Chapter 10
From the night Zeppelin rushed into the study, Rebecca couldn't shake off her suspicion of Alice.
Zeppelin had arrived at the mansion faster than Alicia and the baggage cart.
And he had rushed into the study without a moment's hesitation.
Zeppelin was not one to rush anything.
But when he hugged Rebecca, his shirt was soaked with sweat.
What could have made him rush to the study like that?
The only variable in the mansion was Rebecca.
And Alice was the only one who knew that fact.
"M-Madam... I, I can't breathe..."
Rebecca's grip tightened.
Alice struggled to pry her hand away.
Looking back, it was strange that she hadn't suspected Alice until now.
Rebecca's maids changed almost every half year.
Whenever she started to become attached to one, Zeppelin would fire them or send them away.
As if he wouldn't leave even one person on Rebecca's side.
But Alice was different.
Alice had been with Rebecca since her first day at the Count's estate.
That wouldn't have been possible if she wasn't Zeppelin's person.
Her judgment had been clouded for a moment because she had sacrificed her life for her.
Now, even that sacrifice seemed to have been for some unknown purpose.
It was only when Alice's eyes started to roll back that Rebecca released her hand.
Rebecca coldly looked down at Alice, who was coughing and gasping for breath.
* * *
"Run away."
Alice, who was trembling as she clutched her neck, looked at Rebecca with surprised eyes.
She felt so betrayed that she wanted to tear her apart right then and there.
But Rebecca couldn't bring herself to do it.
The days she had spent with Alice kept flashing through her mind.
Alice had been with her in all the memories of the few happy moments she had had at the Count's estate.
"Madam, wh-what do you mean..."
"You've already lost my trust, so you know what Zeppelin will do to you. I'll give you one last chance. I'll tell Zeppelin to fire you tomorrow morning. So run away before dawn."
Alice stared at Rebecca's face, which was colder than frost.
She had been by her side for a long time, but this was the first time she had seen such an expression.
'I've been found out.'
Alice clenched her fist tightly.
She counted the payments she had yet to receive from Zeppelin.
He used to give her more money than usual the day after she was beaten.
But Rebecca's words made sense. She had seen the end of hounds who had lost their usefulness many times.
There was no need to be reckless for the sake of a few more coins.
A snicker escaped her lips.
A naive and foolish woman. Doesn't she even have the courage to take revenge on a traitor?
She was a woman she never liked until the end.
"Aren't you even going to ask why?"
"Knowing why won't change anything. Just run away."
"Rebecca, you've always been like that."
Rebecca silently stared at Alice's lips.
Each of her words pierced her like sharp daggers.
Alice glared at Rebecca with crazed eyes and said,
"You have everything, but you don't know how to enjoy it. Do you think anyone wants to be born to poor parents? Your family wasn't anything special either, was it? You should be grateful that the Count took you in."
"Alice, how can you say that after seeing what I've been through?"
She wanted to cover her ears.
She was afraid to face the words coming from the mouth of Alice, who she thought was on her side until the very end.
Alice wiped away the blood and stood up. Then she shouted as if in a frenzy.
"Been through? What are you so dissatisfied with? He cherishes you. He gives you so many jewels and even dresses you up nicely. Do you even know how many times a day I wish I were you? That's why you can't even beat a mistress."
"Alice. Watch your mouth. I can kill you right now."
"Kill me! You can't. You're always the innocent and kind Countess. Stop with the hypocrisy..."
Clang!
The door burst open, and a maid slammed a washbasin straight into Alice's head.
It was the maid who had been with Zeppelin until just now.
With a crisp metallic sound, Alice collapsed on the spot.
The maid bowed politely to Rebecca without any change in expression.
"Rebecca, the bathwater is ready."
Rebecca stared with wide eyes at the maid who had suddenly appeared.
The maid grabbed Alice by the hair.
"I'll take care of this vermin."
Then, with the dented washbasin in her other hand, she dragged Alice out.
The door closed quietly.
Rebecca collapsed to the floor as if she had lost her strength.
* * *
"I gave her a chance..."
That maid was definitely one of Zeppelin's people.
Well, it would have been strange if he hadn't known after all that commotion.
What would happen to Alice now?
All sorts of terrible thoughts ran through her mind. And at the same time, she let out a hollow laugh.
She was ridiculous for worrying about Alice even in this situation.
Rebecca mulled over the words Alice had said. Tears that she had been holding back streamed down her face.
'I'm completely alone now.'
Rebecca cried like a beast.
It wasn't unexpected. But just because she had anticipated the pain didn't mean it didn't hurt.
The fact that there was no one on her side here anymore weighed heavily on her.
Rebecca hugged her knees.
She felt terribly lonely. The crying wouldn't stop.
She felt like she was back in the old days, trapped in a cage, helplessly dependent on the food Zeppelin gave her.
How long had she been like that?
The maid who had said the bathwater was ready didn't come back.
And Rebecca wasn't crying anymore.
Even the moonlight was hidden by the clouds. In the dark room, Rebecca quietly blinked her deep-sea-like eyes.
She patted her own shoulder as if she were soothing her newborn child.
"Shh... Stop crying and get stronger..."
Rebecca raised her head. And she stood up and picked up the vase with the rapeseed flowers in it.
Like the look in Julian's eyes as he looked at her, the rapeseed flowers flaunted their bright golden color.
Rebecca placed the vase by the window.
At that moment, the clouds parted. The full moon shone brightly.
Moonlight fell on every corner of Rebecca's body.
Then, something that had been holding its breath inside her began to awaken.
Rebecca murmured with unwavering eyes.
"I will become stronger. Rebecca, you will become stronger. You will definitely become stronger and break the rock."
The cold moonlight was dazzling to her eyes. The fact that she had nothing in her hands actually reassured Rebecca.
She had nothing more to lose now.
That also meant that she could do anything.
* * *
Canna, who had been grabbing Alice's hair and dragging her, stopped in front of the stairs.
Then she clicked her tongue once and simply hoisted Alice over her shoulder and went down the stairs.
'So you've been treated like this until now.'
Each step she took was heavy. Her vision blurred.
'Are you just a errand girl who will do anything for money?'
When Zeppelin's man came to her, Canna wanted to jump for joy.
Her efforts had not been in vain.
The money Zeppelin had promised Canna was the most she had ever touched.
But even if he had offered her much less, Canna would have gladly accepted the job.
Coming here was a lifelong dream for Canna.
"You, who are you! Let me go! Let me go! Rebecca! Help me!"
Alice screamed and struggled, as if she had just regained consciousness.
Canna paid no attention and tightened her grip on Alice's arm.
Alice screamed at the intense grip.
"Don't you dare utter that name with your filthy mouth."
"What?"
Alice blankly looked down at Canna.
Canna passed through the garden and stood tall in front of the Hall of Light. The knights guarding the entrance to the hall opened the door for her.
"The Count is waiting."
In the center of the Hall of Light, the Statue of Goddess Defria, with her eyes covered in silk cloth, stood in all its glory.
The Statue of Goddess Defria held a large sixteen-sided die in both hands.
The statue's gaze was directed at the sky, as if it didn't care about what was happening at its feet.
Alice turned pale when she saw the large statue. She knew very well what she would experience here.
Canna threw Alice onto the cold marble floor.
Alice grabbed Canna's leg and begged.
"I'm sorry! Please, don't take me underground. What do you want? I'll give you everything. So please..."
"You're noisy until the end. Silence her."
Zeppelin's low voice was heard from the darkness.
Canna glanced at him and then struck the back of Alice's neck hard.
Terror flashed in Alice's eyes as she lost consciousness.
Zeppelin smiled contentedly as he looked at the fallen Alice.
"That's why you shouldn't do things you're not told to do. You're Canna, right?"
"Yes."
"You're more useful than I thought. If you do your job well in the future, I'll give you everything you want. But you know what happens if you overstep your bounds, right?"
"Yes."
"I also like that you're not superfluous. Octavio got me a good hound this time. Good. From tomorrow, you will become Rebecca's maid instead of Alice. You will have to report everything to me: her heart, her gestures, her words, her eyes."
Canna lowered her head.
Zeppelin clapped his hands twice, and a burly man picked up Alice.
Canna stared at Zeppelin's back as he went underground with sharp eyes.
* * *
Rebecca woke up a little late because of the cloudy weather. It was a gloomy morning, just like her mood.
"Are you awake? My name is Canna, and I will be serving you from today."
Rebecca scanned Canna silently. It was the maid who had been hitting Alice's head last night.
That was fast. To think that Alice's replacement would be found so quickly.
Black hair and brown eyes.
Canna was an ordinary woman with nothing remarkable about her except for a mole on the bridge of her nose.
Rebecca racked her brain.
But there was no name Canna among the maids who had passed her by.
'The future has changed again.'
Rebecca quietly received Canna's service. Her skills were impeccable.
'Alice was clumsy in many ways.'
Rebecca's vision blurred as she recalled the past.
'What happened to Alice? Is she dead? She must be dead. Did that Canna tell him that I noticed Alice's identity? That would be troublesome...'
Worry led to worry.
There was still no reply from Duke Johannes. She had told the Duke that she would wait a few days, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Rebecca habitually clenched her fist tightly.
Canna, who had been quietly looking down at her, opened her mouth.
"Alice is dead."
