the servant carrying Yuan's meager belongings.
And amidst that sensitive voice, Regina, hiding behind her brother, muttered a low curse like an interjection.
That crow-like thing is going to ruin the whole family. Do you think there's paradise where you're abandoning your family? There's a limit to how much you can disgrace the family. Your sister died and came back, and where are you going? It's no use regretting it after you die.
It was a symphony of madness.
'What a crazy family.'
Marquis Kompani frowned and looked at Yuan, as if trying to shake off the mother and daughter's relentless attacks.
She was staring at the Pellieresse people through the carriage window without even drawing the curtains. He wondered if she was used to such things, but when he looked closely, her white hands were clenched so tightly on her skirt that they were pale and trembling.
Marquis Kompani slammed the carriage door shut, as if to shake off the increasingly harsh curses.
At the same time, he pretended not to notice the small shoulders that flinched and unfolded a newspaper that he wouldn't even read.
Count Pellieresse had deceived the royal family.
Originally, when the royal family wanted to arrange a marriage with a family, it was common sense to present all the candidates.
When they specifically asked for the daughter of the 'late Count Pellieresse,' he lied, saying that he had a sickly niece.
Seeing how they were trying to prevent her from being sent away, it seemed that Yuan Pellieresse was indeed the woman close to the Pellieresse secret that the First Prince had been searching for so diligently these days.
He had just heard the Count's plea that Yuan Pellieresse was an important child who helped with the family business and begged him not to take her away. But...
Marquis Kompani's eyes narrowed.
'Family business? Just by looking at her, she seems weaker than her sister.'
The Marquis glanced at the face visible over the unfolded newspaper and thought.
She was nothing compared to the perfectly made-up noble ladies of the capital who reeked of powder.
But there was definitely a beauty that could not be hidden by her tired appearance or disheveled hair.
A white and slender face. Hair as black as raven feathers. A prominent forehead and neat eyebrows. And large black eyes under long eyelashes.
Yuan Pellieresse was like a painting drawn in black and white by a famous artist.
'She's a beauty.'
The fur cloak she had hastily thrown on was closer to that of a maid, and the shoes on her neatly gathered feet were luxurious but worn.
Of course, even in such worn clothes, she exuded an elegant atmosphere that made it clear at a glance that she was a noble.
However, it seemed certain that she had been mistreated in this family.
Her skin was rough from lack of care. The plump and shapely lips located below her small nose were also dry and parched.
Her deep, unfathomable black eyes were terrified, as if she would burst into tears at the slightest touch, no matter how hard she tried to imitate composure.
How could she have helped with the family business when she looked so frail?
What great secret did she hold that the First Prince had suddenly been clinging to Pellieresse for the past year?
The complex thoughts eventually led to one conclusion.
'Count Pellieresse committed the crime. Anyway, it seems like things have been roughly taken care of, so let's just do as we're told.'
The Marquis quickly read through the article that didn't make sense to him and heard a report through the briefly opened carriage door that preparations were complete.
It was time to leave this crazy household.
Yuan endured Marquis Kompani's gaze, barely suppressing the urge to cover her ears.
She wanted to ask why he was staring at her so intently, but it would be even more terrible if he changed his mind and decided to leave her behind.
She could see Frederick, blocked by the knights, shouting and protesting with his Adam's apple fully visible.
He was a fool who didn't even know why he was protesting, but his booming voice was enough to amplify Yuan's anxiety.
Hurry up. Drive the carriage. Please. Get me out of here quickly.
Yuan repeatedly pressed her sweaty palms against her skirt and prayed inwardly.
And soon, news came that preparations for departure were complete.
Marquis Kompani looked at her and asked.
"Any farewells?"
"I want to take my sister with me."
Yuan said, taking one last look at the Pellieresse people.
Then, when the Marquis didn't answer for a long time, she turned her gaze to him.
Marquis Kompani's eyes, with his gaunt face and gleaming light, were like those of a snake.
His pale lips hesitated for a moment before she mustered her courage again.
"I don't want those people to see Louise's body. I want to bury my sister with my own hands, with my own hands."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness."
An unfamiliar title. An unfamiliar voice. She had no time to pay attention to such things.
She had to leave Pellieresse. She had to take Louise and leave, anywhere for now. That thought dominated her entire mind.
"If you don't bury her here, you'll have to burn her."
"Burn her?"
In an instant, the blood in her body turned cold.
Yuan urgently asked again.
"Please answer me. You're saying you'll burn her? Why?"
"That is the law of the royal family."
The mouth that spoke of the law seemed quite firm.
Yuan looked at Louise's coffin, still standing alone beyond the Pellieresse people, and appealed to Marquis Kompani again.
If necessary, she could even kneel before him.
"Then, then burn her where I am. Don't leave her there. Don't let those people have her body, whether you burn her or bury her. Please. I beg you."
It was no different from begging.
Her hands, which had been neatly placed on her knees, were brought together in prayer, clasping each other.
"I got in the carriage without a word, so please cooperate with me on this much."
Then, when Marquis Kompani didn't budge, the words came out sharply.
She didn't know how she had found such courage.
Seeing the Marquis's hardened face, blood rushed to her head.
What if begging didn't work, and getting angry didn't work either?
What if he told her to stay in this mansion with the body, even now?
But contrary to Yuan's worries, the Marquis narrowed his eyes, sighed, and gave instructions to the servants.
Yuan watched until Louise's coffin was loaded onto the baggage cart of the procession before pulling down the curtains of the window.
She had wanted to do it all along.
What Yuan had been staring at was not the suffocating relatives.
It was her wish and her everything, the Pellieresse mansion.
She had simply wanted to keep that mansion in her eyes for a long time.
Yuan leaned against the window and closed her eyes.
Goodbye, my home.
Goodbye, Mom and Dad.
Yuan closed her mouth tightly and bid farewell to the mansion where she had lived for 20 years.
The beautiful mansion. The perfect family.
Acknowledging that it was ultimately a wish that was not granted to her.
"Go! You crazy crow! Just try to come back! I'll beat you half to death!"
Regina's voice, spewing curses, was the last thing she heard from that mansion.
The carriage ran for three days straight.
Even during the occasional breaks, Yuan simply existed, creaking like a broken doll.
Yuan silently looked out the window at the winter forest.
Endless towering fir trees. Snow piled on top of them.
The world remained white due to the snow that repeatedly fell and stopped.
Snow.
Damn snow.
Damn winter.
Even as she rubbed her dry eyes and muttered inwardly, the snow only continued to make the world white, as if mocking her.
It was only after passing through a huge castle gate that the Marquis, who had been doing his own thing for three days, spoke to her.
"There will be no wedding. Probably."
He folded the newspaper he had been reading for hours neatly in half and placed it beside him.
"You can live as you did at your home. After all, you won't be active in society or go to the palace."
Yuan was exhausted, but she listened carefully to his words, making sure not to miss a single one, and nodded.
"Any further scandals would not be good for the Deposed Emperor, either."
Yuan tensed and straightened her back at the mention of the Deposed Emperor, whom she had momentarily forgotten.
"Welcome to the Black Manor."
The Marquis smiled, pulling back the stuffy curtain on his side.
Through the red curtains, a huge, pitch-black mansion loomed in the distance like a mountain.
