Roxana
Chapter 54
Chapter 54
The Way to Protect the
Female Lead’s Older Brother
Chapter 54
* * *
What an utter idiot.
Watching Fontaine walk away, Roxana let out a cold, mocking sneer.
Dealing with Fontaine was so easy it was almost boring.
Yet, full of vain and delusional ambitions, he even coveted the position of successor to Lant Agriche.
Fontaine had no grasp of his own place—none whatsoever.
‘You are magnificent.’
‘You are far superior to Deon.’
‘Father is the bad one for failing to recognize someone like you.’
Because Roxana kept whispering such things in his ear, he seemed to genuinely believe it.
Of course, that foolishness of his was part of the reason she had decided to use him in the first place.
Still, every time she had to face him like this, it was utterly pathetic.
Above all, that disgusting gaze of his, blatantly licking up and down her entire body, brought an instinctive, bitter smirk to her lips.
Did someone like him even realize who he was daring to covet?
“Noona, can’t I just gouge that bastard’s eyes out?”
Just then, someone stepped out from behind one of the trees behind Roxana.
The young man cloaked in the same white fur mantle as Roxana was Jeremy, who had just turned eighteen this year and reached adulthood.
On his face, having grown from a boy into a man before she knew it, irritation and discontent lingered.
Jeremy, who had accompanied Roxana, had been concealing his presence under her orders since Fontaine’s appearance.
While doing so, he had witnessed Fontaine leering at Roxana with those filthy eyes.
“Later. We should let him see the moment his life hits rock bottom with his own two eyes.”
Roxana spoke to the displeased Jeremy in a soft, placating tone.
Her gentle, quiet voice almost carried an air of benevolence, but the words themselves were entirely the opposite.
Jeremy’s expression softened slightly as he clicked his tongue.
“That idiot still doesn’t know his place. Strutting around and putting on airs with such a pathetic body that can’t even tell if there’s one person or two around him. Makes me want to puke.”
Roxana agreed with Jeremy’s words. Then, her gaze idly drifted toward the direction where Fontaine had appeared earlier.
Right…
Fontaine’s return meant that Deon was also currently at the mansion.
Roxana’s eyes sank low and cold.
Pulling her hood back down over her head, she turned her steps toward the Agriche mansion.
“Let’s head back, Jeremy.”
“Yeah, Noona.”
* * *
Returning to the mansion, Roxana was summoned by Lant Agriche and made her way toward his office.
She sent Jeremy back to his room first.
Though it was now in the past, there was a time when things had grown awkward between her and Jeremy.
It had not been because of the incident three years ago involving Cassis’s attempted escape from Agriche.
Back then, once Jeremy was released from the Room of Punishment, Roxana returned to being the warm, affectionate noona she had always been.
Jeremy, too, like the rest of the Agriches, believed that Roxana had grown tired of her toy and fed Cassis to the poison butterflies.
Perhaps because of that, Jeremy had treated Roxana with an even more affectionate attitude.
The unfamiliar distance between her and Jeremy began a little later, when the final month of that year arrived.
At that time, Jeremy was facing his final Monthly Evaluation at age fifteen.
The day before, Roxana had gone to him and urged, ‘Even if something unexpected happens during this Monthly Evaluation, do not hesitate—you must carry out what the proctor orders.’
Though Jeremy was puzzled by Roxana suddenly saying such things, he eventually promised her he would.
At dusk the next day, with a face stark pale as a ghost, Jeremy burst out of the examination room as if fleeing for his life.
Then, glaring with bloodshot eyes at the proctor who followed him out to announce the results, he hurled the bloodstained knife in his hand, attacking him.
After that, Jeremy was locked in the Room of Punishment once more.
When he emerged a week later, he did not cling to Roxana as he used to.
Instead, whenever he saw Roxana, he flinched and hurried away.
His eyes wavered so anxiously whenever he looked at her that his inner turmoil reached Roxana completely.
Roxana knew why Jeremy was acting that way. The absence of any notice of disposal meant Jeremy had successfully passed the test.
That fact alone was enough to imagine what he had experienced.
“I—I killed you, Noona. So is it really okay for me to stay by your side?”
After watching Jeremy’s wanderings for a time, when Roxana went to him, Jeremy babbled in front of her as she held him, fidgeting like a guilty child.
“Jeremy, my good brother. I’m the one who told you to do it.”
Roxana gently soothed him, speaking softly.
“You simply did what I wanted, just as you’ve always done. And besides, it was only an illusion. You didn’t kill me. Look. I’m standing right here in front of you, safe and sound.”
“But…”
“Jeremy, if you hadn’t done it, the one who died would have been you. If that had happened, I would have been so heartbroken. So there’s no need to carry such feelings toward me. I truly believe you did well.”
Having undergone the same experience herself, Roxana knew what words Jeremy so desperately needed to hear.
After that, Jeremy broke down the walls between them once more.
In fact, it felt as though he had opened his heart to her even more than before.
“Lady Roxana.”
Just then, someone halted Roxana’s steps as she walked toward Lant Agriche’s office.
Turning around, a familiar face entered her view. It was Sierra’s maid, Bess.
“The Madame requests an audience with Lady Roxana. Could you spare some time today?”
It was a very cautious request. Now, Sierra and Roxana had reached a point where they could only see each other by scheduling a time in advance.
What was more, Roxana often declined even those.
Thus, the most recent time Sierra and Roxana had seen each other’s faces was already four months ago.
“So many people are looking for me today.”
Yet Roxana spoke in an indifferent tone, as though not feeling that void in the slightest.
“Is Mother not with Lady Maria right now?”
“Yes, she is alone at the moment.”
“My, what to do. I must go see Father right now.”
“Then perhaps afterward…”
Bess trailed off, recalling Sierra’s sorrow-laden face.
She feared Roxana might punish her for pushing further, but thinking of Sierra, she couldn’t help but summon her courage.
Roxana gazed quietly at Bess, then called out to the person standing behind her.
“Emily.”
“Yes, Milady.”
“Go to Lady Maria and ask if she might be able to visit Mother right now.”
At those words, Bess gasped, her mouth dropping open in shock.
It was a roundabout refusal to meet Sierra.
To make matters worse, Roxana was trying to attach Maria to Sierra again.
Knowing full well how uncomfortable Sierra was around her.
“Did you say a tea party is being held today for the first time in a while? Yes, it has been quite some time since Mother stopped attending such gatherings. She must be bored on her own.”
“Milady, it is not that. The Madame simply wishes to see Lady Roxana…”
“Emily. Lady Maria will not refuse a request to visit Mother, but if she hesitates because of the tea party, be sure to pass along the news that Deon has returned to the mansion.”
At that, Bess, who was about to object, shut her mouth.
The look in her eyes as she gazed at Roxana was different from a moment ago.
Bess seemed to have finally realized Roxana’s true intentions.
“Bess. I do not dislike girls like you. However, you should think more carefully about what truly serves your mistress.”
After the instructed Emily departed first, Roxana continued speaking to Bess.
“If you continue to bother me with matters like this, I will hold you accountable for failing to attend to Mother properly.”
At the cool voice falling over her head, Bess bowed her head even deeper.
“Yes… I apologize, Lady Roxana.”
Leaving Bess behind, Roxana began walking again.
“Then go and comfort Mother. That is your duty, is it not?”
Following Roxana’s command, Bess quietly turned around.
Fortunately, this maid was quite quick on the uptake.
Keeping an eye on her for a while before personally placing her beside her mother, Sierra, half a year ago had been worthwhile.
What Roxana wanted was someone who genuinely cared for Sierra while possessing the wits to act in the interest of her safety.
Unlike the mistress of the Agriche family, Sierra still retained a gentle and mild disposition.
Because of this, many servants in the mansion were fond of her.
Bess was one of them.
In particular, Bess had once served as Maria’s maid and nearly died after breaking a teacup on the day of a tea party.
After escaping death by a hair’s breadth thanks to Sierra’s pleading, Bess viewed Sierra as her savior.
Therefore, she would look after Sierra well, just as Roxana expected.
She also seemed to have understood why Roxana went out of her way to keep Maria attached to Sierra’s side.
Knock, knock.
Finally reaching Lant Agriche’s office, Roxana knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
It was that same detestable voice.
Yet Roxana opened the door with a docile smile.
“Father, you called for me.”
Just like an obedient pet dog wagging its tail for its master.
Quietly waiting for the day to tear the person before her to shreds, the sharp venomous fangs within her flashed without a sound.
